Milestones: Safah turns 5 and Deen turns 1

So this as many recent posts, is late. I have been swamped planning the October birthday events and traveling for the marathon Waseem and Mom ran. More on that later.

Safah turned 5 on Oct. 14th. She wanted to have a costume bowling party. She had a regular bowling party last year. This year though, she had more friends there since she had the rest of last year (after her early birthday) to make them. She was pretty lucky to have friends from her old school (Morehead) and her new school (Pearsontown). It is strange though. She is turning 5 while the other kids in her class right now are turning 6. I am not sure how I feel about that. On the one hand, she is out-reading any of them by a whole grade, but she is also transfixed on things that happen when you turn six. Your baby teeth falling out, etc. And there are some things I just don't think are appropriate for her yet, in a year, I may feel different, and other parents of the 6year olds do things differently with older kids. Sooo.


Safah was Princess Aurora (Sleeping Beauty). So I had to be a queen, and Waseem got to be a King. Deen was an innocent bystander. ;)

Most of the girls came as Disney Princesses ( we didn't even have doubles...there are alot of princesses. Shaan came as a cowboy...though technically I think he was Woody from Toy Story. At least that is what he looked like to Safah, and she kept correcting me. "He wasn't a cowboy, he was Woody." I thought that was adorable!

And Deenie-bug turned 1 on Oct. 26th.

I made him a small cake for him to destroy ( a family tradition my mom started with me and my brother.) He became a very messy camper.
Stats: His head size had increased from 25th percentile to 75th. Everything else is holding at 75th percentile. He weighs 221/2 pounds and is 33 inches tall. He has 8 teeth, four on top , and four on the bottom. His excema has gotten much MUCH better. Except when he has a cold, then he gets a little outbreak.

He started walking about a week before his birthday. He saw Sameer walking and took more than his normal 3 -4 steps the very next day. Now he rounds the corner behind me like he thinks I am trying to escape. The speed walking is funny sometimes, you would think we had a drunk baby as he tries to balance and walk fast.
He has not mastered his shoes yet, but gets so upset if you take them off while we are out. He thinks that means we are home or going home, and he likes to go out. Alot!

He has gotten pretty vocal now too. He will talk to me and ask me about things (at least I feel he is) and he is very particular about the way things have to be. He wants real food, no more baby food, he wants a real fork or spoon to be used and a real bowl that we use. So basically, he eats what we eat. I just wash off the mirch and stuff from the spicier things and cut pieces up smaller.
It's funny, with the time change, he now gets up early enough to see his Nani before she leaves for work. So after a diaper change, he climbs into her lap and shares her oatmeal every morning. So funny! But he loves his Nani.

Poor thing got 4 shots at his Dr. appointment. The normal 3 and then his flu shot. He got a little bit of a cold the day before I think. We have all been coughing and cranky and he has a runny nose too, plus more crankiness and a low grade fever. But Mashallah, he is fine otherwise.
Mashallah, another year has passed and my munchkins are healthy and happy. Mashallah...Mashallah.!!

Milestone: Deen turns 11 months

This is Deenie at his sister's first soccer game this past Saturday. He wanted to get on the field to badly.

Well Deenie is 11 months old today. And the activities never stop...what is he doing?
Standing on his own, while clapping or holding something or his favorite dancing. He has another tooth or 2 coming in.
It seems like he is getting heavier everyday, his appetite has definetely jumped up and he is downing bottles like crazy.
He still wakes up at night. Though when he is not sick it is only once. Though I think he is going through a growth spurt cause he will screech and then cry and wake up completely.
He is also waking up earlier that 7:30 now, or at least in the last few days. Today it was 6:50...ugh.
He still cries when you walk too fast away from him, and he still gives the best hugs!
Hmmmm, he loves to hang out with his sister and cousins. He will crawl around after them all day if he could. He misses them when they go to school each morning, but loves to greet them at the door when they come home. (but they have to wash their hands first before saying hi to him...that's the rule!).

That's Ms. Pele to you.

Water break at half-time, in the Blue Sharks (Lil'Heels) game.

Safah's began her very unpro soccer career today, with her first game. The jerseys were called Columbia, but most of the parents (Ex-tarheels) called them Carolina Blue. It is funny how competitive parents are. Or maybe we just want our kids to thrive so much! The parents decided on Lil'Heels for the team name, course Coach Anina had chosen the Blue Sharks. So we got vetoed. Hey, they will be Lil'Heels in our hearts.

Back to starting positions after our Grant and Isaiah make a goal.

Ironically, Safah originally had to stay on the 3-4 year old team she was assigned to because they try to follow the age range. Even though I told them that she would tower over them and it could be a safety risk, if she collided with one of the "very little" three year olds. And they do look so little compared to her. But I let it go, she had to get the fundamentals first anyway. Well, Saturday comes, and Dakota's team, the Blue Bears, are short a few members since they were created last for the season. She is on the 5-6 year old team since she made the deadline. So my brother asked me to ask Gordon, the soccer chairman to let Safah play on their team. Her skills are similar to some of the 5-6 year olds who have not played before, and she was still taller than some in size. So I said I would let her only if she wanted to. I wouldn't push her. Of course she knew that it was Coco's team, and said yes, even though she had already played her team's game. So the Blue Shark became a substitute Blue Bear with Coach Ben.

