Update

Well where have I been? More importantly where have your pictures of the boys been. Last week I had surgery to repair a deviated septum. The goal is come winter I can breath. Following the surgery I spent the night in the hospital (it was the same cost if I stayed or not). It was my first night away from Jonas, and only my second from Zaky, and Bill's first by himself with the boys. All survived, but barely, or should I say Zaky was a little bear. He has said all week "Mama I miss you when you were at hos-pit-al" "I couldn't see you". To sweet but many temper tantrums the following week. I felt flu'ish most of last week, but no pain. And following my appointment today, I can breath! Zaky is still crying a bit before school, but considerably less, and is very happy when we pick him up, not crying and asking where we went. So to update you all, pictures will be following shortly.

Little Helpers Helping Again

We can't pull out the ladder without one or both of the boys itching to climb up. In the last pic Zaky is explaining how the light bulb goes around and around.

Cedars

Taking a break to eat cereal and drink juice box.

Zaky climbed up the rock himself and asked for a picture.


Our family went on an outing last Saturday to the cedars. There are two groves about 1 1/2 hour from us. We always stop at the same breakfast stand along the way. There is a nice hike between the two groves. The path is mostly loose rock, and Zaky walked 90% or more of the way. His dad was tremendously impressed. Jonas thankfully is still very content in the backpack. This hike without kids took 2 hours, pregant 2 1/2- 3. And with little boys a little over 4 hours. The weather was great. The tree trunks the boys climbed are around 1,200 years old. One grove has a few cedars dating back to Christ 2,000 + years. The smell is amazing!

Sleeper or player

As I have said before I would rather not know what Zaky is doing in his room after I have put him to bed. But it is fun to check on him and see the evidence of what ever he was up to. It is crazy what must be going through his mind. The pillows are usually surrounding him. And this particular night he had cream in his hair and Burger King crown on, who knows?

School

Zaky has had his first day of school. Day care really. Hadonie, rowda they call it here. We have decided to put him in the French Catholic school 2-3 mornings a week, mainly for social time (it is better then sitting on the couch for 2 hours while I do chores on a Monday morning). All the kids on the block are gone, so this gives him supervised play time during the week. The teachers were very impressed by his understanding of Arabic. The head nun speaks French to the kids but the rest is all in Arabic. He refers to her as Madam. The beginning was ruff, he cried the first couple of hours, staring out the window waiting for me to come back. The next day Bill took him and he didn't look back, but took off running for the play room. Yesterday though, he started crying as I dressed him saying "today's Saturday, no school" "School closed Mama, school closed". He cried for a bit, but once there was fine. Today was the same; "Mama no school today, school closed, stay with Jonas". But the teachers tell me he was fine a few minutes after I left. The teachers are calm and kind. My little boy is not so little any more.

Barney

Zaky: "Mama I want watch Barney"
Me: "Let me see if it is on"
Zaky: "It's on, mama, it's on"
Me: "Look Zaky it's not on"
Zaky: "Yes, it's on mama"
Me: "Look Zaky it's not on"
Zaky: "This a commercial, Barney on!!!!!"

Potty's Log: The New Frontier

Since our last entry Zaky has grown leaps and bounds in the area of self pottying. His most recient achievement is underwear. He can now pull his underwear and pants down by himself. He has been commando since late July. Our next challenge: containing the liberties he takes in his public urinating. Or should I say: containing the locations of his public urinating. Some growth is expected as he learns this new skill of independence. Some areas that needed guidance: the middle of the drive way where all the kids play (I caught him before anything happened), the playground (he was smart enough to go outside the sand, but just barely missed the other little kid's shoes), and just yesterday,into a drainage ditch next to the main road leading through town. So this is the new frontier of mixed embarrassment and pride in my son's accomplishments.

I have just been discovered: "mommy working on the pooter"?