A Festivus for the rest of us!

Ok - so it isn't exactly winter weather - but it is Christmas Eve and that certainly makes it winter. Lavi and I decided to take Ari into the city - it was such a beautiful day and the sun was shining. We figured with it being Christmas Eve, most people are on their way to be with family and the city wouldn't be as crowded. And we were half right. We drove down to Katz's deli and grabbed lunch on the go. Ari had his first taste of corned beef & pastrami and he loved it. He now has four teeth so he can really begin to sink into some new flavors. We took a nice long walk along Battery Park and then went to visit Orly who was working a double at Mocca. Ari loved the fresh air and being by the water and he had a great time with his aunt in her restaurant. The next part was crowded, but it was manageable. We moved on to Rockefeller Center and saw the beautiful tree all lit up. It was really impressive this year and fun to be part of the action. We even stood on line at Saks Fith Ave to see their window display, which Ari loved. It was a great festive day in the city!

A NYC Winter Day

We also really enjoyed our Chanukah parties which took place on Friday and Sautrday. It ended up just being me on Friday night with the Klaff's for Chanukah, as Ari and Lavi both stayed home sick. Lavi contracted strep throat and had to quarantine himself (from Ari too) which didn't make things too easy for me. But it worked out. I enjoyed my time off and got to enjoy a big family gathering. On Saturday both Ari and Lavi were well enough to join at Flora and Gene's for a post-Chanukah get together. This will probably be the last time we make it to Mill Ave before Flora & Gene move out. We had a great time with Orly and the Ungers and Flora, Gene and Safta Sue. It was wonderful to get together and enjoy some good old fashioned latkes!

Happy Holidays!

Happy Chanukah & Merry Christmas to everyone! The end of the year has been a little crazy for us. Ari has a bad bad cold - and his first fever. He has been weepy and miserable for 5 days already. But I think he is on the mend and getting back to his old self. I have seen some smiles and he is playing with his toys again. I am so relieved - it is ubearable to watch him feeling so miserable. Ari's nanny also left us recently and so we are trying to hurry to find someone new. It has caused a little bit of stress here - but we are hopeful that the right option will turn up. At least we can look forward to some time off...unfortunately not yet beach time off :)

As far as Ari's first Chanukah - he lit candles with us on Friday night but has missed out on the rest due to being so sick. We have a Goldberg Chanukah party on Friday night and a Ben-Zvi get together on Saturday - so we are looking forward to all of the festivities!

Look who is watching...

Unfortunately this week we relaized that Ari's nanny has decided not to return to work. This has been quite disheartening for us. But Ari got to spend a great 2 weeks with his Safta Sue (Suellyn) and we have been really lucky that Ari's friend Zachary offered for Ari to come over and play unti lthe end of the year. So Ari has been having a ball - playing with Tucker, the family dog, and spending time with Zachary. Yvonne, Zachary's nanny, has been very gracious with her time and has embraced Ari into the family for the short term. Lavi and I are trying hard to find a new nanny - but the countdown has begun!

Happy Turkey Day...

Happy Thanksgiving! We are so thankful this year for our new family. This year we joined the Klaffs for a great Thanksgiving dinner. Ari and Harry (the Klaff's huge Airedale Terrier) hit it off really well. Somehow we need to teach Ari some caution in approaching dogs - he is fearless. The Thanksgiving break has been a really nice rest for us. We have spent so much time with Ari just playing and learning new things - and Lavi and I have had a little chance to bum around at home too. Ari's latest enjoyment is climbing stairs. He can't do it yet - but he knows it is an exciting achievement - and you can tell that he is trying to figure it all out. He is very proud once he makes it up with the help of mom or dad. Pretty soon we will probably need to teach him how to go down safely.

Who's the King of the Castle?

