We moved to the US, but we didn't move to Michigan, where all FOUR of our healthy grandparents are. Ok - actually not our grandparents, but the kids' grandparents. Having three littles who need help:
It means that I wish I were an octopus. But I'm not. So my kids are sometimes alone eating a meal (in a high chair, strapped in, and at a little table), or they're sometimes alone playing in the living room. I literally cannot bring everyone upstairs to get the baby and change his diaper or put clothes on him. I cannot watch the kids while I prepare a meal (though I do very simple things and a lot of extra cooking, freezing and defrosting). I just can't do everything I need to do with them.
Enter grandparents. Remember - grandparents are in Michigan. We are in Massachusetts. My parents and in-laws babysite on Facetime.
Every morning we wake up around 7, get dressed and come down. Samara knows she can call my mom once it's 7:15. She will never get the code to the ipod, but once I enable it, she can decide whom she wants to call and pull the trigger. She calls my parents nearly every morning at 7:15. They catch up on what's going on. My dad does games where he teachers her numbers, playing cards, they play "the circle game" which they made up, showing something SUPER close to the camera and Sam has to guess what it is. They read books. They sing songs. They are way entertaining. Sometimes I call it the Papa and Savta show. While my parents are talking to them, they can get the million questions (4 year old and 2 year old mean a LOT of questions and ongoing dialogue that is exhausting even for this crazy extrovert), and I can make my coffee, prepare breakfasts, make lunches, do dishes, etc. My in-laws are also fantastic Facetimers, and the kids love calling them too.
I put laundry in the dryer and my mom reads books to the kids. I can go to the bathroom and my dad does math with Samara. I go get the baby and my in-laws are in the middle of a puppet show when I come back. It's amazing. Sometimes they even give me a warning that I need to step back in. "Mel - Elie is done eating." "We don't stand on the couch." From afar, they help me take care of my kids. It is SO SUPER HELPFUL.
Unrelated photos.
better view of the sukkah
- Getting any food
- Getting any drink
- Ensuring proper hand washing and teeth brushing (though Samara usually does it on her own - perhaps not well...)
- Cleaning up everything
- 2/3 need diaper changes
- 2/3 need help getting dressed
It means that I wish I were an octopus. But I'm not. So my kids are sometimes alone eating a meal (in a high chair, strapped in, and at a little table), or they're sometimes alone playing in the living room. I literally cannot bring everyone upstairs to get the baby and change his diaper or put clothes on him. I cannot watch the kids while I prepare a meal (though I do very simple things and a lot of extra cooking, freezing and defrosting). I just can't do everything I need to do with them.
Enter grandparents. Remember - grandparents are in Michigan. We are in Massachusetts. My parents and in-laws babysite on Facetime.
Every morning we wake up around 7, get dressed and come down. Samara knows she can call my mom once it's 7:15. She will never get the code to the ipod, but once I enable it, she can decide whom she wants to call and pull the trigger. She calls my parents nearly every morning at 7:15. They catch up on what's going on. My dad does games where he teachers her numbers, playing cards, they play "the circle game" which they made up, showing something SUPER close to the camera and Sam has to guess what it is. They read books. They sing songs. They are way entertaining. Sometimes I call it the Papa and Savta show. While my parents are talking to them, they can get the million questions (4 year old and 2 year old mean a LOT of questions and ongoing dialogue that is exhausting even for this crazy extrovert), and I can make my coffee, prepare breakfasts, make lunches, do dishes, etc. My in-laws are also fantastic Facetimers, and the kids love calling them too.
I put laundry in the dryer and my mom reads books to the kids. I can go to the bathroom and my dad does math with Samara. I go get the baby and my in-laws are in the middle of a puppet show when I come back. It's amazing. Sometimes they even give me a warning that I need to step back in. "Mel - Elie is done eating." "We don't stand on the couch." From afar, they help me take care of my kids. It is SO SUPER HELPFUL.
Unrelated photos.
Kobs!
Happy in the park
Sam's new birthday bike from us, Matt's parents and my grandparents.
Apple picking
All 3 kids! Don't drop that baby...
Snack in the sukkah with friends from school
better view of the sukkah
Elie harvested this carrot!
Shake that lulav and etrog
Samara having a secret meeting, harvesting dried beans out of green beans with her buddy, Ele
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