My Ameer is Finally Here

My new bundle of joy, Ameer, arrived to this world on the 4th of December 2011 at around 18:45, 18 hours after arriving at the hospital. I was 37 weeks and 5 days pregnant. I didn't see that coming that soon, but it was a great surprise and a great relief indeed :D

My mom was supposed to arrive from Lebanon on the same day, so hubby had to leave me to pick her up from the airport. Yes, I was left all alone in the delivery room when I was expected to deliver my baby at any moment. I felt bad, really bad, miserable to be more specific, and I cried and cried.. I felt so unlucky for not having any family or friends around, especially at such moments. But finally mom arrived a couple of hours before delivery, she came directly to the hospital and stayed with me the whole time while hubby had to stay outside with Kareem. I almost had a breakdown when I saw them coming and thanked God they made it before the baby did. Otherwise I don't know what would have I done without them. After delivery I forgot all about what I've been through, and felt that I'm the luckiest woman EVER for having such a mom, hubby and children.  May God protect them all, amen.

Ameer is such a gorgeous baby mashAllah. He spends most of his time sleeping, giving me enough time to sleep, do housework, spend some quality time with his brother, and even go out. This time, I feel more confident and more comfortable in dealing with a newborn, since I've been through all this before.

Kareem loves his brother, but he's a bit jealous of him, which is quit normal and expected. We're trying to give him as much attention as before, if not more, so that he doesn't feel any difference, still he goes crazy sometimes when we give the baby some attention.

My heart just melts when I look at my boys. I can't thank God enough for having such a bliss. Alhamdulillah :)

Kareem Going to School

 Sunday 18-9-2011was Kareem's  first day of school. He's still too young for KG1 (3 years two months old), but we thought that he can manage, at least academically, but socially we were not sure, still decided to give it a shot anyway. 

We've been preparing him for this day for a long time, telling him about school and all. We prepared him to the fact that parents don't stay with the children at school and all that.. Still we've been dreading this day for months now. We were sure that he'll cry his eyes out when we leave him at school because he's very attached to us, and is not used to be left with strangers for a long time now, especially that I've been jobless for more than a year, and he stopped going to the daycare since then.

Surprisingly, he was very  confident and excited on the first day of school. He did not cry at all. On the contrary, he was very happy and wanted to go there over and over again. On the second day he was also excited to go again to school. BUT on the third day he started nagging that he doesn't want to go there anymore! When I dropped him at school, he cried. Today (4th day) he also said that he doesn't want to go to school, but thankfully he didn't cry. It was me who cried this time. I've been holding my tears and struggling to stay calm and strong since the first day, but I couldn't take it anymore. I'm very attached to him, like he to me, and I'm not used to stay at home without him, it feels sooooo empty without him running around the house all day. Even when I worked for around a year and a half, Kareem used to stay with me in the nursery of the school I used to work at. We used to go together and come back home together, we were under the same roof and I could check on him at any time. So this time it is different, and more difficult, and being pregnant makes me even more emotional about the whole matter.

But what can we do. This is life and sooner or later he has to be given the chance to learn how to deal with things on his own. His teachers like him, and he seems to like them too. He's a good boy and actually makes me proud.

I keep checking the time and asking myself what is he doing now? Call me silly but I really wished they have a camera in his class to allow me watch what he's doing all day. Kareem, my precious, May God bless you and protect you always.

Its Blue again!

Well, e7em e7em, I hate to admit it but my feeling totally betrayed me this time. Maybe because I've always wanted to have a daughter, I kept having dreams that I'm holding a baby girl, which convinced me that what's growing inside my tummy is a girl. I even started to think of girls names...and was waiting impatiently to make sure of the gender to start buying pink stuff.... until it was time for an ultrasound that showed that I'm having a baby "boy"! I was shocked, to be honest, not that I don't want a boy, or that I object on God's will, but because of that "feeling", I was almost convinced that it's a girl. I'm still having those dreams by the way..

Anyway, alhamdulillah, I'm not sad or unsatisfied,  God knows I love him and want him as much as I've wanted a girl. The good part is that Kareem will have a "brother", which is cool. Kareem already calls him "akhoni".

And by the way, I'm halfway there, 20 more weeks to go..

