January and February 2000

Sophie can now sit up by herself.  In January Judy and (6 month old) Sophie went to Israel with (88-year old!) Grandma Doll for Ben and Avi's Bar Mitzvah.  The plane trips were really tough, but nursing non-stop saved the day.  As it turns out, Sophie was working on developing her very first ear infection and was feeling horrible during most of the trip.  She behaved so well, considering how she must have been feeling.  Judy's sister Deborah actually got us a doctor's appointment during the week we were there, and he sent us to the hospital because he feared pneumonia!  Fortunately, her lungs (and ears) were clear, but we spent a panicky day at Sha'arei Zedek Hospital until we figured that out.  Once we landed back in the States, she had a full-blown ear infection and we put her on antibiotics.  Judy had strep throat, and a round of antibiotics cured that, too.  Grandma Doll also came down with something awful, and was supposed to come back to New York with us, but ended up going straight back home to Florida to recover.  As much as I wanted her to visit, I just didn't want to subject her to feet of snow and sub-zero temperatures.  I (Judy) hate traveling in the wintertime!!!

Sophie, Grandma Doll, and the Weisblatt cousins in Israel for Avi and Ben's Bar Mitzvah

Noel skied his butt off in Colorado with Keith while we were in Israel, missing all the "fun" at the hospital.

In February Sophie can eat Cheerios (of course only whole grain Cheerios).  She picks them up between thumb and forefinger, but if they get stuck in her hand out of view she forgets they are there. We had started her on other foods,  but discontinued them while she was sick.  We're introducing them again, gradually, but she still prefers mommy's milk, of course.

Now she has started to clap her hands, which is really a fun trick!  When she gets excited she often rocks or bounces up and down -- we call this "going boingy-boingy".

 
Sophie "laying keppy" at a February 5 Hungarian dance party.  I love her little dimpled elbows!  So delicious!

"We have to kiss and kiss"

What a happy baby in the mirror!  Noel still has his beard from the Colorado ski trip.

Sophie is cheerful and worldly on a sunny morning, playing with her feet on Daddy and Mommy's bed.