Hisham: *in a worried voice* are you sure you are going to be okay?

Ilham: *laughing* habibi! Please stop worrying! I am going to be fine!

Hisham: But this is the first time you have been alone with all three kids!

*After Hamoudi was born, Hisham took two months off work to help her out, but now that the two months were up, he was starting again today, and was so nervous about leaving her alone*

Ilham: Hisham honey, you are so sweet, but I am going to be fine! Look at them! *she motions to where Dawud is sitting at the table eating cereal, Hamoudi is in his swing fast asleep, and Layla is laying on the floor 'reading' a book* they are little angels!

Hisham: I can take another month off! No problem!

*Ilham steps forward, straightens out his tie, and kisses him*

Ilham: No. Amu AbdulJabbar needs you, and you are going stir crazy at home. You need to go back! We are going to be fine, I promise! And if I need help, I can always call Yusra!

Hisham: Are you positive?

Ilham: Yes, I am positive! I can do this Hisham!

Hisham: I know you can hayati, I just don't want you to get overwhelmed! Or feel like I am deserting you!

Ilham: *shaking her head* I would never. Now go! *she starts to push him towards the door* we will be fine!

Hisham: *with a sigh* okay. *he gives her another kiss before kissing the older children, and blowing a kiss at the baby for fear of waking him up, before he leaves*

*THE SECOND HISHAM CLOSES THE DOOR*

Dawud: Mama!

Ilham: Yes habibi?

Dawud: Can I have some juse please?

Ilham: Of course! *she starts to head towards the kitchen, when Layla lets out an ear piercing scream, and she runs towards the living room* Lulu! What's wrong! *she picks up her daughter, inspecting her all over for signs of injury*

Layla: *giving her a large Hisham-dimpled grin* Nuffin's wrong Mama!

Ilham: *putting a hand over her heart* then why did you scream!

Layla: I couldn't, I couldn't find my momade moovie!

Ilham: *retrieving The Little Mermaid DVD from where it is sitting practically on top of Layla's feet* its right here habibti.

Layla: Tank you Mama!

Ilham: You're welcome habibat Mama! (Mama's habibti)

Dawud: *calling from the dining room* Mama! I'm really tirsty!

Ilham: Okay habibi. *she glances over at Hamoudi's swing to make sure Layla's shrieking didn't wake him up, and pours Dawud some 'juse' before heading back into the living room to put on Layla's 'momade (mermaid) moovie'.*

*AS SOON AS SHE SITS DOWN*

Dawud: MAMA! MAMA COME FAST!

*Ilham dashes into the kitchen, prepared to call 911 on her phone*

Ilham: What?! What is it?!

Dawud: *who is in tears* I spilleded some juse on my shirt!

Ilham: *glancing at the tiny almost microscopic drop of orange juice on her son's Buzz lightyear pajama shirt* It's okay habibi, it will dry.

Dawud: *shaking his head* No! I has to change it right now Mama! *he lets out a loud wail* now!

Ilham: *sighing* okay, okay. Go get another shirt from your room, and come back, and I will change it for you.

*Dawud hurries out of the room, and Ilham is about to get something to eat for herself, when once again, Layla lets out another shriek, but this time, Ilham isn't so lucky, and Hamoudi wakes up, and starts crying. Ilham is torn between going to her bellowing daughter, or her screaming baby, and eventually picks up Hamoudi first, and bouncing him up and down, goes into the living room*

Ilham: *in a scolding voice* Lulu, why are you screaming now?!

Lulu: Mama, I don, I don wanna wash dis moovie!

Ilham: Layla, you just told me you wanted the mermaid movie!

Layla: *shaking her head* no! I want, I want, the Pwincess Belle moovie!

Ilham: I will only put the Princess Belle movie if you promise to stop screaming. Look, your screaming woke up poor Hamoudi! *she points at where the poor baby is looking down at his sister, his wide eyes filled with unshed tears*

Layla: *guiltily* I sorry. *she rushes over, and kisses Ilham's arm* I sorry Mama. *she kisses Hamoudi's leg* I sorry Hamoudi. *she kisses Ilham's arm again* I sorry Mama.

Ilham: *not able to resist her husband's eyes that are looking up at her from her daughter's face* alright, we forgive you. But don't scream again!

Layla: *nodding* okay Mama! Can I, can I have my Pwincess Belle moovie now!?

Ilham: Alright. *she walks over and picks up the Beauty and the Beast movie from the top of the television, and pops it into the DVD player. As she waits for the title menu to come on so she can set it up, Hamoudi starts to get fussy, and she bounces him up and down again* I know habibi, I know you are hungry. Mama will feed you as soon as I am done fixing this for Lulu. *Once she has finished, she sits on the couch, settles the baby on her lap, and is about to start feeding him, when Dawud runs into the room, wearing Hisham's pajamas.*

Dawud: Look Mama!

