Sick babies in Kuwait. Happy New Year!!!

Where oh where do I begin???  The boys have been sick.  They have been off and on sick for over a month now.  Eli has had the worst.  But all of that was manageable until Monday.  I noticed both boys had the dreaded virus of doom. Hand, Mouth, Foot.  It is truly awful.  As it sounds it give them blisters on their hands, in and around their mouth and on their feet.  And if you have a baby it is also in the diaper area.  Oh who am I kidding, if you have a baby it is everywhere because they can't keep their little chubby adorable hands out of their mouth.

So Owen refuses to talk or eat.  And he doesn't like to swallow.  So yes their is drool everywhere. Their is no sense in reasoning, because they just don't get it at four.  He thinks I am totally full of it and making everything up.  Drinking won't help me!  Oh and since his tongue hurts he cries all night. Whimpers.  It is bad.  Bad.
Owen:  "Mom I always cry when my tongue hurts."
Mom:  "Well if you want to sleep in my bed then you have to stop crying."
Miraculously the tears stopped.  Hmmmm.

Eli is the other extreme.  He is hungry so he eats then cries.  After every single bite.  My house is fun!  FUN!!!

Okay so I am really writing to talk about the doctor experience.  We have been seeing the same pediatrician.  He is nice and conservative with antibiotics.  So that is great.  But he is also too busy.  Way to stinking busy.  The boys (yes two patients) are in for about 5 minutes and out yet we wait for over THREE hours.  Yes you read that right.  It is usually an hour each time but this last time was a real doozy.

4:36 pm We head to the doctor.  (down the street, very close, but must drive since their are no sidewalks)

4:39 pm Get out of car and carseats.  Walk across parking garage and in and up to 3rd floor.  Practically racing the people in the elevator to get on the list first.  Realize I left my wallet at home.

4:39 pm Head back to car, get in and head home.  Takes longer to get home because of the divider on our street.  Convince guy at parking garage I have no money and cannot pay him.

4:51 pm Arrive back at the apartment.  Run up to get wallet.  Run back down to car.  Head to doctor again.

5:09 pm Arrive back at doctor and check in.  Find out that we have 12 patients in front of us.  This will be a long wait.  Hoping I heard them wrong.

From here, the boys have fever so I ask the nurse to give them some medicine.  We then wait until ten till eight to finally get to see the doctor.  They boys were actually pretty good for such a long wait.  At the end they were finally done.  Of course they are hungry and tired and want to go home.  Owen is asking to go home to bed maybe 10 minutes before we are called in to see the doctor.  At this point there is no turning back.  Then we finally finish. We wait for an elevator for what seems like forever.  Three came out of the four and were all full.  None were coming.  It was like watching a pot of water boil.  So we leave and go to different elevators.  Head to the pharmacy.  Only to wait again.  Because you have to take a number.  The boys are now a bit more all over the place but still being very good.  Of course other people are all of sudden worried about them.  I am wondering where all this concern was while we were waiting to see the doctor for three hours.  Proceed to buy our stuff when the guy checking me out tells me that one of the items doesn't ring up in their system.  By now I have had it.  I ask him how that is my problem and clearly state that I still need the item.  I have learned by living overseas that if something doesn't ring up it means it is not for sale.  That you must leave it or lose your spot in line and go and get one that scans.  Normally at the grocery store I will submit but not at the pharmacy when I clearly need the item.  So he passes me on for more waiting to someone that is able to make something work in the system.

8:38 pm Finally on our way home.  Get home and it proceeds to be the longest night ever.  Owen cried all night.  All night.  And his crying would wake up Eli.  So it was a blast for David and I.  Last night was a bit better.  Don't you love how a few hours can make your day seem like it lasted 48 hours.

