Anna & Craig decorating the tree. I'm so glad that we got a tree here, it was something I was feeling sad that Anna was missing out on at home.
When we arrived on Thursday night it was raining a bit and it was also raining yesterday (just a light sprinkling, actually). I realize that later I will appreciate the rain more but yesterday I was really wanting some bright sunshine to help us with our jet lag. Anna really had a hard time believing me when I told her it was time to be awake at 4 PM and it was just not that bright outside. She woke up at 1 AM last night and I went to her at 2:15 AM after she started crying a bit. After I held her for a few minutes, I went back to bed and didn't hear from her again all night but I couldn't fall back asleep until after 5 AM. We all woke up around 9 AM this morning and I think that was a better time to get started than yesterday's 9:30.
Yesterday we went to City Center Mall and Carrefour but we went too early and most everything was closed). We ended up going back out after Anna's nap to get what we could at Toys R Us (a baby monitor, a potty, and some Play Doh). Anna had her pacifier in her mouth for most of the day as she must have caught Craig's cold from last week as well as having jet lag & not enough sleep.
Today we went to Landmark mall and took Anna on the carousel and did some grocery shopping at Mega Mart. Anna was getting fussy at Mega Mart because she wanted to eat "samples" like at home. She was asking for grapes & tortillas (HEB is great for samples, and apparently Anna has come to expect this; unfortunately Mega Mart isn't the same way!). Craig took her back out to the mall and I did the shopping. I spent way too much money and got a lot of the same brands we have at home. I was actually a bit surprised that they really have everything here. It comes at a price, but we really won't have to do without while we're here.
Toward the end of my shopping, I heard a baby crying. My baby. Anna really wanted her pacifier (funny how easy it is to get hooked on that thing out of the crib!) but we didn't have it with us. I went though the check out and Craig & Anna met me by the mall entrance where we threw the bags in the trunk of the car. Anna had calmed herself by the time she got in the car, but she still really wanted that pacifier when we got home. Really, I think she was hungry and getting a bit tired (she ate well and then took a good nap).
She woke up more easily from her nap this afternoon and didn't need her pacifier before bed (although it was requested a few times).
Anna & I checked out the playground at the compound while Craig went back to Carrefour to get a new litter box for Gertie and a Christmas tree with decorations for us (we shipped our 6ft tree by sea). Anna really liked helping Craig decorate the tree and I'll post pictures of that later (probably after we get to an Internet cafe as connecting to the neighbor's wi-fi is really spotty and not easy to do).
I know I'm writing more about Anna & that pacifier than Doha, but I don't feel like we've gotten to see much yet. It's really so Westernized that I don't feel strange about being here and I'm more focused on Anna than the fact that we're somewhere very far from home. Her cold seemed better today and she didn't need any Motrin like yesterday but we gave her some decongestant tonight since her nose is still super stuffy & runny during the day.
Tomorrow a car is supposed to come pick up Craig for work and then later in the morning another car comes to pick up me & Anna to go to some kind of orientation. I'm a little nervous about this since I really don't like installing the carseat by myself and what am I supposed to do with the carseat when I get to where we're going? Oh well, it's just one day and hopefully Anna will be easily entertain-able (and I'll definitely bring the pacifier in my purse so we don't create a scene like we did at Landmark today!).
I imagine at some point this week we'll get my rental car so Anna & I can get out and about although I am a bit nervous about navigating the roads as signs aren't very abundant and there is quite a bit of construction. I'll probably wait to venture out on my own with Anna until I get my cell phone so at least I can call for help if I really need it! There are two playgroups I'm interested in checking out with Anna, one on Mondays and the other on Wednesdays. Hopefully one will be a good fit so we can go each week. I don't think we'll make the one on Monday this week since Anna has been sick and I'm not sure how her jet lag will be, but hopefully we can make it to the Wednesday one.
Gertie was trying to take over Anna's room as there is a bed near the window she likes to look out, but luckily, I brought one of her little fleece-lined cat beds with and placed it in the guest bedroom and now we have found Gertie relaxing there in front of that window (actually a much bigger & better window for a cat to lounge & look out of). Gertie seems jet lagged, too, but since cats sleep so much it's hard to say. She is coming to bed to sleep next to me in the morning instead of trying to wake me up (which she does anyway when she comes to bed; I just can't win).
Oh, and if you're still reading: we sold our house to the couple that came to see it on Wednesday morning. Closing is before the end of the month. I'm a little sad about saying goodbye to the house (all of our memories of Anna are there and the time we had with Tillie there) but I know I'll be excited for us to get something that fits us a little better when we move back with two kids.
I'm sure my posts won't be so incredibly long as we get settled further!
