Berber Mama

He looks so beautiful and like a little chunk-a-munk for being more than a month early.

Lol, thanks. He was 8 pds 4 oz and was 5 weeks early! I can't figure out how he got so big. I didn't have diabetes and I only gained a total of 21 pounds. If I had went full term he would have been massive.

Thank you everyone for your kind words and well wishes. Ayman still seems to be doing better. He has been getting his feedings through a gastric tube and has came down on his oxygen. He still is breathing very fast and I've been told that he will have to stabilize before we get to hold him. They did take off his oxygen hood today and let us hold the oxygen tube close to his face so that we could interact with him. He was very alert and looking around the whole time. I updated my siggie with a pic of him from today. I would love for Mehdi to be able to meet his little brother but he's not allowed in the NICU. Maybe when he is moved to Step Down they will let him visit.

Again, thanks to everyone for your prayers and support.

Thank you everyone.

Yes, Ayman has improved since my last post! He had his ventilator removed yesterday. He is still under an oxygen hood and is fighting to learn how to breathe on his own but his stats are staying good so far. I am afraid to get too excited as the doctor told me that there would be a chance that he would have to go back on the ventilator after a couple of days if he got too tired to continue the breathing on his own. All I can do is hope and pray.

He had to have a blood transfusion last night because they have been drawing so many labs from him. They said that babies don't generate new blood as fast as they take it from them. He will also receive a PICC line today which I'm not looking forward to, but I know that it's necessary.

I was told that if and when he comes out from under his oxygen hood that I will be able to hold him.

Congratulations on the birth of your son. I am so sorry he is ill and my heart goes out to you. I know that you are so worried right now. You, your family, and baby Ayman are in my thoughts and prayers. I hope he continues to improve and can be removed from the ventilator soon. As soon as he is and you are able to hold him, I look forward to seeing a picture of your new baby boy.

Meriem(F)

Thank you so much. I have never been able to hold him. I've never even heard him cry. I did get to touch his foot today and to kiss his forehead. It just absolutely made my day.

Baby Ayman was born March 29th 2010 @ 10:13 a.m. He was almost 5 weeks early due to a placental abruption that I suffered.

Please keep him in your prayers as he is a very sick little boy who is still in the NICU suffering from persistent fetal circulation also known as pulmonary hypertension in newborns. He is fully dependent on a ventilator to supply him with the oxygen that he needs. I would post a pic, but all I have are of him with the ventilator tube and it is just too heartbreaking for me to even share.

I ask again that you keep him in your prayers so that he can hopefully overcome this problem and come home to us soon. We are both grief stricken and need to see some slight improvement in him to give us hope in his recovery.

Thank you all.

Amy

Thank you everyone for your kind words. We spent most of the afternoon in the NICU with him and his oxygen has been turned down to 34% from 45 percent yesterday. His ventilator pressure has also came down from 19 to 16. All we can do is hope and pray that he will continue moving in a positive direction.

Terrie, I'm so sorry to hear about you losing your baby. I had never heard of a placental abruption until it happened to me. Thank God that I was at my doctors office when it happened. I was getting an ultrasound done and sat up on the table and just started hemorrhaging. Every doctor and nurse told me that had I been at home or out shopping, etc. that he probably would not be with us at all. So I think of it as a miracle.

Thanks again to everyone for your thoughts and prayers. Hopefullly they will keep moving him to recovery.

Baby Ayman was born March 29th 2010 @ 10:13 a.m. He was almost 5 weeks early due to a placental abruption that I suffered.

Please keep him in your prayers as he is a very sick little boy who is still in the NICU suffering from persistent fetal circulation also known as pulmonary hypertension in newborns. He is fully dependent on a ventilator to supply him with the oxygen that he needs. I would post a pic, but all I have are of him with the ventilator tube and it is just too heartbreaking for me to even share.

I ask again that you keep him in your prayers so that he can hopefully overcome this problem and come home to us soon. We are both grief stricken and need to see some slight improvement in him to give us hope in his recovery.

Thank you all.

Amy

My husband used Dr. Khadija and he says to use Casa Voyagers....maybe you should call Dr. Khadija's office before you leave to get their opinion.

