Boots Season

One morning this week it was rainy. Finally time to break out the rainboots for something other then washing the floors (yep, that happens). The start of a new season for clothes is always exciting for me- the first time you put on a sweater in the fall, first time you can wear a t shirt in the spring and it seems though that gene has transferred to little Eitan. So far, that's the only one that's made it through. Well, okay second, he has big Kirschenbaum ears.

I don't know who was more excited, me for my new rainboots, or Eitan for his. Either way. It ruled. What was even better was that by the time we left the house it wasn't raining, and the day turned out sunny and beautiful. Best.

When we got home from school pick up and it was time for Eitan's nap, he obviously needed those boots in his crib with him. Because who knows where they could have gone while he was sleeping.

And because this was a momentous occasion, photographic evidence!

Baby Beetle Bailey Levav Chanan?

Hmm?

Or is it just us?

PS: How cute is that hat?
PPS: Nina just informed me she would like one of our children for her birthday.

Insta-Post

So I'm not an instagrammer, but Aunt Dadu Aviva is and takes fabulous pictures on her phone of everyone and everything around here.

Here's a taste of what's been up recently. Some of my own phone pics are thrown in too- the ones that don't look so cool.

If You Can't Take the Boys to the Poconos...

Then take the Poconos to the boys.

This year for the second time in forty something years Ami's extended family is not in the Poconos for Thanksgiving. I'd like to say it's because of the birth of one Lev Rozmaryn and the imminent birth of another baby TBD Gadi and Jac Rozmaryn, but this off year for the clan started because of the Bar Mitzvahs of two boys who caused it's cancellation the first time 13 years ago. To clarify, we Rozmaryns wouldn't have gone this year no matter what, but the whole shebang would have been Schlager free (and there's a lot of them) already.

So, when you can't go to the Poconos, you do your best to order the Poconos to you. As did my in-laws in ordering tons of Callie's chocolate online for the US based part of the family, and bringing over a whole bunch here for our Israel based branch. If you've been around this blog for a while, you may remember hearing about this beloved chocolate shop here, and let me tell you, a year later, it's just as good.

Enjoy some shots of the two boys getting their Callie's on. Well, really just Eitan, little Levav will have to wait until next year (or the year after if his sugar fearing parents have their say).

Today We Are Thankful

For cease fires that allow the biggest drama of the day to be getting peed on and vomited on in the same hour. Because, really that's big.

For our families who have come 6,000 miles to visit and take care of us like it's no big deal to just postpone, push off and rearrange their lives with a phone call notice.

For these boys, who while love to keep us up at night are so cute, sweet and cuddly during the day that it (almost) makes up for our walking around in a zombie state all day.

 

This year we don't have turkey, stuffing or black Friday shopping, but we have lots to be thankful for.

More Ups and Downs

So things have been really nutty around here.

The war is intensifying, and although much seems to be proceeding as normal, my being glued to US media prevents me from doing so.

Yesterday my mom took Eitan out for the morning while I was able to stay home and take care of lots of little things around the house- organizing gifts we've gotten for little Lev, general cleaning up and laundry, going through the tons of food from the bris and from shabbat that has been brought over, you know, partying. Oh, and getting some time to hang out with my little baby without being nervous that I'm making Eitan jealous.

So all was good, my mom came back, we put Eitan down for a nap, Lev was sleeping and I was sitting on the couch curled up with a book. Mommy heaven. And before I could even say how nice it all was, a siren. I jumped up, told my mom to grab the baby and run downstairs to the shelter, ran into Eitan's room, woke up my poor sleeping boy and ran downstairs myself. And we sat there the requisite 10 minutes. And came up when a neighbor said it was all clear and the rocket actually hit Palestinian territories south of Jerusalem. And the texts began- to Ami who was at work in his makeshift office on the building site, to my brothers to let them know we were okay, to Nina who was on a bus on her way over here who found out that her noise cancelling headphones actually work perfectly.

I joked that those mother-effing terrorists knew that for the first time both boys were sleeping and needed to interuppt the peace. And Nina joked that we need a siren warning for Lev's poop explosions. But it's so NOT funny that my little 10 day old baby has been in a bomb shelter twice already.

And today, this morning, with talks of a cease fire being imminent, I decided that we can't just live in fear and spent the day with Ami's parents. The plan was to go to the kibbutz they volunteered at when they were in their 20's for a visit and then spend a bit of time in Tel Aviv enjoying the city. Yes, it's a little nuts for a new mom to schlep her baby and toddler out for a day of adventure, but what else is new. Plus, we never leave the city, I knew Eitan would love the kibbutz and wanted him to have a special day amongst all the craziness that has been- between the new baby, family visits, bomb shelters, you know.

And the kibbutz was great! He saw real life cows, real life farmers and real life farmer trucks. He played in the playground and we met Jackie and Esther's adopted kibbutz mom who brought him cake and lollipops.

