Creative Giveaways

For sometime I considered myself lucky for winning a few gift certificates and in lottery too. I still participate in giveaways on blogs hoping to win and feel lucky again...

Now I feel lucky for being so close to Rina. Being a good friend of hers means that I don't have to participate in the giveaways she announces on her blog! Simply because I get to choose and pick whatever I want from her creative collections.

It's always hard for me to choose. Her crafts room is full of treasures and colorful items. It's never a mess, she's so clean and organized, it drives me crazy!

Follow her blog now and you'll get to win some beautiful items created by her.

1,2,3....karawya time!

A busy day starts like this...

Cleaning, cooking and....

getting dressed!
And the fun starts and it lasts for a late hour...
Who cares about losing control over kids,
It's Amman, it's Summer time
and It's jiddo's house!
The best part about the best party is
having karawya.

Baby Selma,

You drove me crazy that night, you stayed awake until midnight...

It's O.K, it was your party!

We love you so much and everyone said you are a copy of your baba :)!

Dear Baba...

Today, jiddo took me somewhere nice in his nice car. He parked the car infront of a place full of roses but he went somewhere else. I didn't go with him, instead, I stood infront of the roses admiring them. The nice owner came out to see me holding a beautiful rose in his hand...and guess what?!
I got my first rose :)
From a gentle man.

I think I'm in love...
with roses!

Mariyah, with love.

** Hope this letter doesn't upset you. I hope I didn't ruin your day in Alabama, Have fun with my aunties and I will see you soon, habibi baba.

Hand Me Down Baby

I was born two years after my sister Nour and Rana was born 2 years later. My parents did a great job documenting our childhood in pictures. Pictures are always fun to look at and make fun of.
What makes us laugh and causes long discussions about the differences between us is seeing us wearing each other's clothes, one year after another!
Me wearing Nour's and Rana wearing mine :)

When Mariyah was born she recieved so many clothes as gifts and she barely wore them. Most of them were worn once or twice and it didn't feel OK to just get rid of them. Too precious to go to someone else. At the same time I didn't want my second girl to wear second hand clothes. I wanted her to enjoy new clothes too.

Jeeej got Selma a bunch of new clothes, wiser shopping this time.
I came to Amman and found a big bag of clothes that belonged to Mariyah when she was a newborn.

Tete & My sister Mimi decided to have fun, their way----->Photography!

The Trip to Boiling Hot Amman

While travelling overseas dealing with a newborn you keep on thinking of how long the trip is and you keep on checking the time every 3 minutes or so.

But, once you arrive and hold and kiss your loved ones you just wonder how time flew and how quick the flight was.

This time I actually slept during the flight, the 3 empty seats in a row were perfect enough for me and Selma to snugle together for a couple of hours.

It wasn't the perfect trip all the way, at some points I felt I was collapsing especially when I ran out of ideas on how to calm Selma down somewhere up between JFK and AMM. each lady around me suggested I do this and I do that, all their kids were sleeping for God's sake, why isn't mine?!

I felt SO unfortunate and unlucky and bad and sad and all.

Whenever Selma fell a sleep I ran to the back of the plane to drink water, I was required to drink tons of it during the flight, so It was better to do it while her eyes were closed.

On one of my 100 trips to the kitchen and while it was so dark in the plane I managed to see people sleeping and I heard some snoring and then I began to hear screaming kids but couldn't actually see them until someone grabbed my arm firmly and started begging: "Please, please sister do me a favor! I beg you, since you are on the way to the kitchen could you PLEASE fill this bottle up with water?" It was then when I opened my eyes widely to see what was going on. There was a young mother with two little monkeys jumping on her and fighting at the same time.

I took the bottle and didn't say a word. I was speechless.

I got her the water, she almost kissed my hand, I kept on walking towards my sleeping beauty thanking God and feeling like the most fortunate and the luckiest mother on earth!

Allah is generous,

Ramadan is generous...here in Amman and all around the world.

Glad to be among family after one of the shortest trips ever!

Maradan Maradan...

This morning I video chatted with my Mariyah, she was busy having fun with beautiful wet hair.
She started singing: Bokra Maradaaaan====>Tomorrow's Ramadan!

And then I thought of Ramadan this year. It's going to be a crazy one. Hopefully good crazy!

A lot of complications are taking place in my life now but Jeeej insists I should stay positive!

So here I am, wishing you all my beloved ones a very happy and a blessed Ramadan.
May Allah SWT makes it one of the smoothest ever.

Why Do We Love Baba Jeeej?

Because he always smells good, even after rock climbing with his friends.

Because his hugs are the biggest and warmest in the world.

Because he is the calmest and most reasonable when we all go crazy.

Because he can fight our stubbornness with his patience. -He wishes he can kill it, it's just impossible ;)

Because we believe his eyes are green. -He THINKS they are brown!

Because he loves whatever we do and loves the way we look even on the worst hair days ever.

Speaking of bad hair...please sisters, try to comb Mariyah's hair more often,

Thank you!

We love you Baba Jeeej!

