Hello World!

Hi everyone! This is Kareem blogging :D
I arrived to this world on Saturday, July 12, 2008, at about 11 a.m. I was supposed to arrive two weeks later but since I heard that mom was in a hurry and since I got bored in there I decided to come early. I am two weeks old now. Mom says that we must party and sing happy birthday to you tralala :D, she said the same last week too :D
Mom seems very happy and excited at my arrival. The moment I arrived she forgot all about her pain and the things the doctor and nurses were doing to her and turned her head towards me with eyes full of love and tears.
I love the songs mom made up for me. She usually hums them in the morning when she is still in a good mood. She says that I am the most adorable and the cutest baby she's ever seen! She's my mother you know and I wouldn't have believed her haven't I heard everybody else saying the same too, especially mom's friends. I'm glad that gorgeous ladies like me and think that I am so cute :D
I haven't met my father yet, he keeps asking for my pictures and videos, and I can't wait to see him.
Life is not bad so far, I spend my day mostly in sleeping, crying, and drinking milk. .. hmm sho kaman,OK that's it for now I guess. Since this blog was created especially for me, I'll be sharing it with mommy. Will be back later..

First Labor Signs?

When I was told that there were no labor signs at all, I was upset.
Now that there are a couple of signs, I became very anxious, worried, impatient and restless...
The bad thing about delivery is that you never know when exactly it is going to happen, some signs may take place a couple of hours, days, or even weeks before real labor.

This is the first time I call my doctor. I had to ask her about some changes that I noticed. She said that these are good signs that labor is on its way and there's no need to worry. She also asked me to keep track of the baby's movement and in case I didn't notice any for a long time I should head to the hospital to make sure that everything's OK.
Mom is asking me to distract myself and just take it easy and wait until it's time.
So, between watching the fetal movement and trying to distract myself, I'm kinda confused.
Yesterday night I was hallucinating about the baby's diapers, lol. I woke up and found myself saying: newborn diapers packs, not the 6 kgs one, I want the 2 to 5 kgs pack :D

Week 38

Two more weeks to go, or three, or maybe more (I hope not).
The doctor said that there are no signs that labor is going to take place anytime soon.
I felt bad, I was kinda disappointed by what she said; and I had abdominal cramps after visiting her. I know I know.. it's not my due date yet and I shouldn't have expected her to say anything else, but I just felt bad. I couldn't stand the pain that's supposed to be mild, to me this is not mild at all, I wonder how is it going to be during delivery, I'm scared already. I told mom that I won't get pregnant again, and I think that I will die during delivery, die of pain, lol. She yelled at me asking me to stop saying nonsense :D
There are times when I just feel sick of being pregnant, bored and tired of waiting...

On a side note,I stopped gaining weight since the beginning of the ninth month. I gained 13 kgs, which is normal and appropriate.

Oh No, Not Again!

I was looking forward to give birth so that I can finally stop feeling hungry every couple of hours and return back to my normal eating habits. It's weird how I should always worry about getting hungry, and take precautions before going out so that my stomach doesn't start growling and I along with my baby start shouting: FEED ME NOW :D

Until I found out just yesterday that the dream of going back to normal eating still has to wait and won't come true anytime soon. Because if a pregnant woman needs to add 300 extra calories to her diet, a breastfeeding woman needs to consume 500 additional calories per day! :S

Grrrrrrr

Mothers.. ya mothers... You were pregnant once, weren't you?! And you know how annoying and disturbing noise and mess can be to a pregnant woman!
So why do you come along to visit her with your unbearably naughty and noisy kids and turn her day into a living hell?!
When you have such uncontrollable kids, LEAVE THEM AT HOME for God's sake.. ana mish tay2a 7ali.. effttt
khalas, fadfadet :D

Random Thoughts

- Today I was surprised at how my fingers look, they have swelled up! They look funny, especially that I have small hands and thin fingers, and the wedding ring doesn't fit anymore! :D
My feet have swelled up too, long time ago, and I had to put my old shoes aside and buy a new pair.
My face, however, hasn't changed yet, not a bit. Although I heard that the face does swell in the last month too.

