Stella-isms

I told her the Israeli kids were going to be there – she said "that girl wants to ruin my puppy dog". I said, we can leave your dog at home. She said "Im gonna bring something … sharp."

R was in the semi -finals for basketball. Asked me on the way to the game "Is it true that if you believe you'll win, you will win."

She also davened that we would give one more chance with Mally. When she woke up and told her we were going to try one more time, she said with such earnestness that was what she had prayed for"

On the way home from GA and SabaJ S said she no longer needed a car seat, she is big now. I told her her seat was good until she is 5 years old. She said "I'm almost 5 you know."

Also in the car- "Mommy, we forgot to do the decorations!!!" "What decorations?" "The lights, on the trees and everywhere." - Christmas confusion. 

R - about the cat. When I told her no such thing. She said "There is no such thing as no such thing."

"Wow, pretty cool guys huh" - S

She gave me something. I said "Thank you." "My pleasure" - S

In the car, R playing with Kindle. Stella mad. "Don't Trust me D!!!!" - I said "don't worry S ,we wont trust you." (she meant interrupt, but it was funny enough to cut the mood)

"But talking is one of my hobbies"

Dorothy seems to have gotten in trouble in school on Friday for talking.  She has to sit out from recess on Monday. Friday night she was telling me about it and was so upset, explaining she had no idea when it as an appropriate time to talk and when it wasn't.

When I told her it is best not to talk in class at all she explained in all seriousness that "talking is one of her hobbies. "I mean, I have lots of hobbies, but talking is one of them."

Yesterday Mike went upstairs to see Stella standing on the edge of our bathtub. Holding the back scratcher. "What are you doing?" he asked.  "Just fishing" she said.


Ian is applying to high schools which is insane.  We went to TABC today - it was pretty moving. Daron has grown a few inches in the past few months best as I can tell. Suddenly almost my height.

We drove to see the kitty cat

Two hours in the car (nearly) each way - the way back the girls had a little lack of patience. But on the way there we were all excited.

When we noted we were going to Pennsylvania  -  Stella said "Daniel Tiger goes to Pennsylvanie - to where all the people make the crayons"

Devorah

Dorothy dreamt last night that she woke up and saw another little girl in the house. And she came down and ate breakfast and asked Daddy who it was since at first she thought it was Stella but looked way different.  He said that Moshiach had come and it was the little girl that "died" in my tummy. Everyone was so excited and they started dancing and singing (I think she said Simin Tav and Mazal Tov) and then the clouds in the sky started to take shape into pictures or images or shapes. And they saw Hashem and Mosiach. And then she lost her shoe and they were outside and Mike said to look up and they saw Hashem and Mosiach in the sky and they saw two airplanes and it was funny she thought they flew away each in an airplane. 

Daddy

We were frustrated at Dorothy for repeated questions and Mike yelled at her from the front seat. "Daddy... why are you being so mean to Dorothy?"

Mommy - Can we buy a new sister?

Taking Stella for a walk while Dorothy had three friends over. We saw three girls- sisters playing on John street and from ahead of me in the stroller she said "Mommy" "Can we buy a new sister?" "Buy a new sister?" "Yes" "Why?" "I don't like Dorothy anymore"

Turned out she was jealous- which she confessed was true - "Im jealous - they didn't want me to play with stinky letters" - about Dorothy's friends.

Pappa emailed to say the deer ate Stella's tomato from his yard

We told her. This is what she said.

"They did? Where?" and went to look outside.  We explained we meant at

your house.  I said "Do you think they liked them?"

"No" she said. "They spit them out.

"Why?"

"Because they had too much cilantro"

As she slurped her cereal...

Eating breakfast this morning first day back from israel - said something

and I laughed - she said with a monotone- "everyone thinks I'm funny"

On the bus in Israel - Grandma was saying something about cute little boys- I no longer remember who she was talking about but said "Arent those boys cute" Stella heard from the front of the bus and said "No they're not" Grandma laughed. "Their not?" Stella said "I am!"

Two sirens. One in Jerusalem one on the way home from Jems. 

New New Jersey

Ian noticed a gap between the Welcome to NJ and Welcome to NY signs on the GWB. He decided to take it over and call it New New Jersey. He plans his own army and taxes and toll booths.

New New Jersey

Ian noticed a gap between the Welcome to NJ and Welcome to NY signs on the GWB. He decided to take it over and call it New New Jersey. He plans his own army and taxes and toll booths.

Wow that's a rocket ship!

Said Stella while we drove on the West Side Hwy and glimpse the Freedom Tower.  In Brooklyn with Tali's kids she for some reason looked at the girls, very tzniut - and asked "Is she Jewish"

Ian is bummng out and veging during a week with no camp - two actually. He had his 13 year check up today - and weighs 105 and is 5"3 1/2.

Daron is in bball camp at City Sports this week with Ariel. Israel Sunday!

Dorothy is doing well - we went to American Girl Doll store yesterday for her doll to have a hair-do. She's been really growing up. Few days this week we wake up and she is up with STella. Either in her bed or once, sitting on the side of the tub reading to Stella while STella as on the toilet.

