First Steps

At the age of 18 months and 10 days, Asher Tzvi took his first steps. For the last few days AT has been practicing standing up unsupported each time for about 5 seconds.

Today when I got home from work, he greeted me by walking towards me. Ma and I are both very proud of him. Now I understand why he woke up screaming at 6 this morning. He justed wanted to get up and try walking.

We are soon to enter a new phase in parenting. We are leaving the days of "stand up" and entering the "sit down" days!

Calling Non-Geographic Number

Sorry for the gap between posts.

Since I last posted lots has happened. I have started a new job. It has been Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and the start of the start of Sukkot. Finally, and the motivation for writing this post, I have got received my first proper bill from my new "cheap" 3 mobile.

It was rather more than I expected when I signed up for the contract. Partly beacuse it is one of these cheque back deals but mainly because it costs a lot to phone 0845, 0870, etc numbers ... but such is life and if you need to call a company what choice to you have.

Enter SAYNOTO0870.COM. I was this evening telling Ma to phone a company from her mobile while she is driving instead of wasting time when she is at home and has better things to do than wait on hold. My mother-in-law said she had heard of a website that lists companies "normal" numbers so that you can aviod calling 0870s. She said she didn't know the address but I could try to google for it. Those who know my mother-in-law know that she has probably never used website and google in the same sentence before!

Anyway, I went to SAYNOTO0870.COM looked for the company in question and found a 029 number. Thank you SAYNOTO0870.COM.

Disclaimer: Non-geographical numbers such as 0870 aren't all bad. I used to work for a company that despite being very small had an 0870 number. It allowed them to have a larger, more proffesional image and make a small amout of money from technical support calls. I also have a completely free, to me, 0871 fax number. Since the caller sending the fax pays for the call I don't have to, which is suits me. Premium rate support numbers a different matter however.

Busy Summer

AT had a great time in Israel this summer. He swam, played in the hotel grounds and even found time to make some phone calls.

When it came time to come home he even packed ... himself. 

Heat Wave 2

The heat wave has not only continued but got hotter. Today AT went in his paddling pool in the garden and had lots of fun splashing.

On a different but related note, I saw this, How to Sleep Comfortably on a Hot Night, and its definitely worth reading in this weather.

 

Heat Wave

We have been having a heat wave over the last few days. Over the last few weeks AT has gone from sleeping in a vest on baby grow, just a baby grow, just a vest and finally the few night just his nappy. Despite the heat he only sleeps properly if he's in his sleeping bag.

As Ma pointed out though, he just like his Tatty. No matter what the weather, I have to sleep under my duvet!

Gimmel Tammuz

I spent Gimmel Tammuz in Crown Heights. I arrived on Thursday afternoon and went straight from JFK to the Ohel and I'm staying till Sunday afternoon. The Ohel was packed with people and when I got there, at 3 in the afternoon, I was able to duven shacharis, with a minyan. After duvening I went to the Ohel itself. We limited to only two minutes but I had time to read my P’’N and duven a bit. It was only my second time at the Ohel and the first time for Gimmel Tammuz. I was impressed by the fact that despite there being so many people, everybody were Menschen and there was no pushing and shoving either in the Ohel or in the tents outside.

After that I got a ride to Crown Heights where I’m going to spend shabbos. I spent Friday just chilling here. I went to some shops and got lunch from Kingston Pizza. I’m always amazed by the scale of Jewish life in America. The number of kosher shops and restaurant in Crown Heights alone compares with Golders Green and Hendon and its just one small community in Brooklyn.

Over Shabbos I will probably duven at 770 and on Sunday I plan to visit the Jewish Children’s Museum. Then I will go back to the Ohel on the way to JFK.

Seeing as this is a post on “Being AT's Tatty”, I should probably mention him! I miss him and Ma lots and I’m really sad that I’m not with him because nursery said that he walked a few steps on Thursday.

How can "bad" things happen to good people?

A few weeks ago, Asher Tzvi was playing upstairs and started crawling to the top of the stairs. I noticed that the stair gate was open so I picked him up and closed the gate. He started crying since he didn't wanted to be held.

