Suzanne has a good discussion about modesty going in her comments on this post.
Ken and I have already discussed this issue, and how important it is to our family. My kid will dress modestly, no matter what "everybody else" is doing. She'll also grow up knowing why it's important to be modest.
This reminds me of a story a good friend of mine told. One day in high school she brought home a shirt that wasn't exactly modest. The next day it was gone. When she questioned her mom about it, she matter-of-factly said, "I threw it away." She never brought home an immodest shirt again. This woman has 6 kids, all practicing Catholics, two are priests. I hope to be as good of a mother as her one day!
So those of you who have dealt with this issue, do you have any suggestions for me about how to raise a daughter who understands the virtue of modesty? Or any stories from your own families would be good too!
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Summer Vacation starts today
When I was in school. those words made me so happy. This year, they just make me nervous. This year, summer vacation means that I have 3 kids all day instead of 2. In an hour, I have to pick kid #3 up from school and then it begins.....
I hope I can handle it.
I hope Madeleine can handle all the extra noise.
I hope I still get some quiet time with just Madeleine.
I hope she is able to get some good naps.
I hope giving up the dairy helps with her fussiness so I can do more with the other kids instead of just holding a crying baby all day.
I hope it is not TOO hot and humid this summer so we can be outside.
Wish me luck and pray for me.....
I hope I can handle it.
I hope Madeleine can handle all the extra noise.
I hope I still get some quiet time with just Madeleine.
I hope she is able to get some good naps.
I hope giving up the dairy helps with her fussiness so I can do more with the other kids instead of just holding a crying baby all day.
I hope it is not TOO hot and humid this summer so we can be outside.
Wish me luck and pray for me.....
Monday, May 28, 2007
Indy 500 weekend
At least that's what I always thought it was called - not Memorial Day weekend!
Dad, Ken, my brother and sister in law went to the 500 yesterday. (I think they went to see Peyton Manning and that guy from Grey's Anatomy!) Mom and I and Madeleine went furniture shopping and out to lunch. They came home after the first rain delay though, so they didn't see the end. I couldn't believe the cars actually got back out on the track after all that rain. And I couldn't believe that Dario Franchitti (Ashley Judd's husband) won after all that. I'm not a big fan of Ashley Judd. I was hoping Danica Patrick would win, but even though she was in second at one point, she finished 8th. Still pretty good.
When we were little, my cousins Joanne and Tom from Rhode Island always came for the race. We looked forward to them coming every year. Joanne always brought me a Gorham teddy bear, which are now all up on Madeleine's shelf. They were my favorite things to play with growing up. They also always brought delicious treats for us and we always had a great time. When we were really little, we'd always go spend the night at our Grandma and Grandpa's house because mom and dad and Joanne and Tom would have to get up so early to drive to the track. Of course they spoiled us - took us out to dinner, bought us treats, and played Old Maid, Crazy 8's and Trouble all day. When they lived on the farm, my brother and I spent hours outside playing in the barn, hunting for bugs, and picking vegetables out of their garden. Good memories.
Joanne and Tom didn't get to come this year, but we can't go too long without seeing them. We think a trip up to Rhode Island will be in our near future... maybe that will be Madeleine's first plane ride! (Hopefully that is ok with them! :)
We got new sheets today - much better than our "bed in a bag" sheets we've had since our wedding - almost 5 years! Can't wait to try them out tonight. They are in the dryer right now.
Hope everyone had a great weekend!
Dad, Ken, my brother and sister in law went to the 500 yesterday. (I think they went to see Peyton Manning and that guy from Grey's Anatomy!) Mom and I and Madeleine went furniture shopping and out to lunch. They came home after the first rain delay though, so they didn't see the end. I couldn't believe the cars actually got back out on the track after all that rain. And I couldn't believe that Dario Franchitti (Ashley Judd's husband) won after all that. I'm not a big fan of Ashley Judd. I was hoping Danica Patrick would win, but even though she was in second at one point, she finished 8th. Still pretty good.
When we were little, my cousins Joanne and Tom from Rhode Island always came for the race. We looked forward to them coming every year. Joanne always brought me a Gorham teddy bear, which are now all up on Madeleine's shelf. They were my favorite things to play with growing up. They also always brought delicious treats for us and we always had a great time. When we were really little, we'd always go spend the night at our Grandma and Grandpa's house because mom and dad and Joanne and Tom would have to get up so early to drive to the track. Of course they spoiled us - took us out to dinner, bought us treats, and played Old Maid, Crazy 8's and Trouble all day. When they lived on the farm, my brother and I spent hours outside playing in the barn, hunting for bugs, and picking vegetables out of their garden. Good memories.
