Tonight's Bath Time.

Let's start with Nory.  The girl who begs for two or three tubbies a day.  The girl who takes great joy in bubble baths and colour baths and only ever LONG, LONG baths.  The girl who always comes out all wrinkled and prune-y and not even close to being finished.

Well, if tonight was any indication, these things are of the past, people!

Tonight. 

T.O.N.I.G.H.T.

Nory scream-cried like no other, refused to get into the tub, and even pleaded "I HAVE TO POTTY" in order to keep herself out of it.  Washing her hair was a whole other obstacle that Phil volunteered to tackle (BLESS HIM!), while I whisked Jet away to our room where we blared nursery rhymes and pretended everything was normal.  It was one HELLA BIG game of pretend, you guys.

So that was a first.  

Next up was Jet.  She acted like a total gem in the tub - smiling up at us with big blue eyes, staying as quiet and still as ever, accelerating the get-clean process by 100% compliance!  Thankfully, Nory was calm by this time too and we were thrilled to be ALMOST finished with bath time routine.  With the end in sight, I got Juliet a towel, Phil picked her up and................VOMIT.  All over her face, all over her chest, all into the bath water.

Sigh.

To make us feel even more defeated, once both kids were clean, pajamas were ON, and everyone was sprawled out on the big bed, our Manipulating Eldest flashed us a grin and said "that was FUN!!!!!"

It was then that we decided the toddler years are FOR REAL kicking our @$$.

Spring Break (!)

Let's talk about this title.  More specifically, let's talk about that exclamation point that's caged up in brackets.  Because it's a blog first, people!  For the girl who OVER-uses the exclamation point to confine one of those happy line-with-a-dot's in the very title of her long overdue blog post, it's never before seen.  And the reasoning is this:  this is Spring Break (the End of Maternity Leave Edition) as opposed to Spring Break (the End of A VERY LONG Third Quarter Edition).  The difference is HUGE.

Normally, this week would be the best week ever (if you're a teacher, you know!), but I feel like I'm going through some serious mourning period and the whole pizazz of the holiday isn't quite there (if you're a mom, you might know!).  In fact, I've been so upset about returning to work that I haven't really wanted to come around here and talk about what we've been up to.  I felt like sharing our family adventures was akin to tossing a big fat lie into the virtual world, with the underlying theme being heartbreak.

Sigh.

I mean, WE HAVE HAD a glorious time thus far.  WE HAVE.  But, I've had some not-so-glorious moments on my own and it's been difficult trying to keep it together in front of the girls each day.  If only brackets worked on tears.  (TEARS).  Yep, definitely don't have the effect I was hoping for. 

There have been people that have been able to snap me out of it (briefly).  Like Nory and Jet, who have taken the playful approach.  Or Phil, who has taken the MOST SUPPORTIVE HUSBAND EVER approach.  Or Kumari, who has taken the CLEAR AS DAY approach by telling me "no work, no money, Madam".  Gotcha.  When the lady who left her child in ANOTHER country to earn a better living for him has to give advice to the lady who leaves her children for merely ten hours a day........the point is made rather effortlessly.

I start Sunday.

Moving on......

I am writing to you tonight because Courtney and Phil are watching some lame movie that had a typewriter in its opening scene and - according to my long list of movie-viewing rules - I don't view movies that feature typewriters.  So, rather than pretend to enjoy "The Imitation Game" (Oscar movie, ya, ya, whatever), I decided The Pearl Curriculum would be a better time investment ;)

Back to Spring Break (!).  Since I've been on unpaid leave for the last two months, we decided to save our money and have a Kuwaiti stay-cation.  We've taken it upon ourselves to do all things BEACH and discovered on Monday that we could get a week-long pass at the Hilton Resort for a great price!  It's only five minutes away from our house and we've been going to and from ever since.  Nory's especially in heaven and - because we get to come home for naps and sleep in our own bed at night - we've been in heaven too!

Time to end this post with the greatest exclamation points of all, Juliet and Eleanor!  (ELEANOR).  Hmmm.....can't cage that one in either.  But it was worth a try ;)

Her first swim!!!!!

A recently-discovered, jumping-picture PRO!

THIS, I must tell you.

(Apologies in advance for the random string of events that follows.)

So I've had this foot problem.  For ONE MONTH NOW.  Where my left foot is in pain practically always.  Which means I haven't been exercising.  Which means I've been an extreme ball of anxiety.  And that I've been to a billion doctors appointments.

Well.

