Whining from the backseat of the car,
"Mom, he is looking at me!!!"
Followed promptly by a disgusted squeal of,
"Mom, he is spitting on me!"
And like any self-respecting Mother who was worn out from the crazy shopping trip, I retorted without thinking, "Sam, stop spitting on your sister."
Thus it begins.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Current Favorites
Just wanted to share a few of our new favorite children's books (according to Rose Marie, of course!) :)
1) The beloved author of the "Gossie" books, Olivier Dunrea, has another beautiful book called, "It's Snowing!" It is a beautifully illustrated book about a mother introducing her baby to his first snow. It is an easy book to memorize, which is why I find Rose Marie constantly "reading" it to herself and Bud Bud. We have borrowed it from the library, but I think this may be one of those ones we have to own.
2) Another one, that is similar is, "Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes," by Mem Fox and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury. The pictures are beautiful and the story is absolutely charming. Rose Marie likes to tickle Sam's toes and repeat the rhyme, "And this little baby, as everyone knows, has ten little fingers and ten little toes!"
3) And of course, the ever popular, "We're Going on a Bear Hunt," by Michael Rosen and again illustrated by Helen Oxenbury. This is just a classic and so much fun to read!
1) The beloved author of the "Gossie" books, Olivier Dunrea, has another beautiful book called, "It's Snowing!" It is a beautifully illustrated book about a mother introducing her baby to his first snow. It is an easy book to memorize, which is why I find Rose Marie constantly "reading" it to herself and Bud Bud. We have borrowed it from the library, but I think this may be one of those ones we have to own.
2) Another one, that is similar is, "Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes," by Mem Fox and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury. The pictures are beautiful and the story is absolutely charming. Rose Marie likes to tickle Sam's toes and repeat the rhyme, "And this little baby, as everyone knows, has ten little fingers and ten little toes!"
3) And of course, the ever popular, "We're Going on a Bear Hunt," by Michael Rosen and again illustrated by Helen Oxenbury. This is just a classic and so much fun to read!
Monday, April 13, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Holy Week and Motherhood
"I don't even know why I come here anymore!" This was said to me by an exasperated young mother, who was in the nursing room at Mass a few weeks ago. My heart went out to her, and I reassured her that we have all been there. As we are now in the throes of Holy Week, I have been thinking about motherhood and our role during this sacred time.
There was a time in my life, only a few years ago, when Holy Week was simply amazing! Everything came to a stand still on Holy Thursday and the Triduum was kept with solemnity, prayer, fasting, quiet and then feasting and rejoicing on Easter.
This Holy Week is shaping up to be a bit different. Where there was once quiet, we now have tears and the occasional tantrum. Where there was fasting, there is now the necessity of calorie intake on account of the baby who seems to be feeding constantly. Prayers are said for peace in the home and that those little teeth would please break the surface so that the pain would stop for the poor baby (and the mommy!) And if the truth be told, the Holy Week services are not exactly something we all look forward to anymore. We will spend those times with small prayers, while we trying to keep the fidgeting down to a minimum and attempt (once again) to make it through a Mass without having to nurse.
Be that as it may, in response to the statement, "I don't know why I come anymore," the answer is because we have been asked to be faithful. Holy Week, and Mass in general, are not about us. Do I "get" anything out of Mass anymore? Yes, always. I always receive grace, I don't always leave with "warm fuzzies." But going to Mass is not about me. It is about being faithful and saying, "Here I am Lord, I come to do Your will." And for mothers, that is not always an easy task.
We are having a particularly difficult week here. So my Holy Week reflections have to be found in the little things I do everyday. Every time we mothers, dry a tear, kiss a bruise, lovingly cut-up food, patiently sit while our babies nurse, read the same story for the hundredth time, have another conversation with our toddlers while we are in the shower (even though we really want to be there alone!), spend the whole night holding and comforting a baby when we have just done so all day, we are entering into Holy Week. I may not be able to be "fully there" for the services, but I can here in my home. Maybe my Holy Weeks now are about taking the time to really love my family to the last ounce of my strength and to give that up. Try to truly give this week until it hurts and to do it lovingly and even joyfully. Then at Mass, when we are only there in body, because we have been up all night, we can simply rock our babies in the pew (or in the nursing room) and let His grace wash over us.
Our Holy Weeks are not less than they used to be. No, they are more. We understand now, what we didn't before. We know how to love and sacrifice in ways we never imagined possible. And still, we know that His love and sacrifice were and are so much more. This Holy Week can still be the best one of my life (as a priest used to remind his parishioners every year.) I just have to allow it to be different than before and to cherish those differences. I need to be open to the reception of grace, even when I am not sitting in the pew. He knows I am there and why I am there. I am loving Him with every ounce I can muster. And I know that this brings joy to His Sacred Heart. That is why we mothers come. We come to love Him through our faithfulness.
There was a time in my life, only a few years ago, when Holy Week was simply amazing! Everything came to a stand still on Holy Thursday and the Triduum was kept with solemnity, prayer, fasting, quiet and then feasting and rejoicing on Easter.
This Holy Week is shaping up to be a bit different. Where there was once quiet, we now have tears and the occasional tantrum. Where there was fasting, there is now the necessity of calorie intake on account of the baby who seems to be feeding constantly. Prayers are said for peace in the home and that those little teeth would please break the surface so that the pain would stop for the poor baby (and the mommy!) And if the truth be told, the Holy Week services are not exactly something we all look forward to anymore. We will spend those times with small prayers, while we trying to keep the fidgeting down to a minimum and attempt (once again) to make it through a Mass without having to nurse.
