Mar 27, 2008

Just Like I Wanted

Our very dear friends have 3 children ages 2, 4, and 6. They have lived in San Diego for 5 1/2 years and we've been close since their son was born 4 years ago. Every time we would go to their house, their Grandma's house, or they came to our house, it was the same thing over and over and over again. Will you read me a book, please? EVERY TIME. Again and again and again. To this day they still gobble books and want the same story read over and over, while the adults talk, during dinner, as soon as you walk in the door.

I remember thinking it was so awesome as I read Jack and the Beanstalk for the 7th time while trying to hold a conversation with an adult or how cool it was that each kid got their own adult to read to them while parents were cooking dinner. We even have a fantastic photo of Shayna sitting on my shoulders looking at the book I am reading to them while Nadiv sits on my lap. It's extremely precious.

I remember wanting my children to want to read so much that TV wasn't the focus and we had to read at dinner and whenever they would need it. My friends weren't specific on what exactly they did to make their kids devout readers. But they have a household full of books and read all the time.

Well, I got exactly what I wanted without knowing exactly how I got here. Hadarya LOVES to read. We were panicked when she was younger because we thought we didn't read enough to her. The other night at dinner she was not having anything to do with her food and kept signing please please please. I picked up the book at the table and she devoured it as she devoured her dinner. It was the tribute book for Rabbi Rosenthal's 20th anniversary! Then yesterday she woke up at 7:00 AM and as soon as she was lifted out of the crib, she got off my lap and picked up a book and insisted I read.

I got what I wanted... a daughter who loves books, turns pages, laughs at funny parts, and soaks it all up. I can't wait for more!

Mar 20, 2008

Fairy Dust for Purim



Tonight was Purim. It is the fun holiday where everyone dresses up in costume, boos at the bad guy in the story, and eats triangular shaped cookies filled with jelly that are supposed to represent the hat the bad guy wore. It is the telling of the story of Esther...the queen who along with her cousin Mordechai saved the Jews from persecution.

Last year Hadarya was 7 months old and as cute as a bug (literally a ladybug for this holiday) and we had a lot of fun with Nana and Savta at Ohr Shalom.



This year we "accidentally" purchased a costume when we were in Arizona two months ago. We were hanging out at the mall with Cousin Janis and went into Ima's favorite store: the Disney Store. Of course one cannot shop without seeking out the sale rack and there was this adorable Tinker Bell costume at 50% off. Who could resist adorable green with purple and gold flecked trip, see through cap sleeves, a skirt of layers with tulle, and wings attached? It was too good to pass up for 12.99. She will have it to play with later on. So I was convinced that Hadarya would be Tinker Bell for 12.99 and we'd have fun at Purim. It was even sweeter when I went to the register and the total was $4.29 including tax!!! Woo Hoo did we ever score.


Fast forward to the big night: TONIGHT. We decided to go to Tifereth Israel this year as they do a huge Purim Spiel and this year it was the Megillah according to the Beatles. We figured it was close to home, earlier, good music that H would like, and we could always cut out and be home quickly if she needed to go to bed.



We dressed up our angel as a fairy and she sprinkled fairy dust on everyone she met. Complete with a gold want (thanks Meltzers) and new sparkly green/purple/gold hair ties. She charmed the pants off everyone who dared cross her path. Then she sat in the front row in our laps for 1 hour enjoying the show. 45 minutes past her bedtime and way over stimulated with cheering, music, dancing, and shaking her grogger, she hit her wall and we left as the closing act finished.


It took awhile to get her to bed. Lots of water, a cup of milk, yogurt (midnight snack on her body time!) and our bed. But look at these photos and dare say it was not worth keeping her up past her bedtime. Go ahead I dare you!















Mar 16, 2008

BFS and AFS

After our whirlwind weekend of simchas, Hadarya woke up at 3:00 AM on Tuesday with a 102.9 fever. We gave her burning, screaming body some tylenol, held her close in our bed, and scrambled our brains with figuring out what to do for Tuesday about work and daycare. She woke up at her usual time 7 AM and was in a great mood with no fever. So, we did the irresponsible thing and sent her to daycare as we couldn't figure out who should stay home and what to do since she seemed fine.

Well, as I posted...it was the irresponsible thing to do as she promptly took a nap after breakfast and woke up at 11 with a 100.7 fever. Yiftach picked her up, brought her home and then brought her to me at 1:30 when my students went home. She was drinking a lot and not so interested in eating, but her fever was somewhat low and so we gave her tylenol and put her to bed at her normal time.

I do not like the nighttime when my daughter is sick. They stink. Hadarya burned up all night long and cried and whined and could not sleep. She wanted out of her crib. Not to be held. Not in our bed. At one point we put our screaming child on the floor in the family room because we were so exhausted from being up every hour and she refused to be held or anything! She cried and screamed for about a minute and then settled into my lap on our couch and fell asleep. I sat on the couch with her for 2 hours and then was able to move into our bed for another 1 1/2. She woke up feverish and sick and we knew we were in for the long haul.