Joanne and Tom didn't get to come this year, but we can't go too long without seeing them. We think a trip up to Rhode Island will be in our near future... maybe that will be Madeleine's first plane ride! (Hopefully that is ok with them! :)
We got new sheets today - much better than our "bed in a bag" sheets we've had since our wedding - almost 5 years! Can't wait to try them out tonight. They are in the dryer right now.
Hope everyone had a great weekend!
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Tagged
I was tagged for a meme (I still don't know exactly what this word means..) by FloridaWife to list 8 facts about myself, so here goes:
1. I'm 5'9" and can never find pants long enough to fit me.
2. I have a cute black fluffy cat named Roofus, who loves to bring her toys up in the middle of the night and let the whole house know what she's doing. She also has only 4 teeth but she can gum down her food just fine. We adopted her from a shelter and her name was Teresa (?). We named her Reggie but then she just felt more like a Roofus to me, so that name stuck. I like to give nicknames to animals - My cat growing up was named Sasha but I called her McGee, and my mom's dog is named Skipper but I call him Bo.
3. I'd be happy if we never got a dog. This feeling intensifies whenever I see someone walking behind a dog in the middle of Carmel carrying a bag of poop. We're probably going to have to get a dog someday but not until Madeleine is old enough to carry that bag herself. (Or her daddy can do it, since he wants one so much.)
4. I used to be a lifeguard in high school and college and that was my favorite job ever! I wish I could still do that in the summer.
5. My favorite drink is an iced chai from Starbucks. But now that I have to give up dairy, I have to get an iced soy chai which is pretty good but not quite as good. (Soy doesn't seem to bother her, but dairy definitely does now that I've tested it...sad.)
6. I used to teach abstinence education to inner city kids.
7. I majored in Religious Studies at a public university. Most of my classes were taught by a very anti-Catholic Baptist preacher. I used to start a few "discussions" in those classes and got really into apologetics. Also, on tests, I would put the "correct" answer like the teacher wanted, but then I would write next to it that I was just putting that answer because the teacher wanted me to, but that I didn't believe it and explain why.
8. I minored in Spanish and I've been to Mexico about 10 times on mission trips. Also, my first job out of college was the Youth Programs Director for the Hispanic Center in Indy. It was a lot of fun and I started a soccer league, golf club, boxing club, took the kids fishing, art club and several other things. I had a great time with the kids and learned lots of Spanish, however it seems to be true that "if you don't use it, you lose it."
I tag Anne and Brenda and Heather :)
1. I'm 5'9" and can never find pants long enough to fit me.
2. I have a cute black fluffy cat named Roofus, who loves to bring her toys up in the middle of the night and let the whole house know what she's doing. She also has only 4 teeth but she can gum down her food just fine. We adopted her from a shelter and her name was Teresa (?). We named her Reggie but then she just felt more like a Roofus to me, so that name stuck. I like to give nicknames to animals - My cat growing up was named Sasha but I called her McGee, and my mom's dog is named Skipper but I call him Bo.
3. I'd be happy if we never got a dog. This feeling intensifies whenever I see someone walking behind a dog in the middle of Carmel carrying a bag of poop. We're probably going to have to get a dog someday but not until Madeleine is old enough to carry that bag herself. (Or her daddy can do it, since he wants one so much.)
4. I used to be a lifeguard in high school and college and that was my favorite job ever! I wish I could still do that in the summer.
5. My favorite drink is an iced chai from Starbucks. But now that I have to give up dairy, I have to get an iced soy chai which is pretty good but not quite as good. (Soy doesn't seem to bother her, but dairy definitely does now that I've tested it...sad.)
6. I used to teach abstinence education to inner city kids.
7. I majored in Religious Studies at a public university. Most of my classes were taught by a very anti-Catholic Baptist preacher. I used to start a few "discussions" in those classes and got really into apologetics. Also, on tests, I would put the "correct" answer like the teacher wanted, but then I would write next to it that I was just putting that answer because the teacher wanted me to, but that I didn't believe it and explain why.