- I feel so heavy, and I am finding a difficulty sleeping, especially in this hotttttttt weather. It's so damn hot and I can barely take a breath.

- The doctor said that I can start walking from now. My mom laughed and said: She's been walking since a loooong time, halkatna :D . It's OK, I feel much better when I walk. If I stayed a couple of days without exercising, my back and legs start hurting.

- The baby is growing so fast in the last month, mashAllah. Last week, he weighed 2.5 Kg, now he's 2 Kg and 800 g. He's gonna be a healthy boy, inshAllah.

- I started "packing" the bag I'm gonna take to the hospital.

- The doctor started lecturing me about the do and the do nots. She concentrated on the point that I shouldn't freak out and get tensed, because this won't help at all during delivery. The more relaxed I am, the easier the delivery will be... Allah yestor :S

- The countdown has begun, and I can't wait until it's all over. I hate waiting, especially when it's for a big event like this... having my first baby.

Pregnancy Humor

أدعية المرأة الحامل

من انفع الأدعية دعاء الام الحامل لجنينها و هو في بطنها وهذه مجموعة ادعية للأم الحامل
حتى يحفظ الله لها جنينها و يتم حملها على خير و يستحسن الاتيان بها بعد كل صلاة
*****************************
اللهم اجعله مسلما صالحا عابدا ذاكرا..حافظا للقران الكريم وممن يعملون به..
اللهم اجعله بارا بوالديه وأهله..
اللهم حسن خلقه وخلقه ..
اللهم أعذه من شياطين الأنس والجن..
اللهم سهل ويسر حمله وولادته..
اللهم أقر عيني به..
اللهم ارزقني ولدا واجعله تقيا ذكيا
واجعله سليما معافى ولا تجعل في خلقه زيادة ولا نقصان ..
واجعل عاقبته إلى الخير...
اللهم اصلح لي ذاتي وذريتي...
اللهم استودعتك هذا الجنين فحسن في خلقه وأخلاقه يا رب العالمين..
اللهم اني اسألك هون الطلق وحسن الخلق ..
اللهم آمين.....

********************************
- "ربِّ هبْ لي من لدنك ذريةً طيبةً إنك سميع الدعاء".
- "ربِّ لا تذرني فردًا وأنت خير الوارثين".
- "ربِّ هَبْ لِي مِن لَّدُنْكَ وَلِيًّا، يَرِثُنِي وَيَرِثُ من دعوة الإسلام، واجعله رَبِّ رَضِيًّا".
- "اللهم ارزقني صبيًّا حَنَانًا مِّن لَّدُنّك وَزَكَاةً، وَاجعله ربِّ تَقيًّا، وَبَرًّا بِوَالِدَيْهِ، وَلا تجعله جَبَّارًا عَصِيًّا، واجعله اللهم يأخُذ الْكِتَابَ بِقُوَّةٍ، وَآته اللهم الحكْم صَبِيًّا".
- "ربِّ َهَب لَي غُلامًا زَكِيًّا، واجعله اللهم مُبَارَكًا أَيْنَ ما كان، وأعِنه على الصلاة وَالزَّكَاةِ مَا دام حَيًّا، وَبَرًّا بِوَالِدَيه وَلا تَجْعَلْه جَبَّارًا شَقِيًّا".
- "اللهم اكتب له طولَ العمر، وحُسنَ العمل، وسعة الرزق، وسعادة الدارين".
- "اللهم ارزقه جمال الخَلق والخُلق، وقوة الدين والبدن، وسعادة الدنيا والآخرة".
- "اللهم إني أستودعك جنيني الذي في رحمي، أنت الذي لا تضيع ودائعك يا الله".
- "اللهم احفظ جنيني واحْمِه، وامسكه في رحمي,وأتم حمله على خير".
- "اللهم يا من أمسكت السماء أن تقع على الأرض وهي بلا عمد، أمسك ما في رحمي، وأتمم له على خير".
- "اللهم صوِّره في أحسن صورة ونجِّه من كل تشويه ومرض".
- "اللهم يسِّر حملَه وولادتَه ورضاعتَه وتربيتَه، واجعله مطيعًا لربه، بارًّا بوالديه، متعاونًا مع إخوته، نافعًا لأمته، زخراً للإسلام والمسلمين".
- "ربنا هبْ لنا من أزواجنا وذرياتنا قرة أعين واجعلنا للمتقين إمامًا".

