Zayd the Artist

Snowy Days

New Shoes

Zayd has the annoying habit of kicking off is shoes. He is notorious for sheddign his shoes and socks while in his carseat. He's also been known to kick a shoe or two off while in his stroller, or in a store. Most times we get lucky and notice before we stray too far from the show. However, our luck ran out last month, when Zayd decided to kick his shoe off on the National Mall. We were there with Khalid's parents, his Aunt, and our nephew. We don't know how long he rode around in his stroller with one shoe on, but we figure it was between the Museum of American Histoy, and the Vietnam War Memorial. I was so angry at Zayd. Here we go, spending good money on providing him with good shoes, and he goes and kicks it off.

My mother in law back tracked with me in a search for the missing shoe, however it was dark and late, so we decided to just call it a night. Zayd, obvlious to all of the hoopla, seemed to be very content with one sock exposed foot.

Today I finally headed to Stride Rite to get Zayd another pair of shoes. He's been wearing some winter boots that Grammy Jeddah (my mom) bought him in the meantime. Zayd has exclusively worn Clarks since he began to walk. I dind't feel like driving 40 minutes to the Clark's Outlet, so we ended up at our local Stride Rite. I found a decent pair of shoes that looked sturdy, were made of leather, and were flexible. These ones have ties, so I'm hoping that if i tie them tight, he can't kick them off.

I Like:

Dylan (Infant/Toddler)
by Stride Rite

"A-dee-dah"

Zayd calls me "A-dee-dah." You put emphasis on the "dee" part. I have to admit that it's the word that he says most clearly. Okay, that and "dog."He loves to go around the house singing my name. I want to be annoyed, but it is pretty funny. Zayd is something else.

17 Months

Zayd,
You are 17 months old. If I had to use two words to describe you, they'd be hilarious handful. You are social, onry, moody, and passionate, all wrapped up into about 24 lbs. You keep me on my toes. You also keep me looking for good, yet affordable, daycares where I can drop your butt off. Your daily schedule goes something like this, give or take.

Note: When you wake up insanely early, we pop you in your highchair in front of cartoons, give you some food -- something that wont leave a lasting effect on the furniture if you decide to throw it-- and proceed to go back to bed until a decent time.

7:30- 8:30 : You wake up by screaming loudly from your crib everyday. You seem to not really be a morning person, because you wake up with an air of genera pissed-offedness that I really don't understand. I mean I get to you quickly, and you always give that look like, "Yeah, you knew I was about to wake up, you shoulda been here already!". The good thing is that when I greet you with a little smile and jig, you smile back, and we seem to be cool.

8:30 -10:00 : You hate to get your diaper changes before you eat breakfast. You fight me and scream like a banchee. I don't know why you'd prefer to sit in a pissy diaper while you dine, but to each his own. Sometimes I leave you alone, other times I just take your wrath. You scream me a lot.


Breakfast usually consist of fruit (an apple or a banana),and one of the following steel cut oats, regular oats, waffles, pancakes, or baby cereal. The baby cereal is by far my favorite, because it just require warm water. I also add a little pure maple syrup in it for some added flavor. You seem to like waffles or toast the best. You also love your applesauce. We both seem to be breakfast people.

Most times you like to listen to music or harass me while I check my email. When your done you mostly scream and make hand gestures. I wipe off your face and hands, yet another fight, and you hop out your chair and race to watch Playhouse Disney or PBS Kids.

By this time I'm usually talking to Grammy Jeddah, and doing damage control in the kitchen, so this works out well.

When you get bored with your shows, you like to toss your ball around, ride on your car, jump off of your car, look out the window, and scream to be held so that you can bang on my laptop.
By this time you mostly stink really bad, so we head upstairs to your room to change you and get you dressed. Sometimes, okay a lot of times, "dressed" just means fresh pjs or other inside play clothes.

I was totally lazy with you during my first trimester of this pregnancy. I'm trying to go back to more of a normal schedule, but Mommy does not like leaving the house in the cold. When we do get out, we mostly run errands and try to incorporate two baby-specific activities a week. I know your little brain would love to be in a school with some other children. We're really working on that.

Nap time falls around 12:30 pm. You like to eat before you go down, but you seem to like a bigger snack once you get back up, around 2:30 or 3:00. Sometimes you pop up earlier than that... I hate those days.

You like to play and get into things while I make dinner or "remember" that I should make the bed before Khalid come home. You are a champion tear-upper, so I spend a lot of time doing damage control. Sometimes I just give up and sit with you while you bring me book after book.

I realized the other day that you literally have books in every room. I like that you know where they are, even if that means under my bed, and you bring them to my through out the day. Right now, your all time favorite seems to be 'Where is Spot'. It's a flip book where yore asked to look different places to see if Spot is hiding there. You crack us up when you say "Dooo". It's funny, because you have "No" down, but for some reason, when you ask you "Is he under the chair?", your response is always and excited "Dooo!".

I love exposing you to different genres of music. Sometimes we'll surf you tube together, just to listen to different songs. When you get excited, you do this dance which consist of a lot of wild jumping and some dramatic falling down.

We try to get you in the bed around 8:30. Sometimes, on good days, Daddy is home to read you book, give you a bath, and put you down. On other days, it's all me. You still like to drink bathwater with your little nasty self. You also like splashing the water. You also like to play with your "little friend"m but Mommy is not going to embarrass you by mentioning that..oops.

You go down much easier for bedtime than you do for your nap. Once your are greased and pj'd, you are ready to get in your crib. you lay on your stomach with your butt in the air and look totally wiped out. It cracks me up.



You love to "help" with the laundry.


Yes you can pick me up!!!