In the car, Stella heard a song that we had put on Ian's bar mitzvah video and said "That's the baby song" because she remembered it was the song playing on the video when showing pictures of Ian as a baby.

We have been struggling about our trip to Israel- really not worrying too much but a few friends have cancelled. War with Gaza.

Woke me up. I put in eye drops. "That didn't work" she said when I rolled over. "You have to get up and put your feet on the floor and do exercise" 

"Mommy, you live there"

Said Stella as we passed the Rte 4 Starbucks "I live there?"  "Cause you love coffee"

She also screamed at the Dermatologist office "Mommy don't put me in the Alligator" = Elevator.

The boys are in camp and the photos say they are having a good time. It is so quiet without them somehow.

Mike and I just went to Nantucket for my work. We are going to New Hampshire for 4th to see Caleb and his family.

"I think my career is really taking off"

I explained to Dorothy that we could not invite all of her friends to the recital since it is $20 per ticket. She was amazed.

Later that night in bed, legs crossed she looked at me and said, in her mature tone, "I think my career is really starting to take off." - she thought she might even write a song about it.   I agree.

Daron and I ran the JCC and the Tenafly 5Ks. Daron continues to come in under 26 minutes. Just decided to switch to running without ipod and devices for a great Tenalfy fun at 25:30. And I placed 10th in my AG for the first time. Finishing at 28:15 and felt great.

Ian is kicking tush in football and looking great doing it.  Daron made his bar mitzvah video - currently available at www.IanWelfeld.com  - Ian is taller than I am - and growing by the minute.

Stella enjoyed Dorothy's recital and thankfully understood she wasnt supposed to be on stage. Somehow she remembered last year at almost 2 that she had her paci with her. This time I gave her a lollipop. Which was supposed to last all show but she bit into it and saiid "Mommy -mommy - lollipops are for licking not biting" crunch crunch. "So what happened here?" I said. "I biting it."

Dorothy danced beautifully, I know I am not objective and may not have really been looking at anyone else but she really knew the routine and was so poised and I am so proud that she loves being on stage.

She also told me it is important to treat our bodies the way we would treat our friends. That meant giving her hair a lot of praise and I loved to see that.

Hit the Road

This morning when getting ready for school I said to Stella "let's hit the road" - she got very serious and upset and said "Mommy, don't hit the road. Why hit the road? We drive on the road."

This is my story

Dorothy asked one week early in March - "They have a black history month" Do they have a month for me? I asked her why and and she reminded me that on Nick JR. there is a girl who talks about Black history month and her history.

Ian is a teen

It's in his deeper sometimes squeaky voice, the shadow of his upper lip, the maturity he exhibits and in a surprise turn of events, the fun I have hanging out with him.

Dorothy has a small singing "solo" in her chumash play tomorrow - when I asked if she had a microphone she said now. I said "you have to say it loudly so we can hear" and she said "Mommy (incredulously) You know I'm loud"

Disney

Disney was fun.  My surgery 8 weeks behind us, a few chin stitches didn't get in the way (flying candle and a shabbat ER visit for plastic surgery stitches)

I think Stella thinks I am a klutz. I slipped the other day and she said "Mommy you have to be careful."

In the car on the way back from the airport we were all hungry. I had a container of brown rice and black beans with red onion. She was so hungry she let me feed it to her by squashing it into balls in my hand, placing them in hers.

She was enjoying it so much, I thought i would sneak a bite. Ooops, Tired Stella screammmmmmmed for the rest of the ride "NO EAT MY FOOD!!! Spit it OUT!" giving me her hand, screaming at me to spit it out. Oy.

Sad sad day the Friday we got back. Had to put 16-year old Penny to sleep.  I cried more than I imagined I would. Not for her but for us. Ian was soft and sad. Curled around the chair in the vet, understanding he was saying goodbye as he gently pet her. Daron took some fur as a souvenir and Dorothy wrote an "I miss you Penny sign" that now hangs over where her bad was.  Stella, poor Stella doesn't know where Penny went. She keeps asking for her, uncomforted by the words we share- that she went to live with her Mommy. "You Mommy?" she asked? "Daddy take her?"  I tried to talk about Hashem bringing her to her Mommy and fresh out of Sea World Stella blamed Shamu "Shamu take her?"

We vaciliate conversations between the surprise of missing her, thinking we see her tail to flirting with the unrealistic idea of another pet. I asked Mike "Do you really think we will be a pet less family for the next 10 years?" "No" he said.

Ian has been expressing some interest in privacy, individuality and a consistently deadpan sense of humor. It's so funny and fast I hardy catch it - often laughing later. He specializes in sarcasm which endlessly frustrates Dorothy who now requires a "sarcasm alert."

Daron is full of life, curiosity and greatly enjoyed his first subway ride, two taxi rides and a day of pizza, soda, and ice skating with his sweet friend Zach.  

O and those birds? After a day in Magic Kingdom, the kids actually asked if they were "special effects"