Mother of Three

I get into the car, the unbearable heat of July-August, a nightmare. I open the windows and switch on the air-conditioner at full blast, and think to myself, Luckily, my mother can look after our baby for half an hour (we haven’t picked a name yet).

Just before I start the car, I get a message.

“Hey, baby, how are you? How’s your day been? I was thinking about you and I’ve got a present for you”.

I call, and he says, “Hi, my love, so I guess you’ve read my message…”

“Yes, of course I have, come on, what’s the present?”

“Did you really think I’d tell you…?”

I can imagine his mischievous smile – there’s no doubt about it, he knows how to get me going, I don’t like surprises… “Come on, babe, tell me...”

“I’m not telling you, see you at home, love you, bye, mamush”.

I end the call, bummed out that he won’t tell me. Oh, well, at least he’s thinking about me, he’s a sweetheart really.

I put on the good old Sting CD. I just need a short moment to myself, and this CD reminds me of when we were still dating – what a time that was…

I go and pick up the girls from their kindergartens, and think to myself: I had a baby just one week ago, and how insane it is to be a mother of three – how is it even done?

I arrive at the kindergartens, my eldest sees me from the path and runs up to me for a hug. And I so need her hugs, they’re like a wild burst of energy that recharges me.

The kindergarten teacher tells me about they day she’s had, and we both leave quickly to pick up Gefen, who until not long ago was our youngest, and is now the perfect “sandwich” child.

I can’t believe she’s already three.

When we enter the kindergarten, I see Gefen playing with a friend, looking up at me with a smile, waiting for me to come over and kiss her. Before I can say “Jack Robinson”, Talia runs to hug her younger sister.

Meanwhile, I receive an update on Gefen’s day, and we hurry out to the airconditioned car… Here’s to air-conditioners – what would I do without them during the hot summer months?

We get home, my sweet hubby’s already there, waiting for me downstairs, he knows that coming up with the two girls and all our bags is quite a challenge. We get the girls out of the car, he helps me and carries all our stuff.

Then he hands me this simple brown bag, and I already know what’s inside it, and my excitement mounts.

“Yey, is it what I think it is…?”

He smiles, “Patience, Noam, we’ll go upstairs, and you can have a look”.

When we got married, we received a pair of white KAN candleholders.

When the girls were born, we added another KAN for each one.

When Talia, the eldest, was born I bought a pink and white KAN – because these colors symbolize optimism, love, and tenderness.

When Gefen was born it was winter – I’ll never forget that winter. It would be hard to forget how much it rained, how cold it was.

My Gefen’s character, unlike Talia’s, is quiet and introverted, so we chose a small light-blue and white KAN.

Now I was curious to see what Amit had chosen.

When I opened the packaging, I saw that it was a small KAN with touches of pale-green, yellow, and red – colors that for me symbolize renewal and joy.

We added the new KAN to our KAN family – which is growing just like ours.

Amit laughs and says, “Hmmm, I wonder what the next KAN will be like”, and I answer, “Hey, pal, I had a baby just one week ago. Remember?”