Now this latest move has had us all grinning from ear to ear. Ari can pull himself up to stand now - and he is very proud of his accomplishments! It just makes us both laugh to see him standing there (middle of the night, middle of the day) and babbling and smiling like he is the king of the castle. Basically, given the opportunity - Ari is standing and holding on to whatever he can. He can easily pull himself up in crib and even started cruising along the edge while holding on. The baby-proofing really needs to start pronto.

So how much does the tooth fairy get these days?

Ari got his first tooth! This is so cute...It will probably be a while before it fully looks like a tooth - but the bottom left has cut through and shows more each day - and the bottom right looks like it will break through any day. Ari isn't too aware of reaching this latest milestone - but he shows off a new smile these days. In other Ari news - his hair is growing rapidly and he is scooting all around on all fours. We have also discovered that Ari loves dogs! This is an amazing sound - to hear the giggles from him when he is near a dog. His first encounter was at a Halloween party - and a mid-size dog came right up and gave him a few licks on the lips. Ari found it hilarious. My parents neightbors have 2 big golden retirevers and he shows no fear with them either. He actually finds them amusing and looks like he is ready to join the fun. I think that Lavi and I need to come up with the puppy purchase plan pretty soon. Wonder what Anouk will think of that idea...

Happy Halloween

As you know - Ari is our little lion cub - and naturally played the part for his first Halloween. We were invited to a Baby Halloween party yesterday with the mom's group - and it was so much fun to see all the babies dressed up. Lavi and I had planned a trip up to Montreal for this weekend - but due to snowy conditions - we changed the plan. Last minute we hustled a little lion outfit together for Ari. Recently - Ari has been testing out new sounds - and growling / grunting is his favorite. He fit the part well - and let out a few good roars :)


Last weekend - we drove up to Philly for Julia & Libi's birthday parties. We had a great time with the family - and Ari loved the attention and the stimulation all around. There was so much happening - and he loved spending time with cousin Marigold and enjoying the birthday party festivities. It was hectic and we don't know how the Warmunds managed to pull it all off - but they did it - and both girls loved their birthday parties!


Ari - Weeks 23 - 28

Welcome Fall Harvest

We are into the middle of fall already - and trying desperately to catch a glimpse of the quickly changing foliage. Ayla had a fall harvest birthday party last weekend. She turned 1 - and was an autumn fairy princess. The party was wonderful, aside from the fact that Ayla was under the weather. But she still smiled through the Happy Birthday songs and enjoyed the festivities as best she could. Ari loved the party - although slept through the main event (family talent show) which I am sure he would have enjoyed. We also joined our family for the Warmund girls family birthday party - and are heading up to Philly tomorrow for the kids event. Lots going on in October! Ari is now 6 months - and getting to be such a big boy. He is CRAWLING - which has started to make life interesting for me & Lavi. He is still slow - but will no doubt speed up quickly. But he is wiggly and interested in everything - and we love it! At the doctor - he weighed 14.12 lbs & is 25.5 inches. Ari is a lightweight and we are trying our best to pack in the calories - but because he is so active he is burning them off quite quickly. Who knew - I don't recall thinking that I would have such an active chap when he was in my tummy. Hope everyone is enjoying fall!

A Bright and Smiley Day

Lavi, Ari & I went into the city yesterday for a day of fun. Normally - we complain that it pours everytime we go into Manhattan - but on this day we lucked out with beautiful fall weather. While I took care of some stuff in the city, Lavi spent the morning with Ari - grabbing brunch and heading into Central Park for a walk. They passed by the sailboats and fountain with the Angel - and hung out for a while on a bench relaxing. Lavi was able to release a lot of stress that has been building at his new job. Nothing to worry about - yet it has been piling up - so it was nice to take a breathe and relax type of day. I joined the boyz in the park and we walked across the park to the West side where we found a nice Italian place to eat lunch. Then we walked back through the park to the East side (we saw Ivanka Trump in the park with her scruffy boyfriend) and met up with Elaine for coffee which turned into drinks & dessert at a local pub. It was great to spend some time with Elaine and remember that we do have friends and a life outside of the four walls of our house and midnight feedings. While walking back to our car - we decided to stop for dinner at Haru. So it was a full day of walking and enjoying eachother - and EATING! It was a wonderful day!

