Latest and Greatest

His latest talent. Blowing Raspberries until drool comes out of his mouth, then wiping his finger in it. Such a talented young man in the making.

Comparison

I love these comparison pictures. The neighbor upstairs has a little girl 5 mts younger then Zaky. So often we have exchanged toys/ jumpers. As Zaky outgrows them or they were to big for their little girl. She recently returned the little brown chair Zaky spent so much time in. As it was sitting in the hall, he took that as the perfect opportunity to climb over it and try to stand on it.

Little update on the little man

I can't find the camera today, so no new pictures. No new posts from last week because we were in Beirut for a conference all week. Bill watched Zaky and Big James Monday and Tuesday afternoon, and Big James' dad had them Thursday and Friday. No problems for either. I was half expecting Bill to have a new appreciation for being with Zaky 4 hours straight. But no such luck, the dad has just as much energy as the boy.

New development here: Over the past few weeks I thought I was seeing something in Zaky's eyes when he turned, but I wasn't sure of what I was seeing. A friend noticed as well last week, then a neighbor the other day. So it wasn't just me. His right eye turns out just a bit when he turns his head. I looked up on line, and everything says treatment early. So, being the first time slightly paranoid mom that I am, called the dr 7:30 Monday am. She said he has a little turn. She recommended me to an ophthalmologist. This Dr. said only slight, and to come back when he is 2. Well this is in direct contradiction with what I read on the internet and nursing books. So we are looking into finding a Dr. in Sidan. Please keep us in your prayers, Zaky for healing, and me for dealing with our first 'issue' while doped up on pregnancy hormones (I cry easily and quickly). His vision seems good, all his bumps and bruises are the result of climbing or who knows what else, but don't appear vision related. And he loves using his new word :no. He says it all the time when he is doing or going somewhere he is not allowed. Little man is smart and stubborn.

New Word

His vocabulary is growing in leaps and bounds. Dog/Done/Mama/Baba/ Dough (light in Arabic). He recognizes and can point when asked or pick up: Car/ Fish (obviously does not pick this one up)/ Juice, and a wide range of body parts (not always consistently). And now his new word: NO. I heard him today, our friend heard him yesterday. He waves his finger and said No. I will soon really dislike him using this word, but for today, and maybe today only, I am excited. Let me remember this day.

Little help please.

He is getting better and better at climbing everyday. BUT his getting down is needing some work.

A Day at the Beach

Our team mates called yesterday and asked if we wanted to go to a pool. I had just told Bill I felt like getting out. So off we went (3 hours later after nap time ofcorse). We were a bit bumed the pool had not been filled yet. This meant we paid a bit for a private beach. But there was a huge play ground and you know how my son loves sand. He was not fond of the waves. The place we went last year stepped into shallow water with no waves. He stood stunned then started to cry after a while. But the rest of the day was great. Bill played with him the next 3 hours. I didn't do much, very relaxing.

Off the topic: For all my family out there. You will all appreciate Zaky has become a much harder sleeper. The house next to us is adding on. Zaky took a 2 hr nap with a literal jack hammer not 10 feet form his window.

Baby cues

Zaky is increasing his ability to communicate with us. Above and beyond pointing and whining. We have never really had that much trouble with frustration. Although either I have recently figured it out, or he is becoming more of a snacker. Either way he is getting snacks more often during the day. When he whines and holds on to my leg, then I fed him a snack, he would stop = hungry. He climbed by himself up into his high chair and put his bib on himself = hungry. He walked over to our "reading before bed time" chair and started looking at books = tired. One friend asked if I had been teaching Zaky sign language. I answered no. She then asked how I knew when he was done eating? "Well", I answered "we have been working on the word DONE (which he can now say) but our first clue is he throws his food on the floor and slams his mouth shut" = not hungry. So far I am very thankful for a simple, some what easy to read little man.

New talent

His newest talent is surely not his greatest, may not even impress many of you. But he sure enjoys it. Drinking out of a straw. He loves juice boxes. He will drink about half then play with the box and straw for 20 min. Fascinating!

Looking older

As I write this Zaky is throwing his sheet out of his bed in protest of his afternoon nap.
The little man was getting a wee bit shaggy so we headed to Salon Lames. He sat almost scared in the chair. He sure does look cute. Although now he doesn't have the longer hair up front to cover his bruises. Many bruises! He is a complete walker now, and he is starting to walk with his arms down. He is loosing his Frankenstein stance. And today he started to get up from seated to standing without pulling up on anything. Such the big boy.

What do you do?

Well as I was complaining yesterday about the heat I had forgot to mention there was no power and the water didn't come (our water comes and fills our tanks 2x a week). Well by 8pm everything was set right, the water was coming (better late then never) electricity was on, and it had cooled considerably. And glad to report the weather is about 15-20 degrees cooler then yesterday. But what do you if no water comes you may be asking, and even if your not. We buy it, not very much, and yesterday we split it with the neighbors. The man drives up a tank in a tractor and fills your tank. Well this is the perfect opportunity to reinforce the word tractor to Zaky. Why not let him ride it as well. There are advantages to living in the country. Such as he petted a goat last week (no pictures). And the poor thing was killed shortly after for the birth of a new baby. (No worries I will not be doing this: "One perfect sacrifice for sins once and for all.")

Baby it's hot outside

Something I have really come to hate about the Middle East, sand storms! We don't live in the sessert or anything. But about 3-4 times a year the sky gets really hazy, windy, and HOT! You have to keep your doors and windows closed, or you'll have a layer of dust on everything. Being pregnant has either made me more susceptible to the heat, or more susceptible to whining.

On a brighter note, Zaky went to his first and second Arab birthday party. Saturday I drove our neighbor to her daughter's school. Zaky is buds with her little girl and twin 3 yr old boys. Zaky loved it. Thankfully for me it only lasted 30 min. They love loud music and dry cake. And I get dizzy with large groups of small children.

Sicky

I praise Our Lord Zaky has not gotten sick with fever more then one other time in his life. Yesterday was a dousy, he was waking up every 3 hours burning up. We went to the Dr. this morning and she said his throat is all white. Poor little guy. He just walks around whimpering until his Tylenol wears off, then he is a sad little mush. He also has a mauler coming in which could be a big contributor. He is resting quietly now, in his Tylenol stupor. One more day I hope before his antibiotics kick in.