The Babies B

Monday, January 6, 2014

Making art

I mentioned painting to Tayeb yesterday. Today he remembered and got canvases out and ready to go. We should paint more often, it goes quickly, but I always love what they make. They are so free and haven't reached the age of self doubt yet, they just enjoy making art, something adults forget and have to work towards again. They are taking their time more now and 'finish' before turning the canvas into a muddy mess like they used to. I even got Aya involved whether she liked it or not.

Aya's left hand and right foot

Saturday, January 4, 2014

You know you're a mom when

You know you're a mom when your daughter spits up and you instinctively and instantly reach out a cupped hand to catch it because washing your hand is easier than washing sheets. Not that you wash your hand, you know you're a mom when a baby wipe is sufficient for you to feel like your hand is clean again. You know you're a mom when you are excited to get more than two showers in a week. You know you're a mom when the five minutes of sit down time in the bathroom is your only shot at five minutes of peace. You know you're a mom when your five minutes of peace is interrupted by world war three erupting in your living room. You know you're a mom when it is perfectly acceptable to open the bathroom door and 'parent' from your royal throne. You know you're a mom when you no longer have personal space and spend the day as a living jungle gym to one or more little people. You know you're a mom when none of this phases you and you wouldn't change a thing.

When I was a teenager and my brother was choking and gagging on a chip at Taco Bell, my reaction was to move to another table. My mom, on the other hand, was there slapping his back and clearing his throat. I thought it was because she was trained as a nurse. I realize now it was because she is his mom. Sorry Beau, I love you, I hope I would give you a slap on the back rather than move to another table if you were choking or gagging today.

Friday, January 3, 2014

Snow day

The Snow Day was called last night, I think I was more excited than the kids. This morning I got in my snow gear and shoveled the driveway. I was excited for the exercise and one of the first storms of the season. The kids decided it was too cold to play outside unfortunately, but it was a nice quiet day that included a shower, laundry, some sketching and even a little reading. I enjoyed the snow day complete with Amine's awesome cooking and roasted marshmallows probably more than the kids did, in a few years maybe they will fully appreciate a snow day, it is a wonderful thing.

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Snow globe

I sit inside a snow globe in my somewhat clean house on my new couch with my youngest baby snuggling down into my chest. Adam alternates between all boy whacking a stick around the room to quietly talking to himself as he winds a music box. Amine is gathering supplies for our impending foot of snow and gathering Iman and Tayeb from school. On our docket for today a snowman, some hot chocolate and maybe a movie cozy in front of our fire. Perhaps even s'mores are possible, nearly perfect New England day for my near perfect family.

Kids updates: Adam performs magic when he throws empty tic tac container and two tic tacs mysteriously appear inside. Tayeb has lost three baby teeth all at the bottom, all in December. Iman has her first tooth due to come out any minute now. Aya is cooing and smiling and chewing on her hand whenever the binky is not available.

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

I'm back

Whether it be New year's resolution or nostalgia, I am back. I feel that Facebook claimed my kids' photos and updates of what they are doing. I want to reclaim the thoughts and pictures here. In a place for my inner circle where they can be revisited and reflected upon. Here we are almost three years later, the babies B number four, we live in a new house, too much time has passed to play catch up and it would be too daunting to try so we begin again.
I have had no luck posting the video I wanted to and I have no idea why it is snowing on this photo, ah three years.

Feats of Strength and Wits

5.13.08- Iman rolls over... recorded on video
6.2.08 & 6.3.08- Tayeb sleeps through the night... two nights in a row
6.27.08- without jinxing things, Bibi consistently sleeps through the night, last night breaking a record....9 hours, now if only he could talk to his sister

7.23.08- Babies first solid meal of rice cereal. Iman eats more avidly than Bibi, much to our surprise

8.1.08- Bibi and Iman learn to roll over back to tummy while in Morocco. They also found their feet. Both feats were learned within a day of each other.