Dakota, Sophie and Safah (The Blue Bears and the Green somethings?)

Then they played the Green somethings...and one of Safah's friends from Morehead (Sophie) was on that team, so she had a great time. The only bad thing. The Blue Bears were still short one member (for a 6 person team---one little girl didn't want to play anymore after her brother got hurt in the first few minutes of the game), so the 5 Blue Bears played the 12 Green somethings. They kept switching out fresh 6 person teams every 5-6 minutes, and our 5 person team was just sweating. Funny thing though, the Blue Bears won, 3-1.

Oh, and the Blue Sharks won too, by so many points to 1, that we parents stopped counting... ;)

Sooooo the sahoor that works?

First, I put that extra long so, because by bro-in-law thinks I use the word so alot. So I will pepper my statements and sentences with the word so, so that he can get a fair sprinkling of the so, in case he goes on a business trip and cannot read my blog on my sis-in-laws computer. So, hi out there. So much to tell you. Ok, so that is just a lie. Now, on to the real topic of this blog. Sahoor.

Trying to get the proper mix of items to eat for sahoor is a challenge. I am not a big eater of breakfasts, at least not that early. Anything before 9 should be cereal, and some juice. But that will not last through the day and keep me sated until iftar.

On the first day, I thought I would try a mix. Some scambled eggs, nicely spiced, toast (dry), oatmeal (cause it sticks to your ribs longer), a large glass of juice, a large glass of OJ, and some Kava (green tea). One word. Stuffed and barf. The oatmeal didn't taste right...too little sugar I think.

I surmise that you have to have a good combination of liquid...no dehydration...carbs (but not too many or you will be hungry soon...protein (that lasts long)...and something sweet (cause I want something!)
And it has to be food first. Don't get filled up on liquid first. Sure you will feel full, until you go to the bathroom for the first time!

So the next day, I kept the eggs, and the toast, and added some channa and nihari. Water and Juice. Brilliant.

Any suggestions?

Ramadan Mubarak!!

Ramadan Mubarak to everyone!!!

May Allah accept our fasts and prayers during this blessed month. Ameen.

On page 85 Mashallah

So, I am on p.85 of my book so far, Chapter 4, Mashallah. Those are critiqued pages by my group, who really need a name...maybe the "Wade Avenue six" or the "Triangle Pen Wielders" hmmm or the "RDU punctuation crew". Ahh no. I will keep thinking. I think I am the only one who feels the need for a name. After all, I am positive that when I am published, I will need to thank them, and not by each of their names!!

So Ramadan starts in a few days and as usual, I am not ready, food prep wise. Since I hate to cook anyway, and I hate to think about the menu everyday, Waseem and I decided to make a bunch of our favorites and freeze single portion sizes. It seemed like a good plan, but he is now out of town on business until Wed. and I have PTA newsletter committee meeting at 7:45 AM tomorrow at Starbucks, then lunch plans (YEAHHHH), then soccer practice at 5:45, then an Academically Advanced meeting at Safah's school at 6:30 (assuming she gets out of practice before then, and then it is dinner time... Anyway, enough whining.

So I think the Balziva is starting to get out of my system. It has been a month. And still some of the same issues, but hopefully it won't be too long or too many more months before the stuff works its way out of my system.

Deenie is getting soooo expressive now. And he has a little temper too. I took him to Jumah on Friday, and he decided, after getting use to all the women in black, to craw at light speed down the row. Of course this was during the khutba, so no worries really, but some sisters were coming in and praying before the salat. I was like a football reciever, spinning and weaving between and around women so I wouldn't walk in front of praying sisters. The second time, I let him go, and he was heading for the door, and one of the sisters who runs the Sunday school grabbed him and said joking "you want him back?" I was like yeah sure... and he was handed down the row again. Later she said, "My, my, he has a little temper doesn't he." He had gotten really mad and squirmed when she picked him up... woops...;)

Sick Babies

SO I have not blogged in a long time. The kids have been sick. It seem like they have been sick for months. First Safah had a cold, then poison ivy, then another cold. Deenie for a slight cold. No poison ivy, thank goodness, and then a real cold with croupe. 102.7 fever at the highest. And the barking cough scared the crap out of me.

My sick babies...they were really good though. Look at those feverish smiles.

I have just emerged from the cocoon of illnesses, finally saw Sarah (the baby), well and the adult one too ;), and Laiq, and Sheeza (that goes without saying since I saw Sarah---I mean she didn't drive herself...Sheeza produces talented kids, but there is a limit I think. lol.

We had a great time at Shabashabu...never been there before, and I really enjoyed it. But Waseem got a little sick from the bad beef he tasted (even that small amount--and even after he spit it out)---moral of the story? Always trust your nose! And the nose of your wife...I have a nose like a bloodhound...and no cracks on its size please.!!