Feeling.. April 28, 2007

Lately, Eesa’s seen me throw up or gag a few times. And because he’d have this really sad face, I would tell him mommy isn’t feeling well. A few days ago, during his bedtime, he asked me if we could play ‘carwash’ (build a carwash using blocks of different shapes). As I sat up, I started gagging and told him, ‘Mommy isn’t feeling well, so she can’t’.

Ever since then, anytime that I gag, he asks ‘mama feeling?’ as in ‘youre not feeling well?’ The concern on his face is adorable mashaAllah.

Yesterday afternoon, I asked him to pick up the toys from the rug, once he was done playing. He was super tired and really not in the mood. So he puts his hand on his mouth and starts making all these gagging sounds and starts coughing. lol.

I knew he was pretending, so I asked him, ‘Eesa, you’re not feeling well?’.

He replied, “Eesa no feeling’. I had to literally hold myself from laughing out loud. I didnt want to dismiss his feelings so I promptly asked him to lay down for a few minutes and take a rest. But ofcourse, patience is a virtue indeed and we couldn’t stay down for more than 30 seconds.  Nonetheless, it was funny while it lasted. lol

Eesa knows there’s a baby in my tummy so he cant jump on me anymore. I remember when Maryam was pregnant, he’d think she was hiding a ball under her abaya. He’d go and lift up her abaya, trying to find it. lol.I wonder what he’ll do this time inshaAllah. Any of you with multiple children, share your stories and advice plz!

Milk.. April 28, 2007

As I was clearing out Eesa’s drawers of his clothes, I just remembered the smell of milk on his breath when he was a baby. I suddenly missed being able to hold him in one arm or to be able to tickle his wobbly cheeks. I had this sudden urge to put up spy cams everywhere around our place and record everything possible about him. I want to bottle it up and savour it forEVER.

Suddenly, I’m reminded of all the gross things I went through during my last pregnancy. All the nausea, the gagging, the big belly button – the outtie I tried sealing with a scotch tape, being unable to fit into anything, the waddle walk, the fact that I could slip out some pee while I sneezed, etc etc. Oh gosh! But 30 months down the lane, it all seems so worth it.

Almost two months into this pregnancy, I can’t wait to enter my second trimester. 5 more weeks inshaAllah.

Motherhood… April 28, 2007

Eesa’s gone over to his grandma’s for the weekend and the house is getting a good clean while he’s away. The result of my hardwork lasts longer when he’s not around, but I really miss him while he’s gone.

Nothing ever prepared me for this feeling ofunconditional love. Yesterday, Eesa & I were watching our fave – sesame street – and he turned around to give me a hug – just randomly. I have to say, it was the most heart warming feeling ever – i could just lay my life out for him right there. He also has this way of placing his hands on either side of my face and clenching his teeth super hard… as though he cant let go (or so i hope!)

Recently, we’ve been learning our ABC’s. In the car, he was just humming along the tune, until he got to Gee, Aich, Aii … he went over that part a few times and then proudly announced to my mum, ‘Anneh! Aich, aii – CHAI!’ (aich, aii makes up chai{tea}).

Its an inexplanable sense of achievement to watch him make the connections. The other day he was singing ‘lakri ki kathi’ (sorry aasi, no idea how to translate that – its just a nursery rhyme in urdu for kids). and then he goes ‘ mama horsie ko ouch ho gaya’. (mum the hose go hurt).

I responded, ‘uh oh, how Eesa?’

He goes, ‘hammer se’ (by a hammer! – the nursery rhyme talks about a hathora(hammer) hurting the horse, and being his father and grandfather’s blood – he’s a hardy tool/handyman to the core!).

The point being, he made the connection between the rhyme and the story, especially considering the fact that the rhyme is in urdu.

-=-=-=

Last, but not the least, we have an announcement to make. We’ve been secretly harbouring a blog for the past few weeks. http://powderfresh.wordpress.com

Enjoy!

Chiro-ed April 26, 2007

From what I’m guessing so far, I’m aprox 7 weeks in. SubhanAllah. it’s overwhelming. On one hand, I still can’t believe it, on the other I just can’t wait for the first trimester to be OVER. lol… deja vu from the first pregnancy huh?

 Babycentre tells me that my baby in there is the size of a lentil. Interesting! How could something so small, create so much havoc in my system? SubhanAllah!

 According to babycentre:

“Now about onehalf of an inch /1.25 centimetres long, the size of a lentil. the embryo has distinct, slightly webbed fingers and toes. It’s a jumping bean, moving in fits and starts. The liver is churning out large amounts of red blood cells until the bone marrow forms and takes over this role.”  

