So much has been going on around here that I literally don't know where to start. I've been mentally composing blog entries for the last couple of weeks, entries that never actually make it to the keyboard--so here are a few totally random things I've been thinking about.

1. Avtalyon is two months old now, and his new thing as of a couple of days ago is wanting to stand when he's held. I hold him under the arms and he bears all his weight on his legs--this, even though he's not always 100% solid on holding up his head. And we are seeing the first glimmers of smiles. The other day I was sitting in the kitchen trying to get him to smile at me. "Hi, Avtalyon! Hi! Can you smile? Hi?" Iyyar, sitting in his high chair, could. "Hi! Hi!" he crowed, shooting me one dazzling grin after another.

2. Purim was fun. As for Pesach, I'm still in denial.

3. The overriding stress around here surrounds where we'll be and what we'll be doing next year. The short version of a very long story is that my husband's contract is up for renewal and his school is showing no indication of renewing it or not before their deadline to do so, which is erev Pesach. There are a number of other options, but nearly all of them are currently out of our hands, leaving us obsessively checking phone and email as we just... wait. We thought we'd have at least one answer a couple of weeks ago, but it turned out to be a non-answer, so more waiting.

4. This is a hugely shortened story, but I have been having some rather extreme facial pain over the last week. Coupled with my history (see sidebar) and some other worrying symptoms, this earned me a trip to the neurologist yesterday. (Having had a brain tumor gets you certain "ins" in life, like emergency appointments with a booked-months-in-advance neurologist.) My current theory and hope is that it's radiated nerve pain caused by a problem with a crown that has been bothering me for a while, so I'm heading to the dentist on Monday. At the advice of the neurologist, though, I'm also lined up for an MRI. To which, in the absence of good options, I will be bringing Avtalyon. I hope he sleeps.

5. Iyyar is almost two. Both his and Barak's birthdays are about a week after Pesach--Iyyar is nearing his second, Barak his fourth. Barak's speech is now pretty much just normal, although he does say things I love like "gazania" instead of "lasagne" and "borfday" for "birthday." Iyyar, though, is Cute Speech Central. A blankie is a "ginkgee"; "thank you" is "tank ee-you"; and the sound a rooster makes is "ahh doo doo!"