Yasi's surprise birthday party

We went to Yasi's surprise 18th birthday party at her house in Oakton. Actually, we took Yasi to her own surprise birthday party. I was the designated distraction so I took her to the mall under the pretense of needing some goods from LL Bean (where she works). It was a bonus for us because we got to spend extra time with Yasi and w ended up shopping and buying a bunch of stuff with her employee discount. ; )


The birthday party was a lot of fun. As always, dinner at my aunt and uncle's house was outstanding. The kids really enjoyed seeing the whole family. It's amazing how they instinctively know the difference between family and strangers because neither one of them hesitates to give someone a hug, or a kiss, or even sit on their lap even if its the first time they've met that family member. I have to think it has to do with psychological concept called "social referencing" when they see that Adam and I are comfortable and at ease with an individual they know it's okay.

signing and exercising at the same time

global warming

Aiden has a book about global warming...its about a little boy named Aiden that learns how to recycle, use less electricity and gas, plant trees, etc. It's now his favorite book. We read it every night and now he's calling us on a lot of our practices at home. Yikes! He wants to unplug anything that's plugged in, he does all the recycling in the house...we just put the items on a counter that he can reach and he takes them out to the recycle bin. Its pretty cool. Its definitely made me realize that if we want him to grow up to be more conscientious on these issues, we have to be more conscientious...or we answer to him! And I don't mean that in a joking way.

oh no! put the snow back!!

Aiden came home from preschool and realized that we had shovel the driveway.

Aiden:" What happened to the snow???" he says looking very shocked and visibly upset.

Me: "I shoveled the snow so that we could get our cars out."

Aiden: "Oh no! Put the snow back! Put it back! I want to play in it." he says nearly in tears.

Me: "There is plenty of snow in the grass, in the backyard, over here, over there..." I explain as I point out the rest of the snow.

Aiden: "You didn't ask me. I want my snow back!"

I can't win, people.

I got it back!

Sky enjoying her moment. She's just made off with her toy cell phone that her and Aiden often quarrel over. She is hiding in her usual hiding spot - in the corner of the family room.

feeling a little better

She's getting a little color back in her cheeks.

I didn't give her any milk when she was going through the worst of her stomach flu....she'd stand by the refrigerator and say "milky, please!" about ten times and then resort to a mini-tantrum.

Grandma's soup

When we were all sick, my mom came over made us a big pot of vegetable soup. The soup hit the spot. Both Aiden and Sky ate a decent amount after about three days of refusing any food. Adam came home from his marathon work session and had a big bowl. I had a big bowl with a squirt of lemon and that did wonders for my sore throat.

Sky's first snow experience

Although Sky is still very sick (ear infection and stomach flu), I didn't have the heart to deprive her of a few minutes of playing in the snow. She was amazed with the white powdery stuff. She walked right out into the snow and started to experiment with it. Aiden was her point of reference and she just followed his lead.

While Aiden played around the yard, I kept Sky on the deck to keep her from running too much and wearing herself out. Bobba joined in the fun on the deck.

I can't wait to take this little dude snowboarding. I have a feeling like everything else, he'll catch on quickly.

In the picture above, Aiden is comforting Sky. It was as if he was aware of the fact that this was her first snow experience. He held snow in his hand for her to touch. He gathered snow in a cup so that she could get a good look at it without freezing her hands.

me and him

I picked Aiden up from school an hour earlier than usual so that I could spend some time with him outside.

Me: How about we make some snowballs when we get home today?
Aiden: Where?
Me: At home, in our backyard.
Aiden: Who will play with me?
Me: I'll play with you.

--long pause--


Aiden: I love you, mommy.

tummy hurts; ear hurts

So on Wednesday, Ms. Bridgette, Aiden's preschool teacher told me that three kids from her class were in the hospital with pneumonia.   Yikes! Three kids?! Aiden was coughing but nothing that had cause me real concern. Just to be on the safe side, we kept him home on Thursday. By Thursday night, he was coughing regularly. Friday morning rolled around and wouldn't you know it, the cough was drier and more frequent.  Again, we kept him home with Teresa. Well, at 2 pm, Teresa called me at the office suggesting that I take Aiden to the pediatrician because he was not only coughing but starting to wheez.  So, I did. Turns out he has bronchitis.  

I braced myself for a very cranky and sick weekend with Aiden. I stopped by the pharmacy and picked up Tylenol and Motrin. I stopped at the grocery store for Aiden's favorite foods.  When Aiden is sick he refuses to eat for days which makes him weak and dehydrated. The frustration of being sick also makes him act up and get rowdy. That's why I say, I used the phrase braced myself" rather than "prepared myself" for a long sick weekend. 

