Thou Shall Not Make Fun

Ok. So I was at my Sumba class this morning ready to bust a move and lose the remaining 5 lbs left from my pregnancy. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done, not only is it the greatest cardio workout, but it’s also tons of fun – exercising to reggaeton - it can’t get any better than that!

The music started and the dancing begun. There were tons of women in the class, so space seemed a little tight. As we began to wave our hands in the air left to right, I tried to be considerate of the people around me and to make sure I didn’t swat anyone in the head.

So…we’re dancing….'izquierda, derecha, baile baile…..'

Just then, I could’ve sworn I felt a tap on my right hand from the lady next to me. So, I breathlessly turned my head to say excuse me and move over. That’s when it happened – that’s when I finally noticed - the lady had NO ARM.

I was mortified. Not because I was exercising next to an amputee, but because I was SURE I felt someone’s had tap mine. In any case, I needed a drink…..so, feeling a bit light headed, and taken aback, I leaned over to grab my water - and sure enough, my bottle was sitting RIGHT NEXT to a PLASTIC ARM.



I came home and was telling Asuzena my story. I couldn’t help but laugh about my weird experience. Yes FOLKS I know - How could I laugh? But c’mon, it was funny. Anyways, as I was telling her what happened, and admitting to HOW BAD IT WAS THAT I WAS LAUGHING, we LOST POWER in the house, no electricity, I KID YOU NOT! I guess the big guy upstairs tried to teach me a lesson?

I was robbed of electricity...it was ARMED robbery!
I’m dying...LAUGHING...

(I’m so gonna get struck by lightening tonight, I swear)

Where Is My Kansas Toto?

It's been a while. I know.
I have nothing but great things to say about my new life as a mother of TWO. I’ve had a lot of sleepless nights thinking about my insta-family. Three years in Mexico has brought me two beautiful babies and a new appreciation for life. Up until now, I relished the idea of some day returning home - back to the Tdot. Having two kids away from everyone has been challenging, at times I feel overwhelmed, too overwhelmed to put into words. I always use the excuse of being away from ‘home’ for feeling the way I’ve been.

‘You can never go back, only forward’, holds true especially once you’ve been removed from an area for any period of time.

After I spent five weeks in Toronto this summer, I realized many things, and some things that I’m still trying to figure out for myself. I keep complaining of missing 'home' and needing to be around my 'family', when in reality, my family is right here with me everyday, and home to my two Mexican born children, is right here where they belong!

Exceptional weather year round, rows of beautiful palm trees everywhere, friendly faces on the streets, and an endless ocean less than an hour away…why would anyone want to give this up?

As far as my kids know, Hermosillo IS there home. So, when I complain about wanting to be back in Toronto, I guess I need to figure out if being back in Toronto is really what we want…moving forward…from this point on…

Is it the comfort of my own house that I miss when I’m visiting Canada? Or is it the tranquility of Mexico that has me so confused?

WHO KNOWS?

I need to see a therapist.

Maybe it’s a post-partum thing I’m going through, after all, how can I choose to live somewhere with no highways and shopping malls?

(Very easily!)

Holy What?

Cristian’s totally talking now. I’m so proud of my little man, especially for his keen ability to use words and expressions to demonstrate his excitement and thrill.

Here’s an example:

Cristian sitting at the table asking for mazoon (yogurt in Armenian).
I hand him his mazoon and walk away for the spoon. In the meantime, Cristian is playing with the yogurt – trying to be a big boy, and open it himself – without my help. After a few seconds, his pudgy little hands finally rip open the top of the carton, at which point my adorable little son squeals the following words...“Holy SHIT!” with absolute joy!

Yep, he sure was proud of himself!
As was I. At least he used the words within proper context!

"Watch out Mr. Beckham!"

The kid LOVES soccer.

Must be in the blood, passed on from my dad.

He eats, sleeps, and breathes *BOTE.

BOTE: Spanish for bounce.

He Shoots…….

He Scores!

We’ve got our very own soccer player in the making!

Confessions of an 18-month old

The past month has been a whirlwind. Since I had Mia, life has been like a crazy scene from the old movie Three Men and a Baby, only in this case its Two Babies and One Mommy! Every ‘scene’ I envisioned happening has already happened, and new ones are surfacing daily. Here’s a replay of my entire day last Wednesday.

