Goodbye 2008, Hello 2009!

I can't believe that 2008 is already over. It's been an incredible year, and lots of exciting things to look forward to in 2009. One thing I'm not looking forward to is going back to work! I'm so dreading that day...March 3rd...it get's closer every second!! With me back at work, Samarah will be going to daycare, and I'm sure ear infections, colds, runny noses, etc. will follow soon after.

Things have been hectic as usual - in addition to holiday get togethers, friends visiting, etc., we've also been busy with spending our evenings at the mosque over the last two weeks. So Samarah's schedule has been thrown off a bit as she's still napping twice a day but when we're out, it's usually out of the question. She's getting very very distracted these days when I nurse her so I'm beginning the weaning process. 

We're in the bib-protesting phase, the stroller protesting phase and the car seat protesting phase. Unless she's distracted, Samarah won't put the bib on - she makes fists now and punches at the bib, or at anything else she doesn't want/like. Abbas is afraid she'll be a boxer. Over the holidays, I was at the mall quite a bit and she would just not sit in the stroller. I would be carrying her and our jackets and bags would be in the stroller. I got some funny looks from people as I tried to maneuver the stroller while carrying an 18.5 pound baby!

Samarah's still crawling backwards and now she's begun to walk backwards too (assisted of course)! Somehow though she manages to get across the room without us seeing how she did it. Its a combo of fall forward from sitting, then roll on to her back then sit up and repeat. It's cute.

As far as teeth...still only bottom 2 and I've only gone as far as letting her hold the tooth brush in her mouth for about 5 mins. I think she chews on it, which I guess is good.

Anyway, enjoy this set of pictures (captions still courtesy of Abbas). Goodbye '08, Hello '09!