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.

Four Months

Kareem has turned four months old today. He now recognizes his mom and dad. He goos and coos and laughs out loud. He keeps watching his hands, playing with them and of course sucking them, sometimes both of them at the same time :D . He has just started reaching for objects and clasps his hands around them. Yesterday he was fascinated by the colors of Quality Street chocolates and was urged to snatch a piece and put it in his mouth!
Kareem now rolls over, one way, so I can't leave him unattended anymore. He loved it when he rolled over for the first time and got all excited. He LOVES to sit up, supported of course, enjoys and prefers the sitting position to lying down. He also enjoys his everyday walk with mom and dad.
Kareem is not a sociable baby anymore! He got used to being alone with mommy all the time and doesn't like it when we have guests or go for a visit, he gets fussy especially when he finds himself surrounded by strangers who want to take a look or take pictures.
Mommy is thinking of introducing solid food to Kareem sometime soon to see whether he's ready to have solids or not yet. For some reason, she thinks that he is.
Mommy says that Kareemo is a good boy, although he gives her some hard time sometimes. She keeps ef3asing him and eshfoting his cheeks! :D My precious little angel, happy four month birthday! God bless and protect you. Love you, love you, love you, love youuuuuuuuu

He Cried Himself to Sleep

So, since ever we came to this country, Kareem's sleeping habits have changed. Instead of getting better, they got worse! Why? Because he got used that whenever he wakes up at night, I rush to pick him up so that he doesn't cry and wake his daddy up. So instead of waking up one time at night as he used to do before, he now wakes up like every couple of hours, just like newborns!! This is making me really exhausted and sleepy all the day, and it's all my fault.

Last night he woke up three times, and in the forth time he didn' t want to go back to sleep. I tried for more than an hour to put him to sleep, and the moment I put him in his bed thinking that he finally fell asleep he feels that he's not with me anymore, wakes up and starts crying wanting me to pick him up again. Until I got really mad and thought to myself, Kareem is four months old now, isn't it time for sleep training? I think it is, and I'm gonna act immediately! So, I left the room, where Kareem was just about to start nagging and protesting, and went to check out some online articles that I've read before about baby sleep training. I had to reassure myself that what I was about to do was right. I have to teach him healthy sleep habits, to soothe himself to sleep, and sleep through the night, or at least not to wake up every couple of hours! This of course needs courage, patience and strength. I had to listen to his cries that were getting louder and louder and hold myself from picking him up immediately. I only went in every couple of minutes to pat and reassure him. It was heartbreaking to hear him cry like that, but I kept encouraging myself not to surrender and to be stronger and more patient, especially that I know that he needs nothing but being held. The process took more than half an hour, and Kareem finally fell asleep on his own for the first time. As much as I was glad that he did, I felt so sorry and guilty and began to cry myself, lol
Today morning, I kept kissing and hugging him asking him to forgive me :(
I know that this method needs consistency and once we started it we need to stick to it, and it's supposed to take a week or so until Kareem gets accustomed to fall asleep by his own and thus the mission of establishing good and healthy sleeping habits is accomplished. Please God help me.

Naughty Kareemo

Yesterday Kareem didn't want to leave me alone, he kept nagging all the time wanting me to pick him up. When I didn't listen, he started screaming and crying. At first I surrendered to his tears, they make me weak and guilty.. Then I decided to leave him cause I had to cook. His screaming made me nervous that instead of cutting the veggies, I ended up cutting my thumb. It was really difficult for me to continue preparing the food with an injured finger.

Kareem also woke up at about 3:30 am to eat, and decided not to sleep and was in the mood to play and laugh out loud. His laughing woke his dad up who stayed awake until he went to his job. I guess Ammar is thinking seriously of sleeping in the living room from now on :D

Kareem and Mom in Abu Dhabi

I've been worried recently about flying with Kareem and  kept praying that he doesn't cry much and make a scene on the plane. I also did my best to get him accept the bottle which he hates sooo much. We struggled for weeks until he eventually accepted it. Unfortunately, on the plane, and before taking off, he decided that he doesn't want to eat from the bottle at allllll! and the moment I put it in his mouth, he started screaming. I didn't know what to do. I gave it another try and again he started screaming. He was hungry and I had to come up with a way to feed him. Once he was full, he fell asleep and spent most of the journey sleeping. So, in general, Kareem was a good boy except for the bottle and screaming part.

Yesterday I was all alone with Kareem for the first time, with no one to help.. no baba and no teta. Kareem is not used to stay alone or leave me alone :D and I was wondering what am I supposed to do now that I have more responsibilities. But again, it was easier than I expected. I managed to do some housework and cook. I'm trying to make him get used to stay alone while I'm busy doing something, it breaks my heart to hear him crying but since he doesn't need anything except being held, he nags a little bit and then stops. With time it will get easier I believe.