8. I minored in Spanish and I've been to Mexico about 10 times on mission trips. Also, my first job out of college was the Youth Programs Director for the Hispanic Center in Indy. It was a lot of fun and I started a soccer league, golf club, boxing club, took the kids fishing, art club and several other things. I had a great time with the kids and learned lots of Spanish, however it seems to be true that "if you don't use it, you lose it."
I tag Anne and Brenda and Heather :)
Thursday, May 24, 2007
NOKIDS
Mom and I were driving downtown one day to go to confession at St. John's. We got there, and there was a huge line, as there is most every day. Madeleine behaved herself for most of the time, but then when there were about 2 or 3 people in front of us, she started fussing. Mom and I started bouncing her, handing her back and forth, trying to calm her down. The people in front of me let me go in front of them (how nice!) I went in and had a quick confession, as I could hear her crying in the church. I left the confessional, took her from mom, and went outside to the van to feed her and say my penance. I didn't mind having to hurry in confession, and I didn't mind saying my penance in the car instead of the beautiful church. God has given me this gift and I am very happy to do all the work involved, and maybe miss out on a thing or two.
On the way home, we saw a very expensive red sports car. (Who knows what kind it was?!) There was a youngish guy driving it, and his license plate said NOKIDS. At first, I was thinking (and probably said out loud) - "Why don't you hang a sign on your car that says 'I'm so materialistic that I would turn down God's greatest gift for a stupid car?'" But then I got to thinking. He may think he's happy now, with his money and his "carefree" lifestyle. But he can't take his material possessions with him when he dies. When he's home by himself with all his things, he probably feels a little empty inside. He doesn't understand that true joy comes from living the way God wants him to, and from things that are not of this world. So mom and I said a quick prayer for him, and I thanked God for reminding me that "things" are not what is important. When I got home I gave my sweet daughter a big kiss and hug.
Please God let me think of him when I start grumbling about getting up at night, or having to eat my cold dinner in two minutes, or change yet another diaper or outfit, or not having any extra money. Because she is the greatest gift I could ever receive, and I get to take her with me.
On the way home, we saw a very expensive red sports car. (Who knows what kind it was?!) There was a youngish guy driving it, and his license plate said NOKIDS. At first, I was thinking (and probably said out loud) - "Why don't you hang a sign on your car that says 'I'm so materialistic that I would turn down God's greatest gift for a stupid car?'" But then I got to thinking. He may think he's happy now, with his money and his "carefree" lifestyle. But he can't take his material possessions with him when he dies. When he's home by himself with all his things, he probably feels a little empty inside. He doesn't understand that true joy comes from living the way God wants him to, and from things that are not of this world. So mom and I said a quick prayer for him, and I thanked God for reminding me that "things" are not what is important. When I got home I gave my sweet daughter a big kiss and hug.
Please God let me think of him when I start grumbling about getting up at night, or having to eat my cold dinner in two minutes, or change yet another diaper or outfit, or not having any extra money. Because she is the greatest gift I could ever receive, and I get to take her with me.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Wow!
That prescription cream really worked so far! Her rash has totally cleared up and she's like a different kid - hardly fusses at all, no screaming, and she even took a nap in her swing. She must have been itching really bad! We had an unexpected day off yesterday because Ava was sick, so we hung out at Mom's house. Mom was saying how different she seemed - very alert, looking around, and not fussing - yeah! I'm also giving up dairy, which is really hard because I love milk and cheese and yogurt (and Starbucks!!) Hopefully that will help too.
Monday, May 21, 2007
*Sigh*
Sorry, I left this post with just a title for a while! Really, I just got interrupted and accidently hit the post button :)
Well, we went to the doctor. He said she has atopic dermatitis, possibly excema, which is very sensitive skin caused by allergies. Poor little thing. So we have to do several things.
1. Prevention - by only taking one bath every three days, and all of her stuff (soap, shampoo, laundry detergent, diapers, etc) has to be fragrance free and hypoallergenic.
2. We have to put Eucerin or Lubriderm all over her every day if she does not have a rash.
3. If she does have a rash (which she does right now), we have to put this prescription cream on her which I got today. We also have to put 1% hydrocortizone cream on her diaper area and alternate it with Lotrimin, since she has a diaper rash AND a yeast infection. No wonder the poor kid has been so fussy! I also bought some hypoallergenic, fragrance and chlorine free diapers from Wild Oats, since the doc said that a lot of the main brands of diapers put fragrance in them and that is not good for her sensitive skin either.
