Weekend in Sint Maarten March 30, 2008
Posted by Emily in : Family, Islands, My Handsome Husband, Pregnancy, Princess Hannah, Saba , 2commentsApparently, I’m a celebrity on Sint Maarten. Well, at least I think I know how a celebrity must feel when people know their name, things they like, their kid’s name, food preferences, you know, personal stuff. David and I LOVE eating breakfast at this French Bakery which ironically is on the Dutch side of Sint Maarten. When we walked in, the clerk welcomed us, asked us how things were on Saba, and wanted to know how old Hannah was. I looked at David (who was studying the menu) and asked him, “Do we know her?”
David and I must have looked deep in thought while we looked over the menu in pursuit of ordering the perfect breakfast item when she looked over to us and pointed out the crepe we like to order. The restaurant was bustling with a lot of hungry customers and I thought, “Seriously, we must know her.”
So maybe we have eaten there one too many times, or maybe we ALWAYS order the same thing. Or maybe, JUST MAYBE, she remembered us from when I was in labor with Hannah and my last dying wish (hoping I survived the labor and delivery) was to eat a fruit crepe from this particular French Bakery. Maybe women in labor look different from the average tourist. Maybe it was the look of DEATH on my face that made our family so memorable. And, maybe it’s because we ALWAYS eat there. MAYBE.
We stayed at Mary’s Boon. We really like this hotel because it is beautiful, has great beach access, and has a nice pool. We have stayed there probably as many times as we have eaten at the French Bakery. All I’m saying is I can’t remember how many times. It’s just a lot. When we arrived, the maintenance guy welcomed us like you would welcome an old friend staying at your house. He was surprised at how much Hannah had grown and he remembered which room we stayed in when Hannah was born. IS THAT WEIRD? Because I kind of thought it was. I mean, I certainly remember the room we stayed in, but not the room number! So I was thinking about why the maintenance guy remembers us. Is it because we are high maintenance? Do I make a lot of demands? Does it bother me if the A/C isn’t working correctly or the TV has problems? YES. We are memorable indeed.
Moving on to the hospital. The hospital is more like a walk-in clinic where no one has an appointment. It is on a first come, first serve basis. Except for me. I like to make an appointment. I think it is the American blood in me that likes to be special, you know, waltz in and see the Doctor. I called the Doctor on his cell phone four weeks ago to make an appointment. Then, I confirmed our appointment the day before. You know, so I wouldn’t have to waste HALF THE DAY sitting in a non air conditioned hospital hallway waiting for an ultrasound.
When I arrived, I checked in with the nurse who I ACTUALLY REMEMBER from when I was pregnant with Hannah for her less than helpful, positive attitude. I was about to sign in when she looked up at me and said, “NO! I KNOW YOU HERE!”
YIKES. Word must have traveled fast that I was there and I DID NOT WANT TO WAIT. I had to wait for almost an hour, but that is practically seeing the doctor right away in Caribbean time. The good news is that I LOVE the O.B. that delivered Hannah. I wish I could package him up and take him back to the states and hire him to deliver this kid. This is probably the high maintenance side of me thinking, but it is nice to know that somewhere, deep down inside, I still have certain standards.
Enough about that.
We throughly enjoyed the beach and Hannah was in heaven! Not only was there a beach with lots and lots of water, but there was a pool! Do you want to know what David and I heard all day, every day, multiple times a day? “SWINGING? SWINGING? SWINGING?” Because Hannah only has one thing on her mind. EVER. SWIMMING.
Hannah and her daddy go out to test the water . . . (check out how cute she looks in pig tails!)
Hannah has to watch all the “bubbles” (sea foam) come in and then she has to talk about them for a few minutes before she gets in the water. (check out her thighs! So cute!)
They are ready to test out the water. Check out David’s great tan lines. If you are wondering how you can get a great farmer’s tan like the one he is sporting, MOVE TO THE CARIBBEAN and STUDY all the time. If he had a dark, even tan all over his back and chest, I would SERIOUSLY wonder if he was in medical school.
The water was wonderful (around 83 degrees) and I started to feel a little left out, so I put the camera down joined them.
Hannah needed a breather. “SWINGING!!!” in the ocean is BIG WORK!
Okay, I KNOW this is very daring of me to post a bathing suit picture. But hey, I can’t always hide from the camera. I want Hannah to know that her daddy wasn’t the only one who played with her! Plus, when you’re pregnant, you can’t be responsible for how you look. It’s like “Hey, I’m pregnant. I can’t control this condition that is taking over my body and making me big ALL OVER. I know this kid is only in my belly, but maybe my legs, arms, and butt are pregnant too! I CAN’T CONTROL THIS CONDITION THAT IS TAKING OVER MY BODY.” It’s very invigorating to be able to say that.
I’m sad we won’t be visiting this beautiful island again for a long time. We have such great memories there. These pictures will just have to saciate my desire over the next 20 years until we make it back.
