Yeah, so I've been so excited about the fact that we're going back to the States next week that I didn't realize how stressed I was getting. My weird heart arrhythmia started acting up again and I ended up getting one of those 24-hour heart monitoring things. Turns out I'm probably just fine but that my heart doesn't seem to respond very well when I'm stressed. Just more motivation to find my moment of Zen or something....SERENITY NOW.
We've been busy. Shawn has been in full-blown Desert Sailor mode this week with lots of time at work, starting some mornings before 5 AM. He's crashed out on the couch right now "resting" (that's what he says, anyway). I worked some this week at Central Texas College to train the new girl who was replacing me (even though I was replacing somebody else temporarily). I guess she's the temporary replacement's temporary replacement. That caused me a great deal of heart arrhythmias and I'm glad it's OVER. NO MORE CTC.
Today I spent the day packing up the kitchen and tidying up some other things around the house. I can hardly wait to get home and see everybody!
Yesterday I had my final ultrasound for this pregnancy and the doctor said it is most likely a girl. She was 80% sure, but she said that it is still possible that some little boys don't "pop" until closer to 20 weeks (I'm 18 right now). So much for mother's intuition--I was sure it was a boy. Now we have to apologize and start calling her Claire instead of Asher. Whoops!
Well, that's all the news from here. This week will be the end of our time in Bahrain. It will be bittersweet, but mostly just sweet.....
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Names
Okay, so see my previous post for information about our most recent, ambiguous ultrasound results.
If it's a boy, we have chosen the name: Asher Matthew Cherri
If it's a girl, we have chosen the name: Claire Elizabeth Cherri
What do you guys think?
If it's a boy, we have chosen the name: Asher Matthew Cherri
If it's a girl, we have chosen the name: Claire Elizabeth Cherri
What do you guys think?
Boy or Girl?
So....
Today was our second ultrasound this pregnancy. I had one around 13 weeks to confirm the dates because I was measuring pretty large. It turns out there is definitely only one baby and I just measure large (I have each pregnancy)! It was too early at that one to find out the gender, so we scheduled one for this week, sure that we would be able to definitively find out.
With Kai, I had an ultrasound at 15 weeks and it was pretty clear he was a boy. Quinn's ultrasound was around 17-18 weeks and it was pretty clear she was a girl. With Kai's pregnancy, I "knew" he was a boy even before the ultrasound. With Quinn, I had a decently strong sense she was a girl before the ultrasound, but wasn't quite as sure as I had been as with Kai.
This pregnancy, I have had a really strong sense that this one is a boy. We've already been calling the baby the boy name we've chosen. I was sure it was going to be a boy.
BUT today......
We had our second ultrasound and the sonographer (a radiologist, not an ultrasound tech) did a full level 2 ultrasound. Everything looked really good and healthy and my dates are still spot on--I'm about 17 weeks tomorrow, making my due date what I originally estimated. I expect to be due around July 15-20th.
She said it was probably still too early to be sure about gender--I was immediately disappointed because I just figured that we'd be sure to see. The baby was in an okay position, but she scanned over the pertinent parts pretty quickly, only lingering there a few seconds. In that few seconds, this is what I saw---a smooth area with a slight bumpy part above it. It LOOKED to me like a girl with part of the umbilical cord down there between her legs up higher (about mid-thigh). Shawn feels like he saw a weiner, but I think he was just seeing that cord part.
The radiologist said it is "most likely a girl, but might be too soon to tell for sure."
SO......
Was my intuition completely wrong? Have we been calling this poor girl "Asher Matthew" for two months now? We aren't even MOSTLY sure that it's a girl--everybody else in our family has been "sensing" boy, too.
When we came home, I lay down and took a nap. During that nap, I had a dream they did another ultrasound. In the ultrasound, they showed the same image--a smooth area with a bumpy part up higher. At first in the dream I thought I saw "boy parts," but the dream ultrasound tech moved in closer and I saw very clearly "girl parts." So in the dream I was certain it was a girl.
Was the dream a clarifying prophecy or something? Or was it just mirroring my own feelings?
Isn't technology wonderful?
Today was our second ultrasound this pregnancy. I had one around 13 weeks to confirm the dates because I was measuring pretty large. It turns out there is definitely only one baby and I just measure large (I have each pregnancy)! It was too early at that one to find out the gender, so we scheduled one for this week, sure that we would be able to definitively find out.
With Kai, I had an ultrasound at 15 weeks and it was pretty clear he was a boy. Quinn's ultrasound was around 17-18 weeks and it was pretty clear she was a girl. With Kai's pregnancy, I "knew" he was a boy even before the ultrasound. With Quinn, I had a decently strong sense she was a girl before the ultrasound, but wasn't quite as sure as I had been as with Kai.
This pregnancy, I have had a really strong sense that this one is a boy. We've already been calling the baby the boy name we've chosen. I was sure it was going to be a boy.
BUT today......
We had our second ultrasound and the sonographer (a radiologist, not an ultrasound tech) did a full level 2 ultrasound. Everything looked really good and healthy and my dates are still spot on--I'm about 17 weeks tomorrow, making my due date what I originally estimated. I expect to be due around July 15-20th.
