Since we never pass up an excuse to get together Carolyn, Natalie, and Anni (the ladies we went to Sorrento with) decided to throw me a baby shower.
Since I already had most everything I needed already we kept it low key and told people to just focus on clothes so that the new baby wasn’t wearing all of Jaydon’s hand-me downs.
We got together at the Chocolate Bar and had fun opening gifts and eating – you guessed it – chocolate.
Since this was my second shower we kept the games to a minimum but the ladies did come up with a great idea of asking Jaydon questions and having me guess what the answers were.
I only got 2 right – can you guess which ones…
Q: What do you think will be your baby brother’s favorite food?
A: Pasta
Q: Where will your baby brother sleep?
A: In my crib.
Q: Who’s the boss at your house?
A: My baba is the boss. (baba is Jaydon’s pacifier)
Q: What are you going to do when your baby brother cries?
A: Hug him.
Q: Where do babies come from?
A: Mommy’s belly.
Q: What activity are you going to do with your baby brother?
A: Do lunch!
Q: What will be you baby brother’s first word?
A: Bllblblbl (or an equivalent type sound)
Q: Which of your toys will you share with your baby brother?
A: My yo-yo (the interesting thing was Jaydon doesn’t have a yo-yo…)
Q: How much do babies cost?
A: Nothing!
Q: What is your baby brother’s name?
A: Baby
After the shower we had a classic Doha experience. With the heat here car batteries usually don’t last past two summers. So we got back to the car after stuffing ourselves with chocolate and had a dead car.
Luckily, one of the other ladies had stayed behind to help clean-up so she was able to give us a jump.
The amusing part was that she was also pregnant (due in early July) so Nikole and I got to dust off our battery jumping skills – a memorable (and sweaty) way to finish off a very relaxing afternoon.
I think it took 3 tries before we had Tylor situated correctly in the carseat but we did get him to sleep the whole way home. 
A picture with the bouquet work sent to us. 
Once we got home, Athena was very curious about the new arrival but was on her best behavior. 
We also learned that Tylor was a pretty deep sleeper (or his ears were still very clogged) because he slept through Jaydon running around the house like a crazy man for about an hour. I think Jaydon was happy to have everyone back home again.
After a couple hours of sleep and a much needed shower we were able to finally enjoy our newest member to the family. 
Jaydon was very excited to meet his Baby Brother so after his nap Steve brought him to the hospital. 
The first thing he said to me was "Mommy, my baby brother is fragile" (pronounced Fur-RA-gile in a cute 2 yr old way.) 
Jaydon is very sweet with his brother, we've always known him to be very empathetic but his Baby Brother brings out his extra sweet and gentle side. 
He loves to hold him (for about 5 seconds but I think that's about how long a 2 yr olds attention span is). 
He also had to test out Tylor's bed to make sure it was ok for "night-night time". We were in the hosiptal for 2 days so on the second day Jaydon was able to spend some more time with Tylor. 
Grandma was there to document it all (this is only picture we have of her at the hospital) and again Jaydon was being his sweetest.
He was in a hurry to arrive and one-upped his brother (who was born on his due date) by showing up an hour and half before his due date. I had worked all the prior week so was scurrying around trying to get all those last minute things done (dentist appts, grocery shopping, hair appts). I had thought my last few weeks of work would be easy going and I could come in late, leave early and take care of my to-do list. Well that didn’t come close to happening, on my last day in the office I was there until 7 because I still hadn’t packed up my boxes. 
That day while running a few errands I had some mild cramping but didn’t think much of it. Steve was scheduled to be at a work dinner so my Mom (who had arrived on the 21st) and I were on our own for dinner. I was giving Jaydon his bath before bed when the cramping started getting to the point that I would have to stop and take notice. Steve’s dinner was canceled (which in retrospect was very good sine my Mom had no interest in attempting to drive the roads of Doha to get me to the hospital and Tylor wasn’t waiting around) and with Steve able to focus on Jaydon I think my body decided it was ok to proceed into overdrive – Steve noticed me leaning against the wall and suggested that perhaps I should go pack a bag for the hospital (another to-do that hadn’t happened yet). I agreed it was a good idea thinking that we’d probably head out first thing in the morning. 
