Just a Ride on the Bus

In today's JPost there is an essay about a young woman who, during a ride on one of Jerusalem's "segregated buses," rode in the front with the men.

The analogy of the writer's actions to Rosa Parks is inaccurate. Rosa Parks' actions were part of a growing call for civil rights and equality for African Americans. There is no similar movement within the Haredim in Israel. If anything, the argument could be made that growing numbers are taking on additional chumrot that lead to more separation between the sexes.

Ultimately her action served no end other than providing fodder for a short story. Does anyone think that "Red Beard," "Grey Beard" or any of the other male riders changed their future actions based on the writer's social experiment?

Baby Carrier Review

I wrote this on the plane back from Israel...then lost it. Today, when cleaning off my desk (woo hoo, Flylady!) I found it. Since it is still relevant I'm typing it up and leaving in all the Israel trip references.

After much deliberation and mind changing I ended up bringing four carriers to Israel.

• Storchenwiege Ulli
  
• Mama by Design Calyx
• Connecta Soft-Structured Carrier
• Nurslings Hemp Tai (NHT)

All of the carriers were favorites at home because of comfort. The Calyx, Connecta and NHT were also favorites because of their ease of use and you can't deny that a well-tied Ulli looks great.

After various trips out and about, through airports, on an airplane, hiking the hilly streets on Jerusalem and trekking atop Metsada I've come up with some new thoughts about each of these carriers.

Ulli Once broken in, this German wrap is uber comfortable. I wasn't much of a wrap user in the past. I used it a few times but it always took me forever to get tied up, felt like it was slipping and if it wasn't tied perfectly seemed to get uncomfortable quickly. I used it a couple times at home right before the trip in a back wrap cross carry so I was able to do that fairly fast. It looks wonderful all wrapped up (did I mention that?) and I just adore Ulli's colors. I still had some slipping, but it isn't 100% broken in yet so that might change. This is what I wore Batya and Chaya in when we visited Metsada.

Connecta I bought this carrier a couple years ago because it is solarveil and the light fabric is wonderful for Southern California summers. I use it often at home because of its "popability" which is a HUGE plus with toddlers. I used the Connecta at the airport and it was a lifesaver when the airline checked our stroller through instead of gate checking as requesting. I didn't use it as much in Israel, though, because this was what Batya vomited in and I had to wash it a couple times. When I finally got it cleaned up and back in use, I found it a bit uncomfortable. The webbing of the straps kept getting bunchy and I'm not certain if it might be because of the weight of the girls. I did use it on the return flight and even wore Batya on the plane to get her down for a nap.



Calyx Still a favorite carrier of mine and one I highly recommend. Ayelet wore it once and also commented on the comfort. Unfortunately there is a lack of popability. As I mentioned, I need something I can get the girls in and out of easily when we are out and about. I wonder if it can be used without the seat? Anyone know? (I foresee a trip to The Babywearer.) Unfortunately I do have to mention the hood. I hate this thing. Really, really hate it. This does hamper wearing the Calyx because if I think one of the girls will sleep I need to take a carrier with a hood that I can actually use. Did I mention how much I hate the hood?



Nurslings Hemp Tai I love this mei tai! This is super comfy! I wore this on a long walk to the Israel Museum and had a chance to try out a few different ties. (Including a make-shift onbuhimo. Did I mention I forgot to pack an obuhimo?) I ended up sticking with a standard twist because the shoulder straps are so darn long. Even after washing I had to go after the ends with some stain soap. This is an expensive carrier and there is a wait for it, but it is definitely worth it!



When we left Los Angeles, I would have rated the carriers (mainly for ease of us):

1. Connecta
2. Calyx
3. NHT
4. Ulli

Today I would rate them:

1. Calyx (despite the hood)
2. Ulli
3. NHT
4. Connecta

A Few Last Israel Pictures and an Update.

I was going through them today and realized that I don't have a lot of the shots I wanted to take. It was just a hit-and-miss kind of trip with the vomiting. We had a chance to visit Hebron but the girls were sick and by the time they were well our contact in Hebron had left to visit the states. Once again the trip to Derech Avot was missed. And on our trips to Metsada and The Kotel the girls refused to cooperate for pictures.

Oh well. I guess we'll just have to go back. ;)

Don't tell Aba about that plan, though. He is in serious airline anxiety and refuses to fly unless it is a business (no family) trip and he is in Business Class so that he can sleep. But I'm working on some ideas because, despite his reservations, I want to go back and stay for a while. (Yay, Ayelet!)