Woow. It’s crazy how textbook this pregnancy is so far. (well it means that everythings on track, alhamdolillah). Today, the newsletter said I should be experiencing abdominal cramps and I just mentioned them to imran last night. Sharp, pinching pains on the bottom right, aah!  

Yesterday saw my first vommit for this pregnancy. I’m constantly feeling queasy but yesterday was the first time it all came out. I’ll spare you guys the description coz as you can imagine ( if your mind dares to wander that far), it was really not a pleasant moment!

I went in for my first pre-natal chiro appointment today. I was having alot of lower back pain and posture trouble and alhamdolillah, I already feel better. The practitioner, Angela said that we can’t do many adjustments because of me being in my first trimester, however, with the lil that she did do, I can already feel a difference. Alhamdolilllah.

I got my referral to Dr levielle alhamdolillah. I can’t wait to meet her again. The midwives also, finally, got back. Maryam finally managed to get a hold of them and alhamdolillah they called right back and took a history and will let me know by monday inshaAllah. I’m stll debating, lets see inshaAllah.

 Ive also been on a hunt for some halal previtamins especially since i’ve been feeling super dizzy and faint all the time. Since I’m still lactating from my first pregnancy, i NEED the vitamins. I don’t mind taking the ones with animal ingredients as long as its kosher and the ingredient isn’t pork, but i still cant seem to find any. With the craze about organic food these days, one would imagine there being one atleast. It’s insane. I checked every drug store at stc yesterday, but if they contain animal ingredients, its not kosher. how crazy!!!!!!!! brrr

Last but not the least, I am definitely not enjoying the hallmark of every pregnancy – pee-ing endlessly. Golly gosh, it seems endless.  

 Anyhow, its maghrib time. I’m off.

Foodswings April 22, 2007

Yesterday, Imran and I were dicussing how much into food I am during this pregnancy. During my last pregnancy, I didn’t gain or lose weight during the first three months but I wasnt INTO food. I wasnt picky and just had whatever was there, just alot of it. But foods that I didnt like, i was content with even a bit eor two as meals.

During work, Imran and I used to meet at harvey’s everyday and while before pregnancy I’d have half a veggie burger and fries, during pregnancy I’d finish my burger and fries, munch from imran’s fries and then have half his veggie burger while he was still only having his fish burger. I’d eat FAST and alot- mashaAllah.

 This time around, I’m picky about food. Really picky. Everything that I usually liked eating, I don’t feel like eating anymore. I LOVE tiramaisu and got mom to make me a dish. But when I feel like having it, i’ll go upto the fridge, load up my dish and then all of a sudden I just DONT feel like eating it. Last night I took an enchilada onto my plate and then all of a sudden I just didnt want it. Its nothing to do with taste, looks or smell. My taste changes all of a sudden. how whack is that?

Weel, last night, I wanted to have sour and spicy beef chunks cooked in chinese seasoning. Then I wanted somali food. Then I wanted some more chicken florentine. My mouth was salivating throughout the night with just the thought of these foods – I probably drooled onto my pillow during the night too!

Imran’s loving my food swings coz generally I love eating at home and he loves eating out. Evven if its food from a restaurant, i always love it more if its a take out so i can eat at home without the abaya hassle. But for the last week, i just want to eat out and that accounts for a VERy happy hubby.  

These days, I also enjoy eating things with a twist- ive been wanting to eat cheddar cheese with pepper every morning- (you guys should try it! It’s YUM! ). I’m also eating marie biscuits dipped into orange juice - tastes like orange cake (ive got eesa hooked onto this too). Combinations that i would never eat or discover otherwise. I dont know if i’d like it after pregnancy or not but i’m loving it now. Last pregnancy I developed a repulsion to glade’s citrus plug-in smells, even though i used to love it before. It used to make me nauseaous. I had assumed, i’d outgrow it after the pregnancy but i still dont enjoy the smell the way i used to before my pregnancy.

 Yesterday morning, mama stocked up my fridge and insisted that I finish the food soon. I’m storing it for days I dont feel like cooking. I was amazed at how fast she cooked. By the time i woke up, there were two dishes of biryani curry ready so all i have to do is add rice. There was two types of kababs and some burger patties. Spicy lentils (daal). Dishes of lasagne and roasted chicken for sandwiches. I had to literally tell her to stop and sit with me instead. Thank God for mums! The house feels soooo empty now that she’s gone *sniff* Thats a whole post on its own.

