Thanks everyone for your heartfelt comments about my last posting on isolation as a stay at home mom. One of these days when we get a second car, it will help me to be able to get out during the day. I feel close to all of you in spirit even though I can't be with you physically. I never felt this isolated before because I had options to get out and also I never had to take care of somebody 24 hours 7 days a week with no long breaks. I am learning to take advantage and fully utilize my short breaks. My time is no longer my time alone but really for the family. Being a parent truly makes me appreciate my parents so much more than before. Dominic feels the same. There was no way for us to know the position our parents have been in until now.I really miss Chicago for the public transportation and for it being convenient in a big city way. Jamila is 4 months now and this picture of her with Dominic getting ready for one of their walks is sooo sweet.
This is one of Dominic's photographs after a family dinner outing. I like to go out to eat once a week just to get out but to be with the family too. And since both Dominic and I are usually exhausted by the middle of the week or the end of the week it is good to take a break. Dominic works 7 days a week right now so he is constantly without a break.
I love this picture!!! Jamila is talking to all the dangling things. There is a mobile furthur above her not pictured that she converses with regularly. She is always trying to figure out what is going on and why things make certain noises or look new. You can see in her eye and her expressions she is really thinking hard.
This is the first smile caught on camera. What a brilliant smile!
And here is her serious and intense look when she is studying things. She also has a popping eye studying look when she can hardly believe what she is seeing. She is so interested in the world and can hardly get enough most days.
Tummy time for Jamila. Some days are better than others with this activity. She was enjoying her tummy time in this picture.
Everyday, Jamila and I have a dancing, bouncing, flying play time to my world music. She smiles and laughs out loud. One of her favorite songs is an East Indian song called Aaj Mera Jee Karda from the Monsoon Wedding soundtrack and another favorite is Maria Salome by Saida Karoli from Tanzania who is from Dominic and Jamila's tribe, the Haya.
5 comments:
elin, i'm sorry to hear about the isolation. both of u are working 'round the clock. but it will all be worth it in the end. we miss u guys here too! ohh! jamila is so beautiful. i see more and more of her parents in her with each new pic!
It does sound very difficult to be a parent. I'm sure that afterwards, it will seem as though the time passed very quickly. I often wonder how I would be able to acquire the necessary selflessness to be a good parent.
I'm glad to know that Jamila is a good music fan and we'll be able to discuss bands in eighteen or so years!
Aaron
Hey, Elin!!!! I just re-found your blog after a bell went off in my head. Ha. Jamila is gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous, you both are doing such a great job with her (she looks so happy!). Myk and I don't have a baby, but we are sharing a car now and it is definitely hard in a town that's not set up to take care of everyone. I've been taking the city bus lately (vs. the Park-and-Ride or something like that) and it's amazing how long it takes to arrive, how long it takes to get where you're going, and the whole bus is full of immigrants and minorities. Everyone deserves to have respect, and it just plain ol' shows disrespect when you can't make a city bus available to someone every 15 minutes. It shows favortism to those who can afford as many cars as they have drivers, and you shouldn't HAVE to have a car to get around! So I feel your pain. Sometimes I even see mothers with 2 or 3 kids riding the bus and I think about how inconvenienced they are. I mean, I feel inconvenienced when i can't drive to Starbucks on Saturday morning, you know what I mean?
Sorry about that, I just went off. Ha. Anyways, I'm thinking so much about you, Jamila, and Dominic and hope you 3 are healthy and happy. Miss you, sister!
Let's see if this works now.. Last time I tried to comment here it had a problem..
I love these pics of Jamila. She is sooooo cute. I especially like her serious look.
I imagine we'll be facing a similar situation in a year or so as you regarding transportation. Chicago's transit isn't all that bad after being in a city like Houston.
On a completely unrelated note, I think Taye Diggs kinda looks like Dominic.
My dearest Elin, even though our parents always warn us, we don't quite understand the difficulty of been a parent until we are actually one. I remember somebody once telling me that we don't understand the true meaning of self detachment until we are a parent. With that been said, i don't think we need to be on either side of the extreme. Note of clarification for thosenthat are not a parent. We are not talking about the undescrible joy of been a parent but rather the little, practical logistics that go with it! :) Sleepless months, missing meals well, either no time, or just to tired to cook, no time to say prayers, been on your P.Js until mid day and sometimes even longer... etc, etc. But, i promise you there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Jamila will start getting into some routine of sleep, she will eat solids, if she is not doing so now and you will be able to organize yourself and your time better. However, one realization i have had lately, is that indeed we are in this for life so the sooner we accept the constant worries that go with it, the faster we will get with it and move on. Don't get me wrong, i worry every day! but trying to see it in light of the bigger picture of life. Hang in there my dear Elin. You are always in my prayers. Laura
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