On Wednesday morning Yiftach took her to the doctor because we knew our nephew had been diagnosed with strep throat on Monday (his birthday party was in LA on Sunday) so off they went. Her throat was pink but the doctor said she was too young to get strep. He still did a throat culture that would not be back for 48 - 72 hours.

She had a fever every night for 5 nights of no less than 102.4 and as high as 103.1. There were no other symptoms and no other things that would explain this issue. She drank and drank and drank tons of water and sometimes milk. She began to eat less but still liked applesauce and yogurt.

We were at our wits end by the high fever on Friday night. 5 nights after a days that were ok was just not right. We had our answer on Saturday morning when we called in to get the lab report and it said that the test was positive for strep. After we got over being angry that it took a week of our daughter suffering to get a diagnosis, we had to wait about another 3 hours for the prescription.

The good news is that after 2 doses, our BABY is back!!! She woke up once last night at 3 AM to a very cold house and therefore did end up in our bed. She slept until 7:30...delicious for us! She is funny again. She is eating again. She is sleeping again.

So we divide our week into Before Sick and After Sick.

What a week for us... the best news is that I am on Spring Break and Hadarya is going to daycare to play with her friends. Ahhhh.

Mar 13, 2008

Is it only the middle of March?

What a week we've had. A screaming child at 3:30 AM on Tuesday broke any semblance of normalcy in our household. Burning up at 102.9, we realized we had a sick child. Tylenol and our bed seemed to do the trick because she woke up happy as usual at 7 AM.

SO, being slightly irresponsible parents, we sent her to daycare and we went to school. We haven't been faced with making last minute arrangements for a sick child and this is my last week before a two-week break and open house was also this week.

Needless to say, Miss Alyssa called at 11 AM to say that Hadarya had eaten breakfast, taken a nap for two hours, and had a 100.7 fever. So began our three day saga into the world of a sick toddler.

Tuesday night was the worst after Auntie Kimber put her to bed and she slept well for her. Then we got home from our teaching and board meeting and she woke every hour, became inconsolable at around 3 AM. She cried at her bed, cried at our bed, cried being held, cried being rocked, we finally laid her on the family room floor and let her scream a little. It was terrible and heart wrenching and helpless. She wanted only Ima and only wanted to sit in my lap on the couch. Within 20 minutes she had nodded off that way and slept with blankets around us for 2 hours before moving into our bed.

Wednesday found us at the doctor's office where she was pronounced ok...slightly pink throat and ears but clear lungs and probably something viral. We took a 3 hour nap from 2-5 PM and boy did that feel good.

Today Savta and Grandma took shifts taking care of her so we could go to work. Boy is it good to have family in town! She slept on Yiftach from 8:30 - 9:30 and then 11 - 12:45 in her crib. She laughed all afternoon and played independently and did not ask for her video. She went to bed at 7:30 and is sleeping soundly...Oh, did i just right that???? I should have learned that could mean I jinxed myself. I hope not. She is going to school tomorrow.

: ) Whew, I am so glad spring break begins at 2:30 PM.

Mar 10, 2008

March Madness Has Begun

We kicked off March with a crazy filled weekend in two cities and several parties.

We began with a fun filled dinner at Corvette's Diner to celebrate Maital's 2nd birthday. Then we hustled to services for the Simcha Shabbat at Tifereth where Hadarya had a ball playing with all the kids, singing, and dancing, and running around.

Shabbat we spend at Ella's bat mitzvah at Ohr Shalom. She was wonderful, the shul was packed, and Hadarya took an early AM nap in her fancy party dress. When she woke up she enjoyed Shuli Shabbat (a special tot shabbat program) and made a beautiful torah breastplate. After a buffet lunch with festive colors and balloons, we were off to Los Angeles so Hadarya could nap in the car (she did for over 2 hours!) and we spent a delightful evening with our cousins Marsha and Wayne. They spoiled Hadarya something fierce and delighted in her giggles and joy. She fell asleep in my arms at 7:30 and went right down in her pack and play for the night. : ) Happy Kid and Happy Parents.

Sunday morning found us at our nephew's 4th birthday party at an indoor play area. Hadarya has never been before and was she in heaven. She didn't know what to do first! Many of the toys were too big for her, but she loved running around and trying things.

The party ended at noon and we were back in the car for her nap and trip to San Diego to make it to Maital's birthday party. That was a fun music themed party and Hadarya painted, did spin art (became a grogger for Purim) and danced with the tamborine. It was a wonderful weekend and we were glad to be home in the extra daylight hours.