New discoveries

This morning when I woke up I decided to show Mommy a trick I learned from Coby - letting my tongue hang out. Mommy stuck out her tongue too and I grabbed it. It was funny.






Today Mommy and I resumed our Mommy & Baby Shiur, which was on hiatus for 4 months. I crawled from mommy to mommy and tried to steal their gemara sheets and eat them. Everyone thought it was very cute. I also grabbed toys out of other babies' hands (they started it!) and there was some pushing and shoving, too. It's fun to play with other babies.

While at the shiur, I also decided it was time to learn to balance. I wasn't too successful, but I have been trying all day to stand up without holding onto anything.

I must be teething because I am chewing on my thumb alot lately. It's yummy. But, then, so are my toes.

Tonight Mommy was trying to eat spinach with melted cheese but I kept bugging her till she gave me some. I ate lots of it! (And this was just a few minutes after pretending I wasn't hungry so I wouldn't have to eat baby food.) I think this is going to be the beginning of many years of demanding to eat whatever's on Mommy's plate.

Here are some pictures of me playing with Coby's tail. After awhile he got annoyed and walked away.








At bed time I discovered a few things: when I rub the silky part of my bunny blanket on my head, it feels nice. Also, if I flail my arms around enough, I can find Mommy's finger, which is much nicer to hold than my BunBun. And once I find her neck, I feel around until I find her locket, which is one of my favorite toys. And one more thing: after I'm full, if I pretend I'm still nursing, Mommy will keep holding me and rocking me. (Shh! Don't tell!)

Just call me Poofball II

Today I had a fun bath and played with rubber duckies.

Silly Mommy fed me green beans AFTER I got out of the bath. I promptly smeared them in my hair. I didn't eat any.

Then Mommy had to re-wash my hair. It dried funny and stood up on top for the rest of the weekend. Daddy said I look like cousin Yoavi when he was a baby and everyone called him Poofball. Mommy keeps calling me Chickadee.

Mommy Mail

Mommy says: I miss co-sleeping so much. I know it's good for all of us that Eliana moved into her crib, but sometiemes in the middle of the night I wish I could just scoop her up and bring her into bed with me to cuddle. Especially now that she is always on the go and spends the whole day crawling, playing and exploring, I don't get to hold her and cuddle her nearly as much as I used to. During the daytime I'm too busy chasing her and enjoying her new talents and discoveries to miss it, but at night when all is quiet I wonder how she grew up so fast. She's no longer so much a baby as a little person with her own agenda, ideas, and definitely her own personality.

Working girl

I went to work with Daddy today. I crawled all around the lounge during the meeting. When I crawled under David (Horovitz, editor-in-chief)'s chair, he picked me up and put me on his lap. I participated in the meeting and acted as though I belonged there, listening attentively and turning toward each speaker, and throwing in a loud "Ehhhhh" from time to time. People were very impressed with my behavior and asked how old I am. When Daddy said eight months, they asked, "you mean eight years?"

Yom Ha'atzmaut

Today was my first Yom Ha'atzmaut - Israel's 59th Independence Day!

I missed the festivities last night because they were past my bedtime. Mommy stayed home with me while Daddy went to shul and then 3 BBQs.

I ate almost a whole pear for lunch! I barely wanted anything to do with my oatmeal and chicken soup. Here is a video of me eating my pear.

Mommy and I dressed in blue and white went to town to meet the Runyans. Nothing was going on in town but we had a nice walk to Independence Park (how fitting). Estie & Sefi ran around on the grass and I climbed around on a bench.

Then we stopped for ice cream (everyone got some, except me) and walked to the Kantors' house. I took a nap in Mendel's crib and then we all had dinner together.

In honor of Yom Ha'atzmaut I had my first taste of hummus - I liked it! Then we all played together. When Daddy came to pick us up, there were fireworks but I was more excited to see Daddy.

Here is a video of me playing at the Kantors' and trying to color a picture! (Mommy didn't realize I had a crayon till later.) Just ignore the boring grown-ups talking in the background.

Food, glorious food

Breast milk isn't enough for me anymore! This afternoon I was kvetchy and Mommy tried everything - she changed me, she nursed me, I had just woken up from a nap. So she put me in my high chair and sure enough, I wouldn't stop eating! I had chicken, Cheerios and banana. Of course this was right when we were supposed to leave for Aunt Tahli's house!

Daddy had off of work for Yom HaZikaron (actually for Erev Yom HaAtzmaut) so Doda Karen, Uncle Mendy, Mommy, Daddy & I went to Aunt Tahlii's house. We played outside and picked blackberries and taught Yuvali how to play Guess Who.

When we got home I was hungry again! Mommy made me oatmeal with chicken soup - yummy! It was Saba-Raba's idea. Grandma got to watch me eating on the web cam. She also saw me crawling around for the first time.

This morning I weighed 6.65 kilo (a little over 14.5 lbs) and measured 67 cm (26.4 inches) long. B"H I did well on my hearing test.

"Surprise!"

Today Mommy and I made a "surprise" birthday party for Daddy. (He figured it out about a week ago, but he still acted surprised.) We had a big picnic at the park and all of Daddy's friends came - Rachel & Ezra, Shira & Lee, Shmuel & Talya & Tzvi, Reuven & Lynn & Adina & Hillel, Sarah & Barry, Tova & Zaki, Ariela & Moshe, Zev, Simcha, Ted, Nosson, Jane, Dina, Ian, Yoseph, Shaya, Yedida, Shaiel, and of course Aunt Tahli, Uncle Tomer, Yuvali, Yoavi, Doda Karen & Uncle Mendy.

