Self Portraits and Other Random Updates

Now that Ami's working all the time (Friday mornings too! Not fair!), we've lost our photographer, but I've been practicing the art of self portraiture. Not bad, right?

Attempt number 1: Realize Eitan's sunglasses are crooked

Attempt number 2: Realize I have sunglasses on in every picture

Attempt number 3: No sunglasses, but Eitan's over it...

And in other random Rozmaryn Ramblings...

I've finally refined my Jango (it's the European version of Pandora, which like everything amazing from home, is blocked here) stations so that they're almost as good as the Pandora stations I had at home after years of thumbs upping and downing. Almost. The good thing is Jango has WAY less ads, and doesn't have a monthly limit. I don't know if it's available in the US, but check it out, jango.com. Be warned: It does not guess what songs you'd like next as well as Pandora, and doesn't have as good as a selection of kids music.

It turns out that my beloved watermelon devouring habit is what is behind my recent heartburn. This makes me terribly sad, I love love love it, and would try to eat it to counteract the heartburn. Apparently it's quite acidic. Shoot, man. However, cantaloupe cut up with (super super rich) cottage cheese has been rediscovered and it's even better then I remember from my year here after High School. It's not as refreshing as watermelon, but it doesn't cause me pain after eating it, so it's my new go to snack.

I've been getting really crafty lately, so far last week I made a version of this charger caddy for my phone (to keep it off my nightstand so little toddler fingers can't grab it) and a tether to keep Eitan's sippy cup or snack cup attached to the stroller. And I have another big project in the work...more when it's finished, promise. I guess when you live in a country without buy buy baby and Target, you just figure out ways to get stuff that doesn't exist here in some way or another!

I need to teach Eitan the meaning of the words "all done". When he gives me something, let's say a half eaten bureka, and asks for something else, say water, he'll say "all done". And I might might might just eat said bureka (or pretzel, or ice pop) and he might might might just freak out when he finishes his water and expects it to still be there. So, after much thought it seems "all done" means, please hold said item for me indefinitely in case I ask for it again. Ideas?

Jerusalem Zoo!

We spent Monday afternoon at the zoo. I mentioned a bit ago how Eitan gets obsessed with one book and makes everyone read it over and over again? Well, lately it's been this book called "Put me in the zoo", and yes, I know it all by heart, and so, with this week's weather cooler, with highs only in the 80's, I decided it was time.

Along for the ride too was Best Bud Shlomo and his mom, and Nina along with two of our now Jerusalem formerly neighbors from Teaneck's children.

Highlights were the penguins and monkeys and Jazz concert. I wish we had more time or had realized that the far away animals would be kind of boring for him. I'm not sure what he saw or noticed, or cared about, but the petting zoo would have been awesome. Next time, next time.

Penguins!


Penguins! from mimi rozmaryn on Vimeo.

Train!

Music!



Music at the Zoo from mimi rozmaryn on Vimeo.

All tired at the end of the day, and my mom won't stop taking pictures...

Cleaning Crew

When Ami started his crazy 55+ hour a week job, we (I) decided we were going to need some help around the house. Someone to help with the cleaning and maybe even a mother's helper type person to watch Eitan a couple hours a couple times a week. Because with Ami being gone from 6:30am to 5:30 (at least) pm and until noon on Fridays, and my being with Eitan all day and still working in the evenings, that's a lot on our to-do lists!

While I haven't done the research yet, partially because Nina's still around and helps a lot, partially because it's hard to find the right people and that also requires effort, it seems Eitan has stepped up his game and is taking on some cleaning responsibilities around here. It's about time. That kid's been making messes for the past year and nine months without lifting a finger!

One day, he was obsessed with paper towels. He insisted on carrying the package of rolls up the stairs (and his diapers- Amazon subscribe and save diaper delivery- you are MISSED!) and also would not part with them come nap time.

Another day he found the mop/broom thing, I think it's called a spounga here (it's basically a flat squeegee mop that you wrap a cloth around, pour soapy water all over the floor and mop it all out to your attached terrace/mirpeset (or at least that's what I do- probably all wrong)) and went to town imaginarily cleaning up the house. Nice effort bud. I usually do this mopping when he's sleeping- pouring boiling hot  soapy water all over the floor + curious toddler, probably not the best combination, but there have been a few times where Ami's been around and occupied him on a chair or couch while I got my mopping on. Either way, he found the mop stick and went to town. He did ask for water and I said no, by the way, so I guess he does understand how it's supposed to be done.



Cleaning Up...Kind of from mimi rozmaryn on Vimeo.