It's Kareem's Third Birthday

Kareem is a bright boy mashAllah. I'm speaking from a teacher's point of view not a mom's by the way ;)
In the past year, I've been spending some time every now and then teaching him stuff. He can now identify all the English alphabet, uppercase and lowercase. He can count to 20, and read numbers up to 100. He can name most of the colors and shapes in Arabic and English, the names of  most animals, birds, vehicles, things, etc... also in both languages. I've just started introducing him to the Arabic alphabet. He recites four short Quraan surahs by heart. We do crafts every now and then, and he enjoys it. I think that his favorite toys are puzzles and trains. He likes balls and bicycles of course, a typical boy. His favorite dishes these days are spaghetti and french fries. He likes vegetables and fruits, thankfully. He's all ready to go to school after two months!!

My baby isn't a baby anymore. He's a big boy now, and is going to be a big brother soon inshAllah. Kareem turns three years old today. I can't believe how time flies! I still think of the moment I first laid my eyes on you as if it was yesterday. I can't tell you how much I LOVE you, how much I'm grateful to have you in my life. You're my joy and pride, the most precious gift I've ever had.  God bless you my dearest. Happy happy Birthdaaaaaaaaaaay, MWAAAH

Kareem and the Expected Baby

When we  told Kareem that we're expecting a baby, he didn't get it at first. It was important to let him know that there's a baby inside mommy's belly so that he stops kicking mommy there. We were really concerned that he might hurt me or the baby with his boyish way of playing, so that he becomes more careful. 

When he finally got it, he was surprised and pleased, and of course more careful not to hurt the baby. He said that he loves the baby and wants him to come soon to play with him. He keeps checking my growing belly and asking: there's a baby in there, right? I love him and he loves me, and we'll play together. He sometimes acts funny about it. Like once he saw me patting on my stomach, I often have a stomach pain :(, so he got angry and said "Mom, don't do that! You'll hurt the baby!" :@ haha

Once he was playing with his baby toy when he looked at me and asked: there's a baby in your belly just like this one, right? Yes dear, that's right. Then, let this one, pointing to the toy, enter your belly as well to stay with the other baby.

The funniest one so far was when he said yesterday: I also ate a baby, just like mommy did, it's here, inside my tummy. OMG, the boy thinks that I ATE a baby hahaha

Kareem is about to turn three, in less than a week :)

Pink or Blue?

I'm fifteen weeks pregnant now. We haven't discovered the gender of the baby yet,  as during the previous visit to the doctor the baby refused to reveal his/her goodies :D . Maybe we'll be able to know in the next visit. I'm one of those people who prefer to know the gender of the baby early. I don't know why exactly, maybe it has to do with the bonding thing or something, beside other things like shopping and names :D

Anyway, I have a "feeling" that it's a girl! Let's wait and see if my feeling is right this time too.

Kareem will have a brother/sister

We're expecting baby number two. I'm 13 weeks pregnant. My due date is on the 20th of December, 2011. Praying for an easy delivery and a healthy baby inshallah.

Zeeroteen and Oneteen

So Kareem already identifies the numbers from zero to ten, but after teaching him the numbers eleven to twenty, 10 becomes zeeroteen not to mention that 11 is oneteen! 

بدّي أفرح بشبابي

Kareem came to me once and said:" Mama, bedi afra7 bi shababi".

I was like, HUH??? Come again please! What have you just said???? o_O

Kareem: "bedi afra7 bi shababi!"

My God! What I heard was clear, no way to be mistaken, bedo yefra7 bi shababo??

I cracked up before remembering that it's that song on toyor el jannah that he used to watch in Jordan!

But for God's sake, among all the songs that he knows, why on earth did he choose this sentence in particular??

I still laugh my heart out every time I recall this incident.

Cookies

Kareem went to the kitchen and found me cutting biscotti logs. He asked: "Mom, what are you doing?" I said:" preparing cookies". He opened his eyes in disbelief and started crying. "I want to make cookies, I want to make cookies with youuuuu." He was sooooo mad, sad, and disappointed. I couldn't stand the looks in his eyes, and the tears, as if he was trying to say: HOW COULD YOU? HOW COULD YOU BAKE COOKIES WITHOUT ME!! THIS IS BETRAYAL, BACKSTABBING!!

Actually he's used to prepare cookies with me, cutting and decorating, he enjoys it. He couldn't believe that this time it wasn't the ordinary cookies that we usually prepare together.

