Why I am happy: Antonio came by for a few hours to say hello! Luckily for us, but unluckily for him, he flew into Cincinnati instead of Cleveland, his actual destination. So he stayed to have dinner then drove with Jeffrey four hours north.
Why Jonathan is happy (besides Antonio being here, of course): He recently joined a D&D group (Dungeons and Dragons). I play for the first time with them on Thursday. I spend all my college years avoiding it, then marry someone who has three shelves' worth of D&D books. :)
Why Xander is happy: His teacher recently put a variety of musical instruments in the classroom. His favorite so far is the guitar, but he loves any music, period. To whit:
Me: "Xander, would you like to eat an orange?"
Him: (warbling nonsense words) "No, thank you. I'm singing a song."
Why Ari is happy: Who knows? But he is. And that makes us all glad. The sound on this video is terrible, as a fan was going on right out of frame. But you can still see the smiles!
(Hmm... for some reason you can't see the whole width of the video here. View it full-screen or on the actual YouTube page and it works.)
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Sunday, May 29, 2011
A topsy-turvy weekend
1) Based on this NY Times article about Bel Kaufman, Sholom Aleichem's granddaughter, who was teaching a college course in Yiddish at the age of 100, plus a recommendation by my grandmother, I read Up the Down Staircase, an alternatively funny, poignant, scathing look at one teacher's experience in the NY public school system in the 1960s. I highly recommend it. (And wow, that first sentence was long.)
2) I, however, do not recommend going to one's pulpit with a 2 year old and nursing infant in tow. The weekend went something like this: arrive at temple Friday afternoon. Prep for services, complete with Xander "helping" by turning on all the lights he could reach on the memorial board. Deal with multiple diaper changes. Pre-service oneg includes cookies, one of which Xander takes bites of when we're not looking. Turns out it has tiny amount of peanut butter in it. Freak out as Xander starts to cough because he's allergic to peanuts. Wife of congregational president flies to Walgreens to get Benadryl. Start services late because hello, kid swelling up. Lead services, distractedly, while husband entertains both kids in different room. Finish services, schmooze forever because it's my last time there, then realize no one's had a real dinner, only oneg, but kids need to be put to bed. Go back to hotel, put screaming crying children to bed. Jonathan goes to Texas Roadhouse at 10pm to get parents food.
Next morning, back to temple. Nursing Ari before adult education, he spits up, completely missing the burp cloth and drenching my nice outfit. Attempt to clean up so don't smell like sour milk. Start adult education late. Jonathan takes both kids to congregant's house who has a 4 year old and a 1 year old. Teach great lesson on Jewish identity. Congregant picks me up to go back to his house to nurse Ari, where must stop Xander from hitting 1 year-old Leah on head because he wants her toy. Back to temple for religious school. Head swims with different roles as I struggle to be "rabbi" again. (But once get back into it, am fascinated to discover that the adults and the kids have the exact same identity issues, about being the "token Jew" in a small Christian town, the responsibility of representing all Judaism, etc. They just express it in different vocabulary.) Clean up room, lock temple for last time. Jonathan and kids pick me up. Ari not happy, screams over an hour of the ride home.
3) Last night Jeffrey came over with mead and pie, which was fabulous. We watched the new Tron, which only made sense because I'd seen the old one a few months ago at Jonathan's bequest. Great special effects, but other than that (sorry, Jonathan), nothing special.
4) Today we got all packed up for a morning event that turns out is next weekend. ARGH! Made up for it with sale at Half-Price Books, burrito lunch, long naps for all, and afternoon/picnic dinner at the park with Nicole and Brett and their kids. Their four year old is wonderful with Xander, and they played tag, went on slides, and got themselves soaked with the water fountain. The evening ended with Graeter's ice cream and a bubble bath.
5) Finished It Sucked and Then I Cried: How I Had a Baby, a Breakdown, and a Much-Needed Margarita by Heather Armstrong. Fabulous witty take on post-partum depression. You wouldn't think a memoir about such a serious subject (she ends up being hospitalized) would be so funny.
And finally - love this video. Ari and I in cat form.
2) I, however, do not recommend going to one's pulpit with a 2 year old and nursing infant in tow. The weekend went something like this: arrive at temple Friday afternoon. Prep for services, complete with Xander "helping" by turning on all the lights he could reach on the memorial board. Deal with multiple diaper changes. Pre-service oneg includes cookies, one of which Xander takes bites of when we're not looking. Turns out it has tiny amount of peanut butter in it. Freak out as Xander starts to cough because he's allergic to peanuts. Wife of congregational president flies to Walgreens to get Benadryl. Start services late because hello, kid swelling up. Lead services, distractedly, while husband entertains both kids in different room. Finish services, schmooze forever because it's my last time there, then realize no one's had a real dinner, only oneg, but kids need to be put to bed. Go back to hotel, put screaming crying children to bed. Jonathan goes to Texas Roadhouse at 10pm to get parents food.