Ok MENA, I'm counting on you here to help me out. I've asked this question and we've discussed in the NVC thread but we are a bit undecided. I have this week off so I've had the chance to do some digging and reading up on the DS-230. My husband's computer at home is broken so he has to go to the cyber cafe to get any of this done. Now, I would like to help him out, as I have my computer here at home and can fill this stuff out in my pajamas, if I want to. Too much info? Ok, here's the question...I'm not filling out the whole thing, by any stretch of the imagination, but when it comes to some of the common RFE's coming out of NVC this month or other formatting helpful hints I have learned, I would like to fill out an example form and email it to my husband. I feel like that just might constitute "assistance" so he would need to put "yes" for question #44.

Did anyone else put yes on this question? Did it cause any problems at NVC or at the embassy for the interview?

Thanks!

I put yes and added my name and contact info. We never had any problems.

I'm fearing being put on bedrest at my appointment on Monday. I have had problems with a low lying placenta that keeps getting lower. I'm having yet another sono to see how things have progressed. I have one everytime that I go in.

I gained 25 pounds with Mehdi and I weighed myself on Monday and I had gained a total of 27 so far. I remember that my weight came to a stand still during my third trimester with him. I'm hoping that happens this time again too. I don't want all this extra weight to take off afterwards. It's harder losing weight in your 30's than in your 20's.

Good morning all. Congrats Jackie on the husband coming!

ohhh, but it's hard though. if i hadn't have been forced because of school to stay really active (10 hour clinical shifts, all that good stuff), then i know i would have probably lazed around drinking chocolate hazelnut milkshakes the whole last trimester. it's hard getting out in the winter to be active, and hard finding the time to yourself to exercise with a baby to take care of.

my family bought wii fit for ahmed last week for his birthday, and he's been working out on it. i want set up a routine on there too for myself. he thinks it's really fun. and oliver likes working out with him.

this picture of yah yah cracks me up. she was a butterfly fairy in my brother's wedding a couple months ago, and was soooo funny in that dress. she has some diva tendencies. that was sweet of you to say, but she's got deep dark brown eyes. mehdi's curls are angelic. i hope if i ever have another boy that he has curls as precious as that. he's darling.

I would love to try Wii fit. I bought a treadmill after Mehdi was born and I did good and lost down smaller than I was before I got pregnant. It just kind of gets mundane though, I think that the Wii would bring some fun into a work out.

I must be crazy thinking that Ayah's eyes are blue. I could have sworn than I saw her eyes in another pic and they were!

As for Mehdi and his curls, I overhead a teenage girl last week in Target saying that he looked like Nick Jonas...lol. I don't think so.

I would love to have a girl. But I think that I'm gonna hang up my hat with this last one. I will be 34 in May, husband is going on 37. I think two is are that we can handle.

Oh no!!!

i agree with this. keeping yourself as strong and healthy as you possibly can throughout yr pregnancy can make a big difference in how your body responds to the stress of giving birth, c-section or not. keeping weight in check, even if yr on bedrest is a big factor too. with my second pregnancy, by the time i had my baby, gave myself 6 weeks to get rid of all the excess water weight (yes, it really does take that long to get rid of it), and had been nursing for 6 weeks, i was actually about 15 pounds less than before i had gotten pregnant. i was able to be a lot more active the 2nd time around than i had been able to be the 1st time, when i had to be on bedrest.

in general though, birth, c-section or not is such a subjective experience. some women's bodies are a lot more traumatized by it than others, no matter what shape they were in prior.

Thanks for the input. It's been harder for me to keep my weight in check with this pregnancy than with the first. I've already gained more with this one than I did the whole first pregnancy. I've got to start getting some more exercise in.

I love the new Ayah pic, she's gonna be a little heartbreaker with that beautiful black hair and blue eyes...what a doll!

Received the 10 year green card today. That was fast!