6:00am NEXT DOOR DOG STARTS BARKING

6:30am Cristian wakes up bright and early and calls out ‘mommy’ thirty consecutive times before I actually go get him.

7:00am Mini Mia also wakes up with her mouth wide open and her head bobbing left to right looking for her morning snack – my boob.

7:15am I am sitting on the couch feeding Mia while Cristian is yanking my leg calling out “Baaynee” (Barney).

7:30-9:00am Cristian is in and out playing with Asuzena while I settle Mia down for her morning nap.

10:00am I notice Cristian looking a bit tired, only to find out he has a fever.

12:00pm I put Cristian down for a nap right after I give him a shot of Tempra.

1:00pm Cristian wakes up and yaks all over the place (Mia’s still sleeping people!)

1:15pm I call Asuzena to come back and care for Mia while I rush Cristian to the pediatrician as he’s burning up with a near 40 temperature.

3:00pm We arrive home after finding out C has another throat infection.

3:30pm Asuzena leaves again and the chaos continues……

4:00pm-5:00pm Mia wakes up hungry, Cristian is crying and having a tantrum, Mia needs mommy to feed her, Cristian needs mommy to comfort him, and mommy needs a good shot of something strong by the time daddy gets home!

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In the evening, Vince stepped out to talk to the neighbors about their dog’s constant barking. Yes folks, it’s still an issue! During this time, I finally put both kids to sleep and was carrying Cristian to bed…WHEN…he suddenly woke up crying and started throwing up all over me from the family room all the way to the front door. I sood at the door helplessly calling out Vince’s name hoping he was outside. I was covered in vomit – literally from head to toe – at which time, mini Mia woke up from all the commotion. There I was hoping my knight in shining armor was around the corner. And sure enough, he was.

It’s been great. Truly it has, but definitely a challenge raising two babies at once with no family to help out. The way I put it - sometimes I feel like I am trying to 'drive two cars at the same time.' And obviously, it's just not possible.

I had my leg surgery a few weeks back, and last week was the first time I was actually able to drive. So, I decided to take Cristian and Mia out to visit my friend Chin and her kids. It had been a while since Cristian had gone out. As we left the house, I made a turn onto the main boulevard…here’s how the conversation went:

Me: “Here’s your juice Cristian.”

Mia: “Waa”

Cristian: “Tantoo Mommy” (Translation: Thank You Mommy)

…continue driving…silence in the car……

Cristian: “Mommy”

Me: “Yes Cristian”

Cristian: “Fun!”

And we were only at the first set of lights past our house!

Here's To Our New Addition!

Mia Maryann Perri Degirmencioglu

Born Monday March 19th 2007 @ 1:58pm

CIMA Hospital

Hermosillo, Sonora Mexico

5.8Lbs

20 inches

What Would You Do?

I have 6 days left. My C section is scheduled for the 22nd of March (this Thursday). Hopefully I'll make it till then. According to my doctor, he thinks I may deliver sooner than that. There’s a feisty child in there making it known that space is limited. At times, I feel like a foot is about to pop out of my mouth. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Nella, Rich and Vito were here for a week. They’re heading back up to the great white north Friday. My sister will be arriving Saturday and soon after my mom will also make her way down. So exciting! All the visits from our loved ones is a simple reminder that our big day is nearing. We will no longer be just a family of three!

I’m physically ready to have this baby. Emotionally, I’m not so sure. I am panicked – a bit – actually – a lot. Many scenarios are going through my head to which I’m having a hard time coming up with solutions.

Scenario #1
I finally fall asleep. Baby wakes up crying for his/her feeding. C decides he wants to get up also. A symphony of ‘waa’ and ‘mami’ is going off in the house.

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Scenario #2
I am sitting on my chair breastfeeding baby. C is playing and notices baby sucking on my boob. As memories start going through his head, he becomes nostalgic and decides he wants a little nibble too.

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Scenario #3
I am home alone tending to both my babies when C decides he also wants to be carried around in the baby Bjorn (after all, it was his first.)

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WHAT DO I DO?