Off to Abu Dhabi

Kareem turned three months a couple of days ago and it's time for him, and me, to leave Lebanon and go back la 3end baba :) We're flying on Thursday to Abu Dhabi this time. Kareem is sad that he's leaving teta... I've never seen my mom so attached to anyone as much as she's attached to Kareem, and never seen her love someone as much as she loves him. To be honest, I regretted that I came here to give birth cause leaving now is much more difficult than anytime else. Everyone is asking her sho ra7 ta3mli hala2 now that Kareem is leaving, and she answers "3adi, Allah ysahel 3alehon". I know that it's not 3adi and that she will miss him so badly... but what can we do, ces't la vie.

Yummy Hands

Kareem has recently discovered his hands. He spends much time playing with them, crossing his fingers, unintentionally grasp anything that comes close to them, and the worst part is that he puts them in his mouth and start sucking them! No matter how I try to keep his hands away from his mouth, he puts them back!
He still doesn't know of course that they're part of his body and that he can hold things with them, but he finds them amusing, a new thing to discover and play with.

For the first time in history

Kareem slept six consecutive hours, and so did I!
WOOHOOOO

قده قد الفارة

كريم صوته عالي على ما يبدو، مش عارفة لمين طالع!! بس مؤخرا اكتشفنا انو لما يبكي أو يصرخ (مش بالضرورة يصرخ يعني زعلان ممكن يصرخ وهو مبسوط، أو لما بدو ياني بصرخ بصوت عالي) صوته بيوصل لعند الجيران، كل يوم بقولولنا سمعنا صوت كريم الساعة الفلانية و هو عم بيصرخ

فضيحة هالولد، قده قد الفارة وصوته مملّي الحارة

Abu Ramadan

Hubby is suggesting that our son, Kareem, should name his son Ramadan, so that his son's name would be Ramadan Kareem :D

Ramadan Kareem everyone :)

Ebni el Habool

started hurting himself.
He always scratches his face.I cut his nails, yet he managed to injure his nose as well as his cheek!!
He was screaming like crazy, and when I hurried to see what's wrong, I found him pulling his own hair!

Kareem's First Smile

Kareem is four weeks old. He has been smiling recently only while sleeping or just about to fall asleep. He looks soooooooo cute when he smiles and I always wonder about what makes him smile :D
Today, he surprised me with an adorable cute smile when I was talking and playing with him, and he was fully AWAKE!! Nothing can be sweeter and more heart melting than seeing your baby smiles at you for the first time! 7abeebi, he made my day! Can't wait to see more real and huge smiles Kareemo. 7ebak ana, mwaaah

Advice of the Day

Never try to cook or bake anything unless you make sure that your baby is deeply asleep and is not likely to wake up any time soon, cuz when he suddenly wakes up and starts crying you'll end up missing an ingredient or something and spoil the whole thingie

Thank you Foof!

Wafaa' made us this beautiful card on the occasion of Kareem's arrival! We decided to post it in our blog.
That was so sweet of you Foof. We love you. xoxo

Delivery

On the same day I posted that I felt some labor signs, the signs started to get better gradually. At night I felt some contractions, mild pain accompanied with heavy sweating. But the contractions were not regular and not painful. My friend suggested to take me to the hospital but I refused since I knew that what I was feeling were not the “real” labor signs.
Kareem was moving that night like never before, his movement was increasing intensively and I told mom: the baby has been moving since hours as if he can’t stand to stay in there anymore and wants to get out so badly :D .
I slept a couple of hours that night. I wake up at 5 a.m. and shortly afterwards my water broke!I wake my mom up and headed directly to the hospital. There were no contractions, no pain at all.. but I knew that I’ll be holding my baby in my arms very soon. I was excited… at last..the moment that I’ve been waiting for since nine months has came … my baby is on his way… five hours later, Kareem arrived. I lost track of time but I was told that he arrived at 11 a.m.
What I first noticed the moment Kareem was born was that he was clean with just a little bit of blood on his head. He didn’t cry at first, he was looking around him, kinda scared, not knowing where he is or what’s happening to him, poor little thing.. I was examining him… not believing my eyes… “how’s the baby?” the doctor asked. “He’s fine” replied the nurse. I got emotional, as usual, and my eyes teared up, El 7amdulillah ya rab..
Then, a sense of relief and peace suddenly took hold of me. They took Kareem to clean him and I was taken to my room. I couldn’t rest, couldn’t sleep… couldn’t wait to see Kareem, hold him.. tell him how long I've waited for this moment and how much I love him... and start my new role as a mother :)