Shawarma Lover

After making him go 30ish days without his beloved Shawarma...I finally caved today and let him get one. 

I think he's happy...

Nothing like a boy that LOVES his food.

And That's 'Watts' She Said....

Introducing the "Butt Baths"

Really though, they are more of personal 'showers' than baths....but Caden started referring to them as 'Butt Baths' and it has stuck. So, in our household that's what they are. 

AND, I know, I know. I told C it was inappropriate to talk about 'butt baths' in public. This is obviously a very public forum, but I just can't help but share this discovery with all of you. I just don't think I can share the Bahrain experience with you without talking about this! Almost 2 months later - and these still baffle/surprise/confuse/amuse me every time I see one. Which is daily.

I first referenced the existence of the Bahrain 'Butt Baths' in THIS post. It earned the #1 spot in my 10 Things I've Learned in Bahrain (so far) post earlier this month. 

What is it? It's hard to explain. SOOO I've made a point to take some pictures to show you!

No need to thank me. 

 

See it there on the left side of the toilet?! It's the little shower head/hose coming from the wall. Honestly, the first time I saw it I thought, "Oh this must be to wash off your feet after being at the beach! How nice!" I especially thought this because there is ALSO a floor drain in every bathroom too....not so sure what to think about that.

At first I thought it was a novelty, or a fluke, but then I noticed them in the malls, in the restaurants, in the grocery stores, EVERYWHERE!!!

It wasn't a fluke. It's a real thing. A part of their culture. To have these next to all toilets. I've also found that almost EVERY toilet has it's own toilet brush mounted on the wall next to it. 

I can't decide if both of these are because the Bahraini people want everything to be really clean...or if they are naturally really dirty and need to have these extra tools. Both? I don't know. I'm kind of disturbed by it.

All 5, yes 5 bathrooms in our house have them. This is in our guest bathroom.

SO interesting. I guess it's the little things that amuse me right now. Sorry for the inappropriate post - but I'm seriously INTRIGUED by this! Have you ever seen this installed by every single toilet before?!

And the floor drain?!?! Are you supposed to 'spray off' onto the floor and let it drain?!?! Do you teach kids how to use these along with potty training?! Should I ask a local what I'm supposed to do with it?! Do they realize that in the 11 other countries I've been to this is the fist time I've ever seen this?! 

Not to mention that they have these by Every. Single. Toilet. But they don't have electrical outlets in bathrooms?! Where am I supposed to blow dry my hair? So annoying. Priorities I guess.

Also...these are a horrible idea to have around a 5 year old. C thinks it's a toy and "accidentally" sprays me with it whenever he gets the chance. It's lovely. 

ANYWAYS...back to normal, acceptable conversation...

We met our neighbors yesterday. They seem very wonderful! They are in the process of moving to Bahrain from Saudi Arabia as they are opening a new International School here. I am fascinated by their accents as they are originally from New Zealand! Their 2 year old son is adorable and sounds so proper and cute when he talks! Little kids with accents are so classy to me. SOOO much better than Honey Boo Boo. 

So far I've met Laura and her son Harrison, and her mom ("mum") and dad.So excited to have some friends! How sad is that?! I'm so desperate for friends here!

But even better than being just neighbors...they have a POOL! The canal is nice and all, but sometimes a pool is just wonderful. They have given Caden an open invitation to come on over whenever he wants to use the pool. All he has to do is walk along the bulkhead (trying not to fall into the canal) and come on in through their front gate! I don't think they realize what they've brought upon themselves. My poor son is so missing family and friends, he stalks them. He plays out on our porch listening in on their conversation. I heard him yell out, "What's going on over there?! What's so funny?" I have to remind him that he isn't always part of their conversation.

Laura told me that yesterday he told them his entire life story. Yep...he's definitely my son. 

OPEN. BOOK.

C has already taken full advantage of the pool...this is him enjoying the pool earlier today. I checked on him every now and then from my bedroom balcony. Then as I fed Davis in the living room I was able to open the sliding glass door and hear him swimming and laughing and playing with them. 

It melted my heart. I'm SO EXCITED to have some great neighbors. 

(Especially ones with a pool.)  I have a feeling that we are going to have an open house policy in this neighborhood, and I can only hope that the neighbor kids come and go and play all day long.

Have I mentioned how much I love Floating City?!?!

I honestly feel safer here than I did back home in Maryland. Crazy, but true. 

This place is winning me over. Butt baths and all....

and That's 'Watts' She Said...

"Forever and Ever and Ever..."

Tonight Caden asked me to NEVER EVER EVER leave him. I just about melted....

Granted...this whole conversation started because he was farting and smelling up the entire hotel room; it was still one of my favorites yet. (Seriously, how does such a little boy smell so horrible? It's insane.) This is my life. Really - farts and poo and smelly feet and boogers (the phase where C stuck his boogers to the wall by his bed was particularly bad). I can't imagine what my poor sister goes through with her 4 boys. 

Tonight while I was tucking C into bed he was laughing so hard because he stunk SO bad, I said, "I'm going to have to move out because it smells so bad with all of these boys!"

He totally started crying and said, "Mommy...don't say that. I don't want you to ever leave me." He wasn't just sad, he was doing the full on cry. I could hardly understand what he was even saying. 

He was SO UPSET. 

I, of course, hugged him closer and immediately told him that I would live with him forever and ever. While having a sinking feeling in my heart that there will be the day when he doesn't want me to live with him forever and ever anymore.

I asked him what we will do when he's a man and has a wife. His solution is, "Well...you can visit! You can spend one week with me, then you can go back home and be with Andrew for one week, then you can come back to visit me for another week. Just like that."

I told him that his wife might like that idea too much. She would probably be saying, "Your mom needs to go home!" AND....C started crying hysterically again and said, "Stop saying those bad things! I want to live with you always."

I melted. 

Oh buddy, I would live with you forever if I could. Unfortunately, I know the day will come when it's time for you to move forward and not live with mommy. If I'm a truly, "the best mommy in the world" like you told me about 5 times today, I'll be able to step aside and let you become the man you are meant to be.

That thought kills me. My sweet sweet firstborn....no one will love you like your mommy does. (Ha...and we wonder why moms of boys are so crazy...and why there are mommy's boys out there...it all comes from moments like these!) 

I'm not going to think about the future anymore, it's too scary. So instead, I'll look back and wonder how my sweet baby grew up so fast. 

  

 

AND...now I'm going to go cuddle C in his sleep and cry. I was only going to pick a few out to post - but WOW...so many mean so much. AND...WOW I need to get these in albums! I am SOOO behind. I haven't made a photo album since he was 6 months old! I didn't even know most of these existed. Oh man. I see a project in my near future!

This little guy is so special to me. I think I'll always have a special bond with my little Caden...for a while there it was just me and him against the world! I'm so very very blessed to call this little boy my son. 

I can only pray and hope for many many more years as his mommy. Even if I can't live with him "forever and ever and ever" I get to be his mommy "forever and ever and ever" and there isn't anything better than that!

and That's 'Watts' She Said...