She said it was probably still too early to be sure about gender--I was immediately disappointed because I just figured that we'd be sure to see. The baby was in an okay position, but she scanned over the pertinent parts pretty quickly, only lingering there a few seconds. In that few seconds, this is what I saw---a smooth area with a slight bumpy part above it. It LOOKED to me like a girl with part of the umbilical cord down there between her legs up higher (about mid-thigh). Shawn feels like he saw a weiner, but I think he was just seeing that cord part.
The radiologist said it is "most likely a girl, but might be too soon to tell for sure."
SO......
Was my intuition completely wrong? Have we been calling this poor girl "Asher Matthew" for two months now? We aren't even MOSTLY sure that it's a girl--everybody else in our family has been "sensing" boy, too.
When we came home, I lay down and took a nap. During that nap, I had a dream they did another ultrasound. In the ultrasound, they showed the same image--a smooth area with a bumpy part up higher. At first in the dream I thought I saw "boy parts," but the dream ultrasound tech moved in closer and I saw very clearly "girl parts." So in the dream I was certain it was a girl.
Was the dream a clarifying prophecy or something? Or was it just mirroring my own feelings?
Isn't technology wonderful?
Friday, February 8, 2008
A Trip to Saudi Arabia (Almost) Part 3
A view of the Saudi side of the Saudi Causeway.
A Trip to Saudi Arabia (Almost) Part 2
A Trip to Saudi Arabia (Almost)
Between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, there is a very long bridge called the Kind Fahd Causeway that is 15.5 miles long. Midway across the Causeway, there is a stopping point with a few restaurants and an observation tower, in addition to the tollbooths into Saudi Arabia. We have never been out there, so we thought we should go check it out before we leave Bahrain at the end of this month. I took a few pictures to document our experience.
Quinn riding across the Causeway.
The view on the Causeway. Beautiful, blue ocean on both sides.
Quinn enjoying the ride.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Super Bowl Party
I'm a huge football fan. I've looked forward to the Super Bowl all year--finally, last night it was here.
Since we're 8 hours ahead of Central Time, the kickoff time for us here in Bahrain was after 2 AM. Our cable company also does not have the rights to show live programs from certain channels, so we had to go to the Navy Base to watch it. They were having a party there sponsored by MWR. We decided to show up around midnight, but the party had actually begun at 8 PM.
Theresa came and stayed overnight so we could enjoy the game while the children slept. Last year, the party was indoors, but this year (for whatever reason) they decided to have the party outdoors. It was semi-fun and semi-annoying because it was cold enough that we all needed heavy coats, hats and blankets. In some ways it was nice because it was almost like being at a real game!
Since we arrived fashionably late (but still 2 hours before kickoff), there were already many drunk sailors by midnight. They were already rowdy and ready for the game. We watched the pre-game show bundled under a blanket. Some of Shawn's co-workers joined us around kickoff. I was outnumbered--in our little group, most were going for the Patriots. Even my husband! But one other guy and I were going for the Giants. We weren't alone as far as everyone else went. It seemed that Giants fans far outnumbered Patriots fans.
Right before kickoff, about a dozen very drunk guys sat right in front of us. It really started to feel like a real game then! After kickoff, practically every play they were jumping up, cheering, shouting and generally carrying on. Some Patriots fans heckled them and there were some interesting drunken exchanges of words between the two sides.
As the evening wore on, people began to disappear. Both sleep and alcohol reduced the numbers considerably. Inside the NEX complex, lots of sailors either passed out or fell asleep on the floor or on chairs. After half time, our peanut gallery did not return, so we had a much better view of the game.
The Giants managed it and I think Shawn was really disappointed. But I was ecstatic and so were all the Giants fans who still remained (a lot more than Patriots fans still left standing). After the game wrapped up, it was starting to get light. We went home for a few hours of sleep and then back to the grind......
One thing that is not very fun about this atmosphere is that due to its non-profit status, the AFN (Armed Forces Network) that broadcasts the Super Bowl on military bases cannot broadcast the Super Bowl commercials! So for the second year in a row, I've missed all the commercials. In their stead, they show military propoganda and information about resources for military personnel. Sigh....next year...
ALTHOUGH, I heard one sports writer say that this year people might be talking about the GAME instead of the commercials! Isn't that the way it should always be???
Since we're 8 hours ahead of Central Time, the kickoff time for us here in Bahrain was after 2 AM. Our cable company also does not have the rights to show live programs from certain channels, so we had to go to the Navy Base to watch it. They were having a party there sponsored by MWR. We decided to show up around midnight, but the party had actually begun at 8 PM.
Theresa came and stayed overnight so we could enjoy the game while the children slept. Last year, the party was indoors, but this year (for whatever reason) they decided to have the party outdoors. It was semi-fun and semi-annoying because it was cold enough that we all needed heavy coats, hats and blankets. In some ways it was nice because it was almost like being at a real game!