Ilham: Dawud! What are you doing?! I told you to get your own shirt!

Dawud: But, but I wanted to be just like Baba!

Ilham: *with a sigh* Dawud habibi, I know you want to be like Baba, but you can't wear his clothes! Please go get your own shirt from your room!

Dawud: *folding his arms over his chest stubbornly* No!

Ilham: *warningly* Dawud. Now.

Dawud: No!

Ilham: Okay, okay. Fine. But you wait until Baba comes home, I will tell him you didn't listen like a good boy. *she ignores him, and pulls a blanket over Hamoudi's head, beginning to feed him*

*Dawud stares at her suspiciously, before stepping forward*

Dawud: What is Baba gonna do?

Ilham: *shrugging* I don't know.

Dawud: Is he gonna get mad?

Ilham: *shrugging again* I don't know. Maybe.

Dawud: Okay I'm a good boy! *he runs out of the room, and Ilham sighs, leaning back against the couch. Just as it seems all is well, she hears a loud crash coming from her son's room, and she jumps up, fixes her shirt, and dashes into his room. When she doesn't see him, she begins to panic.*

Ilham: Dawud?!

Dawud: *his voice coming from her and Hisham's room* MAMA!

*She hurries into her room, and tries not to laugh as she sees her son who is laying in front of her open closet, and buried under a huge pile of clothes*

Ilham: *in a scolding voice* Dawud! What are you doing!?

Dawud: *his voice muffled* I was being a good boy!

*Ilham puts Hamoudi in his crib, the poor baby still has milk dripping down his chin from his interrupted breakfast, and pulls Dawud out of the pile of clothes*

Ilham: Dawud, what were you doing in me and Baba's closet!? You could have gotten hurt!

Dawud: *sheepishly* I wanted to be a good boy! After, after I shanged into my new shirt, I tried to putted Baba's clothes in the closet. *he opens his hands* but all the clothes fell on me!

Ilham: Well, that was nice of you, but please don't do that again habibi, you could have gotten hurt. Okay?

Dawud: Okay Mama.

Ilham: *giving him a kiss* now go finish your breakfast.

*As Dawud races out of the room, Ilham looks down at Hamoudi, who starts to wriggle back and forth as he sees her whimpering hungrily*

Ilham: *picking him up and kissing his head* you are such a patient boy MashaAllah. Such a good little baby to put up with your siblings constantly waking you up and making you wait for your food! *she kisses his chubby cheeks* yes you are! Mmmm Mama loves these cheeks! Look at these cheeks! *she laughs as the baby gives her a smile, and kisses him again*

Layla: *yelling from the living room* MAMA! I DON WANT MY PWINCESS BELLE MOOVIE! I WANT MY BOO MOOVIE! MIKE WASOWSKI!

Ilham: *sighing and cuddling Hamoudi to her chest* It's going to be a long day.

*LATER THAT NIGHT*

*Hisham unlocks the front door, and comes into the house*

Layla/Dawud: *rushing at him* BABA!

Hisham: *kissing and hugging everyone* Salaam my babies! Were you good today for Mama?!

Layla: I was good!

Hisham: MashaAllah habibti! Dawud?

Dawud: *guiltily looking at the floor* I was a little bit good Baba.

Hisham: *trying to hide his amusement* what happened?

Dawud: *so dramatically that Hisham can see Ilham in him* I can't talk about it Baba. It makes me too sad!

Hisham: Okay, we will talk about it after dinner. *he puts his briefcase and keys down* where is Mama and Hamoudi?

Layla: *putting a finger to her lips* shhh Baba! They are sleeping!

Hisham: *concerned since Ilham absolutely hates taking naps* where?

Layla: *pointing towards the family room while looking back at her 'moovie'* over there!

*Hisham goes into the family room, and laughs as he sees Hamoudi in his swing, and Ilham lying next to him, fast asleep. She has one hand on the baby as if she is scared to let go of him, but Hamoudi is wide awake, and is playing with the toys attached to the top of his swing. When he sees his father however, he releases the toys, and starts to make cooing noises, and starts waving his arms and legs up and down, and Hisham comes over*

Hisham: *sitting down next to his son, and kissing his head* hi habibi. Hi my little man! *after he has given Hamoudi some attention, he puts a hand on Ilham's back.* Hayati? Baby, wake up.

*Ilham stirs slightly, looking up at him in confusion, and when she realizes it is him, relief crosses her features, and she sits up, throwing her arms around his neck*

Ilham: Oh Hisham! Oh habibi! You're home! Oh thank God, I never thought you would get here! I didn't think five o'clock could get here soon enough! Ya Allah but you're finally home!

Hisham: *laughing and returning her embrace* I'm guessing today wasn't that perfect?

Ilham: *hugging him tighter and her voice breaking slightly* don't ever leave me again!