Asher's First Haircut

I can't get over what a big boy Asher is becoming. Just like Zahara, he was born with a ton of hair, and it keeps growing. It was starting to get in his eyes and we didn't want to put his hair in cute little ponytails and clips like we did with Z. Instead, it was time for his first haircut.

We went to the same place in Dallas that we did for Zahara's first cut. They do a really good job there, and Asher did so well! It's Kids B Kids in Plano, for any locals.

You could tell that Asher loved his new look. I mean, look at this handsome face.

Read about Zahara's first haircut here.

Dear Asher: 9 Months

Dear Asher,

Happy nine month birthday! What a little man you're becoming! This was a huge developmental month for you. The biggest change is that you are incredibly mobile. You are crawling at super speeds and are starting to pull yourself up on furniture. You love "walking" by holding our hands and moving your legs. I love watching you crawl from the living room around the corner to the kitchen to come find me. Your look of surprise and happiness when you see me is the best.

Another part of what is making you look like such a little guy now is your new haircut. Your hair was getting in your eyes and mouth, so we had to take care of it. Just like she did for your sister, G-mom took you for your first haircut. You did such a great job. I can't get over how handsome you look.

You are super ticklish! It's so funny! You are especially sensitive under your arms, on your neck, and on your chest. You laugh a big, throaty laugh that fills me with such joy.

I love how much you love your sister. And she loves you back--much to our relief. I love watching you guys interact. I know this phase won't last forever (especially now that you're mobile), but I'm enjoying it while I can.

You are eating solids a few times a day now. You will eat most foods, but you LOVE Cheerios and Veggie Straws. Probably too much. I think they feel good on your sore gums. Hopefully these teeth come soon!

Other quick facts: You love dancing to music; you squirm like crazy during diaper changes and often end up crawling around naked; and you still wake mummy up in the middle of the night.

We love you. Happy 9 month birthday!

Read about Zahara at this age:
Dear Zahara: 9 Months

Purim Celebrations

I'm really late with this recap, but Purim this year was so fun and I want to make sure I capture the memories. With Zahara in Jewish school now, we have even more incentive to celebrate holidays. She learns all about the meaning, history, and traditions at school. She sings songs and talks about the foods she wants to eat. Purim is a particularly fun holiday because it is meant for the kids. It's a day where we dress up, eat yummy cookies called hamantaschen, and give gifts to our friends.

This year, we spread the fun out and had a few different Purim celebrations:

Playdate with Liana
Zahara's best buddy from daycare came over for a dress-up and cookie making playdate. Liana had never had hamantaschen before, so it was fun teaching her about them and, of course, eating them.

Community Carnival
I had no idea that there was such a large Jewish community in Maryland. But apparently, there is. The week before Purim there was a huge carnival held at a high school. There was face painting, food, games, music, and stories. We had a blast!

Purim Day Schpiel and Carnival
On Purim day we dropped mishloach manot (gifts) to a few of our friends and went to a synagogue to watch a Purim schpiel. A schpiel is a funny skit that tells the story of Purim. This year's theme was Sesame street. It was cute. And of course there was more face painting, games, and food.

What a fun way to celebrate the holidays!

April Thoughts by Z

I take for granted how well Zahara is able to communicate and express herself, but I shouldn't. She really is articulate for her age. I love our conversations and always look forward to what she'll say next.

Thought 1:
Pointing to her classmate who is on all fours next to her:

Z: Mummy, this is my pet dog. Zevi, bark for my mum.
Zevi: Ruff, ruff.

Thought 2:

Z: Daddy, I don't want you to sing anymore. Don't be a parent.

Thought 3:

Z: Why are your eyes pink?
Me: That's my eye shadow. Do you like it?
Z: No. You look like a monster.

Thought 4:

Z: I saw all the blossoms on the trees. They look like Cheerios.