- ومن أفضل الأمور التي يجب أن تتحصَّن بها الحامل وتحرص عليها في كل حياتها: أذكار الصباح والمساء، فإن فيها نفعًا كبيرًا، وخيرًا عميمًا، وعونًا في أمرَي الدنيا والدين

The Penguin Walk

I sometimes suffer from a backache that makes me walk with a waddle. When I was in Dubai, I went for a walk with hubby who looked at me and said: Oh, you walk like a penguin! :D I laughed so hard my eyes teared up. Couldn't imagine myself to be walking like a penguin, that's so funny, hehe
Now my mom calls me "Batta", but hubby insists that "penguin" is more accurate :D

I'm feeling heavy and tired these days, I'm bored already and want this to end very soon. I hate how impatient I am, and that I still have to wait for more than five weeks. This endless talk about labor and delivery is freaking me out. I understand that people are trying to help by giving me information and telling their own experiences but I just don't want to hear anything about this matter for the time being. I want to distract myself from thinking too much about delivery and the suffering I may go through. I keep praying for an easy and smooth delivery and a healthy baby inshallah.

Kick Kick kick

You naughty little thing! Why do you always choose to wake up and start kicking only when your mommy is about to fall asleep?! Are you going to do that as well when you come to this world?
that was a little note to my boy :D

I started feeling those little kicks a while ago. At first it felt like a heart beating in my belly. Later on, the kicking became more clear and stronger. I remember that I was doing something when I felt a kick in my belly so I left everything and went to sit and concentrate to make sure whether what I felt was real or I was just imagining things. And there it went, a kick, another one.. it was real, finally :D
My mother saw me drawing a wide smile on my face, hek la7ali mitl el habla, she must have thought that her daughter went crazy hehe, so she asked what's the matter? I told her that I started to feel the baby moving and kicking. She felt happy and excited too :)

Don't mind what I said at the beginning of the post. Actually I do like these kicks, it's another way to communicate with my baby, I feel that he's telling me "hello there, na7no hona" :D. I love it when in the morning, while I'm sipping my tea, the baby starts kicking as if he's trying to say : good morning mommy, I'm awake too

It's BLUE

I mentioned before in a reply to Batoul that I have a feeling, a strong feeling indeed that's it's a boy. So, I wasn't in the least surprised when the doctor told me that it's a boy inshallah, as if I knew it already. Subhan Allah :)

Time to start thinking of a name, eh? What do you suggest?

Emotional Instability

I'm not a moody person by nature, or at least that's what I believe myself to be. I mean I'm not one of those people who wake up feeling bad, and just feel like crying or even beating someone up for no specific reason. When I feel bad, it's usually because something happened and made me feel so. Mostly I'm happy and optimistic. But I am a very sensitive girl, I must admit, I sometimes can be very easily irritated and hurt, and cry easily, that's why some people are usually careful when they deal with me :D. Still I am anything but moody.

But lately, I noticed that I've actually became moody! I sometimes find a big difficulty in controlling my temper and getting rid of strain and negative emotions. This makes me feel bad and guilty at times. I couldn't understand why is this happening until I found out that the unbalanced hormone levels are to be blamed for causing all this mess. Hormones change dramatically during pregnancy making the woman very moody, grumpy and overly emotional. A fact that many people, especially men, have no idea about. They think that she's only being na22a2a and daloo3a lol. What do they know about PMSing for nine months anyway? :p

Now I understand why they say that a pregnant woman needs all the care and support from the people around her (especially from the husband) during this sensitive stage. Thank God I have a very supportive family and caring friends who are helping me out through this phase. Being away from my husband is painful, I must say, but I'll do my best to make it not affect me much, if not for my sake, then for the sake of our baby.
So, guys, if you have any pregnant woman in the family, please be very supportive and nice, do not try to irritate her because you never know what her reaction might be :D. But in case this happened, lay the blame on her crazy hormones not on her. ;)

The First Seen Moves

The monthly visit to the doctor is one of the most exciting things that a pregnant woman would ever do! It's more like a date with her beloved cute little baby to meet him and see how's he doing.

