What's in a Name

Rob and I had agreed straight away on a name for a baby girl - Asha May - really pretty name and somewhat relevant to the region that she would have been born in ... Only problem is we're having a boy and who would have thought coming up with the right name, that feels right, fits right, looks right would be so friggin hard.

A long list of names i loved by Rob hated - Eiden (He will be born during Ramadan after all), Arkie (it was good enough for the Body), Leo/Levi (Rob's not having his son named after an American brand of jeans and I can't blame him) we're shall we say a little stuck.

Rob LOVES and I mean LOVES Aston ... as it Martin, with his tenuous english connection to James Bond 007. And I like it because he loves it, and it's unusual and most importantly MEANS SOMETHING to Rob. As an adult, Aston sounds cool. I'm just a little worried about the 10 years between 5 and 15. Will he get called Arse or Asto or Arso at school. Considering his schooling will most likely be in Sydney, do we need to fork out for the poshest school on the block just so the kids are not going to be encouraged to give him a razz for his name ... or do we teach him the art of streetfighting at a very young age so he can stand behind the name without regret.

In a complete u-turn we do like Tomas ... but every other child it seems is being named Thomas at the moment so urk. We also don't mind Art or more specifically Art Aston Dales ... I think it has a nice ring to it. Well in a few months we'll know I suppose.

25 Weeks with Syria Belly

We've now added Syria belly to our pregnancy experience. After deciding it would be a great idea to catch a short break before the baby is born (15 weeks and counting) we jetted off to Damascus in Syria for a four day weekend.

Ill, doesn't quiet explain how I've felt in the 14 days since we've returned. I have lost almost 2kg since my last weigh in a month ago - however this doesn't appear to be a concern, while ever the baby keeps growing. Which he is! As the carrier I rate scantly on the care factor chart provided the cargo is kept healthy. Which really is all that's important to us as well.

Despite the image attached Syria was a hoot, not the axis of evil the western worlds proclaim but a poor, hardworking nation ... without any oil. People live on just a few dollars a day and the city of Damascus, which is 4000 years old ... felt every inch as old as it is. People live in the most condemed buildings you can possibly imagine, that if you squint, you can maybe glimpse an element of the french inspired architecture in their design.

The people were lovely. SO friendly and interested in us ... though not many people we spoke to had heard of Australia, and others kept confusing it for Austria.

We've been invited back by the Hotel Driver to have our baby christened in the oldest church in Damascus - we have his card and just need to call him to organise it all apparently.

Rob, not particularly familar with religion, did not look all that interested. And the thought of having to go into another convent/church/old relic building whether it be now, or in 15 weeks, I could see really didn't appeal. Especially after our two days driving around Ma'Lula and Palymra ... via visits to three separate convents, it seems to have been enough for him.

Back in Dubai and the beginings of heart-burn starting to affect my sense of well being as well. I am not one of these mother earth women, blossoming in the joys of pregnancy. I'm really not enjoying what it does to my body, and with the onset of digestive disaster in the past two weeks, suspect the next three months will be SO NOT FUN.

Dont' get me wrong, I am always relieved to feel our baby kicking and prodding me, and hope for the very best for him, hope he is healthy... that he doesn't have my deaf ears or his dad's bad eyes, and that for all my wild ways and recent efforts to control, moderate and monitor my behaviour in the past 5 months, I haven't left it too late and he will not suffer any effects of what has to be the world's most undisciplined mother to be.