Turns out, Aiden did fine. He did his breathing treatments four times a day, he sort of ate and didn't get any sicker over the weekend. However, little Sky came down with a vicious stomach flu (or so we think) and a double ear infection.  We roughed it through the weekend but each day she got worse and worse.  Unlike Aiden, Sky doesn't show her sickness in her face or her actions. Despite the non-stop diarrhea and vomiting (sometimes at the same time) she was still all smiles.  I've been giving her water non-stop and sometimes it take me a whole hour to get her to drink half a cup.

Sky: Mommyyyyy.

Laila: Yes, Sky?

Sky: Tummy hurts.

Laila: Do you want some medicine?

Sky: Yeah. M'cine please.

When she's overwhelmed with sickness she begs me to go upstairs with her to sit on the rocking chair and rock. Late last night she took my hand and said "sleep mommy" as she guided me up to her bedroom.

I started Sky on a antibiotic today.  She's still not holding anything down and the mad diarrhea continues. Keeping my fingers crossed and hoping the antibiotics work quickly. 

Our little Sky getting a little comfort.

two very opinionated kids

Okay, Aiden is three and Sky is eighteen months old...already they are arguing and challenging us.

Aiden: Mommy, can I take my two trains into the bath with me?
Me: No, remember we don't take wooden toys into the bath - only pastic toys.
Aiden: Is this train okay to take in the bath?
Me: Ummm. No, see the bottom is made of wood.
Aiden: No, No. Yeterday, I took this train in the bath and you said it was okay.
Me: Well, I must have not noticed it had wood on the bottom.
Aiden: It was an accident?
Me: Yeah, I must have not seen the wood on the bottom.
Aiden: And that time the water didn't break my train.
Me: Well, see the paint is kind of chipping here.
Aiden: Maybe I'll just take it into bath today and only a little bit will chip?

Sky has decided that she only likes certain jackets and certain shoes. If you try to put the wrong jacket on her she will protest like you've never seen before. If you put on the wrong pair of shoes she will take them off and put them back in the closet.

OMG, and she's only eighteen months old!

talking like Daddy

The picture above has nothing to do with the dialogue below. I just happened to like this picture that my brother took.

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Sky was sitting on Aiden's tricycle and Aiden didn't like that.

Aiden: No Sky! That's my tricycle.
Sky: No, my twicycle!
Aiden: No! Don't you Sky!
Me: Aiden, please don't yell at your sister. It's not nice.
Aiden: I'm not yelling, I'm just talking like Daddy.

watch this mommy!

Sky will do, I mean will try, anything that Aiden does. If he jumps off the back of the couch, she will jump off the back of the couch. If he climbs the book shelves, she will climb the book shelves...though usually not as gracefully as Aiden but she does very well for a seventeen month old. I always know when she's about to try a stunt when I hear she stay "watch this mommy!" then right after that I hear a crash to the floor. She rarely cries from her injuries. She just dusts herself off and moves on.

the west virginia office open house!

I don't like to write about work or company related matters on this site but this one kind of family related. We had an "open house" at our WV office this week. The event was a big success and we all had a lot of fun. We met the mayor, a senator, and Adam got a call on his cell phone from West Virginia Governor Machin himself. We did the whole ribbon cutting thing and there were several West Virginia TV stations and news papers covering the event. Nana Beth and Bobba Steve drove all the way from Blue Ridge to attend the event. That was really cool. I snapped the picture above towards the end of the event. Look at the glow in both of their faces!

Aiden and Sky stayed home with Grandma, Bobba and Teresa. They got to do a lot of extracurricular activities like going to gymnasium, Aiden went to soccer practice, play dates, and they both went to a couple of library events. By the way, the library is Sky's favorite outing...my little scholar. Aiden on the other hand is all about the outdoors and any kind of gym.

happy birthday to both Bobbas

Our family has celebrated a lot of birthdays in the past two of months - Aiden, Bobba Rahman, Bobba Steve, Aunt Meghan, Me (Laila), and Uncle Dullah. We've been singing happy birthday just about every other week. Sky now loves the song and sings it all the time. I never seem to have the camera handy when she sings the entire song but I was able to get bits and pieces.



This is actually a second clip of her singing.

the carnivore

What? So I like meat. What's the big deal?


I want my baby back, baby back, baby back....


I come from a long line of meat eaters - Daddy, Bobba Rahman, Bobba Steve, Uncle Dullah...

uncle dullah's surprise birthday party

We threw a surprise birthday party for Uncle Dullah. He came over to our house for a boring old Sunday dinner but instead he got a big fat SURPRISE!!!!!!!

Aiden was the first to greet Uncle Dullah at the door with a big hug and kiss. Sky was still working the crowd in the living room offering hugs and kisses.

Count them! Thirty candles on Dullah's birthday cake. Later that night while I was putting Aiden to bed, he asked me why Uncle Dullah had "too much fire on his cake"?

Molly, Aunt Anne, and Timursha had a good time.


Me and my Sky.


The feast before the birthday cake.

Monica, Molly, and Aunt Meghan came to celebrate Uncle Dullah's Birthday.

