Visit at the Park's Playground...

Yesterday morning, we went up to the park's playground in the Merkas, just few minutes walk from our house. It is a nice place, looks like it is well-maintained by the owner. Mommy and Enna-Marie would usually come to this area, but without daddy. So this is the first time to come together as family. As you can see from the photos below, Enna-Marie really enjoyed her time walking, climbing, and playing. Although she is not the best climber yet, but slowly she is learning this skill. She was so observant with the bigger children moving and climbing so fast. Anyway, the carousel horse riding is her favourite, we paid NIS7, and she was even wanting to take another turn, but quickly mom and dad diverted her attention to the playground. Wow, what a treat to our growing daughter...enjoy the photos!

E-M: "I love this horse ride so much!"

E-M: "Mama pleaaase I want one more..."

Walking up the stairs to the slide

Mom: "Ready..Get..Set..Go...!"

E-M: "Wow, I am learning to count this huge 'abacus' balls"

Peek-a-boo pose...!

E-M: "My daddy is so tall eh!*"

E-M: "I'm oh so enjoying my time here! So many people..."

E-M: "...and so many climbing to do. Daddy, we're up here...!"

On our way home...this is a nice, quiet neighborhood.

Dinner with the Hatami family...

We invited my friend Carmel and her parents auntie Sarah and uncle Jalal for dinner at home. Her parents are friends of my mom and dad. Mom said that the green sling she used for me when I was younger, she got it from the States and auntie Sarah's mom kindly brought it all the way to Haifa when she visited them. Anyway, the dinner was good, auntie and uncle liked the chicken/pork adobo my mom prepared and so do I. Carmel and I played a lot, running all over our house while our parents were chatting about us and other things. By the way, you can check Carmel's blog in our Friends' blog list, she has nice pictures there.

Visiting Rumi Anis

Last Monday we visited the newest baby in our community, that is Rumi Anis Maftechuk who just recently turned two months old. He and mommy Minoo are doing well. Enna-Marie was happy to see her new friend, she was enjoying the hanging stuff in the play pen and also was curious to see the swing they have for Rumi.

Update on My Sleeping...

For the past seven days I've slept by myself in my own room for the very first time!! At first I was missing daddy and mommy very much at night but now I'm getting used to it. Last night was the first time I slept through the night they said. Every night before I fall asleep I still have to cry a bit, but I think I'm beginning to figure out how to do it without mommy's help (nightfeeding)! The first night I cried for almost 35 minutes, but last night I was asleep after only 3 minutes! It is difficult for mommy and daddy hearing me cry, but they said it is for my own good. Next weekend they will put up a wall border so that my room becomes even nicer than it already is!

Below is a picture mommy took of me sleeping early morning of my sixth day alone in my crib.

Weekend Cleaning with Daddy

During the first day of the Fast, Maarten decided it was time to do some cleaning up on our balcony garden. The ficus tree got a trim, and so did the rose bushes and a couple of other plants. You can already see that spring must now soon be coming because most plants are budding with new life. Enna-Marie also joined in the activities and helped daddy clean up. She's also able now to climb by herself on the ledge.

First day of the fast...

At this first day of the fast, we went to our dear friends Arnold and Canan's place and had dinner with them. As always, we had some delicious Filipino food (sinigang na baboy and chicken adobo). Enna-Marie liked the food so much that she finished her bowl of rice with the sinigang. Mom Menchie and dad Maarten also had more than one plate (he..he..). Necati, who is in Haifa for the weekend from Jerusalem, joined us as well. Mildred later also came over.

We are happy and excited for Canan and Arnold as Canan is expecting and due in August. You can see from the photo below they already got a baby cot.

Happy fasting to everyone!

First Ayyam-i-Ha Party

Enna-Marie had her first Ayyam-i-Ha pizza party with the children at the Baha'i World Centre. She had lots of fun, enjoyed so much the activities prepared for the children. We look forward to the next year's party.

First, she gave her gift to Shiori

We enjoyed some pizzas too
and the singing...

beautiful banner upstairs

face painting

clay making (play dough)

fishing

treasure hunting and decorating of treasure chests

baloon making

and some art coloring

group picture with the newest addition to the BWC family, Rumi Anis

Our happy little princess

...ready to go home!

Happy Ayyam-i-Há!

The Intercalary Days (February 26-March 1 inclusive) should be the days of preparation for the Fast, days of hospitality, charity and gifts.