A Bright and Smiley Day

Shana Tova!

Ari just celebrated is first New Year. Shana Tova to everyone! We hosted the 2nd night at our house - and we had 15 people over. All family - mom, dad, Manda, Josh, Julia, Libi & Marigold (although poor Marigold got the flu), Suellyn, Jilly, Antho, Josh, Ben, Dave & Natalie. Kfir, Danit, Dean & Liam came over for a late dessert afterwards. It was a big job to pull it all together but in the end I think we hosted a very special Yom Tov. It was very warm to have everyone celebrate in our home. Ari enjoyed it immensly - there were just so many people to see and so much stimulation! And everyone got to see Ari eating his applesauce. It was a joy for them to watch and fun for Ari too - since he seems to love eating so much. Since - Ari has eaten sweet potatoes, sweet peas & bananas. He has enjoyed them all. Manda send some great pics from the holiday. Check out the cousins having a great time together!

Shana Tova

In other news...

Lavi started work a couple of weeks ago. All is going well - he has had to dive in head first and catch up on all the cases. It is a lot of work to get it all in order - but he is enjoying the initial challenge. As far as work goes for me - I am settled back into the swing of things at work. The nanny has been working out and I am getting semi-comfortable with the whole idea. I took the PMP exam a few weeks ago - and I PASSED - so now I am a certified Project Management Professional. If there is any certification to get in my field - this would be the one - so I am pretty happy about it. It was sort of a crazy undertaking with going back to work with a new baby and trying to study at the same time - but I managed to pull it off, with a lot of support from Lavi. We attended Jamie & Ted's wedding, which was beautiful - it just fought off Ernesto - long enough for Jamie and Ted to get married outdoors. It was wonderful again to see everyone and catch up. This past weekend - Lavi took me to see Andrea Bocelli and the Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall. This was my gift for giving birth and we had been looking forward to this evening for months. It was wonderful - to have time to eat dinner just the two of us, get dressed up, see a show and even go out for drinks. We feel like things are sort of getting back to normal for us - or at least developing a new 'normal' :)

Watch out...here he cometh

Ari is now 5 months old. It is amazing how quickly things change. The latest news is that Ari is very close to crawling. It will probably still be a few weeks from now before he 'gets' it...but he raises himself up on his knees now and can push one leg forward. Most of the time - it still takes a while to get to this point. He lays on his tummy - and often his feet are flying up in the air behind him. But once he really starts to get frustrated - he lowers his head and pulls his legs in - bringing his little tush up in the air. He is getting the motions down now - which has been pretty exciting to watch. Even without crawling though - he somehow is able to maneuver himself all around. I find him in one corner of the crib - and a second later he is in the other corner. I am not quite sure how he does it - but he manages. We also purchased a Bumbo seat for Ari - and I think that it has really helped to develop his sitting muscles. Just last week I was commenting with my mom on how he doesn't like to sit - he only likes to stand - but then in a day or two his sitting ability improved so much. He can't sit on his own - but he holds his head and back up so nicely. He enjoys the view better in the sitting position. We set up an activity center for Ari and it really holds his attention for a long time. He has quite an attention span - he can sit for 30 minutes unbothered. Ari is also enjoying his new nanny. He gives her big grins when she walks in the room and he seems to like being with her - so Lavi and I are feeling much better about the whole deal now. The next big thing is going to be ari's new diet. We haven't really started - the first few attempts resulted in a cranky and gassy baby - and I figure I would rather hold off until he seems really ready. But he is starting to reach for a bottle (or his mommy and Abba) and seems to know more of what he wants. I figure he will start to notice other food soon enough - and then we will begin to enjoy the next phase of eating with him.