I felt guilty, calmed him down and gave him a piece of biscotti to cut. He started cutting and eating, with tears still falling from his eyes, he said: Hmmmm, LATHEETHAH.

He drew a smile on my face, and his. :)

بهدوووووء

Kareem was playing today, preteding, and talking to his toys when I suddenly heard him saying: bi hodoo2

Huh? bi hodoo2? Never mind, I thought to myself, I must have misheard him. But he repeated it, bi hodoo2. Then I burst out laughing, wak ya maf3oos, where do u get such expressions from? bi hodoo2 2oltelli?

So, here's another word added to his "fos7a" dictionary. However, the most common fos7a word that Kareem uses is فقاعات (bubbles). He loves to see foqa3at, and to blow foqa3at, and to listen to the foqa3at song on Bara3m channel. And when he sees bubbles anywhere, especially at Early Learning Center, he gets all excited and starts screaming foqa3aaaaaaaaaat foqa3aaaat. I, myself, am not familiar with this term, 2al foqa3at 2al.

Good Boy

I was working on some tracing sheets with Kareem, and while explaining to him how he's supposed to hold the pencil and join the dots I said: hek, emshi 3al 5a6! So he stood up and literally walked on the paper. Meshi 3al 5a6, lol

Kareem turns Two

Kareem is growing and so is my love for him :)

My sweet boy will turn two in 4 days! July, 12, 2010 (but we actually had a party last month before he left the nursery :)

He speaks very well mashallah compared to his age.
He can count to 10 in both Arabic and English, knows a few colors and shapes, and can sing many nursery rhymes and children's songs in both languages.
His favorite show and favorite character ever is Barney. He also likes Dora, Obi, and Thomas, but Barney is number one.
His favorite dish is stuffed vine leaves. He eats it with passion actually, No wonder! :D He also, like most toddlers his age, likes rice with yogurt (loz laban), and french fries with sabbab (Ketchup).
He has many friends, they all love him, and he's the favorite of many of them.
They describe him at the nursery as the "classy" boy. Yeah right! See how classy he is at home, haha
I love to spend sometime watching him, do nothing but watch him, while playing, eating, sleeping... my most precious moments :)
I love his smell, even when he stinks :D
I love his smile, his laugh, his voice..
I love his eyes, especially when he laughs, I love his tiny mouth and nose, his cheeks are so edible and so are his toes, I so want to eat him alive!
I love how he runs to hug me
I love it when he kisses me saying 7abeebi mama, and when sympathizes with me and insists to kiss el wawa if he saw a tiny cut or sth. on my skin.
I love it when he starts singing spontaneously while playing and then hides his face with his hands when he discovers that we're listening to and watching him.
I love it when he's in a good mood and asks us to play some music so that he can dance :D
I like (and hate at the same time) how independent he is! He chooses what he wants to eat,and recently what he wants to wear, what he wants to watch or listen to, and where to go!
I like how clean he is, his hands have to always be clean even if he hasn't finished eating yet.
I love it when he learns and says a new word.
and I can go on and on...

Still, I hate how clingy he is sometimes and refuses to leave me even for five minutes.
I hate it when he gets sick
I hate it when he's moody and fussy and all my attempts to please him fail
I hate it when I lose my temper and yell at him or even adroboh diddeh on his hand
I hate that he learnt at the nursery to be possessive, and refuses sometimes to let anyone touch his things shouting: ELE (it's mine).

Katkotati, I can't really express how precious you are to me and how much I love you. May God protect you and keep you healthy and safe.
Happy birthday darling! Many many happy returns of the day, FA3ESSSSSSSSSSSSS

Khalto Diana

Guess what Kareem is calling me these days.
Khaltoo Dianaaaaaaaaaa, khalto Dianaaaaaaaaaa
He heard his cousins calling me that, so he liked the idea :D
Kareem is almost two years old now.
Am I back to blogging? Well, I hope so but I can't promise. I miss this place so much.

