Babies

Headed to pre school open house...

First day of kindergarten for Hani. First day of Pre School for Mer. Kai's first day of school is tomorrow.... and he is mad.  You can't tell by his attempt at a smile, can you?

So excited to watch Hani blossom this year. All day school will be so good for her and I think she is going to have so much fun.

This girl? She cried hysterically when Hani got to go to orientation yesterday and Meron didn't have any school. She can write Hana's name, but only the M and the O in Meron. She is so ready for school.

And Kai? Well, I suffered quite a lot of verbal abuse this morning when he had to stay home with me instead of going to school. So excited that tomorrow is his day. It is going to be a great year.

My baby girls started dance this week.  You have no idea how excited they were. Seriously... They asked me EVERY SINGLE DAY if today was THE day.  Hana's was on Tuesday night.  We got really crappy pictures because the lighting in the waiting room was weird. 

 She had a blast. She thought it was really fun and liked her teacher, even though he was a boy.

 

Meron had to wait until today to have class. It nearly did her in. We kept having to drag her out of Hani's class while we were waiting... she'd sneak over and open the door and try to walk in as soon as I turned my head. As soon as she woke up this morning she asked if it was time to go to dance class yet (no baby, not at 6:15am).  We were smarter this time and took pictures before we left. I can't even deal with how cute they were in their pink tights and leotards.

 When we were walking into the studio Meron asked, "Mama, are there grown up ballerinas?" I told her that there were, and that people who wanted to have dancing as a job had to work really hard at it and practice a lot. Meron said, "Oh Mama. I can work REALLY hard." Watching her walk into the studio was magic.  It was like... home. She walked up to the teacher, held her hand and said, "I'm Meron. Can we dance now?"

 She had so much fun. Her only complaint? Class was way to short. "I just want to dance and dance, Mama. Can't we stay longer and dance?"

 I am so proud of them both... and so excited to watch them learn.

Sisters

I love my sister. We fought a lot and often didn't get along (cause she just HAD to watch Teen@ge Mutant Ninj@ Turtles which was on during the Fre$h Prince of Bel @ire) but I remember countless hours spent giggling and playing together. She is still one of the first people I call when I am really, truly sad. She knows more about me than almost anyone on the planet.
I was so excited for Meron to have a sister. When Hani came home and we realized how close in age they were I imagined something similar for them. I knew they would fight and disagree sometimes, but that they would be best friends in the end.
That really didn't happen. Meron wanted to be best friends with Hani. She loves her sister. Hani, as I've said many times  before, was bitter about the competition for our affection that Meron represented to her. Meron was rejected time and time again. I watched her be hurt when she would hug Hani and Hana would stiffen up, hand remaining at her sides unless prompted to return the hug. It was hard. I understood Hani's reluctance and anger. I understood her fear that we would love Mer best because she had been there the longest. I understood Hana resenting having to compete.... but it was really hard.  Mer took a step back from Hana after a while and, while they played together very well, Mer transferred a lot of her affection to Kai.  She mothers him and plays with him in equal measures. She began hugging him more and he reciprocated.  I kind of thought it would always be a little like that... Meron and Kai would  be close, and Hani would be kind of an outsider. It broke my heart for all three of them for different reasons.
Lately though, I have noticed a certain... thawing out from Hana. It began a while ago with her seeking Meron out to play much more than she sought out Kai.  A few weeks ago I noticed the girls watching tv with their arms around each others' shoulders. It made me tear up. I was so glad to see it.  Last week, Hana was trying to find something to wear and she called Meron upstairs to help her pick something out. What is more sisterly than that? And today, the icing on the cake.  When the girls came downstairs this morning, Meron was wearing Hana's pants and Hana was wearing Meron's shirt.  Do you have any idea how big of a deal this simple, sisterish act was? Such a  big deal for Hana to let Meron wear a favorite pair of pants. Such a big deal to give and to receive willingly. I love watching this relationship slowly develop, and so glad that Meron and Hana are finally on their way to having what I desperately want for them both. There is nothing more precious in this world than a good sister.
Now, we just need to find a brother for Kai.