Introducing Talia Gersten

 

Abba and the kids spent Shabbos by the Fox's in Gilo, and Abba named the baby Talia in shul during Shacharis. Linda prepared some "Brachos" for after davening and Harry brought a variety of 'interesting beverages' in his duffle-bag.

On Sunday Ema came back from the Beit Hachlama with Talia, and all of these pictures (I guess there aren't too many exciting things to do at Hadassah Baby other than read, sleep, nurse and take pictures) and now -- as they say -- the fun begins. We spent most of the day rummaging through the boydim trying to find the pieces to the baby swing and the pack-n-play with the bassinet

Anyone who would like to contribute to the Talia Gersten wedding fund, should send funds to either Bubby/Grandpa Blashka or Saba Gersten who will then make sure funds are sent to her mutual fund. So far in one week Talia has racked up $350 which we hope will quadruple by the time she is 19, although adjusting for inflation, those funds may be worth the same amount in 2031.

(By the way, Elisheva, Ezra, Elazar and Noam also have mutual funds that were set up in 2011 and those who wish birthday money, etc., to be sent to their mutual funds should also contact Bubby, Grandpa or Saba)

Visiting Ema and the Baby at the Hospital

Abba took the kids to visit Ema and the new baby at Hadassah-Ein Kerem. Aunt Rochelle and Grandpa met us their bearing chocolates, which were probably intended for Fay, but ended up all over the hands and faces of Noam and Elazar who to be fair did managed to get a considerable amount in their mouths as well.

We managed to take some pictures of the kids holding the baby, before security bounced us out of the room for staying past visiting hours. (Ema was close by, but requested to be cropped out of the pictures)

While Zeidy kept Noam entertained outside and a safe distance from the new baby

After we left the maternity ward, we ordered a Pizza from Sambooka, the only Mehadrin restaurant we could find in Hadassah and waited patiently for it to arrive.

 

It's a Girl

Thursday after we came home from the Fox barbeque on Israeli Independence Day, and Ema was already warning Abba that things were getting imminent. Her due date was the beginning of May and she hasn't been early yet. Maybe the way Harry marinates his steaks had something to do with it

Anyway, Abba told Ema that if she gave birth on Friday, the 5th of Iyar, there would be all this pressure to name the baby Tzion or Tziona, plus Shabbos always makes things complicated, so let's shoot for Sunday. As usual Ema rolled her eyes at Abba, but B'Sha'ah Tova it worked and our daughter came into the world at 8:34 PM on Sunday evening, April 29th, 2012

Yet another April birthday in the Gersten Family. I think by now we have all the dates of April covered. For those of you keeping score at home that's: girl, boy, boy, boy – girl. Sound's vaguely familiar. Speaking of  Aunt Dina – Happy 28th Birthday. So close – just off by a day.

After dinner, Libby came over around 6:30 PM to babysit and Abba and Ema headed for the hospital. Elisheva protested, "I'm not ready, I'm not ready", to which we all laughed and Abba said, "Well, the baby is ready, Elisheva, so it's time to go."

Baruch Hashem everything went smoothly and chick-chock – at least from Abba's perspective. Actually, the longest delay was waiting 2 hours after delivery to get into a room upstairs.

Here is some video about ten minutes after birth while the baby was warming up in one of those horizontal rotisserie things except the baby doesn't spin round and round (maybe eventually they'll make those too)

Shabbos with Zeidy

Uncle Stephen and Aunt Rochelle let us borrow Zeidy for Shabbos. Zeidy came by about two hours before Shabbos armed with a cake. Zeidy took Elisheva and Ezra to the park while Abba and Ema finished Shabbos preperations and the two younger ones were napping. After we were all dressed for Shabbos we took this picture before Zeidy and Abba had to leave for shul (Elisheva was unavailable)


Friday night we davened at the Boston Shul. Zeidy enjoys the Chassidishe melodies for Kabbalas Shabbos. Shabbos morning we went to the Bar Mitzvah davening of Shlomo Zalman Kelman, whose parents are friends of Ema and Abba.


After lunch Fay and Zeidy took the kids to the park. For Mincha and Seudah Shlishit Abba took Zeidy and Elazar to Derech Etz Chaim for the Yeshiva with lots of Zmiros and a shmooze from R' Sheftel about Yom HaAtzmaut.


After Havdallah, Zeidy told all of us how much he enjoyed the Shabbos and gave us all blessings of health and happiness. Amen