Siri and Stella

Stella talks to Siri. The other day she asked Siri a question and Siri responded with Whole Foods locations like she was in on a joke with Mike. 

We ran the Ridgewood Run yesterday. Ian had a baseball game which he won so he could not join us. Grannie Annie placed #2! I ran my fastest at 28:13. Dorothy ran a mile in 10!

And Daron... 

It is so symbolic- this running. This running, me trying to catch up to Daron, knowing I can't see him but there he is up ahead racing his little legs with such determination...

"I'm going to run a marathon you know..."

Daron ran the Yavneh 5K in 25:50.  He finished and asked when he could run again.  We signed up for the Rubin Run at JCC and he finished in 25:06.  And asked when he could run again. Mind you, I have not been able to walk after these runs, running on the street is really tough on my knees- but I cry during the first quarter mile just knowing he is up ahead. It is so inspiring and such a very very proud moment.

Grannie Annie and Saba Josh have run with us and placed 2nd and 3rd in their age groups. I finished 29:30 in the Rubin Run.

We finished our kitchen except for some decor elements. Looks great! Loving cooking in it.
The kids got used to seeing lots of people working in the house. Mike Wazzi the installer was leaving tonight and Dorothy came down to say bye - she talked to him about how he learned to build like that etc. and then later while brushing her teeth she saw she had some chocolate on her lips. She said "That wasn't there when I was talking to Mike, right?!!" - I had to pretend to dry my hands when I turned to laugh.

Guitar lessons have begun. It is hard and slow but she looks so very cool with a guitar.

Ian is rocking 6th grade, so proud of him and he is such a good, good kid. They are at a baseball game tonight. Sunday was a long, long hockey tournament and I am dreading him leaving for camp.  He is so wonderful with Stella.

Stella - so cute - I say all the time "I eat you" because I really feel like I could eat her up. She is very sweet, very funny and a bit of a dare-devil. She is madly insanely in love with her siblings and gives them tons of hugs and giggles all the time. They are wonderful with her and I enjoy taking her to and from school.

GoAwayPleaseSorry

The word explosion is so fast and furious -three and four word sentances come and we can understand so many of them.
In shul yesterday for Pesach when shul was nearly over Stella said "All Done" loud enough to be heard for quite some way.

I adore her and all of them more every day. On the second day of Yom Tov mike was in shul and they were all in the room with me as I was putting her to bed. Best time. Each brought in something to entertain her - Ian diapered kirby with cars inside, Daron brought in Yogi and rode on the rocking hourse and Dorothy brought in her American Girl Doll.


The kids are only too happy to celebrate poopy parties with her since she has all but trained herself.

Ian is on Instagram and largely very funny. Though one repost about grades and weed being high led to an interesting conversation where I saw how naive we still are.  He said a sweet thing the other day - was looking at job options and was concerned about being a sports agent and never being home. I can only hope that the fun we have here is inspiration not to miss out on his own family one day.

Parent teacher night was bliss. The teachers each told me how amazing Ian is. Such a great kid, smart, kind, nice. I was truly shepping.
Daron - the teachers practically threw me out - telling me there was nothing to discuss -he is a dream.

Dorothy and I are reading the unabridged version of The Little Princess. And loving it. It provides a nice, quiet way for us to bond.  She sings and dances and poses 24/7.

Purim was fun too.

The other night she told me quite seriously "I need a guitar. " And then airguitared to show me. "Yeah. I need a guitar and guitar lessons."

Help you

One of my favorite first sentences is "help you" which means "help me" but it is just the cutest - no matter the child.

Woodloch was great but as is tradition - sleepless. This time Stella had croup and kept us up all night - but was so sweet in the middle of the night.  Coughin and coughing and saying thngs like "tissue" "man" "help you" and then coming into bed with us and giving me her hand and saying "kircle" where she means I should draw little circles inside the palm of her hand. I was endlessly happy to do so though so tired I could do little more. We spent some time in the shower steam room and with so much family around - shabbos was no problem as mike and I even got in a nap on the couch.

