HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHAIM!!!

Our big boy is TWO years old!!!

2008

2007

My how much you've grown in the last year!

We love you!!!

Shana Tova

We wish everyone a Happy, Healthy, Sweet New Year!

Officially Outnumbered!!!

Leah Shayna

born on Sunday September 14, 2008

15 Elul 5768

at 8:07 pm

6lbs and 15oz

19.5 inches

She is registered on Amazon.com

First Day!

Today was Miri's first day of preschool.

She was very excited.

She took her backpack and her lunchbox and her tzedakah and we were on our way!

Chaim saw a tractor-trailer on our way home and said, "Wanna ride truck." He also says "Read a book" and picks up the phone saying "call Bubbie."

Wedding season

We were zocheh to be a part of two beautiful chassunahs this past week, and we had a blast! The kids loved dancing at cousin Shmuly's wedding, and getting to hang out with Bubbie Fogel, Tanta Faith and their gaggle of little cousins. We also had a fun time at the Lancaster children's museum on our way to Lakewood.

Cuteness

Miri: "I want to whisper something in your ear, so give me your head!"



Tatty: "I love hotdogs!"

Miri: "Me too!"

Chaim: "Me three!"

Miri: "No, Chaim, you're one, and I'm three years old."

A Dutch Wonderful Day

The seocnd annual Fogel family trip to Dutch wonderland was a big hit! Uncle Alex and Aunt Debbie joined us for some fun in the sun!

We all enjoyed bumper cars, bulldozers, a train ride, a boat ride, the merry go round, the ferris wheel, a truck ride, ice cream, a diving show, the water park and more.

Miri insisted on riding a pony, and this time she wasn't at all afraid of it.

Mr. Communicator

Life has become somewhat easier now that Chaim can (sometimes) tell us what he wants. Of course, this usually translates into him requesting a cookie at 6 o'clock in the morning!

Heard around our house this week from the mouth of the boychik:

I jump....Ready, go!

Hot, hot broccoli

Miri's milk

MY mommy

Want water

Draw chalk

I stuck

Tatty, big boy

Want car band-aid

Eat..EAT!!!!

More, please

My ball

My choo-choo

Bye-Bye Baby

I love you

Family Galore

We were so lucky to have so many beloved members of our family visit us this past month.

Uncle Alex came and spent the day with the kids. He traipsed with us to Target, Trader Joe's and the library. We also had some homegrown fun...horsie rides and a zuchini rocket.

We aso had an extended visit with Bubbie Fogel, Tanta Faith and cousins Yehoshua and Avigayil. We played at Port Discovery, saw ships in the Harbor, swam in the pool, romped at the playground and even attempted a rather futile photo shoot. All in all, a wonderful adventure!

Our little prodigy

This evening, as Chaim was playing on my bed, he pointed to his diaper and said "poop." I checked him out and he was clean. I asked him if he wanted to go on the toilet, and he said "yeah." Five minutes later, the dirty deed was done. We clapped and danced and told him what a big boy he was, but I think he was too stunned that something acually came out this time to notice. Eventually we got him to smile, though...

Words

Chaim is really talking up a storm these days - ever since his last round of antibiotics cleared up his ears (and his hearing) he has gotten the gift of gab. I'm not sure if he is comprehensible to anyone but us, but we sure get a kick out of all the new things he says and copies.

At the grocery store this afternoon, he pointed out all his favorite foods, like plums ("gum") and cookies. He did such a good job at sitting still in the cart that I offered him a high-five and said "sweet!" He promptly replied, "weet!"

Then, in the checkout line, he saw the man in front of us pull some change out of his pocket. Chaim pointed and shouted "gedakah!!!!" (tzedakah). The man was so impressed by his association that he gave Chaim some pennies to put in the pushka for charity. What a mitzvah boy!

Braids

Is Miri's hair actually starting to grow, after three years? Well, certainly not at the rate of her rapunzel-like peers, but I think were are making progress. I was actually able to do french braids for the first time ever...

On the farm!

We went to Baughers Farm for cherry picking and had a blast!



We had a marvelous picnic lunch, played on the swing set and even got to pet a goat at the Petting Zoo

Father's Day

We attended our annual Father's Day Orioles game with Saba, and had a blast (even though the O's lost).

Then, back home, for some BBQ and fun in the sun!

Happy Anniversary!

Today Avi and CE celebrate their FOURTH anniversary

MAZEL TOV!!!!

Miri's (belated) birthday party

We had a wonderful BBQ party with family and friends. Everyone enjoyed hotdogs and hamburgers and socializing on our brand-new deck which was completed in the nick-of-time right before the party. The highlight of the party for our birthday girl were the cake-lollipops, the recipe for which I found here. She didn't mind the presents, either!

