This is Six

This is Nine

At What Age...

At what age did you get your ears pierced?

I was seven. To make a long story short, my parents had actually said 12. But I bargained it out by learning to ride a two-wheeler.

Yael started an ear-piercing campaign shortly after her fifth birthday.
I hemmed and hawed. It seemed like every day she'd come home with a new story of a different friend who "just got her ears pierced."

With only one girl in the family, I knew that I was not likely to be setting a major precedent if I allowed ear piercing at age 6. (I'm sure I'll let you know when the boys ask for it.)

So I finally agreed.

I asked around and decided that the place at the mall was the right spot.
I wanted someone who did it a LOT and had a relatively vested interest in making their customers happy and keeping them healthy. I called ahead to make sure there would be two people to do both ears at the same time.

Little did I know that Yael did her own research. Are you at all surprised?
On a regular basis, she has been dragging Uncle Josh to the mall (she has afternoon kindergarten so there are lots of open mornings) and visiting The Store Where They Pierce Ears. She's learned names. She's observed ear piercings. She told me all about the chair she would sit in and the stuffed bear she would get to hold. And the way they would mark her ears. And which of her "friends" at the place would help her.

I should not be surprised but I was totally in awe.

And just like that, trip-trap, she plopped herself into that chair, and got her ears pierced.

Lest you think I haven't contemplated the Jewish implications of this ear piercing experience, check this out.

{36 Reasons} Two!

From this:

to this:

to this....

The fourth child seems to come to things so much more quickly. He has three eager teachers who are so proud when they can teach him a new word or skill. It's hard to believe that he's been a part of our lives for two years....

Happy birthday, Solly!

Blessed are You, O God, Ruler of the World, who has created us, formed us, and brought us to celebrate this day of honoring birth.

{36 Reasons} Hair Today

There's a Jewish tradition to keep a child's hair uncut until the age of 3. (Okay, it's really a tradition for boys, but I'm an equalitarian.) Except I haven't ever made it to that age with any of my kids.

Too. Much. Hair.

I thought for sure that Solly would be the one who would make it.

After all, who can resist those gorgeous blonde locks!? Not me.
But I was stymied. Halted. Thwarted.

Poor kiddo. He kept trying to brush the hair out of his eyes. And he inevitably woke up with a rat's nest of dreadlocks in the back of his head, no matter how much brushing or conditioner we put into it.

And while a ponytail might seem like a reasonable solution, it just wasn't in the cards.

So a haircut was in the offing. (Actually, I just learned that one sect of Hasidim cut their boys' hair at age 2, but I'm not too keen on modeling myself after various sects of Hasidim.)

I might have shed some tears. After all, this is my baby! My beautiful long-haired baby.

One last look....

Along the way...(he wouldn't wear the apron, so we thought we'd make it easier for the stylist)

 And the finished product...

He looks fabulous. But suddenly....so grown up.

Am I imagining things, or is he now standing up taller? Speaking more clearly? Acting older?
(But no, I'm not deluding myself, not more reasonable.)

I think it is true.
Two years old IS very grown up.

Especially when compared to this:

Blessed are You, O God, Ruler of the World, who has created us to grow and change, who has helped us to see both progressive and sudden growth, who has given us tissues to wipe away our tears, and who has brought me to this day.

36 Reasons to Say Shehecheyanu

It just so happens that 36 days from Thursday is my 36th birthday.

Thirty-six is a really important Jewish number. You've probably heard of the way that the number 18 is special for Jews, right? The Hebrew letters that are used to illustrate the number 18 spell "chai," which means "life." Thirty-six? Double-life. It doesn't get any better than that. (Until you're 72...)

I've been musing for a while about the proper bloggy way to celebrate my 36th birthday. I've run through many different ideas, and finally, with the help of my dear friend, Anne, came up with this.

36 Reasons to Say Shehecheyanu.

Shehecheyanu is the blessing that is said for a joyous occasion, for the first time you do something (ever, or just in a season - the first time you EVER ski is a shehecheyanu moment. If you're a regular skier, you might say shehecheyanu for returning to the slopes at the beginning of the season. I have no idea why I chose skiing as my example, since I don't!)

Can I do it? Can I find 36 different, legitimate reasons to say shehecheyanu over the next 36 days?

I'm going to try. I started making a list of "firsts" - some are easy, like trying new recipes. Some are harder, like trying new experiences, or teaching or learning something new.

Since I don't blog on Shabbat, I'm going to set up something different for those days. I'm going to write about personal memories for the Saturday posts (they will go up after Shabbat is over!), so as not to have to look for something new to do on Shabbat!

It starts Thursday....so please join me on my 36 day journey. Leave me your suggestions (totally clean and appropriate, of course) of experiences and "new" things that I can do in the next 36 days! I'd love to hear your ideas.

(P.S. I thought of doing a tzedakah push for my birthday. I have decided not to this year. There have been so many gifts made in honor of Sam and our family over the last six months...I am sure that I will come to you all with a big, beautiful project in the future. I am so blessed in so many ways, and there are so many opportunities that I will be blessed to share with you in the future.)

My Son, the Tween

I am realizing that the dramatic changes that took place in my children from age 1 to age 2...age 4 to age 5...are growing less...definable.

I re-read my post about David's birthday from last year.
It pretty much all holds true still today.

Things are a little different. Each day, he has new questions, new ideas, new stories to tell. He's definitely gaining his own sense of self, of what kind of person he wants to be. There is a little bit lot more attitude than before. But that's to be expected, right?

I look at this tall, gangly creature...it's so hard to believe that 11 years ago, he made me a mom.

 Happy birthday, David!

Lucky Number Seven

Once upon a time he looked like this...

...but he's grown up so much.

Of course, this year's birthday is especially poignant.
Every birthday matters. Every year is worth celebrating.

But after the last five months, we are especially filled with gratitude on Sam's birthday this year.
We've already started discussing how we can honor his birthday in some incredible way in the future.
And I love planning ahead with him.

Birthdays matter.
Each and every day is a precious one.
Happy birthday, Sam!

 

Double Digits

From this...

To this...

And all of a sudden...to this:

 Doesn't every 10 year old request a homemade apple pie for his birthday party?

TEN.

Reads three books at a time

Loves video games

Amazingly proud of his ability to make the baby happy

Never stops talking

Hates to get his hair cut

Has a hollow leg

Makes a mean chocolate chip cookie

Loves camp

Reads three languages (wow)

Sweet and kind and wonderful and caring

I'm so proud to be his mama.

Six is Awesome

From this...

To this...

...is quite a journey!

Six years old...

full of opinions

kindergarten

learning to read

building with legos

committed to "fair"

loves his little brother

idolizes his big brother

fights with his sister like they are an old married couple

full of opinions

(I might have said that before, but it bears repeating)

and growing up more and more

every day!

Happy birthday, Sammy!