Team Cohen: September 2018

After the busy and exhausting start to the month with birthday celebrations, we (read: I) were looking forward to a calm rest of the month. Then, I remembered we have 3 kids. Whoops.

Gabi highlight:

Gabi tucked Casey in for naptime.

Gabi's "Daddy wraps" are often a work of art.

after her Kindergarten Teddy Bear Picnic

outside snacktime

Watch just how much Spencer looks up to her.

Trying to bring joy to our special girl:

Gabi enjoyed some special alone
time with Daddy one night.

Mommy surprised Gabi at school one day for
lunch and "let her" buy school pizza!

Spencer grows and blossoms daily. He is ADORABLE when he's happy and classically screams/rolls on the floor when he's not. I'm pretty sure he has read the dictionary:
tod·dler (noun)

/tädlər/

Definition: When you're up, you're up. And when you're down, you're down. And when you're only halfway up, you're neither up nor down.

pretty high up

pretty far down

up	how he was found during shul babysitting: down

halfway up

neither up nor down

He definitely has this "CHEEEEEESE" thing down.

While he is still acquiring language in his own time, Spencer's receptive language continues to amaze/surprise us and his attempted expressive language continues to grow. He was more cooperative with signing this month than he has been in the past as well.

will sign for smoothie

a sample of the brilliance

This month brought Spencer's new love for our guitar, which you'll observe throughout this blog post. Here are some more highlights:

While he doesn't get the musicality from
me, he certainly has genetic stubbornness.

post-bath jam session

Spencer held tryout for potential backup dancers for his new gig. You can be the judge.

(While the video is quite long, you may
enjoy the first minute of Gabi dancing in
addition to the last minute, starting around
3:50, of Spencer showing how it's done.)

Ethan's turn

Ethan stayed on a high most of the month from the celebrations (and new toys) that came at the start of the month.

Ethan proudly completed several
new superhero puzzles this month.

super shirt made that much
more super-er covered with
new Justice League stickers

how my 4-year-old usually is in the car

how my 4-year-old can be when pissed

And THEN - it was time for a car seat upgrade! Big man had a very big smile when he got his brand new very big boy car seat.

can't beat genuine excitement

darn blurry cuteness

Ethan and Spencer continued to be their dynamic duo while Gabi was away, either at secular school or religious school (that started weekly this month).

After a full summer of dozens and dozens of triple digit temperature days, we had a TON of rain in September. For the most part, this was great because nature needed it, and we were busy busy with plans - except for the one morning when we didn't have any. But brave sometimes-smart-mom took three young kiddos to the indoor pool by herself and even risked holding a camera to take the following happy pictures.

Shanah Tovah and Happy New Year! We were pleased to spend Rosh Hashanah with Nana, Zayde, and the Gilden clan, but this is the only picture(s) we snapped.

The new year fun continued right into Yom Kippur. My kids dressed to impress, and each chose his/her own pose(s) for a picture.

We had a break to rest between services on Yom Kippur, and Spencer felt inspired to jam on the guitar while simultaneously showing off his singing voice. (#babytalent) He went back and forth between 2 of his biggest fans until he realized he may be better off as a solo artist. Ethan may not be the only one in the family with a musical bug.

Family time was further enhanced when Uncle Craig (and cousins) came over for a birthday dinner (for him)!

Ethan was gifted several 100-piece puzzles for his birthday. Because the 48-piece dinosaur puzzle was too easy. Because he had been completing it several times each day. Which the kitties quickly picked up on.