New Sweaters from Auntie lora

Hiro got a package the other day from Auntie lordie...the master knitter. So instead of waiting until Christmas we opened the tissues to find three beautiful sweaters. Here's the first one, very dapper I think. Also notice his first fat lip- due to a fall which was entirely my fault for not putting him in pajamas with better non slip feet. Chaim was really freaked out when he saw blood, but then I reminded him that there will be many more, and probably worse injeries to come if our boy is ever to play ice hockey.


Also in the back ground is his new chair given to him by uncle Henry.

The second sweater is more of a lounging type garment. Actually it looks like he should have a pipe in his mouth when wearing this.

The thrid sweater is a bit too big, which is great for next year. Thank You Lora!!!!!

The big boy and his big cracker

Ok that's enough, you can have some of it now...

Turning on the Furnace

Yesterday Chaim turned on the furnace to test it, making sure it was in perfect working order before it really got cold. I built a radiator cover for Hiro Hanani's room so we wouldn't get burned when the heat kicked on. When we heard the hissing and the smell of heat, Hiro Hanani crawled over to the new radiator cover and began to sniff it.

The next winter time preparation is to get some warm pajamas since Hiro Hanani no longer will be able to sleep in a sleepsack.

Happy Wending Day and Grandma's Birthday

Today was another Wending Day, and it just so happened to fall on Grandma Susy's Birthday. So the whole family decided to move the car and venture out to Flushing for some Dim Sum. We first tried our favorite spot, New Pacific, but sadly they were closed...hopefully not for good but who knows. So we ended up at Ocean Jewel instead, where we had a nice lunch. Afterwards, since we had the car, we decided to go to the Korean huge grocery store. Hiro Hanani got to ride in the shopping cart for the second time, and loved it. On the way out though, we spotted the other carts with the plastic cars for kids mounted on the front... oh well, maybe next time.

Happy Wending Day!

Happy 5770

New Year and New tricks
Hiro Hanani doesn't seem to want to try walking unless he's pushing something, and since pushing the big metal stool didn't seem safe, we bought him a shopping cart.
It was too light, so we loaded it up with all his toys.
Then it was too top heavy so we put the Borzoli Book of Fiction on the bottom shelf and taped it down with all the Mexican stone chess pieces so it wouldn't flip over

National Guacamole Day

Last year, right after Hiro Hananni was born, we discovered National Guacamole Day, but were too elated from having a new baby in our midst as well as just being too sleep deprived to celebrate it.

This year however, Chaim, decided it's been too long since we had Mexican food, and we decided to celebrate it in style, ie... we went out to a restaurant that serves cocktails.

Hiro loves avocados...as you can see from last night's meal...and can be fierce when eating it!



but tonight's meal at Ariba Ariba, we ordered Guacamole- very mild. Unfortunately it had a bit of spice in it and so Hiro Hananni had a little trouble, but kept eating it just the same.
He ended up drinking a lot of water with the meal, but did love the black beans and rice, which were perfect for him, since it came cold. Otherwise the meal was very good. I had the chille rellenos, and Chaim got the steak al la Mexicana, both very good, though Chaim had to add some of his own emergency chillie peppers kit that he still had in his bag from our trip to Japan. The margaritas were very good, though I really could have gone for a few more.

Here's Hiro Hananni demonstrating his drinking (water) skills.

He starts out with really great form.
looking good
but then the water comes rushing into his face
but he keeps going back for more before he will turn the cup upside down.

Happy National Guacamole Day!

One year ago from my last blog post and a lot has happened...

It's been a long time since my last post...I've lost about 40 lbs and we have a new member of our family...
I'm back after about a year and a week to be exact...and I'm back to this blog, and I'm going to try hard to keep up with it, even if it's just pictures and no captions.

So on September 11, this year, our son Hiro Hanan Maddock Spiller turned one. Hiro Hanani is what Steve Teitelbaum likes to call him, by his Hebrew name, picked out with the help of the guys at B&H Photo.

September 11th fell on a Friday this year, I had to work until 5pm and Hiro Hananni's bedtime is 8pm, and Chaim and I were too tired, and couldn't get our act together to throw a party so instead, the birthday boy went to work at Franklin Furnace with Chaim since he hadn't been there since July.
I made 35 banana blueberry miniature muffins for his party.
Here he is showing the staff at the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts and Creative Outlet how to do the wind the bobbin dance.



Of course a birthday is not complete without a cake, and so a week earlier in St. Louis, when we were attending Hiro Hanani's cousins Bar Mitzvah, Aunt Jill got him a nice big Angel Food cake covered with cream cheese icing.