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.