SNOB MOM...

Every parent has their philosophy on parenting. We are no different. I ended up with a husband that has the same ideas about parenting as I do. Well almost. If he could have it his way Nur-Jehan would be vegan, but I told him he is not the one who has to worry about making sure that she eats. I feel as long as she is eating nutritional food not loaded in preservatives and dyes and chemicals and sugar I am doing my job of providing her with healthy meals. We both agree on natural foods and natural alternatives to medication (unless medication is really needed. We aint stupid!) No! We're not gonna have her dressin' in burlap sacks, smellin' like molasses, suckin' on an avocado seed. I think I do pretty well dressing her in stylish clothes. Well... ... when we are at home in the neighborhood we dress... kinda homely. LOL. I guess I have gotten a reputation from neighbors and friends of being an "earthy" mom. I don't mind the label, but that is not my goal. I'm not looking for perfection. I just want the best from the start of her life.

I dont want to feel like a "snob mom" if people offer Jehan chocolate covered sugar cubes with a side of sheet of cake with blue #40 icing. So what, if I prefer for her to eat cupcakes made of lentils and spinach with a beet on top (just kidding). :) I dont wanna have a child with 12 toes just cuz we didn't want to give up Yellow#3 or Monosodium Glutamate or cuz we fed them snacks with an ingredient list of 30 lines.

I see people all the time with weird illnesses like lumps in their skin or sick patchy skin or fairly young people that hobble and wonder "what went wrong in their diet?" "what ailment did they ignore to lead to their disease?" I don't wanna be one of them. Kibwe and I remind each other at different times that in our marriage contract we committed to having good health and reminding each other about health. We committed to take care our ourselves first and our family.

It is my goal and my duty to be at home and raise my children, I feel. Thank God that I have worked independent of a corporation most of my life, so I know how to make an income at home. I am doing that now... making money at home.

THERE'S A DROUGHT!

So my challenge has been producing milk these days. The herb fenugreek works wonders! Take a teaspoon or so of it and BAM! I've got enough milk for a bowl of Wheaties! Recently, the milk supply is drying up and the fenugreek is hardly workin'. I mean, I did say I wanted to wean Jehan by age one and her birthday is next week. She has gone from 15 or so feedings a day down to about 4 to 6 feedings a day. I wouldn't be as concerned if she didnt seem to be so hungry still and if she wasnt sucking on my breast at times waiting for a delivery that never comes.

Jehan has been slow (in my opinion) to taking interest in table food. She has her moments when she eats good and for some reason those times are when we are in public even if it is my home-cooked food that I packed. I think maybe she needs the distraction of something else while she is eating. At home she runs around while I am trying to feed her. She wont sit in the high chair. I dont want her to associate the high chair as a "bad" place that I am forcing food down her throat.

THe foods that she likes best are lentils, rice, cooked spinach, bagels with cream cheese, yogurt, natural potato chips, fishsticks (no preservatives or dyes) and potatoes. I have tried so many other foods, but she just convulses her body and spits it out: carrots, peas, hot cereal like oatmeal and cream of wheat or cream of rice.

This has definitely been one the most challenging parts of motherhood for me. As most of you know food is a big part of my life and I wanna make sure that my baby is getting enough nourishment. I welcome any suggestions or comments.

HER HOMIE!

This is Yusef. They hang out the most together. It's so funny because Jehan is so outgoing and Yusef is real chill and laid back. He allows her to jump on his back and even pull his hair. He actually put his head in her hands so she can pull his hair. If Jehan cries he rubs her back. I now babysit him a few times a week for about 7 hours each day while his mom works.

HANGIN' WITH THE BOYS...

For whatever reason there are only boys for Jehan to play with. The women that I am close with all have boys and Jehan hangs pretty tough. It is funny how when she IS around girls she is acts differently. She lets them be more maternal with her, holding her hand and letting them pick her up, but with the boys she jumps on their heads and pulls their hair.

GROOVIN' ON EID...

Watching Her Watch Me...

I'm really a Mommy! This little girl looks at me. She smiles at me. She kisses me. She hugs me. She holds onto me (and won't let go sometimes) SHE LOOKS UP TO ME! I love her AND SHE LOVES ME! Nooooow I know what the other mothers were talking about. This is a love that I have never experienced that grows by the second. Everyday I look forward to her awakening to see what else she has been instructed by God in her sleep to do to AMAZE me that day. As much as I am sleep deprived and as much as I desire my own peaceful "me" time, when I awake before her I lurk around the corner peeping to see if she has opened her eyes. When she has, she smiles at me and I smile at her and I dive onto the bed and we just... kick it!

