Today I realized that we are making progress in the parenting scheme of things. For the 3rd day in a row S went to Gan very nicely. Hurray! I can now quit feeling guilty.....at least about this one thing for now. I think he even likes it there, today he talked about all the friends he played with and that makes me feel really good.
The twins are also making progress. I realized that on Friday they will be 4mo. old and that they are on their way to bigger and better things. They are actually grabbing things, no thanks to mommy's help. I actually had friends both yesterday and today hand them something and they took it! At least for a few minutes. Y is much more into grabbing things, but what he really likes to grab are his hands. M is still more interested in watching than doing. However, she is more active in trying to sit up then Y is. Also if M is on her back and wants up she will push up, like when a person lays on the floor and then pushes up into a back bend. In that area Y is much more passive and is content to hang out. But they both wiggle a lot and I have to watch out as they have both launched themselves out of places I thought they were safe! I am also buckling them into the stroller these days or they will squirm right out! At this point I think M will be more active and Y more passive, but it is hard to say as both can be very active. But I have noticed that at least at this point Y is a morning person and M is a night person. It takes much longer to get M down at night and Y will wake up in the morning and just be content to hang out. He does not really want to nurse a lot, he just wants to hang out.
In some ways, I feel I have made progress too. I feel I am more tuned into my kids needs now. I don't feel I was always as tuned into what S wanted and needed. That was hard. I knew the basics, but I feel now I am more aware. It doesn't always mean I am good at acting on it, but it helps out. With the twins I feel I am really tuned in. I don't know if it because I have to be or I have more time to be or if it is just because after having 3 kids I have learned a few things! Of course it also helps that twins are getting older and even at 4 mo. it makes a difference from when they were newborns.
In other progressing news, my hebrew is coming along. We had another session Tuesday and we not only covered banking but basic words like, shirt, shoes, potty chair, etc. I am excited to be studying and I hope some of it sticks. But I am also excited to just get out and have somewhere to go a couple of days a week. I like having adult conversation and being out of my house and because my study partner is sometimes house bound because of health issues, she likes the company too. It is a good time for both of us. Her kids are home schooled so we get lots of extra help with babies too. But I really like having somewhere to go and some one to meet with. Although we have a lot of friends here, I have few people I can call on just to go over and hang out. Usually we see people at functions or just for shabbat meals. So it is nice having that kind of relationship with someone here. I do have a couple of other friends like that, but they are usually busy during the day since all their kids are in Gan or grade school so that is hard. It is one of the things I need to work on here. But those thoughts will have to wait another day. But I am making progress!
Shana Tova (Happy New Year!)
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Monday, September 18, 2006
Success!
Shmuely finaly went to Gan today without so much as a complaint! I an not sure what did it. However, it seemed to make all the difference that I told him I am going to my hebrew study group today, just like he is learning hebrew in Gan. Maybe he felt that was a worthy cause to be left at Gan, or maybe he feels we are in the same boat. I am not sure. However, I am very grateful because I was up all last night with Y because he was running a fever. I think it is from his teeth. But at any rate he was up apporximately every two hours last night. To say the least, mommy was a bit fried this morning!
As for the study group I am learning hebrew with a friend from the neighborhood. Today we mostly spent visiting and playing with the twins, but we went through our collective materials and went over some vocabulary relating to banking. Very useful. Tomorrow we will be focusing more on the hebrew and will be going over the banking end of things.
I am off to do laundry and dishes before I have to S from Gan.
Have a good day!
As for the study group I am learning hebrew with a friend from the neighborhood. Today we mostly spent visiting and playing with the twins, but we went through our collective materials and went over some vocabulary relating to banking. Very useful. Tomorrow we will be focusing more on the hebrew and will be going over the banking end of things.
I am off to do laundry and dishes before I have to S from Gan.
Have a good day!
Sunday, September 17, 2006
To the New Year
On Friday night we celebrate the Jewish New Year. It is a time of reflection, not only because it is a major religious holiday, but because it marks another passage of time. As the new year arrives I reflect on where I was a year ago both in my religious observance and in my personal life. A year ago I did not realize I was pregnant, even though I was. We had, had some friends of my husband's out for shabbat. It was a big party as my husband was switching from a Yeshiva to a Kollel and his friends threw a party for him to celebrate. All was well until motzei shabbat and I felt horrible all of a sudden. Soon after the whole family was sick. It took me about 2 weeks to realize I did not have what everyone else did! Last year we had a family of 3, now we have 5! With children, each new year is really a marker. I think back to when I was pregnant with our first child, then to the first year with a child, etc. It is exciting to see our oldest grow and enjoy the holidays more with each passing year as he begins to understand bits and pieces. Now we will have a new experience with the twins this year!
