The big news around here

Avi is 4. He announces new things daily, such as, "I don't need to sleep with a stuffy anymore," or "I don't need waves at night anymore." I try to meet these announcements with outward equanimity, but on the inside, my mouth is hanging open and I'm having a virtual "Dude!" moment with Leeor. Dude. The boy has changed so much in only the past month or so.
He enjoyed his celebrations--3 officially. First there was his actual birthday, February 8, which fell, this year on a Jewish holiday called Tu b'shvat. It's like Arbor day--sort of . But there was a seder at his school so we couldn't have his birthday circle (a Gan Shalom specialty) that day. It didn't stop Avi from announcing his birthday to all his pals and (possibly) thinking that the seder was at least partly in his honor. Okay, I felt that way, too.


Sweet, sweet Lilit. Finding her own place in the family, though it feels she has always been an integral member. Where were we without her?

She now refuses to sit in her booster chair and wants to be like the rest of the big kids at the table. Which means I have to park myself beside her as there have been a few spills in the past.
One of Avi's bffs from school on a park date. It's been great to connect with his mama, too.
A tea party. Pajamas optional. There was real sugar in the dish until I caught Avi spooning it into his mouth. The kid would mainline sugar if he could!
And Lilit would mainline broccoli. How do kids get to be so different?
Leeor needs to have a guest post here entitled, Saturdays with the kids--they have such fun adventures on the days I work at the hospital. Here they are at the Oakland Zoo.

The kids have been loving all our neighbors. March 1 marks one year since we landed in this house. It's been so good to be here. These girls help their parents raise chickens, which I'm excited for my kids to be a peripheral part of (read, and I don't have to do all the work).
Lilit and I continue to be in a love space together. I am enjoying her snuggli-ness, her charm, even her wild moods. She's a bit like a premenstrual teenager sometimes. When we sit together and nurse, I hope that the closeness we share now will linger over us in the seemingly distant future of her adolescence. I hope that we have an unbreakable bond, that she will trust and confide in me. I'm almost certain she will.

Avi's sense of humor is more refined and he definitely favors slapstick. He has been more social than ever and goes in phases of intense friendship with various classmates; for a few weeks, it was these two brothers.
Before them, it was a little girl with whom he got into some mischief. We get periodic updates with photos from the school director, which I really appreciate. To be a fly on the wall during his school day! It was great to spend time there for his birthday circle and also the Tu b'shvat seder. Avi seemed to love having his parents there, too--while cutting fruit in the school kitchen, I overheard him telling his pals that his mommy was at school. He sounded so pleased!

Birthday circle at Gan Shalom; birthday party at home.

We had Avi's birthday party with family and friends and neighbors. It was low-key and pretty fun for a kids' party. The high point was that our friends and former share-care family from the city brought a jumpy house. Their parents bought one for their girls and it's a mini, so only 3 or 4 kids can go in at a time but not only did they bring and bust it out in our backyard, they stood in the damp, chilly afternoon and directed the kids smoothly. It was a huge hit, as were the cupcakes made lovingly by Safta.

The last birthday celebration was at his school. They do a sweet birthday circle during which they tell the "story" of Avi's birth, which includes a bit about his parents (eg, "baby Melissa and baby Leeor grew up and met and got married," etc). It's very touchy feely and all I could do to not bawl my eyes out while Avi walked around the circle of his peers holding photos of himself at ages baby, one, two and three while the kids ooh'd and ahh'd.

We told Avi how lucky he is to have 2 grandmothers and 2 grandfathers, all of whom attended his birthday party. He loves his grandparents!
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These days, the kids are pal-ing around more and more. Sometimes Avi goes into Lilit's room upon waking in the morning (which is unfortunate, as she usually sleeps later that he does) because he wants someone to play with. She continues to worship her big brother but is also entering her two year old self more and more, which means big protests, loud cries of "Doe!" which means no, and intermittent screams. She is soulful as ever, more flirty and outgoing.

Just as passionately as she began using the potty, she has stopped. Ah well. I knew it was too good to be true. But Avi keeps doggedly using the potty, though he occasionally wants a pull-up. He muses about which friends may wear pullups at night, which friends need help wiping.

Avi and Lilit are at such a fun place right now. As we move forward, I feel less rigid and also like I compare them less and less. We just enjoy what we have. There will always be difficult times, but the family feels like a solid, complete unit from which I draw much strength, love and joy. What emanates outward from this grounded place is celebration with our extended family and friends. Avi's birthday was a great opportunity to soak it all in.