Ari - Weeks 17-22

The queen of the animals rests

It is sad to report that early Saturday morning Lavi's grandma - Ida Mae Friedel - passed away in her sleep. She lived a long, healthy 95 years and was loved by many. We are pleased though, that Ida Mae got to meet Ari, her fifth great-grandchild. We spent her 95th birthday in Coney Island, on the boardwalk, with all her family. Attached is a picture of Grandma & Ari's first meeting.

The shot heard round the world...

Ari got his 4 month shots today. He took them like a champion again. With a little Tylenol and some loving arms to snuggle into - he recovered quite quickly. Now he is passed out sleeping - and that will probably last for a while. So he grew to 24.5 inches (50%) and he is weighing 13.5 lbs (25%). Skinny little guy - but so was Lavi so I guess he takes after his Abba. The doc was impressed with his sleeping and she thinks that he will be on the move shortly as well. We'll see... We were given the go ahead to give him a little cereal if we choose - but I don't think I will rush to start it tonight. He isn't yet craving more food - seems a little young to me. She said he looks healthy and strong - and that is the news you want to hear.

Wedding Bells are Ringing

We returned to Ithaca this weekend for Kate & Nick's wedding - which was truly wonderful!! Both Kate & Nick seemed very happy - and the wedding was pulled together flawlessly. The theme ran throughout from start to finish and it was a great event overall. And how they lucked out with the weather....it was gorgeous!! Ari ended up coming up with us - at the last minute. It was hard to juggle it all but we managed. And it was special to be with all of our friends and have them spend some time with the little guy as well. It is so great to see everyone and catch up - it is as if we haven't missed a beat. We should make it a yearly event! Ari came to a bar for the first time - although some may prefer to call it a pizza place (the Nines). He also toured Cornell for the first time - and sat for a bite at Collegetown Bagels. I'm thinking he may have wanted to take a look around - you never know where he will want to go to college (but no - we aren't looking too far into the future just yet :)) Lavi also took care of him during the wedding ceremony. It worked out nicely that there was a soundproof deck with windows overlooking the ceremony. The fact that Ari screamed through the entire thing was not noticed at all by the wedding party :) It was a cute sight for me - as I watched from below - Lavi, Jackie's husband and Steve all lined up in a row bouncing their baby boys to keep them calm through the ceremony. Lavi and I were relieved to pass Ari off to a babysitter and enjoy ourselves for the evening. We danced and socialized and were sure to notice how precious the time was. Good Luck Kate & Nick - and enjoy the honeymoon period. Before you know it - you will be juggling it all yourselves.

Sixteen Candles ?? - Not yet...but we are at 16 weeks...

So - Ari is growing up so quickly. He is now 16 weeks and so much has happened lately. First of all - he has had pretty much a full month of spending his days with his Abba. The two of them are great buddies now - and Lavi is loving spending time with his son. I think he will be just as sad as me to return to work. Ari is rolling over this way and that way. He wiggles around all the time and is pretty active. And who knows what color hair he has - every day it literally changes from red to blonde to brown. We're still waiting on full confirmation. He also is quite chatty and has definitely found his thumb/fist. It is very cute to see him sucking away. He also has a favorite 'luvee' bunny that he snuggles up to when getting ready for sleeping. I have already asked Lauren to stash a few aside for me, since they carry it at the Star Spangled Carousel. Doda (Aunt) Nili flew in from Israel to meet Ari for the first time. She was in NY from 7/21 to 8/1 and we were thrilled to see her. She brought him some wonderful little Hebrew T-Shirts and he wore them all already. Kate came to Westchester to do a make-up run for the wedding. We joined to watch and hang out at the Cardillo's dinner table which we always love doing. We also took Ari for his first trip on the train to the city. It was amazing for us to see his reaction. He loved staring out the window - it really captured his attention and was so great to see him watch the world fly by. He really is growing up quickly. We have a nanny search in full swing since Lavi accepted his new position. We may have found a match and we are excited to see how it goes when she joins us for the day on Monday to trial run. Lavi also brought Ari to my workplace on Wednesday - and this was such a thrill for me. Ari smiled his way through my office and was a great break to my day. It was also great for me to introduce Lavi to my co-workers and reveal my full worklife to him. Now he can picture it all when I bring home stories, or even just know where I am sitting when we chat on the phone. The heat wave has kept us indoors for a good part of this week, but we did lose power the other day and decided to take Ari for a swim instead of sweltering in our house. Ari loves the water and finds it relaxing. I am trying to teach him 'splash spalsh' and 'kick kick kick'. He humors me by going along with it...Check out some of our photos from 12 - 16 weeks.

