You have a gym, with cute little stuffed animals hanging in it. We put you in there, and you use your hands to play with those stuffed animals! You are much more comfortable playing with the one on your right hand side. You rarely use your left hand to play with them. So, there you go, you are right handed.

The funny thing is, your paternal grandfather, your mom (me), your uncle (my brother), your maternal great grandmother, my aunt, and two of my cousins are all left handed. So, you had a good chance to be a lefty yourself. But..you are very right handed. 🙂

We couldn’t believe you could play (and enjoyed playing) with those stuffed animals at just 9 days old. In fact, when I read the instructions on the toy about being fit for all ages, I thought it meant it is safe for all ages. But no! it is really a toy for all ages, including 9 days old to play with, and enjoy.

I have a right handed daughter, and she is still a dream baby! All parents wish to have such a wonderful calm and sweet baby.

You were born on February 11th, 2013. What are the odds, you, your dad and myself are all born on the same day; the 11th!!

You were born at 10:48 a.m., weighed 2.955 kg, and measured 48 cm.

God bless you; you are the best baby I have ever known. You are great and perfect. Thanks for picking us as your parents.

Today you turned one week!!! Today, you have developed skills with your hands! You have discovered some new ways to use them. Your dad says, you pushed back your bottle away from your mouth with your hands, for the first time. I noticed you removed your blanket away from yourself, again using your hands.

I think you are getting stronger.

I am still upset about what those idiots did to you on your first and second days in the hospital. These idiots are obsessed with breastfeeding, to the point that they were about to kill you of hunger! You were born at 2.955 Kg, but you lost more than 10% of your weight in the first two days, just because those idiots didn’t tell me to put you on supplements. Well, to be honest, I was a big fool myself for not doing it on my own.

Anyways, you are now a healthy girl, you love eating, and you drink your milk with a great appetite. You are a dream baby! You are so good, sometimes I am not sure what I did to deserve it, and sometimes i think it is too good to be true.

Your dad adores you. We both fell in love with you once we saw you. My biggest concern was with you health. So, once the doctor pulled you out of my belly, (your dad says) my first question was, is she healthy, and the nurse said yes. Your dad says, I then shed a tear, I guess out of joy. it was a big relief. Your dad’s family adore you, and my mom is literally crazy about you. I still think a great part of it is because you are such a great baby. You never cry, unless if there is something wrong, and I mean really wrong.

The doctor told your dad, it is because you were born prematurely and early by 10 days, because of the C section, and that you might change as you grow. Well, let’s put it this way, We will love you anyways, regardless if you cry, or smile. But hey, when you smile, the whole world smiles. YOU, You are our world.

And….We bathed you today, for the first time after we were released from the hospital. You had your first bathe in the hospital, the night you were born, though.

I went to the doctor the day before yesterday. He said that baby’s size and position are good.

We got babyshower’s DVD last weekend. Interestingly, when we were playing it, you were moving more than ever. I still cannot decide if that is because of the loud dance music, my sitting position or the food I had eaten. I just know that you are one active baby, which is great.

The baby shower was one of a kind, with an open bar, a great DJ, great appetizers (made by Neda’s mom), lots of food (almost 1/3 of it was untouched, after everyone was full, and the help and the guards, took a lot of it), cleaning ladies, and much more.

On week 37 I got very sick and came down with a flu. Since one can’t take medication during pregnancy, recovery takes longer. I had to stay in bed for 4 days. I was so sick I couldn’t even get out of bed. I was lucky though, I didn’t have chill or fever, and there was no infection.

I am feeling fine now, except for the exhaustion, which is normal during pregnancy, as well as numb fingers and breathlessness, which are again normal during pregnancy. Oh, the last complaint is about hemorrhoid!! It is also normal. Veins get full of blood, and the mother gains weight, which causes hemorrhoid. In most cases, it will recover after the pregnancy. Recovery might take longer in case of natural delivery.

Just one word, if you get pregnant, or if a close person, friend or family is pregnant, make sure the pregnant person gets all the attention and help possible. Pregnancy is definitely manageable, but the woman appreciates even the smallest help, such as letting her sit, helping her with carrying stuff (even as light as handbags), a portion of meal, or other.

Anyways…you are growing healthy, your dad can’t stop talking about you, and everybody is excited about you coming! I have never seen a father happier than your dad. If there is a piece of cloth with “dad’s sweetie” or “dad’s lady” or “dad loves me” or…anything of that sort, your father buys it!!! I am not sure how he will get back to work after you are born!!

