Dear Asher: 6 Years

Dear Asher,

Happy 6th birthday! I think I say this every year, but this might have been my favorite year so far. You are just so darn loveable. I mean, look at this face!

I love that you genuinely want to spend time with us--whether it's going on adventures in our forest, reading books, playing with Lego, doing science experiments, baking, or just being silly together. We always have a good time playing. You're also becoming more independent though. You've taken your first solo flights (to Texas and Florida) and are getting better at solo play.

You graduated kindergarten and are on your way to first grade! This school year was a big adjustment for you and it wasn't always smooth sailing. But you did a great job communicating with us about what you need. Your teachers also helped a lot, getting you extra help to learn how to write better. Now you're reading, writing, drawing, and doing math problems in your head for fun. Oh, and you're learning Hebrew too. It's a lot! Even though you are still a reluctant reader, it's fun watching you discover the world around you through this unlocked talent.

You made some good friends this year in school and still remain close to your buddies from the Pod from last year. You had several playdates with many of the kids in your class and you got "married" a few times to Roxy, Raquel, and Eva. But Zahara and I still seem to be your number one girls.

I wouldn't necessarily call you an athlete, but I'm proud of the efforts you've been putting in with karate, soccer, swimming, and skiing. Karate and soccer weren't your favorites, but you'd be happy skiing or swimming any day. It's so fun watching you learn a new skill! You'll be out-skiing daddy and I next season!

You finally lost your first teeth just this week! I know you've been telling everyone that you already lost teeth but that's not true. You grew shark teeth just like your sister and the baby teeth are hanging around forever. I'm sure more visits from the Tooth Fairy are just around the corner.

One of my favorite things about you, other than your incredible sense of humor, is your empathy. You are (almost) always thinking of others. You ask about how people are feeling, how their days are, if they'd like to share your food. It's incredibly endearing. Paired with your hilarious sayings, like "this oatmeal is kind of dry if you ask me," you just keep me smiling all day long. Not counting when you go full Hulk mode and start throwing pillows, of course.

Ash, we love the young man you are today and can't wait to see what the next year holds for you. Happiest of happy birthdays! We love you!

NYC Vacation

Earlier this summer, Dan and I shipped the kids off* and snuck away for a quick break in New York City! We were celebrating the trifecta event of Dan's birthday, Father's Day, and Juneteenth!

Dan got us a great deal for a hotel near Bryant Park. We took the train up and were able to walk everywhere. It was perfect! Here are some of our highlights:

Food

Obviously I have to start with the food. We had a few must-dos but were otherwise fairly open to what the city chose to put in our path. Must dos included:

Pizza

• I wasn't picky about where this staple came from, but I wanted it hot, huge, and greasy. I was very satisfied with my slice of white from Joe's near Broadway

Bagels

•  I was aiming for a perfect bagel from Ess-a-Bagel, H&H, or Russ & Daughters. We ended up getting breakfast at Best Bagel & Coffee and it was still pretty good. As they say, it's the water that makes the bagels so chewy and light.
  
  

Meat

• Prime Grill was my favorite NY Kosher establishment, but sadly it closed in 2017. Le Marais is always a good choice though. I got the ribeye and Dan got steak au poivre (pepper-crusted steak). We split the duck and veal spread. Dan liked it, but it wasn't my favorite. We also got a chocolate mousse dessert to go, which we happily ate in our comfy hotel bed.
  
  

Pasta

• We stumbled upon Eataly, a super fun Italian market. We sat at one of the food counters and ordered fresh pasta while Dan drank a Chinotto. I loved checking out the vibrant fruit and veggie stands too. We didn't have as good of luck at Becco, Joe and Lidia Bastianich's restaurant. It was fine, but I expected more.

Dessert

• You know I love a good dessert. We had some pretty good ones while on vacation. Some of our favorites were the ice cream from an ice cream truck in Bryant Park; the black and white cookie from Zaro's in the train station; our chocolate mousse bomb described above; and multiple baked goods from the delicious Marvelous by Fred. We loved that patisserie so much that we actually went back a second time for the freshly baked brioche!

