For those of you who know Catherine pretty well, you'll know that she LOVES to pretend (with our help) to be other people- namely, characters from TV shows like Dora, Boots and Swiper; Diego, Alicia and Baby Jaguar; Leo, Annie and Rocket; Pooh, Tigger and Piglet, etc, etc. Wow- that makes it sound like she watches a ton of TV, but really she's just got a mind like a steel trap and remembers EVERYTHING.
In any case, today, she just about knocked our socks off at dinner when she declared: "OK, let's pretend. I'm President Obama. Mom, you're the daughters, and Dad, you're their new dog."
HAHAHAHAHA! We almost DIED laughing. Of course, as Republicans, we're not quite sure how we feel about this new "fantasy" of hers: should we be proud that she's pretending to be the President of the United States, or should we be worried that she's pretending to be a- gasp- democrat?
Just thought I'd share! Hee hee!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
We've hit our stride!
Finally- a decent schedule.
Catherine has started "Summer Camp" at a local preschool, the TreeHouse. It's one of the better preschools in the area, and a lot of expats send their kids to school there, so that's a good sign. She'll attend camp every morning 9-11 for 4 weeks! This is a long time, but it's really helped to structure our day better. Plus, she can meet new friends and have some time away from Mom.
Of course, the standards here are MUCH different than in the U.S....there are no tables and chairs, so the kids sit on the floor to do everything, including snack. There are mosquitos in the school (they are EVERYWHERE here), so I have to spray her down every morning. The puzzles are all wood, have paint chipping off and are missing pieces. She has told me that they don't make them wash hands after potty, so I'm drilling her several times a day to say "My mommy says I HAVE to wash hands after potty and before snack!" Oh, ya gotta love it!
So now, we are all up by 7:30, get dressed and by 8 pm, we are actually siting at the breakfast table together! It's so refreshing to see Mike in the morning, and it's fun to see him interact with Catherine while she is still on her "morning high"! (Plus, it gives me a few minutes to suck down a cup of coffee so I can be on MY high!) We load into the car by 8:40, and drop Mike off at work, then I drop Catherine off at camp by 9. I then get 1 whole hour to myself! Yay! Gracy and Leticia show up at 10, and then I'm out the door at 10:45 to pick her back up. We run an errand or 2 (since stores don't open till 11!) and then back home for lunch and quiet time. In the afternoons, we either go down to the playground or to a playgroup in the local area- some playgroups are 45 minutes away and I don't like to do those.
So, overall, things are going much smoother for us, and I think that we are all a little happier!
This weekend we are headed to Ahmedabad, a city in the state of Gujarat. Mike has a business conference there next week, so we thought we'd join him for the weekend and check out another part of India. There is a lot of history there- many temples and mosques to visit, as well as a nice lake and some ancient wells. Should be interesting!
Catherine has started "Summer Camp" at a local preschool, the TreeHouse. It's one of the better preschools in the area, and a lot of expats send their kids to school there, so that's a good sign. She'll attend camp every morning 9-11 for 4 weeks! This is a long time, but it's really helped to structure our day better. Plus, she can meet new friends and have some time away from Mom.
Of course, the standards here are MUCH different than in the U.S....there are no tables and chairs, so the kids sit on the floor to do everything, including snack. There are mosquitos in the school (they are EVERYWHERE here), so I have to spray her down every morning. The puzzles are all wood, have paint chipping off and are missing pieces. She has told me that they don't make them wash hands after potty, so I'm drilling her several times a day to say "My mommy says I HAVE to wash hands after potty and before snack!" Oh, ya gotta love it!
So now, we are all up by 7:30, get dressed and by 8 pm, we are actually siting at the breakfast table together! It's so refreshing to see Mike in the morning, and it's fun to see him interact with Catherine while she is still on her "morning high"! (Plus, it gives me a few minutes to suck down a cup of coffee so I can be on MY high!) We load into the car by 8:40, and drop Mike off at work, then I drop Catherine off at camp by 9. I then get 1 whole hour to myself! Yay! Gracy and Leticia show up at 10, and then I'm out the door at 10:45 to pick her back up. We run an errand or 2 (since stores don't open till 11!) and then back home for lunch and quiet time. In the afternoons, we either go down to the playground or to a playgroup in the local area- some playgroups are 45 minutes away and I don't like to do those.
