Happy to say I took this pic and, it's just stunning!
Friday, April 27, 2012
Saturday, April 21, 2012
The World's Largest Alpona in Bangladesh
Oh, this looks so cool! I had no idea about this until tonight! May be I should check this out...
Cakes in Dhaka!
Just so you know, how the cakes in Dhaka look....some of these are pretty good, some not quite so...my favorite bakery in town is, King's Bakery..and majority of these cakes are from there!
Enjoy looking...as I did enjoy eating... ;)
Enjoy looking...as I did enjoy eating... ;)
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Chittagong Trip : Foy's Lake, Sea World & Resort, and a Happy First Birthday!
Our trip to Chittagong was wonderful! We'd so much fun! I knew I would go there while being here this time around and then, one day, heard from younger SIL that Older SIL's baby boy's first birthday was in March (which I was confused about...Feb or March). Anyway, since then I really wanted to go there around his birthday time so I could kill two birds with one stone. Visit Chittagong and enjoy his first birthday with the family. But there were lots of ummm...may be we will go or may be we won't go moments. And then, at the last minute it was-yeap, we will go and that's what we did.
Last time and my only other time I went to Chittagong was by train. It was a wonderful experience overall. And, something I would do again BUT not with a baby in tow... it took us about 9 hours to go to Chittagong from Dhaka by train. And I knew this can't be happening this time around. I'm not crazy enough to go through this lengthy journey with my little miss sunshine. Not.Happening. So, the other option was bus, which was again muy lengthy just as long as a train ride would be. So, on to the next option, a plane ride! woo hoo! Needless to say, it cost two times...mmm...scratch that 5 times more than it would cost going either by bus or train. And I was OK with that. Really. Because the trip would be only 40 minutes and not 9 hours! It was worth every single penny.
I would have given a pretty decent review of this airline, GMG, but dang thing just went out as in out of business! hooray! Still, let me say this that on 40 min flight they gave us FOOD, and we reached Chittagong and back to Dhaka SAFELY (despite bad weather induced heavy turbulence on way in to Dhaka), both flights were on time! Hooray for that, boo hoo for going out of business...well, hooray again for going out of business AFTER we took the trip! ;)
And, the cake for the birthday boy! It's a sea themed cake... and, oh, how fitting!
Last time and my only other time I went to Chittagong was by train. It was a wonderful experience overall. And, something I would do again BUT not with a baby in tow... it took us about 9 hours to go to Chittagong from Dhaka by train. And I knew this can't be happening this time around. I'm not crazy enough to go through this lengthy journey with my little miss sunshine. Not.Happening. So, the other option was bus, which was again muy lengthy just as long as a train ride would be. So, on to the next option, a plane ride! woo hoo! Needless to say, it cost two times...mmm...scratch that 5 times more than it would cost going either by bus or train. And I was OK with that. Really. Because the trip would be only 40 minutes and not 9 hours! It was worth every single penny.
I would have given a pretty decent review of this airline, GMG, but dang thing just went out as in out of business! hooray! Still, let me say this that on 40 min flight they gave us FOOD, and we reached Chittagong and back to Dhaka SAFELY (despite bad weather induced heavy turbulence on way in to Dhaka), both flights were on time! Hooray for that, boo hoo for going out of business...well, hooray again for going out of business AFTER we took the trip! ;)
Our one day full of fun was at the Sea World Water park and resort! Here are some pics: Picture tell a thousand words, so, I will let the pictures speak millions! ;)
This is where we got on a boat trip to reach Sea World
And, the views from the boat
Hey, look, a Monkey! Actually, there were a few!
Look, a castle! LOL
And, the cake for the birthday boy! It's a sea themed cake... and, oh, how fitting!
