Happy (?) New Year

10 days ago, we lost my beautiful mother, Ronnie Sussman. The kids are dealing, I am dealing, but it makes celebrating her birthday (yesterday) and the New Year very difficult. Aunt Jodi has been staying downstairs, and we've been going back and forth to Queens to see Papa Dan, but most of the time we've been trapped in the house due to extreme cold and there's been an aura of sadness and grief. While we know these won't last forever, I may be even more absent than usual for a while. We'll see.

Yesterday, Milo figured out buttons!

He unbuttoned and buttoned up his pajamas tonight as well!

We discussed our resolutions for 2018 - Alex has decided to get back to writing more, Penny would like to cook more and try new foods, and I am going to craft more and get back to moving my body regularly. Milo should be able to write his name without help and be well on his way to reading.

We are spending tonight at home with a bunch of snacks and a 500 piece puzzle. It is my sincere hope that 2018 is better than 2017 in basically every single way. From all of the Zalbens to you and yours, Happy New Year.

Happy Chanukah!

Tonight is the last night of Chanukah, and Milo had a performance and party through his school. Unfortunately, Penny wasn't feeling well, so she and Alex stayed home. I took a ton of photos, though, so you can attend vicariously, as they did!

Morah Dini finds Milo's candle crown

Some quick gelt before the festivities.

Ready for the River Styx, just in case

Candles Assaf & Milo

Getting ready

He did such a great job!

Our first activity downstairs was making an edible dreidel. Marshmallow fluff glue to hold on a chocolate chip point, with a pretzel stick to spin.

The only part of the dreidel Milo was interested in.

Milo is INTO facepaint

This is the best game ever. Shooting water pistols at lit menorahs.

Dreidel decorating

Hay!

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Night Eight at home!

Dear Penny

(That's the Princess of Eight, for those non-Sesame Street nerds among us)

My girl, you are now eight years old. There is nothing left about you that is a little kid - you are a fully big kid now. At lunchtime, you were showing off your knife skills. You are able to use the food processor to make latkes. You clear your place after meals. My heart is warmed by your genuine gratitude, your kindness, your thoughtfulness and your wisdom beyond your years. Your sense of humor is unbelievable - your timing, your insight, and your awareness of your audience is staggering. You have continued on with tumbling and the violin, and just completed your 12s times table, which means you have collected all of your stars on your math chart. You have started knitting yourself a scarf! I'm sorry I passed that obsession on to you, but I do very much enjoy sitting next to each other on the couch knitting together.
This weekend, Star Wars: The Force Awakens opens, and we are taking four friends to see it as your party. You get so excited thinking about this - so delighted about how happy your friends are going to be to see it with you, and so thrilled about another Rey movie. I hope that this whole year is full of things that please you that much. I hope that you are able to find joy in friends and your family, that you continue to devour books and that you see yourself in all of them.

Happy birthday to the greatest, bestest, special kissiest girl I've ever met.

Don't grow up too fast, ok?