If these things do not help, I have to start cutting things out of my diet (like all dairy, peanuts, and any allergy causing foods.) He also said to keep her away from irritants, and also delay starting solid foods as long as possible since her dad has a food allergy. And if all of this does not help, he said the last resort is to put her on a special, very expensive formula. I really hope we don't have to do that. He said that a lot of kids grow out of this by 6 or 8 months. I really hope so, poor thing.
Well, we went to the doctor. He said she has atopic dermatitis, possibly excema, which is very sensitive skin caused by allergies. Poor little thing. So we have to do several things.
1. Prevention - by only taking one bath every three days, and all of her stuff (soap, shampoo, laundry detergent, diapers, etc) has to be fragrance free and hypoallergenic.
2. We have to put Eucerin or Lubriderm all over her every day if she does not have a rash.
3. If she does have a rash (which she does right now), we have to put this prescription cream on her which I got today. We also have to put 1% hydrocortizone cream on her diaper area and alternate it with Lotrimin, since she has a diaper rash AND a yeast infection. No wonder the poor kid has been so fussy! I also bought some hypoallergenic, fragrance and chlorine free diapers from Wild Oats, since the doc said that a lot of the main brands of diapers put fragrance in them and that is not good for her sensitive skin either.
If these things do not help, I have to start cutting things out of my diet (like all dairy, peanuts, and any allergy causing foods.) He also said to keep her away from irritants, and also delay starting solid foods as long as possible since her dad has a food allergy. And if all of this does not help, he said the last resort is to put her on a special, very expensive formula. I really hope we don't have to do that. He said that a lot of kids grow out of this by 6 or 8 months. I really hope so, poor thing.
11 weeks old
And we are officially in 3-6 months clothes today! This weekend I packed up almost all of her 0-3 month clothes (there are a few outfits that still fit), and hung up all her 3-6 month clothes. She has a TON! We have a lot of Ava's stuff, although since she was born in November, most of her clothes are for colder weather. Mom bought her 9 (yes 9!) new outfits when she was in Myrtle Beach, and she had some other outfits in that size from the showers. Also, before Mom went nuts buying her clothes, I had taken some duplicate things back that we were given and gotten her 4 new outfits. I think she's pretty much set for this size - I hope she stays in it for a while!
We had a good girls night in on Saturday with Lori, although I don't think fussy girl Madeleine made a very good first impression. And I could not stay up for the whole movie we tried to watch.
On Sunday Ken's dad, mom, brother and 6 year old niece Daphne came over. Ken's brother Terry has a Jeep, and they took out a few trees in our front yard and trimmed some dead branches. Daphne made a new friend with Ryan from next door, and they played outside together. She also painted Madeleine a few pictures. The kid is a pretty good artist!
Madeleine still has a rash on her arms, legs, and chest. So I have made her an appointment with her pediatrician today. I actually called him on Friday and he said not to worry about it. However, I'm going to do the new mom thing and take her in anyway, especially since it seems to be getting worse. Hopefully he can help her out!
We had a good girls night in on Saturday with Lori, although I don't think fussy girl Madeleine made a very good first impression. And I could not stay up for the whole movie we tried to watch.
On Sunday Ken's dad, mom, brother and 6 year old niece Daphne came over. Ken's brother Terry has a Jeep, and they took out a few trees in our front yard and trimmed some dead branches. Daphne made a new friend with Ryan from next door, and they played outside together. She also painted Madeleine a few pictures. The kid is a pretty good artist!
Madeleine still has a rash on her arms, legs, and chest. So I have made her an appointment with her pediatrician today. I actually called him on Friday and he said not to worry about it. However, I'm going to do the new mom thing and take her in anyway, especially since it seems to be getting worse. Hopefully he can help her out!
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Yay!
Lori, my best friend from college, is coming today! She lives in southern Indiana, and hasn't met Madeleine yet (hope she behaves!) Ken's band is playing a gig on the south side of Indy tonight so we're having a girls night in. I got pizza, some Ben and Jerrys (pistachio and chunky monkey), and hopefully there's some kind of chick flick on pay-per-view.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Fussy girl update
She seems to be doing much better the past few days! Thank you everyone for all your advice and words of encouragement. Maybe it was a phase, maybe it was because I cut way back on the caffeine. Sorry this picture is so bad, but I couldn't believe this. I laid her down on the floor to look at the ceiling fan (the kid loves a ceiling fan!) and she fell asleep on the floor! By herself!
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
This is great
This ridiculous article was published in the Indianapolis Star yesterday.
My husband's response, which was published today.
