ALEX IS HERE!!!!!

Although I have no evidence of this because I have not seen or heard from him since he arrived.  I DO know that Phillip left for the airport at 12:15.  And I DO know that he returned to bed at 2:30 a.m.  And I DO know that the door to the guest room is closed at the very moment.

Alas, I have heard not even a peep and both of the boys are still sleeping.  Baby P and I are trying our darnedest to wait patiently on the couch.  Whenever will they wake up?!!!!!!!!!

"Off Task" Chatter.

While circulating the classroom.....

Me:  Excuse me young sir, what should you be working on?

Student:  (embarrassed)  Miss.....what I was trying to tell my group was (long pause).....we are going to become young men!  I think that my peach fuzz is starting to form!!!!!  (big smile)

Happy faces really are contagious.  I love my job. 

Haitham Comes to KUWAIT!

Remember our loveable and oh-so-wonderful taxi driver friend from Oman?! Well he is HERE!!! In Kuwait!!!!  And last night we got to visit with him! 

In the very late evening hours (of 7 p.m. and beyond), we went for teppanyaki near the towers to enjoy the culinary show and some yummy, yummy TRES-GARLIC-Y RICE!  It was fantastic (besides the part about me wanting to be in bed at the same time!).  Andrea and Calvin joined us for the evening, as they went to Oman a few weeks after us and also met up with Haitham during their stay.  The reunion was SPLENDID :) 

After dinner, we had to do the whole "it's Haitham's birthday" trick - just for laughs - and of course the touristy "look at us by our significant landmark!" pictures.  Inshallah we will see him again tomorrow before he returns home to Muscat.  

The men.  You can tell which three are used to "Canadian" temperatures.

In this picture, you cannot tell which two are used to "Canadian" temperatures.

In related news, I wore my North Face to school today for the first time.  The belly doesn't allow for zip-up but it was better than toughing it out fleece-less!!! 

In other related news, Alex arrives tonight after midnight!!!!  We can't wait to see him!!!!

IF YOU WERE HERE FOR (DECAF) TEA.

*  The weather here has been WACKY!  In the past three years, we've never experienced so much pouring rain!!!  And now the cold is beginning to set in.  Today I had to wear a scarf.  A toque and mittens are not far off.....

*  Last night I had woke up to a seriously painful charley horse in my calf.  It was QUITE UNPLEASANT.  Many tears ensued and this morning I had a bit of a limp as the entire muscle felt bruised.  Well......I raised the issue with Phil that childbirth is bound to be ten billion times more painful than that.  To this he responded, "oh my gosh".  This should give you some more insight into my reaction at 10 p.m. last night!!!! 

*  Turns out that Alex will not be our first visitor in Kuwait!  Our friend Haitham from Oman is HERE and we are meeting him for a "Muscat Reunion" tomorrow evening.  I believe Phil, Steve, and him are also hanging out tonight.  Alas, I keep my night time outings to a minimum as I have trouble staying awake past 6 p.m.  It saves everyone from embarrassment if I call it a day and retire to the bedroom as necessary :) 

*  My favourite thing to do when I get home from school is turn on the Christmas lights.  The tree makes the room so COZY and I wish it was socially acceptable to keep it up ALL YEAR LONG!!!!!

*  December is almost here!!!  WOWZERS!!!!!  I am eager to reunite with my very favourite month of the year :)

For us it is HUMP DAY!  HIP, HIP, HOORAY!!!!!

Happy ALMOST mid-work-week to all of you :)
XOXO

It's KIM KARDASHIAN EVE!!!!!!!

Tomorrow she arrives!  And for the weekend she will stay!  Perhaps we will catch of glimpse of her at the Avenues......

Eeeeeee!!!!!  I'm so excited for my students to show me their meet & greet pics next week!!!!!!  (Note:  We won't have any of those because we can't afford the price tag.....)

ONE MORE MONTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Sleigh bells are REALLY, TRULY ringing now!!!)

IF YOU WERE HERE FOR (DECAF) TEA.

