Babies are like sponges, they observe and absorb everythingggggg. I really need to tiptoe around Daniel with what I do or say. Like he watches me brush my teeth, he starts brushing his teeth too. He watches me talk on the phone, he starts talking on the phone too. He watches me put on my mascara, he starts touching his eyelashes too. He watches me put on my headscarf, he starts putting my scarf on his head too. Man… I need to start playing football or something. Butch him up a little.

But one thing that melts my heart is that whenever he sees a prayer mat, he will pray too. Dean and I always want Daniel around whenever we pray together so he can see us, and most of the time he just observes, mouth open in awe. So now, he drops whatever he’s holding, stands on the mat and mutters “Pschhh psschhh pscchhhh pschhh pschhhh” as if he’s reading a surah. He’ll swing his arms by his side before doing a downward dog yoga pose on the prayer mat, which I’m guessing is his version of a rukuk. Then he falls flat on the ground face down for his sujud… and starts biting off the prayer mat. That’s when I come running exclaiming “Ok finish finish! Maghrib finish!”

Another time in the Dean household…

“Aww crap I left my phone!”

 “Cwappp. Cwapppp. CWAPPP!”

 Uh-oh.

 “Ah crapppp. Eh I mean clap. Daniel, clap!! Mommy said clap. If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands. If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands…”

 And he clapped his hands and danced around to me singing.

 Phewww, I reassured myself.

 NEVER swear in front of your children. In fact, never say any not-so-nice words at all!