Intensive learning

We have so many stories, we cannot keep up with things. Plovdiv environment just makes Aliya develop so quickly. I feel that in one day I see difference - she speaks faster and more, uses concepts she didn't know and is just eager to discover more and more. The latest story is her friend Stefan. She plays with him almost every afternoon and she is friend with his mom Rosi. She even was telling me that Rosi is her friend after we watched a cartoon at home:) every evening around dinner she plays talking on the phone, calling some people - her father or Nana, or Rosi - and talking with them. She really misses her father and really misses people from Egypt , but enjoys it a lot here as well:)

Cats and rain

What a day for Aliya! For a couple of hours she played with a cat and her behavior changed completely. When we arrived to our hosts she was afraid to touch the cats. When we were leaving she was hugging one of them:))) it took her 1 hour to completely overcome this more of a shyness rather than real fear. 

Another uncertainty broken today is by the rain. For some reason she didn't experience until now real rain just a drizzle here and there. In the evening while we were staying in one restaurant, real rain started not stopping till the morning. Aliya was shocked a bit what is happening then she asked for the umbrella we had with us:) 

3 days in Paris

The best of traveling with Aliya is all types of unexpected surprises. You take a turn and then you find an amazing fountain for her to play. Or she pooped and looking for a bathroom to change you end up having lovely lunch in a cool restaurant. Besides the Louvre and Eiffel Tower we had some really good time with Fete de la musique and local boulangerie and shopping on Champs Élysées . We loved Paris!

Non tourists in Amsterdam

We have just spent almost a week in Amsterdam with Aliya:) luckily we didn't have any rain and we used every day to do some sightseeing. Having been here before helps me since I am not way too excited about seeing and I can do activities which are right for Aliya such as the Zoo. Everywhere we go she sees things in a different way. Yesterday we went to Rijksmusem and Van Gogh museum but she enjoyed most the park at the front and putting her feet in the water. I loved it too:)) just love the fact we do the things which are not touristic simply because we are with a 2-year old. She eats chips and mayo (without the mayo) every night for dinner not because there are no other options. just our hotel has the best chips:) 

We visit playgrounds and parks in the area we hang out. She plays with other kids all the time and we have a schedule around her eating and sleeping time. 

We shop from the supermarket her already favourite juices and pudding. 

We went on a boat on the weekend through the canals and loved it. She talks every day about it. We visited friends on the weekend and enjoyed it too. We missed the train a few times as well.

I just saw Amsterdam from the eyes of a normal family rather than the touristic version .

The stairs

Amazing achievement for Aliya a couple of days ago is that she is going down the stairs alone! I am so proud! Not only one step which she was able to do for a couple of months but also keep the balance and go down all the stairs from our apartment to the ground floor. She did it in the morning and reached the street alone and was sooo happy of herself and so am I :) although this means for me a completely new way of dealing with her since now she can go alone to the street and I need to be even more careful, but I will be really happy to do that:) growing up every day, little by little! My tiny sweetheart! 

Hi Lulu

Yesterday I was melting. Aliya's friend from kindergarten Yasseen just made me laugh and melt. We went a bit late and her group were in the garden. As I was leaving Aliya to her teacher, he went out of the group and greeted my daughter : "Hi, Lulu" . Aliya didn't pay much attention. She was busy to show her new "wawa" (hurt place) to her teacher. But was just impressed and happy and literally melting that this is her best friend or boyfriend who is treating her that well:) way to go , Yasseen! 

Love the water but it is wet:)

Yesterday we have spent a nice day with Aliya at the pool. I just cannot stop laughing when I remember how as soon as she started playing with her bucket in the water and got wet she wanted to change her dress. 5 minutes later the second dress got wet. Aliya removed it alone:) for the third one I asked her: are you playing in the water again? No was the firm answer:) it is wet:) she loves the water but it is wet! 

Sick

My sweetheart is sick. She vomited a couple of times. I just hope it is bad food. Get better little one! 

Exploding vocabulary

Today I noticed that Aliya's vocabulary has simply exploded in the last week. So many new words in all languages... She is trying to repeat complete sentences, anything she can catch more or less... Oh and songs , I just love how she sings, making up the text and completely believing she says it as she knows it:) 

Aliya sweetheart

I have been thinking in the last 2 weeks how supportive I feel with Aliya. I have work now and I am focused a lot on this and luckily Aliya is healthy, goes to kindergarten, goes to bed normally and overall she is somehow used to the routine and me as well being a bit distracted. Or maybe I as well got used to routine. In all cases I am happy I can finally focus some more on work after being for a year and more "working" mainly on paper.
So I just want to thank this little one for just doing what she is doing and loving me and listening and making me laugh:) hugs to you sunshine