*  Emily and I are hosting a "Christmas Cookie Exchange" on December 7th.  It is a ladies-only affair that is sure to bring even MORE JOY to the holiday season.  It will be my first event of this sort and I can't wait to see how it goes!!!!  (Side note:  So maybe it's not the BEST idea to host a COOKIE party the day before my monthly OB/GYN appointment.  You know, being a gestational diabetic and all.........I will have to be MENTALLY TOUGH that afternoon!!!!!)

*  Yesterday morning I went to the mall with Emily to do some Christmas shopping.  Phil and I are doing a new type of advent calendar this year which consists of 24 little paper bags for 24 little christmas treats (THANK YOU IKEA)!  We are going to take turns opening a gift each day of December!  So - I was on a hunt for small things to complete his much-anticipated advent.  I think I found some perfect goodies :)

*  Yesterday afternoon, Phil went to play ball and I enjoyed some down-time before my yoga class.  We also tackled "groceries in the pouring rain" - a challenge we don't encounter too often in Kuwait!  Phil ended up soaked trying to hail a cab home, but returned to pick up the food and I with a big grin :) 

*  Why are we still hailing cabs, you ask?  Didn't you apply for your driver's licenses, you ask?!  Well, YES WE DID.  But the process - which has already taken us two months - has come to a complete HALT and we're unsure if we'll be able to get one at this point.  Keep your fingers crossed that we run into the right people at the right time........

*  Have you been watching The X-Factor?  Carly Rose is AMAZEBALLS.  I could listen to her sing "Over the Rainbow" on repeat.  LOVE HER.    

*  Today was a GREAT DAY!  In the Phillip department, there was a golf tournament in support of a local animal shelter as well as an afternoon basketball practice and a mustache-refining face shave!  In the Lindsay department, there was an 8K walk along the water, a coffee date, a mani/pedi appointment, and some chill time at Em's. 

*  Pregnancy update:  rash on the belly and spider veins all over my legs.  Luckily, my neighbours have helped me to see the light!  My body is simply "decorating for Christmas", of course!!!!  With nice reds and purples...........haha.  Other than that, I am feeling great and growing (HAHA!) more and more attached to Baby P every single second!  Here's a new bump photo (29 weeks): 

Tomorrow we have a P.D. Day and after a short department meeting in the morning, I look forward to a productive day of marking the rest of my electricity tests!!!  I am excited to get into school and get started! 

Happy FINAL WEEK OF NOVEMBER!!!!!!!!  We will be welcoming the next month with our first official visitor - ALEX!!!!!!!

BLAH, BLEH, BLICK!

Today was one of those days we should have just stayed in bed.  Sadly we had something called "work" to attend to (what gives?!)!  To remedy the horrible school day, Phil is enjoying basketball practice (and sweet thoughts of a Lions game early this evening) and I came home to soak up anything and everything CHRISTMAS.  The tree lights are on.  The holiday candle is burning.  And I'm having a tea in my BRAND NEW FESTIVE MUG (thanks GEMILY!!!). 

Fingers crossed that Good Morning America transitions into the Macy's Day Parade.  The tv guide is telling me that Ellen is up next but I feel like sometimes the tv guide is wrong.........right?!

Regardless, the WEEKEND IS HERE!!!!!  Three cheers for R&R!!!!!!!!

Things I Have to Tell You....

1)  Today Ms. Belly Touch (one of my students) felt Baby P kick for the first time!  You should have seen her face!  Oh I wish I had a camera with me!  It was PRICELESS.

2)  Yesterday I was in a predicament.  I was all out of regular decaf tea.  Feeling a bit chilled, I decided to tough it out and steep a "strawberry mango" variety.  The box said "best enjoyed without milk".  But...........I ALWAYS put milk in my tea.  It's what I do.  So I ignored the instructions and went ahead with the pour.  BIG MISTAKE!  The milk curdled and I tossed the tea down the drain.  I don't think I'll be drinking this wannabe delicious tea anytime soon....