I think not only has this past year been a year in which our family has grown, but I feel that spiritualy I have accomplished a lot. I feel I have put more trust and faith in Hashem this year than in years past. It is freeing, because at some point I realized that once I have done what I can, it is no longer up to me. I can relax, instead of saying, "what if...." I now realize that all things happen for a reason and "what if..." didn't happen because it wasn't meant too. Although I know that some people in my life feel that my becoming religious has limited my life, I actually feel that it has broadend my life. There are many things I never would have experienced if I had remained in my former habits. Although there are things I miss, I still find a way to keep the important things close to me and fill in the holes with new things.
And speaking of new things...on to a different topic. S is into his third week of Gan and he is still having trouble adjusting. However, I feel more confident now that I am on the right track. I had a good conversation with his Gannenet from last year and she said that although he is one of the youngest, he should do fine. She agreed that it was a hard to call whether to send a child his age up to the next level or hold him back, but felt confident he would do OK in the end. The cut off is Channukah, his birthday is just two weeks before that cut off. So he really is one of the youngest, in the class. In fact I am not so sure who is under him except for one other boy who b-day is the day after his. I have decided that I will keep him in until the end of Dec. and if he still hates it I will pull him out and put him back in private Gan for another year. This gives us time to see where the problem is and how to help him adjust with reasonable time for re-evaluation.
On a side note, the twins are wonderful and getting bigger every day! They will be 4 months on Friday and it is hard to believe. Y is such a rollypolly and loves to smile and coo! He has such an innocence about him. M is long and lean and she likes to talk. She seems to have a more wisened air about her, much like S did when he was born. It is interesting with M I have noticed to birthmarks, one she has had literally since birth and it is a mark of three little indents on her chest, like someone poked her with a fork. The other just developed and it is a beige mark on her stomach. Someone told me that scars from past lives can show up on the new body. Although in Judaism there is a deep belief in past lives, I am not sure I believe that aspect, but it does make wonder just where she has been in the past. Would make for a great piece of fiction perhaps.
OK it is late here and I am missing out on sleep to post this blog.
Have a sweet and wonderful New Year.
Shana Tova!
I think not only has this past year been a year in which our family has grown, but I feel that spiritualy I have accomplished a lot. I feel I have put more trust and faith in Hashem this year than in years past. It is freeing, because at some point I realized that once I have done what I can, it is no longer up to me. I can relax, instead of saying, "what if...." I now realize that all things happen for a reason and "what if..." didn't happen because it wasn't meant too. Although I know that some people in my life feel that my becoming religious has limited my life, I actually feel that it has broadend my life. There are many things I never would have experienced if I had remained in my former habits. Although there are things I miss, I still find a way to keep the important things close to me and fill in the holes with new things.
And speaking of new things...on to a different topic. S is into his third week of Gan and he is still having trouble adjusting. However, I feel more confident now that I am on the right track. I had a good conversation with his Gannenet from last year and she said that although he is one of the youngest, he should do fine. She agreed that it was a hard to call whether to send a child his age up to the next level or hold him back, but felt confident he would do OK in the end. The cut off is Channukah, his birthday is just two weeks before that cut off. So he really is one of the youngest, in the class. In fact I am not so sure who is under him except for one other boy who b-day is the day after his. I have decided that I will keep him in until the end of Dec. and if he still hates it I will pull him out and put him back in private Gan for another year. This gives us time to see where the problem is and how to help him adjust with reasonable time for re-evaluation.
On a side note, the twins are wonderful and getting bigger every day! They will be 4 months on Friday and it is hard to believe. Y is such a rollypolly and loves to smile and coo! He has such an innocence about him. M is long and lean and she likes to talk. She seems to have a more wisened air about her, much like S did when he was born. It is interesting with M I have noticed to birthmarks, one she has had literally since birth and it is a mark of three little indents on her chest, like someone poked her with a fork. The other just developed and it is a beige mark on her stomach. Someone told me that scars from past lives can show up on the new body. Although in Judaism there is a deep belief in past lives, I am not sure I believe that aspect, but it does make wonder just where she has been in the past. Would make for a great piece of fiction perhaps.
OK it is late here and I am missing out on sleep to post this blog.
Have a sweet and wonderful New Year.
Shana Tova!
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Well it has finally happened! It is 2:30 in the afternoon, my kids are all sleeping and I am awake! So I am taking this time to blog instead of do laundry and the like. What fun is that?