Ari - Weeks 12-16

Congratulations Lavi

Yeah!! Lavi got a job offer today. This is the opportunity that we were waiting for and it came through out of the blue. So - good luck Lavi. I know you will be great at your job and the start of your career! No more lounging by the pool...

The Birthday Bash

So this was a big birthday week for us. Lavi was running around all week - hush hush. I figured something was about to happen - and as inquisitive as I normally am - I really tried hard not to ask questions and investigate. Turns out - it was all worth it - as Lavi threw me a wonderful surprise party on Sunday. So many friends and family showed up - it was really great to all be together - and it turned out to be a beautiful day! I guess the party was actually supposed to be on Saturday - but due to an impending hailstorm - Lavi had to change all the plans at the last minute. It was a huge coordination effort to get everyone to the park - and he pulled it off well. This is one of the perks of a summer birthday - you can just sit outside as the sun goes down - light a torch and chatter. A brilliant summer evening! Thanks Lavi!!!

So they all rolled over - and one fell out...

Ari officially can roll over from his tummy to his back. He did it 6 times in a row today - so I would say that is pretty official. When you catch him in the right mood - he loves being on his tummy. He holds his head up like a champion and actually moves his body by raising his buttocks and bending his legs. All the grandparents claim that he is 'crawling' although he is totally unaware of what he is doing so it is hard for me to accept the term. He does move though - so all I can say is that he is a pretty strong little chap. It is amazing that after 3 months - things start progressing so quickly. I hope I catch it all...

A trip to Mystic

On Sunday - we drove to Mystic, CT with my parents for the day. It was really nice to get out and do something summery. Ari took the opportunity to rest up well. We enjoyed a seafood lunch on the marina and then topped it off with ice cream from the local shop. We also took a nice walk along the water and shops - very serene. When we got home - Lavi took Ari into the pool. This was Ari's first time in the pool - and he wasn't too thrilled about it. Eventually, stripped of his bathing suit and diaper, he succumbed to joining his father in the float. He stood on his chest the whole time, not enjoying it too much when his little bum touched the water - but he handled it. Lavi was in the precarious position of possibly catching a spray of pee pee. Overall - it was a great summer day.

Back to the routine...

So I am back to work full time now...and my first week went relatively well. I cried after a few hours - but regained my composure and my boss let me leave at 3:30 so that I could ease into things. I tried to leave at a decent hour on Thursday - but I guess my head is still a little bit all over the place trying to get everything done that I didn't realize I left my computer at work. I turned aorund to get it - adding an hour to my commute. So now - hopefully I will never do that again. Lavi had a tough first day with Ari - but the 2nd day was much easier for him and I am sure it will only get easier with time. They will be best friends, I'm sure. Ari has had an amazing week. He is definitely laughing more now and squeals with happiness occasionally (this is a new sound he is trying). He watches Baby Einstein and I am fascinated with his awareness level. He truly loves the scenes with the puppets. Every time a puppet dances across the screen he laughs. I am amazed at the consistency he displays with his preferences, as the same stuff gets his attention over and over. Ari also rolled over this week! He has had a lot of tummy time lately and has shown a lot of strength with lifting his head and shuffling his body. He seriously looks like he is going to crawl. He actually moves his body from one spot to another. I am guessing that within the week this rolling may happen a few more times - if we make sure to get him on his tummy. He is also semi-reaching for objects which is a new step as well. He stares the objects down, as if he can will them to levitate or something. But then you will notice that a hand darts across the scene, and he concentrates so hard. 12 weeks - and he is turning a corner! He was at the pediatric cardiologist this morning to look over his heart murmur, which is something we will need to monitor as time goes on - but nothing to worry about too much right now. He grew to 23 inches long, and weighs 11lb 13oz. All in all - we are all adjusting to the new routine and hopefully things continue to go smoothly.