Well, at the end of the day, we had tons of fun and, were all tired! It was really a nice day in all fronts! I need to mention this important facts that my brother in law actually got a room for us at the resort. Since we didn't mean to stay there overnight, we got away with having one room for about 9 adults and 2 babies. We were there to take rest, change, refresh etc. It seems like the management there had this as a spacial circumstance/exception...otherwise, they don't recommend this renting room for all these people to use during day time. It didn't matter though, they still charged the same price they would have had we stayed overnight.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Second Trimester
First trimester
Well, I'd my first doc's visit in second trimester, around 17 weeks to be specific. It was an interesting experience, one I will never forget. First of all, I had to wait about three weeks after coming back to New York to get papers sorted out for health insurance (thanks, Medicaid!) and then I had to wait to get the appointment. My doc happened to be an Indian lady, and with much demand among the people as she seemed to be always overbooked! Being where I was, New York Presbyterian Hospital was closest and I chose to go there. Also, one of the clinics happened to be right on the same block where I was. So, it was all about convenience more than anything. But as far as the birth goes, I knew from the get go what I wanted and how I wanted. I wanted a "natural" pain med free, intervention free (to the minimum) birth. Choosing NYPH probably wasn't the best bet, but I had to roll with it as I was too tired and lazy to go somewhere else when I could basically roll of off my bed to the clinic each time. And with all honesty, I just knew no matter where I give birth, it would be the way I want it. It's pretty hard to believe, but I was always that determined and confident. (ummm....yeah, right!)
And then I got to meet my doctor. She was nothing special, a typical doctor who follows the protocol, does things as "supposed" to be done. We had a good butting head on our first meeting as I refused to sign papers to do the "genetic testing" etc....she was utterly shocked and went to on say that "No Bangladeshi women in this clinic ever refused these tests"...she didn't know I was not *that* Bangladeshi woman. And then she tried to sort of insult me by asking, "where did you get your education from? Here or Bangladesh?" I wonder what she meant. I calmly said, "Here". The hyper she got, the calmer I remained. And basically she went on and on that it's my choice that I wasn't gonna do these tests, but if something is wrong later I can't abort the baby as the cutoff period for abortion in New York is 20 weeks,?! And, all I could think was WHO CARES?????? This turned into a very uncomfortable atmosphere for me and for her as well. I think, it was her ego that needed a test...not my baby. Anyway, I think, to spite me she immediately asked for a blood sugar test, as I was ha good candidate for getting gestational diabetes. Well, even though I told her that I just had breakfast , she proceeded with the test and completely blew me off saying it didn't matter. But you know what? I think, I DID matter. I failed the test and was summoned for the mighty 3 hours test couple of days later. I was thoroughly disgusted with her and the test, itself. Well, much to her dismay, I did pass the three hours test. And, I cursed her quite a lot for making me go through this.
On March 15th, I had my first sonogram! Despite going back and forth whether I wanted to any sonograms..in the end decided to do it. It was to date the most nerve wrecking experience. When I lay down on the bed and the tech was doing the scans and looking at the screen, twitching her eye...making her eyes big..small...squeezing her eyes making it look like if there were anything wrong...uggghh I got a massive headache from that! Anyway, in the end, everything was fine and, as per request beforehand, she didn't reveal the sex of my baby. Super! And, once I was done with it, and proceeded to get out, the best of curiosity got me, and I asked her if she saw if it was a boy or a girl. And she replied, "well, what does it matter? You don't want to know it." Right. I didn't. But I thought it was funny that someone else knew, but I didn't. She called in her supervisor who verified that everything was perfect and normal! After that I basically ran the heck out of the there, and made the first call to miss E's father, who was 10,000 miles away waiting for my call with this breath holding. He also sighed a breath of relief once I gave him the recap. Then of course he asked me 100 times since then to repeat it over and over again. I think, it made him feel really good that things were just as it should have been!
Here is a pic of the sonogram...done exactly on 19 weeks and 5 days...I could see my baby's puffy cheeks (now, the famous cheeks!) and have wondered if it was a boy, how he would look with cheeks like that! But I must say now, that these cheeks are the fav things of many people!
