Maybe It's the Hormones...

The nursery is complete and now we're just waiting on the little guy to arrive. As I get closer to the due date I reflect on some of the darndest questions and comments I have received from people during my pregnancy. Never in my life have I heard so many comments, advice, or questions. When it comes to babies/kids, people can be are very opinionated, innocently clueless, or just nosey. Here are a few things I have heard from time to time, and what the "grumpy cat" in me wanted to reply.



*If you are one of the people I have quoted, please don't take offense. This is all in good fun.

1)"Why are you so tired?"
Maybe because I have a baby inside that is draining all my energy. I'm a retaining water and weigh 35 lbs more than my average weight.

2) "You're using your pregnancy as an excuse."
It's not an excuse, now shut up and bugger off. You are clueless.

3) "Do you sink to the bottom of the pool when you go swimming?"
I actually float better, thank you.

4) "You're getting SO Big."
Yes, I know, but can you please say, "you look great, pretty or sexy" instead, thanks!

5) "Do you plan on breastfeeding, giving birth naturally, using regular or cloth diapers?"
I'll tell you, but then I don't want to hear your opinion on XY or Z.

6) "What kind of sleep schedule routine will you use for your baby?"
I don't know, but he's definitely going to Harvard.

7) "Ha, ha, ha...if only you knew how much your life will change."
Duh! I know how much life will change. This is the reason I waited 18 years to have children.

8) "You're living in a dream world if you think it'll be that easy."
You're lame. It's OK to dream. I believe we all do it sometimes.

9) "Well...you may want to rethink doing that, or purchasing those items."
Yes, all knowing. You should get the mother of year award.

10) "You should have sex as much as possible to induce labor."
Now that's living in a dream world.

First Baby Shower

On Saturday, Aug. 24th my sweet friend Rozy hosted a beautiful baby shower for me at her house. My heart on that day felt truly thankful and blessed for the friends I have made while in Riyadh. Wish my family and friends abroad could have attended and been part of this important time in my life. We all had a great time talking, sharing ideas, eating and playing games. Lucas received so many gifts; clothes, toys, books, diapers, etc...I had to request a temporary dresser from the embassy just to fit all the gifts. Now I am organizing the nursery for his arrival (5 weeks from now).

Bidding Season Again

Here we are once again; bidding season. The list came out the first week of August with at least 100 posts to choose from. Out of the 100+ available cities around the world we had to narrow it down to Billy's allotted amount, 15 . After a few weeks of researching as well as trying to be realistic on our bidding strategy, we at least have 13 cities picked. If we get any of our choices during the first bidding cycle it will be a blessing.

We would like to stay overseas at least for another tour, but the competition is high. In my husband's section there are more people than available posts overseas, which means, politicking, waiting in line and taking turns. Fortunately, hardship posts always have low bidders. This means we will once again bid on some hardship places in hopes that this tactic keeps us overseas. Unfortunately, this is a way for us to remain overseas, unless Billy decided to do a year unaccompanied tour. Then he would have priority when it comes to bidding for a top notch spot, but there's still no guarantee, plus it's not the route we want to take at this time.

We have until October to submit our bids. By mid November we hope to know where our next home base will be come summer 2014. Maybe it'll be another hardship post, such as Kinshasa or Abidjan; a US field office for 2 years, or if we're extremely lucky Singapore or Pretoria. I am maintaining an open mind and will be happy with whatever outcome.

"Babymoon" in Doha

I had never heard of a "babymoon" until getting pregnant. It's pretty much a trip you take with your husband to relax, unwind and indulge before the sleepless nights, constant diaper changes and feedings begin. Since I am almost 8 months and didn't feel like traveling for more than 5 hours in a car or airplane, we chose Doha, Qatar for our 4 night getaway.

Beach at Intercontinental Resort and Spa

This trip almost didn't happen for us because a week before our trip the embassy issued a travel ban. There was a terrorist threat and it forced the State Department to make a decision to close 19 embassies in the Middle East and Africa region. This included the embassy in Riyadh. For 6 days we were quarantined in our residential area. There were restrictions of going into the city, as well as, traveling, which meant no Doha. We called our hotel and canceled our reservations. 