Side by Side or Front to Back

I’ve always thought from behind is better. Much more comfortable with easier access, sideways just looks awkward. I don’t think I could handle the width. Though I’ve never actually tried it, it looks harder to manage and maneuver.

I’m talking about strollers – that is!

So, now that we have baby #2 only weeks away from joining our crazy clan, we’re considering purchasing a double stroller. I never thought I would actually be using one of those, but with a newborn baby and a tiny man who’ll only be a year-and-a-half old next month – I’m seriously considering it.

Double Stroller vs. Local Mall Stores

I’ve gone online and shopped around. However, before I continue, I must decide which is better.

A) Having my kids sitting side by side – sharing snacks, toys and entertaining each other. (Possibly followed by hair pulling and screaming matches?!)

B) Having my kids sitting front to back – unable to share toys, snacks, hair pulling and allowing their mom easy access to shopping malls and her favorite shoe stores without knocking over displays etc…

I think I know the answer…..but audience – I need your help.
I’ve decided to use a ‘life-line’ for this matter….what's your opinion or advice?

Dealin' Wit Da Bomba*Blood*Clot

Im stubborn. We all think we are invincible to some degree. But we’re really not. Things happen in life and sometimes the easiest way out is to blame ourselves for the outcome.

That’s my position right now.

November is when I found out I had a problem with the circulation in my right leg. Insufficient Venous is what they called it. The pressure of the baby is what caused my leg to feel the need to keep blood in one place and not pump it back to where it should be going – a minor setback which has turned into something far more serious.

December came around, and of course, our ever so busy travel schedule begun. We flew to and from Toronto. Then, we headed off to Cancun to celebrate New Year’s, just the three of us, before baby #2 comes along. It was fun. We had a blast. But the consequences have made me question my judgment given my situation. I was told by my doctors it would be ok to fly, just as long as I wore my ‘super-sexy-granny-stocking’ on the plane rides, and took an herbal vitamin that would assist in circulating blood flow in my leg. Well, clearly that failed....

Upon our return home is when we discovered I had developed a blood clot. Superficial Thrombosis. I was devastated. Just hearing those words had me hating myself for not taking matters more seriously. After a weekend of crying and feeling sorry for myself, I did what any of us would do – yet shouldn’t. I went online to research my condition. And, sure enough, the words ‘Blood clots are the leading cause of death among pregnant women’ popped up right before my very eyes. Oh my God! I COUD DIE! That’s all I kept thinking. Ok, I know some of you are thinking “There she goes, Miss Melodrama!” But FOR REAL. Aneurism. Stroke. All these words were flashing brightly in my head. Not cool.

After many visits with several doctors and specialists, I have been reassured that my case is under control and not as serious as I once thought. Again….not AS serious…but serious enough that I have to be injected daily with something called Clexane (a blood thinner) to prevent the clot from getting bigger and traveling elsewhere.

At this point….I am 35 weeks preggo and the baby (believe it or not) is doing just fine. Apparently, Thrombosis is more dangerous to the mother than it is to the baby. Great…so it’s alright that I die and my child survive without a mother?? (Violins in the background please, let the music begin.) Oh the drama!

Ok. Ok. Really. Things are great…..and I will be just fine. Just have to repeat that to myself over and over….cause the mere thought of anything worse happening just breaks my heart every time I look at Cristian. I can’t even imagine it. UGH.

Happy thoughts…Happy thoughts!

My C-section is scheduled for March 22 (my mom’s birthday!)…and I’m counting down the seconds...hours….days…weeks...to meet my little…….oops, I almost slipped!

Can’t wait!!!

Us at Revival watching V's cousin Danny perform with his band The Sea Inside.

A great night out with the gang!

Joe Joe....we miss you tons already!!

Vince and I...a much deserved night out together...sans-bebe!

Christmas Eve at V's parents house!!

Four generations under one roof...Nonna Lisa, Great Nonna Catarine, Great Great Nonna Betina and of course mini - Cristian!

On Friday December 15th, my beloved sista and my littlest Li threw a mini baby shower in my honour along with some of my closest friends!

Our annual Girls Kris Kringle Gift exchange was hosted by my friend Cathy this year...GO CATH for your feature drinks and star fruit garnishings!