What's in a (Nick)name?

We affectionately refer to Felicity by a variety of names: Harry Wu, Miss Felice, Lumpy-Lump... But, most often, we all just call her 'Baby'. I don't know why, but we haven't done this with the other kids. I guess since we have older kiddos in the house now, it seems more appropriate to refer to the youngest one in this way...

Yesterday, however, Eustace said the words I loathe to hear. As I was discussing her activities for the day, I was using the phrase 'baby did this' or 'baby did that' when he interrupted me saying, "you know, Anne, she's not really a baby anymore."

What followed was a scowl and a pregnant pause.

She is a baby, MY baby. And she will be until (God-willing) the next little bundle comes along.

If it is God's plan that she should be our last baby, then a baby she will remain, in my eyes anyway. Maybe it's not right or not healthy that I should feel this way, but that's the way it is. I'm all for being honest about things, you see...

My husband, of all people, should understand this. He is the youngest of 5 closely- spaced boys. I'm sure if I asked my Mother-in-law, she would emphatically agree that he is her baby.

I don't mean that I won't encourage her independence or that I won't celebrate her achievements in life. I certainly will. but, underneath it all, whoever ends up being last in this family will be the baby, and I will relish every fleeting moment of his or her babyhood, and toddlerhood, and childhood. I'm trying to practice this with all my kids, really, because it's no cliche that 'it all goes by so fast.'

For now, 'Baby' can be a baby. I won't be rushing her along. Life does that quickly enough as it is.

Small Successes

I love this. Moms are getting together to share the little things in their lives that have gone well in the past week.

Here's my meager contribution:
1. I took Victor's potty seat apart and cleaned it thoroughly.

2. I had unpacked and returned all bags and suitcases to the closet within 24 hours of returning home from our trip last weekend (I had some help from my husband, too).

3. I found and purchased the most flattering bathing suit in the world on the Land's End Overstocks page. It was a great deal and a perfect fit.

Tonight's Dinner Menu

My reasons for sharing our menu from dinner tonight are two-fold:

1. If there is anyone who feels like an inadequate mother, reading this will make you feel better.

2. If you're thinking of stopping by our house for dinner, you'll be sure to check Eustace's schedule first. If he's working nights, steer clear.

If I had slaved for hours over a gourmet dish, I would have had turned-up noses. With the following, I had more oohs and aahs than I've heard over a meal in a long while:

-blueberries

-chex mix (made by my mom)

-leftover mac and cheese

-and for dessert, hard-boiled eggs, because I was feeling guilty about lack of
protein.

I hope somebody will tell me that I'm not the only person who occasionally feeds her families meals such as this.

25 Things

Have you seen the message circulating through emails and facebook called '25 Things'? If you're tagged, you're supposed to list 25 little-known facts about yourself. It's probably because weather conditions and landscape are less-than-inspiring right now that people have time for this kind of thing. Well, I'm not too proud to play along. I'm sure there is a closet I should be organizing, but I"ll do this instead. Here they are - 25 things about me that you may not know:

1. I hate flying. I agree to it only when absolutely necessary. I first learned the Hail Mary prayer while flying long before I was actually Catholic.

2. I like almost every kind of food except water chestnuts and bananas (I will eat them, though!).

3. I use cloth diapers as much as possible. My favorite brand is Mother-ease.

4. I'm kind of a crunchy con (conservative, that is. not convict).

5. I use Natural Family Planning ('we' would be more accurate) and can't imagine not understanding my body in the way it requires.

6. I have breastfed my kids past age 2 (years, that is).

7. As a child, I was sure I would one day be an Olympic figure skater (although I never had one single ice skating lesson!)

8. I was a cheerleader in high school.

9. I have a master's degree in gerontology (I like old people).

10. I ran a marathon 11 years ago.

11. I love the movie 'Legally Blonde' (If you're scandalized, I apologize! It's a guilty pleasure, for sure)

12. In my previous life (before kids) I worked as a physical therapist. I loved working with stroke patients.

13. I once held my junior high's record in the girls' high jump.

14. I love to drink coffee with a shot of Bailey's.

15. I had never eaten Indian food prior to meeting my husband, and now it's my favorite.

16. I think no outfit is complete without really warm socks and dangly earrings (in summer, substitute comfy sandals and dangly earrings).

