Our second child's name

Well, since we've told lots of people by now and the name has definitely stuck, I thought I'd share it with the world. We are going to name baby #2 Kyyam, after the famous 11th Century Persian scholar, poet, and scientist, Omar Khayyam. We found the alternate Western spelling and chose it for its relative simplicity in spelling and pronunciation. In an effort to match Cyrus' name in import and Persian historical relevance, we decided that Kyyam was the best and could easily be shortened to Ky, a name we also like. When we read about Omar Khayyam, we were struck by how ahead of his time he was and how much he contributed to both the literary and scientific worlds.

We really thought coming up with a boy's name that satisfied us both would take a long time, but we decided on Kyyam the very night I came home and told Gabriel we were having another boy. It was something we'd already tossed around, so we just had to discuss it seriously before it really seemed like this was the name. A month later, we still like it. So, Baby Ky is on his way in less than 5 months, and we can't wait.

We don't have a middle name yet, but that'll probably only be decided at the end, since it's primarily Gabriel's decision, and he's in no hurry.

-Shirin

Pictures from last weekend

Last weekend, my parents came for a visit and, then on our extra day off (MLK day), we went over to Denise and Nowell's house for dinner, games, and to watch our kids play together. Cailyn and Cyrus have been buddies since they were tiny babies and still see each other every day at daycare. They had a lot of fun in Cailyn's sandbox and taking a bath together (Cyrus' first bath with anyone besides us). It was also nice to realize that we four adults could actually sit down fairly uninterrupted and play a whole game together while the children were still awake. It's the first time we haven't had to wait til they were sleeping to play or struggle a lot to keep them happy while trying to play at the same time. Ahh...too bad we'll be destroying that hard-earned capability with baby #2 soon. Guess we'll give him the same amount of time to improve as we did with Cyrus. Hopefully, they'll be playing by the time they are 1 and 3 years old, so we can have a little more freedom once more.
-Shirin

Cyrus loves to be read to. It's really one of the best ways we teach him new words and concepts, but he also just thinks it's fun and entertaining. He and Grandma did quite a bit of it over last weekend.

She had his undivided attention.

Later, Baba taught him how to hammer something. Cyrus loves to use Baba's tools anytime he's fixing something.

Helping Baba use the screwdriver.

Yay! The Arctic air has moved on by, and we are finally able to play outside again. Of course, now the rains have started, so it's quite muddy out there.

Monday happened to be pretty warm and dry, thankfully. So, Denise pulled out the sandbox and the kids had a great time. The big thing was to transfer sand from the box to a smaller container and then dump it out.

Denise and I took pictures, while Nowell and Gabriel talked about computer-y things.

At the end of the game, we took a break to give them their baths...together. It was so cute. I can't wait to have two babies to bathe all the time.

Laughing at Nowell.

Something was funny.

Ahhh, all warm and snuggled into their towels.

Back home another day, playing with his duck.

Haircuts, computers, and life

Well, other than finding out about me passing boards, our life has been the same as usual in most ways. We are enjoying our child, planning for the next one, thinking about our future with me as a soon-to-be vet, and trying to live good lives. Same old, same old. After Christmas break, my rotations have been less strenuous and time-consuming than before, so I've had more time to cook, clean, and be a real person. I'm on Dermatology, which is a very important rotation for practical medicine out in the world (lots of dogs/cats have fleas, mites, allergies, lumps, etc), but it also has an amazingly light schedule compared to average clinical schedules. I've been able to pick Cyrus up a little early from his babysitter's house every day. It's been a lot of fun.
Here are some pictures of me doing very mundane things: giving both of the boys in my house haircuts after we got back from Christmas break! :)
-Shirin

Trimming his hair for the 3rd time in his life. I'm getting better at it.

I obviously have no training in this at all. I just get his hair in between my fingers and cut!

Meanwhile, he's rapt watching himself on YouTube and lets me do whatever I want. I use that trick for trimming his nails too.

I guess if I hadn't passed boards, I could've pursued a hair stylist's degree. It's kind of fun and artistic.

Now, on to my mountain man of a husband. Boy, was he hairy!

Will we stop here?

Nope! There's my clean-cut hubby!

Here's the latest computer Gabriel's built. He does it on the side for money and fun. I don't mind at all, except for all the electronics everywhere. When we get a new house one day, we both really want him to have a "work room/office" so we'll both be happy.

The scores are in

I PASSED!!!!

Boards scores

Boards scores are coming in as I write. They are being e-mailed alphabetically, which means that I might hear my score today and I might not. Last year, they got through the H's before calling it a day and not starting back with the e-mailing until the next day. Right now, the e-mails have gotten through the H's (around 2 PM). I'm hoping there aren't enough I's, J's, K's, or L's to fill up the rest of the day.
If I find out that I passed by tonight, I'll let you know.
-Shirin

Videos from this weekend

My parents came for a visit and I got a few videos of Cyrus interacting with his Baba and Grandma. He learned animal sounds from my mom and how to use tools from my dad. It was fun.