Kiva brought up Wendy.  

The big kids had a great time and as usual didnt feel ready to leave. The first day of the week of vacation we went to an Islander game with the big kids which was a lot of fun and then yesterday to see Parental Guidance. Today Saba Josh took them to see Wreck It Ralf and to lunch. They will get to veg the last two days of vacation. It's not Hawaii but it will do.

Zack was sick and in bed, in a room all weekend. 

Dorothy's birthday party in December was amazing - great dance party. She can wiggle like its her business. 

Bailey's bat mitzvah rocked. Like literally. 

Most famous onion cutter in the school

Dorothy turns six today.  Impossible to believe, except when I look at pictures of myself 6 years ago and see I am clearly a half decade older.

She is still a party in a person. Before Channukah at school the kids helped prep latkes. Dorothy had the job of cutting onions. She came home and told me she was the most famous person in the school for cutting onions - apparently she did a great job.  I thanked the teacher for making her feel good about it..."Lo that's hilarious! I showed her how to cut them and you know dorothy- she woul not let up until every last piece was chopped to perfection!"

Daron dressed as Steve Jobs for a school project where they had to read a biography.  He looked so handsome in black turtleneck and jeans and he even brought an apple to school and took a bite.  He was totally energized by learning all about the different characters.

He also did Run for Fun in school this year. Where he and other kids ran during recess. Tons of kids ran 2 miles or 5. Only 2 kids ran a marathon over the course of the weeks. Daron and Leah Zackson. Love it. 

Ian is getting more than 90 on most of his test, juggling hockey and middle school and friends with grace. His sense of humor continues to be like mikes. Quiet but hilarious. The other day I hugged Stella and said outloud what I was thinking.. ."How crazy would it have been like if we never had you" - Ian who was in the playroom heard me and said "A little less." _ I didn't hear him - thought he was talking about something else and asked - "What"  "Probably a little less crazy" he said, which was so funny. And even more so because he bursts with love for her. She pats his head and gives him kisses and finds a way to sit with him.

Daron drives her around in a car and she puts on sunglasses. He also plays football with her. Stella plays hockey with both boys. And the girls are developing a sisterly bond- although Dorothy gets insulted if Stella doesnt want to do just as told.

MIke and I went to Florida for our anniversary.  Swimming with dolphins and hiking and kyacking in the Everglades was probably my favorite adventure ever. 

She pees, He Tweets, She parties, He pucks

Stella still asking to pee. She has expanded her vocabulary and it is adorable. Kuby (kirby) GutDob (Good Job) EEEEEEn (Ian) and the other kids plus a firm "noooooo"

Daron is on Twitter.  @dwelfeld. Password is hippohippo which is tender and ironic given one of his first tweets was @IDF Gaza is going down. Despite the brazen tweet, most of his tweets blend snarky with kiddy and I am in awe.  I love the he wants to hear and be heard.  Please @Jets tweet back.

Dorothy had a Princess party because of a House Party kit I got through work> Rachel, Eliana, and the Tabuouche twins were here and it was sweet.

Ian and Daron rocked back to school teacher conferences. So proud of them.

Sunday looked like this:

Parent teacher conferences (many)
Flu Shot
Shiva visit
Parent teacher conferences
Basketball
Hockey
Princess Party
Ian homework

Wouldnt have it any other way

Stella peed!

Every night before the bath I put her on the toilet and count to 10. Tonight, at 3, there was pee!  15 months. I think she was pretty surprised.

Tonight was parent night at Dorothys dancing school. Daron and Stella came because MIke waws pickign up hockey.

Stella loved the dancing and marched around the room saying hi to people and other babies. Daron looked at me and said "She's speed dating" - huh? How did he get that term?

We started turning off the hallway light so I can sleep better and Dorothy keeps asking me why I can't sleep when it is too sunny.