So I know its been a while. Many things have happened in the last month or is it 2 since I've posted?
I'm typing this without checking so just go along with it!
So first of all, at the end of March, we moved from a 2 bedroom apartment into a 4 bedroom villa. Its super nice to have the extra space, and for Zalen to have more room to run around and play, but its a hassle to keep clean. Scratch that, I've gotten down a schedule on cleaning so now its not as hard but moving in and starting to clean was a challenge. Now its ok, I'm ok!!
Its a 2 story, and most of our walls are concrete. We did have concrete walls in the apt. but I could still hear our neighbors when they were loud, plus we had someone living above us and that was an anxiety holder for me. But then again that is a whole 'nother story I don't want to get into right now. Needless to say after a while our upstairs neighbor was nice enough to stop moving his furniture at 2am. And now that we are in a villa, I'm happy that I don't have to worry about upstairs noises. I haven't gone to see who my neighbors are yet, and we have been here almost 3 weeks.
I did get a new DSLR Nikon D3200 camera! Its amazing! To me its an advanced camera because I'm coming from my camera phone/ small digital cool pix camera. Its definitely an Upgrade, and I'm still learning how to use it! I'll have to post some pics I've taken with it!
I'm typing this blog from my new computer my husband bought me as an anniversary present. I really didn't need it but he wanted me to have a good desktop computer to play WOW with him. I was able to watch my team DUKE win the 2015 NCAA Championship title!!! It was nerve-wrecking to watch being here in Saudi because the internet would have to buffer the live feed every couple of minutes and most of the time it would start to buffer right as someone was shooting a basket and the ball was in the air.
Zalen and I haven't really been off the compound much these last couple of weeks. On Resurrection day (aka Easter) we went to the beach, first time after a month of not going. It was so nice. We were in the company of some wonderful friends, the Lomedico family! It was my friend Jo, her husband Mike, and their 2 girls, Rebecca and Angelina. Zalen and I both adore this family in general, they are fun people who helped me out when I was moving into the villa by entertaining Zalen for me!! It took us 4 hours to move from one side of the compound to the other. So it was nice to not have to worry about Zal needing me.
I was worried coming to another country and not being able to have a babysitter if I needed. It is hard to find people you can trust to watch your kid. I've been very blessed with the wonderful ladies I've met being in Saudi. Its nice to have at least 2 people here I fully trust to be alone with Zalen!!
There have been a few sandstorms here, and it looks all yellow outside. The weather has been hot and humid (always around 85* and I'm not sure on the humidity) all I know is I walk outside; from a 66* house and step outside and immediately my glasses fog up and its getting to the point to where its a little hard for me to catch my breath outside. I'm really dreading the summer here because I hear it gets waaaaay worse. I guess I'll let y'all know how it goes as far as weather!!
I've been drawing a blank on what to make for dinner and lunch for that matter! Back in Jan. I was trying to get my son out of the eating habit of just the basic: bread, pasta, and cereal diet. Well I tried for weeks to serve him healthier foods and to get him to eat whatever I was making dad and I. But now.........after doing that for 2 1/2 months, I'm back to the basics of bread, pasta, and cereal. I do feel like I've failed, but I'm not a short order cook anymore. Zalen now knows whatever I give him, if he doesn't eat it, he won't eat until the next meal. I'm worried because next month we will be taking a vacation to Dublin, Ireland. I won't be cooking for a whole week, so I'm praying the first couple of days won't be horrible because I know he won't want to eat whatever they have there if he doesn't think it looks appetizing. My son will NOT taste new food, he just looks at it. Even if he has had it before, like rice or shredded chicken, he just looks at it and pushes it away. But any little thing he finds on the floor: dirt, hair, paper, etc. he will pick up and put in his mouth. Its a bit frustrating but like I said I'm not a short order cook anymore.
I'm more cautious about what I do give him, and I do try healthier versions of things to see if he will eat it but that's always a challenge. He still isn't talking either. But I do know that God has my back, and I just have to keep my faith up that he will grow out of this phase soon!!!
Well I must go make some lunch now......until next time!!
