Got whipped

Earlier this week Mikey had to travel to New Orleans, and we were left just the 3 of us (and the belly) here, once again. One night, when we were done with dinner (that the girls ate so well), I've decided to have some Whipped cream fun. It seemed like a good decision especially because since I got pregnant and was on the diabetes diet I had lost 10 pounds, and my current weight still is -10 pounds ;)
What I didn't know at the time I took the whipped cream out of the fridge is, that the night before Mikey decided t do the very same thing. So the girls were already familiar with the idea and had a very clear opinion about it.
As soon as I brought the whipped cream bottle to the table, Maya said: 'Noooo! Not in the mouth! Not in the mouth!!!' And was freaking out and all scared.

Lia, on the other hand was up to the task, as you can see well in this photo.

I tried to make Maya a little more comfortable and a little less scared from the whole situation, and just became silly mama, with all those weird faces and freaky behavior.

My Mayush and I.

My princesses and I.

it was a great funny evening!

Wishing you all a great-funny-fun-peaceful-wonderful weekend!

Shabbat Shalom!

It is Monday again and that means a new week has begun. I can't find the time, where did it go...? Mikey had to fly away today again, this time to New Orleans until Wednesday evening, so we're back on the frozen meal train ;) Ever since I got pregnant, I can't seem to function during dinner time and that includes cooking. Forget touching and handling meat and poultry, just the thought of it makes me gag. Thank goodness for Trader Joe's and its prepared meals!

I've been very busy with my photography projects lately and I can't believe it's the end of February already. The girls' preschool's gala is April 12th and I have to start working intensively on the portraits!
On the other hand, I was done working on my dear friend, Sarah's photos and I was so glad to give her the cd with all of them last night. This one is one of my favorites:




It's my father's birthday tomorrow and it makes me very emotional. I miss him so much and wish I could be next to him and give him a happy birthday squeeze... But my poor father will just have to hear me crying for him on the phone instead and hopefully we can have a video conversation via the internet with the girls as well.

Happy productive week to all!

My sweet Mikey had to go to Texas for a week and all the three of us here missed him so much. He finally came back home last Tuesday and it feels so good!
These photos are from last night, we had a bed time jam session in the living room. Fun!

It's Friday again. Friday for us is always a big day - At dinner time we welcome the Shabbat, which is the Sabbath, Saturday. We're going to the preschool soon for the Shabbat service at the girls' class, just like we do almost every mid Friday, then we also get our yummy challah (the Jewish sweet bread), that's delivered from a bakery in Oakland (Grand Bakery). We'll have it at Shabbat dinner with some hummus and the rest of the meal.

I've been very busy lately being the girls' preschool photographer and doing also maternity photo sessions. I love it - I've been volunteering at the preschool taking all the kids portraits in black&white for a special gala that will take place in April. The gala is an Israeli art show that will present more than 100 pieces done by Israeli artists and my black&white photos of the kids will be hung just outside the art show so the parents can see them and purchase them as a donation for the preschool. I'm so excited about this.
I had the honor of taking maternity photos of my dear friend Sarah. She is gorgeous and I can't wait to finish the computer touch ups and give her the cd!
Tomorrow morning I'm going to do another maternity photo session - it makes me so happy. This really is my passion and I'm so lucky to have one!

My dear friend Bekah, who's fighting the Hodgkin's disease at these moments is going through her round two treatment. Please keep her in your prayers and hearts!

I wish you all a peaceful weekend!

Growing strong

It really is strange how certain things in life can take you to different places. How surprising life can be. How little do we know about what tomorrow might bring.

It's been quite the ride for me these past few months. Last May we got pregnant for the third time. In mid August, at 11.5 weeks, I miscarried. Now we're pregnant again, though this time it's a different kind of pregnancy. When I went to see my Dr. for the first appointment this time around, on the way out of the office I had told him I've been experiencing something I've never experienced before with my previous pregnancies - over eating with no control! He sent me to take the glucose test. I failed. I was 6 weeks pregnant with diabetes.

The theory I choose to believe in says, that I might have gotten pregnant a little too soon after the miscarriage, and the stress of the pregnancy broke out as diabetes. The other option is, that I'm simply diabetic. But we'll know better only in the future.

