I'm Alive :)!

As far as I can remember, I've suffered from strong headaches 3 times in my life.

One of them was last night. I told Jeeej and mama that I was dying and I almost saw them cry with me.

When I decided to sleep forever Jeeej went to Target and got milk for baby Selma, I haven't pumped milk yet...

Then I slept forever, that's how it felt, and then woke up and heard my baby cry. It made me strong and I asked them to bring her to me...I am alive :)

Pix time:

Looking fancy right before moving to delivery room.

Coming back home on the 20th of July

Jiddo came to meet his new grandchild
While Selma is napping,
it's a quiet time.

And then Selma wakes up

And this is how she looks like.

And when she grows up,

she MIGHT look like this.

Or maybe not...

It doesn't matter

I love them both!!

Maioush...

If you happen to read this, I owe you a nice phone call and I love you so much !

Random Thoughts from a mother of two...

* Where did my blog's background go?

* I don't like staying at hospitals, I made sure I leave the same day I gave birth. Too many papers to sign though, but laying down on my own comfy bed makes it all worth it.

* The lack of sleep for 2 straight nights before going into labor is harder than the lack of sleep after giving birth. They asked me to walk for a couple of hours to speed up the labor process, I told them I can't! I'm too sleepy to walk.

* My students came along with their mothers today to meet Selma. I had an open house and tete Bassoumeh made Karawya for them. I gave them the favors I've prepared myself too :)

* Tete Bassoumeh loves to massage baby Selma's body with olive oil.

* I am married to the most beautiful man on earth. Beautiful inside and out.

* Jiddo came from Auburn to visit and meet his new grandchild. He brought Mariyah a pack of berries and swam with her too. We made sure he eats "Roz Bokhari". Oh, he loved it!

* Different babies mean different birth stories. Breathing while giving birth to Mariyah made the whole thing smooth and easy. Breathing while giving birth to Selma was ridiculous! Screaming was way better :)

* Mariyah is driving us all crazy! Of course she is :) A new addition is brought to our family and is sharing her everything with her. Patience...patience and more patience...

* My dinner is Selma's next day's breakfast. Al hamdolillah :) I have my mom here preparing our meals, Best food ever! EVER!

* I grew up knowing that I look like baba and his side of family. I grew up knowing that me and Rana, my sister, look alike, in away or another. I grew up accepting these two facts and that not all sisters and brothers look alike.
Never the less,when baby Selma arrived I was shocked she doesn't look like Mariyah. It looks like I've been imagining a mini Mariyah growing up inside me for 9 months. No one can yet tell whom Selma looks like. Yea, It's still early i know.

* It's funny I call Mariyah Selma and I call Selma Mariyah...by mistake of course :)

* I was lucky I had the best nurses taking care of me in the hospital. Before and after delivery.

* I was lucky I had a strong team in the delivery room, Jeeej and mama, supporting me and helping me stay away from pitocin and epidural. I wanted a natural birth and they both helped me stay on track.

* Mama, If you happen to read this...I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

* I miss blogging regularly, I'm just too busy these days ;) Thank you all for your beautiful words and wishes!!

My Girls...Banati

Selma, few hours old

meeting Mariyah for the 1st time.

Second day,

it got better!
Hoping to see this
Forever :)!

Selma...Whatever it takes...

This was the sentence that I kept saying over and over to myself!

A long and a hard journey to bring baby Selma to life!

It was all worth it:)

8:47 am

21.5 inches

8.4 lb.

Il hamdolillah...

I Smooooooch Him

I can't remember who stopped me...

Was it mama getting tired of taking pictures of us...

Or was it Mariyah,

Jealous of me and Jeeej being too close to each other?

In her presence, no one is allowed to touch anyone else. I mean NO ONE!

Big changes in plans for this Summer. I am sure it's going to be for the best, it's just hard to understand what's going on these days.

May Allah swt help us go through this with lots of patience and love.

What helps?

Acupressure?
Pineapples?
Castor oil?
Praying?
Squats?
Taking the stairs?
Hot baths?
Walking?
Primrose oil?
Swimming?
Dates?
Relaxing?

All of the above? Maybe?

Smooth.

Two days ago, when Jeeej took us to a park in Palo Alto I got upset because it was not green. I was worried Mariyah would get hurt while playing around.
I was mistaken. The yellow and dry field of wheat was so smooth you just feel like you want to lay down there.

I hope My delivery will be as smooth.
And that my worries will be another mistaken feeling.

spoons and forks

I use a spoon to eat my dessert...

He uses a fork,

Even if the dessert is served with ice cream.

Is it a cultural thing?
I wonder...

I swam a lot this afternoon, for over an hour.

Later on after Mariyah went to sleep, we walked and walked in Santana Row. We had sweet desserts at Cocola.

