I Ain't Scared Of No Toys...

This was really funny. The Playcrib has a hood which can be folded over and has these fluffy toys hanging from above. The netting acts as a mosquito shield as well. Anyways, when I folded the hood up, the toys naturally dangled right above The Butterfly. The picture sequence you see here is, from top to bottom, as follows: 1) She watches me fold the hood up, wondering what in heavens name The Merchant is up to. 2) She notices the fluffy toys dangling above her head, and thinks, "Ok, this is new." 3) She zooms in on the toys, and realises they're invading her personal space.. and lastly 4) She's not impressed that she's sharing her Playcrib with fuffy toys dangling above her, and let's them know by howling at them. The time frame from start to end was about 5 minutes, but I laughed for at least an hour! Every time we walked past the Playcrib, she'd give those fluffy toys a glare to let them know who calls the shots around these parts.

It's true that she's starting to develop a unique personality lately, and one of the things we've noticed is that she doesn't cry much, but when she's annoyed or irritated she'll let you know quick and fast. She's content and happy in her own little space, and can entertain herself for hours without interferance. Since we've started off with a No-Dummy rule and held fast to it since day one, she's learnt to pacify herself by sucking her knuckles, probably coz she has'nt quite yet figured out how to use her thumb for that purpose.

The Playcrib Gets The Nod Of Approval

One of the gifts The Butterfly recieved was a playcrib from friends of ours, Jaleel and Tasneem. We had'nt used it until this weekend, when we decided to see if The Butterfly would approve. If these pics are anything to go by, I think she's found her new favourite chill-zone. What's really cool about the Playcrib is that it folds up small enough to be carried in a zip-up bag, which means it's great for taking with to picnics and outdoor days. This coming weekend we'll be taking her to the Zoo Lake on her first picnic, so watch this space!

It's All In The Eyes

Before we left for the mall, The Butterfly and I played a game of "Stare." You know, the game where the first one to blink loses. Well, let's just say I need whole lot more practise if im gonna match The Butterfly's skill.

Getting Ready For Another Day At The Mall

Sabreen's Picture Bonanza Week

Is It Playtime Yet?

It's almost midnight and we'll be getting up in a few hours to have a meal in preparation for our first day of fasting, but as you can tell, The Butterfly has other ideas. Clocks, alarms, schedules and deadlines mean as much to her as a Sony Playstation does to a guy lost in a desert.

If The Butterfly wants to play and chat at midnight, you better have a fun game and interesting story to tell her, or she'll dismiss you with a sharp bark. Yes, you heard me right, a sharp bark. In 2 months we've never actually heard her cry. Instead she does this sharp single bark, almost like when you're barking an order and expecting your slaves to jump to attention. The Maiden calls it her "Imperial Cry". No tears, no crying, no fussing, just a single bark that let's you know who's running the show around these parts.

Ramadhan Mubarak

In between learning how to blow bubble's, The Butterfly would like to join The Maiden and I in wishing family and friends a blessed fasting month of Ramadhan, peace, understanding, love and prosperity to all and many more years of enjoying watching The Butterfly grow up.

The Face of Mischief

Don't be fooled by this charming expression... it usually means The Butterfly is planning to keep you up all night, or worse, taking a pooh on your new bedspread.

This Could Explain Her Frown.

You'd have a serious frown and constant thinking expression too if you had your very own business at the tender age of 2 months!!!

I figured she'd had a 2 month break since being born, so now would be a good a time as any to start introducing her to the laws of business and the business of making money :) Call it a Junior Management Training Programme.

Today, her own business. Tomorrow, The World :)

This Is One Serious Eskimo

The Butterfly is one serious babe, and nothing much amuses her. This means before you try and get a smile out of her, you better make sure your comedy material is of a high calibre.

Her pet-name is Thinking Baby :)

Getting Ready To Hit The Town.

The Butterfly all dressed up in her Eskimo outfit, ready to do some serious shopping before the fasting month of Ramadhan begins.

What Little Girls Like Most.

Her favourite past-time is having me read her the market update at the end of the day from the business papers. Nothing puts her into a comfortable sleep faster than that.

Im not sure if thats a sign that she finds it boring, or it's what comforts her the most, but im leaning toward the latter option.

The Butterfly's Room Pic # 5

She has'nt spent her first night in her own room yet, but when she does she can be sure it will be her very own little playground :) No points for guessing who calls the shots around here ;)

The Butterfly's Room Pic # 4

The wall murals go up to the ceiling, and make the room look like something out of Alice In Wonderland :)

Ok, I seriously considered having Shayle (the fine-artist) go with a Stock-Exchange Trading Room theme, but was outvoted by The Maiden. Personally I think it would have been really cool if her room looked like a mini Stock-Exchange trading floor, with share-codes and prices running across the room instead of your usual "ABC 123".... I pictured The Butterfly going to Montessori and while the rest of the kids are going "A is for apple, B is for ball, C is for cat..." The Butterfly would be going "ABC is for Amalgamated Beverage Company, currently trading at R3.78 with a price/earnings ratio of 7 and profit forecasts for the year expected to be marginally higher than the previous quarter." Is that too much to ask for a nursery wall mural? I think not.

The Butterfly's Room Pic # 3

This is what her doorway looks like from inside the room. Shayle painted some cool butterfly's on the door too.

The Butterfly's Room Pic # 2

In keeping with The Butterfly's theme, we had some butterfly's painted by Shayle on her cupboards. Cool, huh :)

The Butterfly's Room Pic # 1

The writings on the wall ;) Not yet 2 months old and she's already got her name flying high.