-Shirin

"Run, Banana, run!" This was actually last week before my parents got here. Cyrus likes to wear his Halloween costume every now and then.




This is a long video, but it's cute. My mom and Cyrus are talking all about animals.




Counting objects together.




This shows my dad fixing our rocking chair and Cyrus rapt with what Baba is doing. He really likes tools and learned to hammer and use a screwdriver this weekend.




This is my mom teaching pushing and pulling. He loves to say the word "push" already, because it means we will push him around in whatever object he's climbed into at the moment. Pull was a little more challenging.

Finally, some Christmas photos from FL

I still haven't found my camera cord, but my mom had her card reader with her this weekend, so I got to download the photos. Here they are from our second Christmas celebration. We were in FL with Gabriel's family and had a lovely time.

-Shirin

Celebrating a late Christmas with Gabriel's family.

Cyrus playing with some new toys in the living room.

More new toys to play with.

Morgan came to stay with Grandma and Pap pap for a few days, so he and Cyrus got to become the best of buddies for a while. Here they are raiding the shoe basket.

Then, they found Pap pap so he could show them the jack-in-a-box.

Then, over to the mini-John Deere to play together.

Cyrus might be trying to squish Morgan here.

Across the street, the neighbors have a great playground they let us visit.

The boys particularly enjoyed the little play house. JUMP!

Hello! Just hanging out inside our house.

Yay! Visitors!

We were glad to get to see Janice and Casey for a little while when they came by to pick Morgan up. It was too bad we didn't see them for longer.

Brendan was there for more time, since he stayed home for most of his x-mas break. Here he is watching Cyrus' wrestling moves.

Cyrus getting lessons from Uncle Tio on putting his daddy in an arm bar (ju-jitsu move).

Our last night there, Gene took us to a great Chinese buffet. Cyrus liked the tofu, fruit, and spring rolls.

I always seem to cut off Gabriel's head when I hold the camera myself. Well, here we were waiting in the car for his parents to get there after dinner. We were laughing about something, obviously.

Getting close to the end

That's right, folks. Today is the last day of my latest rotation, Anesthesia. I am on-call all day Sunday, but I'm off the rest of the weekend, thank goodness. I am looking forward to my next rotation, Dermatology, which has late morning starting times and early afternoon leaving times and three day weekends. I'm not going to know what to do with myself. It's really true. I've spent so little time doing anything for fun in the last year that I feel like I've forgotten what I like to do. I'm sure I'll figure it out, even if it's as simple as taking a nap or reading a book. How exciting!
Now that I'm really seeing the light at the end of the tunnel as far as vet school is concerned, the issues of getting a job is brought up. We plan to stay in Athens for now, probably for the next couple of years, since we own our condo, we have no money, Gabriel has a good job, and so that G can continue taking more Comp Sci classes for free at UGA. Unfortunately, I'm sure there are better veterinary job opportunities in other places, but for now I need to settle for Athens. We actually have great vets in town, but the market seems a little flooded and I don't think the pay is what it would be somewhere else. However, my main goals right now are to become a good vet and to be able to be a good mom to my two boys, especially with staying home and breastfeeding/pumping for the new baby, which I think I can as easily here as anywhere else.
So, I need to get my butt in gear, probably on this next rotation where I'll have lots of time and get my resume in order to be sent out. I have a CV already, but it's too long and I need to decide what to cut out of it. I'm getting excited about the end...it means I'll start to make money, start to be a "real" vet, and start to live a new kind of life, where I don't have tests or exams or on-call shifts, unless I want them. I also just love the field I've chosen and know that I'll love being Dr Modaresi and helping pets all day long. I can't wait.
-Shirin

Pregnancy update

Hello all. I am now at 17 weeks pregnant and doing great. I am feeling well, not sick at all, and full of energy. I'm able to eat healthfully again, since there's no more nausea or food aversions, and enjoy my family/life since I am no longer fatigued. Clinics are going well, with just a few things I have to avoid (chemo, radiation, lifting, etc) and I think this second kid is going to work.
We think we have picked a name, but we are still staying quiet about it for now. We will tell everyone eventually. I will just say it is a name that makes us both happy, fulfills both our requirements for a name, and compliments Cyrus' well in meaning and importance. Ultimately, parents just have to be happy about their kids' names, I guess, and I think we are. More on the details later...
I will have my big, important ultrasound in 2 weeks exactly to determine that the baby is normal and OK in all ways they can measure. Last time, he was already measuring large (like Cyrus did), so I anticipate finding out he is still measuring ahead of the curve. Guess I'm destined to have those big Beal babies like Gabriel's mom did. At least we know I can do it now.
-Shirin

A familiar sight from 2 years ago. I can only sleep on my sides at this point, which stinks b/c I'm a back-sleeper, but otherwise, I feel great.