3)  Emily has SAVED ME from my tea dilemma!  She rummaged through her cupboards and brought me three bags of tea today at school!!!  THANK YOU, GEM!!!!  You're a sanity-saver!!!

4)  The cleaning lady was over tonight.  When I went to put on my running shoes she INSISTED that she needed to put them on for me.  I refused.  But she made me fight for the right to do this myself!!!! 

5)  Christmas lights make the living room so much COZIER. 

6)  Even as an optimist, I have trouble believing what people say to me anymore.  No matter how genuine, I seem to hear only "words" and wish for some REAL ACTION!  A simple example from today:  students who say "they will come for extra help and they want to improve".  Don't tell me you're going to do it......JUST DO IT!!!!! 

7)  Less than ONE MONTH until my birthday!!!! 

28 Weeks!

Phil wanted to be included in this week's photo shoot....

He's glowing, isn't he?! :)

MOVEMBER FOR LADIES.

It's so much easier.  And way less embarrassing.  (Although Phil may argue that it's way less "awesome").  Nonetheless, thanks to ALDO I can officially raise awareness too!  Check out my "stache":

The good news is that it comes in THREE DIFFERENT COLOURS.  Today I sported a silver one.  Tomorrow?  PERHAPS BRONZE! 

Can you colour-coordinate your mustaches, boys?!!!!

Didn't think so.

The verdict:  MINE RULES!  (And my students agree with me!)

Our First 10K......

As an ALMOST FAMILY OF THREE!!!!!

Saturday morning we woke up early (what else is new?!) and headed to the corniche to participate in the annual charity run.  Many members of our Kuwait family were also in attendance and together we enjoyed beautiful weather and personal achievements, all the while supporting a good cause! 

Phil and I chose to walk the 10K and I only had to use the washroom three times in the 2 hours we were there (haha).  Alas, the bladder issues and back pain made the finish line seem THAT MUCH SWEETER and we were greeted with big cheers from the crowd (and some of our students!) as we crossed to receive our medals.  There were photographers waiting to take our picture too and they asked to snap a few shots in order to capture my baby bump!!!  It was as if no one had ever seen a pregnant lady on a race course before.....

Anyways, the day was a SUPER DUPER one and Phil is convinced that Baby P secured first place as the event's fastest 7 month old fetus!  She sure did like that nice, long walk.  The minute I got home to rest, she was kicking for me to get up and go some more!  (Too bad my back and legs were hinting at exactly the opposite)! 

YAHOO!  We did it!  Next time, we'll be walking or running in style with the stroller!

A big CONGRATULATIONS to our crew!  WAY TO GO, EVERYONE!  You ROCKED the race course!!!

DECK THE HALLS!!!!!

FINALLY!!!!  We are officially in "Christmas Mode" at the Parkinson residence.  The tree is up, the stockings are out, the advent calendar is ready, and my sparkly snow leopard is decked out in her Santa suit!  Our Christmas music has been reacquainted with the iTunes program and the dishtowels and napkins have been replaced with seasonal items.  All that's left to do is bake and shop.  Perhaps we will begin the latter activity today....

For now, here are some pictures from last night:

Phil was my "putting up the tree" sweetie.  He did a great job - completing the task with lots of holiday cheer.  Check out that Santa hat!  I didn't even ask him to wear one!

Have you ever seen a reindeer cook?!  I was busy in the kitchen making the pizza dough and baking some peanut butter brownies :)

Phil always insists that I am the decoration girl.  But I always insist that he is the "star" man.  HOORAY for teamwork!

This is my new favourite decoration.  How clever is Mr. Tim Horton?  SO CLEVER!  How thoughtful is my Daddy?  SO THOUGHTFUL!

Our guests arrived with holiday cheer, too!!!  Emily was sporting some antlers like me and Shannon opted for a sweet little elf hat :)  Thanks for your enthusiasm ladies!!!!

Waking up this morning to a living room decorated for Christmas was THE ULTIMATE way to start my Friday.  I can't wait to cozy up with Phillip tonight and admire the tree all lit up :)   

HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON, Y'ALL!!!!!
XOXO

We Have Company Coming For Dinner.