We headed for Tel Aviv to meet up with a Rozmaryn cousin, and while we were a few minutes away I texted my brother who works right near where we were going to see if he wanted to stop by as well and say hi to the boys. And I thought, maybe I can pawn both off on the adults for a few minutes and run into the (not so new anymore) forever 21 in the mall to get some post-baby transition clothes. And he called back saying that a bus had just blown up one block away from the mall. Oh boy. Terrifying yes. If things would have taken a few less minutes in the morning, or we had not gotten a little bit lost on the way to the kibbutz we could have been right there. I know there's always could haves, but this was too too close. And so we changed our plans, had lunch on the port, but not the relaxing afternoon of fun that we thought we were going to. I was prepared (well, prepared as much as one can be) that there might be sirens in Tel Aviv during our couple hours there, and read up on what to do if there's one while you're on the road, but a bus blowing up, well, that kind of random terror with no warning, that's too much for me.

Now we're home, after a two and a half hour drive because police were out searching all of the highways for the bus bombing perpetrators leading to traffic standstill, and I just don't know what to do next. Never leave the house again? Just go home as soon as we can get passports and the US documentation for the baby? I mean, I don't want to be the person that just goes home when the going gets tough, but also we had planned on being here a year, and then a couple extra months (now) after that once we found out little Lev was on his way, but at the same time, you know, I don't want to be an abandoner. I also don't want to  live like this. Or have my baby boys live like this- or have a mom that is a nervous wreck all the time. So we go on. We can't go anywhere now, no passport for the little guy anyways, and Hudy and Debra's wedding is five weeks away. But I want to be home, in our little apartment in DC, looking at the tree lined N street instead of worrying about Ami taking the bus home and the logistics of getting to a bomb shelter by myself with the two boys.

Here in Israel they keep saying, yihye tov, it will be all good, so what else is there to do but just go on, suck it up and live one day at a time. Meanwhile, it seems that a cease fire is being announced now  and both sides are getting in final attacks. I don't know what a cease fire really means, and what it means for the cycle of violence, but I'm going to be optimistic and hope that tomorrow is better then today.

Meanwhile, friends, we miss you, and appreciate all of the check ins, facebook messages and emails...

On Brises and Bomb Shelters

On Friday, I thought the worst part of my day would be over by 10am once Lev's Bris was complete. In retrospect, that was a piece of cake (slice of bagel?).

Just after Shabbat started, as I went to go light candles (late, okay, I have a newborn and a toddler, I'm doing my best) I heard a siren.

At first I thought it was the Shabbat siren, but was wondering why it would be going off at Mimi Shabbat starting time rather than candle lighting. And Ami comes out of our room with the baby and says, that's a siren siren, let's go downstairs. We're lucky that our building houses a city run bomb shelter, and down we went. I was freaked out for lots of reasons, mostly because Eitan was a few blocks away with my Dad and Nachama and when things are scary, you want to just hug your kid. And also, what the hell. Rockets in Jerusalem, that was something that we were told just didn't happen. Apparently the last time a siren was heard in Jerusalem was in the 70's. Ironically, an hour before I told my brother in Tel Aviv he should come to Jerusalem for Shabbat.

So we stayed down there the requisite ten minutes and peeked out with our neighbors and a couple random people that were on our street who came inside after hearing the siren to see what was going on. It turns out the rockets did not hit Jerusalem, but close enough to definitely give a real spook to our daily lives. And Ami and I now have a middle of the night plan (I take the little one, he takes the big one). The rest of the time plan, that is pretty much impossible- will Eitan be in school? Will I be home with both boys by myself? What if Eitan is napping and I have to go get him out of his crib and downstairs in a minute time? Or if he's in a mood where he refuses to go down the stairs without being carried? And worse, what if I'm out with both boys, then what? I'm doing my best not to think about these questions and just hoping that it's more than 40 years until there's another siren here.

The rest of Shabbat was quiet thankfully and it seems that life really does just go on - people were out and about enjoying a perfect, crisp fall afternoon on the Rakevet street this afternoon, and the restaurants and cafes on Emek Refaim were all full when I ran out to get a couple things from the store tonight.

We're okay, a little worse for wear (well, me anyways, Ami seems fine), but an experience that I have no desire to re-live and hoping this conflict ends. News is that 70,000 reservists were called up today, which makes me think that the end of this round of violence is not going to happen so quickly.

One day at a time...

First Couple Days Home

Levav Chanan

Friday morning we celebrated the arrival of our son with his brit mila. Here's the scoop on how we chose his name. Pictures of the celebration to follow.


