December, already gone!

Even with this month almost gone, there are a lot of updates I can still mention; besides our painful trips to doctors and feeling sorry for kids in pain.
Matthew had his sing along at the Preschool and told everyone about the Baha`i faith. He made me so proud, after giving a little presentation about how the holidays are for him. He was unprepared, yet stayed focus on the subject.

We started Maya on solid food and she had half a banana for the first time, last evening. Nathan had his first snow sliding and we all had fun with the gingerbread house. Kids enjoyed the candies more than anything else and the 20 minutes of this project's short life, we laughed all the way!
Nathan, more than everyone else enjoyed putting the candies on the house. I think his formula was "one on the house, two in my mouth!"
We also enjoyed visits from our families during this month, and great cookies our families, friends and neighbours provided for us. Now I can start my new year's resolution, one week earlier!

November Summarized

Most of these pictures were taken in November at my Mom and Dad's birthday party. We bought a chocolate cake from Portillo's and everyone enjoyed it. It was lucky that Mina was present, as she's rarely seen these days (busy with school.) Bahareh had a very nice candle that looked like a cake top. Looks totally awesome in picture!
Pictures of my Mom and Dad with the kids were taken today at our place.

Halloween & Birthday Parties

So, I'm writing this blog well after Halloween, Matthew and Linnet's party. This year we held Matthew's party at a Gymnastics GYM in Naperville. Matthew invited his friends and everyone had lots of fun playing. We had a small party for Linnet and Matthew the weekend after I return from my short trip to Lawton, OK. In the above collate picture, Matthew sang in his class on the Friday before the Halloween. This year Halloween occurred on the Saturday and after helping out Mina with her car trouble, I joined the family and our friends Michelle and Rich on our little candy picking journey. It was nice to meet our neighbours again and see the kids having fun. Kids wore their pumpkin customs and Linnet and I went as farmers. We wore signs Linnet made that said "Shahrokh Family Pumpkin Patch".
At night we went to my parents' condo and raid their neighbours too. Overall, this year we had a more special Halloween.

A picture with my children

So, I decieded to take a couple of pictures with the kids for company's annual family picture book. They co-operated for most parts and we loved these pictures too.

Trip to the Quad Cities

We had our first family trip (with all three children) past weekend. It was an adventure within an adventure. Nathan and Matthew were excited at first and Maya was sleeping, but soon she needed to be fed and Nathan needed to sleep. The last hour of our four hour trip, was very noisy to say the least. Upon our arrival to Cleveland, we received a special welcome and hospitality that melted away the pressure we felt during our short trip (specially in our heads and ears.) Linnet knew the Finley family through their daughter, Janene from undergrad school. They let us stay at Janene's late grandfather's house, that is used for their guests. Right after we arrived, Matthew and Nathan started playing with the Piano. Believe it or not, listening to the music they played was much nicer than their screams in our ears.
The next day, we went to the Family Museum in Bettendorf, one of the Quad Cities in Iowa. Matthew and Nathan were soaked at the end and had to be changed to new clothes. We had lunch at Culver's and were off to visit the John Deere Pavilion in Davenport. Matthew and Nathan enjoyed getting into so many different trucks. Since Maya was quiet, I have to assume she like the museum as well. Nathan had fun pretending to milk a cow and having his picture taken as a farmer in a tractor. We then proceeded to a walk by and a ride on the Mississippi river, and we met Ryan (Janene's fiancee). After that, we met with Janene's parents at the Shed Machine restaurant. While Maya was feeding and Nathan snoozing, Matthew went with Janene's parents and Ryan to take a tractor ride, or as he put it "a hay ride". Janene's father was kind to ask the driver to stop by our car to pick us up. We went one time around the restaurant and then stayed put until it was our turn to be served. During this time, Janene's Dad helped me take a picture of Nathan on a red tractor, and Matthew posed with different sculptures and old farm machines.
The food was as good as the presentation we received in the restaurant. Nathan's chicken tenders came in a little tractor, and we also admired the adjustable leather belt on the toddler seat. Janene's Mother kindly held Maya, so Linnet and I could enjoy our food. After Matthew was done with his food, he asked Ryan to go on another tractor ride with him. Later on he told me they went on two rides back to back and that he wanted to go on more. Overall, we had a very nice time at the restaurant and I didn't have to reach into my pocket, as Janene's father paid for everything.
We had a visit of the local mall that evening, where we got ice-cream (Ryan paid for that). Matthew and Nathan enjoyed a ride on the carousel in the mall, and we all head home. Visited with Janene and Ryan a bit, where the kids played piano for everyone and went to bed well after their bedtime. The next day we left Davenport for Downers Grove after the breakfast that Janene had provided for us. The kids enjoyed watching a DVD of their favorite show, Phineas and Ferb. I was stopped by a cop along the way, for going 10 miles over the speed limit. We ended up at my parents, watched the pictures and videos and caught up with everyone. It was rare occasion, since both sisters were present.
As you can tell, we were due for a vacation and although short, this was a very nice one!