Vocabulary

Haven't posted in a while:) busy with all types of stuffs, I guess. But I thought that I want to keep track of Aliya's vocabulary. She is already making 2-3 word sentences, yeay! So here are some of the most common words in Bulgarian, English and Arabic as she is saying them
Bateria - battery
Lini - ligavnik, bib
Nani - vazglavnitsa, pillow, also she is using it as a verb sleeping: Aliya nani
Merti - mersi
Nemi - mayonnaise
Hliapi - hliab, bread
Maya - water
Mliato - mliako, milk
Slini - maslini, olive
Trem - krem, cream
Alo - telephone, and yesterday she used it as a verb to tell me she wants to call Teta
Chanti - chanta, bag
Rani - ranica, school bagpack
Inchi - slanchice, sun
Oblak
Butu - obuvki, shoes
Matan - samolet, airplane
Didi - zvezdi, stars but also fireworks. Aliya plashi didi. Baba - Aliya got scared from the fireworks when we were at Baba place
Printsi - princess
Palna - peralnia, washing machine
Peta - pechka, oven
And of course all the animals by their sounds - mau, bau bau ( bau bau lae), moo, bee, mee, iaaa-iaaa (donkey), papa (and plural papi, bird, duck and small chicken), klok klok (horse)
And some other animals:
Prase, bazha (zhaba or frog), gushter
Ripi - riba, fish
Petata - peta, heel
Prasti - prast, prasten, finger, ring

Dolce niente with Aliya

I just spent a lovely weekend with Aliya. Her dad was traveling and we didn't go to her grandparents. Just me and her at home, doing everything together! Cooking, playing, watching tv, kissing, hugging, going for a walk, sleeping... I really needed this time with her. I think I have not been able to just concentrate on being nice to her for some time - just demanding to hurry and do things when it is convenient for me because of our busy schedule instead of taking the time to enjoy whatever it comes. I feel I restored my connection with her and she started to listen to me and do things that I say rather than being stubborn. It is the first time in a while that she told me this morning she didn't want to go to the kg. I hope she spent some good time as well with me. And if this is a sign I had it:)

Changes

I lately notice that Aliya attitude changes with each person. If she is only with me she listens and makes more or less everything I ask, or she tries to get something and based on my reaction she knows if she can continue to throw herself on the floor or not. Then comes her father and there she goes a completely different set of behavior to get what she wants. On my birthday we went to a place to eat and there was a younger boy on the other table. I just couldn't recognize Aliya! 6 months ago she will give her toys to the other kid. Now she had a tantrum just because I gave him her balloon which she wasn't playing with. I really felt that something in between the kindergartens has changed in her and I need to put more effort to play and know her. Maybe I am too soft? Although I don't believe in beating, maybe this is more correct to do?

Water sprinkles

There are days in which every second is magical and you feel its brightness and reality with complete conscience. I just love them. Everything seems more than 100% real. So today it was one of them. We played with Aliya in the water sprinkles and she was washing her hands. And then the water stopped. I told her it stopped because of her and till the end of the evening she was trying to tell me that story. So all wet from the front we moved to the next batch of working sprinkles but this time they were rotating. Of course she didn't listen to me telling her to not go and for her big surprise it sprayed. This time she turned to run so all the water was on her back:) with a big smile on her face she was wet and scared and happily surprised and running towards me. This was the fastest we have been home. Without hesitation she just went up the stairs and I didn't need to convince her at all:) sleep well Aliya . Mommy has a birthday tomorrow and lots of fun is expecting you!

Tears

I have read somewhere that the worst thing for a child to see is her parents crying. I think this has to do with the image that a kid builds for his parent - they need to be older to understand we are human as well with our mistakes and feelings. For now at this age they believe we are the world and perfect and everything we do and say is right. And that is the way it has to be.
As much as I try to hide my tears this is not always possible. Aliya is always very careful in those situations and I make sure she knows it is not her fault. But she really impresses me with her tactfulness. She is one sweet girl. The best of all!

Traveling back

Today we are heading home back to Cairo and Aliya is so excited. She knows we will fly with airplane and she was asking me for the last few days. In the first flight she talked only about the plane - "matan" and Tati :)) when we left Cairo I told her looking at the lights at night from the plane that one of these lights is Teta's home . Today when we were above Istanbul and we watched the lights, she told me "Teta" :))) proud of her:)
now luckily she fell asleep hugging her backpack and I feel very happy with this - less overexcitement and better mood tomorrow . I just want to express my deep thankfulness to all people, men and women, who help me when I travel. Simply distracting her for a few minutes means something for me, let alone taking care of my bag or stroller etc... Tbc

Shower! Shower!