This is an illustration of what a 17 week fetus is looking like. He's starting to turn cartilage to bone, move all his joints, develop his hearing, and is about 5 oz in weight. He'll be putting on more fat and getting much bigger every week. I can't believe I'm growing another one of these guys, but it's one of the most common things that all our moms did before us, really (even with two babies, in my mom's case).

Happy Birthdays and Happy Anniversary!

Today is a busy day in the Modaresi-Beal family. Four years ago today, Gabriel and I were legally married by the courthouse in York County. I love you, Bubsy.

Today also marks the birthdays of my favorite mother-in-law and favorite sister-in-law. Happy Birthday ladies! Hope you get treated like the special women that you are.

Much love to all parties involved,

-Shirin

A weekend and life update

You will all be happy to know that instead of complaining that I still don't have a camera cord for my computer, Gabriel has ordered me a card reader for my camera that I am eagerly awaiting. Until then, I've taken a few photos on my phone.

This weekend, I was off on Saturday and on-call Sunday. One thing I like about my current rotation, Anesthesia, is that I don't actually have in-patients to take care of or write SOAPs for. That means I do my work and go home. I am also on-call some nights and weekends, but only for emergency surgeries and so far I haven't had to go in for any. I will absolutely HATE being called-in in the middle of the night...the idea of crawling out of my warm bed to go to my cold car and drive to the hospital like a zombie makes me shudder. So far, it hasn't happened.

So, I had a regular weekend any young mom might: I did laundry, went grocery shopping, played with Cyrus, and cooked all our meals for the week. My cooking healthy food is something that has really suffered during my year of clinical rotations, and I'm happy to say that my fridge is finally full of fruits and veggies made into healthy meals for the first time in a long while. I made Asian stew, egg salad, tofu noodle salad, pasta casserole, and washed some fruit for the week. I also actually got a handle on the clothes situation in my house and did all the laundry (for all three of us) and finally feel caught up on cleaning. Whew! I need a full-time maid and chef.

We also did some fun stuff. Gabriel and I went on our 4th anniversary date on Saturday night (the real anniversary is Monday) by going out to dinner while Cyrus was baby-sat by G's co-worker. We also had Brendan and his friend, David R, over for dinner tonight and, earlier today, Cyrus and I went over to Kim & Solan's house for a play date.

It was a good weekend by all accounts, and I'm heading to bed now and getting ready for my last week on Anesthesia. I can actually name by memory all the rest of my rotations til I graduate: Dermatology, Ophthalmology, Behavior, Cardiology, and a shelter medicine externship. Voila...done! Amazing.

-Shirin

They are finally able to take directions pretty well: sit still and smile.

Somehow, they changed places. Those boys were running around everywhere!

I went into Solan's room and found them both jumping and laughing like crazy in Solan's crib. I don't have a picture where one of them isn't blurry, b/c I couldn't get them both to hold still at the same time. Silly boys.

Some time last week, Cyrus and I went by to see Daddy at work and Cyrus thought he'd try to manage the front office of the vet hospital for a while.

Home with the family

I have a whole day off today, so I am really excited to just spend time with my family and try to clean up. We also just got a new foster kitty for a few days. She was outside the home of a nice lady who was too allergic to take her in and was worried about the cold weather. So, we just took her until she could find her a home and she already has one starting Sunday. It's actually another vet student who I don't know because she's 2 years behind me, but I'm glad she's going to a good place. Here are some videos and pictures. I still don't have my camera cord, so we are using Gabriel's phone for all media, and we've had some complications.
-Shirin

It's a boy!

Well, folks, it's official. Cyrus is getting a little brother. I am not having my official ultrasound until 3 weeks from now at 19 weeks along, but my wonderful doctor could tell how much I needed to know the sex at my appointment today and let me just get a quick peek. Luckily, Mr Baby was lying just right, so it took all of a few seconds to find his manly parts.

Guess I won't have to get any extra clothes, although a lot of the clothes I had when Cyrus was young belonged to a friend of mine to whom I've since returned them. I still think I probably have enough onsies to get by if the boys are roughly the same size at birth (second babies are actually supposed to be bigger, so let's hope I can actually push this one out).

I know Gabriel and I were both a little hopeful we might have a girl this time, but it's impossible to be disappointed once you find out who the next member of your family will be. I love my little Cyrus, so now I'll get a second little guy to love, and I can't wait.

Well, I can wait til I graduate to start the night time nursing sessions, actually, but I am getting very excited about it all. I still have to wait a few weeks for the ultrasound evaluation to show that everything is normal. I sure hope so.

Gabriel and I haven't agreed on boy's names AT ALL so far, so wish us luck in our endeavor over the next 5 months to pick out a good name that suits us both.

-Shirin

This is a butt shot. The arrow shows two balls and a penis.

He still looks a little like an alien, but he'll get bigger and chubbier and start looking more babyish in the next few months.