Activities

Broadway--Hadestown

• We had to see a show while we were in town, and what better show to see than the one for which my cousin won a Tony!! That's right. I'm related to a two-time Tony award winner, Bradley King (hey Brad!). 
  
  

Brad designed the lighting for Hadestown, a retelling of the Greek myth of Persephone and Hades. At first I wasn't sure what to expect from the lighting, but wow did it deliver. The show is incredible. The music is dark and jazzy, the story is told so well, and the scenery is magical. Honestly, it's one of the best shows I've see. Highly recommend!

Highline

• We spent a day walking around the Highline. It was such a wonderful way to see the city!

Books

• We made a quick stop to The Strand to see the miles of books. It's fun seeing a place in person that I've read about in many books (like Dash and Lily's Book of Dares). I especially loved the rainbow book wall and the blind date table!
  
  

It was a quick trip but it was much needed. I love getting away and seeing (and eating!) new things. Now we're ready for our next adventure!

* I've said it before and I'll say it again--Dan and I have the BEST families. Our kids were awesome adventurers and hopped on separate planes to visit grandparents. Coincidentally, they both left from the same gate at BWI only a couple of hours apart. 

Dear Zahara: 9 Years Old

Dear Zahara,

Happy ninth birthday! You have grown up so much this year. It's amazing to watch you mature into the clever, hilarious, caring, prankster you are.

Zahara, you are so full of passion. You're an avid reader (thank goodness for the library!), and love mostly fantasy or magical realism. You finished all of Harry Potter, Land of Stories, Wings of Fire, most Roald Dahl books, and many more. You also continue to be a great artist. We signed you up for art classes this year and your class painted a giant mural!

You've overcome some of your fears this year including riding a bike. You're super speedy on that thing. Daddy got a bike this year too so the two of you are able to ride together. You and I have been running together! You joined Girls on the Run and worked your way up to a 5K (3.1 miles). We have now run four 5Ks together. I'm so proud of your perseverance and grit.

After a hard run you of course need a nice relaxing spa. This has become another tradition of ours. Now on Sundays we have a whole routine with a steam, a face mask, and a massage. Sometimes it's over the top but it's sweet.

You got braces! You had a few baby teeth pulled and had an expander and three brackets put in. You're doing such a great job taking care of your teeth. It feels early for braces, but so many of your friends have them now too. I'm glad you're in good company.

This summer you'll be returning to Pinemere, a sleep-away camp in the Poconos! We were so proud of your bravery to spend ten nights away. This year you'll have three whole weeks of archery, swimming, arts and crafts, Shabbat dinners, and of course spice challenges (you're the Spice Queen, apparently!). 

I know you'll have a great time at camp, but secretly, I know you'll miss your brother too. You two recently separated for a week while you each spent time with a set of grandparents. You only made it a couple of days before you called Asher on Hangouts to see if he wanted to chat. I LOVE THAT! It's not always roses and sunshine, but we see you guys continuing to develop your relationship and it makes daddy and I proud. You're also continuing to deepen the relationships with your friends. In particular, you and Leticia are great friends to each other. You're also close with Amalia, Joni, Isa, and Abby.

Zahara, this year has been a delight. I'm so proud of the hard work you've put in this year to grow your social, emotional, physical, and intellectual skills. Daddy, Asher and I are your biggest cheerleaders and we can't wait to see what this next year brings. We love you!

See Zahara's other birthday wishes here.

Dear Asher: 5 Years

Dear Asher,

Happy birthday to our funny, silly, smart, loving five year old! 

You handled all of this year's changes and uncertainty with grace. The biggest change for you this year was school. With the pandemic still in full-swing, we decided to create a small pod for you, Elnatan, and Adam. We hired the most amazing teacher, Morah Sharon, who taught you math, English, Hebrew, holidays, and more. You baked challah every week, you crafted, you went for hikes, you learned to like dogs...and so much more! We are so lucky that you got to spend your last year in pre-school with a fantastic group.

