Trip to Israel, Dec-Jan 2012-2013:

Second week in Ra’anana:

Sunday-Monday

On Sunday we woke up a little later than usual. Alma started the day cranky and I gave her some

Nurofen, as I suspected she was teething.She improved quickly and the girls spent the morning playing with presents they received

yesterday at Rotem’s house.

I got the fishing game for Alma, and the twins playing tennis were from Rotem.

We lost one doll in Itamar’s car, and it only returned later at the airport).

Mid morning Inbal arrived.

Hahgoot likes her very much and they all had a very happy reunion.

After some play time on the carpet we headed out.

We went to “Gan David” park and spent a pleasant morning in the

sun (the weather was perfect!)

The girls behaved as perfect sisters and Inbal

was very impressed.

We met a nice young

grandmother with twins and discovered how

much Alma weighs...

When we finished our long play session we walked up to the cultural

centre to buy tickets for me and Alma for a show the next day.

Since departing Australia, Hahgoot kept insisting she will not go to any show when we are in Israel, so I had

to take Alma on her own. When she is stuck, she is very stuck...

The girls liked the fountain so we walked all the way to the other side, following the

water stream, to find out the water flows into a pool littered with rubbish and

grapefruits.

Then our pleasant trip got a twist into a parental nightmare, as Hahgoot suddenly

insisted we need to go back to the park from the morning and no other park will do.

Meanwhile, Alma started whining she wants to be picked up and wants ice cream.

I got very angry with both of them and we did a big detour back, so there was no ice cream

and no park.

Luckily, Inbal has a lot of experience as a nanny, and wasn’t too bothered by the girls’ behaviour.

Back at home Inbal stayed for lunch, coffee and a play.

In the afternoon Alma enjoyed a new book from Dasha and sorting coins from Itamar’s travels around the world , until her grandfather saw this and took them away, as he

decided she’ll put them in her mouth. Her mother thought she was fine, but that was the end of the game.

Using the paper dolls workbook Hahgoot got on Saturday, I made two fairies for the girls to play with.

Late in the evening Pnina and Bentzi arrived and saw Hahgoot finishing her Hebrew workbook homework.

Monday morning started at dawn, when Hahgoot woke me up as she wet the bed (don’t know why).

After airing everything I put her in my bed.

When everyone woke up the girls and I went out shopping on Ahuza road. We bought DVDs, T-shirts, postcards and stationary – real touristy shopping!

We ate French pastries and Alma tried chocolate milk in a bag (an Israeli kid snack).

We passed the rest of time after lunch playing on the carpet and then Hahgoot stayed home to write postcards to friends in

Australia while Alma and I went out to see the show “Hallo, Hallo Aba (daddy)”. It is based on a famous Israeli book Alma likes and the show was intended for toddlers up to two years

old (so Alma was one of the “oldest” in the audience).

As the cultural centre is only 10 minutes walk from the grandparents’ home we arrived a little early and Alma enjoyed the exhibition in the foyer, which was

about children’s games.

The show was FANTASTIC!We both enjoyed it immensely.

Alma was even happy to move away from me and join the “conga line” and make train noises without me, which was very refreshing. She knew most of the songs and we were both very impressed with Yael Feder, the only actress in

the show, who was phenomenal.A few weeks after the show I bought her DVD (above).

At the end of the show each child could dress up as the “dad” in the story and Alma loved her 5 seconds on stage.

In our next presentation: a busy Tuesday!