Halloweeeen

Ami is two and he is celebrating Halloween for the first time in his life.

Last year we decided strictly against it. But last year we were slightly more Kosher too.
And we were at a conservative synagogue.

Not to say that we aren't still leaning conservative but we're more open minded now about other things. Like Halloween.

I decided I dislike the argument that Jews shouldn't celebrate Halloween. Mainly because we aren't really celebrating it. We are participating in it. It is a secular holiday and any arguments that say otherwise (like those that say it's a pagan holiday and therefore idolatrous) are full of it.


I didn't convert haredi for a reason, mainly being that I don't quite jibe with the whole distancing-oneself-from the-mainstream bit.

Also, Ami is already so different as it is. And he will grow up feeling different even if he goes to Jewish day school. so I figure I can give him one mainstream holiday.

On the road to Iron Man Town...

the Kid has been interesting lately. By interesting, of course, I mean a pain in the butt. He has come to understand the meaning of time-out a little too well, although I have apparently no jurisdiction in such matters; the enforcer of law has now solidly become the hubs. 

I am the greatest maker of threats though, and even if he doesn't respond when I  challenge him with time-out he does respond when I say things like "you know, you are not on the road to Iron Man Town right now. Only good boys get to go to Iron Man Town." Except he doesn't really quite get that Iron Man Town is not an actual place and that what I meant by Iron Man Town was really the Iron Man doll he's been obsessing about. Get it? Like if he's good he gets to go to Iron Man Town aka he gets his Iron Man doll. I guess toddlers are more about the literal meaning of things.


So now I'm on the hook. When he does something bad (like punch me or pinch me or kick me) he says "sorry. I do want to go to Iron Man Town" and now I think that if I don't actually produce an Iron Man Town as a reward for his good behavior he will spontaneously combust right in front of me.


I really need to think before I speak.  

Other things that the Kid has said because I'm horrible at filtering my thoughts before I utter them:


"you're a damn-it mama! A damn-it, damn-it, damn-it!" (in my defense, I didn't call anyone a "damn-it" but that word does leave my mouth a little too much)


"I can't find the circle one, damn it!" (like I said, I say damn it too much) 

I was warned that kids were sponges but this kid is something else. He never forgets anything you say to him or around him.