The Face That Launched 1000 Ships

Finney Chapel Concert

2012-01-18T19:24:00.000-08:00

I had a hot date tonight -- Daddy and I went to a concert in Finney Chapel. I got to wear my super favorite dress; Daddy went a little more casual. We only stayed for the first piece. It was pretty loud and I liked it. And I knew part of the piece from MusicPlay.

Winter is Here!

2012-01-15T17:01:00.000-08:00

I am so happy -- it's finally snowed in Oberlin. And I've finally gotten to play out in the snow.

Ziggy's happy that there's someone to play with him. He likes it when I give him a snow blanket.

Grandma sat outside while I played on the play set. First I put snow on the slide...

...and then I slid down. Snow pants are a wonderful thing :)

Monkey Bars

2012-01-14T17:31:00.000-08:00

Finally, I found some monkey bars that I could do.

The Gingerbread Man

2012-01-07T18:27:00.000-08:00

On the last day of kindergarten before the holiday break, Mrs. Freda's class (that's my class) had a small performance of The Gingerbread Man. I was so happy to have a part in the performance. It's a bit long, but worth every minute: http://youtu.be/bLA53qI2bSw. You might want to turn the volume way up -- it's hard to hear.

Chanukah

2012-01-06T17:50:00.000-08:00

I had a wonderful Chanukah this year. We started with the Chanukah program at Temple. I made a giant dreidel and sang songs.

At home, Mommy and Daddy and I lit 3 menorahs every night: one for me, one for Gabi, and one for Alice.

I got some presents this year. The best one was a DSi. I really like playing Hello Kitty and a Dora game on it. Here I am with the addition and subtraction activity book that Mommy picked out for me.

Gabi and Alice and I played outside on Christmas Day. It wasn't too cold and there was no snow. I really am happy that we have the playset in the backyard.

SplashZone

2011-12-16T11:02:00.000-08:00

I went to Kyra's birthday party last weekend and we got to go to SplashZone. In December. It's amazing what a little peer pressure will do to make you go on the water slides.

My Third Cello Recital

2011-12-09T17:52:00.000-08:00

I had a cello recital tonight. My piece of choice: Rigadoon by Henry Purcell. I was pretty happy with how I played. You'll notice the long pause before I played -- for some reason, no one was clapping for me.

Star of the Week

2011-11-20T13:09:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Freda picked me to be the Star of the Week a couple of weeks ago. Daddy was in for Halloween and took a picture of the signs.

Family Fun Fest

2011-11-12T10:06:00.000-08:00

Mommy and Daddy had date night last night so Jill took me to Family Fun Fest at Eastwood. Lots of families and lots of fun. Then Jill took me to Cowhaus Creamery for ice cream: caramel salt. Yummmmmm!

Halloween 2011

2011-10-31T18:16:00.000-07:00

I can really get used to this Halloween thing. Dress up. Be with friends. Say a few words. Get candy. What's not to like?

This year I wanted to be Dora the Explorer for Halloween. Here I am, ready for trick or treating.

Halloween is most fun with friends. Here we are: Ruby as Blueberry Muffin (a Strawberry Shortcake production), Larkin as Tinkerbell, and me as Dora.

Like Father, Like Daughter

2011-10-30T12:29:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday To Me

2011-10-24T17:52:00.000-07:00

As you know, I turned 5 on October 17. Daddy wasn't here to celebrate with me and my friends and my family but we had fun anyway.

Mommy and Daddy got me an African violet for my room. I just have to learn not to give it too much water.

Dora the Explorer was the theme for my party. Here are Sasha, Grace, and Larkin.

And here are Larkin, Aarohi, and Mia enjoying themselves.

Here I am blowing out the candles on my birthday lemon bundt cake. That's Shannon behind me.
Since it was such a nice day, we were able to play outside on the play ground.

And what's a party without presents? I got lots of neat stuff and I am so happy that all of my friends were able to come to the party. Except for Kyra, who was sick :(

Random Update

2011-09-24T17:29:00.000-07:00

So I've been really busy recently. Some highlights:

We all drove down to the Hocking Hills region of Ohio for Aunt Monica's wedding. I got to feed some ducks.
Daddy and I made brownies. Or Daddy made brownies and I licked off the beater.
Since the weather has been pretty nice, I've been playing on the play set. Since my cousin Naomi visited, I've been working on my upside down skills.

Emma's Bat Mitzvah

2011-09-08T17:36:00.000-07:00

My cousin Emma became a bat mitzvah last weekend so I got to see family lots and lots. I went swimming with Hannah (visiting from Florida) at the hotel.

Emma and Hannah made a Helen sandwich.
We had lots of pictures taken of the girls.
And Hannah, Naomi, and Yael came to our house for a visit.

Kindergarten, Day 1

2011-08-30T06:03:00.000-07:00

The time has finally arrived: I started Kindergarten today. Not much to report just yet, other than I am wearing a new dress and new sneakers. And that Mommy let me make a silly face in my picture with Daddy.