Ari is 12 weeks old...but not 3 months (we can't let him grow up too fast)

On Sunday July 9 - Ari will be 12 weeks old! How fast the time has flown. I am returning to work July 5. Thankfully - it is in the middle of the week and am still eligible for Sunmmer Fridays - so this week shouldn't be too overwhelming. Lavi is graciously taking on the role of being at home with Ari during the day while I am at work. I think he has been looking forward to his alone time with Ari for a while - but he is aware that it is not easy and the adjustment may be overwhelming / frustrating at times. Lavi is wonderful with Ari though - and can conjur a smile from him like a pro. Ari is also changing so much. His cry is no longer one of a newborn - and he sounds a little more sad when he does cry. It breaks your heart. But generally - we respond to him quickly enough that the cries are quite short lived. Nevertheless - you can hear the difference in tone which is interesting. Ari is still a smiler and his favorite spot is still the changing table. He has been plopped in front of a Baby Einstein DVD once or twice and is engrossed! So - TV watching may be one of his favorite activites - which we will make sure to keep to a minimum in the early days. Lavi has got him into the computer already too - exposing him to some wonderful Disney games that I am sure will be a great hit. It is amazing to see how interested he is though - you cannot tear his eyes away. He fits nicely into his clothing now - and is chunking up well. He now weighs about 12 pounds I believe (22.75 inches). Ari and I have been quite involved with some local moms recently - I have been meeting a bunch of new people and that has been exciting. Hopefully with my work schedule - we will be able to keep it up. Next weekend - Lavi will meet some husbands - so that should be fun. We are off to a 30th birthday party for Adam today - lounging by the pool is always fun. It should be a good activity before my return to work. Happy 4th of July!

Florida 2006

We enjoyed a week's vacation in Del Ray Beach, FL with my parents and sister's family. It was really great to get away - each family had their own apartment (with wonderful AC). We were able to relax and change the scenery a bit with Ari. The routine remained the same. It was very H-H-HOT! So most of the days we were actually indoors for the peak sun hours. The cousins enjoyed the pool and the beach a bit more than us - but next year we'll be running around with everyone. My parents watched Ari for us almost every night so that Lavi and I could go out together for dinners. Del Ray has a lot of nice restaurants and some very cute shops. It is a great place to get away - right on the beach yet not overly crowded at all. Overall - a good time was had by all!

Florida - 2006

7 and a half weeks old...already...

