You are currently browsing the monthly archive for June, 2009.
All my brownie dreams come true.
(Spent Shabbat with a couple of former foodies.)
A mom we know, who had a son in Miss M’s class this year, offered to take Miss M for a few hours so I could get things done. Because really, I don’t get a whole lot done between 7 am and 7 pm that can’t be done on the computer–even phone calls have the potential to get totally ruined by my screaming “NO MORE JUMPING!” at regular intervals.
Of course, I still had AM, but I figured I would work around that. What I did NOT figure on was that AM would be a seething pit of rage this morning due to Miss M’s playdate. To be honest, it is a rare get together that doesn’t include them both. Many, many of her 5 year old friends have 3 year old (approximately) siblings, so the parents get together and throw all the kids at the toys and attempt to have a conversation. (This works best at the playground.) Miss M and AM get along quite well, usually, so when she has a friend over it becomes three-way play.
But there were 5 year old twins awaiting Miss M. Their younger sibling is a 1 year old, who was otherwise occupied. There was really no place for AM, particularly because these are not our closest friends. Poor guy was just sad and jealous and in a snit.
So instead of spending the time packing or organizing? We had an outing to a special park (read: not the backyard) and then pizza for lunch. But I did get to make an important phone call, write two vital emails, and write two checks. Go me!
Today is Miss M’s fifth birthday. I would love to share some introspection on that, but between it being Thursday and an incredibly rainy day…and did I mention the cardboard boxes threatening to take over my life? And the anxiety attack I had last night after our headboard went to its new owner and it dawned on me that this move across the world is really happening? Like right now?
Yeah.
Anyway.
So instead here are cute stories about my children and their vocabularies. While I do read a lot, including some erudite things like The New Yorker, my spoken vocabulary around the kids isn’t especially intelligent. Mostly because it consists of the same dozen phrases, including such gems as: “What do you want to eat?” “How do you want to ask?” “Stop bothering him/her.” “Please find your shoes/backpack/library book/sweatshirt.” “Please put on your clothes.” “Please take off your clothes and get in the bathtub.” Etc.
I do, however, read to them a lot, still, even though Miss M reads herself. We’re working through The Cricket in Times Square, and she’s trying, I think, to jump ahead in it by herself even though it’s written at a sixth grade level. AM’s book choices are slightly sophisticated for a 3 year old; he does enjoy Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Monica Wellington’s books, and things of that ilk, but he also readily sits through the original Curious George stories (+ Cecily G. and the 9 Monkeys and Katy No-Pocket).
Miss M says funny things. A few weeks ago, when complimented on her Shabbat dress, she replied, “I’m glorious!” Um, yeah. And this week when we were hurrying upstairs for her to use the bathroom in the apartment, she said, “This is a good solution!” (I’d hate to know what the not-so-good solution was.)
AM is also in on it. The other day, when asked if he liked what he was eating, said, “Yes! It’s so tasty!” Tasty is now his new favorite word, supplanting yummy by a mile. I’m just not sure where he got it, because tasty is not a word that I’d use, preferring “delicious.”
Taxman is a little worried about their “Mother Tongue English” continuing when they are immersed in the Israeli school system. But with my parents as their pen pals and with a little nudging, I think they’ll be…glorious.
I apologize for the radio silence here. Big things are happening, in that we are MOVING.
Not just any move. Our last move was from two blocks away. Although we did switch ZIP codes and have our car insurance jacked up as a result.
But I digress.
We are moving to Israel. This is an idea that we’ve been tossing around for years and years, started thinking about seriously last spring, and have sort of thrown together in the past six months. And when I say “thrown together,” I mean two trips to Israel to sort out jobs and houses and things. Gathered every paper of record relating to us and our children. And there is still so much left to do if I think about it too much I might cry.
It is four weeks until the movers come and seven weeks until we’re on a plane. Between now and then there is the end of school, Miss M’s birthday party, two weeks of camp, a visit to my parents, packing packing packing. We’re selling off a lot of furniture (Israeli living spaces are in the European model, i.e., inherently smaller) and miscellaneous STUFF–it costs $6.25 a cubic foot to move this shit, so we want to think carefully. Which isn’t to say I haven’t been stockpiling Lands End dresses (on sale) and raincoats (ditto) and Carter’s sleepwear from Costco.
And now I have to bake cookies, because when AM awakes from his nap to find that the stereo is gone he will be distraught and I will feel better if there are fresh cookies.
I am still here, still trying to keep up with who is having babies and reading when I can, but expect posting to be light for the next bit. One Tired Ema will continue to be tired and continue to muse about it, just in another time zone.
Miss M: “Can you show me a blog?”
Me, startled: “A blog?”
Miss M: “A blog. Where cranberries grow.”
Me, relieved: “Oh, you mean a bog.”
Miss M: “Yeah, a bog. Can you show me a picture of a bog?
Me: “Sure.”
So there is a lot of STUFF going on around here, but none of it is finalized.
I do not have the concentration to SIT and BE ON TASK for more than about six seconds because, I’m guessing, there is just flux in the air and it is totally messing with me.
By the end of the month there should be some serious resolution to things, but it will be a long four weeks to get there.
So, I’m here, just flitting.
