random updates

it's been a while since our last update -- koby is now 2 and 1/4, and very much playing the part of the two-year old.

Some recent conversations / happenings:
1) looking at the picture board of all of Koby's teachers:
Me: "Who's this?
Koby: "Becca"
Me: "Who's this?"
Koby: "Peanut"
Me: "Who's this?"
Koby: "Shira."
Me: "Who's this? She was your teacher over the summer while Becca went back to school. Do you remember who she is?"
Koby: "I just don't remember who that person is."
Seriously. he's 28 mos old. BTW: that person was Rachel (not cousin Rachel, but teacher Rachel)

2) We've been trying to potty train. Not TRYING, but trying. More like talking about it and allowing him to understand what it feels like to go potty. So, one morning this week, we had breakfast and then allowed Koby to be naked in the house. I told him that he could use the potty whenever he wanted to and reminded him where it was. I also set the timer for 30 minutes so that when we heard the timer we would try to use the potty again. Then I ran upstairs for a quick shower. He was alone for maybe 5 minutes, then Mark was downstairs playing. When I came back down, we played more until the timer went off. We walked over to the potty, and it was FULL! He went all by himself when I was in the shower. ahh, the little guy is growing up.

3) We went to Rosh HaShana services today. There are 6 services (and babysitting also) all happening on the high holidays (and I think on most Shabbats as well.) Our service - the tot service - is in a tent on the front yard, and has puppets who play the main characters. They've been learning about the high holidays at school, and I think that they've been talking about how loud the Shofar is. So, whenever Koby hears shofar, he covers his ears. He brought his own shofar to the service today, but when the "real" shofar player came into our tent, Koby covered his ears. Ah, so much for him growing up to be a rabbi.

More stories to come...

Koby's Second Birthday!

Koby's two years old! We celebrated with parties galore. We may have overdone it, as Koby - three days after his last party - continues to ask us to put candles on everything and to sing Happy Birthday. It's a riot! Thanks to everyone who sent their wishes as Koby celebrated this milestone! Here are some pictures from the get-together with friends.

Koby's 2nd Birthday Party

Orlando and Max's Bar Mitzvah

This past Memorial Day Weekend we visited our family in Florida for Max's Bar Mitzvah. It's so hard t believe that Max is really 13, I remember when he was just a small thing (I realize I'm channeling Aunt Janice now, I had to refrain myself from pinching Max's cheeks over the weekend.)

Max was spectacular at the synagogue. He read Torah, led the service, gave a d'var torah. It was quite impressive. Both Lauren and I had the honor of also reading Torah at the service.

After the Bar-Mitzvah service, we went to Sea World. We thought that Koby would have been more excited about it, but he was a bit out of sorts. True to form, Koby didn't sleep all that well while on vacation, and I think that was wearing on him a bit.

Pictures from the trip:

Max's Bar Mitzvah

And, we're back!

Wow, what a hiatus! We've missed you all very much. Here's a quick run down of the past several weeks - keep in mind that Koby is just GREAT now!!

Visit to CHOP ER, twice. Broken leg, healed leg, first ear infection ever, first sinus infection ever, first stent inserted ever, alone time with Aunt Alexis, first huge snowfall, 2nd birthday celebration with meme and g-pop james, lots of newly born friends - Abby, Aaron, Elijah, Roni.

So, before I get to the details, here are the pics (Enjoy, Great Aunt Mimi!!)

Spring 2009

The visit to CHOP is probably the most concerning. Here's the scoop - Koby had been limping for a little while (about a week), he was absolutely happy, and not cranky at all, but after a week of a nearly-two year old limping, it was time to see the doc. So, on to the pediatrician we went. Because of the timing - 3 PM on Good Friday - and because our doctor believed it to be his hip rather than the splinter that Mark adn I thought it was, she strongly encouraged us to go right to the ER to have it xrayed. Apparently, an inflamed hip can be an indicator for some rather awful blood disorders. Well, after two x-rays (one on his hip, one on his ankle), Koby was still happy as could be and smiling at the docs. The docs sent us home and instructed us to come back should he have a fever. Well... Easter Sunday came along and Koby woke up blazing hot. So, back we went. The ER wanted blood work done, and thought that he might need a stent should they need to do a biopsy of his bone, so the nurses tried and tried and tried (no joke - three times!) to get a stent into my little toddler's pudgy hands. It was horrendous, and Koby was not at all happy during this visit. After reviewing the blood work and again reviewing his x-rays, they determined that he doe snot have the awful bone infection that they thought he might, rather, he just had the flu. So, home we went to let the little one rest finally!

On Tuesday, we met with the orthopedic who told us that the hip theory was hooey. It was actually his ankle and that he recommended that we cast it. If only we could have met this Doc on Friday!!! At Koby's age, we've learned it is possible to have a fracture, but for it not to appear on the x-ray. So, we casted an invisible fracture. I figure that if it was sprained, the remedy would also be to imobilize it, so a cast it was to be.

Good news - he's out of the cast and walking around and very happy again. We're gearing up for a fun summer, we have the bike seat all ready adn have already been on a few jaunts. Koby has bottles of sunscreen all thoughout the house adn car, and hats galore!

We're gearing up to celebrate cousin Max's bar mitzvah over memorial day and then Koby's 2nd birthday the weekend after. Yowza, how does the time fly like that??!?!

new pictures!

Koby's growing every day! He's talking a lot, and we think that he's getting his two-year-old molars. He's been a bit cranky lately, and has been putting everything in his mouth!

Here are just a few pictures:

December 2008

drumming and humming

We had such a fun time with Tali, Avi, Linda, Eric, Savta, Jerry, Dod Eyal and Aunt Lauren during our very first drum lesson. Check out all of the pictures! Koby has also really been enjoyind Mark's harmonicas. I snapped the other shots when we were getting ready for the day this morning.

Koby has also been singing the ABCs and counting with us. They typical ABC song begins with me singing most letters, Koby adding in the letters "C" "G" "P" "S" then it gets funny. Instead of saying "V" he says "double" ('cause "w" is the next letter), and then when I pause for him to say "z", he sings "know" (jumping to the "now I know my abcs"). It's so cute, I hope to get it on video one of these days.

Here are the pictures from drumming and humming:

December 2008

Halloween, AC and Grandpa Phil's Wedding

Much has happened since we last posted. Here's a very short update... Meme and Grandpa James visited for a few days and Koby played hooky from school and had a blast! Then, later on that week was Halloween, and immediately following, Grandpa Phil and Judy's wedding.

So, Halloween: Masquerading as a panda bear, Koby visited a whopping four houses. I think that the door knocking and doorbell ringing was more for me than Koby because I wanted to show off his great panda bear costume - which I handmade!!! (With quite a bit of help from meme, of course!) It was funny, when we went to the door, Koby didn't quite understand what was happening. He wanted to ring the doorbell (which he indicated by saying "push, push"), and then once someone came to the door, he wanted to ring the doorbell some more. And then, when that wasn't an option, he wanted to go into the house and play. So, after four houses, we went to Koby's friend Nadav's house. There, the two of them played, and their parents ate all the chocolate :)

Immediately after Halloween, we went down to Cape May for Grandpa Phil and Judy's wedding. The weather was just glorious, so we visited Aunt Alexis (on her birthday!!) and Jake and played in the sand in Atlantic City. Then we went off to meet the new family. Koby really held his own at the rehearsal dinner, making his way in between all sorts of legs to find Mark and me. He enjoyed the wedding also, gotta love the live music! Congratulations to Grandpa Phil and Judy!

October November 2008