So, overall, things are going much smoother for us, and I think that we are all a little happier!
This weekend we are headed to Ahmedabad, a city in the state of Gujarat. Mike has a business conference there next week, so we thought we'd join him for the weekend and check out another part of India. There is a lot of history there- many temples and mosques to visit, as well as a nice lake and some ancient wells. Should be interesting!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Mumbai Facts and Figures
I've been thinking that I don't really know too much about the city in which we are living...and that's a bit embarrassing. So, I did a little research, and this is what I found:
- Bombay was renamed Mumbai in 1996.
- The total area of the city is 440 sq. km or 170 sq. miles.
- The population is 18 million, projected to reach 28.5 million by 2020.
- Mumbai is the capital of the state of Maharashtra.
- Marathi, Hindi and English are the main languages.
- Climate - Summer 200 C - 390 C, Winter 120 C - 340 C. Mumbai has a truly tropical climate and temperatures remain fairly uniform throughout the year. You never need to pack woolens for Mumbai, not even in December. Mumbai is drowned every year under torrential Indian Ocean monsoon rains between June and September, usually beginning by 7th June every year.
For more (actually very interesting) information, go to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mumbai
It's not a bad thing to expand our minds every once in a while! :)
- Bombay was renamed Mumbai in 1996.
- The total area of the city is 440 sq. km or 170 sq. miles.
- The population is 18 million, projected to reach 28.5 million by 2020.
- Mumbai is the capital of the state of Maharashtra.
- Marathi, Hindi and English are the main languages.
- Climate - Summer 200 C - 390 C, Winter 120 C - 340 C. Mumbai has a truly tropical climate and temperatures remain fairly uniform throughout the year. You never need to pack woolens for Mumbai, not even in December. Mumbai is drowned every year under torrential Indian Ocean monsoon rains between June and September, usually beginning by 7th June every year.
For more (actually very interesting) information, go to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mumbai
It's not a bad thing to expand our minds every once in a while! :)
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Catherine-isms
Catherine is becoming quite the little comedienne. She is constantly CRACKING me up, so I thought I'd share a few of her most recent one-liners:
1. When asked if she'd like something to drink: "You'd better believe it, kid!"
2. At bedtime: "No matter what, I love you to outerspace and back!" (Sigh!)
3. When discussing baby names, and Mike suggested Marlin: "Well, I love the Nemo movie, Dad, but I don't think Marlin's a good one."
4. When asked by someone what we're going to name the baby: "My dad is stuck on Smith, but I keep telling him that's not an option!"
5. After any meal: "I can feel MY baby kicking now, too!"
6. Early in the morning, when I'm still groggy and cranky: "Did you have your ONE cup of coffee yet, Mom?"
7. After trying pepperoni on pizza: "Maybe I'll like pepperoni when I'm 10 years old..."
8. Sharing an elevator with an Indian man: "That man is a weirdo- his hair is all twisty!" (Cringe!)
9. After Sachin (our driver) teases her: "Sachin, stop teasing me, I'm just a little girl!"
10. Upon seeing me in the shower: "I like your big boobies, Mommy!" Hahaha!
1. When asked if she'd like something to drink: "You'd better believe it, kid!"
2. At bedtime: "No matter what, I love you to outerspace and back!" (Sigh!)
3. When discussing baby names, and Mike suggested Marlin: "Well, I love the Nemo movie, Dad, but I don't think Marlin's a good one."
4. When asked by someone what we're going to name the baby: "My dad is stuck on Smith, but I keep telling him that's not an option!"
5. After any meal: "I can feel MY baby kicking now, too!"
6. Early in the morning, when I'm still groggy and cranky: "Did you have your ONE cup of coffee yet, Mom?"
7. After trying pepperoni on pizza: "Maybe I'll like pepperoni when I'm 10 years old..."
8. Sharing an elevator with an Indian man: "That man is a weirdo- his hair is all twisty!" (Cringe!)
9. After Sachin (our driver) teases her: "Sachin, stop teasing me, I'm just a little girl!"
10. Upon seeing me in the shower: "I like your big boobies, Mommy!" Hahaha!
Mumbai sights
We toured downtown Mumbai this past Saturday- it's very interesting! I'd like to go back again when it's not so hot, I'm not so BIG, and I know more about what I'm looking at. BUT- here are preliminary pics for those of you who've never seen anything at all from India (God knows I never had before we got here!)