On the 7th day there was a meeting and the travel ban was lifted. Thankfully the ban was lifted one day before Eid, which coincidentally was when Billy had asked for time off. Eid, is the last day of Ramadan and it's a one week holiday in Riyadh; the embassy is closed during this time. That very day Billy re-booked our hotel, found a pet sitter for Dante, and we were off the next day. Doha is only a 5.5 hr., by car from Riyadh, so we decided to drive. 

Downtown Doha

It was a little surreal for me to be in Doha because for almost 4 years my dad had lived there. Unfortunately he's on the other side of the world living in Brazil now. It's just kind funny how things happen sometimes. 

Our trip to Doha was purely to relax and spend time with each other. If lounging in the pool with lemon/mint coolers was all we did then it would have been perfectly fine with me.The weather was extremely humid and hot, so during the day we did hang out by the pool and drink coolers, but in the evening we explored and had great food (Thai, Mexican, Syrian and Seafood).We visited the souq, the grand mosque, the Islamic Learning Center, Katana, and a few other places in the city.

Souq Waqif

The day before our departure we pampered ourselves with a 2 hour massage and a fine dining experience at the "Fish Market". I even had a glass of red wine with my dinner without an ounce of guilt. It tasted so good! Some time in January we'll be ready for another trip. Only it will no longer be just the two of us traveling. We'll have a little sidekick by the same of Lucas Mateo tagging along with us for a while.

Over the One Year Mark

July 22 marked our one year anniversary here in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A year into Riyadh and my thoughts and attitude have changed slightly about this post.

It's definitely an interesting yet bazaar place to live. Every day, I continue to learn something new about the Saudi/Arab culture. I don't regret coming here because the experience I am gaining is something unique and will always cherish. I may not agree with all the rules, and at times I get frustrated, but I respect the Saudi culture and the people here. They are genuine with strong values, trying to hold onto it's culture as globalization keeps taking over this region.

In the beginning everything was a novelty, but after a year of going to the malls, the souqs, grocery stores and the good restaurants there's not much to else to do. I now find my life to be very confining here. One reason I find is because women can't drive and I must rely on the embassy's motor pool or on my husband to go everywhere. There is no public transportation I can take, such as buses and metros. There are taxis, but the embassy advises us against it. Wearing the Abaya doesn't bother me too much because it's convenient, but I don't feel it should be mandatory for women to wear. Prayer 5 times a day has become a bit of a nuisance because everything closes during prayer and it makes it very difficult to go out during the day. I miss movie theaters, live concerts, music on the radio, festivals, entertainment, parks, and women and men sitting outside together having a cup of coffee.

On the other hand Saudi is an extremely safe place to live. Crime is very low because of their harsh punishment laws. All the material things I need or want can be found here.The grocery stores are always stocked, and there's even a commissary, but sometimes that's not enough. 

Thankfully, Billy and I have built good friendships here and that has been a true blessing. During the day I keep myself busy going to the gym, taking Arabic classes at the embassy, cooking, baking and hanging out with friends. Billy picked up tennis again after a 4 year hiatus and he is loving it. We have to get creative with our time here, and some how we make each day count. In October our baby arrives and I am sure he will also keep us busy. Soon enough it will be time to move and restart life again in a new location. That in itself can get a little redundant and challenging, but that's another story to tell.

State Side or KSA?

For some reason one of the hardest decisions I have had to make while being pregnant is whether to have the baby in the US or in Saudi Arabia. There are both pros and cons, but the more I think about it, it seems more logical and less stressful for me to stay in Saudi Arabia. Don't get me wrong, I would love more than anything to have the baby in the States. There are days I say to myself, "I am changing my mind". Maybe it's  because there are many people giving their opinion on what they would do, which then makes me doubt my original decision. Plus, it would be nice to take a 3 month break from Riyadh and be in beautiful San Diego, Ca. But once I am in California, I know I will miss Billy's presence, especially during the last month of my first pregnancy. Of course, he would fly to San Diego a couple weeks before the birth and stay 4 weeks after, but if I stay here we're together during the entire experience and not 10,000 miles away apart.

If we were at a post where medical care was not up to standard I would go back to the US, no questions asked. Health care in Riyadh is actually very good, and I believe I will be well taken care of here. My doctor is Western trained and has been in practice for a little over 15 years. The hospital I will be delivering at is comparable to the US, plus there's a NICU on the same floor should any medical emergency with the baby occur.