The unedited version of his response that he submitted to the Star:
Marie Cocco’s editorial regarding so-called “right wing” Catholics and how they will address Giuliani represents a confoundedly dense view of what being “Catholic” means. First, the Catholic Church cannot be divided into convenient political spectra just to simplify an issue for a lazy columnist. There is no right or left wing, there is only Catholic. The descriptors come into play only when one deviates from Catholic truths. Case in point: abortion. It is, and has always been, the position of the Catholic Church that abortion is morally and spiritually wrong. Period. Therefore, a Catholic who adheres to this belief is simply “Catholic.” Not right wing, not neo-con, not ultra-conservative. Conversely, a Catholic who supports a pro-choice agenda is rightly singled out as such: a pro-choice Catholic – even if such an identifier is as logical as a “pro-theft police officer.”
Second, Ms. Cocco attempts to equate pro-death penalty Catholics with pro-choice Catholics. This reflects ignorance of the Catholic faith (if only there was a book, a Catechism if you will, where she could have researched this – but I have a feeling that for her if it doesn’t appear in a CNN sound bite it doesn’t exist). For one, the Catholic Church acknowledges a state’s right to ensure the safety of its populace, which if necessary may include the death penalty if it is the only way to ensure such safety. Granted, the qualifications the Church places on the use of the death penalty makes it, in practice, untenable in a country like the U.S., but the point stands that there is no per se prohibition as compared to abortion.
Finally, Ms. Cocco would have unsuspecting readers believe that Catholics (meaning by definition the pro-life variety, lest Ms. Cocco and her ilk be confused) will be flummoxed by Giuliani’s position as both a pro-choice and a conservative. Have no fear, Ms. Cocco, we Catholics have resources which you apparently can’t comprehend to discern how we will address the pressing issues facing us, and fortunately for us, those resources contain wisdom and truth that utterly obfuscate the need for opinionated hack columnists whose opinion of faith, morality, and spirituality was apparently formed during a three-minute conversation at a cocktail party. Giuliani will receive, and deserves, the same scrutiny from Catholics as does any politician who seeks the vote of a Catholic. And in case no one has noticed, there indeed has already been much grumbling by conservatives – Catholic and otherwise – about Giuliani’s abortion position. Which leads me to wonder what exactly Ms. Cocco’s point was in the first place.
My husband's response, which was published today.
The unedited version of his response that he submitted to the Star:
Marie Cocco’s editorial regarding so-called “right wing” Catholics and how they will address Giuliani represents a confoundedly dense view of what being “Catholic” means. First, the Catholic Church cannot be divided into convenient political spectra just to simplify an issue for a lazy columnist. There is no right or left wing, there is only Catholic. The descriptors come into play only when one deviates from Catholic truths. Case in point: abortion. It is, and has always been, the position of the Catholic Church that abortion is morally and spiritually wrong. Period. Therefore, a Catholic who adheres to this belief is simply “Catholic.” Not right wing, not neo-con, not ultra-conservative. Conversely, a Catholic who supports a pro-choice agenda is rightly singled out as such: a pro-choice Catholic – even if such an identifier is as logical as a “pro-theft police officer.”
Second, Ms. Cocco attempts to equate pro-death penalty Catholics with pro-choice Catholics. This reflects ignorance of the Catholic faith (if only there was a book, a Catechism if you will, where she could have researched this – but I have a feeling that for her if it doesn’t appear in a CNN sound bite it doesn’t exist). For one, the Catholic Church acknowledges a state’s right to ensure the safety of its populace, which if necessary may include the death penalty if it is the only way to ensure such safety. Granted, the qualifications the Church places on the use of the death penalty makes it, in practice, untenable in a country like the U.S., but the point stands that there is no per se prohibition as compared to abortion.
Finally, Ms. Cocco would have unsuspecting readers believe that Catholics (meaning by definition the pro-life variety, lest Ms. Cocco and her ilk be confused) will be flummoxed by Giuliani’s position as both a pro-choice and a conservative. Have no fear, Ms. Cocco, we Catholics have resources which you apparently can’t comprehend to discern how we will address the pressing issues facing us, and fortunately for us, those resources contain wisdom and truth that utterly obfuscate the need for opinionated hack columnists whose opinion of faith, morality, and spirituality was apparently formed during a three-minute conversation at a cocktail party. Giuliani will receive, and deserves, the same scrutiny from Catholics as does any politician who seeks the vote of a Catholic. And in case no one has noticed, there indeed has already been much grumbling by conservatives – Catholic and otherwise – about Giuliani’s abortion position. Which leads me to wonder what exactly Ms. Cocco’s point was in the first place.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Fussy
What is going on?! For the past several days Madeleine has been SO fussy. She screams whenever I put her down, and won't nap unless I'm holding her. It's kind of hard to take care of an 18 month old at the same time when I have to hold her all day long. And even when I hold her sometimes it doesn't help.
