The Picture People

Well today we got that babys' pictures taken. I wanted to take him to Focus Pocus. It is a place in Toys R Us. We had his picture done there in April, and they were really reasonable. They were totally digital and able to Photoshop a scratch off of Aymans face last time. This morning I called and called during their listed hours, (they have a recording saying if they don't answer that they are probably with another customer.) Then I get someone on the phone and guess what? Focus Pocus closed. I was so bummed. They were really good with the baby, took excellent pictures, and the price per sheet was totally reasonable. We got four sheets for like $52.00, and that was anything, wallets, 5x7, 3x5, 8x10. Needless to say, I was bummed. So I called the Picture People, in a local mall. Let me just say up front, that place is a racquet. A "package"= 8x10, 2 5x7, 8 wallets for the low low price of $46.00 plus a $9.95 sitting fee for the baby. That is only one pose. Additional pose package is the same price. You cannot mix and match, you have to get those sizes or you pay $18.00 per additional sheet. It was totally ridiculous. Hallmark Corporation owns this place. Way to go Hallmark, gouge the families of America. My father was the one taking my son to get the pictures taken and he paid for it, and didn't care about the price. If it had been me, I would have turned around and gone to Wal-Mart.
Ok, that's my rant. Now I have to go watch the debate between John Kerry and that Idiot George Bush. Believe me I will rant about that later.

I am so tired

Today was kind of busy. For the last two nights I have been working on a project that I can't really talk about at this time. It has been taking a lot of my time, and as it is detailed work, it is too hard to do with little fingers grabbing at everything. What I end up doing is staying up late to finish what I need to do. That itself would not be so bad but I didn't get a nap today with the baby. I know that that sounds ridiculous, but I needed it. I went to lunch with my father today and we tried to get the babys' picture taken. We bought an adorable outfit at Babies R Us, and when we got there and put him in it, it didn't fit. He is a little chubby, you see. Then we went back and by the time I exchanged it we didn't have time to get the picture taken. So tonight, I tried the new outfit on him and he hated it so much that all he did was cry the whole time he had it on. So back I went to Babies R Us and got yet another outfit. They must think I am some kind of nut over there. Lets keep our fingers crossed that his one will work out and that I will have some pictures to post tomorrow. I am now going to sleep. The baby has woken up for the late night feed and so I am off the hook until morning, thanks God.

Picture #2: That looks uncomfortable too! 

Picture #1: That looks a little uncomfortable. 

That baby is always good for a laugh.

Tonight at ten o'clock my husband and I put the baby down to sleep. He just figured out how to roll over two weeks ago, and figured out that he could also do this in his crib, last week. As a result, he totally doesn't want to go to sleep right away when we put him in there. It also seems like once he sits up, he doesn't know enough to lay back down when he gets tired. So tonight, for 45 minutes he played in his crib, and made noises at us in the other room. He doesn't call for mommy and daddy yet but he does make a "uhh" sound that seems like he is calling for us. He did this for about 20 minutes. Then, he was silent for about 10 minutes, so we went to check on him and found him like this. (picture #1) Five minutes later Amr came into the room and asked me if I moved the baby. I said that I hadn't and got up to take a look. (picture #2) It looks like he sat up and then fell over in the opposite direction. Too cute. Thank God for digital cameras and the internet so I can share all of this minutiae with you all.

Ayman and Daddy 

Ayman the Lion 

Here Comes Ramadan. Ayman gets ready for his first Ramadan. 

Sleepy time. 

Poor Baby Ayman

Today was ok. I took the baby to his nine month check up and he received one shot--not too bad. He cried of course, but it was over fast. He was in good spirits the rest of the day. I cooked a traditional Egyptian dish for dinner. It is called mahshy. Basically, it is cabbage leaves stuffed with a rice mix. My husband said it was yummy. I also made a white cake with frosting. Not from scratch, but who the heck has time for that? I am sending in a job application for a graveyard shift job in the lab at ****** Hospital. It will only be weekends, three a month hopefully. I want to get cable, and DSL. This dial up crap really sucks. Anyhoo, time to put on the Crest White Strip (premuim!) and veg out in front of the TV for a bit before that baby wakes up at around 1:30, then off to bed.

