More Randoms

We had our last class, which was the second breastfeeding course. We learned about pumps, bottles, and side effects/symptoms of breastfeeding. It was very informative, and I can't wait to read the booklet they gave us since I have only read a few short chapters on breastfeeding in a couple other books.

I am finally finished with classes (on childbirth, at least), but Shereif still has one more to go--Daddy Boot Camp. We had to reschedule his class for next month due to his grandmother's funeral. No females over 2 feet tall are allowed to attend (I guess I just missed the cut-off point). I wish they had a Mommy Boot Camp so I could practice changing diapers, swaddling, and baby care; but, at least Shereif can get a better idea of how things are done and teach me some things.

We put together a few more of the baby supplies and are continually organizing the nursery. We assembled the crib, pack-n-play, swing, video monitor, and added the bedding to the crib. I have been doing loads of laundry as well. I cannot believe how much stuff we have for the baby and for when she grows up. We have been rearranging things so as to fit everything in closets, cupboards, drawers, etc. Her things are already everywhere, and I know we will be getting more and more stuff as she gets older.

I have had the biggest cravings for fruit this week. I love eating grapes, strawberries, bananas, apples, and oranges and cannot get enough dried cranberries. Shereif has always had a sweet tooth so maybe Pea D is taking after him, but she seems to prefer the healthier sweet snacks than the chocolates and cakes like her father.

I miss sleeping on my back because I have been sleeping on my sides throughout the pregnancy. My hips started to hurt awhile back, but my brother Joe bought me a special body pillow as one of many gifts. I am extremely grateful for it (among all the other things he has done and continually does for us). It is so comfortable, and Shereif even cuddles with it sometimes :) Shereif's nesting instincts have kicked in as well. He has been driven to put things together and wants to do projects around the house like paint and decorate. I wish we had done them sooner; but everyone knows that when you own a house, there is always something to do. We love our house and cannot wait to make it feel like more of a home when we bring Pea D home with us.

In memory of...

Shereif's grandmother Nargis passed away last week. Even though it was not the Coptic Orthodox Easter weekend, I find it fitting that she passed away when she did because it was a time of resurrection and rebirth. She was 92 years old and the sweetest, kindest, most gentle person I have ever met. When Shereif introduced me to his family, she was one of the first people to hug me and always treated me as part of the Danials even before I married Shereif. I know how much Shereif loved her and looked up to her, and she was truly the epitome of a devout Christian and loving mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. She read the Bible every day, numerous times a day. Her Bible was weathered with age, post-its, and notes; but it was always by her side. When Shereif took an interest in learning to write and read Arabic last year, she immediately started teaching him. She was always there for any of her family or friends, and I love hearing all the stories about her life.

I wish we could have seen her at our baby shower, but she was out of town visiting her daughter and grandchildren and meeting her great granddaughter for the first time. I wish she could have met Pea D, but I know she will be watching over us and over her. I know Shereif will share his memories of Teta Nargis and Giddu Tawfic with Pea D, and there is no doubt that there is another angel in heaven. May God always bless her and those family and friends who have passed away.

Crazy 8s

Well, I am in my eighth month and time is flying by! I wish we had more time to get things ready for Pea D, but Shereif is extremely excited for her arrival and wants her here now. He loves on her so much already that I know he is going to be such a loving, caring, and affectionate father when she is born. The other night, he kissed my belly goodnight without even remembering to kiss me goodnight. :)

To mark my 8th month, here are some (crazy) updates:

1. It is getting extremely hard to wash the dishes because my belly touches the counter, but my hands have a hard time reaching the faucet.

2. My appetite goes up and down. Some times, I do not have a desire to eat anything and then there are times when I want to eat anything and everything.

3. My belly feels lower now. So, each step I take is a game to see if I really need to use the restroom. I have developed somewhat of a waddle due to this development.

4. I have been extremely indecisive. It is frustrating when I cannot make a decision, especially when it comes to choices about the baby. I guess I am trying to be too practical and cautious because I want things just right for Pea D, but I need to follow my gut and not second-guess myself so much.

5. I am more emotional. I have not had any mood swings, but certain emotions just overwhelm me for no reason and then go away as quickly as I feel them. I was writing thank you cards to family in Cleveland and got extremely sad, but then I was fine a minute later.

6. I feel prepared for Pea D's arrival and yet extremely unprepared at the same time, which is another frustrating thing. For example, we were fortunate to receive so many wonderful gifts from family and friends that I know we have all the necessities. But, barely anything is washed or put together yet.

7. How do you pack a hospital bag when many of the things you need to take are the things you use on a daily basis (e.g., toiletries, books, clothes)? This leads to more frustration.

8. I am getting more and more tired, but have bursts of energy at times. I wish I could do more things around the house and yard, but I know that I can't do them (=frustration yet again). I am sure it is part of the nesting instinct, but I wish Shereif didn't have to be responsible for all of those things by himself. He has been extremely busy with work and everything lately, and my lists don't give him a chance to rest. At least he is enjoying the day golfing with his buddies for his friend's 30th birthday today.

