P.S. Be sure to enter in my Chanukah Shopping Fun – Game Giveaway. Don’t be fooled, this is great game for non-Jewish participants as well.
Apparently singing songs with your new favorite word is all the rage among 19 months old. Can you guess what it is from the video?
Although really cute, hearing this over and over, and occassionally with a wagging finger can get old. My new challenge to JSL come up with a new song for your other favorite word –> Google!
Note – Sorry about the video. For some reason I could not FTP it today. Will try later when TechyDad is here. For now this works.
This week it is time to dig out our menorah, dreidels and get ready for the Festival of Lights.
Yes, Chanukah begins next Sunday at sundown. Chanukah is a holiday about a miracle that happened long ago. JL and I have been working really hard to try to show our boys the meaning of this miracle. We read lots of Chanukah books, sing songs, bake/make traditional goodies, and try to make it less about gifts. It may be hard to believe, but traditionally Chanukah was not a time for gift giving. Over time, it has gotten that way because of the proximity of the holiday with Christmas.
Each night for Chanukah, we light our menorah as a family and sit watching the candles burn bright while eating our dinner. A new tradition that we have started with our boys is to play Chanukah music during this time. Of course we love Adam Sandler’s Chanukah song, but a new favorite is Hanukkah Blessings by Barenaked Ladies. The song sends chills down my spine. It is absolutely beautiful and includes the blessings that we say over the candles each night. The songs have helped NHL, now five, learn the blessings.
How lucky are we that we
Have lights so that we can see
All though the day is done
What a miracle that a spark
Lifts these candles out of the dark
Every evening one by one
Until the end of Hanukkah
Of Hanukkah
With the jingle bells and the toys
And the TV shows and the noise
It’s easy to forget
At the end of the day
Our whole family will say
These words for Hanukkah:
Barukh Atah
ADONAI Elohaynu Melekh h’olom
asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu
l’hadlik nehr shel hannukah
We light the candles for Hanukkah
For HanukkahWe remember how Maccabees
Fought so all of us could be free
So we celebrate
On this festival of the lights
There’s a joyful time every night
Where we illuminate
The candles of Hanukkah
Of Hanukkah
Barukh atah ADONAI
Elohaynu Melekh ha’olom
She’asah neesim l’avotaynu
bayamim hahem ba’zman hazeh
Hanukkah
Hanukkah
JL and I also love to share our traditions with NHL’s peers. In the past, we have gone in to celebrate with his classes. JL went to NHL’s daycare to play the dreidel game with them. Last year, I went to NHL’s Chanukah party at school.
This year, NHL’s kindergarten teacher asked me to come in next Wednesday to do something with the kids. I believe they are buying the materials to make potato latkes. We already bought each of the children their own dreidel. I plan on playing the game with them and doing some sort of craft.
Last year, we were lucky enough to celebrate part of Chanukah with our extended family. My parents had a Chanukah party during one of the nights. We had a wonderful time. JSL and Cousin S were celebrating their first Festival of Lights. My how the two of them have grown over the last year!
As you can see, we feel that it is very important to show the boys where our Jewish heritage is from and how to carry it on. We have been doing this since December 2003 when NHL celebrated his first Chanukah.
It is our hope that our two boys will carry on these traditions for generations to come.
I love the weekend. It is a wonderful time to be with all three of my boys.
Another perk is lounging around on cold winter days inside the warmer house in our pajamas. Ah, that is the life.
Now excuse me while I go curl up under nice and cozy flannel sheets for a little while.
I believe denial is healthy from time to time. For the last two weeks I have been trying to forget that JSL is now 18 months old. It is hard for me to believe that my baby has been here for a year and a half already. The time has gone by way too quickly.
Today I took JSL for his 18 month well baby visit. His stats for this visit: 26 pounds (50th percentile), 30 3/4 inches (10th percentile), and head was 51 cm (95th percentile). So basically as the doctor put it he’s a little short in stature with a good sized head! Clearly the poor kid got my short genes. Mommy is the classic recessive short gene in action. I am only 5’3" with two parents that were 6′.
The doctor is not concerned, although I wonder about the small amount of height growth. I guess we will see what happens over the next six months. I have a feeling we are due for a growth spurt since he’s been really restless and tired lately. Developmentally he is right on track with motor and fine motor skills, and talking more than a typical 18 month old.
We discussed the ear wax issue and how it seems to alter the way he hears. Her theory is it may not have been the wax and could very well have been the fluid from the infection. I have been told what to do to try to help that. For now we just have to watch the ears, especially the one that was just infected and still has some fluid in it. Since he is just getting over antibiotics and a high fever less than ten days ago, the doctor opted to only give him one of the three immunizations that he is due for. Today he had the DTaP and will go back in a month for the Hib and HepA.
I also asked the doctor about milk and how we should approach introducing it to him given big brother’s allergy at this age. She said it was completely up to us. JSL is still nursing and shows no interest in stopping yet (this shocks me, but I am perfectly fine with it). We may try some little sips of pure cows milk here and there to see how it goes. The main concern is making sure JSL is getting enough protein. We are practically vegetarians (thanks to the obscene price of kosher meat) and she is worried that we do not know how much milk JSL is getting when he nurses. She is fine with him still nursing, but wants to increase meat/fish in his diet. Of course since I am back home I found that the grams of protein in the fake burger patties is almost identical to the chicken nuggets that she suggested. Thanks to that I am not too worried.
The poor little guy was tired after his shot and a quick trip to Target. We went there to get a new part of our family. Here it is with an explanation on JL’s blog.
We shall see how it goes when we try it out later, perhaps when I go sneaker shopping. For now I shall let the little monkey rest after a stressful morning that included a rough immunization.
Our next well visit is not until May when the little guy will be two. On that note I am going back to my own little world away from the reality of my baby growing up.