So I dressed up!!!!!!

The house is busy getting dressed up too!  Phil just brought out the Christmas boxes!!!!!!

IF YOU WERE HERE FOR (DECAF) TEA.

Well....first of all.....there would be no SMALL TALK until we finished reading the latest book to join the Parkinson Home Library - "Little Miss Christmas".  I don't believe it either, but Emily found a biography about me at her kindergarten book fair today.  Weird that I didn't know about it in advance (or receive a complimentary copy!), but I'm happy to have it nonetheless! 

After reading the story.....one or two or three times.....we would get into the OTHER stuff:

*  Today was SPORTS DAY for the middle school.  Phil was responsible for organizing this event which involved many hours of preparation and great attention to detail.  Of course, the day went GREAT and the kids went home happy.....and somehow FULL OF ENERGY.....STILL!  Way to go, hun!  Your hard work sure did pay off :)

*  It's raining.  And thundering.  And lightning.  This is very uncharacteristic of Kuwait, but Phil always says that planning a sports day is the best way to bring on the rain!  The rain held out for most of the day, thankfully, and we only lost about 10 minutes off our game schedule.  I chose to walk home after school (in an effort to de-sugar!) which many on-lookers found hilarious.  Especially when I had to hobble-run in parts as the rain picked up!  Whatever - I made it home in record time and not too, too soaked either :)

*  On our "free" day off on Sunday we accomplished many things around the house.  Phil put up 7 new pictures and a full-length mirror.  Tidying up and organizing were also on the agenda (do they ever come off of it?) and in the evening I enjoyed a nice STEAMED MILK outing with some wonderful ladies.  Phil stayed home to check sports and get prepped for football :) 

*  We went to our first doctor's appointment with the new OB/GYN on Saturday afternoon.  The hospital was nothing like I expected but we survived meeting #1 and now understand how things work in the place.  The doctor asked me to purchase a glucometer to test my blood sugar at random points throughout the day and she's hoping that diet and exercise will suffice!  She says that my body wasn't used to too much sugar pre-pregnancy, which is why we might have seen such high numbers after consuming a BAZILLION grams of it in my glucose tolerance tests.  We have since tested my blood two times and both times the numbers were PERFECT!!!!  Speaking of "perfect" - the doctor used this word to describe Baby P!!! 

*  Is Bach Can's Whitney the Courtney equivalent?  Did Brad not learn from Ben's mistakes?  No further comment on this situation.  Except for that Brad needs a new wardrobe. 

*  Tomorrow is our last school day of the week!  I vote for three day weeks from here on out.  THEY ROCK! 

Phil is at basketball practice.  The maid is here spic and spanning the flat.  And I'm laying here cozy in bed :)

SPOILED & SIGNING OFF!
XOXO

HELLO TRIMESTER #3!!!!!!!

I can't believe it either. Weren't we just dreaming about the possibility of a Baby P?  Didn't we just find out I was pregnant? The past 6 months have gone by like WHOA!!!!!

So here we are.  27 weeks pregnant!

We get to meet our daughter SO SOON!!!!!!! 

P.S.  I'm sporting a "Jessica Simpson Maternity" shirt in this picture!  GOOD FIND, eh?!

Late Realizations!

Having a tea and watching a movie.....

Lindsay:  (smiling) Not going to school is WAY BETTER than going to school!!!!

Phillip:  (laughs) I've known that my whole life.  And you're just figuring that out today!

WE REMEMBER.

Let the Celebration CONTINUE.....

Get this:

We wake up at our usual 5 a.m.

Phil makes me scrambled eggs and toast.  I shower and blow-dry my hair.

We sit down to have breakfast and I decide to scan the Facebook newsfeed.  We see something about the Amir cancelling school today.  Huh?

Phil checked his phone to find a text message from the school declaring today a holiday.  I checked my email to see that we received notice at 2 a.m.  Did we read that right?!  INDEED WE DID!!!!

TODAY THERE IS NO SCHOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's a "Christmas miracle".  