Miri turns 3!

Our Miri turned three this past April. We all went to the Picture People for some belated photos. While Miri was busy looking beautiful for the camera, Chaim began a new obsession with airplanes...Everyone had a blast at the photo shoot
and the kids even took a few poses together...

Happy Mother's Day

We had a wonderful little family brunch for Mother's Day. All the ladies wore queen tiaras, crowns and feather boas while we dined on princess plates, cups and napkins. Everyone enjoyed the good food and the good company.

Then on to Truck Day! The kids got to climb in a firetruck, school bus, bobcat, horse trailer, tractor trailer, cherry-picker and an RV. Then it started pouring!

Chol HaMoed

Chaim can now say:

Mommy
Tatty (Dah-Dee)
Doggie (Dah-Dee)
More
No (Nah!)
Hot (HaHa)
Ball (Ba-ow)
Car (Ga-ow)
Mine (My!)
Eye
Bye-Bye
Baby
Bubbie
Ow!

and he knows the signs for eat, more, hot, bike and also nods his head up and down emphatically for "yes"

Miri told us over Shabbos, "I'm in a spunky mood"

We took some wonderful trips over Chol HaMoed - to Port Discovery, the Zoo, Hannah More Park and Storyville. At the Zoo we saw hippos ("Dah-Dee"), a zebra ("Dah-Dee"), giraffes ("Dah-Dee"), chimpanzees ("Dah-Dee"), a polar bear ("Dah-Dee") and elephants ("Dah-Dee").
Chaim had never seen so many different types of doggies before and he was very excited. Miri was most excited to eat her lunch!

Chag Kasher V'Sameach

We wish a
Happy and Healthy Pesach
to all of our
Friends and Family

Yud Nisan

Our dearest Zlata Miriam -


Happy 3rd Birthday, monkey-moo!!! It was three years ago today that you made us the proud parents of a beautiful baby girl, full of spunk and hope and promise. We had never known pure love before that moment - and since then, we have grown to love you more and more with each passing day. You make us so proud - you are generous and kind and thoughtful, you perform mitzvos and chessed with such zerizus (zest); you are a wonderful big sister to Chaim. When we hear you at night trying to soothe his crying with "Shh, baby, it's ok, Miri's here for you" our hearts swell with pride. You are learning how to do so many new things - it's hard to remember there was ever a time in your life when you didn't run around and sing songs and draw circles on your magnadoodle.

May Hashem grant you a long and wonderful life full of simcha (happiness) and hatzlacha (luck) in everything you do!!!

We love you, big girl -

Love,

Mommy and Tatty

Your BIRTHday

1 year old

2 years old

3 years old

Spring has arrived!

The flowers are in full bloom and it is a beautiful day outside.






Miri is so proud of the flowers she helped plant last fall. Every morning she runs outside to inspect which tulips or daffodils have "byoomed" (bloomed) and she loves to predict which color will come up next.

Purim Reflections

We had a truly wonderful Purim this year. The kids actually enjoyed wearing their costumes, and of course, with every shalach manos that came to our door, Miri thought the candy was specifically for her and meant to be consumed immediately.







I have strengthened my resolve to keep the children away from extraneous sugar now that I see how enhanced their natural hyper-ness becomes with chocolate and hamentashen running through their veins. Bedtime on Friday night was an hour long scream and sob-fest that finally ended at candlelighting time - B"H I was able to light ALONE, in peace, for the first time this year. (though I did kind of miss having the kids with me at this special and holy time just a little bit)




Miri and I made our own hamantashen for the first time this year, and with the exception of the botched first batch, which did not hold their triangle shape, they came out pretty good! Chaim even managed to bring the stool across the room and help himself to some on the cooling rack while we weren't looking!


The seudah (festive Purim meal) on Friday afternoon was beautiful and leibedik and the kids ate well (finally some real food) and had fun playing with all the other kids their age. Of course, Chaim always feels at home whenever he finds someone's broom, mop or vacuum. I think next year for Purim we will dress him up as a janitor.

Then...and now -

Purim 2006

Purim 2007

Purim 2008

HAPPY PURIM!!!

Everyone here at Fogel Central wishes you a Freilichin Purim!!!



Try not to get to shikkur tomorrow - remember - it IS erev Shabbos!!!!





(Miri's preschool class)

Our fabulous weekend

We went to Passaic for Shabbos. We forgot to bring the narcotics, so Miri screamed and complained the whole drive up there about how much she needed to get out of her car seat. Once we got there, however, it was really nice. We stayed with a wonderful family and were able to see our friends for lunch the following day (even though it was raining in buckets and we were sopping wet when we arrived!)


