After Portfolio, we had the first ever Fifth Grade Torah Siyyum. Sam's class has spent this whole year writing summaries and commentaries for every parasha (weekly portion) in the Torah. They taped the pages together, and made their own Torahs. My friend and I helped sew the covers a few weeks ago. It was a beautiful ceremony. Each child gave a short d'rash (words of learning), many about their own upcoming Bar- or Bat-Mitzvah portions. I was so proud of all of them, but of course especially of my Samuel.
Raced home so David could go to work and I could pick up Sofia. Regular busy Wednesday, with her gym class and some after school errands. And, oh yes, it was Sam's birthday that day! He is 11 years old!!!!!
Unfortunately, no present in the world was going to make up for the requested (and parentally rejected) iPod Touch, so he was VERY VERY GROUCHY. We went out for dinner (sushi, of course), and David's friend A came back from visiting his parents to join us. But Sam just scowled in the corner, even when faced with a "birthday maki" complete with a candle in the wasabi. By the end of the evening, I was emotionally drained and Sam was sobbing. Poor kid.
Thursday, however, was better. And Thursday night was the school's Annual Meeting. Sam and his remaining classmates (there will be 5 of them next year) were asked to attend as greeters, and they were so sweet to watch. They look so grown-up! Sam preened when he was able to suggest a fix for the glitchy microphone. I had to lead the singing of the national anthems (Star Spangled Banner and Hatikvah). It was a moving evening, with a speech by a young woman in a wheelchair talking about "The Power of One".
Friday I managed to get a little more shopping done in the morning. After school, Sam had his 11-year checkup, and Micah had a play date (whew!). Then home to say goodbye to David, who is in Zurich (and eventually Hamburg and Manchester) this week. Sam's friend (also named Sam) slept over, and Micah had a sleep over at his friend's house 40 minutes away. A neighborhood friend also joined the Sams for a movie. Mellow evening.
Until 10:30 pm, when Micah called from his friend's house, having an allergy attack. Not food related, just environmental. The mom (a dear friend) gave him a Benadryl. He wanted to come home, but it would have taken more than an hour before I could find someone to stay home with three sleeping kids while I drove out to get him, so in the end, he slept there while I stayed awake most of the night worrying. Which of course was unnecessary, since by 7am he was fine and really really wanted to stay there the entire day. Which he did.
The guest Sam woke up at 5:22, so I set him up in front of the TV and went back to sleep for a while (gave him his slow-acting ADD meds, too!). By 7:15 we were all awake. I made the kids breakfast and got them dressed. I had planned to go to shul, but Sam was not in the mood, and we really had a lot to do.
SO I took them on errands. First stop, the Natick Outdoor Store, for duffle bags for camp. Best price - I'd been checking all over. Then we met the other Sam's family at Old Navy...which was also having another sale, so I got even more stuff - more shorts for Sam, and $2 tank tops for me (basically free, since I had a coupon!).
Then took Sam for his camp haircut. He's NEVER had a buzz cut before. I couldn't believe how beautiful he looked. And the tail is definitely long enough to donate. YEAH!
Took him for another doctor appointment, some more errands, and then up to get Micah. We hung out there for a few hours; I passed out on the chair and had a bit of a nap, while Sofia terrorized the house and the boys all played. I needed that nap!
Then into Waltham, to have dinner with several friends who were up for Brandeis Reunion (they were a year ahead of me). Good to see everyone, but by that hour I was so frazzled and Sofia was so restless, it wasn't that much fun. Sofia was asleep within 10 minutes in the car, too. Whew. Got home and watched the end of the USA/UK World up game with the boys.
Today was also busy. We got up early and I made them breakfast. Sam played on the Wii most of the day (yesterday I'd gotten him Wii Sports Resort for his birthday, which made him a bit happier). Micah's friend J came for a playdate. They have not seen each other in a while (goes to a different school), so they very a bit rambunctious. I had to kick them out of the house a couple of times, and yell out the window a few times, too. But they had fun.
Meanwhile, I was upstairs watching Sofia's movies (oh goody, "Monsters vs. Aliens" AGAIN!) and ironing Sam's name into every item of clothing he's bringing to camp. Fun stuff.
This afternoon, Sam had a birthday party, so I drove all the kids out to Sudbury, dropped of Sam, chatted with the parents (good friends), and then met J's dad to drop him off. Then I took Micah and Sofia to see "Marmaduke" (which happened to be where the birthday party went, so we sat with them). Taking Sofia to a movie is exhausting. She needed to leave the theater about 8 times, to either go potty or just walk the halls a bit. Ugh.
Took the little ones to the bookstore to get a gift card, and let them pick out some books. Sofia was beginning to lose patience, and was yelling at me, at Micah, and at the sales clerk who dared ring up her books!
Then off to Papa Ginos to meet up with the birthday party again, give the gift card and retrieve Sam. Home, baths, more ironing, and finally they are all asleep. Whew.
Ok, here are the photos - Sam at 11 years old:
Happy brothers:
Portfolio Day (not sure why we all match, but it looks good!):
Marching in to the Torah Siyyum:
Sam's Torah:
Each kid designed their own pages. They had to write the first sentence in Hebrew, put a very short summary line, and their own Summary and Commentary. I was so proud of him for designing his as a Torah - others had things like ice cream cones and laptops!
Displaying everything:
The Tail:
Going into the hairdresser's:
It's off!
It's ALL off!
--- A few more:
Waiting with Sam at his doctor's check up:
Sofia enjoys a sample shake:
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