Happy 50th Anniversary of the Constitution!

Let's celebrate with a fireworks show. But not just ANY fireworks show. One that continues for 64 minutes, costs 4 MILLION DINARS, and attempts to break 7 Guinness World Records!

We only lasted for about 30 minutes, but during that time we enjoyed the view from our building's rooftop! (Hooray for nothing but ELEVATOR TRAFFIC).

I can't wait to hear more about it tomorrow.  Or watch the remainder of the show on Youtube! 

But for now.....it's BEDTIME!  GOODNIGHT ALL!!!!

SHOPPING TRIP!

Yesterday morning we headed out to explore "Phase 3" of the mall with Emily and Heather. We have been anticipating it's arrival for months and last week it finally opened its doors to shoppers and diners alike! You should see the place! It's like walking around outside...but inside. It's like being in Kuwait...but being in Europe. It's AMAZING and we've since termed the first two phases of the complex "PHASED OUT"!   Here's a glimpse into the new GEM of the town:

Nice, eh?!  If it didn't get so busy so quickly, we would have spent longer in this area.  Alas, we will wait until Christmas holidays when many people have traveled and Phil and I have nothing else to do with our time!

Red cups are IN!!!!  WOO HOOO!!!!!  Do you hear that?!  It's SLEIGH BELLS, I TELL YA!!!!!  SLEIGH BELLS!!!!!

After wandering around the new section, we journeyed back to the less crowded "phased out" for some serious shopping.  I needed some new maternity wear and so we picked up a few items that are sure to be crowd pleasers.  Example #1:  the bright purple tracksuit that I will sport as much as possible between now and delivery!  Also exciting, I got a new dress shirt designed by "Jessica Simpson Maternity" and we purchased some Christmas-y items from IKEA! 

Yesterday afternoon was also enjoyable as Phil and I watched some shows together and made homemade pizza for dinner!  I love cozy nights in with my hubby.  He's the best.

Wishing all of you back home a happy and relaxing weekend!

XOXO

P.S.  My new beverage of choice is a nonfat steamed milk with cinnamon sprinkled on top!  Lots of calcium for Baby P and a preggo-friendly way for me to participate in COFFEE OUTINGS!  WIN!

Round Two!

Parent-Teacher conferences continued yesterday and I had a whopping 32 parents!  I was, once again, conferencing non-stop until 1 p.m., at which point I had to excuse myself to go to the washroom and get a snack!  My bladder was burning and my hands were shaking in hunger.  WAIT - upgrade that last part to "SHAKE-SHAKE-SHAKING IN HUNGER".  I don't really remember what was said in the last few conversations I had because I was trying not to faint!  I grabbed a quick muffin and then continued to conference with the long line of parents remaining in the hall.  With only one hour left, I sucked it up and survived until 2 p.m.

Phil came to my room when it was over to see how my day was.  Surprise - I cried!  I was Ms. Emotional Pregnant Lady and I was feeling so bad that I didn't eat well during the day and that maybe I hurt the baby.  I was mad at myself for not being more firm with the parents.  Why didn't I lock my door for a decent 15-20 minute lunch break?  BAH.  This people-pleasing thing has to stop.  ASAP.  

Anyways, Phil picked up some groceries yesterday afternoon and I ate lots of healthy food in the evening hours to erase my guilt.  I hope Baby P forgives me for allowing starvation to happen!  I'm up early again this morning and we're listening to the new Taylor Swift album together.  Perhaps a trip to the mall will also butter her up.......

OH.  MY.  GOODNESS.  I LOVE THIS BABY.

SLEIGH BELLS RING!!!!!!!

Okay, okay. I lied. Sleigh bells are NOT ringing. But holiday cups are HERE at Caribou Coffee and that's basically the same thing ;)

How happy do you think I was to enjoy my first cup of HOLIDAY CHEER?  SO HAPPY!  My inner Tigger was out in full-force!!!!

