So - we know she’s cute, we’ve seen the pics, but - WHAT’S HER NAME?
Oh, it’s Ilana.
Ilana Esther to be precise.
Ilana (tree) is a reference to the time of year she came into our lives (day before tu bshvat) and
Esther is in memory of Tamar’s Grandma Esti who passed away two months ago at the ripe young age of 83. Without so much as a wrinkle on her face - she always had a smile and a nice word for everybody.
We were going to name her Michal Tzippora in honor of Michelle Obama and Tzippi Livni, but then we realized the former will only be a major inspiration in the limelight for 4-8 years, and the latter will only be - well, we hope in the limelight for 24 hours or less.
And we want little miss Ilana to set down her roots and branch out for many many years to come.
But first, we want her to start sleeping longer.

The other kids have taken quite well to her.
Shira is acting the part of little mommy,
Yehoshua gives the baby little kisses and wakes her when we aren’t looking. (just to be able to play with her - nothing malicious)
Yaeli says “Abba- I love her”
Leora sat up in bed when we came in from the car nervous “Where’s the baby?!” “She’s in the living room” “Okay"(head hits pillow again)
And Binyamin loves her to death.

More to come -
Shavua Tov

Mazel Tov - It’s a Girl!
Sunday at 9:08 am - enter new Girlie Face.
She has no name yet - she didn’t come with one.
But her birthday - Feb 8th (Heathen, we know)- she shares with her mother and her sister Leora.
The things people are doing in today’s economic climate....

Aristotle had a kind of logic named after him.
Shira’s on her way to having a kind of logic named after her. We’re planning on calling it Shirean Logic, also known as Bamboozlement.
Check out this example of Shirean Logic:
Abba: Shira - we had a deal. If I built you a shelf and put a light over your bed, you’d stay in your bed and out of mine until 7 am! What happened that you’re in my room every night?!
Shira: Because I have bad dreams and I get scared.
A: What are these dreams about?
S: I don’t remember.
A:What did you dream about last night?
S: Nothing - I didn’t dream about anything!
A: So why did you come to my room?!
S: Uh - I was so upset that I had no dreams that I couldn’t sleep!

Someone, Somewhere, understands this. I am certain.
I, on the other hand, remain ignorant of the depths of the enlightenment.
Call me the anti-epiphany,

Yaeli Learns about Teshuva, and has two important questions?

Yaeli: So Hashem takes my Aveiros and throws them in the garbage?
Abba: Yes.
Y: How does he know what my Averios are?
A: Hashem can see everything.
Y: Everything? (eyes widen) Even what’s in my pockets?!

I don’t know what she’s hiding, but at least now I know where she’s hiding it!

So Yehoshua’s school had a program where they earned points for doing their homework and getting to school on time and participating in class, etc.
Then, the boys turned in all of their points and received a “check” worth real money in the sale of books games cds and toys.
Yehoshua and I went together to the “father and son open market” with his check on Tuesday and we bought a calculator, a book ("Abba - I bought the book with Shira in mind because she likes to read"), two packages of marbles, a fun eraser, and a cassette tape.
What a great day. I’m so proud!