Today we went for another ultrasound; this time for gender determination only. At this time, ontario health plan doesn’t cover an ultrasound if it is for gender determination only.

We were previously told that you were a girl. We were not sure though. It was at 18 weeks. We wanted to do some shopping. We had decided to remain gender neutral; no baby blue or pink. Yet, we realized that styles could be a bit girly or boyish, so, not quite attractive to the other gender. Anyways, just to be more comfortable with our shopping, we decided to do this ultrasound. And…well, a girl, for the second time. 🙂 So, we are almost sure that we should do the shopping for a girl. You will be named Deeba. It means fine silk. We had decided about names at around 20 weeks. Deeba for a girl, and Aaron (Aran) for a boy. Your dad loved the name Horacio (Horatio) for a boy! So, I am a bit releaved that this is not a boy. I just don’t feel comfortable with that name! Other than that, I had absolutely no preference; boy or girl would have been totally fine and great news to me.  

It seems that you move more than other babies. At least this is what I have been hearing from ultrasound technicians.

Your heartbeat is at 131, and you weigh 5 pounds 6 ounces (2.380 Kg); a good weight for your age. Your legs are in front of your face! The technician said you might at any point kick yourself in the face!!! If all goes well, you should gain 1/2 pound a week. So, at birth you will weigh around 3.300 Kg. Some of the credit goes to your grandma who cooked 2~3 meals a day, so that I can pick the one that I felt like eating. Some of the credit goes to your dad who took care of everything, and I could rest a lot. The rest of the credit goes to my (and I guess your) good luck; I have never had so little to do at work! This is totally unprecedented. I used to work 9 to 11 hours a day!!

I have a babyshower tomorrow; a very nonconventional one. This is a family party, guys are invited, we have a DJ, lots of (and I mean lots of!!) booz! You will perhaps see the photos, videos, favours, and a wish tree.

Neda, Neda’s mom, myself, your dad, Pouria, Keyan and Bahar all helped. The biggest chunk of it is done by Neda, Neda’s mom, and your dad.

This is the story of the father of the second wife of my maternal grandfather’s uncle. 🙂 We called her “zan amou jaan” (means: dear wife of uncle!). Even to this day, I do not know her real name!

Anyways, her father was a very knowledgeable man, with lots of studies in religion and philosophy. This story also, dates back to 90 years ago. So, when I say a knowledgeable philosopher (somehow a clergy/philosopher), it should be put into context.

Anyways, the family was much respected and known as a noble family, and the father of the family was a reference for the people in the city.

One day this well respected Muslim man decided to convert to Baha’i. People of the city found out. When he went to the public bath (houses did not have a bath , people used to go to public hammams) people kicked him out and didn’t even let him put on his clothes. He was totally naked, humiliated and undignified. To save his life, he fled to Arak, another city of Iran,right away. I am not sure how people know that he fled to Arak, or if anyone heard from him again. I have just heard that he didn’t even get a chance to go home and say bye to his wife and his four daughters. I think he went to Arak because no one knew him. But well, I cannot be sure. All I know is through my mom, so, lots of details are lost. The point is, Baha’i people had a very hard time.

Even though his wife and daughters never converted to Baha’i, people didn’t like them anymore. Nobody married those poor girls. No one gave the wife a job. They survived, anyways.

My grandfather’s uncle, from the respectful and renown family of “Sheikholeslami”, had a wife with three rascal sons and a daughter. The three boys were extremely naughty, yet really kind and hospitable. Their mother died, when the eldest child, the girl, was a teenager. The father needed to get himself a second wife to take care of the four kids. He married “zan amou jaan”, the daughter of the Baha’i guy. I think she was barely older than the eldest child. She was a very kind woman, and took good care of the four kids. They all loved her. She and my grandpa’s uncle had one son and one daughter. They are all still alive up as of today, except for the uncle who died of brain tumor after a brain surgery when I was in third grade. The three rascal boys are now the wealthiest people in the family. So is the daughter. Her husband had a job in Shah’s court, I guess a low-level job in treasury inventory. I am not quite sure, but he got his wealth mainly from there. The three boys were sort of frauds, but they always had a gang with whom they worked. Their father didn’t leave them much and spent the wealth of “Sheikholeslami” family. The three boys were like king Midas, though. If they touched something, it turned into gold! The two elder brothers had a notary public, and their family made lots of money out of some illegal (sometimes harmless, sometimes harmful) things that they did. They were lazy students and always failed at school or bribed or threatened their teachers to pass their courses. They, however, had a great sense of risk and very strong interpersonal skills. They started from scratch and made themselves and their families a fortune. The third brother went to college and got a post diploma degree (two years of studies after high school graduation). He got a job in one of the factories, and he too, made his way into wealth and success.  I will write about examples of all they did, so that you get an idea of how they built their wealth. The son of “zan amou jan” also got involved in the business of the two older brothers, married, and has two daughters now. Those girls should be in their twenties now. The daughter of “zan amou jaan” got married to a very mediocre man. I clearly remember her wedding. I was 9 years old. I think she got married after his father died, and I cannot be sure why he got married to such a vulgar man. She was a elementary school/pre-school teacher. She was such a kind and nice woman, and tolerated all the bad habits of the guy. Now she has a rather good life. I am sure she has two sons, but can’t remember if she has a daughter too, or not.