Like I stated before it's a hard decision to not have the baby in the US, but staying here is what makes me more comfortable. It may even make for an interesting story for Lucas Mateo to tell his friends, he was born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. After all, he will be entering into a life in the Foreign Service, which I think is exciting.

It's Been A While...

I haven't posted ever since our Vienna trip, so I don't even know where to begin. We've done so much since December, but the biggest and most exciting news of all is that we are PREGNANT! Yes, after 18 years of marriage we decided to take the plunge into parenthood. We found out the wonderful news in January, 2 weeks after our trip to Austria. I am now 23 weeks along; almost half way through. We are having a baby boy. Most recently we went to London for a prenatal exam and saw our little boy on ultrasound once again. He is exactly where he should be at this stage, and the doctor didn't see anything abnormal.

At times it seems surreal that I am pregnant. For the longest time the thought of being a mother rarely crossed my mind. I was content just living life and doing what I wanted to do. Quite honestly, I wasn't sure if we would ever want to have children. While here in Riyadh the feeling of starting a family increased. Guess that biological clock finally starting ticking for Billy and I. So, in October we started trying because we felt it was the right time. I know a lot of people say, there's never a right time to have a baby, but for us feeling like it's the "right time" and planning was important.

Billy and I have been married a long while and during this time, we've done a lot as a couple. We've accomplished goals, traveled, experienced life, and have had a lot of fun doing it. Our relationship continues to be strong, which is something extremely important to me. We are in a place in our lives that we know we will be completely devoted parents. If for some reason we can't make it to a party, hang out with friends, or travel on a long weekend, it's OK because we've been there and done that. We're not going to be hermits, but our focus now is to share our life with this little baby, who is growing inside of me and is truly the extension of our love.

I am thrilled to start this next adventure with my husband, our dog Dante, and our baby boy. I feel blessed to be at a place in my life where I feel 100% sure that we are ready for this. Of course we are scared and know there will be challenges ahead, but our baby will be loved, well taken care of, and our relationship will flourish even more because of him.

New Year's in Vienna

Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna, Austria

We couldn't have picked a better place to celebrate our 18th wedding anniversary and NYE. From the Schonbrunn to the Belvedere Palace, symphonies, concerts, museums, as well as endless shops, cafes and restaurants, Vienna captured our hearts. How could it not? It is the birthplace of Mozart, Strauss and Freud, plus the Hapsburg's, who ruled Austria for over 6 centuries. Their legacies still lives on after all these years. So much so that once the clock struck midnight on New Year's Eve, they played Mozart and the Viennese waltzed. It was so romantic that we began waltzing (pretend style) as well.

St. Stephen's Cathedral

Every day during our stay we bundled up in layers and walked the narrow cobblestone streets towards a new attraction. Of course we always made time to stop at a cafe for a famous apple strudel or sachertorte accompanied by a melange. At night there was no denying the gluhwein (warm red wine) which is sold on almost every street corner. It does help to keep one warm when walking in the cold. I also have never seen so much sausages being sold in my life. Along side the hot wine booths there are endless sausage stands, which you can't seem to resist. Austrians may very well be the biggest consumers of pork in the world. 

Apple strudel and a melange.

Before arriving our thoughts were to include a day trip to Budapest and Bratislava, but we discovered quite quickly that there was no way that was going to happen. We really wanted to take our time in Vienna and see as much as possible. If we were to include 2 other cities we would be cheating ourselves. We kept it simple and chose to go to Bratislava because it was only an hour away, and the old city would just take a few hours to see. Budapest would have to wait for now.

Celebrating our 18th Anniversary at 821 Cafe

Old Town Bratislava

After 7 days and 6 nights in Vienna we headed back to Riyadh. I must admit that it was hard to get on the airplane. We simply had the best time there. We heard from many people on how fabulous Vienna would be, but I took it with a grain of salt. Now having seen it with my own eyes I agree, Vienna is magical and a beautiful city full of culture, rich in history, and very progressive. The more I travel to Europe the more I fall in love with it. Maybe we'll get posted there someday, but for now short trips like this will suffice my soul.