What a nice boy wants to help 'clean up house' while his mommy sits in her pajamas on the couch! Babysteps, babysteps and he'll be mopping for real. Or at least continuing to help collect all his toys and books before nap and bed times.

Cat Cuteness: It IS possible!

Like every good Jerusalemite, or maybe Israeli for that matter, I find the cats that overtake the streets a huge menace. Not only are they annoying on the streets, but at night the scream and cry. And it sounds like a baby crying, we've heard that they have developed that by learning to adapt to their environment to get care- apparently some people find a baby crying sympathy inducing. For us it's really annoying (is Eitan up?) and creepy.

I do feel bad for them in a lot of ways. They were brought here to get rid of the rats, and now they're an even bigger problem. And although they're a huge nuisance, they're living creatures and have nowhere to go and no source of food, and aren't meant to be around. 

Either way, the cats everywhere are a problem. See here and here for more details if you're interested. Lately, there has been a few of them that lurk outside our building in our little garden. Eitan has learned to say "go away cats" if they're there when we approach the door- I certainly don't want one getting into our little lobby area.

But this morning as we left for our daily adventures I saw something so adorable and sweet that it made me bust out my camera and dedicate a few shots to our enemies. Really, is this so cute? Or what? If you don't think so, you should head to a doctor, because really, you might be missing a heart.

And since I know I'm not allowed to post anything without a picture of the reason anyone comes to this blog...here goes. Eitan's latest foray into head wear.

Future Chemist?

Last week was a major heatwave in Jerusalem, and I was thankful again for our pool membership, and doubly thankful that it's only a few blocks away, which is the farthest distance to reasonably walk.

I KNOW the heat in New York and DC have been unrelenting this year. And compared to those humidity indexes, we have nothing to complain about. BUT, this country has bad AC (if any) so even though it's a few degrees cooler, and there's minimal humidity, with the lack of AC factor, I call it even.

But I digress, Eitan has taken to being a little chemist at the pool. He sits on the edge and just fills his little collection of stacking cups and pours them in to each other quite methodically. And then the shovel and rake, well those also get used to sample the water.

The sight must be funny, a mom in the baby pool, baby on the edge playing with cups. It's hot! If Eitan is too busy to go in, that's his problem...

Ps- How cute is he when he actually wears his sunglasses, instead of asking for them then throwing them on the ground?

Eitan's Latest

Last year, in Eitan's first year on this planet, I'd send a monthly email with pictures and videos about what he's been up to to family and some out of town friends. I love that I have these emails and can look back on all of those milestones. And sit in shock at how much he's changed.

This year, the blog serves as a similar diary, but mostly in the context of other things we're doing. But he's been making some huge talking changes, so you know, here goes. If you don't care about our baby babblings and other non sense, please feel free to skip this post. But I have a feeling that you people tune in here for the real star of our family, and not because you care what his parents are doing or up do.

Without further ado:

Eitan's favorite new words- and what we've figured out they mean.


Mano- water
Wanamenon- watermelon
Billup - fill up (usually in the context of him pushing a sippy cup in our face)
Waaan- fan
Bencin- medicine (he asks for his ear infection bubble gum flavored medicine often)
Datoou- cracker
Boombor-computer
Tutumba- cucumber
Mootayo- motorcycle
Diyin- crying

He's become very very verbal the past month or so, narrarating our daily walks and outings. He strings together three word sentences and repeats everything he hears. Which doesn't always work out so well for us.  He loves saying HI and Bye Bye to motorcycles, and busses, lets us know when he hears an airplane or truck go by, and my personal favorite, reporting whenever he sees or hears a baby crying, when we pass the bureka store, or children on the street.

Most recently, mid one of his own cries for some terrible offense we inflicted on him (not letting him pour his cereal on the floor maybe? Changing his diaper when he had a different agenda, I don't remember) he stopped, looked at me in the face and said, EITAN DIYIN (crying), and then started to cry some more. It was hilarious and I will now dedicate myself to getting a similar exchange on video.

He's also been very into hiding. See?

 Here's a video of his mad skills:


Hiding in Bed from mimi rozmaryn on Vimeo.

So that's the update on our Eitan at 1 year 9 months!

Pals

So Nina's been out of the Army a month today with her mystery rash. Hopefully now that Uncle Dr. Izzy is here he will House the heck out of it, and we'll figure out what the deal is, and she will have a speedly recovery, but for now, Eitan has been loving the weeks with attention being showered on him.

On a recent afternoon where she came over to keep him busy so I could get some serious work done this is the scene I came back to...