There were so many candles on Uncle Dullah's cake that it took three people to light all of them.

Happy Birthday Uncle Dullah!

Meeshko!

Our Sky turned eighteen months old today!

I always write a paragraph on "what does she do at x months old" but that paragraph is getting more and more difficult to write because what doesn't she do now. She's an active, verbal, opinionated, and happy little girl.


She is so active that people that have seen her in action have comment "man, she's active" or "does she ever slow down" or "she must be hard to keep up with". She runs around the house non-stop. She loves jumping on the trampoline, playing hide-n-seek, chasing the cats, riding her tricycle (she scoots, doesn't peddle), climbing furniture, jumping from couch to couch, moving furniture, and going up and down stairs.

Everyday she busts out with a couple of new words or phrases.

"No foot on table!" - she says to Aiden when she sees him put his foot on the table after I've asked him not to do that.

"I sorry" (except it sounds more like "I sawee") -she says to Aiden right after she knocks his toys over

"sky did it" - her confessing to the mess in the playroom

"i want new plate" - her demanding to use her new ladybug plate, Ms. Marcey gave her for Christmas

"wead mommy" - as she pats the book on her lap while making herself comfortable sitting next to me

She also answers nicely to "yes and "no" question.

Me: Sky would you like some juice?
Sky: Yeah
Me: Is this cup okay?
Sky: Noooo
Me: You want the pink cup?
Sky: Yeaaaaah! (big smile)
Me: Would you like some cheerios with your juice?
Sky: I want cookie!
Me: Here's a cookie, Sky.
Sky: Two cookie!!
Me: What do you say?
Sky: Peez
Me: I hand her the cookies.
Sky: Tank you.

During the week Sky stays home with our nanny, Teresa. Well, they don't actually stay home, home. On Mondays, they go to the library for toddler reading time and they might run a few errands for me. On Tuesday she goes to the Little Gym for some exercise, dancing, and gymnastics then they stop by the playground at the mall to meet up with some friends. Wednesday she has standing play date with her friend Sophia. She either has Sophia come to our house or she goes to Sophia's house. Thursdays they go to the playground, run errands, and maybe spend some time in Aiden's pre-school class. Fridays she has reading time and a play date with Sophia at Barns and Noble.

She comes home from her activities with new ideas, new words, and new songs. She knows her ABCs, can count to 10 in English and Farsi. She loves spending time with Terese (whom she calls "Seesa"). When she goes to the indoor playground at the mall she plays with other kids and has a wonderful time.

She spends Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons with Bobba and Grandma (my parents). She loves to cuddle with Grandma (my mom) and knows that Grandma will giver her treats. She also loves Grandma's cooking and chows down on some lunch. Grandma brings fruit for her own lunch and Sky gets to share.

She has a really special relationship with Bobba. They spend hours in the playroom building stuff from blocks, playing music, or playing pretend cooking. Most of all, she loves to lean back on his lap and have him read to her.

My mom has given her a new nickname that seems to be sticking..."Meeshko". You have to speak Farsi to understand why that nickname works for Sky. But trust me, it does.

poop in my shoe

So maybe you guys can help me figure this one out...

From time to time, Aiden claims there's poop in his shoe. That's right, POOP IN HIS SHOE. I don't know what he means by it but he gets very upset about it.

Now let me give you some details and my hypothesis. Every time he's claimed he had poop in his shoe has been during a car ride. Aiden sits in a standard infant car seat (appropriate for his age, heigh, and weight). I suspect his leg and foot are falling asleep and he's getting pins and needles in his foot which would be annoying and painful to any one. But I can't figure out why he thinks poop has anything to do with it. I've asked him how poop got in his shoe and he says "maybe Ryan put poop in my shoe". Ryan is one of his good friends and classmate.

So what do you think? His foot is falling asleep? Maybe Ryan once put something in his shoe and now he thinks that's what causes pins and needles in his foot?

Aiden's first model airplane

Aiden and I put together his first model airplane this weekend. I bought the kit at Micheal's for $0.50 and I have to say it was the best money I've spent in a long time. First of all, he was looking forward to putting it together for an entire day. Finally when the time came to put the plane together he was totally focused. He painted the entire thing by himself - no spills, no messes. I helped him glue the pieces together. We used a hair dryer to dry the glue since he didn't have the patience to wait for the glue to dry on its own. He was very proud of the final product and took it to school today to show his teacher and his friends.

New Years 2008 in Vegas!

Adam and I went to Vegas to celebrate New Years 2009 and my birthday! By chance, we met up with Aimee and her husband Merek. We played Black Jack and went to see David Spade. After the show we went to a sport club and met David Spade in person.

Adam and I had a great time in Vegas. Aiden and Sky were home with Teresa, Grandma and Bobba and they too had a great time with play dates, and special outings so they hardly missed us. Mmmm mmm guilt free fun. Kind of like fat-free chocolate cake!