Yesterday's visit was the most exciting one so far. I could see my baby, who has grown so fast Mashallah, very clearly this time. I loved it how my sweet doctor was as excited as I am while showing me the baby's body parts, "here are his eyes, his ears... check out his arms and legs... this is his neck, and here's his backbone... and here are his toes.. see how's he moving." The cutest part that drove me to tears was when he put his hand on his cheek, he looked so cute mashallah! The sound of his heartbeat made me cry too. He was moving all the time, moving his arms and legs... I still don't feel these moves and kicks yet (but I was told that I will very soon).

But the naughty little thing couldn't allow us to know whether he's a boy or a girl. He was curling his legs up all the time and we waited for him to extend them but he didn't! I was very excited to know, now I have to wait for the coming months. I have to remember to punish him for that, LOL, kidding tab3an! :D

Expecting (5): A Big Change

Along with the tiny new being that's developing inside you, a new feeling - that you experience for the very first time - starts to develop too. That is: motherhood.

An indescribable different kind of love tickles your heart right at the moment you perceive that you are a mother-to-be and brings with it those tears of joy. A feeling that keeps growing with your growing awareness of the existence of this unseen little intruder who came to your life suddenly turning it upside down!

You become a different person. You notice continuous changes in the way you live and the way you look at life... changes in your interests and concerns... in your plans and priorities... in your body, mind and soul... in brief: changes in everything!

Now, there's a human being growing inside you who depends wholly on you to give him all the love and care essential for his growth. You are ready to give him anything that he needs, and just do anything you can to keep him safe and healthy. You follow all the instructions and advices just for him... You are extra cautious and careful in everything you do and eat.. in every move you make.. for his sake. You educate yourself and read all the pregnancy books and articles that come to your hand because you want the best for him. Simply, you are now living for him. *Diana sings you are the reason, and everything I do I do it for you* :D

I look back at the day I went out with my two married friends who spent the whole time talking about their pregnancies, and about their babies, their food and the kinds of diapers they use. And even ended up exchanging diapers, not used ones of course :D. They bored me to death that I decided never to go out with married friends again! Now such subjects became my favorites. It became more interesting and more fun to chat with my friends' mothers than chatting with my friends themselves :D. My God! Look how I've changed!
At the mall, instead of checking the women sections like I always do, my legs take me directly and unconsciously to the baby's section where my heart melts when I see the babies and their cute adorable stuff.

There's a lot of changes and sacrifices.. A lot of concerns and worries and mixed feelings that every pregnant woman goes through. Still, I believe that this exceptional glamorous experience is worth every sacrifice. It is undoubtedly the most exciting and rewarding adventure of a woman's life :)

Originally posted here.

Expecting (4): My Health

My mother always says that I’ve been a good girl ever since I was a fetus. She's usually surprised whenever a woman complains about her uneasy pregnancy or about her naughty children saying that she never suffered from such things. E7EM E7EM :D.
This to some extent used to relieve me knowing that girls do inherit such things from their moms. So, having a smooth and happy pregnancy like mom’s was something I looked forward to.

Unfortunately, my pregnancy turned out to be completely different. I suffered from almost all the awful symptoms that pregnant women may have from nausea, heartburn, food aversions and cravings, to moody swings and other things.

Even before knowing that I’m pregnant, I noticed that I can’t stand to smell any strong odor including my own perfume. This, later on, developed to a strong feeling of DISGUST. Any smell, even that of food, would turn my stomach. I couldn’t enter the kitchen for weeks! Entering the kitchen was like entering hell to me. As a result, I wasn’t able to cook. So, I used to force myself to eat some fruits- the only thing that my stomach could accept- and that’s it! At night, hubby would order fast food after spending much time choosing something that would't make me feel queasy.

