Carolyn

Wow, what a beauty! Congratulations, JP!

I'm sorry to inform you that you didn't pop first, though (as if giving birth first was really a contest--sheesh!). Your Taleen and my Ilyas were born on the same day-- butIlyas was born at 8:14 in the morning! We have little birthday twins (and they share a birthday with my husband, Simo)!

As for recovery--hang in there, take lots of naps and just let yourself recover! After 10 days I am finally feeling so, so, so much more like myself now, but I had a vaginal delivery not a c-section. I know from watching my sister recovering from her c-section that you NEED to take it slowly and really let other people do things for you!

Mabrouk!

Carolyn

Here's little Ilyas in the hospital...

A GREAT race!

I tried to make an Infopass appointment, but it listed NO dates available for the rest of August or September!?

What the heck? Did I do something wrong or do they add dates all the time?

After a long labor, our baby boy was born on Saturday morning!

Here are his stats:

name: Ilyas Leonardo

born: Saturday 8 am (he shares a birthday with his papa!)

height: 21 inches

weight: 6 pounds 8 ounces

I wish I could put a picture on here, but I can't find the cord to my camera...my dad and one of my friends e-mailed me some pics, so I'll see if I can attach them later.

Simo and I are just thrilled--he is such a sweet, alert little boy! So far, it is hard to tell who he will most look like: he has dark hair like his papa, fair skin like his mama and undetermined eye color.

We came home from the hospital late Sunday afternoon, and have been relaxing and recovering...Little Ilyas is contentedly sleeping right next to me now making little baby noises...

I'll try to add more info later.

Ciao,

Carolyn

Hi all,

My husband was so happy to receive his 10 year card in the mail today, but much to our dismay they put the wrong birthdate on his card! I called the uscis info line and they told us we will have to file a form I-90 to get it fixed, and that it will take up to 6 months to receive the corrected card. How annoying!

In the meantime, we need to make an Infopass appointment to get his Passport stamped tp reflect his current status (so he can travel, for work purposes, etc.).

My question: does anyone know what category I would have to choose to make an Infopass appointment? I looked on the USCIS website and it was confusing...

I'm sure that there have been many posts already answering this question, but please forgive me for not having the energy to do a proper search right now--I've got a brand new baby at home!

Thanks in advance,

Carolyn

Who knows? It's really fun to speculate about the sex, but I honestly have no idea!

My husband thinks it's going to be a boy--maybe because there are 7 boys and only one girl in his family (his sister is the youngest one--imagine having 7 big brothers in Morocco--talk about being overprotected! )--I'm not convinced either way.

Strangely enough, I'm not that nervous/scared about labor right now--I'm just excited...I just hope we don't have to wait too much longer!

No popping here yet, but signs are pointing to soon!

I'm predicting Saturday, since it is my husband's birthday...

Come on, little one ! We want to meet you!

Congratulations!!

Ooh, Eveline! I've been thinking about you! That little one is so comfortable and just isn't ready, I guess. I am sending labor dust your way (and my way!)!

By the way, how do they check what position the baby is in? Is it just the same internal exam where they check your cervix? I chose NOT to have the midwife check my cervix yesterday. I figure if the baby is ready, he/she will come...dilation and effacement don't necessarily mean labor is coming any time soon, so why have an uncomfortable exam?

Good luck to you!

Wow, you had a long wait!

Congrats!

Congrats! Go California!

Hi all,

I'm still here...

I am back at work this week for some crazy reason. It is keeping me occupied, which is good, but I'm not feeling super helpful to my fellow teaching staff, as I could be gone any day now. Oh well!

As far as the babies being born:

JP must have had hers...

And I better be next! I am due tomorrow, after all! I asked my midwife yesterday what would happen if I go over my due date--she said that they will wait until 41 weeks, when they will do an ultrasound to check on the baby, amniotic fluid level, etc. If the baby doesn't come on his/her own, they will schedule me for an induction sometime before 42 weeks.

Approved yesterday via e-mail...I was SURE we were going to get an RFE or have an interview, but we were pleasantly surpises and just got approved !