DEATH BECOMES MY URBAN GARDEN!

Ok, so I tried to teach Jehan about life and growth and all though gardening, but didn't succeed in the since of maintaining my humble urban garden! I shoulda known! Every time a buy a plant there comes a time where I am not consistent about watering it. We were consistent for a while. We even got some awesome produce from the garden. The Red peppers were the sweetest I ever tasted. It only grew about 6 or seven of them. I grew about 15 or so tomatoes and then they just stopped producing fruit. I think because I had them in pots and their growth was stunted, but my grandfather has a garden in pots and his bears a lotta fruit. ANyway, I just uprooted everything and cleaned up the area for the winter. I will try again next year, but plant in the ground instead. ANd I will set an alarm clock to water the darn things! I just have to actually water the plants when the alarm goes off!

Jehan @ 11 months

Since last entry Jehan has developed a lot. Pottying is GREAT!!! She is up to five times a day on the potty. She totally gets the point. She understands what the potty is for. In fact, when she sits on it I ask her "Where is the pee?" and she thinks hard and contracts her tummy to make herself pee.

Okay so what's the deal with the training? No Jehan cannot ask to go to the potty. I rather understand her urinating schedule almost to a science. I know that she rarely urinates while she is sleep. 100% of the time she goes whenever she awakens whether it is from the night or from a nap. After that she always pees 30 minutes to 45 minutes after the "sleep pee". And then she will go for a while with peeing approx. 1.5 hours. Then I just sit her on the potty. She just smiles while she goes cuz I have made such a big deal in the past. Now she KNOWS she is doing a good thing. I dont have to give her toys anymore to distract her while she sits. As soon as she is finished she knows to sit til I "get the tissue". I am to the point where I let her sleep without a pamper. I just snap the onesie as though they are under panties. I figure by the time she can say words all she has to learn to say is "pee" and she will totally potty trained.

I have always been of the thought that children know what you teach them. You don't have to wait until the social norm to start training and teaching. God-willing she will be reading by age three. I taught my younger sister, Qiyamah, how to read and do multiplication. YEAH AT 3!!!

So she has been walking for almost 3 months. She has started to run. Just in the past couple of days she has been following commands if I ask her to bring me the shoes or bring me the phone or the potato. Jehan has been so obsessed with sucking bottom of shoes even Daddy's size 11 heavy Timberland Boots. I get sooooooo grossed out that I shriek! Now we have stashes of shoes all throughout the house, on the mantles, behind the sofas, on the table, on the bookcases just to get them out of her reach QUICKLY!

TEN TIMES ON THE POTTY!

So every morning Jehan has been going to the potty since July 19th. At first I thought it was coincidental, but realized that their is a pattern here. I only put her on the potty first thing in the morning when she awakens. Usually her diaper is not even soiled from the night and if it is its very little letting me know she really has a lot of urine to come. I sit her down on the potty while I am on the throne and Niagra comes gushing. I give her all kind of praise and then I create an association between the urine and her "goods". A couple of times I still had to clean a mess off the floor cuz her legs are so fat that everything went spraying in the air despite her sitting on the potty. So I make sure that I move the bathroom rug.

Anyway, the past 2 days I have not put her on the potty. Once cuz I was too tired to jump out of bed and take her and yesterday because I was thinking I dont want to over do it. She is sleep at this moment and due to wake up in the next 30 minutes. I will resume the training.

I do believe that children know what you teach them. So, feel like through repetition and example she is learning and, too, because I pay attention to her patterns.

SHE'S WALKING AT 8.5 MONTHS!!!

Wow! I KNEW IT!!! When I noticed her unusual balance at just a 2 months old I knew that she would be walking at an early age. I thought 9 months, but never predicted 8.5 months!!! Maybe because she was born 2 weeks after the due date which would give her more time for development in the womb, but I'd rather believe that she is just really determined and have exceptional balancing capabilities. After all, she was totally sitting up by the age 2 months and pulling herself up to a sitting position by 3 months. It is hilarious watching her get around because she insists on walking and crawling super fast when too many steps are involved to get to her target! She can fall 20 times in a row, but she will repeatedly pick herself up and try again. I wonder where she gets her determination from??? (I'll claim it since she doesn't have my looks;) )

The Urban Gardeners

Gardening is one of the perfect little past times that me and Jehan have. Every morning we head out to water the garden. She looks forward to this. She even has to put her hand on the watering can to help me OR SHE WILL HAVE A FIT!