beeb beeeeeeb

As I mentioned before Kareem was sick for a while and I was extremely worried about his complete loss of appetite. He used to refuse any kind of food even the things that he usually likes and heartily eats. I tried different methods and different kinds of food to encourage him to eat, but in vain. He lost weight of course and the doctor said that everything will be OK soon so there's no need to worry. I couldn't of course but remain worried.
The other day, I was so desperate that I decided to buy him a doughnut, I wanted him to eat, anything, healthy or not, el mohem yakol, ay shi. And I thought that a doughnut would be tempting enough for him to take a bite or two. When I handed it to him, he took it, (OK that's a good sign since he refused even to hold the food back then , there is hope that he may give it a try, and then he will like it and eat it all, and I'll be very happy and this will make my day... and everyone will live happily ever after :p)
All these thoughts ran through my head like a flash while Kareem was examining the doughnut, and we were waiting eagerly for him to start eating, yalla.. bismillah.. but instead of putting it in his mouth he started turning it left and right, like a steering wheel, saying: beeb beeeeeeb

What Scares Kareemo

We took Kareem for his "second" haircut yesterday. And for the second time, he cried his eyes out. A boy just his age did a haircut before him and didn't cry at all. He was busy watching barney. Although Kareem LOVES barney and was dancing and enjoying the show while waiting for his turn, he couldn't sit still and all the attempts to distract him and convince him to relax and watch barney went in vain.
Did I mention that the first time I felt that Kareem needs a haircut I did the haircut myself? :D w 3ainkon ma tshoof sho kanat el nateejeh, HILARIOUS :D.. literally zigzag cause he kept moving his head. Yeah, I'm blaming it all on him, 3ala asas I'm a good hairdresser :D bas tab3an 7arramet.

Kareem is also scared of the sound of the vaccum cleaner and of shower heads, he never allows me to give him a bath using a shower, so I use a bucket :S and everytime I try to use the shower head which is more practical and easier to manage he starts screaming and trembling. I don't know what to do about it!

Biddi

Kareem has learnt the word biddi and it became the most frequent word that he uses these days.
Mama, biddi may (water), biddi byebye, biddi beeb beeb, biddi baba, biddi bish (potato chips), biddi koko (biscuits), biddi, biddi, biddi...

Random Thoughts

I feel so sorry and guilty for neglecting this blog. But what can I do? I have no time AT ALL to update it :(. However, I posted something here that included some updates about Kareem.
Anyway...
-Kareem is sick, he's been sick since a while actually. Cold and fever every couple of weeks. I know it's normal, and it happens to all children, but I hate to see him weak and cranky. And I'm worried about his loss of appetite.
-He talks a lot :D (Of course we understand a word or two) and repeats anything he hears. He is sooo CUTE mashAllah. I can barely stop myself from biting him.
-He's been a very peaceful and ahbal baby, and I was worried about that cause he never shows any attempt to defend himself whenever another baby attacks him or does anything wrong to him. Until out of a sudden, there was a HUGE change, he not only knows how to defend himself now, but he's the one who starts the fight sometimes :S
As much as I wanted him to stop being ahbal and learn how to defend himself, I don't feel comfortable about the whole matter anymore because he kind of zawadha. He's saying (and doing) too much "diddi" these days, even to us, me and his father. And I don't know what to do about it! I've been told to totally ignore him and things will get better by themselves. But I just can't, I need something faster and more efficient.
Struggling with behavior and displine already, eh? :D

Barefoot Kareem

It's been ages since I last wrote anything here!
Anyway, Kareem now enjoys playing with his feet. No more shoes for him cause he takes them off :D. He even takes his socks off!! The other day a man called us at the supermarket, he was saying something and pointing at the floor, we looked to find out that Kareem threw his socks there, lol

Lately, he not only plays with his feet, he puts them in his mouth and starts sucking his toes, hahaha, and he looks so cute when doing so :D

Starting Solids

Although it is advised not to give solid foods to babies under 6 months, I believe that some can be ready to move beyond milk-only nourishment at 4 or 5 months, depending on some signs of course.
I was planning to introduce solids to Kareem when he turns 4 months and see whether he's ready or not. The other day I was eating a banana and Kareem was looking at me when I suddenly thought, ok well, why not give it a try NOW :D so I mashed a little piece of the banana, about one tablespoon, and put a small amount in Kareem's mouth. At first he looked curious, as if trying to discover the new taste and texture, then he got excited and gave me signs that he liked it and wanted MORE, lol. The next day I got him rice cereal and I've been feeding him about one tablespoon a day and will increase the amount gradually. So, Kareem is ready and absolutely loves this new experience.