UserName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date.......Biometrics......Approved

andresamia...........06/29/07..........08/01/07........08/29/07........--/--/--

Stefanie.............07/16/07..........07/25/07........military........--/--/-- (>NSC)

sara535..............09/15/07..........09/17/07........10/30/07........--/--/--

Sofargone............01/15/08..........01/22/08........02/12/08........03/27/08

junejr...............01/22/08..........01/25/08........02/13/08........07/10/08

siy70................01/27/08..........01/31/08........03/07/08........05/20/08

radacos..............01/28/08..........01/28/08........02/25/08........08/12/08 (>NSC)

bluegirl.............02/04/08..........02/08/08........03/13/08........--/--/--

pilot's girl.........02/11/08..........02/25/08........03/12/08........07/28/08 (>NSC)

kikiwiki.............02/15/08..........02/19/08........03/14/08........07/15/08 (>NSC)

mellie...............02/15/08..........--/--/--........02/24/08........05/30/08 (>NSC)

lilshe...............02/21/08..........02/26/08........03/26/08........--/--/--

Ashish...............02/25/08..........02/27/08........03/31/08........06/03/08 (>NSC)

tokinho..............02/25/08..........03/04/08........03/18/08........07/15/08

tsunamihart..........02/26/08..........03/04/08........--/--/--........05/30/08 (>NSC)

mikeH................03/06/08..........03/07/08........05/13/08........06/17/08

Carolyn..............03/12/08..........03/13/08........04/22/08........08/11/08 (>NSC)

Perfect (K2).........03/14/08..........03/17/08........04/17/08........07/02/08

Blooberry............03/19/08..........03/20/08........04/19/08........--/--/--

LindsC...............03/19/08..........03/20/08........04/16/08........--/--/-- (>NSC)

MoGhuisle ...........03/20/08..........03/24/08........04/26/08........--/--/-- (>NSC)

BrianBellingham......03/25/08..........03/28/08........04/24/08........07/25/08 (>NSC)

newoption............03/27/08..........03/31/08........04/26/08........--/--/--

aztoca...............04/01/08..........04/03/08........04/30/08........08/06/08 dated7/31/08

pmkroger.............04/01/08..........04/03/08........04/30/08........08/05/08

Minfay...............04/01/08..........04/03/08........05/02/08........--/--/-- (>NSC)

kc456................04/09/08..........04/10/08........05/09/08........--/--/--

hello28..............04/14/08..........04/15/08........05/13/08........--/--/--

sjjp1974.............04/22/08..........04/23/08........05/22/08........--/--/-- (>NSC)

grrltraveler.........04/28/08..........04/30/08........05/29/08........--/--/-- (>NSC)

douglassheridan......05/03/08..........05/09/08........--/--/--........--/--/-- (>NSC)

felshen..............05/12/08..........05/20/08........--/--/--........--/--/-- (>NSC)

soulmate.............05/19/08..........05/20/08........06/13/08........--/--/--

lovelove.............05/19/08..........05/22/08........06/18/08........--/--/-- (>NSC)

gurney...............06/04/08..........--/--/--........--/--/--/.......--/--/--

Wifey246.............06/18/08..........06/19/08........07/12/08........--/--/--

walls1010............06/21/08..........06/26/08........07/22/08........--/--/--

sherose..............06/24/08..........06/27/08........07/23/08........--/--/--

Yorkie...............06/26/08..........07/07/08........07/25/08........--/--/-- (>NSC)

Mrs.J06..............07/01/08..........07/02/08........08/09/08........--/--/--

Jonesie..............06/28/08..........--/--/--........--/--/--........--/--/--

summersolstice.......06/23/08..........07/07/08........08/15/08........--/--/-- (>NSC)

jeeleebee............07/15/08..........--/--/--........--/--/--........--/--/-- (>NSC)

fd_jaymz.............07/21/08..........--/--/--........--/--/--........--/--/--

fskrc1...............07/21/08..........07/28/08........--/--/--........--/--/-- (>NSC)

amylovespaul.........07/26/08..........07/28/08........08/26/08........--/--/--

GregS................07/30/08..........07/31/08........--/--/--........--/--/--

Jomo's Girl..........08/05/08..........

IMPORTANT!

Before you edit this list, please make sure that your VJ Text Editor setting is set

to Rich Text Editor. DO NOT JUST COPY AND PASTE. You can change your Text

Editor as follows:

Then go to the most recently posted version of this list (go to the last post and

scroll UP) and "Reply" to it, deleting the "quote" tags at the beginning AND END of

your reply.

* Please DO NOT change the font, font size, add colors, stuff like that.

* Please PREVIEW before posting to make sure it is properly formatted. (A common

mistake is somehow screwing up so you have <b> and </b> HTML tags in these very

instructions instead of actual boldfaced text.)

REMEMBER: "Date of I-751" is the date you sent your petition - NOT the date it

arrived at the service center. "NOA1 Date" is the 'Notice Date' shown on the NOA1 —

NOT the date you received it.

PLEASE DO NOT DELETE THESE INSTRUCTIONS - Thanks!