P.S.  The following must be said:  the moment was a LITTLE BIT ruined when my darling friend had a SERIOUS mind-block about Christmas Day.  Mmmmm hmmm.  She actually paused and said, "wait a minute.....Christmas is on the 25th, right?"  How we remained friends after this comment is something I'm still pondering.  Inshallah my tea-drinking companions come with unwavering knowledge of my favourite holiday tomorrow morning!!!!! 

P.P.S.  Dear Starbucks, please have your red cups ready!!!!!!!

21:

The number of parents I had from 6-8 p.m. last night!  It was non-stop and hectic and by the end of the evening - 15 minutes AFTER the Principal had announced that the night was finished - I had to turn away 5 parents who had been waiting in line to see me!!!!  (I felt so bad!)

Today our classrooms are open from 9-2 and there is potential for 63 more to visit!  YEESH!  I hope I get a few chances to run to the washroom and eat some snacks!  Otherwise, I might have to pull the "pregnant lady" card! 

The great thing about today is that we don't have to be at school until 8:45!  Which is why I'm sitting comfortably on the couch at this hour rather than uncomfortably at my desk!  Phil seems to be having a good sleep-in but my alarm clock is LITERALLY INTERNAL these days and so I've (or should I say "we've") been up for a while now :)

It's also THURSDAY!  And we get to leave school at 2 p.m.!!!!  And I have a big "Bachelor Canada" date with Phillip later tonight!!!

HOORAY (and best wishes!) for a GREAT DAY!!!!!!!

IF YOU WERE HERE FOR (DECAF) TEA.

*  The election is FINALLY OVER.  I don't know about any of you, but I'm really excited for television coverage of a different sort.

*  My students are ADORABLE.  Even when they drive me nuts, I really do see something loveable in each of them.  I have one student who has started to do "belly touches" every day.  This includes one hand on the bump, an ear close-by, and a little whisper 'hello'.  It's so cute - she's hoping the baby recognizes her voice after she's born :)   

*  This week has been CRAZY!!!!  Phil and I have been out late every night this week and the trend continues this evening as we head back to school for parent-teacher conferences!  As such, the posts have been minimal and I apologize for that :)

*  BABY NEWS:  On Saturday morning we went to the clinic to repeat my glucose tolerance test.  Later in the afternoon, my doctor called to confirm gestational diabetes.  I only had a minor breakdown (right Phil?!) and my common sense kicked in a few hours later.  Here's the thing:  I realize some women may get G.D. while pregnant.......and I know that it's not my fault.....and I am well aware that I eat like a health hero and exercise religiously.....BUT STILL!!!!  All I could think about was my baby girl twirling around in a space full of sugar......and the interweb searches that got my imagination going in directions that were completely UNNECESSARY.  I just want to know that I have done everything I can to keep her healthy and safe.  And I don't like that this SUGA BIZNAZ is outta my control!  Nonetheless, we go to the hospital this Saturday afternoon to sort things out and (hopefully) make a plan for treatment. 

*  OTHER BABY NEWS:  I felt the Baby hiccuping for the first time on the weekend (or so I think)!  I had to Google the sensation to find out what in the world was going on because it almost felt like she was having convulsions!  Haha.  She's also proven to be a nap-hater (like me!) because any time I lay down for some shut-eye, she starts kicking like the next Karate Kid! 

*  The Bachelor Canada.  AY, AY, AY .  We haven't even watched the most recent episode but we hear it's hometown dates and the thought of it makes me laugh.  How is this man going to choose a wife after like........4 days???  The Canadian version is FLYING BY and I'm guessing it's because they lack the funds to keep the dates a comin'!  

*  After a long week of work, I am excited for this weekend.  I have a coffee (or steamed milk!) date with a friend tomorrow, a trip to the mall scheduled for Friday (woo hoo there's a new section!), and Phil and I are heading to watch some U14 soccer action early Saturday morning.  I'm also quite curious to see what the inside of this swanky hospital looks like.  From the outside, it appears to be a hotel.....

Wish us luck as we embark on our first round of parent-teacher conferences!!!

XOXO

MOVIE NIGHT!