Levav. Levav's first name was chosen based on two sources that spoke to us. First, from the Shema, ואהבת את יי אלוהך בכל לבבך, you should love the Lord with all your heart." The Mishna in Brachot states that "with all your hearts" refers to both of our inclinations, not only good but bad as well. We want him to live his life in a way that everything he does he does with all of him, with his whole heart.  The second source where the name Levav is mentioned is in Hatikva, Israel's national anthem כל עוד בלבב פנימה  נפש יהודי הומיה as long as within the heart a Jewish soul yearns". This is particuarly relevant as he was born on exactly the one year anniversary of our arrival in Israel. We want Levav to hear his name every time he hears Hatikva, as if it is being spoken to him personally. As long as within Levav, a Jewish soul yearns. We hope that his name serves as a compass to him, no matter where he goes or where he ends up, he will always know where his home is.

His middle name, Chanan, is after my grandmother, Chana, who passed away last week as we were eagerly anticipating his over-due arrival. I was named for her (Chana's) mother, Miriam, and now we have the honor to continue the chain in naming Chanan. His full name is a perfect remembrance of my grandmother as nothing filled her heart (Lev) more than her grandchildren. She was a very special woman, who had grace and dignity and was a true lady in every sense of the word. The definition of the name Chanan is compassion, which perfectly fits the mourning process for our family, while we have lost her, god has shown us compassion in giving us a beautiful baby boy to celebrate and take comfort in.

The little guy already showing signs of a spunky personality- as soon as the Mohel opened his diaper to begin the bris, Lev peed all over him. Can't wait to share more stories about this new addition to our family.

Introducing...

Yes, it's been a while since I've posted. And yes, we've been busy. And here he is, finally, ten days late, Baby Boy Rozmaryn!

The week leading up to his birth was very eventful, and as miserable as each day after October 29th was waiting and waiting, I really think that he came exactly when he was meant to. 

Let's just review. Monday,  October 29th, my due date, Hurricane Sandy rolled on in. I made a joke of it all,   not at all expecting to actually give birth on "the day", and expecting to be late (as was the case with Eitan). And my mom's arrival was pushed from Wednesday to Friday due to flight delays. And I figured that I'd still be pregnant when she came, rightfully so. And she came, and spent a few days staring at my enormous stomach willing the baby to come out.

And so the inducing lore began, spicy foods, long walks, yoga poses, some medical "natural" induction methods and even an acupuncture appointment on the calendar. 

Monday night, one whole week after my due date, middle of the night we get a call from New York that my grandmother (my mom's mom) has passed away. Off my mom goes to New York, and 10 hours after landing is back on a flight to Israel with the body for burial. Wednesday evening she returns, proceeds with a funeral and burial here. And I'm still pregnant. And even more upset because on Doctor and Rabbi orders, and my mom's, couldn't go to the funeral because I'm at that point a week and a half overdue and apparently it's a "thing" that pregnant women shouldn't go to cemeteries. We meet the family back in Jerusalem for a post-funeral meal and head home for the acupuncture. 

And Thursday night, I wake up at 1:35am with contractions. Half not believing I was actually going into labor I just went to the other room, and watch some TV, after feeling them consistently for an hour or so, called our parents in the US to tell them to start looking for flights and headed out for the hospital. I'll spare the (very) gory details, but at 9:30am our little sabra arrived.

And while we were at the hospital, you know having the kid, Aunt Dadu had Eitan duty. I had prepared a bunch of little presents for Eitan for the day that we would just not be there, and Aviva was happy to be the one to play Santa. Of course, we had A LOT of time to talk to him and prepare him as best we could for what was ahead, starting with explaining that one day Mommy and Daddy were going to go get the baby, and of course, that we always always come back. So perhaps a tiny bit because of our pep talks, but mostly because of the presents, when he woke up on Friday, he was pretty cool about it all. And yes, we were calling and checking up on the situation while I was pushing Baby Brozmaryn into the world.

And, this is how Aviva felt about Eitan's 6am wake up call, that she actually needed to stay awake for, rather than just freeing him from the confines of his crib and pointing him in our direction.

And so, with an hour or so until Shabbat starting, Ami left the hospital to make sure everything could be as normal as possible for Eitan, especially considering spending Shabbat at the Shiva house with my mom and siblings.

Sunday morning arrived and finally time to go home. I missed Eitan so much- and was so excited and nervous to introduce him to his baby brother. We got home, and I went, by myself to pick him up from school (as normal), and he was so cutely excited and confused to see me that he nearly burst into tears. It was so so sweet. Love that kid.

And home we came talking about his baby brother who we brought home, and thankfully, so far so good. Eitan loves holding his baby brother's hand, making nice, and just looking in at him. We're still assuming that one of these days he'll get that this kid is a part of our family and taking attention away from him, and hate him, but for now, he is doing great. It didn't hurt that his baby brother bought him this balance bike that he is obsessed with, but he really seems to be happy with the situation, asking for his baby brother, wanting to see him, it's adorable.

And here we are...thanks to the hipster filters on instagram courtesy of Aviva Rozmaryn. Two boys. One day at a time. But day 1, that was a goodie.

Name and additional oversharing about this new baby to follow...