End of School!!

Today is the last day of school for the girls. They survived their first year of school abroad! OK, it wasn't a huge thing…. Elly pretty much runs the school. Everyone knows who the girls are, even most of Secondary! LOL. It's amazing to think how far they have come this year.

 Jocy had a bit of struggle at the beginning of the year adjusting to the British System. They were also much further along. But she was a trooper and ended the year with perfect scores in English and Spelling, and top scores for Math and writing on her standardized tests. She is top of her class. I'm excited to see her report card today!

 Elly has completely changed since last year. Granted she was only going two days a week, but it took quite a while to not cry at drop off. Which I never really understood, she had known Ms. Jo since she was born. This year, there was not a single day of crying. Her teacher Ms. Leigh was amazing. I'm so sad that she is leaving. I'd loved for Nate to have her. Elly made some amazing friends and picked up the cutest British accent. She has learn how to add and subtraction, knows her phonics by heart and has been reading for months!

 I'm just so proud of my girls!!! What a wonderful year!

First day of school

 

Last day of school

Happy 5th Birthday Elly!!!

I can not believe that my little girl is 5! Where has the time gone? In two month she'll be starting Kindergarten. I guess it shouldn't be a shock since she's been in school full time this year. But REALLY? 5 years old??

 When I was pregnant with Elly, we were on launch in Kansas City. We had put everything in storage and moved the 5 of us (Joel, myself, Jocy, Chili and Decaf) to a two bedroom in Kansas City North. The two cats stayed in Dearborn with my parents. It was supposed to be an easy 9 months and then back to Detroit. But the spring before Elly was due, two job offers came up. Move to Chicago or stay in KC. We really liked it there, so Joel took the job at KCAP.

 Between March and the end of June, we bought a house, moved, set up a brand new house, and had a baby. What a whirlwind it was. I thought time went fast then. To me she is still that little toddler with chubby cheeks running around with the big green eyes and curly hair.

 5 years later, we not only don't live in Liberty, but another country. Three of our pets are gone and we have two new dogs. The curls are gone and the baby fat is almost gone too. She can read her own stories and get herself ready for school in the morning. She speaks Turkish better than all of us! She has become a wonderful big sister and will again in a few months. It's just amazing how 5 years can fly so fast.


 

Elly's 1st Birthday

                                                 Happy 5th Birthday Elloyse!!

Jocy End of Year Show

This year they have mostly worked with the jump rope.

The girls really did great!  I'm so proud of Jocy!!!

Elly's End of Year Performance

They are just so cute!!!  Enjoy!

Btw.. the girls in the Black are just ringers.

Rhythmic Gymnastics

This year the girls started something new, Rhythmic Gymnastics. I had been planning to put the girls in ballet, but never quite got there. Before Christmas, Elly's PE teacher mentioned that she'd really like Elly in her gymnastics class she teaches outside of school. She said she thought Elly had natural talent. The girls really needed something to do. At home, they were always signed up for something. I asked her about Jocy too and after Christmas break, the girls started.

 Turns out Ms. Yana competed for Russia in the Olympics. Even her mother was a gymnast and still has her own team in Russia. Pretty cool. Elly's BFF Lottie is in her class, so she loves it. And Elly really does well. At that age, many of the kids are just goofing off. But Elly takes it seriously. Jocy started out in a Wed night class. It was beginners for older kids. She had some classmates in that class, but it was after 8pm before we got home. It was just too rushed. Get off the bus, slam dinner, and drive to Zek. Then no one was in bed before 8:30pm. Luckily, the years of gymnastics at Liberty Community Center got her moved up to the next class. She would have class two nights a week. Ms Yana offered to keep Jocy after school on Wednesday for the 4:30 pm class. Then she'd have class again on Saturday right before Elly's. I was a little concerned how Jocy would do, many of these girls were good! They have been with Ms. Yana for over a year, some more. But she really has worked hard and I am so proud of her.

 One of the moms recently told her that Ms. Yana loves Jocy. She thinks she has the perfect body and has great potential. I love watching both girls but I am their mom. Ms. Yana really has high hopes for my girls. So for the grandparents, I'm posting the end of year show. Well I'm going to try to. All the girls did great! I was so proud that Jocy was the only one in her class to receive an award. Really have no idea for what…. downside to the event being MC'd in Turkish. They couldn't even say Jocy's name right. J isn't really used here and a lot of times is silent. And C makes a J sound. So a lot of time it sounds like Ogy. LOL. Hopefully the next two posts to follow will be the girls routines. Enjoy!!