I pray we are on the mend.  I am not seeing the progress yet.  Just more drool, pantomiming, and crying.  Hopefully tomorrow will be better.  And a vaccination should really be created for this virus. At least you can only get chicken pox once.  This is Owen's second bout of hand, mouth, foot.  I never thought I would prefer Russia over well really anything but here I prefer their private medical clinics and how you know you will be in and out in 30 minutes.  And that they have sidewalks so that I can walk the 5 minutes to the doctor.

I am tired!!!

The not so great temporary apartment

We are entering our 4th week in Kuwait.  How am I adjusting?  When you move to a new place and before you meet anybody and truly get settled you have a few lows.  Owen has started school and he loves it.  Praise God!  But Eli and I are bored.  BORED!  Okay, mom is bored.  It has been two days.  We moved out of the hotel over a week ago.  I am sad I left the hotel.  I am more sad that I no longer swim everyday and enjoy the heat while swimming.  I also miss the chocolate hour.  There are more things I miss but we will come upon them shortly.  Last week was a holiday here, so David worked from home.  We stayed busy as a family, looking at houses and going to malls.  Lots of malls here.  It is too hot to be outside, so why not window shop.  But David has gone back to the office and Owen is in school.  So Eli and I are bored.  And it has given me time to realize how much I miss the hotel and how much the temporary apartment is not great, good, okay really bad.

I forgot why I didn't like temporary apartments.  I have been in one before when we moved to Lafayette and now I remember.  At first I thought it has to be better than the hotel because it is bigger.  We can sleep in separate rooms and not have to hide Eli's bed behind the couch so he doesn't see us.  Well I wrong.  Where to start....

The master bedroom has a beautiful view.  Beautiful!

But that is where it ends.  This apartment is set one street off of the main street.  It only has single pane windows.  It is noisy!  NOISY!!!  The first night (a Friday) was so bad.  Apparently people like to race their rich cars on the weekend.  All you can hear is the engines of Lamborghinis and Ferraris all night long.  Other muscle cars too.  It is sooooooo loud!  And then of course you hear sirens, horns, and any other noise.    Okay besides that the bed is broken.  And the mattress is so bad that it is a V where it has been flipped and I am pretty sure I might have rolled off of it.  Owen came into our room about 3:30 (normal) but refused to sleep in there and asked me to come sleep in the comfy bed with him.  I jumped on that opportunity.  Since then Eli sleeps in the master bedroom by himself (with music) and we opt to sleep with Owen.  You know it is bad when you choose to sleep with a toddler.

The small shower doesn't drain.  After flooding the bathroom, we use the extremely small shower.  I didn't think it could get smaller but it does.  I can't even shave my legs in it.  I have to shave at the sink then take a shower.  Now in case you have missed it there are no bathtubs so the boys are having to shower.  Well with the shower being so teeny tiny I have to kneel down outside of it and wash them, while getting drenched.  It is fun!  FUN!  Take this picture and imagine me at the corner on my knees.  And yes Eli tries to get back in after being done.

Then you move to Owen's room.  The curtain doesn't block out the light, so about 6:30 each morning Owen bounds out of bed and says "The sun is up!  It's wake up time!"  Yay!  Of course that doesn't really matter because there is a rooster that starts to crow about 5 am.  Yes I said a I rooster.  You read that right.  And yes I live in the city.  Busy area around me.  No farms.

Okay then we have ants.  And the oven doesn't work.  And since it is temporary we have only one sauce pan and skillet.  It takes a while to cook since I have to cook in stages and move stuff to other dishes.  You can hear the peoples doorbells from upstairs and next door to you.

Oh and I hate to clean!  I really really hate to clean.  And that is probably what I miss the most about the hotel.  I realize I can not avoid it any more and must vacuum tomorrow and mop.  No, I have not gone a week and half without cleaning.  I have done it and just would really prefer to not do it.

I realize a lot of this makes me seem high maintenance.  And I am.  And I am okay with that.  Well I hope this gives you a good laugh.  More to come!