Am I eating something that doesn't agree with her?
Am I spoiling her?
Is there something wrong with my parenting?
Maybe she's going through a growth spurt and not getting enough to eat? Maybe she is not getting enough quality naps?
Is she just a high maintenence kid?
I don't want to let her cry (although I've done that for 5 or 10 minutes here or there when, you know, I need to take a quick shower, go to the bathroom, etc).
Grace was so helpful yesterday. I had to leave Madeleine in her bouncy seat when I went upstairs to get Ava out of her crib and change her diaper. By the time we got back down, Madeleine was screaming and Ava was screaming too. Grace went over to Madeleine and made funny faces until she stopped. Then I had to pick her up and put her in the sling b/c that is the only way she'll nap (and she'd been up for several hours!) Ava was crying because she wanted me to hold her instead of the baby. Grace tried lots of different things to help Ava, and finally got her to stop crying by giving her some chips and juice.
But seriously, I need some advice. When Ava was this age, she used to just hang out and watch the world in her bouncy seat, and eventually fall asleep. Madeleine is not happy unless I'm holding her or she's in the sling. When I'm doing these things, she's a very happy, smiley baby. But I just can't hold her all day and also take care of Ava and get anything else done. What can I do? Any advice? Please tell me this is just a phase.
Madeleine and Grace, my little helper Monday, May 14, 2007
First Mother's Day
We had a great Mother's day. On Saturday we met Ken's mom and dad for breakfast, then had a cookout at my parents' house in the afternoon. Mom and Dad got me a Willow Tree statue called "Child of my Heart," it's a mother holding a baby. It is beautiful! Ken stayed with Madeleine for the first time ever by himself and I went and got a pedicure. That was some nice pampering but I sure missed my baby for that hour!! That is the longest I've ever been away from her.
Sarah Bauer (go to her site on my sidebar) has a new album coming out in June called Radiance. We got to hear it early - yay! Here's a quote from my favorite song:
"Daily chores, so mundane, where was all the meaning? Diapers, clean clothes put away, wondering while she's feeding. Future leader in her arms, she'll keep him safe from harm. Do these small things mean a thing? Rock him gently, hear her sing, 'Take my ordinary, like water into wine. Create extraordinary, transform this life of mine. These gifts are Yours, use them for Your glory. Take me, make me extraordinary.'"
It's a really great album, and that is definitely my favorite song. I'll quote some other songs as it gets closer to being released. Sarah I hope I got the words all right!
Sarah Bauer (go to her site on my sidebar) has a new album coming out in June called Radiance. We got to hear it early - yay! Here's a quote from my favorite song:
"Daily chores, so mundane, where was all the meaning? Diapers, clean clothes put away, wondering while she's feeding. Future leader in her arms, she'll keep him safe from harm. Do these small things mean a thing? Rock him gently, hear her sing, 'Take my ordinary, like water into wine. Create extraordinary, transform this life of mine. These gifts are Yours, use them for Your glory. Take me, make me extraordinary.'"
It's a really great album, and that is definitely my favorite song. I'll quote some other songs as it gets closer to being released. Sarah I hope I got the words all right!
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Happy Mother's Day!