Good luck Eveline! I hope that everything goes well and that little sweetie just slides on out!

First day back at work--no students yet--they won't be there for 3 weeks! So, I'm just sitting in on meetings and helping prepare for the coming school year. I really like my school--it's a small charter high school and we have a tight-knit staff of about 15 people, so it's fine to be there.

As long as I haven't gone into labor yet, I will work this week, Monday-Friday (9-4). I don't think I'll work any more next week, but who knows? I can use the hours so that I can get paid more than 60% during my Short Term Disability.

On a happy note: we got the e-mail approving the lifting of conditions on my husband's permanent residency today! One less thing to worry about!

No changes in my body yet...when am I going to have this baby?

By the way, we have some good news: no baby yet, but I got an e-mail from the USCIS today saying that they had approved my husband's Removing of Conditions!

This could be a big week for us, insh'allah!

I think we need to hold an all nighter search party for JP. Doesn't *anyone* have her number??? I'm getting worried.

I am guessing she is having a baby

JP is due in about 3 weeks, so it's entirely possible...I know that her little girl was breech and that JP was scheduled for a c-section on the 23rd in case the baby didn't turn on her own...

My husband is also prepared to be Mr. Mom once I finish my maternity leave...his work schedule is very flexible, so they are willing to switch around his hours. He's great with kids, but he really loves his sleep, so we'll have to see how it goes.

Child care for an infant is crazy expensive...a Moroccan friend of my husband pays $290 a week for only 4 days a week! Who can afford that?

Anyone ever seen a MENA man clean?

My husband is usually a bit of a slob--putting his dirty socks everywhere, leaving a big mess in the kitchen after cooking, etc. I know that his mom cleaned up after all 7 of her boys, and I am a bit guilty of doing it too, but I'm not all that fastidious.

Today, however, he is bent on ridding our house of dust in preparation for the baby: vacuuming everything, moving furniture and washing behind it, taking all the books out of the bookcase and cleaning them, washing all the baseboards, etc.

I've helped some, but he's doing stuff that I just don't have energy for...

If his mother could see him now!

My mom went to high school with the guy that got murdered. He is from a really nice family and a was a prominent businessman in Minneapolis.

How tragic--and what an awful way to start the Olympics!

Eveline--good news! 5 cm at your last checkup sounds great--let's hope you have more progress before your next check-up!

I'm a high school teacher and we're back to work tomorrow, too. Seems sort of silly to go for just one week (I'm due Thursday and I told them I will be there as long as I haven't had the baby), but in a way it is nice to be able to meet the guy who will be subbing for me and help him with curriculum planning, etc. I just don't want to take any unpaid days off without the baby unless it is necessary. Plus, I'm a little bored and this will help the time pass faster!

Any day now...

No baby yet...I can't call anyone these days without them excitedly wondering if I'm calling with some good news!

It might yet be a while, I say.

Or not! I'm meeting my sister for an Indian buffet for lunch--they say that spicy food can sometimes trigger labor, but I doubt it will for me since I eat spicy food all the time (helps being married to a Moroccan ).

I wish I was going to the Arab Fest! Have fun Jackie and crowd!

ETA: I just loked at the date when I signed up for VJ: Aug. 14, 2004! Wow, nearly 4 years ago! And the due date for my baby is Aug. 14th...maybe it's a sign? I'd be thrilled to meet our little one on this coming Thursday!

I made the mistake of showing this to my husband, who now REALLY wants to go...I would LOVE to go as well, but somehow the possibility of going into labor 5 1/2 hours from home while at some big festival doesn't sound like a very good idea...I think I'd be willing to risk it if it was 2 hours away or less.

I'm jealous. Have fun dancing in the sunshine, ladies!

I've never sent that much, but I've always used Western Union. Unfortunately, sending money is a rip-off (they give you a horrible exchange rate). You could probably send some money via MoneyGram, and more via Western Union.

There must be a better way--could you forward it to a bank account? I know that costs more money, but the exchange rate may be better. Or maybe PayPal (but then the receiver would need to have a credit card, which most Moroccans do not have).

Good luck!

Eveline--I was wondering about you--I'm glad you posted!

Sounds like you have your work cut out for you this weekend! Maybe some long walks, spicy food (how about a nice Indian curry or some Thai food?) and pineapple for dessert? Followed, of course by a romantic, albeit somewhat awkward, night of making love to your sweetie . I don't know about the Castor Oil...if nothing else it is supposed to be really good for you (great anti-aging properties)!

Have fun and best of luck on your labor-stimulating weekend!