17. My husband and I watched "Alf" on our wedding night.

18. My favorite actor is Will Smith and favorite actress is Bonnie Hunt.

19. I love the city of Pittsburgh and would move back there if I could convince all my family and friends to come along. We do still have great friends there. Oh yes, and I'd have to talk my husband into it, too. Wouldn't want to go without him!

20. I really like Ann Coulter.

21. I had surgery on my eye when I was 4.

22. My paternal grandmother and I shared a birthday and a middle name (Arlene).

23. My biggest regret is that I didn't take Lucy into the ICU to visit my Grandmother one more time before she died (too afraid of germs). My grandma's last words to me were, "Where's Lucy?" (she was 4 months old at the time, my grandma was 89).

24. I really like the idea of unschooling. Oh wait, that's not a little-known fact.

25. My husband and I had our first 'official' date at a restaurant called 'Figlio' and I showed up 20 minutes late.

Random Thoughts on a Friday

I have a few tidbits to record... some random, unrelated items I've been wanting to post, so here goes:

-First and foremost, I'm going to be an aunt again!! I'm not one hundred percent sure I have permission to share details, so I won't. You'll have to guess who exactly is expecting... Is there any more exciting news than a pregnancy? I think not.

-We're on a road trip. We're visiting our favorite religious order in Illinois, the Brothers of St. John. We love coming here. It is always a huge blessing to our whole family. We forgot the camera, of course, but we're hoping the disposable one we bought yesterday will come through.

-Baby has a new word: 'apple.' She uses it for any item of food and any time she is hungry. It has pretty much replaced her using the 'food' sign.

-We have a new president (no duh). I remain hopeful that he will come around on some important issues. Call me crazy, but I am forcing myself to remain optimistic. My prayers for this great country have never been more fervent, and I'm sure I"m not the only one whose prayers have intensified. God hears us. Of that I am certain.

-I'm in the hotel business center, and my family just started banging on the door. LOL! Guess it's time to log off.

God bless!!!!

Faith & Family Live! : Powerful Pro-Life Ad

Faith & Family Live! : Powerful Pro-Life Ad

Posted using ShareThis

Widget whereabouts

See that cool widget below this post? I really wanted it in my sidebar. If anyone reads this and knows how to get it there, could you please let me know?

Signed,
Clueless on the Computer

New SpringWidget

Get this widget!

Saturday Morning and a New Furnace

After hours of haggling and investigating yesterday, we made a decision, and the furnace guys are installing the new heater even as I write!! Forget taking a few days to make a choice - the need for immediate action became very obvious yesterday as I sat huddled in front of the fireplace with all 3 kids and the dog.

This is very exciting. The cracks in the heat exchanger have been making me nervous for a year (with a few months reprieve in the summer when the furnace was the furthest thing from my mind).

It's a little chilly in the house right now, so we're probably headed to either the neighbors' or our bed to huddle under the covers.

This Old House

Well, it's not that old. It's only 17. But our trusty furnace is approaching the end of her days. In this frigid air, she just can't keep up. We're praying she hangs on a few more days, through this cold spell, until we can get a few estimates and make a decision... We're following my mom's advice today and 'layering up'!

What did you do on this sub-zero day?

We went swimming.

I kid you not.

Granted, it was nice and toasty warm in the pool area at our YMCA, and by reports the water was fairly warm. But, seriously, who wants to get wet in public in this freezing weather? Well, we signed up, by golly, so we were going to swimming lessons today. We all survived swimmingly.

Ballet, on the other hand, our completely dry activity, was cancelled.

Time for hot chocolate, I say. And fuzzy slippers.

Just wanted to share...