Her First Concert...

This was fun! Finally Jehan is at the age (7.5 mos) where we can really hang out with her. It was a nice break of the monotony here in the 'Burgh to goto an outdoor concert. The band was on point! Formula 412 is a local hip hop band. I dont wanna call them hip hop cuz they have more funk and flavor than the average hip hop crew. The electric guitar and the long chords WAS BANGIN'. They are too big for Pittsburgh, really! Follow this link to hear some of their music.

Family Time!

We are pretty creative in spending time together. In this case we were in Philly on South Street at the little mosaic tile gallery. the other day we went out to the park to play frisbee. I cant wait 'til she can return the frisbee. :)

Her Protector...

Jehan really has this thing for her Daddy! I am so thankful that he has his own special bond with her so that i can really get a break. She knows our roles cuz when it's Mommy time aint nuttin Daddy can do! She will hang with him aaaall day til it time to eat.

MODE OF TRANSPO...

This is the stroller that I use. It was a gift from my mother. I will tell you that I love it. It is the Benz of all strollers. Very smooth ride, stylish, and plenty of space. I have seen complaints on review websites from consumers that the stroller is too heavy, but where are you carrying it. I mean just to load it in the trunk or back of the suv is not bad at all. I like the compartments in it. She sleeps in it well with the seat reclining to a flat position and she sits up and enjoys the smooth ride. The only disadvantage for me is that the canopy cover ALWAYS pops off and become pretty annoying. I am not sure if this is with all the strollers from Chicco or is just mine. Overall I would recommend this stroller for any parent. It folds easy and stands by itself while you open the trunk or put the little one in the car seat. I love it!

HAPPY DADDY'S DAY!

In the Arms Of Those Who Love Her...

Happy Days!

It's Official! Jehan knows I'm her Mommy. We really share some great moments together. Just the way she looks at me!!! Sometimes she will be playing or something and then she will turn to me and stare at me in silence, smile and then go back to what she was doing. She will do that a few times in a row. I take it as though she is really learning to depend on me being there for her. It's like she is starting to not only really know who I am, but what my role is. I think, at first, she was like, "Why is this lady always around me?!" "Doesn't she have something better to do?" Now she gets it. :) AlhumduAllah (Praise God)

The New Mommy Group

So I was inspired to start my own little mommy group. After checkin' out some of the Mommy meet groups around town, I realized that I had no desire to sit with women that I did not know or had the desire to know just because they had a child. I mean really! Practically every women in the world can give birth, but that doesn't mean I wanna sit and share my experiences with them. These sisters are pretty darn cool! 

I mean how much cooler can she get!

These are Jehan's cool friends or rather these are my friends' kids that I am hoping she will befriend! ;)

Treasured Moments... 5mos and 1 wk

EARLY READER!

Ok so Jehan is almost 5 months next week. She does show interest in reading and is calming down now instead of attacking the book. She pays close attention and actually turns the pages her self. InshaAllah, I will get train her to read by the age of 2. Pretty ambitious of me, hunh? Well with potty training out of the way at 6 months we will have plenty of time to focus on reading. :) I am a firm believer that children know what you teach them.

Even Jehan's friends read to her!

Jehan in the San Diego Sun!

This was Jehan's second plane trip. She did really well to have travelled by plane for 6.5 hours. We flew to DC for a layover and then flew to San Diego. We kept her pretty entertained and vice versa. Other passengers said they didnt even realize a baby was on the flight cause she was so quiet. I think all the traveling I did while pregnant prepared her to be a jetsetter.

Teething Pains...

