Only a few more days...

Her excitement is growing as the day approaches, as does her concern that others will blow out her candles. She suggested at one point that everyone get candles, so that they won't blow hers out. Chocolate cake is the other noteworthy item - no conversation of her birthday is complete without a mention of chocolate cake and blowing out her candles.

Palomi Writes an Email

Palomi has been writing emails to various family members for quite a while now. In the beginning, she had a hunt-and-peck style, trying to spell out words (with Papa and Mama's help). She got quite good at "Palomi", "Oma", "Nana", "Nani", "Mama", etc. Now, she's emulating Papa and Mama typing, as you can see in the video, resulting in a lot of gibberish. She has retained her love for large lettering - she insists on typing in a large font, preferably in color.



[Editor's Note: Palomi originally said the email was for Opa before she changed her mind - that's why I kept asking to whom she was writing]

Palomi Takes Some Pictures

She's starting to get the hang of the camera...

Kasimirs Kuchen

A bit longer than usual. More like an old-fashioned home movie.

Breakfast Conversation

The second half of the video could use some explaining. Without the ability to lactate, I got used to being second fiddle to Mama very early on. After more than two years, things had evened out a lot, but there were still many areas where I was a distant second choice to Mama. One of the more regular reminders of my second-class status came every other evening. The response to "Who's doing night-night?" was sheer joy when the answer was "Mama" and bitter, sometimes tearful, disappointment when it was "Papa." One evening I had enough! As a true American, I decided that I need some spin, some dressing up of the message, an advertising campaign. The inspiration came from a most unlikely place - the verse in Raffi's version of "If you're happy and you know it", "if you're beautiful and you know it, shout Hurray!", which Palomi loved.

That evening "Who's doing night-night?" had a new answer. No longer would a simple "Papa" send Palomi reeling into unhappiness. The new answer was "PAPA! HURRAY!", said with more joyous optimism than any Madison Avenue shill could muster. This was a momentous sales job - Oh my god! Wow! You've won first place in the night-night competition! Here's Ed McMahon to tell you what you've won! - that's what I packed into those two words ("Hurray" morphed into "Juchheirassa" in my ongoing attempt to speak German with Palomi).

It worked. "got milk?" and Cabbage Patch Doll mania rolled into one. My enthusiasm seeped into her. Night-night with Papa became an event. It wasn't night-night with Mama, but it had its own appeal. Or maybe Palomi just loves to watch her Dad act funny.

Another beautiful rendition...

A Truly Original Version of Humpty Dumpty

Traditional, arranged by Palomi
Palomi - Vocals and Cardboard Banjo