New Adventure: Kuwait

We have started a new adventure that I wasn't sure would come.  We found out in late May/early June (dates are running together now) that we would be moving to Kuwait.  It took so long to get the visa that I didn't know if we would get here.  We got the visa on Friday, September 19th and flew to Kuwait on Monday, September 22nd.  We arrived late and weary.  The flight was not necessarily long but with two kids, luggage, layovers, and delays it seems like forever.  When David first told me Kuwait was our new destination I was overwhelmed.  I was in the middle of making blue play dough for Owen and had to hang up the phone, fumble through the rest of the play dough, and found myself on my knees at my bed.  I was trying my best to pray and seek God's guidance in the midst of Eli squawking and Owen peeping under my bowed head to ask what I was doing.  Needless to say it lasted for about 30 seconds.  But in that 30 seconds I felt comfort.  The boys and I were on our way in the afternoon to meet our dear friend at embassy so the boys could play with hers.  I told her the news and she immediately said "I have a neighbor that just moved to Moscow from Kuwait.  Would you like me to invite her over to talk?"  At that moment I knew God had every intention of sending us to the Middle East for our new home.  He always has perfectly laid out plans, if only I always opened my eyes to see them.

Okay so onto my shock and initial reaction.  I really didn't think that anything could shock me after being Russia.  And I still hold strong that all shocks are minimum compared to there.  My friend warned me that coming off the plane it will tons of men, why?  We don't know but there will be.  Well she was right.  Tons of them.  Just sitting around.  Do they stay at the airport all day?  Is this the Kuwaiti version of a coffee shop?  We shuffle through with two semi sleeping babies to wait in line for a tourist visa for myself and the boys.  David got a work visa but has to establish residency before he can invite his wife and children to join him.  I am definitely entering a male dominated country.  So we grab our number 622 and they are on 578.  Yay!!!  At right before 600, Eli started to cry.  As if on cue, and the man at the visa counter jumped us forward and sent us on our way.  We go to collect the bags.  And again men everywhere waiting to help you with your bags (for a fee of course).  So off we go with our bags and help to the car to head to the hotel.  We all fall asleep around midnight.

Next morning bright and early wake up call for David (it is about 7:30 am).  Is this David Lacy's room? Yes! Is he awake? No!  Okay we will call later.  David then gets up, gets ready and leaves to start his new job.  The boys and I wake, head to breakfast, and then the pool.  Our days have been the same.  Eat, tv, pool, eat, tv, nap, pool, eat, bed.  Works for me.  Oh let me not forget the Chocolate Bar between 5-6pm everyday.  LOVE IT!!!  We are staying at the Movenpick Hotel.  For all those that don't know anything about Movenpick.  It is Swiss and has the best chocolate ice cream I have ever had.  And I am an ice cream connoisseur.  Every time we go to the lobby they give the boys more chocolate.  My kids are so hyped up on sugar at the moment I might have to send them into detox.  And I do expect withdrawals.  Especially Eli.  That kid will shove chocolate into his mouth before you blink.

The boys and I went to the supermarket once.  It was a bit overwhelming and odd.  It was bulk on bottom then an escalator up and then the normal market.  More men.  Everywhere.   Bought some cheetos.  They taste funny.  But at least everything is in English.  Went to the mall.  It was HUGE!!!  ENORMOUS!!!  I think I am still lost in it.  It does have a Pottery Barn, PB Teen, and a PB Kids.  Yay!  And at about the same price as the US.  Bonus.  I don't like to go out without David too much yet.  The men just stare.  STARE!  It is a bit unsettling.  I guess my pasty white skin, freckles, and red hair stand out here???  I totally thought I would blend right in.  :)

Kuwaiti's love hamburgers!!!  All are pretty much overweight.  I was surprised by that.  I assumed only American's were super fat.  Nope!  I do see berkas, and the white garbs the men wear.  I do see people covered and people dressed exactly like I would dress.  It is a bit more interesting at the pool.  The boys are in shorts.  Normal.  The girls...some are in bikinis, one pieces, full clothing such as tank top and shorts/leggings.  Some have full berka swimsuits.  The kids love Eli's and Owen's toys.  They make their rounds at the pool.  Today I was surprised to see a girl about 13 or so that did not know how to swim and was asking me to teach her.  That caught me off guard.  I tried to help her the best I could.

