The daily chronicle of my family as we embark on our quest to relocate from New York to Cairo... the impending journey to get there and the daily lives of myself, my husband and our four children... and other random thoughts while living in Cairo!

Looking to make contact with other Muslimahs who are like myself with small children living or will be living in a foreign country.

I invite you to share the experience with us as we try to make this happen!

Monday, February 16, 2009

Mom of the Year Award!








I just received what I deem to be, one of the coolest honors to be bestowed upon a woman... a Mom of the Year Award! My lovely sister Mona over at Mama Mona nominated ME as one of her choices- thanks sis!

Here are the rules of this tag:

1. Admit one thing you feel awful about (involving being a mom). Once you have written it down, you are no longer allowed to feel bad. Remember you are a good mom!

2. Remind yourself that you ARE a good mom, list 7 things you love about your kids, you love doing with your kids, or that your kids love about you.

3. Send this to 5 other moms of the year that deserve a reminder that they too are the best moms that they can be.


Remember to send them a note letting them know you have selected them, and also add a link to your post that directs people back to the person who nominated you!


My Number One peeve about myself....

1.) Well, my number 1 is basically the same as Mona's: I yell.... ALOT. So much so, sometimes I get irritated hearing myself. But let me give you an inside idea of my house: my kids are 4, 2 and 6 months and when the bigger two are playing, you can hear them throughout the house! Then they start to fight, bite each other, scream and when they're done abusing each other, one tries to outrun the other to come and tell me... and I'm usually somewhere in the vicinity of the bedroom where the 6 month old is sleeping... can you guess what happens next??? Exactly, couple their screaming with the high pitch, agitated baby and you've got total chaos- especially when you're trying to pack, wash dishes, vacuum and keep your sanity ALL at the same time. Geesh, never told anyone that one... felt good.

And to boot, everyone is on their BEST behavior when the hubby comes in.... sweet and smiling while playing NICELY. Then he says "WHY is Mommy always complaining you two are bad? My little darlings..."- yeah, right.


My 7 things I love about my little terrors (MashaAllah!):

1.) The simplest things make them happy- give them a new batch of crayons and watch their little faces light up!

2.) I love to watch them in the park- there's one park they love most of all- down by the water so they play on the rides and then we go watch people fish, watch the boats sail by and watch the birds fly around. They especially love the geese and the ducks when they're around!

3.) I love that they ALWAYS tell me they love me- especially my Big Papi. Not a day goes by when he doesn't say at least once, "I love you, Mommy!" My Princess says it too but not quite as often as he does- she's definitely her Baba's girl....

4.) I love that they are very social kids- they make friends very easily. Some kids have hang-ups and don't play with other kids especially when there's a difference in skin tone, race and/or ethnic background. Mine will run up to ANY kid and start blabbering and playing- and I like it. My kids are exposed to ALL kind of people- and it shows!

5.) I love that they never forget about each other- when they are out and some one gives one of them something, each will ALWAYS look for the same for their sibling... I didn't exactly teach them that but I always tell them what you have, you share with your brother/sister- what is yours belong to them also... always share. So when they get anything, they look to collect for the other one too! And now, they include my Little Papi too...

6.) MashaAllah, at this very young age, both are quite bright for their ages... I hope their love of books continue! My daughter and her "constellations" and my son tells everyone he wants to be an astronaut... and he look sooooo serious when he says it too- he's only 2. Who knows, too early to tell- my husband tells him, "No, you're going to be a hafiz!" And I always chime in, "Well, he can be a hafiz astronaut who gives dawah in space!".... HA! My daughter pretends to be a doctor on a regular and she says her name when she gets big will be "Dr. Ben"- it's from one of their cartoons... InshaAllah!

7.) I love that they watch out for each other- THAT one I taught them. I tell them always, "Never leave your brother/sister... always look out for each other, let no one hurt you!" Even though they're young, they get the picture. I remember when they were playing in the park and someone knocked into my daughter, and my Big Papi said, "Hey! watch out for my Nana! (that's my Princess's nick name) She my friend!!!" He calls her his friend- see, he totally understands at the tender age of 2.

Now... I nominate the following AWESOME women to receive this prestigious award:
Umm Ismail over at Umm Ismail's World

Umm Khadijah over at The Striving Muslimah

Queen over at The Life of a Bangladeshii Wife

Sis. Najea over at Hijabi Couture

Desert over at Desert Monsoon

19 comments:

American Muslima Writer said...

AWWW Masha'Allah what an awesome award and directions too! Mabrouk!
I think all us mom say the same for number one. Though when you actaully see another mom saying it you feel less guilty. lol. You made my day.

I love the things about your kids AWWW!!!!

Empress Anisa said...

American Muslima- Yeah, I guess there's not a Mom who couldn't idenitfy with the first one- even though I've known a few to pretend like they don't... go figure.

ModestJustice said...

Masha'allah! May Allah swt bless your family and keep you all happy :]

Now I wonder how my mother feels about us hehe. Out of us four, the oldest is 17, youngest is 10. I'm sure I caused plenty of trouble as a child...

Empress Anisa said...

