doing our homework

In preparation for learning to guide our way around here, we packed up, baby and all, for a few day trips. This is nothing like what we are used to in the west, where everything is very clearly marked and roped off. Lydia and I are sitting on a column that is about 1,700 years old!

he wBut I guess there are downsides too...those big bad waves were a bit too much for Lydia!

Vi här haft ett bra tid att kolla på olika städer och förbereda oss att blir turist guider...och det är inte avstängt som i europa...har kan man kolla i närhet på allt! Vi sitta på en pelare som är ungefär 1,700 år gammal! Men, tyvärr, Lydia var lite ledsen med de större stark vätten.

tampons?

I have been laughing about this for a year now. Around town, there are several manly looking stores that boast "tampons" for sale. Trust me, there are no tampons to be found inside. Oh, some french words are just too much! We also enjoyed signs for "poisson" (which Daniel thought was poison at first) and "pain," which also comes in chocolate flavor....i never knew that chocolate was possible, until we moved here. Vi har skrattat åt några skyltar runt i stad, speciellt en som offrar tamponger. Nej, när man kolla, det är en manlig affär och ingen tamponger alls! Också vi gillar skyltar som pratar om "pain" (bröd men det skrivas som önt på engelska,) och "poisson" (fisk men det skrivas som gift på engelska). Oj, Franska, vilket språk!

Watch those fingers, Camel!

Lydia has no idea about the dangers or scariness of large animals, and when the guard at the zoo invited us to help feed the camels, Lydia just looked on curiously.

And then the man told us to let the baby hold the grass and feed the camels herself.

I protested, and protested, but he assured me that they are too smart to bite the hand that feeds them. I dont know, but it looks like they came pretty close to those little hands of hers.Gösseungan tycker om att mata kamelen, men mamman är väldigt rädd för hennes lilla fingrar!

earrings?

It's a piercing question...to pierce or not to pierce.
Every local friend is pushing and encouraging us to get Lydia's ears pierced. "My daughter got her ears pierced when she was just 5 days old," "How are we supposed to know if it's a boy or girl without the telltale earrings?" (uh, hello, doesn't the bow on her head and the head to toe pink clothes, and her sweet girly face give you a clue?)

If we do it now, who takes all the responsibility for them? We, the parents.

Maybe it's better to treat earrings like a pet, when the kid can take care of them herself, we will think about it.

Ska vi låta Lydia ta håla i öronen? Allt av våran kompisar har vill gärna att vi göra det, men vi trö att det kanske är bäste att vänta tills hon kan ta han om sin egen öronen! Kompisar har klaga att folk har det svårt att vet om hon är en tjej eller pojke, men självklart alla rosa kläder, och hennes sot tjej ansikten är nog bra.

Svensk! (Swedish)

So, I have married into a Swedish family, and that means that this blog will now become a little bit bi-lingual. So, if you are reading and suddenly don't understand a word, don't worry, it's just a little bit of Swedish creeping in. Nu får ni svenskarna, speciallt Monica, förstår lite mer av det som jag skriva på mitt blogg! Och jag kan praktisera lite att skriva mer på svenska... For the Swedes, this photo might not make much sense, but Bork the Swedish Muppet is always an inspiration for me as I learn about the beautiful swedish culture....he has such an elegance and a way with his words...

(Afternote,  I still think the Swedish Muppet is spot and and hilarious with his Swedish attempt!)

biiiig steps

Lydia is hilarious when she tries to walk...she takes enormous leaping steps, and gets tired out pretty quickly. I guess this means we should let her go and get to crawling before we push her walk!

Lydia lära sig att gå, med lite hjälp ifrån oss....hon försok att ta så större steg, som gör oss att skratta åt henne. kanske hon behöva lära sig att krypa först!Nothing like a day at the beach to give our daughter some walking lessons...

(Notice the veiled lady behind Lydia is the photo below? Lydia looooved this family, and got a lot of kisses from them.

the big 8

Eight months! Welcome to lifewith a toddler, and a lot of other changes...

Well, congratulations Lydia! We like you, I think we'll keep you.

Grattis på åtta månader, Lydia! Nu krypa du och vi tycker mycket om dig!Among her list of abilities now, she has added:

crawling everywhere...which means that if i go to the bathroom she can actually follow me in there now (assuming the door is open, which you might think is a bit weird).

Possibly starting to wave to people, although that might just be a coincidence. Either way she loves to take things in her hand and shake them, you know, like a polaroid picture.

Responding to her name all the time!

Foods are staring to get more interesting, including (in addition to fruit, vegetables and oatmeal) cooked egg yolks, soft cheese, yoghurt, chicken, and breadsticks are an all time favorite.

Sitting up, trying to stand up whenever the furniture will give her a chance, and a couple of bangs on the head from being overambitious.

Flopping over and sitting up in bed to play with her stuffed animal when she doesn't think sleeping is too important. But generally sleeping from 9 pm - 6:30 am, which we LIKE.

Nu kan du...krypa overällt, vinka på folk, skaka allt som du har i handen, du vet när vi säger ditt namn, äta mer och mer intressant grejer, som kyckling och ägg gula och mjuk öst och bröd, sätta sig opp och försöks att står opp när hon får en chans, sätta sig opp i sängen och leka med nallebjörn när hon vill inte sova, så hon äta varje 4 timmer, och sova två gånger om dagen. Vi älskar dig, Lydia!

