Jamison's latest thing is doing his 'upside-down boy' on the couch. (Ignore our attempts to spot clean his ground-in cookies, please.) At the end of this video he shares how much he loves everyone in the family. We are still working on his responses.
A few nights ago I went downstairs to do our nightly check for scorpions in the boys' room. When I walked in my heart dropped and I had one of those moments...like when you turn around in the store and your kids are nowhere to be seen. Both beds were empty. I checked the bathroom, their closet, the toy room, all over. I knew they had gone downstairs earlier that night and I was really close to panicking. My first thought was that they had been kidnapped (ok, call me paranoid after the threats to my husband's office) but at about that exact point I noticed 2 boxes in their bedroom they had been playing in all day. I lifted one of flaps and immediately ran (actually, more like waddled) upstairs to grab the camera:
Braedon sort of sat straight up after I opened his box. He was still asleep though, even as I pushed/pulled him into his bed. Neither of them remembered me getting them into bed. I was so relieved they were safe at home....and I didn't find a single scorpion when I finished searching their room...even better.
Disclaimer: Kris and I like to be independent and have learned we don't like to depend on others and do so only when we have to, this includes home repairs. We have no choice here in Mexico, we are forced to depend on the Embassy for anything to do with housing and cannot fix things ourselves unless we 1. Want to spend our own money on it (not that big of a deal for our family's comfort) 2. Don't mind being held accountable and blamed for any more damage we find or run across during our own repairs. (a big deal since any minor repair seems to turn into a nightmare with this house)
As I write this we have no water. The cistern, and water pumps from the water tanks on the roof don't work. The City has turned down the water for rationing and we have these ginormous tanks full for emergencies and rationing but we should have known the pumps didn't work...stupid us for thinking that was part of the GSO pre-inspection for the home. So now we are looking at a week without water unless the City turns the water back on early. Dang it! We do have plenty of drinking water though and Kris can climb to the roof and get water in buckets for the toilets and such....lucky him.
Have you ever seen this commercial? We think this guy works for the GSO here in Mexico (GSO is the section where the embassy housing office is, also stands for the functionally retarded morons who work there, Isaiah Parnell is the chief moron-in-charge)
On Wednesday we had another home experience brought to us compliments of GSO:
How to fix a cracked toilet tank according to GSO:
No need to replace the 1970s era toilet (everyone knows how porcelain just gets 'stronger' over the years right?) just use silicone to fill the crack. Leave the new tenants unaware at your moronic attempt at a repair. Sit back and enjoy the excitement when the rest of the tank cracks causing water to fill the master bathroom, master closet and master bedroom. Thank goodness you have to step up a few steps from the master bedroom otherwise the water would have found its way through the rest of the house.
The original crack filled with silicone:
And the new crack expanding from the old one (I don't think silicone works on a tank like nail polish does on a run in your pantyhose):
I would have taken pictures of the water but to be honest I started crying the second Weston ran in telling me "MOM! There is WATER EVERYWHERE!"(I've had enough of this stupid house) I then slipped on the marble floor while trying to battle the water and rescue some of our furniture (HELLO! Solid mahogany is freaking heavy when you can't even lift a full laundry basket!).
Landing in all that water was VERY COLD not to mention pretty traumatic when all that weight driven inertia culminated on my tailbone and head. I couldn't move and thankfully Kris got home soon after so he could help me get up because I was about as mobile as a beached whale. I think everything is ok; baby is still kicking, arse is pretty bruised.
I did think to snap some pictures of the tank once it was all over just so Kris and I could laugh about this someday. I also was sure to take pictures of the water damaged floor so GSO couldn't stick us with a bill when we left. CYA if you know what I mean. If you don't know what CYA means...google it, and no, it's not Canadian Yachting Association.
This follows the toilet in the boy's bathroom (a nice 1970's royal blue) cracking at the end of January, flooding their bathroom (which has a lip enclosing the area saving us from a flooded bedroom). GSO still hasn't fixed their toilet because they are fighting with the owner of the home over who is going to pay for it. So I have to get after the boys for using the shower as a urinal in the middle of the night...poor boys, who can blame them since walking to the other bathroom means going through scorpion territory. It was a loosing battle so now we keep the lights on so scorpions aren't an excuse...but it's still a long walk for half-asleep boys and the shower is still closer.