...a little something that Lucy wrote. She was inspired by the novena we're praying to Our Lady for the upcoming vote on FOCA. I'm correcting some of the spelling in the interest of readability. But mostly, I'm leaving her spelling, theology, wording, punctuation as is. We've decided to pray this prayer for the next 7 days in lieu of our original novena. Here it is:

Oh Immaculate Conception, you said yes to God. it was a big yes because if you said no their would be no Jesus!! So, I thank you oh Mary for saying yes. So I made this prayer for you


Oh Mary mother of God, Moms are wonderful (my mom is the best.) but you are the mom of all moms. your son is the son of all sons. your husband is the husband of all husbands. oh mary let the holy spirit come upon you and let your Son be the light of the World. Amen.

Thank you, President Bush

From the Susan B. Anthony List Website:


In 2004, President Bush said, “It’s important to promote a culture of life. I think a hospitable society is a society where every being counts and every person matters. I believe the ideal world is one in which every child is protected in law and welcomed to life.”

The President spoke out of true conviction. His record over the past eight years has made clear his dedication to advancing a culture of life where every human life is valued and protected under the law.

In 2002, President Bush signed the Born Alive Infant Protection Act, requiring that Federal law recognize any and every infant born alive as an individual deserving of rights, including the survivors of abortion attempts. The very next year, he called for and signed the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act, thereby outlawing the heinous practice of partial birth abortion. Close on the heels of these two laws came the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, which Bush signed in 2004 and which created a separate criminal offense for any person who causes the death of injury of a child in the womb. Finally, he prohibited the solicitation or acceptance of tissue from fetuses created for research purposes when he signed the Fetus Farming Prohibition Act in 2006.

The President also worked to defend health care providers by issuing a regulation allowing them to follow their conscience in matters of ethics and morals. He also stood up for the interests of pro-life taxpayers: he protected restrictions on the use of taxpayer dollars by promising to veto any legislation that would weaken Federal abortion policies or that encouraged the destruction of human life at any stage of development. Additionally, he vetoed two bills that would have used taxpayer dollars to fund embryo-destructive research.

President Bush worked to create a culture of life not only in the United States, but also abroad. He prohibited NGOs receiving U.S. funding from performing or promoting abortions and restored the Mexico City Policy, thus guaranteeing that international family planning programs do not subsidize or promote abortion.

It’s been a great eight years for the pro-life movement. Thank you President Bush!

Pro-life activists across the country stand ready to defend your pro-life legacy during the next administration.

Wednesday Update

The breaking news headlines from our house:

-Baby Has a Croupy Cough and Eye Boogers in Neon Green

-Seven-year-old Discovers the Joy of Breakfast in Bed and Milks Every Slight Discomfort to This End

-Four-year-old (almost) Gets Dragged to Pediatrician with Sister (combine sick and well visits? why not. must be efficient...) and Announces to All Office Staff:"No, No, No, I cancelled my doctor's appointment."

-Swim and Gym Was Cancelled Due to Weather Anyway, So We're Not Missing Anything

-Mom Starts Blogging and Burns Bacon

Still working on it

Dad: "What does V-I-C-T-O-R spell?"

Vic: "Car!"

Dad: "OK, what does C-A-R spell?"

Vic: "Victor!"

Facebook is Freaky

Several of my friends have facebook profiles, so I decided to sign up. I had no idea what it was all about - probably should have looked into it before I took the leap. I thought it was just looking at cute pictures of my friends' kids, but it is actually a way to link to any number of other people in pretty close to real time. I've had a profile for all of 3 days, and people I haven't heard a word about in 18 years have already 'found' me. Not that I was hiding. And, actually, it's nice to hear from the people who have popped up so far. I'm just a little nervous about who might be next...

There is no obligation to accept another person as a friend, which means he or she has acccess to the info you've provided about yourself. I'm just not sure how I'll feel about actually clicking on the 'reject' button if necessary.

It's all just a little 'in your face' for me. Maybe that's why they call it 'facebook.'

The Shirt Says It All