Catch up

We've been busy as you probably surmised from our hyperspace silence. Yelena has been enjoying her first Passover, an enjoyment made possible by the rabbinical permission granted for her to continue eating cereal. Although I saw an eyebrow cocked at the amounts of aluminum foil covering vast expanses of our kitchen and an empathetic smile at Mommy's 39th matzoh and cream cheese sandwich, it's as if Yelena never were a slave in Egypt.

First night we went out to our friends' parents in Skokie (Rafi's grandparents), as has become our tradition. All the benefits of spending a holiday with a family; none of the neuroses of spending it with one's own. There were many children there and much mayhem ensued. The other babies were great and went to bed around their bedtimes without fuss. (The humorous highlight of the evening was Rafi displaying his adept use of the sign for "more" every time his father, Brian, gave him a drop of wine. More, more, more. Kid after my own heart.) Yelena decided that she wanted to stay up and hear the story incumbent upon all generations to tell. She was not interested in nursing a sip, lest that put her to sleep and she miss something. She didn't fuss or cry a jot, she just wanted to be social, apparently. She received many compliments on her wide eyed interest and cheerful demeanor. And her chubby cheeks. We finally decided to leave during bentching at 10:15, since otherwise she'd never get to sleep.

Second night we hosted a small gathering. Yelena went to bed at her normal bedtime without fuss. Her buddy Zev, who apparently the night before had been awake and cheerful a la Yelena, couldn't take the pressure of his demanding public 2 nights in a row and lost it, so we didn't get around to Hallel a second night. Oh well. Everything's a bit different with a baby, eh? I did make a yummy Sephardic charoset of which I was particularly proud. My carrot parsnip soup turned out creamy and delicious, too. (We had vegetarians over and somehow matzoh balls without chicken broth are kind of gross.)

Friday night Greg and Paula were in town and stayed with us. I cooked another large meal -- providing more leftovers! -- while Greg took pictures of the bambina.

Last night we went to friends' for dinner, with Yelena again happy to be up way past her bedtime.

Phew. I'll get another picture or two up soon.