Thursday, February 12, 2009

What I've been up to

I've written plenty of posts in my head. Actually, one of them really needs to (and will) be written. But these past few months, I've been trying really hard to keep my head above water - to be at home with Yirmi and whoever happens to be sick AND to work is challenging to say the least. (Um, yeah, blogging may make some people rich, but for me, if it covers my chewing gum for the month, I feel fortunate. I am not going to be quitting my day job too soon. Not that I really have a day job. I have about 7 day jobs (or more) many of which I don't get paid for... OK, that wasn't really the point... and if it was, it shouldn't have been in parentheses, but it is... hmm...)

Hadas has been at her new school long enough to get a report card for her first semester (very impressive) and we've gotten used to the fact that she's away. She comes home for a short time most Tuesdays and almost every weekend (though when she goes to her father's house for the weekend, we only get to see her for a few hours on Friday). Nomi's been sick on and off for the past few weeks. Today was the first day she went back to her preschool after 4 days at home (OK, there were elections in the middle, but she wouldn't have gone that day anyway). Abigail and Nomi are both still giving us (i.e., mostly Ohad) trouble in the morning when we drop them off, being terribly clingy and crying. Hullo? It's February. They should be used to it by now. Yirmi (turned 11 months on Sunday) is still not really sleeping through the night. Occasionally he sleeps from 11:30 to 6 or something like that, but more often, he goes to sleep at 8:30 and then wakes up at 2 and again at 5. We can't sleep train either, because he screams and wakes up not only the other kids, but the neighbors too. So I do whatever I can to keep him quiet (i.e., nurse him - yes, I'm still doing that and have totally given up on formula) and to get him go back to sleep as soon as possible - usually about 20-30 minutes.

Ohad, in addition to working on his doctorate, teaching a course, working through the university and a few other things, is also working on a new idea. On top of all that, he helps a lot with the kids and cooks about 8 meals a week (and prepares a few more) and does the shopping. Sound like enough work for 2? It is. Fortunately, we work well together, so I help whenever necessary (often) and that keeps me busy too. Among other things, I've done user interface design, built online survey systems from scratch (not the back-end) and edited a few articles.

Tonight, all the kids were home and it wasn't Shabbat, so we got a few pictures together. I have no idea why the pictures look like they were taken 20 years ago (but I blame Picasa. Hey, why not?)

from left to right: Nomi, Abigail, Hadas (deliberately making a silly face), Lilach and Matan (still in his Taekwondo clothes)

Lilach, Abigail, Yirmi and Matan

The whole gang - Hadas, Lilach, Abigail, Yirmi, Matan and Nomi
And even one with me in it :-)

7 comments:

DrSavta said...

I especially like that last picture. It's great!

Artblog said...

Wow, B'H what a lovely large family. reminds me of my childhood :)

xxx

gwendomama said...

You look GREAT! And how nice to see Yirmi growing!

Bea said...

I wish you had better news about 11mo sleep. Then again, I'd probably take 2 and 5 most nights... I mean, eventually they learn, right?

I always wondered how you did everything and now I am slightly better informed, and still a little baffled. Maybe I should come and take notes!

Bea

Sara said...

Gorgeous pics! You have such a beautiful family.

I'm right there with you on the "no serious sleep training possible" thing, at 15 months. It did get a lot better at about a year, but even now, she can pretty much terrorize me at will. She just wants to less often than before.

Your work with Ohad sounds really interesting. Good luck to both of you with the new project.

Sarah said...

oh my gosh yirmi is looking all grown up! what great pictures.

hope you get some rest soon. sleep training worked so well with piper but i'm very afraid of what we will do with a new baby (should we be so lucky).

Anonymous said...

Rachel, you look like one of the kids!! So youthful!

I had no idea you were born in NB, NJ. Did you stay there long? I worked at St. Pete's as a nursing assistant in their oncology ward. Was my first job as a nursing asst. and I LOVED it. I almost became a doctor because of it.

Hello to your lovely mother; I had no idea you two were related!

xo
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