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Happy Easter!
We enjoyed a lazy morning here....then went out to brunch- it was VERY good! Catherine's favorite parts were the blueberry crepes, pasta made to order, and ice cream!
We hope your Easter Sunday is a great one! We miss you!
We hope your Easter Sunday is a great one! We miss you!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Armed Guards for Mike?!?
Mike just returned from a business trip to Assam...a state in India closest to China. While he has many, many stories regarding this 3 day excursion (will edit this post to include them), I could not resist posting some pictures of his ARMED GUARDS- hahah!
Apparently, the company he was visiting insisted he have the guards with him at all times. Now, mind you, Mike's Indian collegue did not get this privilege... Don't you think these guys look just like our Special Forces/Green Berets? VERY threatening! But hey- he was protected! :)
Apparently, the company he was visiting insisted he have the guards with him at all times. Now, mind you, Mike's Indian collegue did not get this privilege... Don't you think these guys look just like our Special Forces/Green Berets? VERY threatening! But hey- he was protected! :)
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Thursday, April 2, 2009
We've moved!
I've dropped off the radar lately due to lack of internet...but I'm back, baby! :) We've been busy over the past 3 days moving into Evita, and man, does it feel great to finally be here.
It's much more comfortable- we have our STUFF and our FOOD (although I sent so much I don't even know where to begin! Cupcakes or goldfish? Hershey's syrup or clam chowder? haha!)
We are almost unpacked- thanks to Gracy and Leticia! They are work horses, and I'm so grateful for them. Sachin did some grocery shopping for me yesterday (a luxury I could REALLY get used to!), and we've had non-stop ding-dongs at the door with water delivery, A/C repairmen, IT specialists, dry cleaning delivery, mail delivery, etc. It's unbelievable how many times a day someone or another is in my home! More on that later....
Catherine is in HOG HEAVEN now that she has her toys. I swear, I barely saw the kid today, she was holed up in her playroom, just comatose with joy!
I go in for my glucose tolerance test tomorrow....hard to believe I'm almost 25 weeks! Little Bump is a very active baby and I'm starting to think I might be in trouble when he arrives! Maybe I'll lose my baby weight that much more quickly!
We are considering a trip to Goa (google it if you're not familiar) next weekend. It looks like it's pure paradise, and I jumped at the chance when Mike suggested it. We'll keep you posted- good pictures are sure to come from a trip like that!
Speaking of pictures, I do have more- just need to download and post! Saw some salt fields the other day that were interesting- India is a big salt producer.
OK- off to bed. More to come soon.
It's much more comfortable- we have our STUFF and our FOOD (although I sent so much I don't even know where to begin! Cupcakes or goldfish? Hershey's syrup or clam chowder? haha!)
We are almost unpacked- thanks to Gracy and Leticia! They are work horses, and I'm so grateful for them. Sachin did some grocery shopping for me yesterday (a luxury I could REALLY get used to!), and we've had non-stop ding-dongs at the door with water delivery, A/C repairmen, IT specialists, dry cleaning delivery, mail delivery, etc. It's unbelievable how many times a day someone or another is in my home! More on that later....
Catherine is in HOG HEAVEN now that she has her toys. I swear, I barely saw the kid today, she was holed up in her playroom, just comatose with joy!
I go in for my glucose tolerance test tomorrow....hard to believe I'm almost 25 weeks! Little Bump is a very active baby and I'm starting to think I might be in trouble when he arrives! Maybe I'll lose my baby weight that much more quickly!
We are considering a trip to Goa (google it if you're not familiar) next weekend. It looks like it's pure paradise, and I jumped at the chance when Mike suggested it. We'll keep you posted- good pictures are sure to come from a trip like that!
Speaking of pictures, I do have more- just need to download and post! Saw some salt fields the other day that were interesting- India is a big salt producer.
OK- off to bed. More to come soon.
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