Naomi Bat Yosefa Chai v’ Bradford

It’s a mouthful, but it’s Cassandra’s Hebrew name.

While in Colorado, we had a Brit Bat Covenant Ceremony (aka baby naming) on the side of Flagstaff mountain, presided over by the Adventure Rabbi. (Long story how we came to that particular location and officiant.)

Here’s a little about the origins of the baby naming ritual:

While a brit milah (circumcision is performed for newborn boys, there is no corresponding formal birth ceremony for baby girls. Traditionally, newborn girls have been given their Jewish names in a simple naming ceremony in the synagogue. To many people, the disparity between the elaborate birth rite for boys and the brief naming rite for girls seems unequal in this day and age, to say the least. In response, many new birth ceremonies for infant girls have been introduced in recent years. Because it is not yet part of the liturgy, there are no standard, agreed upon elements for the ceremony. (You can read more here.)

Back to our story…

Cassandra is named “Naomi” after Brad’s paternal grandmother. (For those of you thinking to yourselves, “Wait, Brad isn’t Jewish and neither was his grandmother.” Well, that didn’t matter. Naomi still qualifies as a Hebrew name and Cassandra is still named after her. I only met Naomi once. She was confident, strong, and had the fortitude to stand up for what she believed it. As the rabbi wrote in the program, “As we bless Cassandra with her names, we pray she will carry on all that was good and loving about the one for whom she is named.”

Brad shared stories about grandmother Naomi that were gathered from the women who knew her (his stepmother, mother, and sisters) at the ceremony and choked up just like he did at our wedding. Zander sang the Sh’ma by himself. The weather was perfect. It couldn’t have been more lovely. Below are some pictures.

The Adventure Rabbi:

Cassandra (aka Naomi Bat Yosefa Chai v'Bradford):

My parents (being blessed for their 45th wedding anniversary) with their grandchildren under the make-shift chuppah:

Brad and Zander after the ceremony:

Been there

Bless me rabbi, for I have not blogged in a week. It is not because I don't have things to say about our recent, glorious trip to Colorado, because I do! In fact, the vacation was so fantastic, it's been a little harder than usual getting back into the old grind.

So, in the meantime, I'm going to link this post on Dooce.com. For anyone who doesn't know Dooce (aka Heather Armstrong) her blog is -- hands down -- the most read "mommy blog" of them all (probably even one of the most read blogs in general). She's funny and often crass, but also very real. She just had her second baby two weeks ago and today wrote about the adrenaline rush after natural childbirth (been there) her inability to fall asleep or stay asleep (been there), and her struggle with postpartum depression (been there).

45 Years!

In addition to Sunday being Father's Day and Cassandra's baby naming ceremony (more on that soon), it was also my parent's 45th wedding anniversary. I joke around and call them "The Bickersons," (get it?) but 45 years is an amazing feat any way you look at it. Here's a photo of them from my mom's high school prom in 1960 (before they were married):

If these children are in therapy one day, it won't be because of an absent father

I mean that.

Brad is as involved as any parent could be (sometimes even to my dismay when I want to forge ahead stubbornly). He changes diapers, he trims fingernails, he discusses different sleep theories with me ad nauseum, he cooks dinners, he attends to late-night wake-ups, and on and on.

They couldn't be luckier children. I mean that too. Happy Father's Day Brad!

And here's Brad entertaining Cassandra on her first flight yesterday (from Virginia to Denver, Colorado):

"I was only going to do one marathon - really!"

Not me, silly...my sister! She has, in fact, run more than 30 marathons.

See this article about her on the website of the DC Road Runners Club, for which she is a coach. (She's a coach for the running club, not the website.)

A Cool Series of Photos

Zander and Brad camped out this weekend with some other families from Zander's preschool. I went for the afternoon festivities and the evening feast. But you know, you just can't camp with a six-month old, right? ;)

Below is a cool series of photos taken by one of the other parents.

P.S. And here's one of my excuse:

The Big Spaceship Project

Zander is building a spaceship. I don't know much about it other than that he has to collect every random piece of cr*p he finds for it. Sticks, cardboard, straws, rocks, more sticks, ribbon -- you name it -- it's all part of the big spaceship project taking up space in our garage. You can't miss it -- it's next to the big tool project Brad has been working on for the last, oh 45 years or so. You know, the one where he needs to own one two of every tool ever made just in case we need them? But, that's okay, both of those pale when compared to my
"take-up-four-closets-with-clothing-that-used-to-fit-and/or-might-fit-at-some-point-in-the-future" project.

P.S. Today was Cassandra's 6-month birthday. She is a remarkable baby who seems to subsist on less daytime sleep than any baby before her. She sits and she laughs and she smiles and she grabs. Most of all, she is enamored of her big brother who can almost always make her smile. His current song for her goes like this: "Cassandra is the best baby. Cassandra is the best baby" and over and over again ad infinitum. I wonder if he plans on taking her with him in his spaceship?