Oh, this ALSO follows a water leak in our dining room and ceiling of the boys' bedroom that is still not taken care of either. The GSO informed me "there was no leak, I must have just spilled some water". I'M NOT FREAKING KIDDING YOU, they actually told me I must have spilled some water!!! Ricardo Tejeda (one of the supervisors) literally stood in my dining room and told me I was "a silly woman" for thinking there were water pipes behind the wall and "look, all of the bricks are dry!" When Kris got home he made the hole bigger and found rusty wire and....WET BRICKS AND CONCRETE! Kris yelled at GSO and I believe his exact words were "open up the damn wall and fix the problem!"
When they finally opened up the wall, this is what they found. Be sure to have the volume up so you can enjoy the "babbling brook" effect:
You send the kids out with blacklights to hunt for scorpions right? Well, doesn't everyone do this?
The kids are only allowed to look for them but if they find one they have to yell for Kris or I to catch it.
Scorpions can't see ultraviolet light (like the wavelength you'd find in a blacklight) so they don't scatter like they would under a flashlight but the coolest thing is they glow under blacklights! Their exoskeleton contains a fluorescent protein (called beta-Carboline) located in the hyaline (thin film in the outermost layer or cuticle).
A newly molted scorpion won't fluoresce but once their exoskeleton has time to harden it will. The science behind this is pretty interesting because it involves the oxidation of proteins that link forming a network which is part of the hardening process. This same phenomenon has helped scientist understand why cataracts form in people's eyes (also a result of proteins that have oxidized or aged)...WOW!!!
Even fossils of scorpions still have this hyaline layer that continues to glow under blacklight! Can I hear another WOW?!?! (Be sure to remember me when you are asked about this on Jeopardy)
The two smallest ones (I'm guessing they are 'baby' scorpions as opposed to full grown separate species) are two we found in our drinking glasses so now we make sure to turn them upside down when we put them away.
The run down from left to right of the larger ones: Far left was found in Kris' and my room. Next was downstairs in the boys' bathroom The remaining 3 (not the little ones) were found outside by the boys during their hunts. There is one with a white coating on it, I'm curious if this one was about to molt but it also looks like paint...I don't know. (The furthest on the right was the one they found tonight.)
Judging from the pincers, I don't think these are too venomous but I haven't had any of them identified to be sure. Supposedly, the smaller or thinner the pincers the more toxic their venom. I'm not about to test the theory so we treat them all as dangerous. Even the lesser venomous ones still hurt like nothing else from what I understand; a hot searing poker through the skin has been the comparison.
Unfortunately (but fortunately) our cats also love to hunt and play with the ones they are able to catch in the house but by the time they are done with them they aren't worth saving for our insect collection. Good Kitties! They haven't been stung from what I can tell since they haven't learned to stay away from them yet.
These scorpions are ones we have caught and haven't had a chance to put in vials yet because I still can't find my box of empty vials! They now sit on the windowsill in the kitchen in an empty peanut butter jar full of rubbing alcohol and we just add to the collection as we find them. (Yes FOX, I do have your name on a few of these!) We have several more, already in vials, we found in the boys' toy box and bedroom as well as another larger one the boys found outside. I didn't feel like fishing them out of the vials for pictures...sorry. It would have made for an impressive group shot! Maybe next time.
Oh, and in case you are wondering, having the house fumigated won't do anything. Our house is so full of cracks and crevices along windows that don't close properly, doors that aren't flush and a number of other buggy entryways, so it's a complete waste of time. Scorpions follow their food source and unfortunately this stupid house is completely open to them. We've done what we could to seal cracks but it's one of those things we've given up on and accept that it is a fact of life while living here.
The color they fluoresce is actually a very nice clear teal but on my computer screen it looks more blue.
