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.

Hurricane Sandy.

Hurricane Sandy. Monday -Friday with no power, followed by a snow storm mini blackout. What a way to end October.

We were cold but fine, Stella took to running through the house in a flashlight in the dark.

Daron is now on Twitter. One kid won't talk to his classmates in the street, the other is prepared to tweet to the world. Couldn't love them both more. So endlessly fascinated by our kids.

Stella loves her siblings. Says "EEEEEEan, Daaaden, Darty and Mommea and Debbie and Daddy" and she laughs and now yells and runs around like an energizer bunny.

Dorothy decided to cut bangs. She also thought of the song "I won't give up on you" and hopefully her class will sing a song, do a project and share with a class deeply harmed by Sandy.

Jets struggling which is hard on Mike.

The other day Dorothy handed me papers from school but it was in the morning rather than evening before  "This is from yesterday. If you see tomorrows in here it means today."

Its October

Daron is 9.  Funny and 9.  And smart. And so funny- snarky really.  He is enjoying 3rd grade so far, he and Ian are still close as ever and he got that crazy flying fish from Caleb and Stephanie for his birthday.

Ian is in E2K, got accepted to a special science and math and made the Yavneh hockey team!  We are so excited, probably more than he is. We did just miss his first TABC hockey game tonight.

Dorothy is making some new friends at school. Her biggest fears are lunch (how could I give her things like pancakes and cereal in a bag for lunch- those are breakfast foods!- and the laughing boy - a mysteriuos kid who laughed at her at lunch? but he's handsome? not sure).  Also walking down the hall after the bus.  A teacher named Victoria seems to have been assigned to get Dorothy to and from the bus.

Stella.  Bella. Stella Bella. Bells, or per Ian .. "fleishnik" -- the bookends are adorable buddies.  A lot of the time, she prefers to the kids to us. She has said versions of "E" "Daden" and "Darty" before "mommy" although today I am "Mamey" -- she also says eyes, ears, nose, belly - or can point to them and head and diaper and her vocabulary is really growing! Except when Ian reads books to her in a jibberish that sounds like Russian and always includes "chicken flakes".

I am in a whole foods phase for the past few months. It should probably be noted.