Happy. Happier. Fulfilled.

Not only do I have the most gorgeous, funny, cute, kind, thoughtful husband.

(A month after we were married, House of Abbud)

But we have the most joyful, twinkly-eyed, half-smiley, giggly little girl.

(Some time in the recent past)

And the sweetest little Baha'i School in our home. Little families coming together with little families to create a more peaceful world. Come join us!

(Today, table made my Sisay!)

Baha'i School

We started Baha'i School every Wednesday at our house. So far it's only two kids with a couple more maybe joining us. We're focusing on acquiring virtues, or 'gems'- the first quote they are memorizing is "Regard man as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value. Education can alone cause it to reveal its splendors and enable mankind to benefit therefrom. They have had fun finding the gems hidden inside our mine/table covered with blankets, Here they are practicing the virtue of friendliness...

Visits from Anna and the Griffin Girls and a Trip to Lake Chocorua

She belly laughed!

9/22/09: A lovely day of parenthood.
Samaya and I had lunch with Daddy at work today. Maybe it was her chiropractic adjustment or maybe it is because she is an absolute DELIGHT of a tiny person, but she was in an exceptional mood. She smiled through the meal, waiting patiently for Daddy to do his daily routine of act-like-a-crazy-person. And when he finally did, she laughed so hard we both nearly died of happiness.
That feeling of intense longing/aching/envy you get when you seen someone else's child and they are so crazy cute that you want to grab them and run far far away? That's how we feel all the time. Except SHE'S OURS. And we can run far far away with her. Whenever we want. It is the best feeling in the world.
Right now she's playing with her pink Victoria's secret dog. Actually playing. With it's legs grasped firmly in her hands, deliberately bringing it to her mouth. Oh the talent.
Love. this. child.

Giggles

Three months already. We now spend a great majority of our time doing just about anything to get this child to laugh. She does do it. Inconsistently. Randomly. Sparingly. And because we've had a taste, we are never satisfied. Sisay will spend long minutes trying to weedle a little giggle out of her, and if he succeeds, will spend longer minutes repeating the same noise/movement/utter ridiculousness until both Samaya and I are very extremely unimpressed. And then I take a turn and repeat the process. Lots of effort for little effect. And completely worth it.

Milestones

Samaya now sits in her bumbo for extended amounts of time, bats and CATCHES her toys above her head in her 'university' (sometimes one in each hand), sticks her finger in her nose (though we think this is when she overshoots her mouth), smiles every single time we look at her, sometimes falls asleep in my arms after about 2 seconds of being tired, and takes pretty fantastic naps. Lately

I've been getting better at noticing as soon as she gets tired and if I act promptly she usually falls right asleep. This particular development feels like eating endless lindt chocolate balls. There is nothing like your child falling asleep without something in her mouth. (There is also nothing like your child falling asleep while nursing.)

I have also realized the absolute motherly need to document all the baby milestones. It doesn't matter how mundane they may seem to everyone else, the sheer delight when your child first reaches for an object or sits up...well its just beyond description. I think we all think our children are exceptional too. And they are. All of them. Especially mine.