I am not sure what happened to the other three daughters of the Baha’i guy. I guess they might have married at an old age, and not to ideal suitors.

Farther’s and mother’s sisters, as well as father’s and mother’s sisters-in-law are all called “aunt” in English.

In farsi, there are different words for each and every one of them: Khaleh for mother’s sister, Ammeh for father’s sister, zan ammou, for father’s sister-in-law, and zan daayi for mother’s sister-in-law.

My grandfather (my mother’s father) had three “khaleh”. This means that his grandmother “bibi jaan = dear lady” had four daughters. Bibi jaan married four times. The first husband was a very good, popular and wealthy man from “Golpayegan”. Bibi jaan had two daughters from this first marriage: At-har and Ashraf. At-har is my grandfather’s (my mother’s father) mother. At-har got married when his father was still alive, so, she got a husband from a noble and wealthy Golpayegani family, Mr. Mohammad Bagher Sheikholeslami. He was my grandfather’s (mother’s father) father.

Bibi jaan’s husband then died. She fell in love with a man, much younger than herself. This man was addicted to “taryak = Opium”. Bibi jaan started smoking opium, too. To get rid of Ashraf, then, Bibi Jaan made her marry to a poor bad-tempered farmer from around “Golpayegan”. This farmer had just half a nose. One side of his nose was damaged, just like a leper, even though he was not suffering from leprosy.

Bibi jan’s second husband left her. She got married to a third man, and had her third daughter, Aghdas, from this third husband. The third husband left (or died) as well. So, Bibi Jan got her third daughter married to the first suitor available, and got married for the fourth time. This fourth man was an “allameh” (can be somehow translated to a religiously open-minded and well-respected person, who has read many books, and knows some philosophy and science of his time). Bibi jan had her fourth daughter, Robabeh, with him. Robabeh went to schoold and got her diploma. She would have been around 90~100 if she was still alive.

Robabeh became a teacher. Aghdas was a keen smart woman, but was never educated. She hated the Ayatollah’s regime, and made some very strong arguments with everyone in defense of what she believed in despite the lack of education. She was a religious woman, though. Ashraf had a very difficult life. She worked hard, wove beautiful rugs, made yogurt and cheese and sold them to people to make some money. Her husband was useless and bad-tempered. Ashraf had four children: A’zam, Mostafa, and two other whose names I cannot remember. She was fed up with her husband, got the four kids, and left her husband. My grandfather (mom’s dad), loved his aunts. He got Ashraf a low-level cleaning job in the hospital. She, then moved to Qom from Golpayegan, and got a job in a hospital in Qom. She could save a little bit and move to Tehran. I clearly remember her house in Tehran.

Ashraf was smart and hard-working. She had a great memory. Once, when she was invited in my grandfather’s house, she gave us details of our family tree. According to this family tree my mom and my dad are both descendants of “Sheikh Baha’i”. If Ashraf was alive, she would have been around 110 years old.

At-har, who is my grandfather’s mother (my mother’s father’s mother) died at an early age. She died when my grandfather was around 6 years old. She died probably of appendicitis.

My grandfather had a sister, a couple of years younger than my grandpa. She died at a very young age. There is still a photo left from her. The story I have heard is, my grandfather’s parents decided to have a pilgrimage to Mashhad. They decide to leave their children behind. My grandfather was born on January 23rd, 1924. So, the story should date back to almost 80 years ago. The younger child, the girl, gets so uncomfortable and agitated, she died! I feel a bit skeptic about this story though. She should have had a more serious problem.

They were all living in Golpayegan. Sheikholeslami’s (my grandfather’s parents) were a renown and noble family there. Their ancestor was the “sheikhol’eslam” of the city, which was one of the highest social/religious ranks.

