The Cure for Tantrums

Yesterday at lunch, Rami dropped a slice of cheese on the ground, and completely lost it. 

He was screaming, screaming, screaming -

for water, for his Heshy (a much-loved blue and green elephant lovey), for a hug.

So I hugged him, and brought him a Heshy, and hugged him some more, 

but his crying didn't stop.

So I let him rest a little bit in his room, and told him I would be back when he was done with his temper tantrum.

It tapered off after a few minutes.

I went upstairs to see my sweet boy cuddled in bed, surrounded by his Heshys, (we have five, just in case,) eyes fluttering closed.

"Do you want me to tuck you in?"

"No."

"Do you want to sing your Shema?"

"No."

"Do you want to snuggle?"

"...Yeah."

I squeezed into bed next to him , kissed his barely-still-baby cheeks, stroked his hair.

"I love you." I told him.

"Why?" He whispered.

So I told him all the reasons that I love him so much.
I told him about his crooked smile that can brighten any room,

I told him about the sweet way he mispronounces words,

I told him about his obsession with my favorite coconut candies, even though it means he steals them.

I told him about how he tucks his arms straight down under his belly when he snuggles with me.

I told him about his willingness to go along with his brother's games

and his fondness for making his sister laugh.

I told him about how much I love the way he says my name - "Ah-mah." - with a goofy smirk on his face.

I told him about his temper tantrums, and how they can usually be fixed with a hug.  Or a Heshy.  Or both.

I twisted one of his crazy curls around my finger

and told him about how, as much as he looks like his Abba, 

he is his own little soul, and that is what I love so much about him.

When I finished, he murmured, "Okay," turned his head, and fell asleep.

Oh my goodness, how I love that boy.

Even (especially) his temper tantrums.

How Firm Thy Friendship

Just over 9 months ago, we told you, with a heavy heart, that we were leaving Ohio.

Kansas City is a fine place to live - fine indeed!
It is true that  Kansas City has a great zoo, and a  sweet children' s farm.

There is a large and vibrant Jewish community, and a synagogue where the kids can go to Preschool and an old friend is our rabbi. 

Yes, they even have some Buckeyes. (Where aren't there Buckeyes?)  

David has gotten some great experience and learned a ton at his job.

I've made some incredible friends. (You know who you are, ladies, love you to pieces.)

The boys are O-B-S-E-S-S-E-D with their school.

The children's zoo? A gem.

I've found a grocery store where I can happily do my crazy 4 AM shopping.

We really love the park right down the street from our house.

(The children enjoying a Kansas park)

We loved a lot of things about Kansas.

But sometimes, no matter how just-fine a place might seem for your family,

the pull towards HOME is just too strong.

David got a call from a Columbus firm a couple weeks ago,

and we found out this week that they really wanted to hire him (can you blame them?)

So, even though things aren't the same as we left them,

Ohio is still Ohio, 

Home is still Home.

We took the offer.

We will miss some things about Kansas very much.

Sometimes I'm not quite sure how we will live without Miss Judy, Miss Susie, Miss Ellen, Miss Michele, and Miss Julie (the brave women who teach our boys every day.)

Gevura, I'm most likely still going to call you too much and stay on the phone waaaay too long.

But despite the dear friends we're going to miss, I'm so happy to say,

We're heading Home, friends.  

(The week before Purim.)

(And we couldn't be gladder.)

Shabbat Video Update: The Escape Artist

About Shabbat Video Updates: Many of our readers (namely the Ohio State folks) got their weekly Kopans kids fix on Shabbat at Hillel. We're going to make that fix easy for you to continue to get each and every week, move to Kansas City be damned. Shabbat Shalom Umevorach from the Kopans bayit to you!


"The Escape Artist": Episode 4 in the "Babies and Klezmer" 
Enjoy!

A Story about Friends, Ice Cream, and Home

This is a story about how being away from home is hard, and how, sometimes, 
the cold of winter and all the frustrations and sadnesses 
of an otherwise fortunate life
can add up to be just. too. much.
And homesickness can cover the whole mess like a blanket, and completely overwhelm you.


This is a story about good friends from back home,
who miraculously still think of you and love you, 
even though you've missed half the Skype dates you've ever made,
 and who somehow know that this week, especially, you could really, really use a little bit of home in your life.


So they call Jeni and they ask her to send you their favorite flavors,
all the way to Kansas, to surprise you.
And how you stare at the box and cry for a good five minutes.
(it's the good kind of cry.)



And for just a few minutes on a cold, dreary afternoon, everyone is happy,
because the sink is full of dry ice for the dinosaurs to play in



and there are four pints of Jeni's ice cream on the counter
(whose flavors were written on the container by someone all the way back in Ohio)



and your baby, who is an Ohio girl at heart,
is tasting Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream for the first time.



And you and your bestie are having a little ice cream date in your living room
in the middle of winter, in Kansas.
And she loves it so much (of course she does!)
that she is stealing your spoon, and licking the bowl, inside and outside. 




And how, even though it's not nearly the same as being home,
and sitting in the gorgeous natural light of Jeni's shop,
and enjoying the company of the friend who sent it (and so many more!)
at the end of the day,
Jeni's is still good for your neshama.


(Thanks, Elle.  You rule.)

Snow Day

Here at the Kopans Bayit, we love a good snow day.

It gives us a chance to catch up on all that important business we don't really have time to do in a normal week, like....

Bake a cake and eat it for breakfast...



...play peek-a-boo in pillow forts for hours...



...get all dressed to go outside, only to stay out for just a few minutes (it was COLD!)...



...drink hot chocolate out of big boy cups....



...eat bowl after bowl of cereal for lunch...



...experiment with 'makeup' for the first time...



...fall asleep on the couch in front of "Harry Potter Flying Cars"...



...and wear Superman pajamas.  With capes.  All day long.