Waterbugs no more ( i hope)

Well, today was a good day. They finally came to fix the ceiling in our bathroom and caulk the shower so those hideous waterbugs can't get in anymore. As you can see I have started to post the pictures from my trip to Egypt earlier in the year.. The baby just now bit it and hit his head on one of his toys...Daddy is comforting him right now. It was very traumatic. My neighbor here in these luxury apartments has 2 shiftless sons living with her. She went away for a week so they could do her shower in her bathroom. Well, they just started doing it and she has been gone like five days. They just got in a huge shouting match. These guys are no younger than 35 years old, and one of them just left the house saying " I'm gonna call Mom!" Hmmmmmm, kinda makes me wonder why they aren't attached. Well that is enough fo now. Peace out.

Egypt Series: My husband in front of Hussiens Mosque at Khan al Khalili. This is a very famous mosque in Egypt because they believe that the prophet Muhammeds (pbuh) grandson ( Al Hussein) is buried there.  

Egypt Series: Khan Al Khalili. This picture was taken on my fourth day in Egypt. Khan Al Khalili is a very old market place/tourist trap. There are tons of jewelry stores and places to get souveniers. My husband and I stumbled upon the locals only section which sold household goods, and spices. it was really cool. 

AM 5: I'm Not Touching Anything. He seems to really love the suitcases. He likes playing with the latches and handles. 

AM 4: Partying At Grammas. Here's my boy getting a little nutty at his Grammas house. 

Back At Home.

Well, I am back at home after spending the night at my moms' house. I got some really cute pictures of that baby that I will post here. This week I will start to post pictures from my month long trip to egypt, earlier this year, for anyone who is interested.

Enjoy the Ayman moments.

Ayman Moment 3: So Fresh and So Clean. Naked baby in a hoody towel after bath. He loves bath time. 

Ayman Moment: Too Pooped to Party. After a hard day hitting the toys, Ayman crashes, and crashes hard. 

Casualties in Iraq - 2004

Casualties in Iraq - 2004

Pictures of Civilian Victims of the Anglo-American Aggression in Iraq (March, 2003 onwards)

Pictures of Civilian Victims of the Anglo-American Aggression in Iraq (March, 2003 onwards)

War in Iraq: This Mothers Opinion

On Monday September 13th, CBS Evening news showed an angry Iraqi crowd holding a dead infant over their heads. The infant died as a direct result of a building collapse, due to military strike on insurgents. CBS also had footage of screaming children in hospital receiving treatment for various wounds.

We have been in Iraq for 18 months. We have captured Saddam Hussein, killed his sons and toppled his regime. We have given Iraq back to the people. At what cost? What cost to the Iraqis, who didn't ASK for liberation? What cost to the American armed forces, with over 1000 lost to date?

We went to Iraq to find weapons of mass destruction, on false information from the CIA, and harsh words and strong language from our president. When the WMD's were not found, the focus became finding Saddam and his sons and bringing them to justice for crimes they committed against the Iraqi people. Then, things changed again, "there is a connection between Saddam and Osama" although no such evidence existed.

Iraq is a mess.

We have lost over 1000 troops. I know, on September 11th, 2001, 4000 Americans died when the twin towers collapsed. Was Iraq and Saddam responsible for those horrific acts? The answer is NO. Did we really have a right to go over there and tear up their country and kill innocent people?

As a Muslim woman and a mother it breaks my heart to see what I saw on television last night. To me, it really brought home how horrible and senseless this war really is. We have no idea how many innocents have died in this. We know how many soldiers have made the ultimate sacrifice; that is really the only number the media hammers home to us nightly.

I think that it is time that we see the coffins coming home. It is time that we see more of what I saw on CBS last night: injured children in hospitals crying. Mothers wailing over dead children and family members. Without these images we're only seeing a portion of the true Iraq war.

There are some people who say that showing those images would anesthetize the American public. I think we already are anesthetized--this senseless war is still going on. We are being bullied by scare tactics of the Bush administration, in the name of safety and security. How safe are the Iraqis? How secure? How will this situation be resolved? I don't think anyone knows how to resolve the situation. There truly is no end in sight.

This war is good for the president, and good for Dick Cheney and his Halliburton cronies. That seems to be it. Troops are going over there with out proper body armor, Iraqi neighborhoods are being leveled. Our country is billions in debt, and most of the world hates us. How is this war and Bush policy helping us to build "a safer more hopeful America"?

We are due for a change. In November we have the opportunity to let our voices be heard. We need to remove this administration that doesn't have our best interests at heart. So in November remember: Anybody but Bush.

Okay this is my last example....

I mean seriously, how old is she?

More proof...I wasn't kidding.