More details will follow, once I've actually gone through the whole day.

Slip Slidin' Away

2011-08-28T13:04:00.000-07:00

Simon and Garfunkel really were prophetic when they said, "The nearer your destination, the more you slip slidin' away." With kindergarten fast approaching, the summer's almost over. I finally had the chance to experience a Slip and Slide. Or maybe it should be called a Slip and Crawl :)

Teacher In-Service Day

2011-08-20T10:29:00.000-07:00

OECC was closed yesterday for a teacher in-service day. Daddy took the day off from work so we could all do something together.

We started the day at the Science Center in Cleveland, right next to where Uncle Howard works. My new friend Ruby and her mom Joy came with us. We worked together to build this really neat arch. Then daddy knocked it down.

Mommy and I played with colored pipes and paddles. Mommy's so smart that she even played a song on them.
But the best part of the Science Center is the kids area. I was actually here 3 years ago, but I don't remember it. Here I am sitting in the plastic balls pit.
And loading plastic balls into a bucket to carry them into a container about 7 feet off of the ground.
Later, Daddy and I went to a baseball game with some of my good friends from school. Here's Sasha, Kyra, Shannon, and me acting silly.
We were all surprised when Miss Megan, my Rainbow Room teacher, was there too.
Daddy got me an M&M Cookie Sandwich -- yummy!
One of the two best things about the baseball game was the donut.
The other great thing was the fireworks after the game.

Attack of the Killer Sprinkler

2011-07-19T17:44:00.000-07:00

When we were in Pittsburgh for Uncle Jason and Aunt Meredith's wedding, Grandma Arlene brought out her sprinkler for me to play in. I wasn't sure about it at the start; when Daddy had me sit near the sprinkler, I really wasn't happy. I learned a new word that day: oscillating.

Uncle Jason and Aunt Meredith's Wedding

2011-07-12T10:27:00.000-07:00

Uncle Jason and Aunt Meredith got married over the Fourth of July weekend. Mommy and Daddy and Alice and Gabi and I (but not Ziggy) went to Pittsburgh and had lots of fun. The wedding was at the Aviary and I got to see a real penguin, up close and personal.

But the best part of the weekend for me was to have my first manicure and pedicure. Now if only Mommy would buy me nail polish so my fingernails can always be painted...

Rainbow Room Graduation

2011-06-29T18:37:00.000-07:00

Since I was 3 1/2 months old, I have gone to OECC (Oberlin Early Childhood Center) for school. Now that I'm a big girl, it's time to move on. To celebrate finishing at OECC, the Rainbow Room has a graduation program. Mommy and Daddy came and we had lots of fun.

This is the class, right before we start to perform.

Here we are singing about eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. That's Mia, one of my best friends, next to me.

Here we are in the middle of a song.

Everyone got a certificate. My teachers predicted what they think we'll all be when we grow up. I was one of seven who had four ribbons on my certificate. Each ribbon is for a room that I was in: 21 months in Red, one year in Yellow, one year in Blue, and one year in Rainbow. There were seven "lifers" in my class of 18. Only three of us (me, Mia, and Grace H.) are going to Eastwood next year, but maybe we'll stay together until high school graduation!

And here are my teachers -- Miss Meghan and Miss Missy. I love them lots.

Playground

2011-06-09T18:40:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday, Mommy and Daddy's surprise for me arrived: an industrial-strength playground set for the backyard. I would have skipped dinner to watch it be built! I've played on it every day so far and I LOVE IT!!!

It's a pretty big playground set. It's six feet from the ground to the platform where Daddy is standing.

So far, the slide is my most favorite part.

Although the tire swing is pretty neat. I can't wait to use it with Alice and Gabi.

The climbing wall is a little challenging. I've made it up a couple of footholds so far but I'm still a little scared about going higher.

Just a fun picture. Silliness is my middle name :)

I'm Going To Kindergarten

2011-06-06T19:25:00.000-07:00

Mommy and Daddy shared the great news with me yesterday. I can't wait to get a new backpack and a lunch box.

Here were are, starting to read the message.

Here I am, after I figured out what the message was.

The card that Mommy made me.

And the message itself.

Happy Birthday Mommy

2011-05-25T17:46:00.000-07:00

It's true -- this picture is actually from Mother's Day. But it's so perfect for Mommy's birthday too.

Florida

2011-05-15T17:32:00.000-07:00

I've finally made it to another state. Now that I've been to Florida, my list is at 16 states: California, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. Not too shabby for a 4 1/2 year old.

I'll put up another post about the rest of the Florida trip, but one of the highlights was going to the beach and playing in the Atlantic Ocean. Uncle Jason did the most playing; Grandpa Bill and Daddy just watched.

My Favorite Movie

2011-04-30T17:51:00.000-07:00

Based on the picture below, that I drew at school one day, can you tell me what my favorite movie and my favorite song from that movie are?

Accessorizing

2011-04-20T07:24:00.000-07:00

Is it possible to wear too many accessories?