Daddy prepared a Dvar Torah about the significance of the age of 30 in Judaism. I tried to eat the Dvar Torah. I love Torah so much, I want to internalize it!

I wore my pretty yellow dress and my new sun hat to the picnic. I barely saw Mommy all afternoon because I was so busy being passed around, playing, watching doggies, picking grass, and eating picnic food (and my pink ribbon). I tried to grab a drumstick off someone's plate! I also tasted honeydew today. I came home so tired, but it was worth it because everyone had so much fun.

I now officially wave back when people wave at me! (Though I still prefer to flap both arms at once.)



Tonight we visited Nachum Kanovsky and his sister Nechama who are sitting shiva for their brother Moishe. They told wonderful stories about how since he was in fifth grade he would go to his rebbe's house to learn after school instead of playing outside. His father was disabled and he would go to clean his apartment and take out the garbage. I would like to dedicate today's blog post to Moshe Menachem Kanovsky and his family.

Busy day

Today when it was time for the crawling activity, Daddy told Yael (my swimming teacher) that I could participate. She didn't believe him because I couldn't do it last week - but I showed her!

After that Daddy, Coby & I went grocery shopping for Shabbat. I stayed up for so many hours that I was wiped out when we got home. I screamed and screamed when Daddy tried to change my poopy diaper, so he didn't even try to put clean clothes on me - he just handed me to Mommy to nurse me. I was so exhausted that I feel right to sleep. Mommy felt sorry putting me in my crib naked, but I couldn't have cared less. Clean diaper, warm milk, Mommy's arms - what more does a naby need?

Unle Mendy & Doda Karen came over for Shabbat dinner. Doda Karen fed me Mommy's yummy chicken soup and chicken - my favorites!

Today our Mommy & Me group was at Ilana and Gabriella's house. I showed off my crawling skills and Mommy let me eat an apple slice. I had Cheerios for the first time! I don't have a pincer grasp yet so Mommy had to feed them to me, but I came up with a clever innovation: If Mommy holds a Cheerio between two fingers, I can grad her hand and guide it to my mouth.

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Today Daddy turned 30. Wow, he's old! To celebrate his last day of his 20s, we all went to the playground yesterday.

Then after I went to bed, Daddy ate a kid's meal from Burger Ranch (ok, two - one wasn't enough for him) and he and Mommy watched some animated movies - "Everyone's Hero" and a Winnie the Pooh cartoon.

Today we had lunch at Norman's - Daddy and I shared a hamburger - and tonight Mommy and Daddy went out for dinner and drinks and left me with a sitter. How come grown-ups get to have all the fun?

On the move

I've been crawling since Pesach, but today I really took off. Now I can get pretty much anywhere - and fast! Look out world, here I come!

By the Sea

Today we drove to the Dead Sea to visit the Averbuchs at their hotel. The pool was too cold but Mommy & Daddy took me in the sea. I loved it!

Last day of Pesach

We had lunch at "Savta" Raya's house. I played with Ora Moriah and met her baby brother Ovadia. I sat in a highchair and ate yummy food, including watermelon! Ora Moriah loves "charif" (spicy) but Mommy says I'm not ready for it yet.

Here I am eating a pear in the "Kosher for Passover" bib that Doda Karen got me. (These pictures were actually taken 2 weeks after this blog post. I was not feeding myself yet on Pesach.)

I am FINALLY over my jet-lag. Took me long enough! My bed time is now around 9:00, unless I miss my late nap - then it's 7:30.

"Hi!!"

I've been flapping my arms for awhile now, but this week I do it when someone enters a room or I want to say "hi." When will I learn that I only need to wave one hand?

Party Time

On Thursday evening, Doda Karen & Uncle Mendy had a party in honor of their marriage. We (meaning Mommy & Daddy) ate yummy food and watched the wedding video. Look how cute I looked!

On Shabbat I had my first real meal. Friday night I had chicken soup, soup carrots, pear, and my new favorite food - chicken! I ate almost a whole wing!

Here am on Motzei Shabbat, pulling myself up to the coffee table.

Seder Time

Tonight was my first Pesach Seder. It was held at Saba and Yaya's new house in Mevasseret Zion. Aunt Tahli, Uncle Tomer, Yuvali, Yoavi, Aunt Maya, Doda Karen and Uncle Mendy were there. I stayed up the whole time - except for Shulchan Orech. Who needs food, anyway? The most important part is the Haggada - which I kept trying to take away from Saba Itzik but he kept trying to give me spoons instead!

A stand-up kind of girl

This morning I learned to pull myself to standing. At 2:30 am. While blowing raspberries. Mommy would have been thrilled* if she hadn't been so tired. She's ready for this jet-lag to be over. I say..."let's play!"

I also like to take a sip of breast milk, sit up and look around (or even crawl away) and then come back 30 seconds later for another sip. It drives Mommy crazy. Haha!

* Note from Mommy: I'm very proud. I just wish Eliana had learned to sleep through the night before she learned to stand. Now when she wakes up, instead of kvetching a little and gong back to sleep, she stands up and screams until I come lay her back down. Who ever said mommies need sleep?