Most of my thoughts are focused on the life and times of my 2+ year old son. He seems to be updating the latest addition on the book, "How to be a Two Year Old and Getting the Most of the Terrible Two's!" This isn't a book, but it should be. And it should be written by my little man. To give him credit, being two is not easy. I read that two year olds have quick mood swings and that is normal. I think it must be because, they are not babies, but they are not really big enough to do much on their own. Plus they are learning all kinds of new things like potty training and how to clean up after themselves in a basic way. To add insult to injury, Shmuely is also learning how to share mommy after almost 2 years straight of one-on-one attention. Although he does love Y&M it is a bit rough on him. And now for the clincher, this week we started Gan. Last year he went to Gan, but it was only a couple of days a week, a smaller class and the teacher spoke english. Now we have 30 kids, 6 days a week and it is all hebrew. Except one Gannenet does speak english. Whew! What a relief for mommy. On the one hand, I feel bad sending him to Gan, it is not mandatory(though I don't one person who doesn't do it) and I am not working so it is not like I have to send him. On the other, what on earth is he going to do at home all day with me, while I take of Y&M? I don't want him spending the rest of his life in a commatose state watching movies and I just can't spend the one-on-one time like I want to. They also teach them a lot of things. First, he is learning hebrew, he should pass me by next week! (Just kidding, he still speaks a lot of 2 year old as well.) They also teach them songs, reinforce religious education and basics like, colors, numbers, etc. Finally, he is learning social skills. All of things are important and I feel like although it is difficult for him to adjust, he needs to learn to try new things and that all things are difficult in the begining, but once you get used to them it is OK. Plus the Ganennet assures me that he has fun there when I am not looking. I know part of my anxiety comes from my maternal instincts to protect my children from anything uncomfortable or unpleasant, but if I did that he would never try anything new and he would miss out on a lot of life's lessons'. I have decided that raising kids is a lot like a video game, each age is a level and you work and scramble to get everything out of it you can before you reach the next level so that you are prepared for the next set of obstacles, but the truth is you are not prepared because you have never seen that level before and so you take your goodies and do the best you can. Fortunately I get a lot of support from my family and from the neighborhood. My neighbors have 8 kids on one side and 7 on the other, the average in the community is 5. It is good to have lots of people to get advice from.
OK the troops are waking up and they are restless so I guess I will wrap up. But before I go, I just have to say, some things here are so great! I just got my groceries delivered to my door. Even if I had a car it is great not having to shlep kids and groceries up 14 steps. And the great thing is if you spend over $30(150 shekel) it is free. It varies from store to store, but that is the deal here and such a deal it is!
Alright, gotta run,
Alina
Most of my thoughts are focused on the life and times of my 2+ year old son. He seems to be updating the latest addition on the book, "How to be a Two Year Old and Getting the Most of the Terrible Two's!" This isn't a book, but it should be. And it should be written by my little man. To give him credit, being two is not easy. I read that two year olds have quick mood swings and that is normal. I think it must be because, they are not babies, but they are not really big enough to do much on their own. Plus they are learning all kinds of new things like potty training and how to clean up after themselves in a basic way. To add insult to injury, Shmuely is also learning how to share mommy after almost 2 years straight of one-on-one attention. Although he does love Y&M it is a bit rough on him. And now for the clincher, this week we started Gan. Last year he went to Gan, but it was only a couple of days a week, a smaller class and the teacher spoke english. Now we have 30 kids, 6 days a week and it is all hebrew. Except one Gannenet does speak english. Whew! What a relief for mommy. On the one hand, I feel bad sending him to Gan, it is not mandatory(though I don't one person who doesn't do it) and I am not working so it is not like I have to send him. On the other, what on earth is he going to do at home all day with me, while I take of Y&M? I don't want him spending the rest of his life in a commatose state watching movies and I just can't spend the one-on-one time like I want to. They also teach them a lot of things. First, he is learning hebrew, he should pass me by next week! (Just kidding, he still speaks a lot of 2 year old as well.) They also teach them songs, reinforce religious education and basics like, colors, numbers, etc. Finally, he is learning social skills. All of things are important and I feel like although it is difficult for him to adjust, he needs to learn to try new things and that all things are difficult in the begining, but once you get used to them it is OK. Plus the Ganennet assures me that he has fun there when I am not looking. I know part of my anxiety comes from my maternal instincts to protect my children from anything uncomfortable or unpleasant, but if I did that he would never try anything new and he would miss out on a lot of life's lessons'. I have decided that raising kids is a lot like a video game, each age is a level and you work and scramble to get everything out of it you can before you reach the next level so that you are prepared for the next set of obstacles, but the truth is you are not prepared because you have never seen that level before and so you take your goodies and do the best you can. Fortunately I get a lot of support from my family and from the neighborhood. My neighbors have 8 kids on one side and 7 on the other, the average in the community is 5. It is good to have lots of people to get advice from.
OK the troops are waking up and they are restless so I guess I will wrap up. But before I go, I just have to say, some things here are so great! I just got my groceries delivered to my door. Even if I had a car it is great not having to shlep kids and groceries up 14 steps. And the great thing is if you spend over $30(150 shekel) it is free. It varies from store to store, but that is the deal here and such a deal it is!
Alright, gotta run,
Alina
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