Time to start getting ready for the baby girl. I was very happy when Garity told me the good news. Everyone else in the family has one, so I suppose it is only fair to build the youngest her own AR15. I'm thinking something along the lines of this:
Would this happen in the States? Well, I guess it's possible...but would it?
I had an OB appointment and another ultrasound. (Everything is fine with the baby so don't worry and this wasn't with my usual OB, I had to go to a different office for the ultrasound) Before I even got onto the bed I told the doctor who was doing the ultrasound that I didn't want to know what we were having, that Kris and I were looking forward to a delivery room surprise. She said she wouldn't tell me and would let me know when to turn my head when she got to that area.
She was having a problem getting an image of the baby's face so after about 15 minutes of trying she called in another doctor. The first doctor told the second doctor that I didn't want to know the sex of the baby. The second doctor made a snorting sound and told me "You Americans". Of course I was 'slightly miffed' at her response but blew it off. She said "well lets see what you are going to have here". I told her we had 3 boys and both of us wanted this to be a surprise and that I was serious that I didn't want to know. Throughout the ultrasound she was a complete snot (which means Bi%$#) about my decision and continually tried to convince me that I was wrong not to want to know. The jist of what she said was that it wasn't right that we didn't want to know...everyone wants to know what they are having, and that I would never be able to make it till the end of my pregnancy without knowing (I'm 29 weeks, I think I've done pretty well already).
I looked at the other doctor and told her that she could finish the ultrasound since a clear image of the baby's face had already been recorded. As the ________ (every possible horrid, crass, disgusting, gutter word your or I could ever come up with to call this woman fits into this blank) got up from the ultrasound machine she pointed to the screen and said "well, you have a very healthy baby ________"
That was it, no apologies from either doctor and to be honest, I was in such a stupor of disbelief at what had just happened I couldn't even say anything. What was weird (and this will tell you my state of mind) I was so numb, not a single violent thought crossed my mind at that moment (I know!!!!). I got up off the bed, pulled my shirt down over the ultrasound jelly goo all over my stomach and walked out. I don't feel like I even got to really enjoy the news, like that moment had been stolen from me.
I still have no words as to how I felt. What do I even compare this to? Happy news on one side but at the same time it's like...I don't even know. I happen to like surprises and I was really looking forward to the fact that we would not know until the baby was there in front of us. It was a big deal for both of us even though it wouldn't be a big deal to anyone else and yes, just something pretty silly for the outsider looking in, I'll admit it.
I came home, I think I may have said "Hi, thanks for watching the kids, Kris" and just crashed on the bed and slept for 4 hours I was so depressed (not at the actual news of course, just the manner of delivery). I think Kris must have thought I wasn't feeling well because he didn't bother me. When I finally woke up I went into the office where Kris was on the computer and told him what happened. He was upset but brushed it off as par for the course here in Mexico City, he's just used to it since he runs into these self centered types on a daily basis. Just one more piece of trash in this City...
He hugged me, I was crying because I was upset that I had been told something I didn't want to hear yet...he was crying because not only does he get to look forward to Father and Son Campouts...but Daddy Daughter Dates too.
Here's how home leave works. For each 2 year tour, Kris' office sends us back Stateside for some much needed R&R. They send us back to wherever our "home of record" happens to be, according to State Dept, so for us that is Virginia. Lucky for us, my parents are still there in Williamsburg so we were able to spend R&R with them.
We drove up to Fredericksburg to take care of some business. That included dental visits with Dr. Coble, the best dentist we've had since we got married which is why we made the 2 hour drive to see him. Braedon had his very first loose teeth, 2 of them! The nurse told me that they needed to come out because his permanent teeth were already coming through. Braedon asked her "when do they need to come out?" So she got down to his level and said "as soon as possible". He looked at her, grabbed the looser of the two teeth and pulled it right out. I'm glad I had the camera right there!
The next day he did the same with the other tooth.
We froze in Old Town Williamsburg but we had to get lunch at the Cheese Shop...because you just have to when you are there. Here's what a little boy looks like who doesn't want to listen when you tell him to grab his jacket. (Daddy was kind enough to go back to the car and get it after we let him shiver for a while and get it through his head that Mom and Dad are RIGHT!)
