Mel, Just Because

 

 

 

Post-date Friday

I'm trying something new for Fridays... being as I usually don't have time on Fridays to post anything, I will write up a little post, something trivial, or just photos, and schedule it ahead to post on Friday.
Let's see if this idea will last. :)

Enjoy our silly Mel.

Happy Everything!

A good Yom Tov, a good moed... a good yohr!
Happy new beginnings, happy sukkos celebrations, and a happy upcoming birthday to our almost three year old girl!

It's been one year since Adi took her first step. Two years since we started therapy. And three years since I got the most wonderful Simchas Torah present... my wonderful Adibaby!

I am surprised it took my boys this long to figure out something is different about their sister. But really, they never realized! They once asked me if they also had teachers come to teach them to walk and talk when they were babies. I told them that no; some kids learn it by themselves, and others need help. They asked me why Adi needs orthotics. I explained that they help her feet stand straight on the ground.

But still they never realized Adi was different.

Today we were preparing for Adi's birthday that's coming up on Friday. Gedalya, who was 3 not that long ago himself, said, "But she will be three, and she still won't know so many words!" Says the kid who started reading when he was half a year older than Adi is now.

Yesterday we went to a Chol Hamoed event by A Parent Speaks. It's an organization that is involved in the special needs community. It was just awesome. All my kids enjoyed. Adi got very into the craft, and danced to the live music. She wanted to get a fishie painted on her face, but backed out as soon as I sat her on the chair, after a 15 minute wait on line. Gah!

But the BEST part was... at the end they gave snack bags with a squeezy artificially colored drink, sour sticks, colored marshmallows and flavored chips. None of the things my kids are able to have! I brought them back, and instead of snickering, or rolling her eyes, or saying something like "come on, let them enjoy," she apologized to me! Apologized! In an environment like this, people know some kids can't have some things, even if they seem benign. 

Oh, and another best part: There were kids that actually shrieked louder than Adi! No one stared when Adi shrieked. Or when she threw herself on the floor and refused to let me pick her up. Everyone was able to be themselves. It was so beautiful and natural. My boys didn't even seem to notice that some of the kids had differences.

Events like these give me hope for the world. Everyone felt at ease. Happy. Gedalya stood on his head for a good percentage of the time. :) And you know what? He wouldn't do it at any other party. But this was a non-judgmental place. 

So talking about Adi's not-so-many words...

...here's just a sampling of her recent words and phrases:

hohie = horsie

toe-lue = turtle

goggie = doggie

guckie = duckie

bowie = birdie

han = hands

(Adi said, "doin han" when we were all making funny shapes with our fingers.)

hoon = phone

nowani = don't want it

awani = I want it

teen = train

weeng = swing

on/off

button

pan = pants

tawid = carriage

wolue = water

backpack

bock = book

cookie

ainga = traingle

(She finds them everywhere, like sails on boats...)

go-lee = girlie

pa-ee = potty

(The girl knows what to do and when, but has no patience to sit on the potty long enough!)

ponny = pony

(as in pony tail for the hair)

ca-yoo = color/draw

And what might be the best quip EVER:

"Oh, no! Aaah-di! Nah-nye!" (Oh, no! Adi! Not nice!) Sad that the most words she ever strung together are scolding words for her trouble-making!

But as long as she continues to make trouble, I'm happy! :D

Late Night Musings

Today I cut the boys' hair. Finally they can enjoy a breeze over their heads!

Gedalya has his first shaky tooth! We just discovered today. It's holding on by a thread. I hope it falls out at the library tomorrow so Gedalya can collect Mazal Tovs from the librarians. :)

I bought a t-shirt for Mel. I know, I'm crazy. But we were in CVS, and they were there, and so cheap. And Zusha and Gedalya love the novelty of it. Although Adi is a little disturbed.

It's close to midnight and it is so lovely and cool outside. But the sweet, cool breeze just doesn't penetrate our open windows, so we resigned to having the air conditioner on. But it is so much more pleasant outside than inside now.

Hillel brought home a web cam from work to try out.

Adi enjoyed seeing her Boppy (baby.)

She even waved to her little screen friend.

 None of these photos are posed. We were just trying out the webcam while discussing the workings of it.

 Sad that these are the first photos in a loooong time that both my husband and I appear in, with or without kids? If you don't plan out photos, they won't take themselves. A good reminder. :)

Adi ran away to do her Adi things. This camera focuses alright... both of us are in focus, even though I am sitting at the computer while Hillel is standing about two feet behind me and three feet off to the right. And even though the wall is in the center of the shot, we are still in focus. Nice!

If I don't go to sleep, I will not be able to make the 1.5 mile trek to the library tomorrow. My full-size carriage isn't usable right now; one wheel started falling off, and we are waiting for a replacement. Till then, I will use my umbrella stroller, which isn't that fun to push for a mile and a half. So I better get my rest!

Photo Post

The second week of summer has finished. I was going to post all about the first week, but unfortunately things didn't go as anyone expected, and I wasn't in a posting mood.

But life does go on... and the photos are itching to be put up.
But before I get to weeks one and two, here are some photos from before "summer vacation" officially began in our household.

One of the unexpected surprises in our yard- a flowering vine.

A squirrel can make Adi's whole day. Especially one that came so close!

Gedalya boy.

Typical park day...

Trust this kid to crawl under a construction fence and then scale it. *sigh*

 You think he looks proud of his climbing?

King of the park!

Adi can also climb. :)

 Backyard tent!

 Zusha with my mother.

Part of Adi's bedtime routine. Playing iPad on the couch.

Boxes still remain the single most wonderful toy of children worldwide. :D

 Feeding Mel is a favorite pastime of Adi's.

And humiliating Mel is one of mine. Hah hah.

But don't worry. Adi's mostly nice to him, to make up for my misbehavior. :) 

The boys decided to make a lake in our sandbox.

Never a dull moment.

More backyard fun!

Till next time!

The Wonderful, Mysterious Train

The most exciting part of living on a dead end is the awesome train that my boys have never seen before.

The tracks run across most of our neighborhood, and the boys have always wondered about the mysterious train that passes there.
Well, now they know!

 

It's a freight train that brings something or other... looks like rubbish... from a port in Brooklyn to Far Rockaway.

It travels around twice a week. Some weeks less, some more. It first goes from Far Rockaway to the port, and about an hour later it goes back.

Each time it is different. Sometimes it has an engine and one open wagon. Other times the engine is pulling many different types of wagons. There is even a little excavator-like thing that rides there sometimes.

We are lucky to have moved right at the end of winter because now the greenery is so dense that you have to have your nose pressed against the fence to catch even a glimpse of it. In early spring we were able to see it right from our window.
That little valley is also a very convenient place for Mel to roam around. The train goes pretty rarely, and is much more predictable than a street full of cars. He just has to stay away from the tracks and he is safe. On the street, any parked car can go into motion at any time... it's much more dangerous.
We are enjoying our little spot.