Modest- InshaAllah... Ameen! I say the same thing about me and my siblings- you can't understand anything when you're small running around making mischeif but when YOU become a Mom, you have a pretty good idea how your Mom felt- and I know some SHOULD develop a whole new appreciation of their Mother! I know I did once I had the first two... lol

Yasmeen said...

Mashallah Sis,you have adorable kids,it was nice reading about the things you love about them.congrats on winning such a thoughtful award.As a Mom of 2 naughty little boys(2 and 5),I confess I'm also provoked to yelling at kids ,but always pray Allah grant me more Sabr to better handle the kiddie tantrums:).
And thanks for your kind words at my blog:)

Mona Zenhom said...

I love your list! Really this thing made me think. Alhamdulillah we are blessed.

The Gori Wife said...

Aww, that's so nice. I hope my kids always feel like they should look out for their siblings too. I only have one son right now, though, so that's something to look forward to with more kids!

Diali said...

Awww, this is such a sweet post!!

Empress Anisa said...

Yasmeen- MashaAllah, thanks for the compliments! I know I too ask for more "tolerance" of them and their naughtiness but sometimes, as I'm SURE you've experienced, in the midst of ther rages, you kinda lose it and start yelling to break it up... and when everybody is standing around with sad faces or when one cries more than the next, the other will actually go and hug the other... like I'm the villain! My daughter will tell my son, "Mommy's sorry okay?", oh really? When did I say that??? Kids... gotta love em! lol
And yes, happy anniversary- your blog is totally fab!

Mona- Alhumdulillah, we ARE blessed to have our babies... may Allah (SWT) continue to protect them all and keep them on the rightly guided path, InshaAllah (Ameen!)

Gori Wife- yes, that is one thing I drill into them- look out for each other... I want them to grow close to each other and always know that no matter what, stick by your sibling- that's important to have each other's back.
And I LOVE reading about you and your "M", MashaAllah. I love that last entry on the forks- gosh, if you ONLY knew... great blog!

Diali- MashaAllah, thanks sis!

Hajar Alwi said...

Ovations for the cool recipient and congrats on receiving the delightful award~! Your list speaks of so much love and warmth! ^^

May Allah S.W.T keep you and your family in eternal bliss. :)

Empress Anisa said...

Hajar- my eloquent speaking sister, MashaAllah! Thanks for the congrats... and the ovation.

InshaAllah, Ameen to your dua!

You learn to appreciate the rugrats more when you have your own- WAIT til it's your turn....

Inspired Muslimah said...

Congrats sis this is the best honor yet!!!! I know your an awesome mommy!

Anonymous said...

Maasha-Allah. mabro0k sis.

Naimah said...

Aw sis, that's so kind of you! Jazakillaahu khairan. I'm touched, really.
And masha'Allaah your post is so sweet, your kids sound great, Masha'Allaah, may Allaah bless them ameen.
What a job raising kids,huh,masha'Allaah, so much reward insha Allaah, and they grow up sooo quick,subhanAllaah.

Sis, will do the tag insha Allaah, haven't got much time to do it right now, but will get it done.

Empress Anisa said...

Inspired- thanks, sis... I try my best to be the best Mommy I can!

Anon- thank you.... ;)

Umm Khadijah- I know you gotta be an awesome Mom... we all strive to be anyway but I know at times, life gets in the way of our "greatness". :)

I look at them everyday knowning, of course, they have to grow but their innocence is soooo refreshing and sweet- too bad they can't stay this small! Next up: the teenage years... yikes! ;)

Do the tag when you're free- can't wait to read it.

HF said...

LOL awww i was smiling the whole way thru the post and laughed at "WHY is Mommy always complaining you two are bad? My little darlings..."- yeah, right. ROFL...aww masha'allah May Allah keep ur kids safe Ameen. theyre choo chweet masha'allah.

Empress Anisa said...

Habayeb- lol... yes, I know alot of Moms have experienced THAT one was well- they drive YOU bonkers all... day... long... and then when Baba walks in, it's like it was ice cream and picnics all day- both smiling, running up to him and then they SIT and play together oh so nicely- sometimes I want to scream!!! And then it makes me look like I'm telling *stories* on them when we sit and talk about the daily going-ons in the house....

Inshallah, Ameen to your dua, sis! MashaAllah, even though some days they can make me forget my name, I wouldn't want to be without them!

Naimah said...

Assalamu alaykum sis, hope your well insha Allaah, I've finally done the tag! such a procastinator at times, *sigh.
Anyway, I know you've already been awarded, but I wanted to award you too, dont worry bout doing the tag again.x
http://thestrivingmuslimah.blogspot.com/2009/03/tagged-mom-of-year-award.html

Umm Adam said...

Assalam alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu.

Omg sis I am SO HAPPY to come across your blog:) MashaAllah, thanks for sharing all your posts.

I will be in a similar situation (InshaAllah). My husband and I live in Canada and we are planning to move to Egypt for a couple of years. We have a 4 yr old, 2 yr old and 7 month old.

Are you living in Egypt yet? If so, which part? Is you husband egytion? My husband is not egyption so it will be totally different for both of us. Alhumdulila.

We want to get as much info as we can about the life in egypt, what to expect, how it will be with 3 kids and no support,etc... so many things. I look forward to browsing your blog.

JazakAllahu Khaira.