Dallas

2011-04-17T17:21:00.000-07:00

We took a trip to Dallas a few weeks ago to see Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Chris, Aunt Lynzie, and my cousins Kylie and Matthew. While we were there, we went to a huge bowling alley/arcade place. Grandpa Tom took me to play on a really cool game.

Here's the view from one side. Lookin' good.

And here's the game. Not sure what the goal is but I got to drive a car.

"Thanks Grandpa Tom!"

Cello Festival

2011-03-19T10:48:00.000-07:00

Today was my first really great experience with playing cello. There was a cello festival with two parts. First, I played for Miss Jill, a cell adjudicator who actually knows Aunt Diann from high school. I played Lightly Row and Twinkle and got this awesome ribbon for my playing. Then there was a group class where Miss Jill taught 6 of us some new things. I had a really great time.

Reading

2011-03-12T12:15:00.000-08:00

Do you remember what you were reading when you were 4? I've done all of the classics like Frog and Toad, Knuffle Bunny, and The Cat in the Hat. Now I'm on to the story of Charlie, Augustus, Veruca, Violet, Mike, and Willy Wonka: that's right - I'm reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Sometimes by myself and sometimes with Daddy.

Snow Day!

2011-02-25T09:58:00.000-08:00

Day care was closed today -- something about the weather being crummy. All that means is that Daddy and I played outside for a while.

We threw snowballs to Ziggy. He likes to catch them.

I fell in the snow a few times. Good thing the dryer worked!

Daddy sat me on the table outside. My tushie got cold.

Mid-Winter Update

2011-02-22T17:05:00.000-08:00

It's been a little while so here are some updates from a very cold and snowy Ohio.

Grandpa Joe and Grandma Gail came to visit when Gabi and Alice were sick and had to stay home from daycare. No fun for them but I had fun with Grandma and Grandpa.

Here's the tree house that Grandma Arlene bought for me and put together for me. It's really cool.

I really like to just hang out with Alice and Gabi on the floor. Now that Gabi is crawling, it's a little harder because she wants to play with my Leapster.

Kyra came over and Daddy helped us make chocolate chip cookies. Was the batter better than the cookies? Maybe.

My new friend Aarohi and I are playing on the alligator see-saw that Grandma Arlene got me.

My New Pastime

2011-01-21T12:26:00.000-08:00

I saw a little bit of The Sound Of Music while I was in Denver and have since learned all the words from the beginning. So, I have a new favorite YouTube video. You can see it here. I love this song.

Mommy, on request, will sing my other favorite songs on Doe-A-Deer words. I'm starting to try to do it on my own. Here's my first experiment with what Mommy calls rotational solfège. (huh?)

Highlights from Denver

2010-12-31T18:15:00.000-08:00

We've recently returned from Denver and I wanted to share some of the highlights of our trip out West.

Here I am in the airport, waiting for our plane. Mommy and Daddy brought a quilt for Alice and Gabi to roll around on, so I took advantage of it while we waited for people to board the airplane.

Grandpa Tom and Grandma Stephanie were in Denver for a few days. We went out to Mt. Fuji with them for dinner.

Grandma Gail and Grandpa Joe had a blanket on their floor for Gabi and Alice. I liked to roll up in it like a burrito.

We went to Grandma Marge's house to decorate cookies. It was lots of fun and I got to eat lots of cookies.

Here I am with Mommy, Gabi, Grandma Marge, Aunt Diann, and Alice.

Grandma Gail bought a gingerbread house kit for us to make. It was lots of fun.

I think that the present I got that I like the most is the train set. I can't wait to set it up in Oberlin.

Uncle Kevin likes to pick me up and swing me upside down.

Just a nice picture. Don't you think?

Chopsticks

2010-12-21T07:41:00.000-08:00

We are in Denver for the holidays. Last night Mommy and Daddy and I went out for dinner with Grandma Stephanie, Grandpa Tom, Aunt Diann, and Uncle Kevin. It was a hibachi restaurant called Mt. Fuji. The fire that the chef made really scared me but I liked the steak and rice that I had for dinner.

And I got to use chopsticks for the first time.

Recital Time!

2010-12-11T09:36:00.000-08:00

So, I played my first recital on Friday night. We have been playing "recital" at home for a week--one of my favorite cello games. We line up stuffed animal families and all the students take turns playing their recital pieces, including me. First the pianist goes, then the violins, then the clarinets, and finally the cellos.

Alas, when we got to the real recital, they decided to do the program backwards! Cellos first! Mommy thinks the piano teacher wasn't there yet...

So, I went second. When it was my turn, Ms. Joanne got me set up and I looked at mommy and said: "Mommy, I just got shy. Can you sit with me for a few minutes?" Mommy said "no." But, she did offer to sit next to me on the floor (with Alice!) while I plucked my twinkle twinkle. We brought suss Bob (or is it suss Charlie?) to be in the audience, and looking at him really helped me keep going. I also decided that my cello was going to make shy sounds too. Hope you can hear me!