After several foot examinations, X-rays, an MRI, physiotherapy and lots of different medication.  After being dismissed from one appointment with "I LOVE YOU.  GOD BLESS AMERICA.  AND EVERYTHING ELSE!!!!"  After being dismissed from ANOTHER appointment with "Oh, PARKINSON!  Your grandfather, your sister!  They found the disease!  CONGRATULATIONS!"  After all of this nonsense.  The mysterious foot saga FINALLY concluded late tonight with a trip to THE. BEST. ORTHOPEDIC. DOCTOR. in the whole country.

So that's exciting!

(It turns out that all of the pain I've been having in my left foot is actually being caused by a mechanical issue in my right foot.  And this mechanical issue is likely the reason for my bad knee.  And possibly even my lower back pain.  AND surgery is merely a last resort!  YAHOO and THREE CHEERS for COMPETENCE!)

Anyways, the appointment was late and we didn't arrive back home until 9 o'clock this evening.  Both kids were still awake due to some.......or one.....wild girl incident.  Mmmm hmmm....as we walked in the door, Kumari felt obliged to report that Nory's milk and cookie party was a total bust because after eating her cookies, Nory CHUG-A-LUGGED her milk and then proceeded to vomit all over the place.  And laughed whilst doing so.  Yes.  She both vomited and laughed herself WIDE-EYED and BUSHY-TAILED.  We were thrilled to hear it.

FACT:  Jet fears for her life.

So the tag team went to the starting line.  I took Juliet, while Phil read some books to calm the Nornado who was all "MOMMY!!! DADDY!!!! BUNNY!!! HOP, HOP!!! CHOCOLATE!!!"  At the conclusion of one of their books, I asked Phil to do me a favour and bring me our white noise "Sleep Sheep".  Of course, Nory heard "SHEEP!" and ASSUMED I was asking her to sing BA BA BLACK SHEEP at the top of her lungs.  Which she proceeded to do.  Beside her sister.  Who WAS sleeping prior to Nory's entrance.  (For the record, never do I ever ask Nory to sing any song at the top of her lungs.  It's simply the only decibel level she really knows.)  It gets better though.  Because Nory then decided to shout "TICKLE, TICKLE!" and tickled our sleepy-eyed little one from head to toe with a big ole giggle to boot.  This sent Phil and I into nothing other than exhausted giggles as well.  Jet rolled her eyes, yawned, and went back to bed.  #angel

So........that was our night.  A diagnosis!  A(nother) tale of a vomiting Parkinson child!  And the ongoing experience of having a toddler like Nory.

THIS, I must tell you, is OUR EVER SO CHARMED LIFE :)  #keeptheprayerscoming

Conversations with Nory.

I know there are times I SHOULD keep a straight face around here.  But, it's hard you guys.  She is TOO DARN FUNNY.  And adorable.  And even when she's all screams and NO's......my heart is usually in a state of perma-melt. 

After having an "accident".....

Me:  OH NO!  Nory Girl, you had an accident?

Nory:  (sighs) It happens, Mom.

I remembered while reading to her the other day that she must have got that line from her potty book.  Plus she's right.  IT DOES HAPPEN!

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While choosing what to bring outside to the courtyard....

Me:  What about this bike Nory?

Nory:  No.  This one's no good.  (Pause)  But it IS PINK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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As Phil approached us - carrying all of the bags - while we were playing on the beach this morning....

Nory:  DADDY!  DADDY!  It's GRRRRRRRRREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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During hide and seek the other day....

Nory:  (Stops the game and goes to lay on the treadmill)  I'm sad and blue, Mom.

I wonder where she gets her dramatic side from.

NARRATING THE CAMERA ROLL....

Just the other day, Nory and I started having hot drinks together each morning.  I have a coffee and she has a hot chocolate while Jet continues to snooze away :)

Jet might not have a lot of hair but I'm sure she's ingested a lot of it.  Nory LOVES snuggling up close to her which almost always includes a mop of hair in Jet's face. 

Right now, everything is "MY TURN, MYSELF!"  So here Nory is, painting her nails by herself.

I'm so happy we won this quilt at the Art for Action Auction in Egypt!  It is extremely special to me and both girls have enjoyed staring at these painted faces as babies!

This is what it looks like when she wears my shoes.

And this is what her shoes look like.....(that's sparkly, blue "Frozen" playdoh, for the record).

Always in the holiday spirit around here!  Nory did all the painting.  I did the cutting and stringing :)

Wonder which house this little dolly came from......

We're looking at you REFLUX.  Please go away.  Yesterday was a toughie.

Some "spring" ornaments we made out of salt dough.  Nothing says spring like butterflies.......and dinosaurs and camels.  NOTHING ;)

Life's a beach. And so's our house. (Worst parenting decision EVER).

Nory has a water/sand table that we used for water play a while back, but it has since been sitting in the corner of her bathroom, collecting dust and taking up space.  I mean, I suppose it served as a shelf for her plethora of bath toys, but it wasn't being used as intended and so we decided to re-implement the beauty back into our play rotation.  It all started with a trip to the Avenues (sigh, The Avenues - where dreams come true!).

Here is a picture of Phil hauling three bags of sand through the mall, to the parking garage:

Two things are funny about this:

1)  We didn't get a porter.  Which threw every onlooker for a loop.  But it's not like it was heavy and it's not like we had small children in tow ;)

2)  Yes, we live in the desert.  And yes, we VISA-ed our sand.  If you lived here, you'd understand.  (I think).

Anyways, embarrassments aside, the sand arrived home and our worst parenting decision ever was born.  Ah-hem, the embarrassment continues....

Rather than keep the sand table in the bathroom (where we can easily clean up messes compliments of the bathroom hose and the drainage holes in the floor)........rather than put the sand in the hallway outside (which could also be easily swept up and maintained)........we decided to (GET THIS!) put the sand table by her arts and crafts station - INSIDE OUR HOUSE.  Because, you know, we will just tell our two year old to keep the sand IN the sand table.  Because if she can count to eleven and name off shapes and colours, then SURELY she will understand that sand stays with sand.  IN THE TABLE. 

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!

And I can't blame exhaustion.  Or a lack of concentration.  Or anything that would make me sound like less of a parenting amateur than I already am.  This KEEP-THE-SANDBOX-INSIDE decision?  It was ALL ME.  All "fully awake, well thought out, made with zero pressure/bribery/game of truth or dare" ME.  And even my husband was in agreement.  There was no hesitation or concern from his end, which is completely bizarre because that man likes a clean house like nobody else I know. 

Back to the title of this post. 

There is sand EVERYWHERE IN OUR FLAT!  Not only because every pour, every dig, and every big archeological find resulted in sand flying around the general vicinity of the table.  But because Nory is Little Miss Sweaty McGee and, despite the sand-wiping-off technique we repeatedly modeled, sand sticks to her like glue and her hands served as sand delivery vehicles that whipped through our place in seconds.  Which is why I found myself brushing sand out from under my covers at one in the morning last night.  (Thank goodness our child - who LOVES TO SWEEP - is 100% anti-pile). 

The moral of this story is:  don't put a sand table in your house.  

#parentingfail

Thoughts on being THOUGHTFUL.

I have no idea why this came to mind this morning, but I started thinking about what all of my friends have in common and I decided that all of my friends are thoughtful.  But I didn't stop there.  Because I was really impressed at the realization that my brain was ACTUALLY THINKING at six this morning and so I decided to pour another cup of coffee and embrace the spontaneity.  HA!  So then I started thinking:  are they thoughtful and I really liked that about them and so we became friends OR they are my friends and we learned to love each other and so they are thoughtful towards me?  It's a chicken or the egg sort of thing and I'm not quite sure what the answer is.  I mean....are all friends thoughtful?  Is that a criteria that everyone has for their friends?  I'm just wondering if all of your friends are thoughtful too.  Because then I might have an answer to my question...

I really think thoughtful is a unique trait on its own.  I still think you can be FRIENDLY and WONDERFUL and be considered a NICE PERSON without necessarily being "thoughtful".  Thoughtful is its own cool thing, isn't it?  To me, it's a really nice person with a cherry on top.  The kind of person you would be a lifelong friend with.  Hmmmm.....maybe I just answered my own question? 

Thoughtful is..........

Driving to visit you and your family for MORE THAN AN HOUR to see you and your family for less than an hour.  Finding an "Eleanor" ornament while vacationing in June and saving it for a gift in December.  Calling you a reliable taxi driver so you don't have to be uncomfortable going somewhere that's already uncomfortable.  Wedding anniversary cards addressed to you and your hubby (even THIS CARD GAL doesn't do that!).  Knowing that you love black and white photos and tagging you in black and white Instagram accounts.  Opening personalized "house warming" gifts from Etsy.  Bringing a post-baby lasagna to your house so you don't have to cook for days (it was MASSIVE).  Dropping off a key to the back door (near the elevators!) so that unloading the car is easier.  Receiving "new mom" gifts IN ADDITION to "new baby" gifts (WHAT?!!!!!).  Seeing a "HOLLYWOOD" sign in the city and bringing it home for you.  Making special side dishes for dinner to please everyone's likes and dislikes.  Making a "you're the best and here's a new purse" day because you're in need of a pick-me-up.  Arranging "Santa" to leave a gift for your child at the hotel reception....and have it delivered to them during breakfast on Christmas Day.  Being offered specially imported Kraft Peanut Butter even though it's running low and it will be months before your friend can acquire any more.        

