A week or so later

Yikes, it's been a while since my last post. (Must keep up the writing)
Lately Gavriel Zev has successfully, but still rare and intermittantly been saying "Abba, Abba!!!", followed by looking at me with a be, conspiratorial grin.
That is about it for words these days. Jennifer says he is waiting to speak when he feels he can do it mistake-free. Right now, his vocabulary consists of saying "Da... da....da..." as he looks at some point of interest. I'm guessing the word 'da' means 'that'.
Naomi Rivka lately is being a little more pesty, whenever she notices GZ getting any attention.
Elisheva is crying and dispensing lots of sarcasm lately, especially when she is stressed. (But any and everything stresses 13 year old girls)
Yerachmiel Meir defends every accusation against him as if his life depended on it.
I also learned today that not only does he claim that his school is hellish, but also his home-life with us is equally hellish. (What? I thought we were good parents?? Kind and considerate and all that???) Jennifer says he tends toward hyperbolic statements and she doesn't necessarily beleive him when he is ranting like that.
What to do?

The kidz are alright

Spent two or three glorious hours sleeping last night with a coughing GZ and a fidgety Naomi Rivka with her earache. Then later at work today, almost fell asleep driving on the 403.
YM went on and on about how he wants to go to another school, a more normal school with kids his own age. I asked if he hung around his old classmates at shul, to sort of see how he relates to kids who really are his age, and he was lying when he said he did. He'd rather play ball with his ten year old buddies. Relating to other 14 year olds, forget it.
ECH's teacher called and told J how she is messing up at school. J suggests that she be cut off from non-academic activities for awhile.
What a day to be a parent.

Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes

Yesterday I tested GZ by saying, "Where is your head?"
He'd then touch his head.
"Where is your mouth?"
Touch his mouth.
"Where are your ears?"
Touch his ears.
"Where is your mouth?"
Touch his mouth.
"Where is your nose?"
Touch the nose.
No matter where I asked, he knew what I was asking about.
Not bad for a kid who still doesn't speak, if he can help it. Jennifer says he is just waiting until he can talk perfectly, which is weird, but kind of makes sense too. We both figure that one day, he'll start babbling away as if he had always done so.

First Steps

Gavriel took his first two steps a few days ago, sort of falling into my arms as he stepped. But yesterday he took FOUR falling into my arms steps. Wow.

What does a lion say?

J is home, resting (sleeping) this afternoon, along with the two Littles.
GZ has never been so happy to get his nummies back and Naomi didn't want to leave the house (and be out of sight of Mommy) even to go across the street to Mrs. Vivki's class.
Tonight is Pizza night!!!!
Supper's this week have been easy, thanks to Orit on Monday for the Chili and to J's frum friend last night for the chicken/beef/potato dinner. I only slaughtered some Gnocci on Tuesday night. How can someone ruin gnocci? Like, I am a really great cook usually. It's these time sensitive cooking that gets me, especially when I am taking care of two babies.
Gavriel now growls whenever you ask him what a lion says.

I am so relieved that the baby bottle Orit lent us actually satifies Gavriel's need for nummies. With Jennifer in the hospital, getting him calm first thing in the morning was tricky today.
Naomi has been yelling her head off today, so I've had to rein her in a bit.
YM is agreeable and accommodating. What a welcome change. I tend to want to jump on him about stuff that he does that bothers me, but I am trying to take astep back and imagine what I would do if I were a nice person. Then I do that thing. It seems to work.
ECH, is a smart-mouth, self-centered 12 year old. Argh. "I need $55 tomorrow for school or I can't go to the _______" What a pain.
Jennifer called to say the operation must have went well. She blacked out and missed it all. She is resting and content.
Zaidy called from the hospital and finally got to talk to a real person instead of voicemail the last two times. He said he would be out of there on Friday. Same as Jennifer. Time for a reunion?
Called home and talked to Dad about cancer. He has a hernia, but the doctors there won't operate because apparently that type of operation will kill him right away. Gak! How much time does my Dad have left anyway????

Well, Jennifer is in the hospital for her belly-button operation and I am here with all four kiddies for the next four days! Er... yikes!
How the heck am I going to keep control of all this????
I promised myself that I would a assume a calm, caring persona for the next four days, which I think I can do. Any problems that arise, the kids will be freaked out at how reasonable, yet firm, that I am! (Yeah... right!)
Good luck to me and I'll keep you posted.

On Friday morning I gave Gavriel his usual handful of Cheerios on his highchair tray and when I was returning with a banana, he shrieked, waved his arms like crazy, saying a very clear "'nana!"

Jennifer told Gavriel to call me saying "Abba!" (It's time for bed)
I stood outside the doorway, out of sight and heard him say " 'Ba!", which is the first real time he has said my name. Now that is a priceless moment.

The new start

I'm trying to keep a record of all the important things that happen in this family throughout the year. I meant to start this after Yom Kippur, but only now got around to it.
So what important thing has occurred today.
Nothing really.