Chanukah

2010-12-06T17:24:00.000-08:00

This was the first year that I really "get" Chanukah. Mommy and Daddy had lots of menorahs for me to pick from and they let me light the candles myself.

The big present from Mommy and Daddy was a build-it-yourself marble run. I really like it.

So does Gabi.

And here is the toy in action. It's lots of fun.

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-28T12:55:00.001-08:00

We got back from Pittsburgh in Thanksgiving today after a great visit. Here are some highlights:

Whenever lots of the cousins are together, Grandma Arlene likes to get a picture of all of us. Here we are: Yael (Florida), Emma (Ohio), Gabi, me, Hannah (Florida), Alice, Naomi (Florida), Sarah (Ohio), and Phoebe (Ohio).

The weekend before Thanksgiving, we went to Marissa's bat mitzvah. They had a balloon artist who made me a dinosaur.

Grandma has an apple butter kettle in her house that I really like to play in.

And here's Grandma's infamous rocking elephant.

what a difference two years makes!

2010-11-15T18:55:00.000-08:00

Seems like just yesterday when I was standing in front of my fridge trying to sing my ABCs. (check me out here: December 2008. Look what I'm doing now with that tune (although, for cello, we call it twinkle).

Aunt Diann

2010-11-07T18:53:00.000-08:00

Aunt Diann came to visit and help Mommy when Daddy was traveling for work. We had a great time and she got me Dora the Explorer Scrabble for my birthday, which I really love.

One of the things that I really was happy about was getting this picture taken.

Halloween

2010-10-31T17:27:00.000-07:00

Daddy came home from his work trip just in time for Halloween. Last year I wanted to go as Ziggy but I ended up not going out trick-or-treating. This year was going to be different: I was definitely going to go out for candy.

Here are the three Levy girls, dressed as a pumpkin, a bear, and Ziggy.

The prime street for trick-or-treating in Oberlin is King Street, where Larkin lives. Here we are with Larkin (in purple, dressed for her jellyfish costume) and Tess (the ladybug).

When Grandpa Joe and Grandma Gail were visiting, we made a jack-o-lantern. It's awesome!

Here is the full Ziggy costume, in all of its glory. That you Kira for making the tail.

Here's the haul! Thank you everyone for buying M&Ms -- they're my favorite!

Happy Birthday To Me!

2010-10-17T04:59:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe, but I'm 4 today. Or, as Mommy likes to put it, "It's my 4th anniversary of being a Mommy."

What did I do? Well, Daddy took the afternoon off from work and we all went to the Natural History Museum. Had to see the dinosaurs. Here I am on the Stegosaurus outside the museum.

I've been asking for a training wheel bike for a while. Mommy and Daddy got me a great one. Alice and Gabi got me the basket. I can't wait to ride it over and over.

I wanted a chocolate cake more than anything else so Daddy made one for me. It's three layers of chocolate cake with chocolate frosting between the layers. On top? Those are triceratops pound cakes.

What a great birthday girl smile!

Weekend Update

2010-10-10T09:48:00.000-07:00

So, it's been quite a week in the Levy-Miyake household. Here are the highlights:

On Wednesday, Mommy took me to the doctor for a check-up. Dr. Sanderson is really nice so I don't mind going to see him. First they checked my height: 41.5 inches. Then they checked my weight: 41 pounds. I read the letters on the eye chart and passed the hearing exam with flying colors. But then the real test came: I got the flu shot. And I didn't cry at all!

I got a package in the mail this week: a doll from Mommy's great-aunt Bessie in Colorado. Isn't it amazing how much my haircut and the doll's haircut look the same?

Yesterday Uncle Jason and Aunt Meredith came for a visit. We had a good time and they brought me two fun birthday presents.

After Uncle Jason and Aunt Meredith left and after we ate dinner, Mommy's friend Romi came for an overnight stay. She was in the area so she drove to see us. I like Romi -- she brought me a bracelet made out of seeds and beads the last time she was here.

Apple pie

2010-10-04T17:20:00.000-07:00

Grandma Stephanie and Grandpa Tom were in town this weekend, which meant that Grandma and I got to do some baking: apple pie!

Here we are making the crust. No store bought crusts for us.

Here I am rolling out the pie crust.

Here's the second-best part: licking out the mixing bowl!

And the finished product! It's fantastic. Thank you Grandma.

What Was Daddy Thinking?

2010-09-14T17:41:00.000-07:00

So this is the harvest from our garden over the past couple of days. Remind me why daddy bought 6 tomato plants?

Dinnertime Conversation

2010-08-25T16:43:00.000-07:00

Some people talk about their day at dinner. Others talk about the weather. Some like to pontificate on the economy or sports. Not us.

My First Cello Lesson

2010-08-23T11:27:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, I met Ms. Joanne, who is going to be my cello teacher. She sent me home with a "pretend" cello to practice on. But, I only had to use the pretend version for a day because the next morning, Daddy and I went to Cleveland to rent my 1/8 size cello. I'm very excited about it and can't wait until my next lesson!!