Next morning, back to temple. Nursing Ari before adult education, he spits up, completely missing the burp cloth and drenching my nice outfit. Attempt to clean up so don't smell like sour milk. Start adult education late. Jonathan takes both kids to congregant's house who has a 4 year old and a 1 year old. Teach great lesson on Jewish identity. Congregant picks me up to go back to his house to nurse Ari, where must stop Xander from hitting 1 year-old Leah on head because he wants her toy. Back to temple for religious school. Head swims with different roles as I struggle to be "rabbi" again. (But once get back into it, am fascinated to discover that the adults and the kids have the exact same identity issues, about being the "token Jew" in a small Christian town, the responsibility of representing all Judaism, etc. They just express it in different vocabulary.) Clean up room, lock temple for last time. Jonathan and kids pick me up. Ari not happy, screams over an hour of the ride home.
3) Last night Jeffrey came over with mead and pie, which was fabulous. We watched the new Tron, which only made sense because I'd seen the old one a few months ago at Jonathan's bequest. Great special effects, but other than that (sorry, Jonathan), nothing special.
4) Today we got all packed up for a morning event that turns out is next weekend. ARGH! Made up for it with sale at Half-Price Books, burrito lunch, long naps for all, and afternoon/picnic dinner at the park with Nicole and Brett and their kids. Their four year old is wonderful with Xander, and they played tag, went on slides, and got themselves soaked with the water fountain. The evening ended with Graeter's ice cream and a bubble bath.
Kaya hugging Ari
5) Finished It Sucked and Then I Cried: How I Had a Baby, a Breakdown, and a Much-Needed Margarita by Heather Armstrong. Fabulous witty take on post-partum depression. You wouldn't think a memoir about such a serious subject (she ends up being hospitalized) would be so funny.
And finally - love this video. Ari and I in cat form.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Either laugh or cry.
Pacing for 45 minutes with Ari in the wrap = Ari asleep.
Not pacing, or Ari not in the wrap when he's sleepy = cranky, crying baby who's been known to wake up Xander.
Am I genetically incapable of giving birth to babies who (gasp) lie down in a bed and fall asleep by themselves?
Not pacing, or Ari not in the wrap when he's sleepy = cranky, crying baby who's been known to wake up Xander.
Am I genetically incapable of giving birth to babies who (gasp) lie down in a bed and fall asleep by themselves?
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Interesting article about gender
I first read "The Story of X" when it was a short story in Marlo Thomas' Free to Be You and Me. How awesome that it inspires real life events today!
Parents Keep Child's Gender Under Wraps
Parents Keep Child's Gender Under Wraps
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
My Julie Andrews moment
Last night the family went to Costco for some shopping and pizza dinner. As we were checking out, it started to rain. And by rain I mean rain. It poured. The thunderclaps were deafening. The wind blew the trees nearly horizontal. Costco closed the main entrance to the store, and people were milling about near the side exit, unwilling to forage out in what we later found out was a tornado watch.
But... we had a cranky toddler who up past his bedtime, and a baby who was not happy. Waiting out the storm was not an option, as the Costco worker next to us said that it was supposed to go on all night (and it did). So two workers in plastic rain gear ran to put our purchases in the trunk while Jonathan put Ari's car seat umbrella cover thing on and snapped him into the car. Xander had a death grip on me so I borrowed a coat from yet another worker to put over him, and carried him to his seat. By the time Jonathan and I both sat down (he in front, me in the middle between the two kids), we were soaked.
In the car, we drove very slowly, and lightning lit up the sky. Xander was scared, so I held his hand, and then for good measure, held Ari's hand too. And all of a sudden I remembered a similar scene from one of my favorite movies as a child, The Sound of Music. I began to sing.
Miii-ni coopers and e-excavators
He-elicopters and air-rplanes
Va-nilla yogurt and bells that go ping,
These are a few of my favorite things
Swi-ings and slides and staying two songs*
Tricycles and bicycles and playing in the park
Building a tower and knocking it ka-ching,
These are a few of my favorite things
Elmo and Thomas and Percy the train
Gordon who’s fa-ast and James who is vain
Chi-icken nuggets a-and ice cream,
These are a few of my favorite things
When the lightning strikes
When the storm is loud
When I’m feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things,
And then I don’t feeel so baaaad!
