Chess Tournaments

The boys have learned chess. Really learned to play chess. And we have competitive tournaments (where they often beat me before moving on to each other and then Daddy.) The pride I feel when I look into the play room and see the boys playing chess is amazing. Especially when other boys fight with each other so often - I hope that for the rest of their lives these two enjoy challenging each other with respect.

Rory has been dealing with some colds but is as funny as ever. She is totally potty trained besides naps and nights (mostly because I am not ready)

Soem funny things:
When she bumps into something she says “Sorry” automatically.

When she sings Old MacDonald, she sings "Old Mc Honald" and does it often - she sings everything often and loudly- rarely stops speaking!

Heart Broken...

Daron had a rough two days. He gets pretty angry sometimes. I think this was a hard two days - Rory demands a lot of attention and that makes him mad - especially since we give in to her. He was getting frustrated with Ian on a few things and to make matters worse, Ian had a sleepover tonight which makes Daron feel sad. We had some nice Mommy Daron time tonight over the Triops.

But midday when I thought he needed to hear it- I said "Do you know how much I love you D?"

He had a food full of chicken nugget so I thought I heard him wrong when he said "Heart broken" I said "What?" He said it again.
I had him come closer to me and I said what does that mean. He said "love me so much your heart is so big it could break" - or something like that. I couldnt believe it.

So why do you still have them?

Was hanging with D the other day and he stuck his hand down my shirt- just innocently like he sometimes hugs me or pulls my hair. He was surprised to find clevage (I was wearing a sports bra) and jumped back and said "what's that?" Before i could answer he said "Is that where the milk comes from?"
"Yes"
"Do you still make milk"
"No, Dorothy is bigger now"
"So why do you still have those?"

At Woodloch

We are at Woodloch with Grannie Annie and Saba Josh, Kiva and Samara and Zack and Melissa and Jordyn.

Ian asked the best question in the world today. Apparently during Innaguartion of Obama - during which the whole family was moved- Grannie Annie took a moment to hone in on racism of the past etc. Among the things she said was that black people used to have to sit on the back of the bus and white people in the front and Ian looked at her seriously and asked which she was then. People really have to stop teaching and let kids figure some things out on their own.

Daron is having a BIG moment - I bought him the first BOB book series and he has read 4 of the books and the pride is oozing out of his ears. Now, in a bed next to Ian who is reading, Daron is sounding out words and finishing one book after another. I am just as proud as he is- especially Daron the middle child - the one who doesnt always get as much of our unrequested attention. Thankfully we are blessed with a middle child who knows how to demand attention.

Dorothy and Jordyn are adorable together- somehow really enjoying each other and playing together so cutely. And today, even sleeping in the same room - comfortable and loving the company of a peer for them. There are no words- it is like Ian and Daron and so great for her to have a relative friend.

Feel very blessed to have this trip. We miss Omi and Alan very much. But all things for a reason.

"No, it's a rock"

First time she peed and pooped in the toilet she insisted it was a rock. There was nothing I coudl do to change her mind. But she has now done it twice and I am pretty excited since she seems to hate wearing a diaper these days.

Two year birthday was fantastic - she had three - first mike's family at our house then at her school and then at Grannie Annie house with that fam. She sang herself Happy Birthday hundreds of times, it is her favorite song and just enjoyed it all.

She has to have tubes put back in - that part stinks.

The boys are great.They are lego masters. Both had fantastic report cards (despite the fact that we hear Ian is very shy in class.) We are emensly proud. Very blessed.

Mike just told me that tonight, past bedtime Ian came into our room and told Mike that he really wanted to read another chapter of his book but knows that he can't/ Mike gave him the go ahead for one more and I couldnt be happier that he wants to sneak in more reading.

Daron is a star in school - still we are told he is so mature. And tonight!!! He ate a hotdog!!!!

Update

Harder to update these days - have to sneak it in.

Daron cried last night- it was however, one of my favorite moments. He opened up - raw. Usually - he combats- he puts up a gaurd or begs, whines. Last night - he cried because he had literally eaten the cuff of the sleeve off of his favorite black shirt with football. We havent quite figured out the shirt eating habit. Tried making him stop, tried saying "no big deal" tried joking around. But last night he was so upset that his shirt was broken and after I cut off the cuffs (sleeves were long) he later walked over to talk about it but I could see he was near tears. One hug and he broke down. He said he needs to chew his shirt all day. But he didnt want to.

Called Yavneh today and in this day and age the "need for sensory input in the jaw" is very real and recongnized and rewarded with... gum chewing in class. Bravo. But D was very happy to hear it and I hope rewarded to know that if he opens up to us, maybe we can help.


Ian is doing great in school - seconod grade - amazing. Much better year academically than last year but he is shy in school. English teacher said he and Mikey sit next to eachother and do not speak all day. Made us laugh. He is a good kid- maybe shy which I dont relate to but we were very proud. I am mostly proud because he listens at home and seems to treat teachers and friends with respect. Hope he is having fun too.
Today he had a special lunch with clako and a few other kids. Was supposed to draw him out - small group of kids etc. He told us "had to go with ms gail for luncha nd tell her our names and what we do in recess. then we missed half of recess"

Rory - she sings, all day - sings everything. And loves now to play with baby dolls. Had her very first play date yesterday with Tamar (tamari) who I got to speak Hebrew too. Was really fun and kinda funny - I had little cars to offer them but really wasnt sure what to do with little girls on a play date.
And then this... replied to a Readers Digest story:

Hi Linda,



You have done your homework. Not only that  if you plug it in to any of those cool name wizards  it shows such an amazing spike in the 20s and then a total flatline now.

It is now considered totally unusual.



What kind of response? Well- we have gotten angry, surprised, curious, polite, intrigued and are you insane? We have also heard charming I love those old names cute and mostly why?



Many people have asked if I have an obsession with Wizard of Oz.



The answer is that it was my grandmothers name. I was very, very close with her and she was kindness, dignity, beauty, smarts, and love. We struggled for a long time with whether or not to name her Dorothy or just use the D and select a more popular or more modern-sounding name. Thankfully we had nine months to struggle with it. But I have to admit that even in the hospital, after signing the birth certificate, I actually cried for about a day or two wondering if we were wrong to do it. I credit my husband, who did not particularly like the name for deciding we should go for it.



We actually call her Rory as a nickname (particularly when she was an infant) and the family members who least favor Dorothy call her Rory all of the time (in-lawsJ). Often I find myself calling her just Roar. Her brothers call her baby even though she is almost 2. My brother calls her Dot. But she calls herself Dorothy and says it with such glee and such pride and such joy that I am happy every single day that we named her Dorothy. Not only is it a wonderful reminder of my grandmother every day but it has become a totally adorable name and I love it.



In her room hangs a favorite black and white photo of my grandmother and I know no other name would have suited my little Dorothy.

Shapes, colors and songs...

Dorothy practices talking. She practices a lot and she is getting very good at it.
She also knows all of her shapes, colors, lots and lots of songs (with some interesting lyrics.) she will be 2 in two months and she is a riot.