Well, I'd my first doc's visit in second trimester, around 17 weeks to be specific. It was an interesting experience, one I will never forget. First of all, I had to wait about three weeks after coming back to New York to get papers sorted out for health insurance (thanks, Medicaid!) and then I had to wait to get the appointment. My doc happened to be an Indian lady, and with much demand among the people as she seemed to be always overbooked! Being where I was, New York Presbyterian Hospital was closest and I chose to go there. Also, one of the clinics happened to be right on the same block where I was. So, it was all about convenience more than anything. But as far as the birth goes, I knew from the get go what I wanted and how I wanted. I wanted a "natural" pain med free, intervention free (to the minimum) birth. Choosing NYPH probably wasn't the best bet, but I had to roll with it as I was too tired and lazy to go somewhere else when I could basically roll of off my bed to the clinic each time. And with all honesty, I just knew no matter where I give birth, it would be the way I want it. It's pretty hard to believe, but I was always that determined and confident. (ummm....yeah, right!)
And then I got to meet my doctor. She was nothing special, a typical doctor who follows the protocol, does things as "supposed" to be done. We had a good butting head on our first meeting as I refused to sign papers to do the "genetic testing" etc....she was utterly shocked and went to on say that "No Bangladeshi women in this clinic ever refused these tests"...she didn't know I was not *that* Bangladeshi woman. And then she tried to sort of insult me by asking, "where did you get your education from? Here or Bangladesh?" I wonder what she meant. I calmly said, "Here". The hyper she got, the calmer I remained. And basically she went on and on that it's my choice that I wasn't gonna do these tests, but if something is wrong later I can't abort the baby as the cutoff period for abortion in New York is 20 weeks,?! And, all I could think was WHO CARES?????? This turned into a very uncomfortable atmosphere for me and for her as well. I think, it was her ego that needed a test...not my baby. Anyway, I think, to spite me she immediately asked for a blood sugar test, as I was ha good candidate for getting gestational diabetes. Well, even though I told her that I just had breakfast , she proceeded with the test and completely blew me off saying it didn't matter. But you know what? I think, I DID matter. I failed the test and was summoned for the mighty 3 hours test couple of days later. I was thoroughly disgusted with her and the test, itself. Well, much to her dismay, I did pass the three hours test. And, I cursed her quite a lot for making me go through this.
On March 15th, I had my first sonogram! Despite going back and forth whether I wanted to any sonograms..in the end decided to do it. It was to date the most nerve wrecking experience. When I lay down on the bed and the tech was doing the scans and looking at the screen, twitching her eye...making her eyes big..small...squeezing her eyes making it look like if there were anything wrong...uggghh I got a massive headache from that! Anyway, in the end, everything was fine and, as per request beforehand, she didn't reveal the sex of my baby. Super! And, once I was done with it, and proceeded to get out, the best of curiosity got me, and I asked her if she saw if it was a boy or a girl. And she replied, "well, what does it matter? You don't want to know it." Right. I didn't. But I thought it was funny that someone else knew, but I didn't. She called in her supervisor who verified that everything was perfect and normal! After that I basically ran the heck out of the there, and made the first call to miss E's father, who was 10,000 miles away waiting for my call with this breath holding. He also sighed a breath of relief once I gave him the recap. Then of course he asked me 100 times since then to repeat it over and over again. I think, it made him feel really good that things were just as it should have been!
Here is a pic of the sonogram...done exactly on 19 weeks and 5 days...I could see my baby's puffy cheeks (now, the famous cheeks!) and have wondered if it was a boy, how he would look with cheeks like that! But I must say now, that these cheeks are the fav things of many people!
Saturday, April 7, 2012
In prep for Bangla New Year-Pohela Boishak
So, very soon as in exactly a week from now, Bangla New Year is arriving. And, in anticipation of that, malls, stores are all dressed up in Boishakhi (first month of Bangla New Year) look. Today, I did my shopping for the Pohela Boishakh (1st of Boishak) and it was so much fun!!!
Some pics from today...
Some pics from today...
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