Tuesday, February 17, 2004

Joyful

This weekend, in the middle of me telling her a story, Aviva jumped up and started leaping around from one foot to the other, holding her arms straight up in the air and singing, "I love this story SO MUCH! I love this story SO MUCH!" ["ich freue mi SO ueber daem Gschicht!"]

That's the reaction we're looking for in our readers, yes?

Since Noah doesn't get nearly as much screen time as his big sister, I should note that he is lifting up his head nowadays and gazing around with the most intense expression of interest and wonder at the things of the world, before settling his head back to nestle against one's chest with a delighted, beatific little smirk.

Comments (0)

Friday, February 13, 2004

Great-grandfather of dolls

Here's an Aviva story copied from the Rumor Mill.

Not only am I a grandfather to Aviva's doll children. It turns out I'm a great-grandfather, if you count the Little Giraffe, who is Andrew's child.

Originally Aviva maintained that the Giraffe was Andrew's child by parthenogenesis, and that Andrew was the "daddymommy". Tonight, however, she explained to us and our dinner guests that Andrew is the daddy and Annabelle, Andrew's sister, is the mommy.

"Honey," I said, "You can't do that -- I mean, you can't have a Daddy and Mommy who are brother and sister -- it's not allowed. I mean," I equivocated in the face of Aviva's cool regard, "maybe in Oberwil, but..."

Aviva said knowingly, "Daddy, in Oberwil..." -- she shrugged -- " ...it happens."

Which cracked the dinner table up.

Comments (0)

The Thin Tents

I'm pleased to report that my daughter is once again named Aviva Rahel Rosenbaum.

She changed her name, about a month or two ago, to Aviva Dünns Zelt. Her children-dolls were also named Dünns Zelt (Annabelle Dünns Zelt, Andrew Dünns Zelt, Gäella Dünns Zelt, Cereina Dünns Zelt, Jeanne Dünns Zelt, and Bim Dünns Zelt), as was their father (Happy Boy Dünns Zelt). (Esther, Noah, and I, however, retained our respective last names).

I was surprised at how melancholy this made me: I wasn't expecting her to stop being a Rosenbaum for a few more years, at least.

She reassured me that she would be a Rosenbaum again later.

Now, not only has she reverted to being Aviva Rahel Rosenbaum, but so have the rest of them -- Annabelle Rahel Rosenbaum, Andrew Rahel Rosenbaum, Gäella Rahel Rosenbaum, Cereina Rahel Rosenbaum, Jeanne Rahel Rosenbaum, Bim Rahel Rosenbaum, and Happy Boy Rahel Rosenbaum.

It occurs to me that this is further evidence of just how much farhter ahead of the curve Aviva is than I at solving all sorts of problems of feminism...

Comments (0)