Last night Phil and I snuggled up to watch this movie.  Some thoughts:

#1:  The title of this post is "Movie NIGHT".  I should inform you that our "night" of "movie-viewing" began at 4:30 p.m.  

#2:  The little girl in the film is the MOST ADORABLE THING EVER.  I want Santa to bottle up all of her sweetness and deliver it to boys and girls around the world on December 25th.  It would make life ten BILLION times greater!

#3:  Yes, I try to talk about Christmas AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.  And YES, I think you should too!

The X Factor....

....is really LACKING the X FACTOR. 

This week the live shows started and both nights I fell asleep after 20 minutes.  Yes, I was tired.  But also, the program just didn't capture my interest!  Here are some of my ISSUES with the show:

1)   The hosts.  Don't get me wrong, I love to "KEEP UP" just as much as I love Saved By The Bell.  But Mario Lopez and Khloe Khardashian just can't deliver "THE CHEESE" in the same way a certain Ryan Seacrest can.  They come off as annoyingly amateur and I have trouble watching it.

2)  Britney.  Someone else I LOVE.  But here's the thing:  you CANNOT say "I wasn't expecting that" along with "It was AMAZING!" after every single performance.

3)  Demi.  Since when is this a dance competition?  IT ISN'T!!!  Stop telling people they look "so stiff" and require more "dance practice".  And for crying out loud, we know you're TWENTY YEARS OLD!  Although you may be able to relate to the contestants on a personal level, you don't have the experience of L.A. or Simon.

4)  Electronic voices and poor sound quality.  I can hardly HEAR the actual artists singing due to all of the background sounds and computer-generated noises. 

5)  The audience.  They NEVER STOP yelling or cheering.  It's ANNOYING.  Let the people sing and speak, will ya! 

6)  Too much CHANGE.  Why do the contestants have to resemble something they're not?  Isn't it best to let them show their genuine flare and allow the viewers the chance to love or love not? 

All this being said, I will give the show a second chance next week.  I just read a story on People.com where Khloe discussed some areas of improvement for her own performance.  Reflection is a good thing.  Let's just hope the other key players engage in a similar activity!

SO MUCH TO PAY FORWARD!

I have been extremely lucky to have received many acts of kindness in the past few days.  Here are some of the thoughtful acts that come to mind:

*  Someone Special popped by last night with two pregnancy/baby DVD's for me!  He refused to let us pay - telling us it was a gift :) 

*  Someone Special sent me pictures of "around the world" themed posters from cafepress.  They would look SO GREAT in Baby P's nursery!

*  Someone Special was in New York all of last week and last night she brought over a pink "I (heart) NY" onesie for Baby P! 

*  Someone Special gave me their spot on the shuttle bus.  They INSISTED I have the seat.  This Someone Special was using a cane. 

*  Someone Special always opens and closes the car door for me when I get picked up for their house. 

I think I have a lot of giving back to attend to :)   What a wonderful situation to be in!

"Desin of the Picture"

This was the subject of an email I just received from a sender named "taxi".

Attached to the email was this collage:

It was from HAITHAM!!!!! 

Are you in love with him yet?!

SWEETEST.  PERSON.  EVER.

WELCOME..........

 Things to look forward to this month:

*  MOVEMBER!  (Wait a minute - is this REALLY something to look forward to?!)
*  Securing our driver's licenses.  (Wait ANOTHER minute - is THIS something to be happy about?!)
*  Middle School Sports Day!
*  Becoming EVEN MORE attached to this precious wee babe.
*  Meeting the obstetrician that will (inshallah) deliver Baby P and having a tour of the hospital!  
*  Circuit-building in class!  
*  Another long weekend :)
*  People who are MORE WILLING to embrace the upcoming holiday season.
*  Mad Musicals - a production put on by a local theater company!
*  The arrival of our first visitor - ALEX!!!!
*  Nicer temperatures in Kuwait (you know, like the temperatures that allow you to be outside without sweating to death!)
*  U14 soccer games!  Ohhhh how I love to spend a weekend morning cheering on some AWESOME kiddo's!!!!