Went to church on Friday.  It is a large Evangelical compound with many churches in different languages.  It was nice to go and great to see so many different nationalities and languages worshiping Christ.  The work week here is Sunday - Thursday.  So the weekend is Friday and Saturday.

We have been out to eat several times (obviously since we are in a hotel).  That is an experience.  The wait staff will come and entertain the kids for you.  And once it wasn't busy so they took them and played hide-n-seek around the restaurant.  It was a sight.  Maybe I should mention that Kuwaitis don't hold service jobs.  It is all foreigners.  Filipino, Egyptian, Pakistani, Indian, etc...

I guess that is about it for now.  My culture shock is small at the moment since I don't leave the hotel. But I do think I will be okay with this life.  :)  Beach, pool, warmth, A/C.  What more could I ask for. Oh and it is hot here!  HOT!!!  About 106 everyday.  Everybody keeps telling us we just missed the heat and now the weather is nice.  Hahahaha!!!

Oh baby!

It is hard to believe that a year ago today I held little Elijah for the first time.  It is actually nearly impossible to believe.  I had every intention of writing about my birthing experience in Russia and time kept getting away from me.  I would constantly say oh I still have time it just happened.  Well, news flash Abby it's been a year!  So I am now going to take time to write about my experience.

Perinatal Hospital

It is hard for me to know where to start.  The medicine is different here.  I spent the first 35 weeks at the EMC (which is a private clinic but it does not deliver babies).  I loved my doctor there.  She was very personable and great.  The only thing that really threw me off was that she would do an ultrasound every time I went.  With Owen I had four.  I find the many ultrasounds unnecessary but it was nice to see the progress as well.  After that I had to move to the Perinatal Hospital.  This is truly where my story begins.  The PC seems very dated and inefficient.  You pay at the cashier before ever seeing a doctor.  From there they give you a slip of paper and then you go to the door on the slip.  You knock and wait for a nurse to take your paper from you and then you sit and wait.  At this point you should go in the order of your paper taken but that is not always the case.  Russians can be pushy.  Also, if you have multiple stops (ex. ultrasound, pulse test, lab) then you need to judge the line outside to decide which to do first.  The doctor is always last.  And after you see the doctor you hope she doesn't order anything else, otherwise you have to go back to the cashier and through the whole process again.

The first time I saw the doctor at PC she listened to the baby's heart beat with a Pinard horn.

This threw me a bit and then I started to think I should have went back to the US.  But of course now it is too late.  I was really hoping Eli would come early so that I didn't have to experience all these fun things on a weekly basis.  Not to mention PC is not close.  It is 45 minutes by car from where I live and the traffic is horrible.  But no of course Eli was happy and cozy right where he was.  I increasingly lost patience each time I went out there.  There was always a long wait for the doctor.  I was cut in front of a couple of times.  That caused me to get angry with the nurse in my very bad Russian.  But she understood the message!  The doctor was very busy and I always felt like an afterthought or a lets see how fast we can get this girl out of here.  I am thankful that I least knew what to expect.  Of course, by this time I am pretty sure she saw me as the pushy American and I saw her as the pushy Russian.  So we were not on good terms.

Now comes the day that we induce or start to induce.  I see the doctor in the morning and she informs me to come back at 8pm that night.  So I order the taxi, tell David, pack my bag, and make sure my nanny is ready to stay overnight.  We didn't know how long David would be with me at PC until he headed back home.  He was not allowed to stay with me.