So Ari is now 7.5 weeks old and we are pretty much in the groove with him now. We are just starting to get on a schedule (of sorts) but it is working so far. Lauren lent me the Baby Whisperer books and just from a little skimming - I tried a new method with him that has had miraculous results so far. In just 2 nights - we have eliminated the midnight / 1am feeding - and he makes it from 11 - 4!! Let's hope he keeps it up and extends the hours. I do think we have a sleeper on our hands. From talking to other moms - it sounds like Ari likes his rest quite a bit :) And that works for me. But when he is awake - the time is much more fun now. He is very alert and 'plays' a bit. He definitely notices his mobile and smiles at it a lot. He also loves the Flutterby activity mat and although he isn't a huge fan of his swing - he does like the mirror above it and it can entertain him for a few minutes. Ari's favorite spot though is at his changing table where he stares out the window - at I'm not sure what - but it looks wonderful to him. He has also started cooing just a bit - when he is active - he makes noises and I've almost heard 1 or 2 syllables of a laugh here and there. Ari also loves his bath and we have taken to giving him one every night now. Lavi is the Master of bathtime and really enjoys his special time with his son. I have started getting into some activities here and there and resuming life as normal. Lavi and I are exercising - and I joined a post natal yoga class. I am trying out a Stroller exercise class too. Plus - I joined the mommy group at the hospital and have already gone walking at the park with a few of the moms. We are heading to Florida on Saturday with him - so we are off on a real adventure. Hopefully the change in atmosphere won't mess up the nice little schedule that we have started. It is kind of upsetting the once it all falls into place - I am back to work - but I am hoping I will work that out as well and make it all fit.

Ari - Month 2

We have a Graduate in the room!

So - Lavi has finally Graduated! He is officially a School Psychologist and is adorned with his Master's degree - we couldn't be prouder! On June 1st - we headed to the ceremony for Lavi's graduation with Ari, Suellyn & Orly. It was very nice to have Lavi's mom and sister get to witness this momentous event for Lavi - since at the last graduation - it was just me. And for Lavi to have his son at this event - I am sure was doubly special for him. Lavi looked proud! I was very happy that he attended (since that is always touch and go with him). We bought a new video camera and I was amazed by the camera zoom. Once we found him in the sea of graduates - I caught him close up on tape. We celebrated with a pizza lunch at Nick's (Lavi's request), a cake on Friday night with my parents and an IPod to seal the deal (it more likely sealed the fact that Lavi is now glued to the computer sifting through MP3's). I am extremely happy for my husband - he has worked so hard to get here and has grown so much. 2006 has been a big year so far!

Lavi's Graduation

Ari is all smiles!

Ari is now 5 weeks old - and at about 3 weeks he started smiling. Yes - I checked multiple times to makes sure if wasn't gas and to my surprise - the little chap was grinning from ear to ear on his own without any digestive issues involved. It is the most heartwarming thing to see! What a smile he has....personally - I find it extremely cute and we both have a lot of fun trying to get one out of him. We are most successful in the morning when he lays on his changing table and looks at the sky. He loves that - and is all smiles. Also - when he takes a bath. Oh boy - does he enjoy his bathing sessions. Lavi gets a lot of grins from those - since he is the primary bath giver. Today, my parents babysat for Ari. When I walked in the door and said hello, I was told that Ari's face looked stunned for a sec and then he grinned. And I said something else - and his grin widened even more. He knew my voice and it made him happy! It made me feel so good - this was one of the first confirmations for me that Ari knows his momma. He is such a good baby - Lavi and I feel so lucky!!

Ari - All Smiles

Pidyon Haben

So, on Tuesday night (5/16/06) we bought Ari back from the Kohen - A Jewish ritual preserved for the redemption of the first born son. After a crazy few days of trying to secure a Kohen and the 5 silver coins - we managed to pull together a special, intimate ceremony. I spent most of the morning running from bank to bank - attempting to buy pure silver dollars. Lavi spent most of the morning back and forth on the phone with Rabbis trying to collect the 5 coins. In the end - he did a better job than me. All I was able to do was get confirmation from a synagogue in Greenwich that they carried the 'chocolate' ones. Not much help that would be. Little did we know - my mom had 7 silver dollars stashed away in the house. Oy. Anyway - we blessed, we drank and we ate. All the components of a true Jewish ceremony!

