Ayyam-i-Ha

As much as Ayyam-i-Ha is about service, hospitality and preparation for fasting- as far as the children are concerned it is really all about the presents. They wait all year for this and are so excited when Ayyam-i-Ha finally rolls around again. This year, I will confess, that nearly all of their presents came from the markets. Oh, the markets. Who cares about packaging? They're only after the stuff inside and the kids were thrilled with what they each received. Each morning they received something new. Sometimes it was individual, sometimes it was for sharing. Like today they got a mini tea set which was put to immediate use with an impromptu tea / story party.

There were paint sets and board games, digital cameras, musical instruments, marble mazes tutus and treasure boxesand three very enthusiastic children who love the gifts and are beginning to think beyond themselves and give thoughtful gifts to others. They made vouchers for Mehran which are redeemable for a few of the things that he values most. But mostly it's still about the presents...

Ayyam-i-Ha is

a time for: visiting friends, giving gifts, helping others, having parties, making decorations, enjoying ourselves and our Faith and preparing for the Fast that will soon be upon us.

This year it has also been a time for treasure hunts on the beach, mammoth ice cream sundaes, and funtastic gifts, but I'll post on that later.

Counting Down

We officially began our Ayyam-i-Ha countdown on day 14 (I know, but what can you do?) The first treat in the pouch was certainly the most expensive, but also very happily received. They each got a flavored chapstick and were really impressed and grateful. So sweet. Today's surprises did not fit in the pouch so whenever that happens I plan to put a clue in the pouch instead and they'll have to do a treasure hunt to find it (them). Today's treats were two mermaid paint sets and a Thomas the Train toy ( I am generally looking for inexpensive things that the children will like or are useful. I've been really lucky, but more on that later.)

Today's clue read:

Here is a clue for something you can do.

Two are crafty. One is blue.

But first you must find them,

for away they hide.

They are not in the house,

they are outside.

Look for them on something that grows green and tall

but be careful that they do not fall.

Ruhi read it and they swiftly traipsed outdoors to find the surprises.

Some of the other things I will place in the pockets include money (dollar coins, or 50 cent pieces) organic lollipops followed by new toothbrushes, as well as a bead making tool set for each of the girls (these I picked up in a clearance bin for 10 cents each. Score! I saw them and immediately thought that these would be perfect for making prayer beads with the kids. I love useful clearance items. Love them. And the kids are loving the calendar. They have already made me promise that we will do it for each day leading up to Ayyam-i-ha next year. I love that Anisa is no longer asking, on an hourly basis, how many more days till Ayyam-i-Ha. She can see and count for herself now. And I love the excited conversations and whispered speculations on what tomorrows surprise will be, to say nothing of establishing simple traditions that the kids can look forward to year after year. How could I not have done this before?

Tying up the house

Well, I was sure that I said tidying up the house. Bayan heard it differently and was very pleased with his efforts.Mum, well... she got to untangle the string before vacuuming and mopping the floors. Yep. There's nothing like extra "help" when trying to get chores done fast... But at least the laundry is folded.

A work in progress

Since seeing an Ayyam-i-Ha advent calendar on the mud-spice blog I have been wanting to make one for the kids. I had grand intentions of having a gorgeous, intricately decorated one stuffed and ready for Ayyam-i-ha this year, but somehow time just got away from me and I found myself half way through the month of February with Anisa frequently asking every day how many more sleeps till Ayyam-i-Ha? and cursing myself that this advent calendar of mine was still no more than a wishful dream. Well, while the girls were at school, Bayan and I headed off to the shops to replenish my felt supply and to grab some useful little odds and ends like a hot glue gun and some advent pocket stuffers.

I typed some numbers and Ayyam-i-Ha letters on the computer and printed them out to act as templates and them cut them out of felt (Bayan insisted that we use red. I think my son has good taste. I wasn't so sure in the store, but I have to admit it looks rather nice, even if I do say so myself.) We used a single large piece of felt for the background and I had almost enough white to make all the pockets, I had to improvise on the last one, but I shan't draw too much attention to that. My idea was to create a felt globe with a few children from around the world holding balloons and presents but by the time I had merely made the pockets and the headings and had gained a greater appreciation for how long the rest would actually take, I thought that we might just use the calendar as is, for now and I would finish it off (God willing) sometime before the next Ayyam-i-Ha. So, on that note I'm off to organize a few more treats for the pockets.

Bangles

We went to pick up Mehran's car from the mechanics and somehow managed to come home with a cat. How this happened I can hardly explain. Through the haze I vividly recall telling the gentleman "No thank you." more than once when he repeatedly offered the cat to us. I also recall the children's unanimous "Aaahhhh, he's so cute!" the moment we walked into the garage. Somehow the rest is rather vague. We went from the repeated 'no thanks' to Mehran cradling the cat in his arms while the children cooed beside him, to arriving home with a hairy, highly strung, creature in toe. Humph! Yeah, because guess who is going to get to clean up the kitty litter, vacuum the hair and shop for pet supplies...

Despite my initial reservations I must admit I am really beginning to admire this cat. Whom, by the way, the children affectionately refer to as Bangles. Anisa wanted to call him Caspian (I love that) and then Lila (he is a boy) and then Minty while Bayan just called him "Pushy." (A spin off on Pishy the Persian word for kitty) though Pushy is perhaps most fitting, specifically in regards to what he puts up with, yet it was Ruhi's suggestion of Bangles, because he looks like a Bengal Tiger, that won out in the end. Bangles puts up with things I cannot imagine other cats tolerating -even for a second. I have literally seen him flying past the window (paws outstretched a pitiful meeeoww just before he lands...on his feet) Bayan and I have had serious words about this and he is beginning to accept the fact that cats do not fly. No matter how much he wants them too.

Bangles allows the children to carry him ( I use the term loosely as he is often tucked under an arm or draped across Bayan's shoulders as a backwards stole.) without clawing them to pieces.

He prefers to drink his water in a mug. He finds a cat bowl highly disdainful.

He loves tuna, toy balls and string and is slowly worming his way into all of our hearts. Though some were more easily won over than others.

My Personal Symphony

I am fairly certain that anyone who has ever had a child would agree that parenting provides many opportunities for growth. Today I had the choice to be highly infuriated by my situation or to see the slightly hilarious side to the predicament. It wasn't hard. Especially when you remove yourself from the equation and look at it from an outsiders point of view. Trust me. Now, visualize:

A handy little boy who, in a split second, short circuits the windshield wipers on his mothers car. They are possessed and will not stop despite the best efforts of the mother.

An eight year old who is obsessively debriefing the aforementioned mother on every little ache and pain: "My finger kind of hurts when I move it like that." "When I stretch my neck this hurts." "Now here hurts." etc. (Bear in mind these updates have been broadcasting for hours.)

It is a scorching hot day without a cloud in the sky and the family must travel over an hour to the city and back confined to a vehicle whose possessed wipers screech across the windshield (remember scorching hot, no clouds, no rain) every second or so while her eight year old continues to frequently announce her health related updates, the three year old son sings, off-key and at the top of his lungs: "I am a girl like youuuuuu...." over and over and over again. And the six year old who, in the confined space of the family car, is perfecting her newly acquired skills of high pitched whistling.

Traffic lights were the worst...the looks on peoples faces....but somehow it made the whole situation even more hilarious.

There are some days

when you simply need ice cream. Lots and lots of ice cream.

Something tells me

Bayan was here.