I'm now 14 weeks pregnant on a very strict diet, counting carbs constantly, testing (poking) my blood sugar level 4 times a day, try to be as active as I can, and inject insulin every night before I go to bed. My fasting blood sugar level (when I wake up in the morning) is bad and cannot be controlled by anything but insulin.

It's been a big overwhelming turn for me. From dismissing my self almost completely, taking care of everybody else around me, I now have to make time for my self and take care of my self too, to make sure I do the best possible for this little life in me.
I try to stay positive, it's very important for the blood sugar level, and every day I get through one more good appointment or one more good test, for me it's one more day with one more smile.

I'm starting to be able to think about what I'm going through as pregnancy with diabetes, and not diabetes with pregnancy. I know that whatever happens, it'll be just fine - I have my most amazing man by my side and my precious daughters who keep me strong and happy!

Birthday funs

Ahhh birthdays. Lia turned 4 on 2/1 which was a week ago and we're still celebrating. I say, what the heck, why just one day when you can celebrate a whole month?! So for us most birthdays are actually birthmonths ;)
We started the morning of with the first box that arrived for Lia's birthday - The box from auntie Colleen, uncle Eric, little Eric and Abby. They sent the girls from LA cute outfits and Lia got the coolest digital camera! Thank you guys! We love you!


Then we had birthday breakfast with, of course, the dessert and candle and the whole birthday shpil. Lia was so cute when she made a wish - to blow the candle!



A couple of hours later we had the honor of having a visit from my dear loved cousin Amir (Amiri). He came from Israel for business and had the time to be with us during Friday and Saturday. Lia was positive he came for her birthday and it was great - she was on cloud 9! Both girls and I had a blast having him here! The girls kept talking about him, mentioning how much they love him for days after he left :)






On Saturday the package from our good friends Inbal, Eran, Liya and Roi arrived from Israel. So that eve. Lia opened it and was very excited to receive a new book in Hebrew which we read that night before bed - Thank you guys, you're the best!



Sunday night Lia got 2 more presents (I tried to upload the photo, but had some "erroring" troubles with the site...). She got a book from Maya and a new Lego box from Imma and Abba(=mommy and daddy).
Monday morning we went to our Dr. Maria for Lia's 4 year's physical. Our doctor is amazing, she is a special woman who is a full time doctor AND grows a dog, a pig, and many other animals (along with 3 children ;). Lia had her first vision and hearing tests and did very well. She also got a shot and was the bravest girl ever!
Somehow, my daughters like to be naked. I don't know where they get that from... It's not like when I was little I used to take my clothes off in any opportunity... Wink;) So when Lia had to take her clothes off for Dr. Maria, she agreed to put on a gown, but that lasted no more than 2 minutes, then the gown came down and yippie yay to naked time!



On Monday we got the box from Grammy and Grampa with all sorts of goodies in it for both girls. Thank you guys! We love you!



On Tuesday we celebrated Lia's birthday at preschool. Oh, Lia was a real birthday princess. She was the star of the show and so so happy!



At the girls' school, the only thing you can bring for a child's birthday, is a gift which you donate the class. There is a wish list and we chose from it a book called "Llama Llama mad at mama" by Anna Dewdney. This llama gets taken by his mama to the shop-o-rama and gets really mad throughout this shopping experience, but eventually his mama makes it all better and in the end llama llama loves his mama. Mikey read the story to the whole class, and all the kids loved it!




Before singing the goodbye song the class sings at the end of the day, the teacher asked Lia if she had another request to one more song. Lia said: Yes, the song about the bear. The teacher was trying to figure out which song Lia was talking about, but couldn't. So she asked Lia to remind her, and Lia just went ahead and made up a song about the bear from start to finish using English and gibberish. What a star!



On Wednesday we finally got the box from the family in Israel with tons of great stuff for each and every one of us. Thank you so much Savta, Saba, Amiti, Yuvali, Noamushy and Michali!
(Savta and Saba = Grandma and grandpa, Amiti is my sister, Yuval is her husband, Noam is their daughter and Michali is my sister). We love you!



...And the celebrations are not over yet!
Hope you have a great w/e!