Maine 2010: The Revenge of the Ice Cream Cone

2010-08-08T12:11:00.000-07:00

We went back to Maine this summer and I had the greatest time. Especially eating my ice cream cone. The cone got the best of me last summer, but it didn't stand a chance this year.

The Silly Name Song Made Sillier

2010-08-03T14:53:00.000-07:00

I'm having fun with my sisters' names! You might be able to hear the backup they provide: Gabi on fussing and Alice on hiccups.

The Garden Strikes Back

2010-08-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

We were in Maine for the last 10 days and when we got back, we were all really surprised at what had happened to the garden. Just 8 weeks ago, we planted everything and had plenty of room around all of the plants. Now it's impossible to walk anywhere.

Here's some of the fruits of our labor:

4 muskmelons and 2 watermelons.

A couple of ripe tomatoes (most of them aren't ready for picking yet).

A couple of kinds of peppers. We're hoping for green and red and yellow ones.

Daddy cut up the watermelons and muskmelons last night. Let's just say that Daddy should stick to his day job of admitting students to Oberlin. The melons were terrible. Maybe some extra time on the vine would have helped...

The Return of the Dinosaur Memory Game

2010-07-18T11:49:00.000-07:00

I guess Grandpa Tom didn't learn -- I'm great at the dinosaur memory game. Here we are playing. So far, so good.

Here are the pairs I found.

And here are Grandpa's pairs.

The Dinosaur Memory Game

2010-07-11T16:42:00.000-07:00

My most favorite game in the world is the Dinosaur Memory Game. Daddy got it for me at the Natural History Museum in Cleveland and I play it every single day. Uncle Jason and Aunt Meredith came to visit today and he accepted my invitation to play a game. Silly Uncle Jason!

Here's Uncle Jason setting up the game. 9 rows of 8 cards.

Here we are in the middle of the game. Uncle Jason isn't doing so well. Yet.

Here's my stack at the end of the game. 22 pairs.

Here's Uncle Jason's stack. 14 pairs. As I said to him while we were playing, "I don't think you have a very good memory!"

It's a Shabbat Picnic

2010-07-05T05:12:00.000-07:00

Who says you have to go somewhere for a picnic? Last Friday, we had a picnic dinner in the back yard. Some dinosaur sheets on the ground, plates from the kitchen, Lorenzo's pizza, and voila -- instant picnic.

New Experiences

2010-07-02T13:43:00.000-07:00

Hi there!

So I finally talked Mom and Dad into it. I get to help my little twins a bit! Now all I have to do is introduce the term "allowance" to the parental units...

Here I am giving Gabi a bottle:

And here I am helping with their first baths!

There are so many fun things about being a big sister! (I'll just block out the not-so-fun things for now...)

Thank you, Grandma and Grandpa

2010-06-22T16:11:00.000-07:00

Grandma and Grandpa left yesterday, but not without leaving me a present. This is the best present I've received in the last week and I love to play with it.

For some reason, I don't think that Mommy and Daddy like it as much as I do. I wonder why...

The Great Outdoors

2010-06-20T07:03:00.000-07:00

Grandma Gail and Grandpa Joe are here right now, helping out while Mommy and Daddy care for the new babies. They brought a tent with them so we did a little camping the other night.

Is there anything as American as camping and apple pie?

Eat Your Heart Out Baryshnikov

2010-06-12T16:49:00.000-07:00

I'm a Big Sister!

2010-06-11T11:09:00.000-07:00

It's finally happened -- the babies came out of Mommy's tummy. Gabi Kimiye Levy (on the left) and Alice Miyake Levy (on the right) were born on June 4 really early in the morning. Mommy and the babies had to stay in the hospital for a little while but everyone is doing well now.

The Community Garden

2010-06-03T17:57:00.000-07:00

Mommy and Daddy have long wanted to do something with the plot at the end of our driveway. We've grown some veggies and basil there before but a dramatic overhaul was sorely needed. Thanks to Grandma Arlene's seed money (get it, seed--garden) and Grandma Gail's helping Daddy build the raised beds, we're in business.

This is the eastern bed -- it has three kinds of basil and some cilantro. Also, note the pot in the back -- that's mint.

Here's the middle bed -- it has two kinds of tomatoes (one red and one yellow) along with lots of marigolds. You know, to kill garden pests.

The western bed is my baby -- it has red peppers, yellow peppers, green peppers, watermelon, and muskmelon (like a cantaloupe).

Here we are, digging in the dirt. I helped dig holes and fill the dirt around the plants.

No caption needed. Just a nice picture by Mommy.

I'm Really Learning Now!

2010-05-31T17:52:00.000-07:00

Counting "normally" is just too easy -- it's for little girls. I'm a big girl now, so Grandma Gail taught me something new.

