"Tea and Sing" on Wednesday

The boys' school puts on a typical holiday concert every December, consisting of two Hanukkah songs and a bunch of secular Christmas music.  It's definitely different than what the kids did last year, since before this they were always in Jewish schools.  But in a strange sort of way, it's actually reminiscent of my own childhood.

 We pulled the car over on the way to the school to ooh and ahh at the beautiful sunset.

 Sunset part deux

Xander getting ready to sing.  We don't have that many pics of him this time, because since he was holding a sign he didn't do many hand motions.

The moment when Ari saw where Jonathan and I were sitting.

Ari rocking out.

Very serious pointing.

Older kids holding up the signs at the very end of the "Twelve Days of Christmas" song.  

Our friend Megan held the baby the entire show, and then gave him back when we went into an adjoining room for tea and cookies and schmoozing.  Everything was very yummy.  

On the ride home Xander wanted to keep singing about the holidays, and it was odd moment when we ran out of kid Hanukkah songs he knew and he asked to sing "Jingle Bells." Jonathan and I looked at each other and shrugged.  Why not?  It's not like we didn't know the words.  And the kids definitely have Jewish identities!  So this rabbi's family sang Christmas carols at the top of our lungs the rest of the way back.  Two best parts:  one, having a discussion of how it's not okay that the reindeers were mean to Rudolph because of what he looked like, red nose or no red nose.  And two, realizing that Xander has been singing "four calling birds, three french hens, two turtle ducks, and a partridge in a pear tree!"

Horsing around when we got in.

One day I'll look back on this and laugh

So.  Two days ago I encouraged Jonathan to go to a movie, to de-stress a little.  He and Robin went to a late-late showing of Catching Fire.  As they were on their way back, Jonathan realized he had forgotten his satchel (man-purse) in the seat next to him in the theater. They went back, but they were the last ones out so the theater was closed. He went back bright and early as soon as it opened, looked where he left it, and... it wasn't there.  It also wasn't in lost and found, or anywhere else.  The manager said the only people in the theater was the night crew.

A half hour later, we checked credit cards and bank accounts and saw some major charges that were not ours.  Jonathan spent the rest of the day cancelling every card, visiting the bank, putting alerts with the credit report companies on his social security number, and going to the DMV to get a new license.  Today he's putting new locks on the doors and getting a new phone.

That was bad enough.  But oh, and did I mention that I have mastitis?  The midwife said it was possibly stress-induced.  That's really not fun either.

Sigh.

In the meantime... the baby is gaining weight like crazy.  I've been watching the Netflix original series Lilyhammer while nursing for hours on end. Ari is behaving much better at home now, but is worse at school.  And Xander is lonely and comes into our bed to sleep every night for the attention.   Thank goodness for people bringing over meals, otherwise this would be much more difficult!

Daily life as a family of five

Evening Super Why! relaxation.  Ari asks to hold Connor at least three times a day.

Selfie with the wrap.  I'm relearning how to eat and drink without dribbling onto the baby - it's only been two years since I did this with Ari, but I'd forgotten so quickly!  #attachmentparentingproblems

Forgotten pics from the last couple weeks

Three days old, I think.

Snuggling.

Close-up.  He has Jonathan's lips!

Mr. Xander, very proud of his helicopter and spaceship.  He put them together with minimal help, and later on built a garbage truck set completely on his own.

First step build, second step fly!

Playing horsie.

Arr, matey, we be pirates seekin' treasure!

Babelehs in repose

Ari gardening at school.

The two oldest "helping" Jonathan by hammering in new chair feet protectors.  The old ones had come loose and were scratching the floor.

Connor one week ago today, at 10 days old.  

Hugging my kids a little closer today

So sad to report that Superman Sam Sommer, 8 year old son of Chicago colleagues Rabbis Phyllis and Michael Sommer, died this morning.  His mom has been chronicling his fight with leukemia on her blog here.  I can't even imagine losing a child... my heart goes out to their whole family.

My own kids are doing very well health-wise, thankfully.  Connor's over 10 pounds now, and is in size 1 diapers, necessitating a return of all the Newborn sizes back to Target.  That makes sense when the midwives told me their target goal for all babies is for them to gain back their birth weight by 14 days... he was one ounce past that at 6 days.

Ari doesn't seem to notice his mouth anymore, we just have to be cognizant of only giving him soft foods for the next month.  And Xander's awesome. We have had some behavioral issues with Ari since my mom left, but after Jonathan met with his teacher Martha and talked with her about all the changes at once (Bubby, Sabba and Shula leaving in the span of two days, new baby, and teeth trauma), we've been tweaking our parenting technique a bit and things are going much better.

As for me, I admitted I needed help and signed up for Mealtrain.com, and people have been absolutely amazing.  We haven't cooked since Monday night, and won't have to for another week at least. Thank you to everyone, you're all marvelous!  And to top it all off, my lovely husband bought apple juice and turned it into mulled cider in the crockpot... it compliments every meal, and makes the house smell wonderful.

With Sam ever in my thoughts, I am so appreciative of my life right now.

The rest of Hanukkah

Bubby reading "Super Why!" to Ari, with Connor fast asleep on her chest (one of his favorite places all week).

Shula and Ari building a train track.

It's complete!

My dad and Xander building a 3-D dinosaur puzzle.

Xander had a great attention span, and actually did much of it himself.

Menorah lighting!

 And now for a fast series entitled "Blowing air through straws, messing up Shula's hair, and wrestling":

She was a VERY good sport. :)

And that actually would be all of the pictures from when family was here, excepting those from the naming which we need to get from a friend.  The normal picture-takers (Jonathan and Mom) were too busy with the baby to record every day.  My dad and Shula stayed 10 days, my mom two and a half weeks.  I'm so sad they left!

(Oh, and because this must be recorded for posterity: of the many great gifts I got this Hanukkah, special mention must be made of the When Harry Met Sally Blu-Ray DVD, and William Shakespeare's Star Wars.  Verily, a new hope, indeed!)