Tap-Tap-Tap... "Is This Mic On?"

As we're in the final countdown until we leave for California (21 days folks!), our activities have increased to an all time high ... and blogging about them has sadly taken a back seat. Here's the latest with our travel plans, and other happenings in Chennai.

At 29+ weeks pregnant I'm feeling quite large and in charge. I am all baby, all in front, and look identical to how I did during Sheridan's pregnancy... which is throwing us for a loop when it comes to baby names. I have nothing to go on to sway me one way or another ... except for my gut feeling which has been wrong twice before. BUT, if I was a betting woman, I'd say this one's a boy. And for absolutely no other reason than I want a boy. Matt on the other hand thinks it's a girl ... and feels he'd be great with a third girl since he's mastered the color pink, is comfortable with Barbie dolls, and can hum the opening tune to Hannah Montana.

We have plans to depart India around March 30th and will stay in California until sometime in July... all depending on how quickly we can get the baby's documents in order: passport, diplomatic passport, social security number, visa, medical clearance... There's lots to do and we'll be pushing the envelope to get most of it completed while Matt is still in California with us. Speaking of Matt, he'll be joining us around Mother's Day (assuming I don't need him in town earlier), and staying for 5-6 weeks. Once he gets to town and acclimates to the time change, we'll be inducing... and not a day too soon!

We found a family here who's willing to take Libby while Matt is away, which is fantastic considering there are virtually no kennels here, or at least no kennels that we'd be willing to ever set foot in, let alone leave our dog for one-single-night. Hooray... that saves us from having to mull over the possibility of schlepping her with us to California for 6 weeks.

And speaking of Libby, or Lampshade Head as she's affectionately known in our house right now, she has another infection on her paws, most likely from allergies and the increasing temperatures/humidity. Our first veterinary visit last week lasted 30 minutes, where he identified the problem, gave her a good once-over, prescribed medication, and presented us with his bill... a whopping 150 Rupees - or $3! Our follow-up veterinary visit today was about 15 minutes where he did another check-up, realized that she wasn't healing, applied some serious looking goop to her paw, bandaged and wrapped up her paw, and sent us on our merry way. This time for a whopping 200 Rupees - or $4. And medications? Less than $5. Here's one area I just can't complain.

As for the rest of last week, it was spent ... at the dentist, at after school activities, running endless errands, taking the girls to round #2 of their rabies immunizations, going to both ladies poker night on Friday, and guys poker night on Saturday, taking the girls to a birthday party on Sunday, at the pool, and with Sheridan who didn't have school on either Thursday or Friday.

We have another packed week, which started tonight when we celebrated Purim with friends. We had a nice dinner where we read the Megillah and schmoozed over Hamantashen. Tomorrow night we have a birthday party to attend for our driver's son. Thankfully our friends were also invited and will be joining us at Stare-fest 2009... when all of the villagers pinch Sheridan's cheeks and oogle over us foreigners.

Until then... here's a photo of Lampshade Head. Can't you just feel her misery.