Back to School! Phew...

Ari & Noam have gone back to school - after a very nice (although unseasonably HOT - even though it was the right season) summer. And mommy couldn't be more pleased to be back to our regular routine. Summer was great - and the boys really did have a great time - but the lack of routine was a little stressful for mommy (and abba too).

So this year - Ari is in room Zayin (the oldest at the Gan) and Noam is in room Dalet. They both have wonderful teachers this year - and we are very excited for what this year at Gan has to bring. The boys are both so grown up - the summer always seems to make that apparent, especially when wearing their shoes for Day 1.

Ari is inquisitive as always. He spent most of the summer drawing elaborate pictures with chalk on the patio - and telling us the stories to go along with them. And he made some wonderful drawings on paper as well - he loves to draw race cars and monster / fire trucks - but they are truly very special. He is proliferate with them - and Lavi and I can't decide which ones not to keep. Ari also learned to swim quite well at camp this summer - and he can do some strokes without any floats. He had a good time at the O-La-Mi summer camp and made some new friends. The rest of the summer he spent at the beach with Safta an Abba, or touring a few of the local amusement parks and showing his daring side. He got a new bike this summer and has been zipping around as well (with training wheels). He can read and write, and is starting to ask a few questions about adding & subtracting too.

Noam grew up SO much this summer. He was talking quite well by the end of the school year last year - but this summer his speech just rapidly took off. He can enunciate so well - and he likes to put together sentences, and then elaborate on his sentences. He likes to tell us knock-knock jokes - and he and Ari are truly great buddies. When together - they hug & kiss each other - and they make each other laugh. Noam likes to wear capes and pretend he is superboy. He loves to dress-up and put on different hats & shoes. He can be bossy - just like his brother Ari as well - but we like to think that this shows good leadership skills. He likes to choose his own clothing. Enjoys swimming - and can swim around well with arm floats. He also got a new bike and pedals around a bit - but he isn't so much into zooming. Noam is more of a picky eater - but has a healthy appetite - and he has begun potty training himself to mommy & Abba's surprise and delight. This is not something either of us were looking forward to - and Noam decided to just start on his own (I guess Ari teaches him a thing or two).

We hope the boys have a wonderful school year. It's off to a great start!