Ruthie's Shabbos kallah was absolutely amazing!!!!!!! It was so beautiful and inspiring and lovely and the food and the friends were great too.

Avi and I were able to go to our all-time favorite restaurant in Teaneck, Sushi Mitzuyan, on Motzei Shabbos, because the aforementioned wonderful family we stayed with let us leave our sleeping children with them so we could go out alone.

Ruthie's wedding was simply amazing. Everywhere I turned I ran into someone else I knew...from Silver Spring, Passaic, Monsey, Yerushalayim. It was so beautiful and the dancing was spectacular. The kids had a blast running all over the giant hall and dancing with pom-poms for the kallah. We stayed up until the very end and then changed the kids into jammies for the drive home. We had to stop at a grocery store somewhere in Jersey for sippy cups and milk, having left some items behind accidentally.





Sheva Brachos on Tuesday was very special as well, where we got a few quality minutes with the chassan and kallah. Can you tell I am so very happy for them???????

The golden calf

A few weeks ago on Shabbos, we were learning the parsha (Torah portion of the week) with Miri. We read from the book My first Parsha Reader, designed for children 3-8. We learned about the golden calf, but since Miri didn't really know the word calf, I explained that the Jews were worried when Moshe didn't return, so they started davening (praying) to a cow instead. Miri seemed to understand, and the next day, when I "quizzed" her on the parsha, she remembered everything from the story beautifully.

Fast forward to this morning, several weeks later....

Miri: Thank you for the oatmeal, it's delicious.
Mommy: You're welcome
Miri: Baby is eating nicely. I yuv (love) baby, he's bootiful (beautiful)...and I also yuv Mommy and Tatty and Miri. Mommy, are you gonna have bekfast (breakfast) too?
Mommy: I will, as soon as I'm done making my brachos to Hashem (morning blessings).
Miri: Ok, Mommy, but don't daven to a cow.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUBBIE!!!

We wish you a very special 60th - and 60 more to come!!!!

For your entertainment

Miri: No Chaim, give that to me, that's a choking hazard!

When Chaim is put in his crib for bed, he now waves good-bye and says "bah bah"


Miri: Ok, now I am going to sing a silly song, and you can yaf (laugh)!

Twinkle Twinkle little cereal
how I wonder what you cannoli
Now, LAUGH!!!!

Fogel-English Dictionary

Chaim's Vocabulary to date:

Mahmeee: Mommy, Tatty, give me that

Nani: Miri

Buh: ball

Neh: No!

Nana: Banana

Miri's adorably mispronounced words:

Pee-yooter: computer

Kaputch: ketchup

A few more for good measure

Miri: Baby has a cute belly. When I was Chaim's age, I also had a cute belly!


Miri: Mommy, why are you getting dressed in pajamas?
Mommy: They're not pajamas, it's my exercise clothes.
Miri: Oh, why do you exercise?
Mommy: Because it's healthy to exercise.
Miri: When I was a Mommy, I used to exercise.
Mommy: You were never a Mommy. You started out as a baby, and now you are a little girl.
Miri: Oh, well then, when I was a grown-up I used to exercise.

Overheard in our house this week

Thursday night...
Miri: It's dark outside, so when Tatty comes home from work, he can make Havdalah.

Mommy: It's time to get into pajamas!
Miri: Usually, I like to get the fuzz out of my toes when I take my socks off before I put on my jammies.

Miri: Antiochus was a wicked king because he forced the Jews to give up their weeyigion (religion).

waking up with a cold on Shabbos morning...
Miri: I'm not feeling very well.
Mommy: What's wrong, baby? What hurts?
Miri: My snot is not feeling very well.

(Not so) Lazy Sunday

We finally took down the old dusty curtains in the living room, hooray! The kids were there to help with their pint sized power drill (Black & Decker - just like Tatty's), safety goggles and tape measurer. Avi only fell off the ladder once - and in his defense, he only fell trying to avoid injuring Chaim who was climbing up behind him. The living room looks much bigger without those bulky curtains..plus, we have more wall space for hanging family portraits.


Mommy went out by herself to her good friends Ruthie's wedding shower. The food was great and it was a blast seeing Ruthie in her homemade gift wrap bonnet!






Later that afternoon we went to Avraham Chaim's 3rd birthday party. Mommy decorated a yarmulke for him as a birthday gift. Miri consumed copious amounts of candy and everyone had a great time. We headed home for a quick dinner and an early bedtime for the overstimulated children.