So Jehan has started teething. I dreaded this stage, but nevertheless it is here. She doesn't cry, just whines and sorta grunts out of discomfort. She rubs her nose with her fists as though she's tired, sorta kinda. I am always scared to give any kind of medication, so I communicate with some of my more experienced "mommy-friends" and I get great recommendations. Thanx to Sister Katey here in Pittsburgh. She told me about Hyland's Teething Tablets. It is a homeopathic alternative to the chemical products on the market. It works like wonders! I put two tiny little tabs under her tongue and hold it there until they dissolve (about 3seconds) and within 10 minutes she is a calm, chill, pleasant baby again. Then she usually rest really well and wake up in a pleasant mood, too. I still don't want to give her too many of these. Right now I am only giving her 4 a day (2 doses). I called the company and they said I can give her up to 6 doses. I am still cautious... i am going to do some more research on the product to make sure it aint crack. ;) (She's a lil too happy!)

A MUST READ!

This book is a must read for all parents with a child at immunization age . This book gives a very unbiased look at the vaccination industry and gives facts about the drugs that are given to infants and young children and the effects that these drugs may have. If you consider yourself a well informed parent then buy this book. (See link on the side of this blog page.) This book was referred to me by a well respected doctor. 

Often we give more consideration to choosing a car, buying a house, or selecting ripe fruits and veggies at the supermarket, but turn around and make a more sporadic decision to pump our child with drugs recommended by the same culprits that value no more than their own government paychecks. Do yourself a favor, if you love your child, save your child's life! Read this book. In fact, you don't have to even read the whole book! Read the first couple chapters. I guarantee you will be intrigued to read the rest of the book. BE INFORMED! 

Jehan w/Great Gran'parents in OHIO

This is Jehan first introduction to her great grand parents in Ohio. She didnt have to warm up at all.

The Good Times...

We really do share some great moments together. As I imagined, I have a little friend that keeps me company while Hubby is at work. She has allowed me to rest my dislikes for the city and focus on just enjoying everyday. Jehan makes me feel like a comedian at times. I share the lamest of jokes and she just cracks up. If I could only get paid for telling baby jokes...

Two Peas in a Pod...

It is almost scary how much these two are alike. I say Kibwe mind as well have birth Jehan himself. Not only do they look so much alike, but their mannerisms are so synonymous. In the picture above you can see how they even sleep alike. This picture was taken when Jehan was 7weeks and even as I type this in the wee hours of the morning they both are in a entirely different pose than this picture, but still sleeping alike. :)...OH MY GOSH!!!! THey both just shifted in their sleep AT THE SAME TIME and STILL ENDED UP IN THE SAME POSITION!!!

I search regularly of traits that she has of mine... To say the least, I am still searching...

Fatherhood...

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MOTHERHOOD...

Motherhood is downright AWESOME! I am still getting used to motherhood, but thus far I can only embrace it with joy. I have been adjusting to sleeping a few hours at a time considering I never liked interrupted sleep. Now, I wake every few hours to breast feed. I am actually trying to train myself to consciously feed her cuz sometimes I awake looking for her in her bassinet only to find her laying on my stomach with her head hanging off the bed! (Really)

It is pretty interesting, though, seeing her learn through repetition. She now realizes that she has options. She knows that she has the choice to have a clean diaper. She can choose one nipple over the other and she can choose her swing over my arms (or vice versa). I almost have her potty trained at 11 weeks. Kibwe just brought the potty upstairs so we are going to see how this goes. But hey! Every morning she awakens, sits on my lap, leans forward and does her do... RELIGIOUSLY! ! She even chooses this position throughout the day when she gosta go.

She looooves her some Daddy! Jehan really makes him feel good when he comes home for lunch or after work and she give him this great big grin. She laughs with him and talks in this chatty way as though she is giving him an account of the day.

I Love JEHAN! She is so alert (when she is awake). She has this look as though she really knows what's going on or that she is really trying to understand what is going on.

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Daddy's Fam

OMIGOSH! Jehan's family right here in Pittsburgh were definitely anxiously awaiting her arrival. Pictured above is her cousin Jelani who is 5. He is only one of 1,045,345 family members that are on Kibwe's side of the family. I thought I had a big family with 14 first cousins. Every time we go out whether it be to the supermarket or just driving by on the street, he points out a family member. I usually say, "Oh is that your 5th cousin," but turns out it one of his many brothers, sisters, cousins or something. In fact, he has three men named Ernest (and they aren't fathers or sons) and I think he has a couple Franks and 10 Jelani's an 7 Brianna's (ok, just kidding). If you click on the image above it will take you to a host of images of Jehan's family on Daddy's side.

MORE IMAGES OF DADDY'S FAM...