LeWinternet:It’s LeWinternutty!

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From Winter 2009 2010

Aviva’s wild imagination blossomed this fall as we headed out to California. Every day she informs us of the imaginary characters we have become, and even manages to switch gender pronouns when applicable. For example, Aviva is always Piglet, I’m Winnie the Pooh, and Steve has been everything from Kanga to Christopher Robin. Maya is always little Roo, “and he’s cute as a boot.”

Maya, in the meantime, has started to babble and crawl, eat solids, and is basically changing daily. We’re pretty sure that she is starting to understand signs and she knows her name and follows when you point. Yes, she is moving quickly to the “smarter than the dog” stage of life.

Here as some quotes from the these past weeks:

1. Aviva: Are you on a playdate, too? (To an older couple at the frozen yogurt joint).

2.. In the airplane bathroom’s tiny pull-down changing table: This is my Manger, daddy. I’m Baby Jesus. You’re my daddy, Joe. And mommy is Mommy Mary.

3. Regarding why she thinks the dentist says sucking her thumb is bad: ‘Cause you will suck the thumbs down and down inside you until you have no arms.

4. Mommy, I love spinach. I want more, please! I want to be like Popeye.

5. Aviva: Is that a kid CD or a mommy CD?
Deb: A kid CD.
Aviva: Will we take it? And play it in the car? On our adventures?

6. Screamed in her sleep: Hockieeeeeee pokieeeee! Nooooooooooo!

7. Reciting the Hanukkah candle blessing: “vitzivanu lehadleeckner, shel CHRISTMAS!”

Our long journey around California was a big intense for all of us. It was Maya’s first time meeting most of her family. Wonderful to see so many family and friends and to share in the joy of my nephew Eli’s Bar Mitzvah, but challenging to send a two-year old to new homes constantly and expect her to hold it together. I think we ended up staying at seven locations in 4 weeks, none of which were set up for a 2-year-old. Everyone who hosted as extremely helpful and kind, but by the end of the journey we had two weeks of no Steve and Aviva and I were burnt out! Steve missed us, too.

Some highlights:

The kids a got to spend time with Great Grandparents, Great-Aunts and Uncles, and many other family members. Since I never had any grandparents, this extended family experience is such a tremendous joy. Click below to view a slide-show with the rest of our pics. Special thanks to Uncle Lev, who took a bunch of them.

Today marks 15 years since Steve and I met due to our overprotective mothers. Thank you, Moms! Good Work! I can’t imagine my life without Steve and his amazing family. Steve is the core of all the many joys in my life, and I am so grateful to have sat with him on a plane for nine hours on February 8, 1995. Thanks to all who supported us and continue to support our life together.