Rooftop Report: Trashy Britney

Rooftop Report: Trashy Britney

Yummy, Barefoot bathroom.

Uh-oh, Cheerio!

Ayman moment/Britney rant

Okay this is my second time attempting this.
Today that baby leaned in and kissed me when I puckered up to give him a kiss. He had is mouth open and then licked me, but I know he can't pucker yet. It was too cute, and just proves yet again, how wonderful parenthood is.

Now, something I would like to discuss: Britney Spears. Did she fire her PR person? I have noticed lately Brit has been letting her white-trashy-trailer parkiness show. Just last week I saw her Us magazine coming out of a gas station bathroom BAREFOOT. Yes, I said a GAS STATION BATHROOM. Ewwwwwww! Not to mention ( but I will anyway) She bought her own engagement ring. I guess this guy, (who by-the-way, left his girlfriend who just gave birth to his child) that she is in love with couldn't afford the 'bling' she feels she deserves. Britney has also been photographed hopping on the Kaballah wagon, wearing her "Kaballah Addict" shirt and sporting the string bracelet, supposedly given to her by Madonna, I mean, Esther. (no surprise there). Yep Kaballah, although she continues to be photographed drinking and smoking. Britney needs to use some judgment, and if she doesn't have any she should buy some, or hire someone to have it for her. Lord knows, she has the cash. God help the teenage girls of the world.

Ayman in the NICU 3 days old.

Sane/Insane

What is it exactly that makes a woman decide to have another child? When I was pregnant, I was pretty miserable for most of it. I kept waiting for that pregnant woman "glow" I don't think that it happened; at least I didn't see it. I woke up in the morning went to work in the afternoon to wait tables and inevitably, barf. Out of no where. My favorite foods, nauseating. My feet, swollen. My desire to sleep on my stomach and not being able to. There was just no comfortable way to sleep. I had the genetic screening done as part of the normal prenatal workup and was told that I had a 1 in 97 chance of having a child with Downs Syndrome, but not to let that affect my outlook on the pregnancy or allow it to make me nervous. Thankfully, my son Ayman was born healthy, with all fingers and toes. He had to stay in the hospital for three days afterward because my water was broken for longer than 24 hours (I had decided that I absolutely had to find out who Melana would choose on Average Joes season finale, and ignored my water breaking at 8:30 in the evening. In my defense, it wasn't A LOT of water, and since I had been pretty much incontinent since 6 weeks prior I gave myself the benefit of the doubt.), but other than that he was great. Thanks god or ilhamdullilah as Muslims say. At first it was very hard to be a mom, my husband helped a lot, but he was more clueless than I was. When the baby was 5 weeks old we traveled to Egypt to intro duce the baby and I to my husbands family. Did I mention my little angel was completely psychotic the entire time we were there? (4 weeks!) Luckily, a few days after we got back his attitude started adjusting and he is a happy little guy, with a pleasant disposition and he just started crawling. In short (but not really short) he is now keeping me on my toes. The last 18 months have been hard.
So why do I want to have another now? I mean NOW. I want to be pregnant yesterday. I must be insane. What makes me think that I can take care of two infants, change two sets of diapers, breastfeed again, and get to know another little person? Am I nuts? Where do you find the love for two babies? I mean, I know we have it. It is just hard to imagine loving anyone more than the little guy who rests his head on my chest when he is tired, or grunts so loud you can hear him from across the house when he is about to load his diaper.
Here I am though, ready and rarin' to go. Of course my husband looooves making the baby. I don't mind it much myself either. I am excited at the prospect. I have a feeling that I am going to remember A LOT of things that I forgot I didn't like about the whole process. I think that is called pregnancy amnesia. (and if it isn't it needs to be.) So wish me luck, because I think I am going to be a mom again soon.

I think i pooped my pants.

will it work?

Okay i think maybe i can finally make a post if i do it in html. i have no idea how to do html but i will try. I am really exicited to get going on this blogging because i have alot to say about nothing. Today is saturday so i slept in late. My husband Amr took that baby (my son Ayman. I often refer to him as "that baby" he is 9 months old and just started crawling.) with him on a trip to the gas station to buy a phone card to call his mom in Egypt. When i woke up i made us banana pancakes and eggs (normal weekend brunch fare in this household) and now all then men in this house are sawing logs and i am still trying to figure out how to post to my blog. Hmmmm what else do i want to say right now? I am pretty green at this so i think this post will be pretty boring.