California Service Center - CSC

VJName........Date of I-751...NOA1Date....Biometrics.......Approved........ GC Rec'd

E&K..............08/31/09.....09/02/09....10/15/09..........10/26/09 ...... 10/31/09

calitoday........08/31/09.....09/02/09....10/08/09..........10/16/09 ...... 10/22/09

David-and-Mae....09/02/09.....--/--/--....10/19/09 EB10/05..10/20/09....... 10/26/09

chemaatah........09/02/09.....09/06/09....10/07/09..........10/26/09 ...... --/--/--

CountryBoy.......09/04/09.....09/08/09....10/19/09..........11/20/09 ...... --/--/--

CB's Daughter....09/04/09.....09/08/09....--/--/--..........11/20/09 ...... --/--/--

Coco&Kitten......09/05/09.....09/08/09....10/14/09 LB10/24..11/12/09 .......11/19/09

Tarik_1985.......09/07/09.....09/17/09....10/23/09..........11/03/09 ...... --/--/--

Chris_n_Veronica.09/08/09.....09/10/09....10/09/09..........10/16/09 ...... 10/23/09

payxibka.........09/09/09.....09/14/09....10/22/09..........11/10/09....... 11/16/09

CanInCali........09/10/09.....09/11/09....10/16/09..........10/21/09 ...... 10/26/09

chelseafan.......09/11/09.....09/15/09....10/24/09..........01/13/10....... --/--/--

littleg15uk......09/14/09.....09/18/09....10/27/09..........11/13/09 ...... 11/20/09

NycBra...........09/16/09.....09/18/09....10/24/09 EB10/16..10/20/09....... 10/26/09

j_infy...........09/16/09.....09/18/09....10/27/09 EB10/21..11/07/09 ...... --/--/--

RomeoNan.........09/17/09.....09/21/09....10/24/09 EB10/21..11/09/09 ...... 11/16/09

Nanusia&Lukaszek.09/19/09.....09/21/09....10/29/09..........11/19/09 ...... 11/28/09

cunnind..........09/19/09.....09/21/09....10/22/09..........11/17/09 ...... 11/22/09

Dano2006.........09/21/09.....09/23/09....10/20/09..........11/13/09 ...... 11/20/09

Kabigon..........09/21/09.....09/22/09....10/22/09 EB10/17..11/12/09 ...... --/--/--

prettyfacenbody..09/23/09.....09/26/09....10/22/09 EB10/16..10/20/09 ...... --/--/--

Glady............9/8/2009....9/15/09......10/22/09..........11/18/09 ...... --/--/--

Vermont Service Center - VSC 17/21 approved (81% approval)

VJName.......Date of I-751....NOA1 Date....Biometrics.........Approved......GC Rec'd

crysethu.........08/31/09.....09/02/09.....09/18/09...........12/31/09 .....--/--/--

JamalNTam........09/01/09.....09/04/09.....10/05/09...........01/08/10 .....01/19/10

SM&LP............09/04/09.....09/08/09.....10/07/09...........12/24/09.....--/--/--

cdngirl06........09/04/09.....09/09/09.....10/15/09...........01/13/10 .....--/--/--

GabachaYucateca..09/04/09.....09/09/09.....10/02/09...........--/--/-- .....--/--/--

MrsWhizz.........09/04/09.....09/14/09.....10/09/09...........--/--/-- .....--/--/-- (RFE received 1/16/10)

MonicaMexico.....09/05/09.....09/14/09.....10/07/09...........01/14/10 .....--/--/--

Lhedyjoe.........09/08/09.....09/14/09.....10/23/09 EB10/14...12/24/09 .....01/19/10

Agnar............09/09/09.....09/11/09.....10/23/09...........01/08/10 .....--/--/--

JelloShotGirl....09/10/09.....09/14/09.....10/23/09...........01/08/10 .....--/--/--

sh18.............09/11/09.....09/15/09.....10/15/09 EB10/01...01/11/10 .....--/--/--

Dayna and Ali....09/12/09.....09/15/09.....10/20/09...........12/19/09 .....01/09/10

Berber Mama......09/12/09.....09/15/09.....10/21/09...........01/08/10 .....01/19/10

westguard........09/19/09.....09/28/09.....10/30/09...........12/30/09 .....--/--/--