Graduation Day

I went to our fifth and last childbirth class. Shereif was out of town for work so I had the pleasure of receiving our certificate and keepsake book for the both of us. We didn't wear robes or caps, but a physician assistant from a neighboring pediatric hospital spoke to us about baby care. He spoke extremely fast (think that guy from the Hot Wheels commercials) so I am not sure if I got all the information.

Shereif and I attended our first breastfeeding class this week. We learned a ton of background information as well as the different types of holds, and I am looking forward to next week's class. During class, we had a raffle; and Shereif and I won some baby wipes in a travel case. We were excited (it's the small things).

We have started to put together some of the gifts we received at the baby shower. So far, we completed the bassinet (which was harder than we thought since the instructions were so vague).

Next on the list: the stroller, swing, bouncer, playard, crib, oh my!

It's Raining, It's Pouring, It's A Baby Shower

Our mothers hosted a baby shower for us in Cleveland on March 29th. It was held at a location adjacent to where we had our bridal shower, which made things even more memorable. It's like things have come full circle. A little over 2 years ago, we were in the same place preparing for our wedding, and now we are anticipating the next part of our life together with our little one.

As with the bridal shower, it rained on the day of the baby shower. I heard that rain is good luck (at least that is what people told me on the wedding day because it rained then also...you have to love Cleveland weather). People didn't seem to mind too much though, and I hope everyone had a great time. We had approximately 80 guests. Shereif was the only man there :) but he said he had fun and especially liked the food. We ate a ton of Middle Eastern appetizers and had chicken marsala with red potatoes, veggies, and pasta with asparagus as our entree. We also had a beautiful cassada cake, which is Shereif's favorite, and a wide assortment of Middle Eastern pastries.

Some of the appetizers


The beautiful and delicious cake


Pea D's Sonogram image as well as pictures of Shereif and me as babies

As a fun game, we played The Price is Right. I was Bob Barker, or Drew Carey since my belly is so big, and Shereif was one of the lovely Barker Beauties. Guests formed teams and had to guess the price of certain baby items (e.g., a pack of diapers, diaper rash ointment, pacifiers, baby food) without going over the original price. We gave away prizes to the top 4 teams. We also gave each guest a favor, which was a set of silver and gold spoons. Even though Pea D will not be born with a silver spoon in her mouth, we thought that the favors would be useful and go well with our wedding favors, which were crystal dishes that most people use for sugar.

The favors

We are truly fortunate to have such loving, supportive, and amazing family and friends who are extremely generous and thoughtful. We received so many great gifts and know they will help us get through the beginning days, months, and years with our little monkey. We cannot thank everyone enough for all that they have done for us and continue to do. We especially want to thank our mothers for all of their love and support and for working so tirelessly to throw us a wonderful shower. We also want to thank my Aunt Rosy for all of her help with the food and making sure things ran smoothly during the shower. In addition, thank you Aunt Mary Ann for all of the decorations and for running back and forth to help with the set-up. Our friend Hena and cousins Amanda, Brittany, and Sarah helped tremendously with the gifts, game, and taking pictures. We love you all very much!

The parents and grandmothers-to-be

There is an Arabic saying that babies are good luck. We know that Pea D has been a tremendous source of good fortune for us. She has helped us get through a lot in these past few months and has made the bond between Shereif and me even stronger. And, she even helped us win 2 prizes at the Baby Fair! In addition to the first aid kit we won, I just found out that I will be receiving a free skincare facial and consultation soon. It will definitely be nice to get pampered. Even with all of these blessings in life, we are also reminded of life's limits. Please keep Shereif's grandmother who is in the hospital in your thoughts. We pray that she will get better soon and be back to her happy, always-on-the-go self so that we can introduce her to her great granddaughter.

Busy week

We had our fourth childbirth class and learned about pain medications, epidurals, spinal analgesics, and C-sections. Shereif did not like hearing about the epidurals and C-sections, and he even grimaced when they showed a computer-animated operation. I hope he can handle the real labor and delivery. He did mention, though, that it was nice watching all the videos and seeing how the husbands encouraged and supported their wives during labor. I know he will be a great coach...I just hope we have a safe labor and delivery.

I feel more and more pregnant now. I always tease Shereif that he acts like the pregnant one because he experiences a lot of cravings and fatigue. He even tries to convince me that I am the one with the cravings so that we can eat the foods he wants to eat. He says he has also gained weight (even though I think he still looks the same). I have gained almost 20 pounds, and my stomach resembles a basketball (even though I can't dribble it :). It is just there, in front of me, but is starting to round out more and fill more from the sides whereas before it just protruded from the front. I know I should slow down a bit, but I continually feel like I can still do the same things that I did before I got pregnant. I am careful, though, when I bend down and when I move around. I am experiencing more shortness of breath, and the baby's kicks are stronger. My mom and brothers had a chance to even SEE Monkey kick when we were home this weekend for our baby shower (don't worry...post to follow).

I also had another prenatal check-up and all looks good. I received a free travel tote with formula for reaching my third trimester. Even though I hope that we don't have to use formula, it's always nice to get free things :) This week has been a crazy and busy one, but it has helped us build up and get ready for the big day.