Nothing on the plate, although Joseph, my mom, and Joseph's mom have made some pretty yummy dishes during the past few weeks. I'm still recuperating, but will be back to cooking pretty soon. :)
On Saturday, November 10, my aunts and uncles came to visit us from New Jersey. Joseph and I had just gotten back from the doctor's office with William because he was slightly jaundiced. The doctors wanted to make sure that everything was okay, and thankfully, William was just fine.
Thus, when asians get together, the thing that they do best is eat and drink (but I suppose you can say that about ethnic group, right?).
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| My sister Kristen, aunt Rosemarie, mom, aunt Rachel, and husband Joseph. |
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| My aunt Rosemarie, aunt Rachel, uncle Raymond, mom, and uncle Tito who is holding William. Surprisingly, William slept the entire time! (And they're a loud group of people.) LOL! |
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| This picture cracked me up! Typical asian stereotype! They all had their cameras (camera phones) out and were taking pictures of William simultaneously. |
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| My mom, aunt Rosemarie, aunt Rachel, and uncle Raymond. Sibling love! |
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| Let's play "Pass the baby!" William made his rounds that morning and surprisingly remained asleep the whole time! |
It was really nice that they made the trek to Boston to come and see us. We hope to have them back again soon!
We held William's Hatafat dam brit on the eighth day of his life - Monday, November 12, 2012. We had it at home with a a few of my close friends and my mother. Dr. Marina Rabin gave an absolutely beautiful ceremony where she drew a ceremonial drop of blood from William's penis, because we had William circumcised at the hospital. She was very gentle, warm, professional, and had a beautiful print out of the ceremony for everyone to follow along.
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| Dr. Rabin the mohelet with my mom who was the sandek (person who holds the baby's legs during the ceremony). |
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| My dear friend Stephanie came and kept Alexander company during the ceremony. She was such a natural with him and narrated to him what was going on. |
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| Mom and William before the ceremony. |
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| Our little William was wearing the same outfit that Alexander wore during his Hatafat dam brit. |
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| Dr. Rabin asked Joseph to pick up William and walk him into the room as a "grand entrance." |
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| Dr. Rabin gave a beautiful ceremony and all of us dutifully followed along the script. |
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| Dr. Rabin asked me to come sit in a chair covered with a tallit (Jewish prayer shawl) and present William. |
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| Stephanie and Alexander during the ceremony. |
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| Getting William ready for the procedure. |
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| Dr. Rabin dipped William's pacifier into the glass of wine and put it into his mouth to help dull the pain. She said that she usually gives the infant a sponge soaked in wine if it's the actual bris itself. Smart lady! |
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| Drink up baby! |
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| Stephanie and Alexander having a little chuckle. |
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| Joseph, blessing the wine. |
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| My neighbor and friend Kate holding Alexander. She was nice enough to video record the ceremony. Alexander was smiling at her and trying to get her attention the entire time. He loves her and her children Lucy and Sanders Jr. |
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| Stephanie, holding William after the ceremony. |
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| My friend Joyce came as well and brought gifts for the boys (so did Stephanie and Kate - our kids are so lucky!). Here she is giving Alexander a really cool puzzle. |
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| Joyce, holding William after the ceremony. |
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| My friend Kate, Joyce, and Joseph chit chatting in the kitchen. |
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| Alexander, Joseph, me, and William after the ceremony. |
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| Me, William, my mom, and Alexander - it always cracks me up when he smiles like that. |
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| Alexander being a sweet big brother and giving his little brother a kiss... |
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| ...and a hug! |
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| My mom, me, William, and Alexander. This is about as good of a picture as we got. |
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| William smiles and laughs in his sleep! He was a little over a week old when I took this picture. |
Love and kisses,
Nikki
You are amazing at keeping so many records of these special moments in time. Please take time to be sure to give YOURSELF a few moments of pampering, too, Mama Bear.
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