Playdate

Something very exciting occurred at our house on Sunday (well Benjie would argue that it was the installation of the new home theater system...speaking of which-are any of my readers good electronic tech-y people? We're having a few snafus with said home theater system...but no, I'm not here to blog about home theater systems)

So what was so exciting?


Dovi had a play date.

On Shabbos, Dovi informed me that he wanted to invite his buddy Seth over on Sunday "we watch da Bear game, Mommy".

So we called Seth on Sunday morning.

Wait, wait, I need to back up a tad. Seth is not a Keshet kid. Seth is a regular old kid from Schechter-who happens to love Dovi, and Dovi feels the same way. Through the years of awesome, incredible inclusion between the Keshet and Schechter kids, Dovi has managed to make himself some real, true friends.

And Seth is one of them.

So we called Seth. He wasn't home. We left a message.

His mom called back (speaking of which, didn't Sunday morning feel like it just went on forever? It had to be because of the time change. I'm telling you-at 10:30 am it felt like it had to be at least 3 in the afternoon). She said Seth was thrilled to come.

He came at about noonish, and stayed until 4:30. They watched the Bears game and played Wii.

Benjie and I always say that you can tell how parents raise their children by how they behave towards Dovi. And let me tell you, Seth's parents are doing something right.

He is so incredibly lovely to Dovi. Dovi tries, but he is really not a "normal" almost twelve year old boy. He's really more like a six or seven year old. But Seth? Totally gets Dovi. Totally cool with it when Dovi decided that he needed to lay down for a bit with his num num while watching the game. Exclaimed excitedly over Dovi's new Nikes that I picked up for him today (Famous Footwear, BIGI 50% off + 10% off entire purchase coupon-you don't think I'd just go in and buy a pair of shoes, do you?).

He was just so incredibly lovely. And what was really cool was that they are really friends-he wasn't just being nice to Dovi-he really likes him (you like me, you really, really like me! points to those who identify where that was said, and by whom).

Dovi had a fabulous day.

So did we.

Apologies, Apologies

No, no, nothing's wrong. I've just been a little busy (I know, how dare I!)

My mom came in on Friday morning and left Monday morning afternoon. It took her almost twelve hours to travel by plane from Chicago to Philadelphia, thanks to the lovely snow that hit the eastern seaboard. She could have driven in the same length of time!

Either way, while she was in town there was no time to post-much fun to be had, shopping to do, and restaurants in which to dine. It cracks me up-my kids associate Savta (Grandma in Hebrew) coming with dining out! We very rarely dine out otherwise-I'm too much of a cheapy :)

So that brings us to Tuesday,and shockingly, no posts since last Thursday.

Really, nothing too exciting has gone on, with the exception of one thing. Thank G-d, Dovi's back to his normal self and strep has not hit us again. yet. We had a small scare with Benjie on Sunday morning, but he just has a big honking canker sore on one of his tonsils.

Back to our one exciting thing.

Sunday night was the Keshet Dinner. If you're new here, Keshet is Dovi's school that he's gone to for the past five years. Keshet means rainbow in Hebrew. The slogan (is that the right word?) of the school is "A Rainbow of Hope for Children with Special Needs". So every year there is a big, and I mean huge (1300+ people!) gala fundraising dinner, attending by many many dignitaries and movers and shakers :)

Before many Jewish dinners, the ceremonial blessing over the bread is made. Every year, a Keshet child is invited, with a "buddy", to make the blessing. This year, it was none other than the studly Dovi P with his friend Jake. Enjoy the pictures.


Here they are, all ready to go. I didn't realize how much taller Jake is than D!


You're missing out on the cute bead of drool coming out of the left corner of D's mouth.

There is also entertainment at the dinner. The Keshet integrated choir always performs, and for the past two years, there has been an additional headliner performing with the kids. Leas tyear it was Dennis DeYoung, the dude from Stix. Let me tell you, there is nothing more trippy than hearing a bunch of special needs kids warbling "Come Sail Away".

This year, we had someone that will make all women ages 29-39 scream with glee.

Recognize this guy?


C'mon, think hard.

Endless Summer Nights?
Satisfied?
Right Here Waiting?

Ahh, now you've got it.

