Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Ex-MTV veejay Kristiane Backer



I've been asking Kristiane Backer for an update for a while now, but she prefers me to upload her personal profile from her website (something I'm not comfortable with). Anyway, those of you who want to read about Kristiane indepth, check out the Kristiane Backer website.
She has become a licenced homeopath. For more info on that, go to her energy-for-health website.

Seeing as I don't have a proper update from her I'll just post her most recent email to me....

Hi Simone

Congratulations to your Valentines boy!Well done! Looks like you are having a fab life out there...

I have to tell you that I think the best and most personal profile is the one that I wrote for my own website. I have no other great news to report at the moment and would be delighted if you could just put up that very personal profile I wrote which explains how I got into homeopathy and also shows all my pictures lots of old ones but also some recent ones.

But right now I have nothing new to report except on the media front I am developing TV concepts and have landed a gig on QVC otherwise do voice overs and host galas/ award ceremonies. I also treat patients with homeopathy, it is extremely effective and has healed my hay fever- that is how I got into it as you can read.

Wishing you really well and if I have any spectacular news I shall let you know.

Take care and send some sunshine it is still freezing here in London.
Lots of love, Kristiane

Sunday, February 26, 2006

So much to do

Living in Belmopan is just so civilized. We have cable television, DSL Internet, shops that are open till 8 o’clock in the evening and there are tennis and basketball courts around the corner. As it’s a concrete house, it’s nice and cool. There are no creepy crawlies, very few mosquitoes (the town sprays against them), no snakes and (best of all) bin men to collect your garbage!

Living at the Dome is more like being in the Wild West in comparison. You have to rely on yourself and your neighbors for so many things. Finding your own solutions to waste disposal, catching snakes, scorpions, tarantulas, putting out your own fires (we once waited all night for the fire brigade…they never showed up) & now the police asked us for a ‘contribution’ to buy a car and supply it with gas, to patrol our area more.

So again, we’ve come to the conclusion that we’re better off relying on ourselves and on our direct neighbors, even for something like security. It seems to be the best system when you live ‘out in the sticks’ like us.

So that makes our list of what we’re up to at the moment look like this:

  • Take care of a toddler and a newborn
  • Expand our resort with 2 extra rooms (in what used to be our living space)
  • Build our own house
  • Look after our guests every day (we’re fully booked most of the time)
  • Buy back our old store in San Ignacio (The Green Dragon)
  • Revamp our http://www.greendragonbelize.com/ website. Making it a separate entity from the Belize Jungle Dome, as the travel agency ‘Green Dragon Adventure Travel’
  • Sort out the deal with our future business partners Tom & Marge
  • Set up security systems for the local area with our neighbors



Seeing as my job is pretty much limited to childcare at the moment, you can imagine how busy Andy and Karen are. Hopefully I’ll be able to contribute more soon, but I don’t want to rush myself and/or Aidan. So we are spending lots of quality time together, getting to know each other and getting in ‘a rhythm’.

Today Andy & Lucas have joined our guests on a Kayaking trip & I’m in quiet old Belmopan with a sleeping baby one arm, trying to type with the other hand. All is well….



Building work at the Dome. Hard to believe that in this space there will be a bautiful suite soon.


Our old bathroom is getting revamped too.


Can you believe that this used to be our kitchen? What a mess...

Friday, February 17, 2006

The birth

Our little Valentines boy was born on Tuesday the 14th of February, at 11.37am.

The whole experience was rather surreal. I had been to my doctor the night before and was told that everything seemed to be ready for the birth. He expected that it would happen within the next day or so (as a matter of fact, he was even surprised that the contractions hadn’t started yet). Still, there also was a slight chance that the baby would hang on in there for a few more days.

As my sister Miriam was going to leave Belize on Wednesday the 15th, the doctor suggested that I could take a tiny part of this tablet that helps to start up contractions. That way, my sister could be there for the birth. Miriam and I looked at each other and just giggled. We got so excited! I could go into labor within the next 24 hours guaranteed! How cool was that?

