Today I called Karolina’s phone in Cordillera in the early morning. She did not answer. A minute later, a WhatsApp call came through. I answered and, much to my surprise, it was Max calling me! This is the first time he’s called me on his own, without anyone dialing for him. I questioned him how he did it, and he seemed pretty annoyed. I asked him if he’d even called from Gaga’s phone (“no”), and then how he knew what to push. He said he just guessed. So proud of him!
A few days ago we realized we could no longer wrap our thumb and index finger around Newey’s thighs. And yesterday he went to a pool for the very first time. He loved it.
Max got two new DogMan books and read them without me in a car ride with Karolina. I am both proud and sad: proud that he can do it and is so excited to read, but sad that he doesn’t need me to read with him anymore. He is also practicing drawing DogMan and CatKid in his sketch book. He is following the instructions and doing surprisingly well.
Max: “Who do you think Mama loves more?”
Aki: “She loves you just the same.”
Max: “Why does Hitler hate the Jews?”
Aki: “Because he thought the jews caused all the problems in the world.”
Max: “How come he didn’t kill his doctor? He was Jewish.”
Aki: “I think his doctor saved Hitler’s life when he was a boy. Hitler was very ill and the doctor saved him. He also was Hitler’s parent’s doctor and his whole family. So he let him move to America. And when he died, he was buried in the same cemetery as my parents and Uncle Elliot and two of my grandparents and some of my great aunts and uncles.” (Beth David Cemetery, Elmont, Long Island, NY)
“Thank you for making this day happen” — max at ComicCon week and a half ago and also today (Wed Jun 27 2018) with Karolina at Elitch Gardens
I had to raise the bicycle seat on Max’s bicycle yesterday. We were bicycling in the fields near Trail Mark and the Botanical Gardens.
When Karolina told Max about Leonhard’s 15-year-old stepson getting into trouble with the car and drinking, Max said “Can I have his XBox when he goes to jail?”
Max is learning about money. He had Suzy buy him 3 Imaginex toys from ebay and amazon and paid her paid in cash. He shopped and added prices together to find the best deal!
“Look at my abs, Aki!” (while flexing his biceps)
While watching an old Twilight Zone episode: “Why does he call him ‘pop’?”
Me: “That is what kids used to call their father.”
“I’m writing about Crystal and how she’s expiring me (he means inspiring), how she’s my role model, and I hope I finish soon so I can give it to her.”
Last night I spoke to Max on the phone. I am in Littleton, and he is in Cordillera going to Cordi Camp. His speech is now so clear, so much smoother. He’s growing up. I miss his baby talk.
Max was holding Newey’s head in his hand. I told him to be careful as Newey doesn’t yet have the neck muscles to hold up his own head.
Max accidentally let his heas drop. Newey cannot hold up his head yet, so it flopped backwards… not hitting anything… But Max was so worried that he asked, “is he dead?”
Max is now obsessed with leprosy. There’s a Weird Al song called Party at a Leper Colony which we were listening to during the drive to Havern School one morning this week.
I explained lepers and leper colonies to Max. He kept asking about it over the next day or two. So last night we watched some YouTube videos about leprosy and leper colonies.
Now Max wants me to take him to the doctor to get tested for it. It took 15 minutes of re-assuring him before he let up and decided to go to sleep. He asked how they test for it, how much does it cost, how much is the cure, what is the cure, why can’t he get it, what if he has it? What if I have it?
Newey only started recently to have tears when he cries. He was crying a lot, but never with any tears. I wonder why.
It’s still a novelty to say his name. Elliot. I’m still not used to it. It still sounds somewhat foreign, or at least new and novel. Not like saying Max 🙂
Last night I finished the book which I was reading when Newey was born, “The Golem and the Jinni”. It is hard to believe that it took me so long to finish, but it was slow at times and could have been 100 pages shorter (like a Stephen King novel?). It was still entertaining, though, and had interesting Jewish mysticism references like the dybbuk.
Max is now interested in dybbuks.
Karolina and Newey are in Cordillera. Max and I are in Littleton.
Max: “i’m crying because I might never see him again.”
“Who?”
“Weird Al. At least your dreams came true. Mine didn’t. All I wanted to do was shake his hand.”
“He’ll do meet-and-greet again. Next time he comes to Denver.”
“What if he doesn’t? I just want to be alone and stop crying.”
We’ve had so many discussions like this. He is so upset about not talking to Weird Al or shaking his hand. And in the photos, he is standing far away from him.
It’s been very difficult for me. In the beginning, he blamed this on me because I did speak to Weird Al briefly and did shake his hand. I asked Weird Al what the coolest piece of memorabilia was that he’d seen that evening. He mentioned a magazine from 1983 in which he was interviewed as well as my “Another One Rides the Bus” 45 record (his first record). I thought it came out in 1979, but he corrected me and said, without hesitation, 1981.
I also told Weird Al that I first listened to him on Dr. Dimento, to which he didn’t say anything. He didn’t say much at all and the whole thing felt very rushed.
Max is now 10. He remembered something from when he was 4 or 5 and asked me about it…
Max: “Whenever we were in the beach, I go in and say, “Aki, come in” but you say, “But I will melt.” And then when I forced you to go into the water you shouted out, “I’m melting! I’m melting” but you won’t.
Aki: “And how old were you?”
Max: “5, 4.”
Aki: “Where was that?”
Max: “In Boston, Massachusetts.”
Aki: “Did it bother you when I said that?”
Max: “Yeah”
Last night, max was playing with Lego. He made up a story for the characters and was acting it out. He was using the same play voice he’s used since he was a toddler, but this time I could understand him ☹️ It wasn’t his usual baby-style of talking.
Today Newey is 2 weeks old. We are all still getting use to him.
Max took another swimming lesson tonight. He is the oldest in his class so next school year we will switch him to a different swim school.
The hospital bill came today. It is for over $22,000 and does not include many things (doctor fees, anesthesia, baby bills, etc). It is only for the hospital stay and use of the equipment. Sterile water $150 🙂
Yesterday, we went to Havern’s Boots, Bolos, and BBQ fund raiser. It was Newey’s first public event besides his bris. Max sang in the choir… Country Roads, Happy Trails, and something else.
Max’s school assignment. He had to draw himself when he’s angry. Here he is angry and eating mamma (she is screaming for help). His next drawing was how he relaxes when he’s angry.
Max’s school assignment. He had to draw himself when he’s angry. Here he is angry and eating mamma (she is screaming for help). His next drawing was how he relaxes when he’s angry.
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