"Can We Light the Presents Now??" (Noam W., second night of Hannukah)

Dear All,

Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but I am having a GREAT Hannukah. Every night, I get to light candles on my very own Menorah (thanks, Louise!) and Bubbe got me my own box of candles which I carry around the house, frequently scattering candles far and wide. Then we have to pick them so the babies don't eat them. Anyway, and then we open PRESENTS.

I love presents! Highlights include:
- Candyland - Eema and I love to play this game before bedtime. The later it gets, the more desparately she tries to end the game, and the more I get stuck on the sticky licorice spots!
- Digital camera - my own blog pictures, coming soon...
- A laptop - now I can do work, just like Eema and Daddy! Work, like, you know, counting stars, and spelling words. Work that sings to you and says: "well done!" Eema and Daddy wish their computers gave positive reinforcement...
- A magnetic calendar - to see what day it is and when we're going to Grandma's country house.
- A ladybug towel. From Marian, the cousin who loves ladybugs. She's fun!

- Clothes.

Those were boring, but Eema liked them.

- A tea set. Here I am, having a tea party with Richie...

...and here I am serving an early morning cup of tea to Eema.

- a book about The Wizard of Oz. I don't know what a wizard is or what Oz means. I'm fuzzy on cyclones and we're fudging the whole wicked witch thing. But the book is still awesome. Here I am looking at the Emerald City!

As you can see, we got to visit Bubbe and light candles with her. We also saw Grandma and Gigi and both Aunt Debras.

The babies got riding toys...

and placemats...


and a toy with pegs to bang on.

They don't really understand about presents, and especially about how lots of things are MINE. Sometimes they take things and then I have to smack them around a little. You know how it is. They also got some books...


and a duck that I secretly covet.

Oh, and a pop-up toy that they can close but not open. So they scream at it a lot...

My new word this week was "distract." As in, "Okay, Eema - you distract Hillel while I play with my toy!" Or "I'm trying to distract him but it's not working!! Make him go away!"

The babies still don't talk like people but they can say "woof!" And they like it when I sing to them (and I sing a lot!)




- Oh, and here's my kit for making paper chains. Eema says I can make them and hang them in the living room, because apparently that's all that's missing from the "many children live here" decorating scheme we've got going on.

Eema and Daddy have been letting me stay up late to light candles cause I'm a big boy. And the twins have been waking up really early cause - well, we don't know why. Once in a while the babies get to light with us, so here's Akiva singing Maoz Tzur with Daddy...
Happy Hannukah, everyone!


Love,

Noam