(*Every night either Jonathan or I stay in his room for two songs of his sleep CD as part of his bedtime ritual.)
Xander didn't get it, but Jonathan did, and he cheered me heartily when I was finished. I was kinda proud of myself for doing it off the cuff!
But... we had a cranky toddler who up past his bedtime, and a baby who was not happy. Waiting out the storm was not an option, as the Costco worker next to us said that it was supposed to go on all night (and it did). So two workers in plastic rain gear ran to put our purchases in the trunk while Jonathan put Ari's car seat umbrella cover thing on and snapped him into the car. Xander had a death grip on me so I borrowed a coat from yet another worker to put over him, and carried him to his seat. By the time Jonathan and I both sat down (he in front, me in the middle between the two kids), we were soaked.
In the car, we drove very slowly, and lightning lit up the sky. Xander was scared, so I held his hand, and then for good measure, held Ari's hand too. And all of a sudden I remembered a similar scene from one of my favorite movies as a child, The Sound of Music. I began to sing.
Miii-ni coopers and e-excavators
He-elicopters and air-rplanes
Va-nilla yogurt and bells that go ping,
These are a few of my favorite things
Swi-ings and slides and staying two songs*
Tricycles and bicycles and playing in the park
Building a tower and knocking it ka-ching,
These are a few of my favorite things
Elmo and Thomas and Percy the train
Gordon who’s fa-ast and James who is vain
Chi-icken nuggets a-and ice cream,
These are a few of my favorite things
When the lightning strikes
When the storm is loud
When I’m feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things,
And then I don’t feeel so baaaad!
(*Every night either Jonathan or I stay in his room for two songs of his sleep CD as part of his bedtime ritual.)
Xander didn't get it, but Jonathan did, and he cheered me heartily when I was finished. I was kinda proud of myself for doing it off the cuff!
Monday, May 23, 2011
Overdue picture post
The last day my mom was here she and Xander planted sunflower seeds. The pot now contains about ten 3-inch long stems; we're going to plant them outside in the backyard tonight.
With Aaron on the swings.
Swinging is my favorite!
Aaron, did you know that when you turn this lever, water comes out?!?
BIG smiles.
MUST SNIFF THE WORLD OUTSIDE!!
Imagine if we actually put gel in his hair... then he'd have a proper mohawk.
Hiya people! I love company.
Cook in the making.
First bubble bath. The joy could not be contained!
This picture is for my brother: very proud of his LEGO tower at school.
Giggles!
What do you mean, can I stick out my tongue? Of course I can! I'm almost two months old!
Friday, May 20, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Professional life
Although admittedly kids have taken over my life, I'm not as much on maternity leave as you think! Lots of good non-child things are happening.
- I finished one class from spring semester, and took incompletes in the other three. It's hard to write 20-page papers on so little sleep. I'm counting on the fact (vain hope?) that Ari will be sleeping more in late summer, and I can concentrate more then and finish up.
- Last Saturday I officiated at my first Bat Mitzvah. I was really nervous about all the choreography in the Torah service, because so many people go up and down the bima and I have to direct them all. But it worked out beautifully, mostly because of all the practice I did. The night before Jonathan volunteered to help me: he pretended to be the Bat Mitzvah kid and literally went through the motions with me, figuring out where I should stand, where to tell the kid and her family to be, etc. The best part was when we were pantomiming the part of the service where we pass the Torah down from generation to generation. Ari became the Torah, and Jonathan passed him to me, then I passed him back to him, four times, mimicking what the family would do the next day. Ari was excited by all the movement, because in the end, when we "laid the Torah on the podium," (laid Ari on the bed), after we finished chanting the song for undressing the Torah, Jonathan said, "And now Torah waves his arms." :)
- Today I presented a paper at a conference of the Society for Classical Reform Judaism. It was based on an essay contest entry about why halachically women should be able to nurse during services in the sanctuary. Again, it went well. I haven't presented a paper in years. It felt good to be more strictly academic. Even better, the paper won a nice tidy sum in the contest.
- I get my second Master's this Thursday, an MAHL (Masters of Hebrew Letters). I admit I'm not quite sure what that means - as my dad says, it sounds like I know the alef bet really well! - but I'm very pleased nonetheless. I didn't go to the ceremony for my first MA, since we had just moved to Israel. This time I'm going to wear the cap and gown and do the whole shebang.
- I'm still doing spot work for researchers at the Archives. And last week I got a tax document from my Norwegian client. I can't read a word of it, but it looks cool. I love that my last name has the line through the "O."