Sandy Cheecks....09/23/09.....--/--/--.....11/09/09...........12/23/09 .....--/--/--

chaplin..........09/23/09.....09/28/09.....11/03/09...........12/19/09 .....01/16/10

Vylex............09/24/09.....09/25/09.....10/29/09...........12/22/09 .....01/15/10

sobol3v..........09/24/09.....09/25/09.....11/05/09 EB10/26...--/--/-- .....--/--/--

mrc..............09/24/09.....09/28/09.....11/06/09...........--/--/-- .....--/--/--

bobby_DE.........09/24/09.....09/28/09.....11/09/09...........12/22/09 .....01/15/10

Lace.............09/26/09.....09/29/09.....11/05/09...........01/05/10 .....--/--/--

IMPORTANT!

*Make sure that your VJ Text Editor setting is set to Rich Text Editor.

*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 in 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.

Date of I-751 = The Date you sent your application

NOA Date = The Receipt Date on your original NOA letter

Biometrics = The Date of your biometrics appointment

Approved = The Date your case was approved

*Please Capitalize your VJ Name when adding it to the list*

**When you're on this list, please come back to update your information accordingly**

they put those cuffs on you while you're in bed to keep the blood circulating because you're not moving.. if you wanna walk around, tell them to come take them off.. they would rather you walk around than keep those things on!

Thank you! I've been waiting for that outfit to even remotely fit her

We bought a Moroccan baby caftan back in 2007 in hopes of one day having a daughter to wear it, and two boys later......well the prospects aren't looking too good!

all this talk of csection really makes me NEVER wanna have one lol

And me already having one makes me antsy at having another one!

VJ mamas told me about getting up and walking ASAP after c-section, so I did, and I also had an easy time. Mine wasn't exactly planned, but when the induction wasn't working, my doctor recommended the c-section before it became an emergency. I think the most painful part was them pressing on my uterus the first day. Second most painful part was standing up and walking to the shower the first time. But touching baby feet is the best anesthetic in the world.

I wish they'd told me that the incision could drain suddenly after a few days though. When that happened to me after a week, I was alone with the baby and thought I was bleeding out. Scared me pretty badly.

You got that right!

Wow! I am so happy for you. I know too well that feeling! Congratulations!

I hope that everyone has a super Tuesday!

I think that you should go with the K-1 and wait it out here first. Don't put your cart in front of your horse. Maybe you will sail through quickly without any problems.

You could always consider DCF if problems arise with the K-1.

Morning!

I have the day off- and I am SO GLAD I was home this morning because the EMBASSY CALLED. I posted the whole story on the AP forum, but to tell it short, they called to make sure I was still involved in the relationship (yes for sure!) as it has been a while since the interview. They need to finish up some things- I am PRAYING that this is GOOD news and that we are very close to having AP end.

It was an exciting phone call for me, that is for sure. Wish I could have taped it. Of course, I called Ghassan right away- today being his birthday and all- so we are hopeful this is all for the good insha'Allah. (what do you all think?)

Other than that-going to some MLK celebration thing tonight.

Take care!

Baj

Congratulations! I'm hoping that you hear good news soon.

I thought that the doctor was supposed to make sure that your uterus is contracting normally before you leave the hospital. I have heard about the shot given directly in the cervix to aide with the contracting. That's so scary!

I've had two, both emergency.. the second was a lot easier.. and I can attest to how much faster you will heal if you force yourself to get up and move around as much as possible, as soon as possible. I was up and down to the NICU the next day and made myself move around a lot when I got home, and I healed beautifully. I didnt even need pain meds after 4 days (I have a high pain tolerance, but I really felt great).. drink lots of water too you'll be fine!

Thanks Sarah, that makes me feel better. I would have gotten up a lot sooner if I didn't have those cuffs on my legs, I don't even know what they're called...the things that prevent blood clots in the legs or something.

Your daughter is a cutie. I can tell how much she's grown in this pic. Love the outfit btw, she looks like a little Moroccan princess!

