Here's the video I promised two posts ago (of the girls making a big, silly mess of themselves...and also sharing very nicely) plus some recent pictures (including the new adorable dresses from Shawn's parents. Thank you Bubby and Zaidy!

General update

The girls are now 3 1/2. So big! Next week they start their second year of gan. They're staying at the same place, we're very happy with it. It's a relief to not have to feel the same anxiety I felt last year at leaving them somewhere new and not being around them all day. It took a while to understand that it's good for them to be with other people who will care for and educate them, with other kids (around) their age, and that it's also okay for me to appreciate all those hours a day that they're out of the house! Now that they've been hope for summer break for a while it's amazing how little I can get done. It'll be nice to have some morning time to myself after they go back.

Which isn't to say I haven't also loved having them around! We've done so much together we actually never once relied on old staples like the zoo or gymboree this entire summer break! Yesterday the whole family went to the amusement park in Tel Aviv (see two posts ago) and last week we tried to go to the beach but Bracha was sick so Shawn stayed home with her while Eli and I went (she slept through the actual beach part but still had lots of fun visiting Uncle Joey and Doda Rona and riding them train with Ima).

They're also such amazing walkers! We took them to the annual international arts festival. Chutzot Hayotzer, with no stroller and they made it through the whole night! Earlier this week they were at my office for a visit and afterwards we walked all the way to Emek Refaim!

I'll post some pictures soon.

Eli-ism

Background: Yesterday Eliana and Bracha were sharing a bag of melted ice cream chocolate treats. I have a video I'll upload. Of course they both got horribly messy and, having passed out on the train ride home after not napping all day, we brought them up to bed as is so they slept in their chocolately clothes. But before falling asleep we put long sleeved shirts on the because it got cool in the evening. So this morning Bracha got dressed in clean clothes and I tried to get Eli dressed, too.

Me: Eli, let's change your clothes.
Eli: No.
Me: But Eli, look, there's chocolate all over your pants. They're all messy.
Eli: Okay, but just the pants.
Me: We have to change your underwear, too.
Eli: But they're not dirty.
Me: Yes they are, you wore them all day yesterday, and each day we put on a fresh pair of underwear.
Eli: Okay, but not my shirt.
Me: But Eli, you got ice cream all over your shirt, too.
Eli: On my green [short sleeved] shirt.
Me: Yes, so it's dirty, so let's change it.
Eli: But that's why I have this [clean, long sleeved] shirt on top of it!

How do I argue with that logic?

Luna Park

Two weeks ago Shawn and I took our first child-free vacation. The girls did wonderfully well staying at home with their favorite sitter, Abby. We told them Ima and Abba were going on a small vacation but would be back very soon, then the whole family would go on a vacation together, ride a choo-choo train, and go to a REALLY BIG playground. Well, yesterday that's just what we did! Enjoy these videos from our day at the amusement park: