Happy New Year

Hi Sidra,
I have a couple of updates since the last post already. First, you have 18 teeth now. I looked in last night and found that you have two molars on the bottom just breaking through. The top ones haven't come in yet.
Second, tonight was the first night since Channuka that we lit candles. As we expected, you expected presents to be opened right after the candles were lit. You were n0t too disappointed to learn that there wouldn't be any presents opened after candles for about a year. Of course you don't yet realize how long a year is yet. It's half of your life so far!
Anyway we went out to play in the snow today and I thought I should post some pictures and video from that. It was a blue bird day compared to the other wintry days we've had in the last couple of weeks. We got about 2-3 inches of snow overnight and it was pretty clear this morning so we jumped the chance to play in the snow under somewhat sunny skies.


that's all for now,
Love, Aba

Two Years Old

Hi Sidra,
Actually you turned two a couple of days ago. Here are some vital stats from this milestone.
You weigh about 26.2 pounds. (Almost exactly the 50th percentile for your age)
You are about 33½ inches tall. (Almost exactly the 50th percentile for your age)
Your head circumference is 49.5 cm (about the 95th percentile). You have a big head!
My charts don't include the head circumference beyond two years, so we won't measure that anymore after this.
You still have at least 16 teeth, although the doctor said you had a new molar and another almost to appear, so it might be 17. You're not very cooperative when I want to look inside your mouth.

Well after 8 crazy nights of Channuka followed directly by a birthday party you sort of got conditioned to opening presents. By the last night of Channuka you paused only briefly to admire the blazing candles before declaring 'open presents.' In fact, yesterday we went to story time at the library where you showed what you knew about presents. Near the end of program the story leader mentioned that because of the snow we'd had and that some kids might not have recieved a present on the day before Christmas and they could come up and get one now. You heard him say present once and that you could come up and get one. You demonstrated your listening skill by immediately advancing to front and center to get in line for your gift.

Over the course of Channuka you got some pretty cool gifts and there are apparently a couple more that haven't arrived yet. Yesterday we got to play with some of them and some are becoming fixtures in your world. You have a stuffed Nemo which you adore and when i put you to bed last night I suggest that you hold him while you went to sleep. When you woke in the middle of the night (common) and called for Daddy, not Mommy (uncommon) I came in your room to get you you were standing up in your crib (common) but you had Nemo tucked under one arm(uncommon). Later this morning you were flopping around in our bed and your mom and I both picked you up to move you closer to the head of the bed you asked where's Nemo? So you seem to be getting attached to him. Something else you did while sleeping that was interesting is laugh. You must have been dreaming about something funny. You have talked in your sleep before, but this was the first laugh we've heard.

You also got your first bike for your birthday and we spent some time with it outside yesterday. You enjoyed it but you didn't like wearing your helmet (you never have) so we may have some work getting you to accept that. The bike is a runner, a bike without pedals which will help you practice your balance of the two wheels. Most kids are able to ride a pedal bike without training wheels after learning on a runner. It's a teeny bit too tall for you right now, but you're very close to being tall enough to take off on it.

Another gift you recieved is an adjustable basketball hoop. We finally figured out how to get it properly set up so it's at it's lowest hieght. You quickly progressed from needing your small step stool to put the ball in the hoop to being able to put it in from standing on the floor. It looks like we are going to get a lot of mileage out of that toy also.

Click here for Video of Sidra at the Hoop

It should also be noted that we all amazed at what you can say, what you remember, and what you recognize. Your uncle Ben, however, is "blown away" by nearly everything you do.

Love, Aba