Happy Mother's Day

So - today Ari is 4 weeks old. What a wonderful gift to me on Mother's Day. My first time celebrating mother's day!! Ari has progressed so much in the last few weeks. Although he still basically just eats, sleeps and poops - it is easy to tell that he is putting on weight and growing nicely. He is still wearing the newborn clothing - but that will probably start to change soon. And he is beginning to crack a smile here and there. It definitely is not gas!! Ari's smile lights up his whole face - and it will be so exciting when he holds it for more than a tenth of a second. But he cracked a big one for his dad today - and that was exciting. Otherwise - his temperament is pretty calm. He isn't too fussy either - altough he may have his days and nights a bit mixed up. We need to work on that I guess. What a joy to have a little boy! (As you can see - I am rhyming my way through the days) :)

Ari's Brit Milah

April 23rd - the 8th day of Ari's life - we hosted a Brit Milah ceremony at the Center for Jewish Life in Scarsdale. Family & friends joined us to celebrate and nosh. Mom, Dad, Manda, Josh & Lavi worked hard to get everything prepped and set for the celebration. I held the baby and waited with nervous energy. As much as it was a joyous occasion - it isn't the easiest day to get through. As a first time mother - the anticipation of what was going to happen to my little boy pained me - but Ari took it like a champion. The actual Bris took mere seconds - with just a little yelp from Ari - and he was comforted by a nice amount of sweet red wine. We can already tell - he takes after his father :)

Ari - Brit Milah

The long wait is over...

Our son has arrived. Ari Lev Ben-Zvi was born on April 16th at 3:42pm - weighing in at 7.4 oz & 19.5 in. long. We are so thrilled and overjoyed to meet the new member of our family. Lavi and I spend hours staring at Ari - marveling at his features and soaking up the mere fact that he is our son. It is taking a while to sink into the reality that we are truly parents now...but it is a fact that we are relishing the thought of. We are enamoured with our baby and it is the best feeling in the world!

Ari - Week 2
Ari - Week 1

So this is what Labor is all about...

On Saturday night - Lavi and I sat down to watch 'The March of the Penguins'. A beautiful story focused on nurturing parents and the beginning of life. Something must have kicked in and triggered a maternal response, as at 4:08 am on April 16th (Sunday morning) - I went into labor. I was awoken to my water breaking and announced to Lavi that the time had arrived. Lavi had come to bed a mere 30 minutes before and I apparently sleepily told him in a dreamlike state 'Don't get too comfortable'. I guess somewhere in lalaland - I knew what was coming. By 5:00 we were admitted to the hospital and by 8am I think I had the epidural going strong. By 1:30 I was fully dilated and I began pushing. Lavi was a marvelous coach - constantly providing cold compresses and ice chips to a parched and exhausted wife. The experience was totally different than what we had expected - but all was smooth and relatively standard. We could not imagine at that point - how the next few hours and days would feel. The start of parenthood is an awakening that opens your eyes and hearts bigger than you ever thought possible. I don't think we can even imagine how much bigger our hearts can grow as our lives take a new turn.

Ari - The Birth

Baby Shower

Saturday March 18th, Sara & Amanda threw a baby shower for me. The celebration was great. The atmosphere was very joyous and warm and the anticipation of this baby's arrival was definitely felt. Thanks so much to the Arlin's for doing such a wonderful job hosting the event. The food was delish! And thanks to Amanda for arranging the games and activities. Laughter and fun was had by all. By the end - I was totally exhuasted - it is amazing how 36 weeks of pregnany can take a real toll on the body. We are just really looking forward to Baby Boy Ben-Zvi's arrival (hopefully soon).

Baby Shower

Punta Cana BabyMoon

A little birdie told us to try and do as much stuff as possible before the baby comes. So we took a trip to the Dominican Republic to get away and enjoy our short-lived freedom. It was a wonderful weekend..very quick but well worth it! We stayed in one place - and never left the beach except to eat of course. It was totally relaxing and a great getaway. Next year we'll bring the baby along :)

Punta Cana Photos

Meet Anouk

Meet Anouk
Originally uploaded by kerigoldbug.

This is our cat Anouk. Look but don't touch.