8.18.08- Iman starts crawling, or rather scooting on all fours more like an inchworm

8.30.08- Iman's first tooth begins to break through

9.17.08- Bibi says Dada, although we are not sure if it should count as his first word, since it applies to everything right now

9.22.08- Iman's second tooth begins to show right next to the first

10.15.08- Bibi discovers his pee pee, typical man, can't stop playing with it now that he has found it

10.16.08- Bibi's first tooth breaks through the gums, finally all that drooling has paid off

10.20.08- Bibi's second tooth breaks through, right next to the first. Although he has gotten a later start than his sister, he has caught up to her in record time

11.4.08- Determined to make it to the voting booths, Bibi begins to crawl. He has a military style of staying as low as possible and pulling himself with his arms.

11.12.08- Bibi pulls himself to standing in the crib for the first time

11.12.08- Three new foods in one day- plum, yogurt and avocado

11.14.08- Iman's third tooth breaks through, the first one on top

11.16.08- Bibi slept through the night for the first time in a VERY long time, hopefully he will keep up the good work...I mean sleep

11.22.08- Iman slept through the night for the first time. They have taken turns since then, but haven't been nice enough to do it on the same night yet.

12.9.08- First cheese for babies and Iman starts more finger foods

12.11.08- Iman stands for 10 seconds without holding anything, repeated several times the next day... should I encourage this?

12.14.08- Iman waves while we are out and about in Cambridge, I am trying to remember now, but I think it may have been the first time she clapped as well

12.24.08- Bibi claps for the first time

12.27.08- Iman is up to seven teeth now, four on top and a third one joins the first two on the bottom. I am starting to feel like a slacker not documenting any of this. Bibi is also getting two teeth on top. One has already broken through. Iman also can stand on her own for much longer now, but no walking yet, she just leaps from standing to my arms. Other updates... both babies say Dada and Baba, but Bibi especially says Dada all the time and Iman has said Mama, but I still don't think they are connecting me to Mama and Amine to Dada quite yet.

1.10.09- Bibi stands on his own for the first time a few days ago, he is repeating it more often, but still only for a second or so at a time. Today Iman took her first very shaky unassisted step after a lot of encouragement and a day full of standing and playing with Sylvie (these two will be nothing but trouble together)

2.4.09- Babies first taste of Harrira and Iman takes a few steps unassisted. Bibi stands on his own for 10-20 seconds, or until he starts laughing.

2.8.09- Babies try couscous for the first time, their faces were priceless... let's just say it wasn't love at first bite.

2.9.09- Bibi has slept through the night three nights in a row. Last night he went down at 7:30 and Amine went to check on him at 7 am to find him awake and quietly hanging out in his crib. Iman is getting close only waking up once through the night, so she sleeps for two long chunks.

3.2.09- Bibi and Iman both take a few steps unassisted a few days ago, but often leading to the "trust fall" game where they leap forward assuming we will catch them. They also play peek-a-boo which for Iman means covering her eyes when we ask "Where is Iman?" and then moving them away and smiling. Bibi's interpretation is slightly different, he covers his ears when we say "Where is Bibi?", so the two of them look like hear no evil and see no evil... we just need to teach Sylvie to do speak no evil and then we can take this trick on the road.

3.7.09- While Amine finishes the base trim in the kitchen, Iman starts walking, the next day she looks like a pro, much more steady than Bibi, taking 10 controlled steps from Amine to me. Bibi does 3-5 steps, more of a running pace, falling into our arms.

3.10.09- Mama finally breaks down and feeds the babies some chicken

3.11.09- First act of twin on twin violence, Bibi bites Iman on the cheek

9.28.09-

list of English words: Baba, Mama, Bibi, ears, eyes, nose, mouth, toes, shoes, hat, no, apple, cookie, bird, horse, cat, cow, moon, balloon, ball, hi, hello, bye bye, bus, up, baby, this, what's that?, all gone

list of Arabic words: doh, lebass

list of their version of words: mimi (feed me), numas (I want to nurse), tehta (take this, here) weeohh weeohh (siren noise-ambulance, or fire truck), woof woof (dog), nana (banana), boo boo

list of expressions: uh-oh, oh no, foufou (hot!), wow, yucky

10.19.09-

Adding to word list: bus, knees, eyebrows, meat, monkey,owl, moose, donkey, boots, bear, mess, juice, house, car

Coordinating animals with noises: monkey, donkey, cat, bear

11.1.09

Iman's first sentence: (when Jon & Kate plus 8 goes to commercial) "Where the babies go?" it has since been translated to fit Curious George "Where the monkey go?", very cute and I need to get off my butt to video babies talking