Guess Baby

This is The Butterfly in her really cool Guess Baby Tracksuit. If you gonna act like a spoilt-rotten Superstar, you might as well dress the part ;)

Hip-Hop Sabreen Awaits The Fine-Artist

The Maiden and I decided to get a fine-artist to do The Butterfly's nursery, after going through every possible option for decor. She came over at 9am, and left at about 4:30pm, and The Butterfly as you can tell by the pic was very excited to check out her new room.

Summertime Means .....

We get to hang loose in our shorts :)

This weekend im taking The Butterfly out for a swim. I figure the pool should be nice and warm, and if her bathtime is anything to go by, she's gonna be a real waterbaby.

Who's The Boss?

In my house, only one person wears the pants... make that "Nappies."

The Skipper Says It All

Something tells me there's more truth in that than I realise ;)

Darn... Which One's The Thumb Again?

Watching her figure out her fingers and toes, and follow new sounds is a joy I cannot describe. She's officially 7 weeks today! I spent last night going through her very first pics, and comparing them to these latest one's, and it's amazing how much she's grown in such a short space of time.

Guess Who Learnt To Suck Their Thumb?

Who needs dummies and pacifiers when you have your thumb?

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

You never know how important it is to learn nursery ryhmes until you run out of them while singing to The Butterfly.

I think at this point she was positively bored of 30 versions of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

Heyta! Taxi To Sandton... Shup.

In anticipation of the 2010 World Cup, we've been teaching her how to hail a taxi in The New South Africa :)

Enough With The Story.. Where's My Foood Already?

This is a mix between a yawn and a stifled cry for food. Advice to new dads: Never Ignore This Look!

Scary Story Time

This pic was taken while I was telling the Butterfly how The Maiden and I met.

12 Hours and Counting

Just 12 hours after this pic was taken, The Butterfly made her Grand Entrance. Almost 7 weeks later and it's amazing how fast time has gone by, and how much The Butterfly has changed and grown since then.

Cokes and Dils

My friend Zaid (Cokes) and The Maidens cousin Dilshaad (Zaid's wife) on a recent visit to SA from London.

Birds of a Feather

A pic taken before the arrival of The Butterfly.
From left Dilshaad (married to my friend Zaid and now living in the UK), The Maiden, and my sis Shamima (now living in Saudi.)

Shams, Yasmin and Kids.

My sister Shamima, her friend Yasmin, and Yasmin's cutie-pie kids during a recent visit.

The Clock Is Ticking...

A typical fathers dilemma: Its the second half of an exhilirating UEFA soccer match between Manchester United and Celtic, scores level at 2-2 with 40 minutes to go. The time is 10:05pm, which means the match ends at 10:45pm. The Butterfly is fast asleep but is scheduled to wake up for a feed at 11pm. Now here's the twist.... The Maiden is all out of Baby Formula, and the glint in her eye is starting to turn into a glare. The last time I saw that glare was while on holiday in Pamplona in Spain, during the Running Of The Bulls and the look belonged to a raging beast charging toward me in a narrow alley.

If tonight turned out anything like that fateful day did, i'd soon be laying on my belly in a seedy hospital with a gaping hole in my buttocks from being gored by a ferocious snorting beast.... much like the Maiden started looking like as the minutes ticked on.

Needless to say, the day was saved by a timely goal from Ole' Gunnar Solksjaer for United, which meant I could rush out and buy The Butterfly's formula comfortable in the knowledge that we'd won the game.

Aaaahhh... the joys of fatherhood and the challenges we father's face :)

How Moms & Dad's Differ

The Butterfly didnt sleep too well 2 nights ago, and spent most of today awake and crabby.

Mom's Response: Call Netcare, charter a helicopter, fly in a Peadiatric Sleep & Crabby Therapist from Slumberland, and if that fails, see if The Minister of Health is free for lunch.

Dad's Response: Try to get to Level 6 on Sony Playstation game "Need For Speed", and repeat the following mantra... "The sun will rise, petrol prices will increase, and children will cry and be restless from time to time." These are certainties in life, and Dad's don't hit the Panic button when they happen.

You'll be glad to know The Butterfly is sound asleep right now as I type this. Ironically so is The Maiden.

Let The Boys Beware

All my friends visiting recently have been asking what I plan to do when potential suitors come knocking on my door for The Butterfly.

Though that may be many years from now, I thought i'd post a pic of myself without a shirt on just to let the reader know why im not concerned :) Yup, that's who those pesky boys are going to have to deal with if they think they can come to within 100 yards of The Butterfly.

Generations

The Maidens Gran (Mother's Side), and The Butterfly's Great Gran.

A wonderful picture of the generation gap. The smile must be a family trait :)

The Doting Grandad

The Maiden's Dad and The Butterfly's Grandad.

Fast asleep in his arms, she must sense she's in good hands :)

Mamoo and Mamie

The Butterfly's adoring Uncle (Asgar Mamoo) and Aunt (Feroza Mamie) from Durban.
If anyone really didnt wanna say goodbye to Sabreen on her return to Joburg, it would be them. They adore her to bits, and Im certain she'll feel just the same about them too :)

Oh, her cool ride (The Bling Pram) is courtesy of them too.

Rules Of The House

There are only 2 rules in our house.
Rule #1: Whoever wears the pants, Rules.
Rule #2: Whoever has the remote, wears the pants.

So who make's the rules in our house?
Lets just say this skirt shows off my legs beautifully......