And, since I haven't mentioned it here (though if you follow me on Twitter or are a Facebook friend you know this) the airlines lost a carseat somewhere between Paris and LA. So far it hasn't turned up, but the guy who helped us said that Paris has been having problems losing luggage lately. They must have drank those two bottles of kosher Kahlua I bought from Tel Aviv's duty free. (They confiscated them but at the shop no one mentioned you couldn't take them through Paris. Nice.) Tonight we are filing a claim if the seat isn't found.

We took Batya to the ped on Tuesday and he said that it is likely that she was just super sensitive to the bug because 1)it spread so it was definitly a bug, 2) she isn't showing any signs of a physical reason (he mentioned obstruction or hyper-sensitive gag reflex) for the vomiting, 3) she is eating, drinking, wetting and soiling diapers and 4) she is vomiting every couple days. he said not to worry if she vomits again in the coming week. So far, nothing, Baruch Hashem! She did, however, lose 1.5 pounds in two weeks.

Metsada

Watching Elmo clips on You Tube with Aba

Waiting for the plane in Paris (we kept going back to give tzedakah to the panda).

At the Kotel

'

Getting Ready to Head Back Home

I have to say that I'm a bit melancholy about it. Moreso than usual even. I really got a feel for living here by merit of the girls being sick and Aba being exhausted and just having to get out on my own. I went to a couple shiurim with Ayelet and cooked a bit at home. I really like the area we stayed in, too.

But I know the girls need their stuff and their routines. If we were staying for a while it would be different because I would have brought more of "home" with us. As it is, I know htey are feeling restless and cooped up.

That said, Shira has been saying that she wants to stay in Israel.

Depending on the way the flight home goes we might be back sooner rather than later. But first I need to get Batya's situation figured out.

She goes a couple days without vomiting and then something triggers it. She has no symptoms of a stomach bug and she got it first. It definitely was a bug as it went through the females here and we passed it to Ayelet. (Who in turn shared her cold with Aba.) But now it is something else. I'll be making notes on the plane with as much as I can recall of it so that we can share it with the doctor. We are going to call and leave a message to have an appointment made Tuesday morning and then Aba and I are going to take her while Safta watches the other two.

I need to go finish a couple things and then we are off to the Kotel and to hunt down something to wrap up my carseates in. (These backward countries don't allow you to use a carseat for children. Apparently an adult seat belt they can easily climb out of is "safer" than a seat.)

This is the Look

I get when Chaya feels it is her turn for the carrier when it really isn't.

Milky...FAIL

On our last trip to the market, Aba and I got some Milky for the girls. (For those who don't know, Milky is a pudding cup where the bottom is pudding and the top is a whipped cream.) Needless to say, I'm glad I gave it to them here at 3 Shekel a cup instead of Los Angeles at $3 a cup.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We aren't doing anything here even though there are a number of dinners around Jerusalem. At some point mid-December I'll be making Thanksgiving with all the fixings for Shabbat.

Expectation of Privacy?

While we were at Metsada today, I was getting Chaya up into the Storchenweige. Not a huge deal until I noticed a guy taking a picture of something and I seemed to be moving into his line of sight. I tend to bounce and shift as I get the girl settled into a carrier and I know how annoying it is to try to take a picture and someone gets in the way. So I moved.

Well, apparently I was the subject of this guy's picture. He seemed a bit put out when I expressed my displeasure at this idea. If the story ended there it would have just been an odd bit of the story of our day, but it doesn't. When I asked Aba why he didn't say something to the photographer since he figured it out before I did, he said that there was nothing he could do since we were in public. I'm really confused at how this matters since I am the subject and I don't want my or my child's photo taken by this stranger.

I've gone out of my way to prevent strangers from taking photos of my children and as they become more interested in photographs I am teaching them that they have to ask someone permission before taking their picture.

This brings to mind something that my friend Ayelet mentioned about living in The Old City. When we were talking about it she said that she has a friend who lives there and the friend told her that sometimes when she is taking her trash out at night tourists take her picture. I can't be the only person who sees something wrong with that...can I?

Am I really that "out there" in my feelings on this? Is simply existing in a public space reason for my privacy to be invaded?

Photos

Four Down...Aba Escapes?

It's so unfair! I got hit by the dreaded bug yesterday just an hour or so before Shabbat. I ended up sleeping on the sofa through dinner and missing out on the great food Ayelet had prepared.

That said, Chaya and Batya still seem a little sleepy but Shira is back in spazz mode. I started feeling better Shabbat morning and just have to be careful of toddlers jumping on my tummy or doing too much.

I feel so bummed that basically half of our vacation has been spent cooped up in the apartment. I guess I should watch what I say. Before we left I was saying that I wanted to get a bit of a feeling for living here. If I can survive three sick toddlers, being sick myself and doing some pharmacy and grocery runs by myself I think I can make it when the crew is healthy. LOL

A Puke-y Update

The dates are off from when I'm writing and when I'm posting this because of the time changes. It is currently 2:10 AM on Friday morning. So "today" means Thursday.

Well, things went pretty well today. The girls slept until 7:00 around the time Aba came back from Netz at the Kotel. Then we had a light breakfast and tidied up. We were thinking all was well with Batya when she threw up twice. So Aba called our pedeatrician. The call back came when Batya was sleeping with me on the sofa. She said to basically do what we were doing and not to worry about food because when she was hungry she would eat.

Chaya and Shira were going stir crazy so I got them dressed and we walked a bit and stopped at Super-Pharm (drugstore) and at this cool little herb/vitamin store where I picked up some probiotics for Batya and some (kosher!) Rescue Remedy. We ended up coming back home about two hours later and Batya had slept the whole time.

I made lunch and she wanted some spaghetti and chicken and was adamant about getting some sauce, too. It stayed down for the most part. The only time anything came up what when she was screeching after Chaya kicked her in the stomach. (Nice and sisterly, huh?) I had a nice migraine by then but a Coke Zero, two Acamol and a nap killed it.

Batya and Chaya decided they wanted to sleep with me so we moved to their bed and Aba was supposed to make sure I was up in an hour...but he fell asleep on the sofa with Shira so we all slept for about five hours.

So everyone gets up and we have some light snacks, water and juice, play, tidy and fold some laundry. Then Chaya vomits. Three times. But (baruch Ha-Shem!) not as badly as Batya and she didn't get to the dry heaves. So, it is 1:45 AM here and I have a puking toddler in my arms, an ex-puking toddler asleep on the sofa with her bear and a toddler worried about her towel.

I managed to get Chaya and Batya into bed together and left Aba and Shira on the sofa. I gave Shira some probiotics preemptivly and watered her milk down.

But it is 2:05 AM and I don't think I can sleep. I guess I'll work on my hat or my sock.

Aba and I Have Decided

that we need a vacation do-over. I'm thinking late April/May-ish.

Mini Israel, Vomit in My Hand and Monsters in the House

Today we attempted to get the girls a bit back on schedule by visiting Mini Israel. It is about a 45 minute drive so we left at 10:00 AM as the girls were heading into meltdown. Shira and Chaya napped in the car but Batya stayed awake. Aba, Batya and I snacked on some crackers while we let the other two sleep a bit more. (The plan was an hour nap there and to take a little driving tour on the way back so that they could get 60-90 minutes more and then they would be ready to sleep in the evening.)

We wandered around the exhibit a bit and it was fun. It was a bit warmer than we expected (The car's thermestat said 30 degrees celsius!) and soon Batya was asking for the carrier. I popped her onto my back and continued on our journey.

Soon, Shira starts crying that she needs a diaper. Being in the middle of an amusement park, warm and not wanting to hike to the bathroom and back again I did what any self-respecting ima would do: I lifted her dress and stripped off her diaper. I was just finishing attaching the second tab when the sound came from Batya.

My back was covered with warm, sticky and sour liquid and Batya was screeching. We got her clamed down and staning in the stroller after another bought of vomit. Aba took Shira and Chaya and I grabbed the stroller and we headed to the exit. On the way out, Aba purchased shirts for Batya and I and some cold beverages. I got her cleaned up and changed my shirt. I gave her some water and about 10 minutes later that came up, too. It was mostly water since she had gotten the crackers and cheese out in the park. We decided to risk it and headed to the car.

I put her in the seat behind me so that, if need be, I could jut open the doors and get to her. I could also easily uninstall the seat. And yes, I did need to. Once I got her out and the road and she had a bit more cheese to get rid of. That emptied her tummy as the other two times it was pretty much dry heaves and some drool into my hand. (Does allowing your daughter to puke into your hand make you an official mommy?)

Aba was so worried he kept looking back and missed two turns that would have gotten us home quickly. So we took a little detour through Mea Shearim.

We got home and Batya and I took a shower and got into pjs. I tossed the clothing into the washer and also got the carseat cover washed. We ended up napping for about five hours. I had planned on getting her asleep and then taking the other two for a walk, but Chaya joined us in bed and Shira and Aba napped on the sofa. She had a couple more dry heaves between 3:00 PM and 8:00 PM. She woke around 8:45 asking for chalav. We gave her a bit of water and that stayed down so she had some milk. The she wanted a banana and that has stayed down, too.