I killed KiKi.

When he became too noisy I couldn't enjoy him anymore... and the big mess he created over and over again was not nice anymore...

Feeding him became a burden and I started forgetting to add more water for him.

I felt bad for him and for myself.

One day I cried and decided that I can't take it anymore...

I asked Jeeej to take him away...he gave it to his friend Rami after he had some of mama's mansaf.

Today, Rami called.

KiKi died :(

He was feeding him and all...

I think he died because he was happier here and got more attention than at a single guy's place.

I cried when I heard the news...

I know I cry a lot!

It was me who killed KiKi!

An advice from a mother of a newborn...

When you plan to visit -congratulate- a mother who just gave birth to a new baby and went through a lot to bring the baby to the world, make sure your visit is short. Try not to spend the whole day visiting, even worse sleep over for 2 nights with your 4 kids!

This friend of mine is going through hell because of her in laws. She is lucky she has her mom visiting to help her out with the baby and all. But then the mother is exhausted herself cooking and cleaning after them!

Once she gave birth, after spending over 24 hours suffering while in labor, EVERYONE went to visit her at the hospital. Visitors had to give their ID cards to a nurse standing in front of the room's door, 2 persons were allowed at a time. For the hospital staff, it was something unusual. My friend almost asked the nurse to kick them all out.

All the in laws live around, they start calling the new mother once the sun rises -to make sure the mother and baby are doing alright-!

When they visit, they go at 11 am and don't leave until the sun sets.

When they visit, they get hungry -of course- and they need to be fed. Lunch and dinner.

My friend is such a sweet heart. She won't complain to her in laws. Their intention is "good" she believes. At the same time she complains to he friends that she never takes naps during the day and that she is embarrassed to nurse in front of the visitors, so she started giving the bottle to her baby!

This weekend she had her sister in law visiting along with her 4 kids and stayed over for 2 nights. Perfect!

Mind you, her apartment is so tiny, there's barely space.

I feel so bad for my friend.
I hope no one goes through the same.
In laws, friends & relatives please be more considerate when you plan for a visit.

I Found Balance.

Today, me and Selma went to meet baby Ateyyeh for the 1st time, he is 7 days old today.

A few ladies showed up and asked me about Mariyah.

I was nursing Selma when I told them that Mariyah is in Amman.

They asked me: do you miss her?

-Of course I do!

I almost dropped a tear.

I took Selma from underneath the nursing cover and started burping her.

Then they asked me: How much do you miss her?

I looked at Selma and I smiled...

I said: as much as I am having fun with Selma!

And then...
Selma burped :)

A Manual, for my sisters to read; How to handle Mariyah with care...

When you receive Mariyah at the airport, be gentle and nice. She most probably stayed awake all the way from SFO to AMM. She will be confused but excited at the same time. Try to approach her slowly, she doesn't like extra attention.

She loves outdoors way more than indoors. When you want to take her out for fun, think nature.

If her first answer to any question is "No", don't give up. Try again, she mostly doesn't know what she's talking about ;)

She loves to be pampered. Lotion massages, manicure, make up & accessories of all kinds.

Make sure she joins you on meal times. Use her blue chair, insist on having her use it. otherwise you will end up running after her for every single bite.

Once she wakes up, put new clothes on her, let her brush her teeth and wash her face. She loves doing both :)

Taking a shower every single night before going to bed is her favourite. It makes her extra sleepy too. Please don't keep her awake all night. I know you want to have fun with her. Make sure you follow a schedule, especially for bedtime.

For daily snacks, don't offer candies, chocolate or chips. I know she loves them but she also loves fruits and raisins. And when you give her juice, always mix it with water.

Whenever you pray, encourage her to join you. I sent her praying clothes with her. She knows sourat Al-nas, Al-falaq and ayet Al-korsi.

I love you so much sisters. Ward is a great help and mama knows her well. They will be jet lagged and exhausted after a long trip, so Mariyah is all yours until mama gets back to normal life.

Please keep reminding her that we love her and that we will see her soon inshallah.

Mariyyati...

I miss you already mama :( Be nice to people, they will love you more!

Celebrating America. How About Jordan?

Now that I got the passport and became an American citizen, I feel good and equal! It went by so quick they even did a private ceremony for me in one of the offices right after passing the tests.
I felt lucky.
Jeeej decided to celebrate and we went on a date later on at night.
We kissed Selma good night and went out for dinner and then to the movies and watched: "Dinner for Schmucks". Hilaaaarious!
It was a great date until we got back home and Selma punished us the whole night for leaving her with a bottle of milk only for a few hours.

I felt like celebrating that Friday. I have been working on my papers since 2005. It took 5 years and the wait was worth it.

I look for the day both my girls and husband become Jordanians.

When Jeeej and I first got married, I didn't think much of it. "He's American, why would he want to become Jordanian?"

Now that my friends are/thinking of leaving the states to live in Jordan makes me jealous of how easy their journey would be compared to mine over there.

One day, we'll get to celebrate Jordan in my family. I just hope it takes less than 5 years :)