It's so hard to believe you'll be heading to Kindergarten this fall. You're ready though! You can now write your own name and have even started recognizing some sight words like mom, dad, Zahara, son, sun, cat, and more. Sometimes to get my attention, you'll even call out "M.O.M." It's very fun to see you starting to figure out reading.

Your math skills are growing too. You love asking what numbers add up to and solving equations like 2+2 or 4+4 on your own. This year you've also gotten more excited about science. You got a science kit for Chanukah and you conducted countless experiments with it. You'll make an "experiment" out of almost anything--dirt, worms, food.

And while you're getting so much bigger and more independent in a lot of ways, you're still our little boy. You love being around us, which I know won't last for ever. And as much as we love being with you, sometimes, Asher, you just need to go to the bathroom by yourself without me or daddy reading you a book!

What can I say about you and your sister? The truth is that you guys drive each other crazy. But, you also really love and care about each other. When you're not fighting, you actually play so well together. Daddy and I love seeing that side of your relationship, and we hope that continues to grow.

Asher, you are a true joy to be around. You are constantly telling us you love us, making up songs about how wonderful we are, and smothering us with kisses. You camp counselors tell us there is no staffer who doesn't love you. It's so delightful and I hope that never changes.

Happy fifth birthday Asher! We can't wait to see what this next year brings!

See Asher's other birthday wishes here.

Dear Zahara: 8 Years

Dear Zahara,

Happy eighth birthday! I said it last year, and I'll say it again: what a year it's been. Reading your letter from last year highlights the journey we've been on for the past 18 months. Last summer, there were still so many unknowns about the year ahead. Would you return to school? Would the pool open? Would there be vaccines? While there are still many unknowns, this summer we are returning to a bit of normalcy. We are all grateful for that!

Though Covid is still impacting our world, you are doing an exceptional job navigating all of the changes. Zoom continued to be the norm this year. You were in virtual school for the majority of the year, returning to campus (and meeting your teachers for the first time!) in late fall. That was only for two half-days a week. It took another few months before you transitioned to two full days, and then finally four full days a week. It was hard for all of us, but I loved our time as co-workers. I already miss our Kabbalat Shabbats together.

One highlight of the school year was carpooling with your classmate Zamir. You two were the cutest! Listening to your banter was amazing. Big news for you this year is that you got glasses--real ones, not just the blue light glasses above! As the fashionista you've become, you've incorporated the glasses with style. You chose these two pairs for yourself, and you did a great job.

You're still an avid reader. You're reading in the 98%, which is just astounding! You just finished Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (book 5) by yourself. We read the first four books together, so I'm a little sad you did this one on your own, but it's just part of you growing up.

You and Asher are continuing to get along well, for the most part. I love watching you fill the role of big sister and show him the ropes. Whether it's in the swimming pool, on a hike, with electronics, you're right there to help him out. I also love listening to your imaginative play together. You often play pet and owner, family, or teacher and student. I'll let you guess which roles you play in each of these games.

Last year we were fortunate that the pool did open and it's open again this year. Once again, you're a little fish! You are a great swimmer, earning your deep-end status. 

Have I mentioned your strong personality yet? I say it every year, and every year it's just as true. One day, Zahara, you're going to rule the world. I never worry about your future. Ever. You don't take no for an answer and you don't suffer fools. You know what you want, though you don't always do a great job of communicating it. We're working on channeling your passion, emotion, energy, and willpower into forces of good. 

Zahara, I love our conversations, our silly dances, our inside jokes, our reading time. Though I may not love every minute, I really do love being around you. You're fun, funny, smart, empathetic, energetic, and so much more. I can't wait to see what this next year holds. Love you lots!

See Zahara's other birthday wishes here.