Here's an idea of what we can do at this Ayyam-i-Há period (thanks to the Family Liaison Committee of the Bahá’í World Centre for sharing this to us):

The service wreath is a grapevine wreath, decorated with flowers (silk orreal) and lights, that is hung horizontally from the ceiling using threewide satin ribbons. Hanging down from the wreath by curling ribbon are numerous 4-in square cards, wrapped in metallic paper, and each containing a message of a service or thoughtful deed. To make the cards, cut numerous 4-in squares of tagboard. Write a good deed on each one. Center the squares diagonally on 6x6 inch pieces of metallic origami paper. Fold the points to the center of the square so all the points meet. Seal with a sticker. Use a paper punch to make a hole in one corner; and thread curling ribbon through the hole. After hanging the wreath, tie the cards to dangle below, and add extra steamers of curling ribbon as desired. This is a very festive and beautiful decoration. Beginning on the night before Ayyam-i-Ha (evening of February 25), our family gathers by the wreath to say prayers and read from the Writings on the importance of deeds and service. After prayers, each child cuts off one of the cards from the wreath and opens it to learn what his special deed is for the following day. The next evening, after the deeds have been done, we again gather by the wreath and the children receive a small gift as a reward for the service they completed. We again say prayers and the children cut off another card from the wreath. This helps us all stay focused on the importance of being of service. On the last day ofAyyam-i-Ha there are always lots of presents under the wreath for everyone.

Some ideas for the service cards:

- All day long, pick up trash and debris wherever you see it-look hard! Put it in the trash can, making the world a more beautiful place.

- Clean up your room without being asked.

- Write a special card for your teacher, telling her or him at least one very specific thing you really appreciate.

- Write a thank you note to someone whose work often goes unnoticed.

- Select one toy or book from your room to give to a local charity for children.

- Show up at a friend or relative's home and offer to help with chores for one hour.

- Make treats to take to school to share with your teacher and classmates.

- Look for a person who is having a bad day, then tell that person something good about himself - help this person feel better.

- Make a list of five things you like about each of your parents, brothers, and sisters. Share the list with them.

- Call someone when you know he or she won't be home and sing a holiday song to the answering machine.

- Feed the outdoor wildlife - birds and squirrels.

(This idea was modified from an idea for an advent wreath in the December 1996 edition of Better Homes and Gardens magazine.)

Ayyam-i-Há song to share:

Ayyam-i-Há
by Candace Moore Hill

Have a Merry Intercalary Have a Happy Ayyam-i-Ha
Have a Merry Intercalary Have a Happy Ayyam-i-Ha
The Days of Ha Proclaimed by Baha'u'llah
The Days of Ha Proclaimed by Baha'u'llah

Service Project at Mazra'ih

This weekend we participated in a service project for Ayyam-i-Há at Mazra'ih. All the children and their parents got together to help picking oranges. Its amazing how abundantly the trees are filled with fruits! This was the first service project in which Enna-Marie participated, AND her first time to visit this beautiful Holy Place. Hopefully there will be many more to follow!

Welcome by Mace and some instructions...

On daddy's shoulders on the way to the orange trees...

Picking fruits off the ground...

...and collecting them in a crate!

Here ate Bahia, this one's for you!

After conquering the ground, now we're conquering the tree :)

Enjoying some well deserved rest with friends at the end of the morning. :)

Visiting Tara and Auntie Sieni

We had a short visit at Auntie Sieni's place to meet and play with my new friend Tara Lani who is now 5 months old. Beautiful Tara is a mixture of American, Samoan and Persian, she is such a gorgeous baby with blue eyes... See pictures below:

















She and auntie Sieni recently joined us in the Mother Goose on the Loose nursery rhymes class.

Our growing Enna-Marie...

Recently Enna-Marie turned 14 months old. So many developments we have seen since she started eating solid food, from crawling to walking-running-climbing, and from saying 'a-ba-ba-ba-ba' to mama, papa, cat, baby, apple, ate (older sister in Tagalog), hot (when passing by a heater) and lately saying her own name Enna and 'abba' (meaning 'Abdu'l-Bahá). Our growing baby is now becoming a young toddler who is soo active and mobile. She is adorable, loving, sweet, happy, playful and a strong-willed baby. We already bought a new car seat and a potty as well.

Here are some of the things she does now:

1. picks up the cordless phone and brings it with her until she gets tired
2. touches and plays with all remote controls
3. takes and drops all her books from the shelf
4. takes and drops some cds and papa's books from the shelf
5. carries her bag and lunch box like a real lady :-)
6. climbs in her toy box, also on the three steps leading to the laundry room
7. touches the soil of the big ficus plant
8. plays with mama and papa's shoes
9. climbs on the couch and knows how to properly go down
10. points to the Greatest Name and picture of 'Abdu'l-Bahá when asked
11. folds her arms while mama or papa is praying and says 'Abba' after the prayer
12. brushes her teeth before she sleeps at night