The Ellen Show was on and she read this submission to a contest from a viewer:
So, we had this great 10 year old cat named Jack who just recently died. Jack was a great cat and the kids would carry him around and sit on him and nothing ever bothered him. He used to hang out and nap all day long on this mat in our bathroom. Well, we have 3 kids and at the time of this story they were 4 years old, 3 years old and 1 year old. The middle one is Eli. Eli really loves chapstick.. LOVES IT. He kept asking to use my chapstick and then losing it. So finally one day I showed him where in the bathroom I keep my chapstick and how he could use it whenever he wanted to but he needed to put it right back in the drawer when he was done. Last year on Mother's Day, we were having the typical rush around and try to get ready for Church with everyone crying and carrying on. My two boys are fighting over the toy in the cereal box. I am trying to nurse my little one at the same time I am putting on my make-up. Everything is a mess and everyone has long forgotten that this is a wonderful day to honor me and the amazing job that is motherhood. We finally have the older one and the baby loaded in the car and I am looking for Eli. I have searched everywhere and I finally round the corner to go into the bathroom. And there was Eli. He was applying my chapstick very carefully to Jack's . . . rear end. Eli looked right into my eyes and said "chapped." Now if you have a cat, you know that he is right--their little butts do look pretty chapped. And, frankly, Jack didn't seem to mind. And the only question to really ask at that point was whether it was the FIRST time Eli had done that to the cat's behind or the hundredth. And THAT is my favorite Mother's Day moment ever because it reminds us that no matter how hard we try to civilize these glorious little creatures, there will always be that day when you realize they've been using your chapstick on the cat's butt.
So, we had this great 10 year old cat named Jack who just recently died. Jack was a great cat and the kids would carry him around and sit on him and nothing ever bothered him. He used to hang out and nap all day long on this mat in our bathroom. Well, we have 3 kids and at the time of this story they were 4 years old, 3 years old and 1 year old. The middle one is Eli. Eli really loves chapstick.. LOVES IT. He kept asking to use my chapstick and then losing it. So finally one day I showed him where in the bathroom I keep my chapstick and how he could use it whenever he wanted to but he needed to put it right back in the drawer when he was done. Last year on Mother's Day, we were having the typical rush around and try to get ready for Church with everyone crying and carrying on. My two boys are fighting over the toy in the cereal box. I am trying to nurse my little one at the same time I am putting on my make-up. Everything is a mess and everyone has long forgotten that this is a wonderful day to honor me and the amazing job that is motherhood. We finally have the older one and the baby loaded in the car and I am looking for Eli. I have searched everywhere and I finally round the corner to go into the bathroom. And there was Eli. He was applying my chapstick very carefully to Jack's . . . rear end. Eli looked right into my eyes and said "chapped." Now if you have a cat, you know that he is right--their little butts do look pretty chapped. And, frankly, Jack didn't seem to mind. And the only question to really ask at that point was whether it was the FIRST time Eli had done that to the cat's behind or the hundredth. And THAT is my favorite Mother's Day moment ever because it reminds us that no matter how hard we try to civilize these glorious little creatures, there will always be that day when you realize they've been using your chapstick on the cat's butt.
Friday, May 11, 2007
New clothes
Ken didn't think that last picture was too flattering, so here is another one. This is her very first 3-6 month outfit. And yes, this is the same one from the story a few posts back. It's already been through the washer and dryer today. She will sleep in her bouncy seat as long as my foot is bouncing it. I'm getting good at bouncing and typing at the same time! 
Holy.....
Subtitled: Ken's going to have another diaper changing lesson tonight.
And: I'm going to Starbucks this afternoon.
I get to work at 8:00am. Madeleine sits in her carseat, just watching us happily, while I get Ava's breakfast, change her diaper, and put her down for her morning nap.
I go to pick up Madeleine, and I've never seen so much poop in my LIFE. Her diaper was on completely crooked. (Practice makes perfect, Ken!) It was all over her brand new 3-6 month outfit (first one today!) that my friend Jenny got her. We are going out to lunch with her and her son Jack today so I wanted to make sure she wore this particular outfit. It had a shirt and overalls. The poop was all over the shirt, the overalls, the carseat, the straps, EVERYTHING. I didn't have anywhere to put her, so I just had to put her on the changing pad, so poop got all over that too. Of course there was a load of clothes in the washer and the dryer, so I had to fold the clothes in the dryer, move the other clothes over, take the entire carseat apart, and wash everything. I also had to strip the poor baby completely down and clean her off with wipes as best as I could and then leave her poor little naked self (well, with a diaper) in the bouncy seat while I cleaned everything. And I had to clean all the straps with clorox wipes and then rinse them with water. So now we are waiting for everything to dry so we can go out to lunch.
I'm so glad that everything they make for babies is washable.
I called Ken to tell him about it, and he said, "I guess this is going on the blog, isn't it?"
Yep.
The funny thing is, I really didn't mind it that much. I mean, this is my vocation, and it involves cleaning up a LOT of messes. I just knew it would be a funny story to tell later. Of course it would have been even funnier if it had happened to Ken - he's a little scared of poop. :-)
And: I'm going to Starbucks this afternoon.