I remember walking in and being asked to wait, after I am instructed to put on my plastic booties over my shoes (this is common everywhere so you don't track in dirt, even though someone is right behind you mopping), and seeing the security guard at the door.  He caught me off guard since he had a huge scorpion tattoo on his neck.  Not something I expect to see at a maternity hospital.  As we are waiting for our check in procedure other couples start arrive.  Only in Russia do the women arrive decked out to the nines with their furs on and the stiletto boots that go past the knees.  Not to mention the lady that had on a see through sweater.  I chose the more comfortable, practical outfit at nine months.
The process took forever, they were very slow.  I guess to many smoke breaks.  I am not going to get into the procedure here. I can tell you sometime if you would like.  Even though I have had two children and modesty is not what it used to be I do not feel right talking about everything on the internet.  But here are a few things

• I had another ultrasound (we are at 12 now)
• I had to take off my covered shoes and put into a garbage bag and put on slippers 
• they took my temperature under my armpit (not had it taken there before)
• they used some kind of metal contraption to measure me (not sure how to describe this)
• then I get escorted to my room and told to put on a nightgown that have given me (note: it matches the bedding)
• the beds are short (glad I am not tall)
• they are not electric ( I must raise and lower it myself)
• one very flat pillow
• they have very short robes (not sure which belly that is covering
• so hot I had to open a window (the nurse thought I was crazy)

 Finally, after my uncomfortable induction procedure they tell me to try and rest.  Sure!

The next day I was awakened early by the nurse to start moving me down to the delivery floor and get ready.  I can't understand her so I am not sure what is going on.  I didn't really realize there was a "sterile delivery floor."  This is not what I am used to in the US.  So I wash my face and pull my hair back with every intention of putting my make up on later.  (Yes I am from the south and need my makeup.)  But of course after I get down there I can't leave.  I didn't even have my phone to tell David where to go.  So a nurse had to go get it for me.  She wasn't happy.  At this point they start the second induction process (yes I had 3.  It was not necessary.  I will not get into this here.)  They want me to change into a different nightgown that is meant for this floor.  Disclaimer:  when you have a baby modesty is not in anybody's thoughts, when you have a baby in Russia ALL modesty goes out the door.  They expect you to change in front of them with the door open and the procedure is the same with the two women next to you that are in labor.  Now fortunately for the labor I had my own room but they did leave the door wide open the whole time.
David arrives and also has to be sterile.

Now the sterile thing makes me laugh.  I couldn't have my make up on the floor.  David couldn't leave.  He was only allowed his phone and his computer.  I asked for my headband and they tried to persuade me with a cap.  I said no.  Now the funny thing to me about this is that everybody smells like an ashtray.  So I question how sterile it really is.  Do they change and shower each time they come back from smoking a cigarette.  I would say not.  Because if so they would spend the whole time in the bathroom.  One nurse smelled so much like a cigarette I would get nauseous every time she came near me.

I wasn't in labor long (again a part that I will choose to skip over).  It was not an easy labor like it was with Owen.  Eli's umbilical cord was wrapped so tightly around his leg that it was cutting off his circulation.  So his heartbeat was dropping when I would push on my back so I had to push on my side.  (something the many ultrasounds missed, but they were really needed.)  (please note sarcasm) That is not desirable.  Finally, he is out and I remember not hearing him.  I turn to David and say "he is not crying, why is he not crying."  David told me he was fine and then I hear those sweet wails.  Of course in hindsight I realize that was all of 5 seconds but seemed like an eternity to me.

sweet midwife that delivered Eli.  Not my

wrapped up like a little Russian doll

The Nutcracker (or tippy toeing as my grandfather would say)

Please don't fall over off your chair, as I know it has been ages since I have written.  I can give you a million excuses and say that I will try to do better, but who am I kidding we all know I won't.  This is not a New Year's resolution, this is strictly because I loved my experience so much last night that I am bursting at the seams to talk about it.  Especially with someone other than David as he does not understand ballet.  I didn't really expect him too so it is fine.

Okay, here I go!

