Azriel Shraga is three years old now!

Well now its official- Azriel Shraga is three years old!  Ever since we cut his hair three weeks ago, we've been getting Mazal Tovs from everyone who sees him- and then I have to go explain that he's not three years old yet but we cut his hair on Lag B'Omer anyways....  at least now I don't have to worry about explanations any more!

This morning we took Azriel Shraga to cheder to learn Aleph Bais with the rebbe- it was especially exciting for Yisrael, since it was his wonderful rebbe, Rebbe Shea, who did it with him!  Azriel Shraga was a little shy at first, but he said the Aleph Bais beautifully- and of course once it was time to hand out 'pekelach' to all the boys, he was not shy at all!

Cute Quote: Don't be my friend

Whenever one of the kids comes home with a "pekelah" (goody bag), Bruria always convinces them to share it with her. Usually she tells them that she'll be their friend, or that she'll share her candies with them when she gets some (she's a real conniver!).

Today, Azriel Shraga came home with a pekelah after his Shavuos party, and right away Bruria walked up to him, getting ready to shnorr- but before she even had a chance to try, Azriel Shraga said to her, "No I don't want you to me my friend!" and refused to fall for her tricks!

Wafer Houses II

Its been a while since the last time we made houses out of wafers. This week, Yisrael remembered how we made them, and he asked to make them again. So I picked up some wafers and bisquits from the makolet, and we had a fun afternoon building wafer houses!

I noticed how the kids have B"H grown up a lot in the last half year, since we made them last time. Naftali was much younger and he didn't even understand what we were doing- he just wanted to eat a wafer! This time, he sat nicely and watched while we made them - he even let me make one for him (which he devoured as soon as I let him!) And Azriel Shraga, who needed me to make it for him last time, was able to build his house all by himself!

Our favorite doll

The kids have decided that aside from being their younger (Yunger?) sibling, Naftali is also our newest doll. They love to push him around in the baby stroller, and to feed him, and to treat him...well, like a doll! Azriel Shraga even verbalized it one day - "Naftali is a בובה!"

Cute Quote: You love me!

One day, I was walking home with Azriel Shraga after I picked him up from Gan, when we had the following exchange:

Azriel Shraga: Mommy, I'm your boy and you love me!
Mommy: That's right, I love you so much!
Azriel Shraga: Carry me because you love me!
Mommy: Oy, Azriel Shraga, I have no koach to hold you!
Azriel Shraga: But you love me!
Mommy: Yes, dear, I love you very much:
Azriel Shraga: Carry me because you love me!

(Do you have any doubt who won? I didn't want him to think that because I didn't carry him, that means I don't love him! And I think I'm the one who gave him this idea, because very often when I do hold him, he snuggles up his head in my neck, and I tell him that I love him!)

Azriel Shraga's Upsherin!!

(NOTE: I've got pictures scattered in a BUNCH of different cameras- but I figured I'd post the few pictures that I was able to snap on my camera, and as the rest come in, I'll add them- so stay tuned!)

Yup, my little Azriel Shraga is growing up! Today, on Lag B'Omer, we did his "upsherin" (his birthday is in 3 weeks). We've been talking about it for weeks, and he's really been looking forward to it! As soon as he got up this morning, he wanted his haircut- I had to explain to him that we've got to wait for all the guests to arrive!

So we spent the morning setting up (Azriel Shraga and Bruria were home from Gan and they were GREAT table-setters!)

Bentzi's friend Baruch Danziger, who does photography on the side, came over before hand to take some shots of Azriel Shraga with all his curls (I bathed him this morning and his hair looked really nice!) but he got camera shy and we had a hard time getting a good shot. Hopefully he got a few nice ones...we'll see when he sends the pictures over!

At about 1:30, our guests started showing up. Maxine Renzer, Menucha and clan, Chavi and Chana, Ruthie and Shifra T, Saba Mordechai, and Yon and family. We sat down and had a really nice Seuda together, and Bentzi gave a beautiful Dvar Torah explaining the significance of an Upsherin.

Then, we started snipping! (the pictures of the actual cutting are not on my camera, so when I'll get them, I'll try to post them!) Saba was given the honor of doing the first snip- he got to cut off Azriel Shraga's pony! After that, everyone else got a turn to snip (his siblings were THRILLED to have the chance to cut hair, without getting yelled at for it!) But Azriel Shraga had had it by then, so we decided to wait to finish it up until after everyone left and things quieted down.

(AS with his hair partially cut, playing with one of the many presents we got!)

After our guests left, we were able to give him a proper haircut. Azriel Shraga was very happy when we finally decided it was good enough, and put him into the bathtub to wash off all the "itchies"!

Afterwards, Bentzi sat down with Azriel Shraga and said the bracha with him as he put on ציצית for the first time. Then, they began to learn א-ב together. We put a drop of honey on each אות and Azriel Shraga got to lick each one after he said the name of the אות (this is an OLD tradition that they still do in Cheder nowadays- but since Lag B'Omer is such a busy day, we couldn't bring him to Cheder- so we did it ourselves! IY"H in three weeks, we'll bring him to Cheder and do it again over there on his actual birthday!) Azriel Shraga loved the honey so much, that when he finished the א-ב he wanted to do it all again so he could keep tasting the honey!

May the זכות of רבי שמעון בר יוחאי be משפיע on Azriel Shraga, that he should understand כל התורה כולה, grow up to be a תלמיד חכם, and that he should always appreciate the sweetness and goodness of תורה !