I get to work at 8:00am. Madeleine sits in her carseat, just watching us happily, while I get Ava's breakfast, change her diaper, and put her down for her morning nap.
I go to pick up Madeleine, and I've never seen so much poop in my LIFE. Her diaper was on completely crooked. (Practice makes perfect, Ken!) It was all over her brand new 3-6 month outfit (first one today!) that my friend Jenny got her. We are going out to lunch with her and her son Jack today so I wanted to make sure she wore this particular outfit. It had a shirt and overalls. The poop was all over the shirt, the overalls, the carseat, the straps, EVERYTHING. I didn't have anywhere to put her, so I just had to put her on the changing pad, so poop got all over that too. Of course there was a load of clothes in the washer and the dryer, so I had to fold the clothes in the dryer, move the other clothes over, take the entire carseat apart, and wash everything. I also had to strip the poor baby completely down and clean her off with wipes as best as I could and then leave her poor little naked self (well, with a diaper) in the bouncy seat while I cleaned everything. And I had to clean all the straps with clorox wipes and then rinse them with water. So now we are waiting for everything to dry so we can go out to lunch.
I'm so glad that everything they make for babies is washable.
I called Ken to tell him about it, and he said, "I guess this is going on the blog, isn't it?"
Yep.
The funny thing is, I really didn't mind it that much. I mean, this is my vocation, and it involves cleaning up a LOT of messes. I just knew it would be a funny story to tell later. Of course it would have been even funnier if it had happened to Ken - he's a little scared of poop. :-)
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Stress
I've found that one of the most stressful things I can experience is my baby screaming in the backseat of the car while I'm driving and can't do anything about it. Well, today I found something more stressful.
I was driving home and both kids were relatively quiet in the car, so I decided to stop at the bank to deposit a check. I drove back to the drive thru, and there are two lines. One line had 4 cars in it and the other one had one. So I chose to go in the line that had one. Well, as soon as I got stuck in line, Madeleine started screaming. 10 minutes later (still in line), Ava couldn't take it anymore and started crying too. I knew what she was feeling - I kind of felt like crying too. Well, of course, all 4 cars in the other lane made their transactions and drove away, and the woman in the car in front of me was still sitting there. I was getting really on edge with both kids screaming, so I backed up and tried to go in the other lane. Apparantly I misjudged the distance and I scraped the entire side of my van on the red pole dividing the two lanes. I heard the most terrible scraping/crunching sound (over the screaming, so I knew it had to be bad.) The two people working at the bank window saw the whole thing and offered their condolences. The kids were still screaming and as I drove away, I started to cry too. Talk about stress.
Fortunately, the story has a relatively happy ending. I got home, fed Ava and put her down for her nap, fed Madeleine and put her in the swing, went outside and was able to rub all but the tiniest speck of red paint off my white van. I can barely tell anything happened.
Isn't this kind of like confession? When I do something to offend God, there must be a mark on my soul like the awful red mark on my white van. Then I go to confession, ask God's forgiveness, and he takes the sin away, making my soul look new again. Maybe God's telling me I need to go to confession.....
I was driving home and both kids were relatively quiet in the car, so I decided to stop at the bank to deposit a check. I drove back to the drive thru, and there are two lines. One line had 4 cars in it and the other one had one. So I chose to go in the line that had one. Well, as soon as I got stuck in line, Madeleine started screaming. 10 minutes later (still in line), Ava couldn't take it anymore and started crying too. I knew what she was feeling - I kind of felt like crying too. Well, of course, all 4 cars in the other lane made their transactions and drove away, and the woman in the car in front of me was still sitting there. I was getting really on edge with both kids screaming, so I backed up and tried to go in the other lane. Apparantly I misjudged the distance and I scraped the entire side of my van on the red pole dividing the two lanes. I heard the most terrible scraping/crunching sound (over the screaming, so I knew it had to be bad.) The two people working at the bank window saw the whole thing and offered their condolences. The kids were still screaming and as I drove away, I started to cry too. Talk about stress.
Fortunately, the story has a relatively happy ending. I got home, fed Ava and put her down for her nap, fed Madeleine and put her in the swing, went outside and was able to rub all but the tiniest speck of red paint off my white van. I can barely tell anything happened.
Isn't this kind of like confession? When I do something to offend God, there must be a mark on my soul like the awful red mark on my white van. Then I go to confession, ask God's forgiveness, and he takes the sin away, making my soul look new again. Maybe God's telling me I need to go to confession.....
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