A Shout-Out to Benjamin

Alexander, as the mobile and talkative older brother, seems to get a lot more attention on this blog I'm keeping about our time in Israel. So today I thought it might be time for me to put the focus on Benjamin, who was, in my book, the hero of the day today.

I've spent a lot of time on this blog talking about the days during which we tour around Jerusalem and Israel, sightseeing and taking in this wonderful country. But of course, like everyone else, we have to spend our share of days taking care of work and domestic duties and appointments. Today was a good example: this morning we all had a bit of an epic journey to a place called Tipat Chalav (A Drop of Milk), which is, essentially, the place you go for well visits for babies. We had to go there to get Benjamin's six-month immunization shots -- never a fun experience. I'm sure many parents out there feel, as I do, at least a little ambivalence about immunizations -- sure, the shots are generally miraculous and life-saving, but the discussions around the risks of these shots can be scary, overwhelming, and at times confusing. So for me, every time we go for another round of shots, the experience is unsettling. Add to that stress the difficulty of navigating a different health system over the past few weeks simply to get to this appointment and -- in short, it was a day I was a bit apprehensive about.

In the end, things turned out just fine. With the help of a play room in Tipat Chalav, and a bagel shop up the street, Alexander made it through the two-hour experience just fine (there were the usual doctor's office delays, lots of paperwork, etc.). Benjamin survived, too, only crying a bit after his shots. At just over six months, Benjamin's a healthy 19 pounds and 27.5 inches! And as if it wasn't a big enough day for him already, this afternoon I discovered his first tooth poking through his bottom gum!

Sometimes, excitement comes from seeing ancient architecture and sublime natural scenes; other times it comes from seeing the little nubs of a baby's first tooth making its slow way into the world. So here's to Benjamin, who, after his appointment, enjoyed a nice ride on the swing before taking a bit of a nap this afternoon (and I do mean a "bit"; he was only out for about 20 minutes, unfortunately for his parents!). He deserves all the fun and rest he can come by!