You are supposed to be born in February. We started a big renovation in the house on October 23rd. Renovation is supposed to be done on Tuesday, two days from today. We are all sure that some minor and small jobs around the house will still take another two or three weeks. For one thing, we do not have our furnitures yet!

Anyways, I am subscribed to a newsletter from a website called babycenter. In their latest one, there was something about nesting instinct! It seems that moms get a boost of energy before the baby comes, and try to make the house ready and comfortable for the baby.

Well, I am not sure if this huge renovation has anything to do with the nesting instinct. If it does my instincts are hillariously and extremely strong!!! I have been nesting for 7 weeks, and will keep on nesting for the next 6~8 weeks!!!!

The point is, your dad and I decided for this renovation, but others did it for us. Your dad took the main responsibility to supervise and organize everything. He, sure, is doing a great job. And…this was such an expensive nesting!!! I should really stop listening to my instincts!

We waited to get financially stable before you are born. So, you will hopefully not experience any financial difficulty.

Well, to be honest, my family was always rather wealthy, and your dad’s family was always above the average line of income. But each and every family has its financial ups and downs. Your dad and I had our financial ups and downs as well.

We came to Canada on January 22, 2002 with just $12000 US. At the time each US dollar was traded for 0.68 canadian dollars. Our parents had more to give us. We didn’t want to accept money from them, though. We were stubborn, or we wanted to get independant, or…Today, I can’t be sure why we didn’t ask for more. But that is what we chose. The point is, deep down in our hearts we knew that we would have support if everything fails, even though we did not have it in our minds to rely on that support. We wanted to stand on our own feet. 

We started off with $12000 US. We rented a basement in Richmond Hill for four months. I got my first job with Bell Canada on April 8th, 2002. The pay was rather decent, at $62500 annually. We moved to a rental apartment in Mississauga. It was on Bloor street. Well, to be accurate at 1055 Bloor Street (can’t remember if it was east or west!! I guess it was on Bloor Street East).

Your dad registered in Seneca college. He didn’t have enough self confidence to apply for a job, even though he was great. It was some time in early 2003 or late 2002 when I took him to a pizza store, and made him apply for a pizza delivery job. Well, he stayed in that job for 8 months. Now, when I look back, I have mixed feelings about what I did. My perception of that job was nothing like the perception I have today. Today, I sometimes feel really ashamed of myself. I feel guilty because of making him work as a delivery guy. On the other hand, I think may be that job helped him gain some confidence to apply for a professoinal job. Anyways, one night he came home and said that he didn’t want to stay in that job. He had an interesting reason. He said, the job had brought him down to pennies and loonies, type of the tips that people were paying him. At this time, he had already dropped out of college for Ryerson university. He was a brilliant student. He got a job as a Java developper. My friend Maryam gave your dad’s resume to the manager of a small-size company. The pay was not that great, but was definitely better than pizza delivery. He was paid almost $30,000 annually. We moved to a nice condo appartment at Yonge and Sheppard in 2005.

Your dad changed his job again after two years in 2005. He came home one day and told me that he had a very hard time with his boss. I told him that he had 3 months to get himself a new job. Again, I feel so guilty about putting him under so much pressure; yet, again, I sometimes think, may be this was what he needed to take himself serious and overcome his fears. (I will never ever do it again, and if I had a second chance to live again, I wouldn’t put him under pressure, no matter what). I am hoping he was strong enough to forgive me. Anyways, he got a better position with a higher pay in another company. His salary was $70,000 in this new job. We were being paid almost as much as one another.

In 2007, I was fed up with my managers at Bell. I changed to a new position at TELUS, with the same pay that I had at Bell. Soon, your dad changed to a new job, with a decent salary of $120,000. We had already bought a house. The same house that you will be raised in. We bought it for $478,500. We are as of this month (and before you are born) spending $100,000 for renovation and new furniture. We can afford it, hon. This is the sweetest part.

But this is not the end. From an annual income of 62500 in 2002 to an annual income of almost 250,000 in 2012, and we will be doing our best to keep the trend.

So, down the road in the future, if you face some financial hardship, just focus on your capabilities, focus on what you can do, and the skills that you can develop. You will be able to make it. Believe in yourself, your capabilities and your skills.

i have an idea for you, for your infancy and toddler years.

I am going to buy a piano, play English nursary rhymes and sing them to you daily. I am also planning to make the persian version of them so that you can relate your Iranian heritage to your Canadian/American identity.

In the meantime, you might get interested in music and start playing. 😀

It might also help you sleep better! I am sooooo much concerned after hearing horrible stories about babies sleeping behaviors!