Happy 2nd Birthday, Zushala!!!

(June 2006)
Zusha’s birthday was so much fun for everyone! All the food was ready in time. As soon as Babushka and Dedushka came I set the table and we sat down. Zusha was an angel! So polite and ate so neatly. In middle Gedalya woke up and joined us. He was in a good mood, B"H. Then we had the cake. I iced it with strawberry farmer cheese and decorated it with sour cream. It looked and tasted yum!
Babushka and Dedushka taught Zusha to ride the bike they bought him. Then we trooped to the car. Zusha rode around some more while I installed car seats. Gedalya fell asleep right away and slept through the whole trip!
We went to the zoo. Zusha loved all the animals. He especially loved feeding the goats and sheep!
He was so happy! Zusha didn't cry or give a tantrum once, and Gedalya slept.

His presents were: the bike from Babushka and Dedushka, from me he got a hobby horse (horse head on a stick to put between the legs and pretend to ride), from Tatte- a book of 1000 Yiddish words. It's beautiful- has pictures of all everyday items like kitchen, school, outdoors, body parts, opposites... and all are labeled with Yiddish words. AND they're laminated! (Toddler proof) And from Babushka he got a bird feeder to watch Beibas, beige shorts, and a little floating car to ride in a pool!

Photos from May 2006

***Gedalya 1-2 months and Zusha right before his 2nd birthday.***

Good baby, Nice baby.

Zaltz!

Cuddly

Enough pictures, Ma!

Zushka found a payphone within reach while riding a horsie ride!

Gedalya needed a change of clothes, but I couldn't go in to get them because Zusha was sleeping in that room. So Gedalya got the honor of wearing Zusha's sweater for a while, which was the only accessible article of clothing!

Gedalya is Two Months Old!

By two months Gedalya really likes to look at things around him. The toys that I hang in his playpen keep him so entranced! And if I decide to feed him in the rocking chair near the air conditioner, he’ll only look at the little lights on it and forget to eat.
At 9 weeks and 2 days (June 3, 2006) Gedalya laughed for the first time! Big Brother Zushala and I were playing a finger game on his pooza and he loved it. So he laughed! Then at 10 weeks and 3 days, he laughed REALLY hard! I was making funny noises. Gedalya seemed to be thinking, "Sometimes she talks normally, and other times she becomes silly and makes funny sounds. That makes me laugh!"
As he grows, he gets to know many new things. When he was really tiny, he loved to eat. But he never knew what I would serve. So when I took him to feed, he had a look on his face that said, “I wonder what’s for lunch today? *Slurp*Suck*Sip* Oh, it’s milk! Yum! I love it. I think I remember having it once or twice before!"
Then when he got a bit bigger, he started thinking, “I wonder if I’ll be having milk for supper, or something else?” And if it was milk, he felt like the smartest boy for figuring it out. These days he's no newborn. When I takes Gedalya for a meal, he gives me his precious look, “Hey, milky time, Mama! How did you know this is just what I wanted? Yummmmm.”

Smiley Face!

This is Gedalya at one month old.

And his first smile!

Gedalya's First Month- a Photo Montage

April 2006
2 - 2 1/2 weeks old

My brother loves me!

How Does One Toddler-proof a Baby?

Well, the "honeymoon" is over.
I can't keep Gedalya anywhere but the playpen! Zusha gets him in the bassinet, in the swing, in my arms, on my bed... I can't even change the poor kid's diaper without taking toddler-chasing breaks. The playpen is the safest place because Zusha can't reach, but he can throw things in!!

Once I came out of the bathroom to find Zusha's boots, 2 toothbrushes and a couple of toys in the playpen. Another time Gedalya had a CD lying perfectly on his stomach!

WHAT TO DO??

Getting Used to the World

At 9 days old Gedalya's umbilical stump fell off.
Zusha really loves him and tries to take him away from me all the time. But usually he just succeeds in scratching Gedalya's face (by mistake?)
Gedalya loves to suck his sosa.
By the time he's a couple of weeks old he can lift his head when lying on his stomach!

Gedalya is such a good boy! He goes to sleep at 9:30 at night and wakes up at 7:00 or 7:30 in the morning. He wakes up at 1:00 or 2:00 am to drink his milk.