During dinner the contractions continued but I was so hungry that I really just focused on eating between them. Steve was trying to convince me that they were coming close enough together that we should head to the hospital. I argued with him saying I didn’t want to spend the night walking the halls of AL-Ahli, I’d much rather be at home. He finally decided to download an app that times contractions to convince me otherwise. They were coming every 2-4 minutes but only lasting 30 sec to 1 min. Once dinner was finished we finished packing our bags and that when the very painful (and much longer) contractions started. By this point Steve had stopped timing them and was in full speed get me to the hospital mode. I, however, still thought we had plenty of time and made sure that we called a neighbor to get Jaydon to school in the morning and called the hair salon to cancel my appt for the next day. Finally, a little before 9pm we were on our way (note he was born at 10:24pm). 
I had never realized how many speed bumps there are on the quick 10 minute drive to the hospital but they were agonizing. We showed up at the ER and Steve found a wheelchair for me – which I refused telling him I was just fine to walk – then another contraction came and I decided the wheelchair was ok. They wheeled me up to the delivery ward and examined me. I was already at 5cm so they rushed me to the labor room. By the time they hooked up the CTG and got the IV in I had decided that it was time to come back to reality and get the epidural. The nurses said I needed 2 bags of IV fluids before the epidural and they had just started the first bag. Luckily my doctor came in and said I was fine to receive it before the fluids so they rushed a request for the anesthesiologist. When he arrived I was in regular, very painful contractions. He was quick to get the catheter in my back but once it was in the nurses realized that they hadn’t prepared the epidural syringe with the medicine in it yet. They went off to do that and at this point my contractions were getting easier not only because the doc had added a ‘top-up’ (as he called it) to the catheter but, because it was time to push. By the time they got the epidural syringe ready Tylor was already on his way out. 
Steve said that when he was born the pediatrician nurses weren’t even in the room yet. I do recall at one point asking the doctor if we should try and wait an hour and half so that Tylor could be born on his due date too – she looked at me like I was crazy…
Jaydon and I showed up around 8:00 only to learn that it was for residents only on the weekend but open to the public during the week (which doesn’t help if you’re working…) but since our friends had arrived at 7:00am before the security guards were monitoring/informing people of this they went ahead and let us play for an hour. An hour was all we needed because it was TOO hot to be 8 months pregnant standing on the beach in 90-100 degree weather. Jaydon, Tristian and Abby still had a great time and the big highlight was the discovery of hermit crabs! 
Jaydon got really good at catching them (they were tiny, about the size of a pea), once he caught them he would give them to Abby or Trisitan who would promptly lose them. I’m pretty sure it was the same 5 crabs that the kids caught and released all morning.
Once he figured out the game was to put as many eggs in his basket as possible he couldn’t be stopped. I went from helping him find hiding spots to trying to distract him so that some of the other kids could find them – and Jaydon was one of the youngest kids out looking for the eggs. 
He was a little disappointed that they weren’t hard boiled eggs to eat but once I showed him the stickers and candy inside he go over that very quickly. 
I didn’t get too many other pictures because I had started coming down with a cold and wasn’t feeling 100% (and it later turned into a sinus infection – fun, fun…)
He was the first one to get called out and didn't really understand why the man wouldn't let him play anymore. He told me he was dancing with the other kids when the man said no more play - he was very sad and decided to skip the other games and just sit on the swing. Later they had a piñata and Jaydon had fun hitting it but when the candy came out he was a little overwhelmed by all the big kids going after the candy. 
He found one piece of candy that was missed and just as he reached down to grab it another kids took it. I was trying very hard to let Jaydon manage the situation on his own and not interject – it was very hard not to step in. Fortunately, one of the older girls saw the situation and offered Jaydon one of her pieces of candy which made Jaydon feel much better. I’m not sure which he liked more, the attention from the girl or getting the candy. 
They also had a magician and Jaydon thought he had some pretty neat toys. 
Jaydon’s favorite part was the cake (of course) and he finished the party by having some fun on his own (away from the big kids) on the slide.
Our new house is a significant upgrade for us; it has 3 floors, 4 bedrooms plus a maid’s room and an American sized kitchen. Jaydon and I are still argueing over what color it is ( I think it's orange, Jaydons says it's pink). 
We also have a beautiful back yard full of grass we don’t have to take care of and our backyard opens right into the large playground. (This is the view from our bedroom balcony). 
My commute to work is about 10-15 minutes longer but Steve’s is about that much shorter.
