Coping with the challenges of being a New Mother

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMprFY6q1aM&feature=related

My number 1 at the moment!

http://www.eaganwestmomsclub.org/Poetry/SongForChild.htm

Song for a Fifth Child

Mother, oh mother, come shake out your cloth!

Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,

Hang out the washing and butter the bread,

Sew on a button and make up a bed.

Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?

She’s up in the nursery, blissfully rocking!

Oh, I’ve grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue

(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).

Dishes are waiting and bills are past due

(Pat- a- cake, darling and peek, peekaboo).

The shopping’s not done and there’s nothing for stew

And out in the yard and there’s a hullabaloo

But I’m playing Kanga and this is my Roo.

Look!  Aren’t her eyes the most wonderful hue?

(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).

Oh, cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,

But children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow.

So quiet down, cobwebs.  Dust go to sleep.

I’m rocking my baby.  Babies don’t keep.

The boy turns 8 months in 4 days.

He crawled at 6 months and he is walking with support at seven months. He eats pretty much everything we eat and .drinks off a cup. Yes Masha Allah he is one fast developer. It amazes me. Even says mama and copies many other sounds. With the first child you are excited about every little milestone. With the second you hardly notice them. It astonishes me though to see that one sibling can be so different from the other. My first baby was special and unique and she was happy smiling, singing baby. She still is. She was cute but every child is cute to their parents. My boy may not be cute but he is so lovable in a very different way. You have to fight yourself to not kiss him when you see him. And his smile can just light up the room. He doesnt giggle as much as his sister used too.... they are just so different and so special in their own sweet sweet ways! We love them to pieces... its just like bits and pieces of heaven on earth!

The Time Out Technique

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/6/t061900.asp

The search for schools

I am not looking forward to Jannah's first day of school. I will miss her. I mean in all honesty yes I do find myself secretly wishing for a break sometimes but the reality is that it will be tough for both of us. The recent past has been very hard for me which is why I rarely post over here or have any time to take pics of my kids like I used to. I have work to do almost all the time and in additon to that I have to fight tantrums and be level headed all day long. Some days are good and some days are bad. Some nights are nice and some nights are tiring, sleepless and very stressed out.

Alhamdulillah whatever comes our way we manage and at the end of our day we remind ourselves that we are blessed with something beautiful. We feel thankful and grateful for every moment we have had as family. There are millions out there who have children who are sick or can not even conceive at all and Masha Allah we happen to be doing fine. And Allah Knows best!

Muslim schools or regular schools?

Islamic education is important but you cannot blindly put your children in an islamic school and not give them adequate back up at home. I studied in a strict islamic environment yet have seen students at both ends of the spectrum. Home is a child's first school and home schooling conitues whether your child is in a regular school or not. A balanced aproach to life with guidance given and values taugh earlier on in life will help a child in what decisions to make and which actions to take when he or she is at a age to tell right from wrong.