After talking it through with the doctor and making sure that it wasn’t going to harm the baby, I decided to go for it. You should have seen Andy’s face when I told him (he had stayed home to look after Lucas). It was hard to sleep that night, but we somehow managed.

So, on Tuesday morning I strolled over to Dr. Raju’s house & was given the tablet at 7.45am. The contractions started at about 9am, we went to the clinic at 9.30am and at 11.37am to baby was here. Absolutely incredible!

Apart from that tablet to start up the contractions, I didn’t take any other drug or painkiller. I didn’t take anything for Lucas’ birth and was convinced that I could do it again.

This birth was easier in a way, as it was so much quicker. It was also more challenging as I got very little time in between contractions to gather my strength. Also, Lucas only weighed 6 ½ pounds & this baby weighed 8 ¼ pounds.

Throughout the birthing experience I stayed very calm and collected, up to the point when his head came out. That’s when I realized that I couldn’t do this. I felt like someone was splitting me in half. I wanted to run, stop the whole thing, and screamed like I’ve never screamed before. “Pull him out, pull him out!” I demanded and begged. Once I realized that no one could do it for me, something ancient and animalistic took over. I really felt like some kind of cave woman and experienced a rage that could light the fires in hell. It was this rage that gave me the power to push him out.

I tell you, having babies is tough. But it also shows you how much you’re actually capable of. So, even though giving birth is hard, I would still chose a natural birth any time. I mean, you are there with him 100% from the minute that he is born. No groggyness…nothing. At about 5 o’clock that afternoon I walked out of the clinic with our new little angel in my arms. You can also see from the pictures that Andy posted that we all looked happy and relaxed from the minute we came home that day. I doubt that I would have re-couperated that fast if I had been drugged up.

So, all in all, the whole thing got done pretty much within one working day (in the office by 9.30 out by 5). The baby was even born before lunch, giving Dr. Raju the chance to buy chicken, rice and beans for us all on the market to celebrate.

Oh, and we've decided to name him:

Aidan Terence Ronald Hunt (middle names are the names of his 2 grandfathers)

So, welcome little Aidan. We're so happy you're here.

Wednesday, February 15, 2006


And an even bigger family picture with babies older brother Lucas.

Miriam holding the new baby. Simone is resting up and will put all the news on the blog over the next few days. yeeeaahhh. Andy

Miriam (Simones sister) here for the birth.

Just Born

Happy Family

I have hijacked Simones Blog to put some pictures of the new baby. More will come over the next few days. 8 1/4 lbs. What a beauty!!

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

I think it's time....

Well, I believe the contractions have started. I'm off to the clinic. Will blog about it in the coming days. Maybe Andy will blog before me on the Escribbler blog.

Wish me luck!

And happy Valentines Day!!!!!

Sunday, February 12, 2006

Latest pics...


Happy Valentines day everybody!!!!




Will this have been my last dip in a maternity swimsuit? I do hope so.

Been dancing and jumping around the house today with Miriam to urge this boy out, but nothing's happening.....

Saturday, February 11, 2006

Strange days....


Miriam (my sister) arrived here on the 8th and has joined us in the waiting game. Still no baby. My actual due date is on Valentines day, which is next tuesday. So he should be here soon. I've gotten to the point where I have almost stopped believing that this baby will ever be born. He is giving me no more signs now of wanting to come out soon. And to think that he gave us our first scare when I was only 7 or 8 months pregnant....he must be quite a trickster.

In the meantime, there have been some rather strange and unexpected business developments. I can't yet say what's going on, as we're still sorting out the details. But hopefully I can tell all in a few days. What it means though is that our heads have been running over. With the resort expanding, construction on our house starting in the next few weeks, our new business partners arriving soon, the baby, etc. etc. It's all a bit much. Still, anything is better than being bored in my books.
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