Yesterday was a day of firsts for Aliya- we managed to shower standing in the bathroom using the shower handle instead of sitting in the bath :))) yeah! So much helpful for anything we will do in the summer and when traveling! I am really happy we overcame this fear slowly and gradually and naturally so that now she is willing to hold the handle alone and shower:) it is a small achievement for me:)
And the other first was saying "blagodaria" or "thank you" in Bulgarian. . Since it is quite complicated word I am teaching Aliya the international "mersi" and she is doing well with it. But yesterday Radost said it 2-3 times to her, Aliya repeated and on the 3rd time she pronounced it correctly. I am very happy:))
It was one good day I spent with her completely just the two of us:) love u my little:)

Baba birthday

Today my mom is celebrating her 60th anniversary and I myself cannot believe it. Time flies like nothing else in life:) I remember how I was asking my mom how old is she and she replied 33. I will be turning 33 some time next year... And Aliya will be asking the same question as i have my mom. I just hope I can give Aliya much more than my mom did to me. Don't take me wrong - my mom gave me so much and did the impossible to provide me with best education and open opportunities for me. I am really thankful and proud of what she did! I just hope I can be this and even more for my daughter. It is the natural course of things to want to give to your child much more.
Today I was telling my accountant about Aliya and realized that she has truly extraordinary experience - she has travelled by plane more than my mom for the 19 months since birth . She already understands 3 languages and is trying to speak in them. She has experience with kindergartens and kids in 2 countries while in bg it is normal to start kg after 2, even 3 years. She can open applications on my phone which she likes to play. For Plovdiv , my hometown, this is definitely way too much. Sometimes I ask myself if I am reading Aliya right because I believe that as long as she feels ok and she demands more things then it is good and ok for her. I believe I should let her guide me instead of me imposing on her. Still it is not her choice to fly by plane every 3 months:) I hope this entire experience helps her in the busy future!

Work

As Aliya grows I need to go back to work more and more. Luckily my schedule is flexible and I work for my husband but even with this I sometimes feel I am abandoning Aliya when I leave her. It will be much nicer to spend a day with her playing ... Why do I have to do this? I bet she is asking the same questions in her head. This morning when I left her she started acting badly towards my mom who will take Aliya to the kg. Then I just stopped her and told her: "my dear, it is not grandma's fault that I am going to work. Listen to her today and when I come back you can be pissed at me. " I felt as if my words resonated and she got what I am telling her. She hardly waved goodbye and she refused to kiss me when I was leaving. My heart is broken for sure but I hope it is for the better and she will enjoy her kg today. Keep fingers crossed!

Connection

Last weekend we traveled to visit my mom while my husband is on a longer trip. If I count the flights for my child since birth it is probably more than the required. But any time we travel it is such a bonding experience both when we travel and in Bulgaria. Yesterday my mom got sick and she couldn't take care of Aliya as planned. Aliya and I spent a lot of time together . It is then that I realize I haven't done this for a while. As much time as I have I do spend it with her but always doing something else such a cleaning or cooking after work or simply finishing some emails. Or weekends we are with my husband as well and we do not spend quality daughter-mommy time as we used to. I love her first year exactly because of these cool and enriching moments with her, moments when you feel someone loves you endlessly and trusts you for everything. I love the time I was taking a walk with Aliya in her car and we go shopping for groceries or just playing in the gardens in the compound we live in or hanging out at our coffee place in Plovdiv. I realize how with work you get completely sucked up in a swirl where you think you manage it all but it is totally not what you want or what you need. You really cannot shine everywhere as the saying goes. Sometimes some parts you will drop them but you have to pick them up before they break. I hope we never break this connection with Aliya. I really feel her sometimes as my soul sister or maybe this is my definition of pure love:)

Vaccines

It has been a real saga for the last 6 months to put Aliya's vaccines and finally today I managed to do it. She has been on and off sick for the entire winter and even today she is with a cough... I hope it goes well for her and nothing more than slight temperature will show up... I am worried. Poor kid, I bet she is wondering what is it that we are giving and doing to her and why she has to go through this pain... I feel bad on the one hand while on the other I know that without these vaccines some old eradicated diseases will show up in society. It is a controversial topic among my friends lately... Kiss

Balance

I was thinking lately on how important are kids for the family. For sure they make the first year of the couple as hell and I have heard even the statement that those who survive the first year can survive the rest. Yes it is difficult but isn't it made on purpose? If you go through something hard in the first year as a team, then doesn't it mean that you will truly be able to stay together forever? I saw couples which really managed to work as team in their first year and others which was all about compromise on one of the sides. Does this make the second one less of a "couple" and more of a partnership? Does this mean they love each other less? My answer to the last one would be "definitely no" . I would take it rationally as different strategies of coping. But what is the team then?
I saw Aliya in the last few days really as a balance at home between me and my husband. I guess all of us have our periods of down moments and simply having this shining little kid hugging you, distracts completely any negative thoughts you might have. Her role will definitely grow as she starts to understand more and more and develops her sensitivity even more. I was so happy having this beam of hope around me:) love u sweety for this!