Maryam was just telling me that I seem to be enjoying this pregnancy alot more than my last one. I am. I loved having eesa but it was weird being pregnant. I had never known anyone pregnant before and had never really been around kids. The last pregnant woman I knew was my mum and that was almost 15 years ago. I was too young to remember anything. With Eesa, I just didnt know what to do or what should be done. I was only 19 and had alot of anxiety and stress. Plus I was living with alot of people and it was weird feeling or expressing anything. This time around, I’m loving the freedom and the experience from being pregnant before. I doubt my experience with my last pregnancy affected my love for him at all, I couldnt possibly love anyone more than the way I love eesa. That bond is completely unique and totally ours alone.

A very exciting tool! April 21, 2007

http://www.contractionmaster.com/

Food & I April 16, 2007

So my trouble with food has begun. What I wouldn’t do to shove the food below my throat and keep it there. It seems the moment i swallow something, it keeps bubbling in my throat, ready to spring out at any given moment. Drops of lemon help – which theoretically shouldn’t coz its more acid. I just squeeze a few drops here and there during the day. What really doesnt work for me is salted crackers. I’ve tried and tried but they make my throat so dry – i get gagging. I had crackers with soup last night – BIG mistake. My tummy was rumbling like a maniac. Had to finally calm down the queasing with some antacids – hajmola – the only, fart smelling, one that imran swears by. gotta get some Tums soon inshaAllah.

At this exact moment, I think I’m humbled by God’s mercies. There’s definitely a reason why the person who came up with the term ‘morning sickness’ is dead – otherwise I would have ensured he was! I say ‘he’ above because it has to be a man to come up with a term that totally doesnt resonate what I’m feeling. Gross understatement. All day sickness, more like it.

Itchy scratchy.. April 16, 2007

The weekend went by so fast, i can’t even believe its monday already.

Friday afternoon chot, my cousin from pak arrived. Friday being her first day over, I made some chicken parmesan and chicken ginger soup with garlic bread and stir fried corn. There was a basketball game on so we spent the evening just watching basketball and playing scrabble.

Saturday morning, a friend came over from Calgary and we just hung around downtown. In the afternoon Bajia, my eldest cousin from dad’s side, arrived and we bummed out back and forth at home. We had to go somewhere for dinner so we swung by and came home around 9ish to spend more time with each other at home. We stayed up till fajr and then got up early morning since bajia, chot and their friend had to go out for breakfast. Afterwards, we all went to ikea ( i came back having spent a total of $11 – a record!!) and then bajia and chot went out while I went to a meeting. It was almost 7 by the time we got done and I was pooped beyond belief. Imran and I were joking that for the first time in my life, i admitted that ikea exhausted me. The walk and all was extremely tiring and the lack of windows really bothered me.

Mama’s leaving next weekend and that already feels too close. I just want to hang on to her like her apron string. lol.

and now eesas up from his noon nap. ciao

busy weekend ahead.. April 14, 2007

Sorry I havent posted in a while. Its been a hectic and busy week here between running errands and getting on top of school work.

Last semester is finally over. it was one crazy semester, i dont know how i got through it… I just did. Alhamdolillah. 9 more weeks and ill be done two yrs of this craziness. Although, i have to admit that despite all my whining abt it, i love the course I am currently taking and if it were not for the course, I would have gone crazy identifying many diff pieces with the puzzle called life.

Anyhow, Eesa seems to have picked up some form of rash all over his back. Its keeping the poor guy super restless and frustrated all the time. My heart actually breaks watching him, trying to figure out what to do. Initially i thought it was food. Then detergent. Then food again. Then fabric. Finally i thought it was measles. In the end, I took him to the doctors’ who said its just a rash that develops into eczema. THAT did it. I was ready to sob my eyes out. My family has had a long and painful relationship with eczema. I personally have gone through years of treatment, trying to treat it and remember the exhaustion and stress that always seemed to follow me around. I hope inshaAllah he cures soon. Ameen.

I’m loving the spring clearance in most stores nowadays. i’m loving the bargains that I’m getting to pick out these days. I raided children’s place last week and picked out polo tops and summer tees for 5 bucks each. I was amazed! I need to find him some cute pants now since he’s outgrown most of them.

Today, chot, one of my elder cousins, arrived in TO. Tommorow, her elder sister and someone else we know from calgary are arrving fron NJ. InshaAllah its going to be a packed house. We’ve got dawats to attend tmrw night and the day after and lots of sightseeing during hte day inshaAllah.

Ill be out of the blog scene this weekend inshaAllah, catch you all again on monday iA.
peace!

Laundry detergent… April 13, 2007

Adding to my shopping list, laundry detergent… dreft from the states.