Starving myself means starving my baby, a fact that I came to know later, and made me feel very guilty. I made my baby starve, I am extremely sorry but I didn't mean to wallhi :(

Believe it or not, I hated all kinds of coffee and chocolate, knowing that I am a coffee lover and a chocoholic. Now I can’t even stand their smell! Weird things happen during pregnancy.
This, however, is a good thing. Pregnant women better limit their intake or even cut caffeine out of their diets. Chocolate, too, will give me nothing but extra pounds, so I'm lucky I hated it too.

On the other hand, I craved the arabic bread, especially el saj (mar2oo2) and tanoor, which was impossible to find in Turkey. I also craved my mom's cooking. I wanted badly to eat Mlokheyeh although I don't really like it much, but as I told you the most weird things may happen during pregnancy. I wanted to eat wara2 3inab, kebbeh b laban and many other things... I made a list by the way :D I was daydreaming about eating them :D

Eating them is no more a dream now. I enjoyed (and still) eating mama's cooking. Thanks to her care and tabeekh, I don't starve my baby no more. You better thank ur grandma for taking good care of you, fahem? hehe The pills and vitamins prescribed by the doctor helped a lot in reducing the symptoms and increasing my appetite and I started gradually to get better. Now that the first trimester which is the most difficult stage is about to end, the unpleasent symptoms are disappearing thank God. And I feel good, both physically and emotionally.

Originally posted here.

Expecting (3): The Reaction

OH MY GOD! My heart sank when I saw the result. I was stunned. didn't know what to do and how to react. The idea didn't really sink in! It was unbelievable! too good to be true!

Once I regained my senses I found myself crying... shedding tears of joy.. a mother? me? I'm not prepared to be a mother! Not here.. not now. I'm completely ignorant when it comes to pregnancy. The idea then freaked me out. MAMA HELP MEEE.

Ammar's reaction , just like mine, shifted from shocked to excited to worried especially that my health started to deteriorate. So, my return to Lebanon was unavoidable, where my mother can take good care of me.

Everybody was extremely happy to hear the news. I can tell that my mother was the most excited of all. Thanks to her, I regained my health, and I'm feeling much better now.

Originally posted here.

Expecting (2): Not Expecting

We were not in the least prepared for a big event like this. Thinking of having a baby was to be postponed for about a year due to many reasons. I've always believed that any couple should wait some time before deciding to have children to make sure that they're really getting along so well, and that they're willing and ready to make a happy family together. Secondly, the first year of marriage could be the perfect (and only) chance for newlyweds to enjoy their new life together, go out and travel.. before becoming parents with all the responsibilities to worry about. And finally, in our case, we were not yet sure whether we were going to stay in Turkey or move to another country, so it was important to settle down first before thinking of adding a new member to the family.

Now that it happened, we can't but accept heartily and be very thankful for the gift that God has granted to us.

Originally posted here.

Expecting (1)

I had to put an end to all the concerns and doubts that had been haunting me for several days. I must take action immediately! I was very tense but I tried to control my nerves as much as possible. I got dressed.. calmly.. looked at myself in the mirror.. stared into my eyes for a few moments.. looking for an answer to "can this be possible?".. but there weren't any...
I made sure that I had the paper in my pocket... and went out.
I could feel my legs shaking... and my heart was beating so fast that I had to stop, trying again to calm down... took a deep breath and moved on...
I looked around until I caught sight of the place I was looking for "Eczane"*. I walked directly towards it. Hi, would you please give me this? giving the lady the paper with the two Turkish words "Gebelik testi"*. She handed me the thing. Thank you I said. You're welcome :) she replied back. Oh, I don't believe it, finally I found someone who speaks English in this country! I thought to myself.
I hurried back home. Followed the instructions. and to my surprise the result was positive. I am a mother-to-be :)

*pharmacy
*pregnancy test
Originally posted here.