I could go on.  But my point has been made:  CHERRY ON TOP, PEOPLE! 

I think I need to buy THESE CARDS!

Not only do I feel lucky to be on the receiving end of such thoughtfulness, but I feel lucky to be inspired to be thoughtful too!  Sometimes I want to do something thoughtful for others, but I'm not always sure how to go about it.  So I look to all of you for ideas and - BINGO!!!! - there's always a little gem waiting to be recycled :)  Like the time we brought Nory home from the hospital and entered the apartment through an exquisitely decorated front door.  Thank you to YOU for teaching me this thoughtful idea.  Please know that today your idea will make another new mama happy too!!!!

Sending SO MUCH LOVE to all of my friends today!  I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!!!

#supercheesy #youwouldthinkitwasworldfriendshipday #ishouldlookthatup

Conversations with Nory.

A post I'll try to do more often.  So I can remember these funny moments forever and ever.

Upon arriving home from the salon (hair freshly cut with some curls)....

Me:  Hi Honey!!!!!

Nory:  (excitedly) MOMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  (pause, look of confusion) Mommy.  Your hair. (longer pause, look of disgust)  Your hair.  Me no like it.  Me no like it, Mama.

And when asked if she liked my hair on day two (washed and straight)?  SAME RESPONSE.  OY!

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While talking to Phil on the phone....

Phil:  What are you and Mommy doing right now? 

Nory:  Pizza and Minnie Mouse.

Phil:  That's fun!  You're eating pizza and watching Minnie Mouse?

Nory:  Ya!

Lindsay:  (laughing) That's a lie.  She just had cereal and we're building a tower!

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While choosing a dinosaur video on YouTube (she's becoming obsessed)....

Me:  Oh!  This one looks good!  (continues to put on Land Before Time clip)

Nory:  No....not this one.  This one not good, Mama.

Me:  Okay.....let's try this one... (puts on Barney)

Nory:  Not good, Mama.  Not this one.

Me:  Well then, what about this one?  (puts on a nice dinosaur clip from Jurassic Park...you know, where they first arrive at park and see a giant Little Foot)

Nory:  Not this one, Mama.

Me:  We're running out of options here, Kiddo.  Hmmm..... (puts on 'Best of Discovery Channel Dinosaurs')

Nory:  YA!  (squeals) THIS ONE!  THIS ONE GOOD MAMA!!!!!!!!

Keep in mind the video opened with two 'real-life' raptors attacking each other.  Sigh.  Sometimes I don't know how this child belongs to me.  Isn't Little Foot too adorable to resist?!  

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While painting the other day.....

Me:  What do you want to paint with today, Nory?

Nory:  (thinking) Ummm....................hair.

Me:  (laughs) I don't think painting with our hair is a very good idea, darling!

Nory:  (frustrated) No....hair ones, Mommy!  (continues to go to craft shelf and retrieve her mini paint brushes)

Me:  Ohhh!!!!!!!!  THE PAINT BRUSHES!!!!  They do have hair!  Great idea, Hun!

The ones with hair = paint brushes.  CHECK, CHECK. CHECK!  Not a bad description in retrospect ;)  

Can we discuss AGAIN how much we ADORE Baby Jet?

The baby that thinks it's time to wake up FOR REAL at 4:30 this morning, all smiles and coos and "MAMA LET'S CHAT!".  The baby who falls back to sleep smiling at 5:30 this morning, cuddling in my arms and having the dream of all dreams.  The baby who vomits ALL OVER HER CRIB and ALL OVER HER SLEEP SACK and ALL OVER THE FLOOR at 6:15 this morning, without so much as a whimper.  The baby who continues to sleep post-vomiting at 6:16 this morning, undisturbed by the chaos of the major clean-up happening around her........

Wherever did this angel she come from?!

Sometimes.

When your toddler spots a fresh bag of cotton balls.  And starts pouring them out of the bag.  And throwing them all over the living room floor. 

You just have to embrace the mess, declare the snowstorm, blare the Christmas tunes and DANCE!!!!!!

P.S.  NINE months until CHRISTMAS EVE! ;)