Jamison is on a corn dog kick and is one of the few things he'll eat without stopping for air.
Kris and I are root beer junkies...birch beer falls into that category and we drink it when we can.
After lunch...a stroll down Main Street Old Town (I think tht's what it's called).
Birthday Boy!
Jamison celebrated his 2nd birthday in Williamsburg.
Jamison's Birthday was a highlight of our trip but the most special part was being able to go to my father's retirement ceremony. It was simple but at the same time, something Kris and I will both remember. Just being able to be a part of it was a great experience. The kids spent the entire ceremony eyeing the refreshment table and I doubt they remember much else. We weren't allowed to take pictures otherwise I'd post one.
One of the last things we did was go to Ripley's Believe it or Not. I enjoy this cabinet of curiosities and so do the boys. It was Kris's first time and the boys had fun showing him all the weird stuff. Weston is intrigued by the shrunken heads...
We are back from Williamsburg, VA. I will definitely post some pictures from our visit.
I did want to give you an update on our next door neighbor.
Here is what happened following my previous post.
Kris contacted the embassy security office to see what our options were. He also spoke with some local police who told him that we should press charges so they could find out if Lambert (we found out that is our neighbor's name) was even allowed to own a gun. We were told since he was actually out on the street and walking up and down the sidewalk when he pulled the gun on me, that alone was a serious charge...not allowed to do that at all here in Mexico. The police were really chomping at the bit and the Ministerio Publico (the District Attorney) was adamant about me coming in to speak with him about what happened.
Kris spoke with the acting RSO-Regional Security Officer at the embassy (the RSO was out of town so this guy was next in command) who also wanted to move forward with things. They wanted a signed statement from me and with that they could work with the District Attorney.
Our next step was to contact GSO housing because I didn't want to move forward with anything unless we would be able to move. This was the complete and total source of my anxiety...I couldn't move forward with anything unless I knew we'd be able to be far away from Lambert when we did it.
Obviously things work a little differently here. I didn't want to be in this house, with him next door, as an open target for retaliation. Retaliation is a very serious threat here in Mexico if you DARE to challenge anyone. There are no laws to protect you against it. The police told us the most likely reason Lambert did what he did was because a WOMAN dared confront him...a pretty serious insult to his insignificant machismo cranial emptiness. I'll have to keep that in mind...and use it often on these machismo men...maybe that's why the maintenance guys got so upset with me when I showed them that they were not putting the insides of the toilet back together right.
GSO housing told Kris it would be about 7 months before they would do anything for us. As you well know, I despise GSO housing with a passion. I understand the embassy is trying to give the functional retards a place to work, and bless their hearts for their compassion, but how about putting them in an office that doesn't directly affect entire families? It is bad enough we have to be in this house that has a history of flooding with sewage but now we add this on top of it (not to mention all of the other problems that we STILL haven't been able to get them to fix...the electrical system is still messed up and we still get shocked plugging things in).
Kris and I had to make a decision. Because GSO was unwilling to make any sort of exception for us and we'd have to stay in this house through any legal measures against Lambert we had to throw up our hands and say "He wins". The safety of our family is more important and we couldn't risk escalating things to where retaliation was a threat, so Lambert wins...he gets away with what he did and we can't do anything.
We are getting the last laugh though when it comes to Lambert. I can't talk about it while we are here in Mexico but when we move back to the US I'll share...it's awesome and I felt really guilty about it but hey, what's the saying "When in Rome, do as the Romans?"
What we did about the dogs though is pretty funny. We bought one of those ultra sonic machines that emits a piercing signal (only they can hear) every time a dog barks. We set it on the loudest setting (the box has a recommendation that the loudest setting should only be used on acreage...gwa ha ha *snort* ha ha!). It has been family entertainment for us to hear the dogs start barking and then immediately followed by whimpering. We figure in a few days-weeks these dogs will be bark trained.
Major Kudos to my parents who have the decency and consideration to bark train their dogs (and have done so for all the dogs we've had growing up with). I don't mind living next to dog owners like them!