Hey ya'll, I'm going to the pediatrician this week for the baby's 2 month, and telling her about our trip.. She has a pretty cool doctor, and I was thinking of asking the doctor if she could write me some prescriptions for any minor foreseeable ailments the baby might get in the next 6 months, to take as a precaution- ie. baby laxatives, reflux medicine, etc. Do you guys have any suggestions for particulars I should ask her?

Thanks

Sarah

I don't think that she will do that. Luckily though the pharmacies in Morocco aren't like here. You walk in and tell them what your ailment is and they give you the medicine that you need as well as dosing instructions. Especially being in Casablanca, I would think that you will be in good hands.

I don't know how they are with their vaccinations and schedules. Have you checked into that?

Can I join this page?

Sara...Malek calls Ayman honey, habibi, Ayman, Dady, Baby and Aymee poo. LOL...the list keeps growing. He started calling me Mom and I correct him its Mama or Mommy to you mister!

I had a c-section from hell with Malek that a lot of you already know about. My husabnd wasn't here yet and I remember being stuck in the bed and kind of scooting out of it to get the baby out of the bassinet. I wanted to call 911 to get a crane and get me out of the bed.

Bless your heart, I had an emergency c-section with Mehdi and it was the WORST experience of my life. I have to have a repeat because the hospital has a no VBAC policy and I am dreading it so much. With the emergency c-section I had to be put to sleep because I wasn't getting totally numb. I woke up from the surgery feeling like someone had poured gasoline on my stomach and lit a match. It was so painful. I have heard that the planned c-sections aren't so bad so I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Can I join this page?

Sara...Malek calls Ayman honey, habibi, Ayman, Dady, Baby and Aymee poo. LOL...the list keeps growing. He started calling me Mom and I correct him its Mama or Mommy to you mister!

I had a c-section from hell with Malek that a lot of you already know about. My husabnd wasn't here yet and I remember being stuck in the bed and kind of scooting out of it to get the baby out of the bassinet. I wanted to call 911 to get a crane and get me out of the bed.

LOL

aaah memories.

that description almost made me laugh because I remember doing that exact same move. the WORST was when I was still in the hospital and my husband put on an Alec Baldwin movie. that guy makes me laugh just looking at him. I had a pillow clutched to my abdomen and was trying SO HARD not to laugh because it hurt so bad - I ended up begging Adnan to change it.

Amirah calls him Daddy and Honey interchangeable ( I guess I didnt realize how often I address him as honey..)

its pretty cute. she refers to him as her Honey.

Those first few days after a c-section are very painful I know....I am an Alec Baldwin fan too, especially his old SNL skits, he's hilarious.

How sweet that she calls him honey! I bet that makes his heart melt.

Whoa lady you are tough! I had my kids via ummm not C-section lol (I don't want to say traditionally!) and that first week I was a hurting unit - no way would I have been moving to get that little critter - he had to be delivered to me!

Co-sleeping, we don't/didn't do it. Little guy was in our bedroom for a little while but in his bassinet and then moved to his crib and room around 2 months. Our biggest struggle was getting mommied out and my husband feeling like the 5th wheel over the kids. We had a rough patch after our youngest. A lot of ppl like co-sleeping but for me/us nuh uh...

Well you have to toughen up when you don't have any help! I wish that he would have been more help to me those first few weeks. I am giving him an ultimatum about helping out with this one, especially right after we come home. Those first couple weeks are exhausting!

sometimes, a firm pillow pressed up nice and snug to your abdomen can help you get out of bed a little less painfully. i used this trick a lot to help patients get out of bed post-surgery, as well as for myself, and it really can help.

Thanks, I'll try that this time. I was also thinking about propping myself up alot when I sleep so that I might can get into a sitting position a little easier to get up.

I just noticed from some other RFE threads that I may not have sent official tax transcripts, instead I sent copies of official transcripts. That's probably the problem! Oh well...enough with my hijacking! Really happy for all the approvals! I've tried to add myself to the list several times, but this ole brain just cannot comprehend!

That is weird because I sent the copies also. I just saw your timeline in your siggie and bless your heart. You have really been through it with the ROC! I'm hoping that you get a fast approval after this RFE is cleared up. Good luck!