A friend who witnessed this who helped me to realise that this is a mashal for what happens in our lives. Look at the incident purely from AT's perspective. He was crawling along, minding his own business. As he got to the stair gate he was picked up and taken away. He had done nothing wrong yet he was being punished. This wasn't fair, so he cried.

What is the reality? I as a parent had a clearer view of a situation. I saw the dangers and harm that the AT was heading towards. My actions had AT's best interest at heart and I protected him.

What is the nimshal of the story? We in our lives are just children and only have limited comprehension of the world around us. We see "bad" thing happening to good people. We don't think it is fair so we "cry" out and show our anger against HaShem. He, however, is our father. He is beyond all limits and can see the whole picture. He knows what lies ahead and always protects the good from harm.

This week a good neshama passed suddenly from this world. We could respond by wanting to distance ourselves from HaShem. Rather we all need to increase our trust in HaShem and know that "[His] ways are ways of pleasantness and all [His] paths are peace".

May we all merit the coming of Moshiach now!

A picture says a thousand words

This is AT's first picture in a newspaper. This picture appeared in our local paper and a similar one also printed in the Jewish Telegraph. He is the 3rd seated child from the right.

The caption reads: TOTS from Hale Synagogue Nursery went on a sponsored toddle to Hale Croft Park to raise money for Barnado's. The children also had a picnic and went on a 'mini-beast hunt' in the park. They were celebrating Lag BaOmer.

Mayanot Alumni

I am a member of the Mayanot Alumni. Mayanot is the Yeshiva I attended between Pesach and Shavout 5760.

If any other alumni are reading this in the next week, please email me about details of a reunion Farbrengen being held in London.

Baby Bundle

AT is such a cute like bundle when he comes out of the bath.

He loves the bath too. He enjoys kicking and splashing so much that I sometimes get wetter than him!

Top Teeth

Over the last few days AT has been quite grumpy and clinging. He returned to nursery after the Pesach break and happy there however. So happy in fact that when Ma collected him, he cried.

Today we found out why he wasn't happy. 2 top teeth have just started to show. We knew it would be teething but didn't know when they would actually come.

On other news, AT is pulling himself up on everything. This is good on solid objects like the sofa but not on movable objects like the step ladder or ironing board. He is sensible enough to not want to get hurt. Whenever the thing he has just tried to pull himself up on come crashing to the floor, he rolls out of harms way!! Once standing he will shuffle along whilst holding on.

Nothing at head height is safe any more.

1st Birthday

Asher Tzvi is 1 now and this is a small collage showing the fun he had on his birthday and at softplay.

Downstairs aswell

Today Asher Tzvi went downstairs by himself. That means he can now play for hours going up and then down the stairs. :)

Asher Tzvi the Bumble Bee

Purim was last Monday night & Tuesday and its taken me till now to post something about it.

Kissing and Purim Costume

When AT came home from nursery today, they told us that he had spent all day kissing a girl. Yesterday, she spent the whole day kissing him! This is very cute especially since he is only 10 months old, but as a frum family its not so appropriate!

Today is Rosh Chodesh Adar, which is exciting for two reasons:

1) AT was born in Nissan so Adar is the only month he hasn't lived in yet

2) Purim comes in Adar and as the saying says, "When Adar comes increase in joy".

This evening before he went to bed we tried on his Purim costume that Ma bought in New York. It is incredibly cute but he doesn't have feet holes and the hat is too small. I 'm concerned that without feet holes he wont be able to crawl, and he never stays still now that he has learnt how, and Ma was worried that the hat is really cute and he has to be able to wear it. After I pointed out that elastic around his neck is not a good idea at his age, we gave up on the clown and we will look for something new on Sunday.

Welcome

Hi and welcome to my blog. Thank you for taking the time to read this. "Being Asher Tzvi's Tatty" is my first blog and this is my first post to it. First I'll explain a couple of things and get that out of the way then I can start to actually say something!

• The title: Asher Tzvi is my 10 1/2 month old son. Tatty is the yiddish word for dad. Why call my blog this? My life is uneventful and his is cute and fun. He can't write his own blog, so I am writing one about being his dad.



• The blog: As I just mentioned I imagine most posts will be about Asher Tzvi but only time will tell if I will post about other things in my life. Why start a blog at all? I'm not so sure. I never kept a diary as a kid but I just find the whole blogging concept interesting so I want try it.