It seems that Richard Marx attending high school with the executive director of Keshet.

So she snagged him. I must say that he has aged nicely. No more bouffant.

He sang Endless Summer Nights, albeit at a different tempo than usual, and Right Here Waiting. Benjie mocked me as I sang along to both. It took me back to Sunday mornings, listening to the Casey Casum America's Top 40 on 94 WKTI on my Walkman...

After he sang on his own, he sang a new song with the Keshet choir. Ready to Fly or some such thing.

Then the Keshet kids sang a few songs, including We Are Family and some others. Frankly, I don't even remember what they sang, because I was concentrating too hard on kneeling down in the front with the other Keshet parents while wearing three inch heels and screaming Dovi's name while waving frantically and trying to snap pictures. Remember my new camera? Well I still have not gotten a bigger memory card than the one it comes with that holds...ahem...13 pictures, so I had to take a picture, check if it was good, and delete if it wasn't.

I'm not sure why they are so dark-I used my flash but whatevs. I'm sure Amy or Gretchen can tell me exactly what I did wrong. Either way. Enjoy.

Dovi is flanked by two of his best friends, Seth and Josh, two absolutely lovely Schechter kids who are so wonderful to Dovi. His other friend David is somewhere in the back. They are so wonderful to him that I want to cry every time I see them and their parents, and hug the mothers. They are Dovi's real friends. My dreams have come true. Cry too if you'd like. It's worth it.




Waving some type of banner, not even sure why. But it was cute.

Winter Camp

So...Dovi had a blast at Winter Camp. He went tubing, and bowling, and to an indoor water park/arcade.

He also dialed 911 from the dining room one night.

Yes, you heard me correctly. The last night, at dinner, a Keshet counselor heard the pay phone ringing. He picked it up. It was the 911 call center calling back. It seems that someone had dialed 911 and hung up.

"No, everything is ok. Don't send the police". Then they went about figuring out who had called and if everything was ok. Someone said:

"Didn't Dovi stop at the pay phone on his way to the bathroom?"

Dovi was asked. Dummy that he is, he admitted it immediately. He was sent to bed 15 minutes early and he and Bobby composed a letter of apology.

So first, I was spazzing. He really doesn't get common safety, does he?" But then I remembered an...ahem...incident from when I was about 8 or 9. Granted, he is 11, and I was a few years younger, but I distinictly recall sitting with my friend Chaya in music class at school, which for some reason was being held in the auditorium on the stage.

Also, for some reason, there were a bunch of stick pins on the floor. There were also outlets on the floor. I guess this sticks out in my mind because I was such a goody goody as a child.

Unlike my darling hubby who forged his father's name, his father who was a teacher in the school that he attended, on his homework.

So for some reason unbeknownst to me, Chaya and I started dropping the stick pins into the outlet. Do you know what happens when you do that? Small little puffs of fire and smoke. Yes, we got in trouble.

So I guess everyone is allowed one stupid unsafe action as a kid. This was his. What was yours?



So on to the pictures.


Yes, my son with $100,000 of titanium in his back went tubing. Don't tell Dr. Feldman. He had lots of fun.



Isn't this a cool picture of Dovi and Heather? Heather is the a.w.e.s.o.m.e. head of recreation for Keshet. She's the master of all the rec programs. Thanks for taking Dovi away for four days! winter camp!

Snowball fight!!!
It's a good thing he goes to winter camp and gets to play in the snow there. I don't think I have ever played in the snow with my kids. I put them out. I should move to Miami. Luckily I'm going there in four weeks for the marathon that I am beyond not ready for

Dovi seems to be eating the snow in this picture. Lovely. His hat was so far down I'm not sure if he could see!

Yes, he looks insanely disabled here. Well, he is insanely disabled. But look at those cute little feet! I love his feet. And his little hands. They are so itty bitty and cute. I hope Bobby doesn't mind me putting this picture of him on my blog. Oh well.

Yes, he's very wet.

So I lifted pictures off of Facebook

To share the happy Dovi with happy Aharon at Aharon and Chaya's engagement party.


The entire darned room was crying at the epic 2 minute long Dovi-Aharon embrace. It's so special for Dovi-Aharon's been his counselor for five years now and their bond is just amazing.