Usually 2 naps a day, and mealtimes every four hours.

Weight: 7,1 kilos / 15,6 pounds.
We love you Lydia!

Gimp

I always though gimp was just a slang name for goofy people, but apparently it is also a free program that works a bit like photoshop. Learning the ropes go slowly but surely, mostly after Lydia is put down each night. Here are a few glimpses of what i can do...more to come. Jag börja lära mig att leka med bilderna...programmet heter GIMP. Vad tänker ni?

(Afternote, this was fun but not worth the time it took!)

this aint no baby food...

You might be wondering if i am going crazy...did we pick some leaves and pebbles on the streets to cook up one day? Oh my friend, these are some rare jewels for the advanced palate. I have been missing my old life in Syria and decided to pay tribute by making some good ol' Syrian soul food. Melokhia is much better in the Levantine than it is out in North Africa. Syria makes it with the full dried leaves, which soak up a chicken and spice sauce and remind me faintly of really good spinach. In North Africa they sell a powdered melokhia that turns into a seriously scary slime after cooking for up to 6-7 hours. So don't be fooled, do it right. And....it is VERY important to remember the spices and chicken broth! (At my first meeting of my future husband's family, we made melokhia and in all my nervousness forgot the chicken...everyone said it tasted like old used tea leaves, but my sweetheart kindly ate about three bowls full to show his love.) Mujadarra is really a fantastic peasant dish that I ate happily about once a week in Syria. Burghul and lentils with gentle spices...topped with fried onions and a bit of laban...that's it. Mmmm, makes me want to sit around on a small square of carpet of that with my old friends and eat it together out of one communal pot. It is that good. I don't really do well with writing out complicated recipes, especially as these two dishes are rarely measured in teaspoons and cups, but rather in "mmm, that tastes about right." But this lady, she knows how to write it out, and so she gets the credit for a good mujadarra recipe: http://www.tasteofbeirut.com/2009/10/lentil-and-bulgur-porridge/ And this brother, he gets the credit for lots of good recipes, including his melokhia job: http://syrianfoodie.blogspot.com/2009/05/dont-eat-your-greens.html

We live an hour from the beach!

This cute little swimsuit only stayed on a little while...even though it is VERY warm here (85 or 90 degrees f), our little girl decided that the waves and water were much colder than the nice warm tub baths she is used to and whimpered her way back to the sand and back into her clothes...

Lydia gillar INTE den kallt vatten, och vill helst simma i badkorgen hemma. Så vi fick byta ut hennes badkläder och låt henne leka i sanden istället. Men problemet där var alla cigarett fimper som finns mycket mer ofta än nån snäckskal. ...from there on out it was a constant struggle to keep her from eating the endless cigarette butts that are scattered throughout the sand here (its kind of like a local seashell, haha).

Date night!

Daniel and I took a biiiiig step, and trusted our daughter in the capable hands of a good friend for 1.5 hours. We dropped her off, stroller, extra jacket, crackers to gnaw on, toys galore, two pacifiers, baby bottle with water, extra socks...ha, pretty much way more stuff than is ever needed. Our friend wished us well and off we ran! We felt like we were engaged again, or like crazy wild teenagers. Off we went to a trendy restaurant, (and all we got were these goofy photos that we took of each other). We sat here, commenting every few minutes... "doesn't it feel like something is missing!! Doesn't this feel strange?!" Alas, as we were returning to pick up Lydia, it broke my heart to hear from afar her howling and crying. My friend's daughter ran over and said, "wow, your baby sure can scream!" She missed us! I swept her up in my arms and she snuggled in close and was quiet. Ahh. That is a nice feeling, she loves me! She needs me! She missed me!!

(Afternote:  It might be painful at first, but my opinion is that kids who cannot handle EVER being away from their parents could do with learning to be with a babysitter....on the other hand, may we truly enjoy the little years and not be away from our babies too much, as those are years we can never get back...working years can wait!) 

Another afternote, these dates as married should be a regular thing!  Kids feel good knowing mom and dad love each other!

I've been slimed!

Looks like a scene from an old Ghostbusters movie....

In reality, this is a blend of chickpeas, spinach, and cheese. I had to taste it to make sure it was not too hot, and it actually tasted pretty decent! However, when you are a wee baby and you have never had to partake of spinach or chickpeas or spreadable cheese, then you get quite a shock to your taste buds and your whole body revolts so that this creamy goodness won't make it's way into your belly.
Doesn't she look rebellious and defiant in this picture? (Now, a few days after taking this picture, she will eat it much more happily, thank goodness!)

Pappa smells like a horse!

We took a nice walk today, and when Lydia got a bit grumpy, Daniel decided to give her a ride! She went along, happily bouncing on his shoulders, and Daniel commented that he was her personal horse to ride on. Around that time, we came up to some horse stables on our walk, and I joked that it smells like horse....Daniel said, "I hope I don't smell that bad," not realizing that there were really some horses up ahead.
Ha. Maybe this is not the funniest post, but it was amusing to me then. And the picture of Daniel with Lydia is oh so sweet.