For my Christmas present this year David took me to see The Nutcracker at the Bolshoi Theatre.  It was truly amazing to watch.  I grew up taking ballet.  I was not good and now after two children I am even worse.  I have noticed over the years that my ankles have even become weaker.  I didn't really know that was possible, but it is.  At least for me.  So I love the ballet.  I told David when we moved to Moscow that one thing I want to see is The Nutcracker.  Now let me tell you that if I really had my choice there are about three ballets on my top list and I would see one every weekend, but I had to narrow it down.  These tickets aren't cheap.  Also, the hubs isn't going to go to more than one.  I don't need to push my luck.

The night started off with an early blue hair dinner.  Russians of course would eat after, but I hate eating past 8 so 9:30 was out of the question.  We walked down to the Bolshoi.  It is not a far walk but it was snowing of course.  Oh and I didn't have any panty hose on.  Russian were staring.  I know it was for having bare legs.  The market for panty hose is here, even in the summer.  Anyway, after we get there and I am numb from the waste down I realize mud has splashed everywhere so I rush to the bathroom to clean it up.  No big deal but now I am in a panic to get into the show.  No it has not started yet and the bell hasn't rung, but I am a little girl in pure excitement here.  Oh and we had check our coats.  Another couple of minutes.  Ugh!!! Patience is not my virtue.  I think David took his time at dinner just watch me be antsy (well that and the fact he didn't really want to go.)  But hey he went so I am not complaining.

Now an experience in Russia is not one unless you describe what is going on around you.  And there is always something around you that makes you question or laugh.  The lady next to David took about a 100 selfies.  Yes you read that right and I am not exaggerating.  She kept taking them low like she was being discreet and then high where she was not.  She would have her hand over her chin and then not like the picture and take another one exactly the same.  Oh and the hair is all down and "mysteriously" in her face.  These are not good selfies.  She had to know it why else keep taking them.  But then at intermission she gets up and she is a scantily dressed Russian.  It is really not surprising at all but yet I am always shocked.  Okay I'm really not.

The lady on my side was texting the whole time.  This is not appropriate!!!!  There is a reason they say to turn OFF your phones.  It is not only the ringing but also the bright light.  Come on people!

The lady behind me was clap heavy and loud at it.  It is like she cups her hands just right so it echoes in the whole theatre.  Now I know this is debatable I personally do not like clapping during a performance.  I believe it is an interruption to the patrons and to the performers.  Unless you are clear it is an end, DO NOT CLAP!!!  But I realize not everybody agrees with this.  So I will let it slide.  Obviously the lady behind me did not agree with this.  But yet she was the first to leave when the performance was over.  I was expecting to plug my ears.  :)  Also, the Russians clap in a chant type way.  If it is longer than a quick applause, they just keep going and then it is a rhythm.  So after the whole performance this went on for quite a while by a few people and the main characters came out like 5 times for bows.  I am pretty sure I know what they are thinking at this point.

So I must not leave out coat check.  You have to wait in a long line to get your coat.  Which is fine until you get the usual Russian that cuts in front and lays down her 3 tags plus for coats.  Mind you David and I shared a tag.  So I am not sure how many she was expecting to be loaded down with.  Fortunately she came right as we were leaving, because I would have said something.  It is usually a dirty look that turns into a stare and then a loud "Really!"  2 1/2 years ago I would have done nothing but Russia  has changed me to be pushy like them.  And I say really and stare because I don't know enough Russian to tell here what I really think.  I should have learned that in my lessons.  Oh well I digress.

Now the ballet was truly beautiful and the dancers were magnificent.  The story is similar but different from the ones I have seen in the US.  David didn't know the story at all.  He couldn't understand why a little girl would dream about marrying her nutcracker doll.  All I said was you are a man and really don't understand girls and their dreams.  All girls have a fairytale dream.  I guess that is why the Lord blessed me with two boys.  Of course I don't understand them all the time.  Soooo...

Okay I have rambled and have given you plenty of poor grammar today.  I hope you enjoy this fleeting blog entry.