It is now 4:00 AM and she is asleep again with no repeats. She has a very mild fever but she is teething (last two molars!). I suspect it was a combination of the flight, food changes, sleep changes, the sudden warm weather at Mini Israel, the preassure on her tummy from when I knelt down and the excess drool she swallows when she teethes.

Another new thing is Shira's fear of monsters. She has mentioned it a couple times and I was trying to come up with an answer. I finally did and it seems to have worked. I had tried the "Monster Spray" idea but she just wanted to spray and spray and spray and wasn't satisfied. Fail.

Instead I taught her to say "sh'ma" when she even thinks she sees a monster. I told her that monsters don't like to hear the Sh'ma so they will run away if they think she is going to say it. She practicied a few times and didn't mention monsters again so I hope it worked. I'll have to tell Aba about that one so that he knows what to do.

We've Arrived!

Safe and somewhat sound. I'll go into the whole story later. :)

Here are a couple of pictures from hell...err...the plane. And how I carted my carseats through the airport.

A Traveling We Will Go

Well, it looks like we will be heading to Israel before the girls turn three. (After our last trip we said we would go after they turned three. That didn't last. We miss it too much!) So, I find myself researching and making lists. We are buying 5 seats so that means 10 suitcases and 5 carry-ons. I keep joking about that and you should see the look of horror on people's faces at the idea of lugging 3 toddlers, 3 carseats, a stroller, 5 carry-ons and 10 suitcases through security.

Seriously, though, I'm thinking minimalist.

• 1 large suitcase for the girls and I (or two smaller ones depending on the logistics of the rental car)
• 1 small suitcase with sposies, learners and potty seat for the girls. (This is going to depend on how pottying is going. I might take the potty seat thingee on the plane if they are really into using it.)
• 1 small/medium suitcase with toiletries, shoes and the assorted electrical cords and chargers. I also need to put the rear-facing boots for the carseats into there since you can't rear-face the Radians on the plane.
• 3 carseats that I'm going to use bungee cords to connect to a rolling luggage cart.
• Stroller. We haven't decided which to take. The Joggers are beasts and don't fit everywhere, but we want to go to Masada, Ein Gedi and do more walking so a jogger would be wonderful. And the girls aren't super great at listening, though they are getting better. The other option is the Maclaren which is compact, but are horrid to push on beat-up sidewalks.
• Carry-on for me with my toiletry case, a book and some magazines and some knitting.
• Carry-on for the girls with toys, books and snacks. (I'm considering three small backpacks for the girls, but they might be too young and it might just add to the hassle.)
• Diaper bag with a change of clothing for the girls.
• Small bag with food. We have a seven hour layover in Paris and we will likely not find kosher food. Plus dairy stuff won't keep cold for 11+ hours so I'll be coming up with some creative non-perishable and packable food ideas.
  

Did you notice what was missing from my list? That's right. This trip Aba is taking care of all of his own stuff. I'm not packing his suitcases, commenting on what he takes, carrying his stuff in my bags. I do all of this for him and he either doesn't listen to my suggestions than complains that he brought too much/the wrong stuff, complains that he forgot stuff, complains that he can't find stuff or complains that I'm taking too long and too many bags. I've told him before that I wasn't going to pack for him and I always give in. I told him when we got home from this trip that he was going to be on his own. This time I mean it. I have four people to pack for and three of them can't help me. I don't have time to add another person to that list.

Now, your job is to hold me to that.

Israel is Calling

So it looks like we'll be heading to Israel in late November-early December. I'm really excited and am already starting to plan what we need. The sad thing is that we have to get 5 seats. That means 10 pieces of luggage and 5 carry-ons, though. I'm not planning on taking that much there, but back...no guarantees. Bwahahahaha!

Now, the real fun is the girls. In all likelyhood we will not have full potty-learnedness (word?) by then. So I'm not going to stress it and am planning on carting dipes. I'll probably add some trainers for when we are around the apartment and will have to get the girls used to the little potty seat that goes on the toilet because I AM NOT lugging a Baby Bjorn potty chair. Though I have room.

Last trip I worked out the times of the flights so that it would coincide with naps and bedtime. FAIL. This time I'm just planning on them being awake the entire trip and bringing a carry-on of toys and books and snacks. I'll be stealing this idea from Melissa at Chasing Cheerios. In fact, I have 8 lovely pencil cases and a page of ideas already.

Now, if anyone has ideas on ways to keep 31-month-olds calm during international flights let me know. Note to self: Hit up Costco for a double pack of Benadryl. I'd also love any tips on conquering jetlag in said toddlers, please share.