My new kitchen

2010-05-25T19:00:00.000-07:00

So, my life has been in a state of massive upheaval recently. Not only does my Mommy's lap seem to be diminishing, but I haven't been able to take my plate to the kitchen when I'm done with dinner. We've had no kitchen for a month! While I really liked Mike the contractor, I'm excited about the new table (Daddy calls it a peninsula) and the lack of cardboard on the floor.

Here are some before and after pictures!

On the last picture: We are all very happy with the kitchen. I tried to put my arms around Mommy for this celebratory picture (right after we saw the kitchen almost done), but my arms simply weren't big enough.

Froggie

2010-05-24T17:07:00.000-07:00

Now that the weather is nicer, I'm spending much more time outside. The water table is back in play, I'm helping Daddy with some weeding, and I've learned how to use the hose to spray Ziggy.

I've also found a new friend who's hanging around in the backyard:

Swimming

2010-05-16T17:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my cousin Phoebe had her 6th birthday party at the local community center. It was a pool party, so I showed off my amazing swimming skillz.

Dinosaurs

2010-05-07T17:22:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, Mommy and Daddy and I went into Cleveland to see my cousins Sam and Sophie and their parents Aunt Sally and Uncle Howard. Daddy, Aunt Sally, Sam, Sophie, and I went to the Natural History Museum to see my all-time favoritest animals: dinosaurs.

Here I am at the Stegosaurus outside the museum.

Triceratops: my absolute favorite (it means "three-horned face" in case you didn't know).

A parasaurolophus skull.

A corythosaurus skull. There are corythosauruses on Dinosaur Train (my favorite TV show).

Here are me and Sam playing paleontologists.

Candy Land

2010-04-24T12:30:00.000-07:00

Mommy and Daddy thought that I was ready for more of a challenge. They got me the best game ever invented: Candy Land. I'm awesome at it.

Passover Haiku

2010-03-31T17:19:00.000-07:00

Matzah is yummy

Especially with great mashed

Potatoes on it.

Congratulations Mommy

2010-03-28T17:51:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month, Mommy got a very nice letter from the President (Krislov of Oberlin, not Obama of the US), congratulating her on getting tenure. Grandma Gail and Grandpa Joe got Mommy and Daddy tickets to see the Cavaliers play as a present. Here's a picture Daddy took at the game.

Thankfully the Cavs won. Mommy and Daddy came home in a good mood.

Incoming!

2010-03-25T17:43:00.000-07:00

It's Time

2010-03-24T17:36:00.000-07:00

So, by now you know that Mommy and Daddy are expecting twins. Daddy put two bucket seats in our car to see how things fit. The answer?

Not well. I guess we really do need the minivan after all.

Do You Bosu?

2010-03-07T12:16:00.000-08:00

Winter is tough--we can't really go outside to burn off excess energy. But I found a way to do it inside.

Uh-oh!

2010-03-04T10:23:00.001-08:00

This is what Grandma Arlene looked like when Mommy and Daddy broke the news to her:

I'm going to be a big sister to twins!

My First Recital

2010-02-24T16:24:00.000-08:00

After watching, Sam, Sophie, Alex and Ben successfully make tunes on a keyboard, I decided to give it a try. Mommy only had to show me two times!

Showers

2010-01-30T10:22:00.000-08:00

I've been taking showers instead of baths. But I'm not big enough to do it alone so Daddy helps me. For a while I didn't like them at all--the water got in my eyes and my ears. Mommy created a sticker chart for me. For every shower without screaming, crying, or whining, I got a sticker. After 5 stickers, I got a treat. Today was the day I cashed in.

Big Changes...

2010-01-21T17:09:00.000-08:00

Now that I'm 3, Mommy and Daddy decided that it was time to change my room a bit. The area where my toddler bed used to be is now a play area.

The toddler bed is gone. It's time for a big girl bed! And thank you to Daddy's friend Jill for the headboard.
I am soooooooooo excited about my new bed. I wanted to go to bed at 7:00 tonight but Mommy and Daddy made me wait.

S'mores

2010-01-10T10:50:00.000-08:00

It's winter outside but summer in the kitchen--Daddy made s'mores in the oven last night.

I tried one of them--not my cup of tea. I'd rather just have a marshmallow!

Bread making

2010-01-07T17:12:00.000-08:00

Mommy, Daddy, and I went to Pittsburgh for New Year's Eve. Since everything was closed on January 1, Grandma Arlene and I made some bread.

After mixing all of the ingredients, we let the bread rise. Then we punched it down and rolled it into snakes.

And we rolled it into more snakes.

And when we were done rolling, we had loaves of bread.

If Looks Could Kill...

2010-01-02T17:12:00.000-08:00

We went to Denver for Christmas last month. Grandma Gail makes apple pancakes--it's basically apple pie filling on top of an eggy crepe. Did I like them?

Dinosaurs

2009-12-25T17:22:00.000-08:00

One of Daddy's favorite comic strips is Calvin and Hobbes. Calvin loves dinosaurs, and so do I. Just watch the video.

