Cute story

The other night we were all sitting around the kitchen table, enjoying a lovely dessert of cut up fruit.  Xander was eating strawberries and was loving them.  When he had finished every last strawberry morsel on his plate, he picked up the plate and started to lick it.

"Xander, honey, it's not considered polite to lick your plate," my mom said.

His face fell in disappointment. "Lots of strawberry juice!" he exclaimed.

"I know, it's delicious.  But dogs lick their plates, not people."

He looked at her seriously, then broke out into a big smile, picked up his plate again, and held it up in front of his face.

"But I want it.  I'm a dog!  Woof woof!"  And then he licked away.

We were too busy laughing to chastise him further. :)

Sick sick and more sick... so pics!

I am very, very talented.  I somehow managed to contract a sinus infection.  And pinkeye in both eyes.  At once.  I do NOT recommend it.  I think my body's going into shock - no mainstream meds for about a year, then two antibiotics at once.  Oy-ness.

That said, I'm not really leaving the house right now.   But that's good for you, because here are some pics.

Xander, Abby and Ella creating masterpieces

Mom and her grandsons

Cuddling

Here are a few from kid seder.  We had finger puppets and books and songs and they jumped around like frogs:

Listening to the Pesach story

Eating charoset.  The two dads are the ones fetching things :)

Clapping for dayenu

Seder dinner = matzah Passover pizza

Random things

1) My mom:  "I'm cooking! That's my job."

Xander: "MY job is to eat!"

2) Finished watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer on Netflix.  Now onto Upstairs, Downstairs before we send the DVDs to my grandmother.  (Surprise, Savta!  Something to look forward to.)

3) Absolutely loved the book Helen of Troy.  It was like historical fiction, but around mythology.  Though the author did so much research on ancient Greece, I feel like I learned a ton about that time period.  I also adored Harry Potter Film Wizardry.  Yay for fun books while nursing!

4) Mazel tov to Rachel and Ami on the birth of Max.  So many babies.

5) Last but not least, A MULTITUDE of pictures to upload.  They'll come slowly.  Don't hold your breath.

A Christmas video... at Easter and Pesach time

I hope people find this funny, not offensive!  I thought it was quite clever.

It won't let me embed it, so click to see a Digital Christmas.  

Just blabbing

Ari is a chatterbox.  He grunts, squeals, makes chittery sounds, and basically is always letting us know how he feels.  I feel like we can hold conversations, albeit a bit one-sided.  He rolls over to his left side quite well, and holds up his head with effort.  Not to mention, he's starting to sleep!  I have to say, I'm really enjoying this newborn phase.  Admittedly, I don't have post-partum depression this time, so it's an entirely new experience.

Xander is still vacillating.  He loves him, he loves him not.  He loves life, he hates life.  Poor two year old.  It must be so hard to be him, to be on this constant roller coaster!  He's adjusting as best he can.  We're trying to be understanding and give him space, but also let him know there ARE boundaries for things.  His most exciting moment recently was buying "big boy underwear" with Bubby, with pictures of Thomas the Train characters on them.  They seem to be a good incentive for continued potty training.

My mom came with me on Tuesday for second night seder at my pulpit, thank goodness. There were about 40 people there, it went very well overall.  It was hard to get back into working mode, however.  I felt so torn between seder and the baby, and even just standing so long took its toll.  I did enjoy seeing everyone and "getting back into the swing of things" though... which is good as I have another pulpit visit next weekend.  It's only two days, otherwise I couldn't have done it... people take 6 weeks to three months off for a reason!  Tonight we're having one family over for a "kid Passover" (i.e. read a story and make matzah pizza), and after that, I'm officially doing nothing.

Last but not least, my sister is here visiting, hooray!  She'll be here til the end of the week on her spring break.  I love having family over.

Two weeks' worth of pictures, in no particular order

Ari meeting Courtney and Jeffrey for the first time

 Xander and Liam eating the Playstation remotes.  They look like ice cream cones!

 The boys helped my mom make egg salad while the parents schmoozed

 Cuddles

Playing harmonica in his clubhouse

 Conked out on Lauren

 Moving the trains off the tracks to make his own

 Building a magnetic tower

 "Meow!" says kitty cat Xander

 Napping

 Yawn!

Taking big brother to school

Reading "Super Why!"

A short series of cute facial expressions:

Craigslist ad that tickled my fancy... in honor of HUC placement

Looking for Rabbi Versed in DARK TALMUDIC ARTS to create GOLEM.

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Date: 2010-01-30, 6:19PM EST

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WANTED:

One Rabbi versed in the Dark Talmudic Arts to create one Golem for household of three. Golem will perform rudimentary household chores such as dishes & sweeping, basic Math Tutoring for our daughter in 3rd grade and basic household security. Golem must be obedient and fairly unobtrusive on our every-day lives.

We will supply all materials needed (clay, twigs, calfskin parchment, etc) needed to create the Golem. All you need to do is use your magical ancient Rabbinic skills to animate said Golem!

Please note! We are looking for a Rabbi to create a Golem: an anthropomorphic being created from inanimate matter from Jewish folk-lore, NOT Gollum: a former Hobbit turned into monster and looking for "precious". This is important! We have no interest in living with Gollum. We want a Golem. Please respond, serious inquiry only.

• Location: Astoria, NY
• it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
• Compensation: no pay

PostingID: 1578516400

Tale of a morning

2:30am - Ari falls asleep.  Go to bed.
4:30am - Ari cries, diaper change.
6:30am - Xander comes into our room to cuddle.  Ari miraculously still sleeping.
7:00am - Xander panics because he's inadvertently forgotten Blue Bunny in his bedroom.  He goes back to retrieve him.  Wakes Ari, nurses back to sleep.
7:15am - Xander gets bored, leaves with Jonathan to go play.
7:30am - Mom comes downstairs.  I hear laughter.  I thank every deity of every religion that I don't have to get out of bed.
8:00am - Nurse.
8:45am - Mom and Jonathan take Xander to school, then go to Costco.  I hear them leave, then go back to sleep.
9:30am - Ari starts to fuss.
9:35am to 11:15am - Blur of trying to comfort crying baby in pain.  Gassy baby = 3 diaper changes, each one requiring a new onesie.
11:30am - Phone call from friend.  In midst of conversation she expresses envy for me being able to sleep in all morning.

!!!!!!

OMG

Passover is next week.

How did that happen?!

Forgotten and remembered

I had completely forgotten that...

1) newborn facial expressions are adorable.

2) newborns squeak.

3) newborns nurse ALL THE TIME.

4) it is insanely difficult to function on sleep that's broken up into two hour increments (Ari does sleep more than Xander did.  But that's not hard to do, as Xander had colic).

5) after a long pregnancy, it's absolutely wonderful not to have to pee every 20 minutes.

I never knew that....

1) a toddler could be so torn up about a new sibling.  "Kiss Ari!"  "Hold Ari!" and then, "Ari go home!" or (in response to "Why did you hit Ari?" and a time-out) "I'm mad because Ari here."

2) a second IS so much different than a first.  It's not really new anymore. But it's still amazing.

3) two kids' laundry seems like so much more than only one.

4) it was possible to mix up their names after only two weeks.  Turns out it is.

5) time alone, which I thought was a precious commodity before, now has a price beyond rubies.