Since we arrived fashionably late (but still 2 hours before kickoff), there were already many drunk sailors by midnight. They were already rowdy and ready for the game. We watched the pre-game show bundled under a blanket. Some of Shawn's co-workers joined us around kickoff. I was outnumbered--in our little group, most were going for the Patriots. Even my husband! But one other guy and I were going for the Giants. We weren't alone as far as everyone else went. It seemed that Giants fans far outnumbered Patriots fans.
Right before kickoff, about a dozen very drunk guys sat right in front of us. It really started to feel like a real game then! After kickoff, practically every play they were jumping up, cheering, shouting and generally carrying on. Some Patriots fans heckled them and there were some interesting drunken exchanges of words between the two sides.
As the evening wore on, people began to disappear. Both sleep and alcohol reduced the numbers considerably. Inside the NEX complex, lots of sailors either passed out or fell asleep on the floor or on chairs. After half time, our peanut gallery did not return, so we had a much better view of the game.
The Giants managed it and I think Shawn was really disappointed. But I was ecstatic and so were all the Giants fans who still remained (a lot more than Patriots fans still left standing). After the game wrapped up, it was starting to get light. We went home for a few hours of sleep and then back to the grind......
One thing that is not very fun about this atmosphere is that due to its non-profit status, the AFN (Armed Forces Network) that broadcasts the Super Bowl on military bases cannot broadcast the Super Bowl commercials! So for the second year in a row, I've missed all the commercials. In their stead, they show military propoganda and information about resources for military personnel. Sigh....next year...
ALTHOUGH, I heard one sports writer say that this year people might be talking about the GAME instead of the commercials! Isn't that the way it should always be???
Super Bowl Analysis
Woohoo! Victory for the New York Giants!
This year, there was division in the Cherri household. My dear husband was rooting for the New England Patriots and I was rooting for the New York Giants. Why? Well, for one, the Colts were out--Eli Manning is sort of the next best thing. Also, I've liked Tom Brady less and less with each passing year. It seems like the fame and winning has gone to his head. He always comes across as such a laid-back, team-player guy in the media. But last night he showed his true colors when he sulked, pouted and yelled at teammates after botched plays. What a whiny baby--I guess three Superbowls just aren't enough for him.
The New York Giants, on the other hand, lost teammates to injury, started the season 0-2 and had to overcome the "underdog" label in nearly every game they played this season. And last night, they were nearly flawless as a team. I was so surprised that by the 4th quarter, the scores were so low and close. I fully (sorry, Eli and the guys) expected the Patriots to get on a roll early on and just blow the Giants out the water. But I still hoped that the Giants would manage to pull out a huge upset.
The game was not won solely with stellar offense, though both teams played well. It was mostly decided by the steadfastness of both defenses. With so much attention in recent years on offensive lines, quarterbacks and star wide receivers or running backs, it was refreshing to see so much contribution to a meaningful win from the defense. In the first three quarters, neither Manning nor Brady really gave us much of a show--they kept getting rushed and sacked by determined defensive players.
Then, when it really came crunch time, it was Eli Manning and his offensive line with an amazing series that led to that final touchdown. Truly, a thing of beauty!
Congratulations, Giants! You deserve every bit of this one!
This year, there was division in the Cherri household. My dear husband was rooting for the New England Patriots and I was rooting for the New York Giants. Why? Well, for one, the Colts were out--Eli Manning is sort of the next best thing. Also, I've liked Tom Brady less and less with each passing year. It seems like the fame and winning has gone to his head. He always comes across as such a laid-back, team-player guy in the media. But last night he showed his true colors when he sulked, pouted and yelled at teammates after botched plays. What a whiny baby--I guess three Superbowls just aren't enough for him.
The New York Giants, on the other hand, lost teammates to injury, started the season 0-2 and had to overcome the "underdog" label in nearly every game they played this season. And last night, they were nearly flawless as a team. I was so surprised that by the 4th quarter, the scores were so low and close. I fully (sorry, Eli and the guys) expected the Patriots to get on a roll early on and just blow the Giants out the water. But I still hoped that the Giants would manage to pull out a huge upset.
The game was not won solely with stellar offense, though both teams played well. It was mostly decided by the steadfastness of both defenses. With so much attention in recent years on offensive lines, quarterbacks and star wide receivers or running backs, it was refreshing to see so much contribution to a meaningful win from the defense. In the first three quarters, neither Manning nor Brady really gave us much of a show--they kept getting rushed and sacked by determined defensive players.
Then, when it really came crunch time, it was Eli Manning and his offensive line with an amazing series that led to that final touchdown. Truly, a thing of beauty!
Congratulations, Giants! You deserve every bit of this one!
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Fun WIth Balloons
My Husband, Buckwheat
I thought you guys might enjoy seeing my husband's latest hairdo. He has been growing his hair out ever since my brother mentioned that he was getting a man-perm to try and look like Matthew McConoughey. Shawn decided that he would grow his naturally curly hair out to see what would happen. We theorized that at some point in time, gravity would have to take over and make it lay flatter. We theorized it might look cute. The reality is that he is starting to slightly resemble Kramer from Seinfeld. Also, you can see that he has fallen off the wagon and is back to his shirt-free ways.....
More Joys of Parenting
Quinn carries a wipe in each hand, victorious!
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