Cookies with Great-Grandma Marge

2009-12-23T09:28:00.000-08:00

We're in Denver for the holidays. Mommy, Daddy, and I went over to Great-Grandma Marge's house and made some cookies. First we took the corn flakes, raisins, and pecans and mixed them in a bowl.

Then we melted chocolate chips and mixed that into the rest of the ingredients. And then we put them onto a cookie sheet.

Once they were done, we put them into the fridge and waited for them to get cold. Boy were they yummy! Thanks Great-Grandma Marge.

'Tis the Season...

2009-12-13T18:55:00.001-08:00

...for cookies. More specifically, for decorating cookies. This morning, my friend Grace's mommy called and asked if I wanted to decorate cookies with them. Daddy and I went and had a blast with the gingerbread.

Getting ready. That star's in for a major transformation!

Icing is the key to having the cookie turn out well.

Here's Grace. She wasn't really into the cookies as much as she was into the candy that was going on top of the cookies.

Here's the star from the first picture. Note the huge pile of colored sugar in the middle.

Not all of the sugar made it onto the cookie. Boy, was licking my fingers yummy!

Updating a Classic

2009-12-01T17:40:00.000-08:00

Pictures by Helen. Scarf by Grandma Arlene.

The Counting Jar

2009-11-30T17:13:00.000-08:00

My teacher in the Blue Room, Miss Rita, has a counting jar. Every week, a different student takes it home and fills it with things. Then it comes back to the Blue Room and we practice our counting during the week. You'll never guess what I chose when I had the counting jar.

That darned monkey--why did it have to have such a big head?

The finished product.

Shabbat

2009-11-11T17:32:00.000-08:00

On Friday nights, Mommy and Daddy and I celebrate Shabbat. We light candles, sometimes have challah, and Mommy and Daddy have wine.

Thanks to my friend Larkin and her parents, I have my own Shabbat set. Now we can celebrate every day!

Fall

2009-11-07T12:19:00.000-08:00

It's Fall, which means that it's time for apple pie. Grandma Arlene, Daddy, and I went to the source and picked the best apples for the bestest apple pie.

Checking out the apples--you have to have the best!

This was the first one I found.

Grandma Arlene carried the bag of apples--it was heavy!

This was the yummiest apple pie ever. I helped Daddy mix the apples with the cinnamon and sugar mixture.

The best part of the apple pie? Eating it, of course!

Happy Birthday To Me

2009-10-18T10:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my 3rd birthday. I've been talking about it for a long time and was so happy that people could come to celebrate with me. Lots of people called to say happy birthday to me: Grandma Gail and Grandpa Joe, Uncle Jason, Aunt Diann, and Aunt Judith. And there were lots of people at my party: Grandma Arlene and Grandpa Bill; Cousins Ken, Ilana, Emma, Sarah, and Phoebe; Uncle Charles; and Tom, Holly, Kyra, and Solaina. It was lots of fun.

Birthday hats are lots of fun (despite the look on my face).

Mommy and Daddy got me a chocolate cake with Sesame Street on it. I love Sesame Street.

Here are Cousin Phoebe and Kyra enjoying their cake and ice cream.

Solaina had a great time playing with my toys.

Here is the card that Mommy and Daddy got me (and Charles did too).

I love my cousins!

Somersaults

2009-10-17T11:15:00.000-07:00

Look what I've learned how to do.

Swimming in Steamboat Springs!

2009-10-07T19:00:00.000-07:00

Well, four-and-a-half weeks later, I'm finally ready to share my big accomplishment!

Mommy and I went to Steamboat Springs for my cousin Jennifer's wedding to Matt. It was a whirlwind trip involving four planes and 44 hours in Steamboat, but I know it was worth it. I spent at least 4 (probably 5) hours in the pool with Grandma Gail and Grandpa Joe. During that time, they taught me to trust my water wings and move around on my own. Take a look!!!

It was so much fun that even now, well into an Ohio October, I ask if I can go swimming after my nap. I loved the hotel pool!!!

Dancing Queen

2009-09-20T17:58:00.000-07:00

What do you get when you cross ABBA and Puccini?

The County Fair

2009-08-31T17:32:00.000-07:00

Last week was the Lorain County Fair. Mommy and Daddy and I went last year but I didn't really like it. This year was much different.

The most important thing to do at the County Fair is to eat. I started with chicken nuggets and french fries.

Then I moved on to some of Mommy's turkey drumstick. Funnel cake was dessert, but Daddy forgot to take a picture.

The other fun part of the fair is the rides. I was too small last year; this year, all I wanted to do was ride with my friend Kyra.

Maybe next year, Mommy and Daddy will take me to see the demolition derby or the combine derby...

My New Pastime

2009-08-20T16:38:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things to do with mommy is play word games on her computer. Here's my favorite thing to do!

Live from the Poconos: Sesame Place!