Yes, walking these days is not for losing weight...it's for helping gravity do it's job, quickly!

My MaybeS

Mariyah was born a couple of days earlier than the due date, so a lot of people -family & friends- are calling me these days, texting me and e mailing me asking me whether I gave birth yet or not. To each I have a different "maybe" as an explanation to what's going on.

Maybe she won't come out

until Mariyah understands

that she won't be allowed to wear a diaper like the newborn!

To others I say,

Maybe until my mom gets better

and stops sneezing and coughing day & night :(

Sometimes I find myself saying,

Maybe until I'm done doing special things with mama here.

taking her to my favourite places; shops, restaurants & cafes.

A big maybe is,

until I'm done taking Ward to all the fun places

I promised myself to take him to before his arrival to CA.

Or maybe, until I'm done working on baby Selma's favors. I'm planning to make over 60 pcs for friends and family members. I'm working with wires, beads & charms and I can't wait til I'm done.

:)

The Psychic In The City

My day started with tears.

I was so confused this morning. I had a funny stupid dream that woke me up early and the fact that mama's calculations say that I will give birth next week made me feel down.

Jeeej said: let's go to the city!

We had a great day there...

I love LOVE San Francisco

Once I got out of the car, a lady touched my belly and said:

"What a beautiful girl inside!

She'll come out soon...

It might take WEEKS!"

I felt like kicking her butt :p

I came back home smiling and full of energy!

She can come out anytime she wants. I don't care anymore.

Let her and let me enjoy whatever we are doing these days...

But we'll have a serious talk once she is in my arms.

Something I love,

On Friday, sometime before midnight we went to the movies a little bit early to find good seats to watch "Predators". We were late. The only 2 seats available were in the second row. I didn't mind. The theater was packed so it must be a great movie.
It actually was.

My back hurt me so much it made me think that I was going into labor. Jeeej asked me if I wanted to leave but I told him I was fine...all I need to do is breath.

I kept breathing and he kept adjusting my way of sitting. He wanted me to be comfortable the whole time.

You see, this is what I love about him or us together.

I have the strangest ways of sitting. On the floor, on a couch, on a chair and even in the car while driving. Jeeej found it strange when we first met but then he got used to it. He also got used to me complaining of pain after getting up.

He learnt how to fix it though!

Now, whenever he sees me sitting or laying down in a funny way he comes to me and makes my "comfortable" position even extra comfy!

That's so sweet.

These days, he notices that Ward has even stranger ways of sitting, he tries so hard to fix his position believing that Ward isn't comfortable at all, but all his attempts fail. Ward has the most flexible body ever.
I don't!

How artistic!

When amto Maggy -Jeeej's sister- sent me a msg asking for my address, I thought she was going to send something simple made by her little cute daughters. I thought of a small card or a picture of them...

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this!
I love it...Mariyah loves looking at it every time she goes to bed.

Thank you amto Maggy, Nour & Amira!
We love you all...and waiting for a new one made for baby Selma ;) xoxo

I'm Loved!

Picture taken by Ward.
Went on a date with Jeeej.
Mariyah kissed me good night.
Mama Bassoumeh was the babysitter.

I am Loved :)!!
Took the stairs up to the 6th floor.
Baby Selma...show mama how much you love her!

frisbee in my belly

Mariyah and I almost fell asleep while watching the rest playing frisbee.

They had so much fun

and watching them play made me feel as if I have a frisbee in my belly

Baby Selma is swinging left and right inside, preparing for womb departure

Jeeej misses baby Selma so much he made me swim so hard after we came back home from Capitola beach...

In Laws & Berries, Fourth of July.

My in laws visited to meet mama and Ward. My father in law brought Mariyah lots of berries, of course. and she fell in love with him, Again.

Then I told my father in law that I would love to give birth to baby Selma on the 4th of July, Today, because Jeeej and I had our engagement party on the 4th of July, 5 years ago!

I wanted another special baby on another special day. Mariyah was born on a special day, u know.Then we had a great lunch at P.F. Chang's and after dessert My father in law said: "The 4th of July isn't over yet!"
Fire works are crazy this year, but not strong enough to bring my baby to this world.
Not today baby Selma...
Your due date is 7 eleven. will see you soon :)
A healthy beautiful happy baby Insha'Allah.

BusyER soon

I am trying so hard to enjoy every single thing I do,

I say,
I hear,
I drink,
I eat,
I see,
I think of,
I remember,
I touch,
I feel,
I smell,
And hear...

Because right now I'm kinda free...and in a few days I won't be.

That's the only way of thinking that is keeping me energetic these days, otherwise I'd spend the whole day sleeping.
I feel sleepy all the time this pregnancy.

I also know that Busyer is the wrong spelling, but it looked strongER this way.