I have a Nanny

Well, we now have a part time Nanny/maid. She is coming in three days a week. And its just for the summer until the kids go back to school. But still, I'm pretty excited! I can spend all my time with the kids this summer instead of cleaning the house. But if I want to have me time, I can! I have a feeling I'm going to be so miserable that I will just park my butt in the pool all summer… but I now can without any guilt! Ok that is not totally true. Having a Nanny (and mostly live ins) is normal here.  We don't have the room for a live in but I just don't know how comfortable I could really be about it. The girl that is now working for us (that sounds so strange), we have known for 7 months and I trust her. So that might be different. But I like my privacy! Anyways, I've always been a hands on Mom and I just can't imagine why I'd want someone to take care of my kids since I don't work. People have given me all kinds of reasons, but they aren't really me.

 Now the idea of someone else cleaning my house, that excites me! I hate to clean. And with three kids. 2 dogs, 1 cat and a husband who doesn't care where his shoes end up, my house falls apart fast. And now that it is getting hard for me to just bend down, I am so looking forward to NOT cleaning another bathroom for a few months!

 I'm still kind of shocked that we finally got here. It took a while to get used to our driver. And I'm still a bit uncomfortable about it because he is a great person and we'd definitely be friends if we were his employers. She officially starts next week, which is great timing since we have Elly's birthday bash to throw. I just hope that I don't get used to this! Maybe I can just make it a summer thing. But Joel has agreed that I can hire someone to clean after our summer is over. Yea!

Funny for the day

So I have been driving in Istanbul for 9 months and I still have no idea what the speed limit is majority of the time.

Call to Prayer

When we first found out we were moving to Istanbul, I knew that the Call to Prayer was played through the city. I'm one who likes quiet. Especially during nap times. I don't normally nap (except now, when preggers), but I do use my kids nap times as my quiet time. When you have three kids in a small house, it just get too loud. After a while I just can't focus. So when my quiet time is interrupted by builders, basketballs, noisy kids, etc, it just ruins my evening. So the fact that someone was going to be yelling at me in a language I didn't know, I was wondering just how I was going to deal with it.

 During our look and see trip, when we were in the Hilton, I barely heard it. Nice. I might be able to handle this! And as we looked at places to live, I tried to make an effort to notice the noise level. The original apartment we chose, really locked out the noise. I was really surprised. There was even construction next door and once you close the door or window, you barely heard anything! Now that we are living here in a different apartment… it is a bit different. The three times we looked at our apartment, it was always so peaceful. I don't think we heard the Call once. The weekend we moved it… that completely changed. Life on our street is noisy!! There are small Mosques just down the street and just up the hill. So when the time comes for Call to Prayer, we get it in surround sound. You can even hear distant Mosques when they are slightly behind.

 Over the months, I've really gotten used to it. For a while there, the guy was not very good. That made it just annoying. But, I decided to use it as a reminder to pray to my own God. Kind of made it my meditation time. Some days (especially during the Christmas season), I would swear that they were singing a certain song or maybe a Christmas carol. I got to where I was singing Christmas songs over the Call to Prayer. I'm sure I'm probably offending millions of people with that. Finally, we got a guy that could sing!  I got to the point where I would miss most of them. Including the 6am ones! Heck before the time change, I would know what time it was just from the Call. Great since we don't have many clock in the house. But around when the time changed, so did the Call to prayer. It started getting earlier and earlier, and the last one later and later. Most mornings I'm awake at 4am listening to the Call. And most night, Nate is crying because of late Call. Last night, it was 10:40pm. And we have yet another guy doing the Call. And he's not anywhere as good as the last guy. So I"m to the point that its getting annoying again.


 After living in this noisy city, Detroit will definitely feel like the country when we get back! LOL. I'm really curious to how many people in Istanbul, actually follow the Call to Prayer. Because I can tell you that you don't see people on the street running to the Mosque or that the number is any less during the Call. People really don't seem to stop from their lives. I wonder at what point will the people at Istanbul will just say we're done?