2009-08-12T16:03:00.000-07:00

I'll admit it: I like Sesame Street. Elmo, Cookie Monster, Bert and Ernie (I even have sneakers with their pictures), Big Bird, Snuffy, Zoe, Rosita, and my all-time favorite, Ovejita (the lamb who speaks Spanish). So Mommy and Daddy and I made a pilgrimage to my personal Mecca, Sesame Place.

Sesame Place is an amusement park/water park. We skipped the water rides and focused on the amusement park part. Here we are on the carousel. I got to ride it twice, once with Mommy and once with Daddy.

Mommy and I went on Big Bird's Hot Air Balloon Race. It was lots of fun.

Daddy and I went on Elmo's Flying Fish. It was great, especially when Daddy pushed the button and the fish went up into the air.

But one of the best parts of the amusement park was when I tried climbing up a mountain. I had problems, but Daddy really helped me out.

Live from the Poconos: New York City!?!?

2009-08-11T17:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Mommy and Daddy and I hopped into the car for a "short ride" to New York City. They lived there for 5 years and swear that it's the greatest city in the world. Well, I'll be the judge of that...

Here we are riding the subway--this is the F Train. Not too shabby: clean, air conditioned, and they faced me the right way.

They say that you could eat in a new restaurant for dinner every day for several years before exhausting all of the restaurants in New York City. We sampled a couple of fine establishments. Here we are eating a slice of pizza at Ray's. It's pretty tasty.

After pizza, we went next door to Sammy's Noodle Shop. Daddy had General Tso's Chicken. Mommy had wonton soup with roast pork and udon noodles. She also had something called a steamed red bean bun--I tried it but really didn't like it.

Besides pizza and kosher delis (which we didn't visit, much to Daddy's chagrin), New York is also known for bagels. Here I am eating a sesame bagel with butter. Mmmmm.

What's there to do in New York City? Lots, if you have time. We visited FAO Schwartz, one of the most famous toy stores in the world. I played on the big piano. Twice.

All of this eating and playing really wore me out. Central Park is a great place for a nap.

All in all, New York City is a fun place to visit. Maybe Mommy and Daddy will bring me back again. And next time, we'll have to go to Katz's!

Live from the Poconos: Puddles!

2009-08-09T17:56:00.000-07:00

So it rained today. Hard. I did go to the playground with daddy but we couldn't stay very long.

The great thing about rain is that it leaves puddles on the ground.

Live from the Poconos: Bubbles!

2009-08-08T16:43:00.000-07:00

Mommy, Daddy, and I are on vacation for a week. We are in the Poconos, which are in Pennsylvania (near where Daddy grew up).

The big accomplishment for the first day: blowing bubbles in the pool!

Adventures in Singing

2009-08-03T18:10:00.000-07:00

I am stubborn. I can hold my own. I bring you ... [drumroll please] ... ABCs and MommyDaddyHeeheeZiggy. (Heehee is what I used to call myself. Now that I'm going to be three in October, I call myself Helen.)

Maine 2009: The Lake

2009-08-02T12:22:00.000-07:00

Grandma and Grandpa's house in Maine is on a lake. If I were interested in swimming, I'd have been in heaven. I was more interested in wading and playing with Grandma Gail. Note the yellow boots: they're great for keeping your feet dry.

Maine 2009: How To Eat An Ice Cream Cone

2009-07-30T17:41:00.000-07:00

Last week, Grandpa Bill had a birthday. To celebrate, Mommy and Daddy and I drove up to Maine with Grandma Gail and Grandpa Joe. We met Grandma Arlene and Grandpa Bill there and had a great week of playing and eating yummy food. The best part was that I ate my very first ice cream cone.

For those of you who haven't had an ice cream cone before, here's how you do it.

Step 1: Tell Mommy what you want and stare in amazement when it arrives. My flavor of choice is chocolate, preferably with colored sprinkles.

Step 2: Lick away!

Step 3: Eat quickly, or risk having the ice cream melt down your arm.

Step 4: Smile for the camera with Mommy and Daddy.

Cupcakes

2009-07-16T17:50:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, Mommy and Daddy and I went to Pittsburgh to see Grandma Arlene, Grandpa Bill, and Uncle Jason. While we were there, Grandma and I made cupcakes. Well, she took a cupcake out of the freezer and I took it from there.

Here I am eyeing the sprinkles, because what is a cupcake without sprinkles?

Every cupcake needs to have icing. I like chocolate.

What's better than eating a cupcake? Eating another one!

Books

2009-07-08T14:35:00.000-07:00

Some 2 year olds like Dr. Seuss' books. Others like The Berenstein Bears (which were among Daddy's favorites). There are classics like Goodnight Moon and Go Dog Go. I'm too old for those simple books--look at what I'm reading these days.

Cherry Picking

2009-07-06T17:43:00.000-07:00

Mommy, Daddy, Charles, Kira, and I went picking cherries the other weekend. Cheap labor? Check. Lots of fun? Check. Good eats? No check.

Happy July 4th

2009-07-04T17:06:00.000-07:00

I had a hamburger and one-and-a-half hot dogs for dinner. What did you have?