The kids have been sweet and, when naughty, have managed to provide comic relief. Saul quit thanking me, but has started saying "Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!" in a sing-songy voice reminiscent of teenage girls greeting each other (wait, do I still do that?). Yasha walks, really walks, and falls so clumsily you just want to sweep him into your arms every time. But he doesn't cry too much. Ezra and Naomi and I visited the fahncy bike store, purchased flashy new helmets (for them), removed training wheels, and readied their bikes for summer riding. Ezra amazed me by teaching himself to ride after a couple of days' practice on our tiny deck (without help from parents). He especially amazed himself. I'm glad he's a fairly brave kid, a squawking chicken about minor pains, but not afraid of physical challenges. We're eager to take him and Naomi out to the park, but a sudden heat wave descended upon us, and we're waiting it out. Now that Ezra is self-sufficient, I can focus on teaching Naomi (and channeling my dad, who taught me). I was wondering how it was all going to work out...
Did I mention that we got Hannah a small trike, which she calls (you guessed it) a "dike"? Ezra, practicing, not-so-politely said, "Hah-nnie, get out of my way!" and she brilliantly retorted: "It's my way!"
Ezra discovered Beethoven. He really has been davening every day (to my great shock) and using his special Ashrei tape. The adjacent tape deck contained Beethoven's (glorious) Violin Concerto, which he secretely turned on, and I entered to the room to find Ezra leaping and prancing, and goading the girls on to do the same... not always in time to the music, but with obvious relish. This after many years of plugging his ears and wailing, "Noooooo, noooooooo classical music! I hate (Ezzie, we don't say 'hate'!) classical music! Turn it off! I can't stand it!" Never give up on your children.
Naomi has always seemed to appreciate classical music, asks for it in the car--a bold act of rebellion against Ezra (used to be), or, I'd like to think, independence. I think she tolerates the other things (silly "indie" music that mom sometimes needs, and "Oldies" - Ezra's generic term for all rock music) with some discomfort, though she likes children's music. Anyhow, we were listening to Mozart on the kitchen radio, and she asked me to notice how fast she was coloring. "When I listen to beautiful music, it makes me color really, really fast." And she was making her interesting patterns and designs with squares and triangles. Maybe she really is one of those people whose mind translates sounds into colors and shapes.
Hannah, wailing just outside the twins' door (a big no-no!) and getting scolded by Mommy: "Mommy, I'm sorry!" Then, with wide, pleading eyes: "Dan I be happy?" She does this often, takes the rebuke, and asks... well, she put it so vividly--it's deeper and richer than a rational, adult analysis, which I will promptly cut short. And every time she says it she gets kissed to pieces.
"Big" Danny (favorite teenaged babysitter) wandered around downtown Mercer Island with the two ruffians on Friday and got them some water guns. All Shabbos, Hannah chased me and said, "Mom, you have to dose your eyes. I'm doe-ing to shoot yuuu!" With her "water-dun."
P.S. Friday was our 8-year anniversary! We celebrated by not grumbling at each other all Shabbos long! And today we're going on a "journey" (i.e. we have no idea yet where we're going, but it's going to be fun) without kids and without thinking about how much it's costing in gas. In D's opinion (and mine, I guess), if it isn't a long drive, it doesn't really feel like an adventure.
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