Mina's White Coat Ceremony

On August 28th, we attended Mina's White Coat Ceremony at Chicago State University in Chicago. It was a nice event, with two of the faculty treating us to songs. We are all pleased that she is attending a university to accomplish her PHD and fulfill her goal of becoming a pharmacist. After the ceremony and refreshments, we visited Mina's dormitory. She was excited to show us around. We were also chased by a bee, and got lost trying to find I-94 to get back home. We all arrived at our place and enjoyed a little BBQ with corn on the cobs.

Visiting with an old friend

This weekend, we met with an old friend. We visited with Christy Lawson at my Mom and Dad's after their devotion program on Saturday. Although, this was a short visit, but we really enjoyed spending time with her. Christy teaches in China and this was our first visit with her in two years. I am not sure if Matthew really remembered her, but he was excited also.
I was on-call this weekend and so stayed up late on Sunday performing my duties. Linnet was nice and let me sleep in for few more hours to catch up with my sleep.
Matthew spent the night at my Mom and Dad's. They visited with their friends in Aurora and had lots of fun with Matthew. He did not want to leave their house this morning and kept saying that he wanted to live in their condo for a year. They came over, and we all left for Koorosh and Elham, for their sons' birthday party. Mina was moving to her stuff into her new dormitory, so she did not go with us. Everyone had a blast. I specially enjoyed the great food and fantastic hospitality of our hostesses.

Augst in one picture

August was a busy month for us, Nathan and Maya visited their doctor and received shots. Matthew started his new pre-school in Naperville. Nathan started walking and had his first experience walking in the backyard. This was an special event, since he had to wear shoes to walk in the backyard. Recently, Maya has been sleeping longer than 2 hours at night, that is a big relief for Linnet. Nathan also learned some signs to tell us where he wants to go and whether if he wants more of something. I still think it's adorable when little kids start using sign language.
We visited downtown Geneva and enjoyed our first visit of Sonic (fast food restaurant). I think overall, we were satisfied customers. We had our first picnic with our three children and had a very nice long walk in the park by the river. The picture in the middle of the image above, is taken at this park, where Matthew and Nathan were excited to see so many cargo trains pass by, above the river some few miles to the south. It seems that I had their attention, but really, they were watching the trains pass by. On our return home, we visited the same Sonic restaurant and got some cold beverages. Matthew told us that he really enjoyed his orange slushy shake.
The picture that I am semi visible in, is a courtesy of my boy Matthew. I noticed without any official training, he has a neck for taking pretty darn good pictures. This picture however, is a bit fuzzy due to his little finger slipping over the lens of our camera.

July Summarized

July was a very exciting month for my family and I. This picture probably can summarize most of the events that happened in this month. Nathan's first birthday and Maya's birth, our family has grown and now I enjoy spending time with them more than ever. We were able to visit a few places with Maya and boys are happy about having their new baby sister in the house. Although, she eats and sleeps most of the time; she visited the Brookfield Zoo, Cantigny, Morton Arboretum and her first restaurant Omega. I remember Omega in Downers Grove being the first restaurant Nathan went to as well.

