Because Iman deserves a post too, gosh darnit!

Iman is 30% pouffy hair and 70% attitude. At 11 months, MashaAllah, she takes herself on high-speed crawling tours of the house, following me, Ruth, or the vacuum cleaner. She also ventures out on her own for daring expeditions under the dining table, behind the curtains, and occasionally into a tangle of computer wires where she will become stuck and then cry to be rescued.

Iman is an optimist. She will crawl over to Khalid and try to take what he's playing with. Then she'll get pushed over, not maliciously, but in a matter-of-fact sort of "You, down." from Khalid, who isn't hitting her, but moving her out of his way. The point is though, she tries, and repeatedly tries, and above all, believes that one day she will win the car/block/bottle/sock/cracker that her bigger, stronger, faster brother exercises eminent domain over.

Iman is willful and stubborn and aggressive in a way that is unbecoming for a little girl the size of a house cat. As Khalid was big, Iman is small, and her last visit to the pediatrician reported that she is underweight, but healthy, active, and a little on the shrimpy side for a big-haired diva.

Iman is generous, and will share whatever she is licking/sucking/gnawing on with a person half-way across the room by holding it at arm's length and grinning happily at the person. The person is then expected to smile, close their eyes and say 'num num num num!' while air-munching the proffered cracker/ball/key chain.

Iman is quick. Not just on her little hands and knees, but on the uptake. She sings along with 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,' signs for Hat, Dog, Clap, and Duck, and even says Ruth. Yes, she says Ruth. Not Momma, but Ruth, and while it cut my heart to pieces to hear that, I can't beat myself up too badly- Ruth takes care of Iman while I take Khalid to therapy, and she does a wonderful job playing with, singing to, caring for, and feeding Iman while Khalid and I are out from when we leave in the morning until we get home late in the afternoon, or evening if I stop to buy groceries or run errands. Ruth is a godsend, and leaving Iman in her care for most of the day is necessary in order to get Khalid the help he needs.

Iman is growing. way. too. fast. It seems like yesterday she was born and today she's moving rapidly from baby-ness to toddler-hood. She's started to pull herself up to standing position using the legs of the dining chairs, and soon she'll be cruising around the furniture, she is- Up! Gtg!

posted by Abez @ 3/07/2009 04:51:00 PM