Mostly Biryani

Biryani has a pink spoon she calls her own. She’d retrieves it off the floor, takes it to the bathroom and washes it herself (v. impressive mashAllah). It drops on the floor again. I pick it up and wash it. Tantrum – she wipes it on the floor so it’s dirty and she can wash it HERSELF again.
She’s been annoying brothers by remembering a sentence in a Ladybird storybook before he could read it. M has been reading her some bedtime stories (piles of them) a few nights a go. He looked up from the penultimate one and saw she was asleep as was everyone in the house except me and him.
She also likes the Ladybirds ‘Knights’ book. She insists the first page says ‘fight for their country’ another memorised bit of text! I wonder if it’s not too confusing, considering the books mostly about Knights (not nights) and pages (not the ones we’re reading).
She’s also being playing far too much computer. Admittedly most of the games are pretty educational. She pointed out an octagon the other day (a stop sign)I can’t think where else she learnt it from but the internet games.
And today I finally got around to recording myself reading ‘The Billy goats gruff’ All my children and now especially Biryani, love this story. I have read this story so many times, and hence tend to read it ever so fast. I had heard ages ago about Dads who’d be sent to jail being advised to record themselves reading bedtime stories. Then they could contribute something positive to their children‘s lives even while inside. So I borrowed S’s phone and made a recording, only making one error I think ‘Billy boat gruff’. I was still reading too fast even though tried my best to slow down. Since I recorded it (around 7.30 pm) its been listened to 2 times, Biryani turning the pages at(mostly) the right spot herself, and then I was able to get on and pray maghrib. It felt like I had a babysitter in the house for 5 minutes, something better than a TV or computer! Of course it’s not as good as the real thing having a story read to you, you can’t pause and answer queries or discuss points in the story. But as most have already been discussed (the troll needs to cut his long nails Biryani thinks) on the previous numerous readings I don’t think it mattered. I’m thinking of recording some more and wondering if it’s possible to make an MP3 for the car?

Some recent quotes

H kicks Biryani's dolly and I say we’ll have to take it to hospital.
Biryani ‘We have no choice’ (I think copied froma Sonic game dialogue)

Alhamdulillah Biryani is for the most part, toilet-trained (she is doing everything herself as I speak, including jug).
Bladder has been successfully emptied and I hand her a piece of toilet roll.
Biryani ‘It’s too little’ I give another
‘It’s too big’
I’ve got to take that Goldilocks book back to the library methinks.

We were talking about the NobelPrize (it’s quite a big deal here)
M said ‘Too bad you or Abu Jaan can’t do it’ !! You never know....

S's outing

Last month S went with his 'friluft' group to a place called Nimis. It was the first time he'd been to something like this without us parents (apart from the odd school trip). He himself was happy to go unaccompanied, although I had worries in my mind, they were going to be climbing around on these 'works of art'. But he managed to think to take some photos with his phone, just as I'd texted him to do so, so I could see what it was like, mashaAllah. Yesterday I finally got round to reminding him to upload them to the computer for me. I tried to get him to write a blog entry for them, but he didn't want to.

With great difficulty..

I have chucked kids off the computer in coordination with Hz's naptime, so I can actually publish a post. I thought that with no TV and DH at home I would have more time for things I choose to do, but this, on the contrary, seems to get less by the day. Maybe it's because Hz's increasing daytime activity and just having more bodies around just takes up more time. We are doing 4 loads of washing about 3 times a week, the dishwasher twice a day (admittedly it's a little one). Alhamdulillah I have all these modern day appliances. I was talking to DH last night about how families managed 100 years ago, without all this technology and probably more kids, and probably all the work at home was the mother's. I came to the conclusion it was expectations that change, leisure time, would that have any meaning for a working class Victorian family?
Ooh and Hz started walking a few days ago. I keep catching him practising when he thinks I'm not looking.

Anyhow some pictures of a few things that have gone on around here apart from housework...


M reading the speech bubble content of a 'Magic School bus' book to his younger siblings
H has been writing some notes, the first was an invitation to M. They were going to have a party together.
The second says 'hot chocolate powder' which was to remind me to buy it. Funnily, in the end DH bought (mistakenly) 2 packets.
I finally got round to making some scones withe the cream of tartar that DH brought back from the UK last year (for play dough making). I don't know how it differs to baking powder but that's what my Mum's recipe calls for. I did enjoy this Swedish cream tea..It's the hörngädda season again and DH and occasionally the boys have been popping out fishing. This one M and DH caught. The next day S went with him and caught an even bigger one, S willingly broke its neck and then cut off its head as it was still wriggling, uuuurgh. It's in the freezer now waiting to be cooked..Sorry any vegetarians...

The last 2 photos truly show men and women are so different subhanAllah...

Do we really need toys?

Here are 3 toys that I would really recommend in terms of durability and play value. They have just about lasted 10 years of play (the odd screw driver episode may have been required), and have never failed to amuse. A little mental development is also involved.

A sister I know has hardly any toys in her home, and thus does not have to spend hours of her life picking them up.. There are days where I think I could live like that:

Bang bang, what fun breaking health and safety regs for eardrums!

Mashed potato contraption also produces lovely hair made of dough..

Are there any purpose built toys that are really worth buying you can recommend, and any things that you just happen upon which give just as much fun?

The shape sorter is particularly a favourite as the game in itself leads to the toy being tidied up. Lego conversely has taken up a disproportionate amount of my time keeping it under control, but its play value keeps it coming in the house. They just now got back from the toy shop, solemnly announcing they hadn't got the set that BIRYANI wants in stock, aargh, and we have Hz to come!!