Be that as it may, in response to the statement, "I don't know why I come anymore," the answer is because we have been asked to be faithful. Holy Week, and Mass in general, are not about us. Do I "get" anything out of Mass anymore? Yes, always. I always receive grace, I don't always leave with "warm fuzzies." But going to Mass is not about me. It is about being faithful and saying, "Here I am Lord, I come to do Your will." And for mothers, that is not always an easy task.
We are having a particularly difficult week here. So my Holy Week reflections have to be found in the little things I do everyday. Every time we mothers, dry a tear, kiss a bruise, lovingly cut-up food, patiently sit while our babies nurse, read the same story for the hundredth time, have another conversation with our toddlers while we are in the shower (even though we really want to be there alone!), spend the whole night holding and comforting a baby when we have just done so all day, we are entering into Holy Week. I may not be able to be "fully there" for the services, but I can here in my home. Maybe my Holy Weeks now are about taking the time to really love my family to the last ounce of my strength and to give that up. Try to truly give this week until it hurts and to do it lovingly and even joyfully. Then at Mass, when we are only there in body, because we have been up all night, we can simply rock our babies in the pew (or in the nursing room) and let His grace wash over us.
Our Holy Weeks are not less than they used to be. No, they are more. We understand now, what we didn't before. We know how to love and sacrifice in ways we never imagined possible. And still, we know that His love and sacrifice were and are so much more. This Holy Week can still be the best one of my life (as a priest used to remind his parishioners every year.) I just have to allow it to be different than before and to cherish those differences. I need to be open to the reception of grace, even when I am not sitting in the pew. He knows I am there and why I am there. I am loving Him with every ounce I can muster. And I know that this brings joy to His Sacred Heart. That is why we mothers come. We come to love Him through our faithfulness.
Monday, April 6, 2009
The Next American Idol
Latest song composition from Rose Marie (to the tune of La-De-Da-De-Da):
Birds are flying in the sky
We can fly too
In an airplane
But not like birds
We are going to have pizza
and milk
On the back porch
With Mommy and Daddy
And green ice cream
The End
Sunday, April 5, 2009
View from Our New Home!
For those of you who have been following our relocation saga, I thought it was high time to fill you in on how it ended. God has given us a huge blessing! A few days before we were supposed to move back into our old apartment, Jake was browsing through Craig's List and found a townhome available for rent. It had so much square footage and even a small fenced in yard! We spoke with the lady, went to see it and simply fell in love. So our plans changed once again, and we moved into a beautiful townhome that we are renting while we continue to look for a house. Although...I think we are so in love with this place we are going to have a difficult time moving again. :) Jacob was just reminding me that one of our favorite things about this house is the amount of sunlight we get everyday. I didn't realize how little sunlight we had at the old place, nor what a huge difference the sunlight would make to our lives. Anyway, here a few pictures of our new home! God is so good! I am so grateful for His blessing us in this way.
1) We will start with the messy room (a.k.a. Rose Marie's room!) Her room is easily spotted by the books everywhere and her kitchen things in the places not occupied by the books! She loves it and it has become her place for quiet time. I will find her sitting on her bed looking through her stories or with having a tea-party with Bud-Bud. I love seeing her enjoy her quiet space.
1) We will start with the messy room (a.k.a. Rose Marie's room!) Her room is easily spotted by the books everywhere and her kitchen things in the places not occupied by the books! She loves it and it has become her place for quiet time. I will find her sitting on her bed looking through her stories or with having a tea-party with Bud-Bud. I love seeing her enjoy her quiet space.
2) Samuel's room! Jacob set this room up beautifully! The picture doesn't show the "nursing corner," but my rocking chair and a table are set up with my books and rosary, which is so nice!
3) My domain! I love how open the kitchen is. It looks out into the playarea and the living room.
4) The living room
5) One of my favorite areas, the playroom. Rose sits here and does her works or eats her snacks, and Sam plays next to her on the floor. I am so grateful for this space!
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Welcome Spring!
In honor of Spring's glorious appearance this weekend, I have decided to give my beloved blog a facelift (and the old pink was becoming rather tiring.) So...here is to spring and to my husband's wonderful ingenuity! Thank you Jacob! I hope you enjoy! God bless!
Friday, April 3, 2009
4 months old!
Samuel is now 4 months old...and I am relishing every chubby, wiggly, giggly moment of it. I miss him when he is sleeping and I love having him near me when he is awake. I love how he will stare at me until I look in his direction and then breaks into a huge smile, and kicks and squirms for happiness. He loves to give big drooly, open-mouthed kisses, which I gladly accept.
The other morning, he was laying beside me in bed and he rolled himself on his side, reached for my face and kept touching my lips. I sent him into into squeals of laughter by kissing the tips of the little fingers which he kept offering.
I love how he watches Rose Marie and tries so hard to interact with her. She likes to give him toys to hold and then applauds when he grasps it. He likes making her happy. He will even sit there and allow her to play tea-party with him. She hands him a teaspoon or cup and carries on a conversation with him, while he sits there staring at her intently. He is such a good little brother, and she is an incredible big sister.
He still laughs by inhaling, which I still think is the funniest thing to hear. His breath smells sweet and milky. He is simply magical and wonderful. He becomes more so everyday, just like his big sister. I feel so blest to be the mother of these two amazing little people. Thank you Lord, how could I ask for more.
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