And this last isn't really something I did, but something neat that happened nonetheless: a picture of me in the library is on the back page of the HUC President's Report!
- I finished one class from spring semester, and took incompletes in the other three. It's hard to write 20-page papers on so little sleep. I'm counting on the fact (vain hope?) that Ari will be sleeping more in late summer, and I can concentrate more then and finish up.
- Last Saturday I officiated at my first Bat Mitzvah. I was really nervous about all the choreography in the Torah service, because so many people go up and down the bima and I have to direct them all. But it worked out beautifully, mostly because of all the practice I did. The night before Jonathan volunteered to help me: he pretended to be the Bat Mitzvah kid and literally went through the motions with me, figuring out where I should stand, where to tell the kid and her family to be, etc. The best part was when we were pantomiming the part of the service where we pass the Torah down from generation to generation. Ari became the Torah, and Jonathan passed him to me, then I passed him back to him, four times, mimicking what the family would do the next day. Ari was excited by all the movement, because in the end, when we "laid the Torah on the podium," (laid Ari on the bed), after we finished chanting the song for undressing the Torah, Jonathan said, "And now Torah waves his arms." :)
- Today I presented a paper at a conference of the Society for Classical Reform Judaism. It was based on an essay contest entry about why halachically women should be able to nurse during services in the sanctuary. Again, it went well. I haven't presented a paper in years. It felt good to be more strictly academic. Even better, the paper won a nice tidy sum in the contest.
- I get my second Master's this Thursday, an MAHL (Masters of Hebrew Letters). I admit I'm not quite sure what that means - as my dad says, it sounds like I know the alef bet really well! - but I'm very pleased nonetheless. I didn't go to the ceremony for my first MA, since we had just moved to Israel. This time I'm going to wear the cap and gown and do the whole shebang.
- I'm still doing spot work for researchers at the Archives. And last week I got a tax document from my Norwegian client. I can't read a word of it, but it looks cool. I love that my last name has the line through the "O."
And this last isn't really something I did, but something neat that happened nonetheless: a picture of me in the library is on the back page of the HUC President's Report!
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Priceless
Overheard while the boy was walking and talking on his play phone:
"Hello Mommy! How you doing, Mommy? I'm so glad you having good evening, Mommy! Bye Mommy!"
He then comes up to me with phone in hand: "I talked to Mommy going fast!"
"Hello Mommy! How you doing, Mommy? I'm so glad you having good evening, Mommy! Bye Mommy!"
He then comes up to me with phone in hand: "I talked to Mommy going fast!"
Friday, May 13, 2011
Sad news for Xander's sake
I was just speaking with the president of the congregation I'm going to serve for High Holidays next year. We were discussing hotel reservations for Yom Kippur, and I realized, erev Yom Kippur is October 7th, Xander's birthday. That means all day on his birthday I'll be really stressed, and he'll hate the long road trip to the pulpit. Congregants will be hosting us for dinner that night... maybe I can ask them to make a birthday cake?
At least he's only turning three. Though unfortunately I think this will be a lifelong problem. And then Ari was born right before Pesach, meaning his birthday will definitely be flour-cake-less one of these days.
If/when we have another child, we're going to have to try and time them better!
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
La la la la lots of little things la la la la la
- Ari smiles now! Actual social smiles, not just reflexes. It's the cutest thing ever. And at my six-week postpartum checkup yesterday, the midwife weighed him: 11 pounds 6 ounces. The kid likes to eat.
- Xander's new favorite books are close to my heart: Green Eggs and Ham and The Cat in the Hat. He asks for at least one of them every night. I feel closer to my own childhood when I read them.
- It is HOT all of a sudden. We had to put on the air conditioner because it reached 87 degrees in our bedroom. Ugh.
- For Mother's Day, Jonathan and Xander brought me lunch in bed. (They're way too smart to bring me breakfast in bed... if it's a day celebrating me, I'm always going to sleep through breakfast!) Then we took turns trying out the new fabulous foot massager. Fill it with water and it vibrates our feet.
- I passed my history class! This is the one where I missed 5 weeks of it then took the final anyway. Hooray for other people's notes and my cramming ability. :)
- Xander planted sunflower seeds in a pot with my mom before she left. And then his Mother's Day gift to me from school was a painted pot with a flower that he planted himself. I'll have to take pictures of them. They're both blooming like crazy. We have them on our kitchen table so we can look at them at every meal and keep a close eye on their growth.
- And yet another way I know that spring, aka allergy season, is in full force: yesterday I saw what looked like a small white cloud of ash blowing down the street toward our house. Alarmed, I turned to Jonathan and asked him if he saw a fire anywhere. He started to laugh. I realized what had happened right as he said it - our neighbor a few houses down had mowed his lawn... and all the dandelion seeds were now free and moving through the air.