We are grateful for the big hand our family gave us with the kids and are looking forward to spend more time with everyone in the near future. Family in Australia and Iran, as well as the family in the US.

First Visit of Cantigny

Today Maya had her first visit of Pediatrician and in honor of her, I got a Tetnous shot too. Although, I don't think the nurse had to give me a lolly!
After visiting with Mom and Dad in Naperville, we went to Cantigny in Wheaton. Stayed there until the mosquitoes started bothering us. Matthew and Nathan, really enjoyed the Tanks and the model of the park to be viewed from above a glass surface.
I think we'll visit the park again soon.

We Survived the First Day!

So, Linnet and Maya came home yesterday and with the help of our parents, everything went smoothly.
Today was the first day we rolled without the training wheels. It was fun and sometimes crazy. Linnet and I, switched holding Nathan and Maya, and in between I had to ask Matthew to literally stay off my back!
Nathan seemed a bit confused or jealous, I couldn't really tell. We both felt bad for him, as he wanted to play with the bouncy-seat Maya rests on. The trouble was that Maya was in the seat and Nathan wanted to pull her off of it, by pulling her fingers. When holding him, he doesn't feel like a baby anymore!

New Addition to our Family

Maya Parvaneh (Butterfly in Farsi) was born today at 11:36 AM CST. She is 6 lbs and 14 oz, and 19 1/2 inches long.
Maya shares the same birthday as Nathan. She was born exactly one hour after Nathan, in the same room (1114). The same nurse and doctor who delivered Nathan, deliver her.
She weights the same as Matthew and has the same height as Nathan.
Linnet called me 4:00 AM at work, and told me that her contractions were getting closer to every 10 minutes. I left work, and was able to pick up my Mom to watch the kids at home, while we were in the hospital. She patiently babysit for us, and we're grateful for her help and Linnet's Mom as well.
So, since Maya is technically was born one hour later than Nathan, they are not Irish_Twins. Nathan and Matthew visited their Mom and baby sister this evening.
They both were happy to meet their sister, although I don't think Nathan understands he'll receive less attention.
Linnet requested a Jamba Juice smoothie, that I will bring to her to the hospital tomorrow. I am exhausted and need to reboot!

Cougar Game

We received invitation from Nicor for a match between Kane County Cougar and a team from Wisconsin. Everyone enjoyed their time at the game. It was Mina, kids and my first visit at the Cougar's and our first live game.
Both Matthew and Nathan had many sweeties and we ended up buying more than we planned from the vendors who visited us at our seats. Matthew got very close to the players from Wisconsin and chatted a little bit with them. There was also a photographer who took some pictures of Matthew.
Matthew also found a few friends of his own and ran with them up and down the stairs for a while. He ran off a couple of times, and it was challenging to catch up with him. One time he stopped to say hi and shake hand with Cougar's mascot, but didn't want to take pictures with him. It reminded me of out visit of the Disney World last year, where Matthew was trying to figure out where the zipper on the costumes were!
Everyone that I talked to, was happy that it didn't rain while we were at the game; though, we didn't stay for the fireworks at the end. The kids and Linnet were exhausted and I didn't want to overwhelm them more.

Breakfast with Nathan

Sharing my bagel with Nathan, has become a routin in my life. I enjoy sitting down and having breakfast with him.
Cleaning up his messy face is a small price to pay.

Grandpa Abdu'llah

This is a picture of grandpa that I remember before I left Iran. Enough cannot be said about grandpa, but he was one of the few family members who wrote to me. Anyone who knows me, is aware that I am not good at responding by writing and seldom call, but grandpa wrote to me regardless of my shortcomings. He always had this elaborated artistic way of explaining events that I felt I never left home. Last time I talked to him, he barely spoke few words. Miss you grandpa.

I'm here

Finally, I have a chance to fire up my blog!
My intention to start this blog is to post news about my family and share their pictures and videos online.
Hopefully, I will do a good job and my son can give me an A!