some more 2013 pics, January

Zev out on a stroll.  Notice the somewhat gangsta looking sleeve.  1/1/13

Benya preparing to climb.

Zev mid-climb

3...2...1...release!

Wheeee!

At the wheel

Zevi at Play Boutique 1/18/13

Benya, ready to slide

Benjamin approves

Listen, bro, I really don't like the handling on this one...

an unstable sleep pattern; more pictures

We have settled into a sleep pattern where the boys go to sleep at 8 om - mostly well.  Then Zevi wakes up at 5:30, like effing clockwork, and gets whisked away from his bed and downstairs, where he sleeps on top of someone (usually Alla) for another half hour to an hour.  Ben, on the other hand, sleeps in his crib until later.  Usually until some point after 6 am, though 7 has happened as well.

This situation, while stable, is untenable - with Zevi deciding that he will sleep somewhere else.  For now we don't have the energy to fight him on this, but the fight, the more bitter with every day we tolerate status quo, is inevitable.

Here are some pictures I finally got off our camera.  For the first time, they are out of chronological order.  I suppose everything breaks.

Who says child labor cannot be fun?

Zevi is probably looking at the computer.  Loves that thing.

Benya after work

Zevi and great-grandma Lena, same day

Benya digging for gifts, 12/31/12

Zev has the same idea

sense of fairness, preventive damage control, potential for training

Recently both boys have gotten into throwing things.  All sorts of things.  In particular, throwing things upwards.  You can easily imagine how a window or a glass light fixture would do in a bout against a wooden toy, to say nothing of people's faces and heads.  As usual, Benjamin is more of an instigator of throwing things.  Zev follows suit, not that it takes much.  Today I preemptively tried to convince Benjamin to through things is a particular direction - away rather than up, away from glass things and towards book shelves.  They shelves do contain a vase, but I will take my chances.  

Seems to have worked - so far.  The game evolved into both boys being on the couch, me tossing them a rather soft rubber ball and them throwing it back.  Which means, in my general direction.  Mostly.  Benjamin was much more into it, while Zev went along for the ride.  About seven minutes in, Zev relocated to my lap, put his arms behind his head and lounged, while Ben continue to burn off some energy.  Works for me.  The surprising part, however, was that the idea of taking turns throwing the ball worked.  I was pleasantly surprised that Ben, who clearly enjoyed the game more, actually pointed at Zev to indicate it was his turn.  A couple of times he picked up the ball and handed it to Zev to through. 

An even better (and hopefully representative) example of Ben's behavior took place last week at the playground.  This was related to me by aunt Olga.  Zev decided to make friends with some older boys - perhaps four years old.  He would come over to them and tough them with his palm.  Think a rather mild high-five to the chest.  Not a sign of aggression, exactly, but it was not welcome attention, I guess. After a couple of minutes one of the boys pushed Zevi down - not hard, just enough to make him sit on his butt, to establish a boundary.  To aunt Olga's surprise, Ben immediately ran over and started hitting the boy with both hands.  Naturally, he could induce not much more damage than Zevi did - light weight, using palms, no technique (yet).  Aunt Olga got involved and hostilities did not escalate.  The behavior, however, was commendable.  As soon as boys have better target discrimination (i.e. won't use each other for punching bags), I am teaching them both about palm strikes, knees, and elbows.

some more March pics

Benya contemplating sushi and juice, 3/9/13

A very determined Zev

Combining Udon noodles with apple juice.  Inspired chef or a mad scientist?  You decide.

Benya likes his soup...

...but loves the juice, preferably without a straw

All I can tell you is that the restaurant survived.  By the time we got up to pay, and employee was standing by with a cart full of cleaning products.

not much news, some long-awaited pictures

The past few weeks saw no major changes.  The daylight savings time now has the kids going to bed at 8 and waking up at 6, still by Zev's mighty cry that wakes Benya and the rest of the house.  Other than that little has changed.  The mornings are early and often loud, the evenings are OK (usually) but exhausting, and the weekends are mind-numbing even at their best.

Benjamin seems to like my hat (clearly, after me more than his mother) and say "kapka" - a modification of "shapka", Russian for "hat".  This also marks the first word that Ben says that Zev does not.  Also, seemingly with no direct effort by anyone, Benjamin learned to quickly bow his head when he is asked to say "thank you".

If someone opens their arms and invites him, Zev gives a big hug from a running start.  In a few more pounds, I imagine, he will be able to knock people over.  Huggers beware.

There might be more cute stuff, but I am too tired right now.

Now some much-delayed pictures.

At Spaghetti Factory, 1/26/13

Zev at the playground, 2/1/13

At the end of a slide

Ben exploring

Cautiously exploring

Zev and Quinn

Benya riding a dragon

Zev meets a very nice dog a patient owner

... while Benya prefers to keep his distance.  Come think of it, that dog was pretty patient too -  it did get poked in the eye