- All my friends at the NY HUC campus, the ones I started the program with, were ordained last weekend. Next weekend is LA ordination, I believe, and the 21st is Cincinnati. I'm happy for everyone, and a little wistful. I thought I'd be more sad, but I truly do recognize that I had a good trade-off. One extra year for two kids ain't bad!
- Xander's new favorite books are close to my heart: Green Eggs and Ham and The Cat in the Hat. He asks for at least one of them every night. I feel closer to my own childhood when I read them.
- It is HOT all of a sudden. We had to put on the air conditioner because it reached 87 degrees in our bedroom. Ugh.
- For Mother's Day, Jonathan and Xander brought me lunch in bed. (They're way too smart to bring me breakfast in bed... if it's a day celebrating me, I'm always going to sleep through breakfast!) Then we took turns trying out the new fabulous foot massager. Fill it with water and it vibrates our feet.
- I passed my history class! This is the one where I missed 5 weeks of it then took the final anyway. Hooray for other people's notes and my cramming ability. :)
- Xander planted sunflower seeds in a pot with my mom before she left. And then his Mother's Day gift to me from school was a painted pot with a flower that he planted himself. I'll have to take pictures of them. They're both blooming like crazy. We have them on our kitchen table so we can look at them at every meal and keep a close eye on their growth.
- And yet another way I know that spring, aka allergy season, is in full force: yesterday I saw what looked like a small white cloud of ash blowing down the street toward our house. Alarmed, I turned to Jonathan and asked him if he saw a fire anywhere. He started to laugh. I realized what had happened right as he said it - our neighbor a few houses down had mowed his lawn... and all the dandelion seeds were now free and moving through the air.
- All my friends at the NY HUC campus, the ones I started the program with, were ordained last weekend. Next weekend is LA ordination, I believe, and the 21st is Cincinnati. I'm happy for everyone, and a little wistful. I thought I'd be more sad, but I truly do recognize that I had a good trade-off. One extra year for two kids ain't bad!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Mystery Sticker
So, I'm going mad. I've seen this sticker on the back of cars, vans, and suvs for the past four months now and it's driving my curiosity crazy. I have no idea what it means and I only see it on newer, middle class vehicles. I'm thinking it is some secret symbol for an evangelical sect, mostly because I'm in Ohio, but I really have no idea. It could be a suburban death cult for all I know.
Normally, I'm very good at looking these sort of things up, but there is no real text here, and you can't Google symbols. It looks like a large W with a smaller H mounted inside, but that didn't hit anything on Google so I'm stuck.
Anyone that can clue me in will get honorable mention on the blog. Bonus points if you can send me a web link explaining the symbol.
- Jonathan
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Two things that are amazing
About Jonathan - he can splice wires together to fix lights in our car! I have no idea what he did really, or even barely how to describe it. But I'm impressed.
And about me - I FIT INTO REGULAR JEANS! Not maternity jeans. Admittedly they're two sizes bigger than I was pre-pregnancy, but hey, it's a big step!
And about me - I FIT INTO REGULAR JEANS! Not maternity jeans. Admittedly they're two sizes bigger than I was pre-pregnancy, but hey, it's a big step!
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Time with my sister
Hanging out with Ari.
One of the gifts she brought Xander was a bubble blower. He was enthralled!
Hugs and bubbles, all at the same time.
YAY for catching bubbles!
More bubble catching.
"I've got my eye on you!"
Monday, May 2, 2011
I'm actually learning something...
while studying for my final tomorrow in History of Reform Judaism. We were comparing how the movements treat Shabbat. I thought the prof laid it out really nicely:
- The Reform movement is concerned with kedusha, what is holy. It's about prayer, lighting candles, blessing our kids.
- The Orthodox movement is concerned with menucha, the laws governing rest. It's about not violating prohibitions.
- Secular Jews are concerned with oneg, what is fun. It's about doing special things different from the rest of the week.
And apparently my notes didn't cover Conservative Jews, so let's just assume they're a mix of Reform and Orthodox. :)
- The Reform movement is concerned with kedusha, what is holy. It's about prayer, lighting candles, blessing our kids.
- The Orthodox movement is concerned with menucha, the laws governing rest. It's about not violating prohibitions.
- Secular Jews are concerned with oneg, what is fun. It's about doing special things different from the rest of the week.
And apparently my notes didn't cover Conservative Jews, so let's just assume they're a mix of Reform and Orthodox. :)
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