And we have a waddle

I'm 23 weeks and 1 day today. And I'm finally looking pregnant. Not that its a bad thing but when you have morning sickness like I do, then you feel like such a bum and no one can tell there is a reason. We don't tell anyone until the 2nd trimester and this time we waited til 16 weeks to tell the world. By then, my house was a wreck and I was a wreck. Thankfully, I had someone in a few times to clean! I will say it was like overnight that I popped. One morning I woke up and tried to roll out of bed but something (or someone) was in the way. LOL. I'm actually surprised that it took this long. I am all leg, with such a tiny torso. Maybe it will be #4 that I'm the cute pregnant lady…. and maybe not. Over the weekend, after a LONG day at the girls school Fun Day, I got off the couch on the patio and was walking into the kitchen for some more water and it hit me, "OMG I'm waddling!" I shouldn't be waddling yet! I just figured it was because I was so exhausted and have bronchitis. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday was mostly spent on my feet. So that must be it. But it happened again on Sunday! So I'm officially in the waddle mode. Must be my body's way of telling the world… the girls gymnastic coach just noticed! LOL. She is a crazy Romanian tho.




 So here's a peak at my baby bump at 23 weeks.




Here is a little pic of Baby B from my Perintolgy appointment last Friday. The Dr. said he thought she looked just like Nate. And the small World thing kicks in again as my Dr. went to Med school and practiced in St. Louis. And he had applied for a job in KC after med school! Craziness! And I was all worried about his English. LOL. One thing I LOVE about ultrasounds here is they have a 40' flat screen on the wall in front of you so you don't have to crane your neck to look. Nate loves "watching" TV. We were also given a DVD. But haven't watched it yet. But everything seems good and I don't go back until July for my Glucose Test.

And she's off

Jocy left early this morning for her first school overnight trip. I've been going a little crazy about it since that first letter came home. I didn't go on an overnight until 8th grade! I know being in another country is making it worse for me. People drive like crazy people here. She's on a bus without her carseat and crossing the bridge!! I know these teachers have had lots of practice but it still doesn't calm me. I know she'll have a great time and is so happy to be roommates with a friend. She is a smart kid and I just pray she stays that way!

 And this is just the start of it. Next year is a three day ski trip and the following year is a week at Space Camp. Did I mention, parents aren't asked to chaperone? I've come to realize that traveling like this with school is just a common practice here. And I love that she is getting the experiences. I hear from friends that their daughters are off in Russia or Hungary for gymnastics or off to Prague for debate team. Amazing stuff like that. And once you get to Secondary, you do get the opportunity to travel Europe quite a bit. We will be home by then, but its so different than home! I'm just going to have to get used to the whole idea. Because next thing I will know, it will be Elly's turn.

 Next new topic to discuss….. co-ed slumber parties in Year 3 (2nd grade). Yikes! I guess I will try that saying…. when in Rome, do as the Romans. So I will cross my fingers and shut my eyes and try to do as the other expats?

Baby Pics

At almost 22 weeks, I've had three ultrasounds and I have another one next week. Surprisingly this is less than normal for me. With the last two, I was getting weekly ultrasounds from 14 weeks to 22 weeks to make sure that my incompetent cervix didn't rear its ugly head. So far, no issues again! Must have just been some freak occurrence with Jocy. I know with most pregnancies at home, ultrasounds happen about twice. To confirm a pregnancy and the big 20 week one. But in Istanbul, it seems to be a regular part of your OB checkup. Heck, I'm still shocked about how long my appointments even last!!!

 Last week, I went in for my 20 week appointment. I was expecting the big ultrasound. We already knew we were having a little girl, but I was looking forward to making sure before I started shopping. To my surprise, it was just the usual ultrasound. Listened to the heartbeat, do a few measures, nothing big. Then afterwards, Dr. Genim informed me that a specialist does the BIG ultrasound. I was a little freaked out that something was wrong, but no it was just standard procedure to make sure that the baby was as perfect as she thought. They really like to try to catch anything that could possible come up. I'm still a bit surprised, all my test came back great, but I will go with the flow and appreciate the great care I'm getting. I didn't ask if he spoke English tho….

 So I'm going to share our baby girl's latest pic. We still don't have a name picked out. I think we are down to a Top 3 list, but I hope to have one picked soon. If only we could have two seconds to sit down and debate about it. So it might not be until July. :)


 

Baby B #4

 She looks just like the other three at this age.