Aliya and the boys

Lately Aliya is enjoying her kindergarten so much. She loves to go in the morning but she is happy to see me and pick her up as well. She is friend with two boys in her group Zizo and Yasseen and even the teachers make fun of her:) yesterday I was late to pick her up and when I arrived only Aliya and Yasseen were there. I opened my hands to hug Aliya as she was running towards me but she flipped. Yasseen used the time and ran towards me to hug me before Aliya. Aliya quickly stood up and as soon as she was in my arms she pushed Yasseen aside with a bad face:) his mom laughed so much. Then when we entered the car she started crying for Yasseen who was getting in their car as well. Wonder what will happen between these two:) and really impressed with Aliya starting from now to pick boys over girls. i think it is related with her being over active and boys are more matching her energy. but I remember in the summer she was very attached to one blonde kid 1 year older than her Jorko. And she was trying to hug him and kiss him in the playground . I guess she picks some guys she liked and really shows them that she likes them in her own way . To be continued!

Biba

We finally had the first weekend without the dummy! One good achievement of last week! The way it happened was very natural and without much stress, which makes me realize and confirm that this is really the right time and the right way.
We forgot her dummy in the kindergarten and before sleeping I just told Aliya that when we go to school we will ask for it. And the last 2-3 days this is what she knew. Today when we arrived in the kindergarten the first thing she asked about was her dummy:))) funny! I really couldn't believe it:) in all cases it is the best achievement in a while!

Pictures in the oven

This morning we found pictures in the oven. Aliya has decided to keep it there:) it is really one of those moments you cannot stop laughing:))) I looked for these two pics in the evening... Next morning asked her and after a little she showed them to me in the oven:))

In love with daddy

The last month Aliya has become soo attached to Mo:) she wants to be with him all the time and hug and kiss and play... It takes some time to distract or convince to even change her pampers or go to bed. She wants daddy to do it... Even though he is not very happy with the idea. I enjoy it actually ... Really helps I think to engage her dad with us. Before I always felt sort of angry why he is not part of whatever I am doing with Aliya. But Aliya alone will engage him obviously:) feels good:)))

K and T

Aliya is one sweet girl lately:) she just gives me kisses and hugs and plays calmly for the last few days. Hope it stays like this. Yesterday I was teaching her the word "ako" which means poop. And she looked at me with a big smile and said "ato" because she cannot pronounce k yet:))) I laughed so much. Then it was "kuku" or potty which sounds from her like "tutu" . And finally we went to make "chip chip" or shower, which she is saying as "pichi pichi":)))
She also is playing a lot hiding one of her toys - the whale for example - behind her and I have to find it:) she just loves to exclaim "Eto kita!!!" (Here is the whale) .
Lots of fun developments for her lately . And I was about to forget - yesterday she almost managed to dress one t-shirt alone. She put the sleeves first and I helped for the head:))) amazing times are coming, I bet:))
I miss her and I am going now after work to pick her up from the kindergarten .

Part of me

Everyday I wonder if babies are born with internal sense for people. Aliya is so mature when reacting knowing exactly when to hug you or leave you alone because things are serious. I feel we forget this empathy for the others feelings as we grow up. Don't you think it is possible that with forming the personality as an individual you actually forget being part of "the whole spirit". Then we try to teach it back with education and social rules but I think it is lost forever.

Climbing on her own

So I guess the best time to start this blog is today:). I have wanted to do this for a while to keep track of nice achievements and funny moments of Aliya as she grows. Hope I can do it regularly and often enough!
Aliya is a sweet almost 18 months old kid. Since she is born I have really rediscovered our world and keep on doing it as she grows up. She is going to nursery for half day and I am getting busier and busier with worklife. I will share with you also my thoughts through her eyes for our everyday life.
So what were her achievements today - she tried to put a button through the hole, we went chasing running each other around the apartment, and she discovered that I keep cooked food in the oven (after it is ready). But what really made me happy is to see her climbing along the stairs alone. She refused my hand and was willing to go up alone even though she was helping with her hands. Cute little Aliya, helping her mom because I had no hand actually to bring her up the stairs.