See previous Thoughts by Z here

Stitch Fix

I've been back at work for a couple of months now and I am finding it challenging for a whole host of reasons. Although I'm really happy to be back, and I love my job, life as a working mother of two is really hard. Add an hour-long commute plus time to pump at work, and I feel like I'm just constantly running around with no down time at all.

I am also finding it challenging to dress myself for work. I am back to my pre-pregnancy weight, but my body has shifted and I'm still nursing. So I need clothes that flatter me, are work-appropriate, and are nursing/pumping-friendly. Oh, and did I mention I have no time to go shopping for these clothes? Right.

A friend of mine recommended I try Stitch Fix (thanks Katie!). I had heard a lot about it from various bloggers and social media, but I wasn't too sure about it. Thanks to Katie though I got a credit to try the service free. I figured, why not?

I went online and filled out the style survey. I was pretty nervous at this point because, in addition to putting in my own measurements, I am asked for my thoughts on some style mood boards. The problem was I hated all of them! They did not reflect my style at all. Some were too boho, some were too modern, some were just the wrong colors, etc. So I was pretty weary of what I would expect to receive in my own box.

Too preppy

Too glam

But, when I got my box I couldn't believe how happy I was with the products! Each box gives you five separate pieces. I had specifically asked for jeans and a dress for an upcoming wedding. The first outfit I tried on was an asymmetrical fuchsia shirt and cuffed jeans. They were both perfect!  

My stylist also sent this fantastic cardigan. I really loved it, but I have a few pieces that are similar so I begrudgingly set it aside.

This shirt was cool, and I liked the colors, but it just didn't fit very well.

This was the only miss for me. I hated everything about this dress. I get why people might like it. My cousin Larin, for example, would rock this. But it was way too fashion-forward for me. And the color was awful.

I kept the first two pieces: the shirt and the jeans. They were a little pricier than I would normally pay (the jeans are $78 and the shirt is $48), but they seem like they're great quality. Overall, I'm pretty impressed with this service and will definitely use it again. I don't think it's an every day thing for me, but maybe once a season? Or for special occasions? It's nice to have one less thing on my plate.

What do you think? Have you used Stitch Fix before? If not, here's my referral code you can use.

Let me know how it goes!

Things I Love: Seaweed

My kid and I are weird. At least that's what everyone keeps telling us as they see us snack away on our newest favorite snack: dried seaweed.

source

Zahara and I were at Costco tasting all the samples, as you do, and we tried this dried seaweed. We were both hooked! It reminds me of sushi, in that it has that slightly fishy taste. That turns a lot of people off, but Z and I love this crunchy, salty snack. We certainly get strange looks when we're happily munching our seaweed, but we don't mind.

What makes you weird? Any interesting food choices in your family?

Dear Asher: 8 Months

Dear Asher,

Happy 8 month birthday! I can't get over what a big boy you're becoming. Long gone are the sleepy newborn days. These days are all about exploring the world around you, primarily through touch and taste.

You're just starting to crawl! Last month you were working on "scooping," but this month you've started to lift your knees to move. You're not really going more than one crawl at a time, but you're getting the hang of it. Apparently at daycare you move all over the place. You roll, scoot, or crawl to get where you're going. We don't see it too much at home though.

You've been to seven states: DC, MD, VA, NC, TX, FL, and now NJ. We took a short road trip to attend a family wedding. We got to see babushka, dedushka, Aunt Amy, Aunt Sara, Uncle Shlomo, and Avi. As an added bonus, we also got to hang out with one of my best friends, Dina, and her adorable family.

You have four little teeth with several more on their way. They seem to really bother you, as you've been a lot more fussy than usual. You're still pretty happy, but you want to be held all the time. Once you are in our arms, you're full of smiles and snuggles. 

A few other quick facts: your number one love is still your sister; you get up at least twice a night to eat; you hate baths but love showers with daddy; 9-month clothes are already a little tight; your favorite song is the ABCs; you wake up happy every day.

We love you to the moon and back, little Asher!

Read about Zahara at this age:
Dear Zahara: 8 Months