Easter Blessing

Felicity and I were at the back of church Saturday evening (our usual post, besides the cry room). The gifts were still waiting to be carried forward, so the unconsecrated hosts (for communion) were in full view for a toddler's vantage point. Felicity was just looking at them and repeating the same words over and over. I finally realized what she was saying...

Her word for most foods is 'apple'. At that moment she was saying, "Jesus apple."

Apparently, despite all the wiggling, babbling, walking/running around during church, something is sinking in. No one will ever convince me that it's better to leave little ones at home.

Help! Is it naptime yet?!

I'm having flashbacks to the year Victor was approaching 2, and Lucy and I were working our way through Kindergarten. I've read so many articles on how to homeschool with toddlers running around. I've tried the suggested approaches: have special activities to pull out during 'school time', do something special with the little ones first so they're not feeling neglected, etc. Some of these ideas have worked for a short time, but the bottom line is this: my toddlers seem to want only one thing. That is, they want to do EXACTLY what the big kids are doing and nothing else. Even Victor is feeling this way to a degree. He isn't that interested in the books I have for his level. He wants to do what Lucy is doing. We're working our way through this issue day by day, but the real challenge right now is Number Three.

Yes, Felicity is at it again. We affectionately call her destructo-baby. At times, she is content to sit in her own desk and scribble on her own paper. But mostly, she wants to steal Lucy's pencil, write on Lucy's paper, and generally create mayhem wherever she goes. If she's not trying to get involved in our learning activity, she might be content to wander into the kitchen or laundry room and tear apart whatever strikes her fancy. The house is child-proofed, but now that she can climb onto the table ever-so-quietly, I can't really allow her out of my sight.

We've moved Lucy to higher ground (the island) to avoid mishaps such as this morning's incident. I was in the kitchen when I heard, "Mom, the baby just stabbed me in the eye with my pencil!!" (Er, you're 7 1/2, she's 1 1/2, how did she accost you with your pencil? Anyway, probably a case of big sister being overly generous...)

So, I'm remembering now how we made it through the school year when Victor was at this trying age. We just waited until naptime to do school stuff.

That may need to be my new strategy. Or, is it too early to start summer vacation?

Happy Easter!

We made a 24-hour trip to Eustace's hometown for some Indian home-cooking (yum), the Easter Vigil, and a lovely brunch with all the family on his side. The cousins had all kinds of fun, we ate too much, and the weather was perfect (OK, maybe a little on the chilly side, but it was bright and sunny and not snowing).

Sunday afternoon we went to my parents house for an Easter egg hunt, more cousin chaos, and my mom's home-cooking. It was a good day.

The highlight of the weekend was my sister-in-law's baptism and reception into the Catholic Church. If you've never been to a Catholic Easter Vigil (which means it takes place on Saturday night before Easter Sunday), you should seek one out. The liturgy is really beautiful. It starts outside with a fire. The priest then carries a huge candle into a completely dark church, and the light is passed candle to candle while the celebrant sings, "Christ our light! Thanks be to God!" It is the highlight of the liturgical year. Most of the adult baptisms and confirmations for the year take place at this service. It is LONG. Witnessing a dear family member's baptism, though, definitely makes the struggle of getting through it with small children 100% worth it.

Once again, I can't find the camera. When it surfaces, I have some pictures to share.

Nice Try

Victor: Mom, our new word for "borrow" is "have".

The final stretch

My poor husband is on day 20 of a 21-day working stretch. It has been a little on the brutal side. When he was a resident and a fellow, this was par for the course. It was hard then, too, but we were younger and had fewer children. Maybe we've just gotten soft, but we're feeling the strain of too much work and too little rest.

Obviously, he's the one working and I"m the one at home. He's the one dealing with critically ill patients. My responsibilities basically stay the same whether he's here or not (except when he's home, I get a lot of help). I'm fighting battles such as negotiating the amount of honey you get to spread on your bread when you just ate a donut hole and probably don't need any more sugar. But, I get tired, too, when his schedule is like this (hence, the donut holes). It stinks not having your husband around as much as you'd like, just to hang out with. I'm glad that our marriage is based on a friendship that I really miss when he's gone more than usual. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, right?

Anyway, I write this not to whine (although it sure sounds a lot like whining, doesn't it?), but to explain a few things that are happening at the moment.

For one, the baby is eating paper. She found a sheet of finished copywork and is eating it bite by bite. I"m letting her. On a more energetic day, I would probably take it from her hands and replace it with something more nutritious. Today, she gets to eat what she wants, as long as it's not poisonous, filthy, or a choking hazard.

Victor's on his third 'Henry's Amazing Animals' video. By the way, I sure wish these were out on DVD. But, tonight there will be more movie watching while I count down the minutes to bedtime.

Tonight's dinner menu is 'Lucy's Best Tuna Salad' (yes, she named it and made it) and frozen pizza. Yummy.

Well, the good news is, a few days off are on the way, and just in time for Holy Week Liturgies. Then we can ponder how insignificant this trial compared with the suffering Jesus endured for all of us.

Attention Mothers, Fathers, and Anyone Feeling Discouraged by Living in our Current Cultural Climate

I highly recommend reading this article.

If that doesn't work, go to Insidecatholic.com and check out Danielle Bean's column, "Be Not Afraid."

Saturday Morning

It's 9:05, we're all in our jammies (except Daddy, who left for work hours ago...), snuggled on the couch watching 'Wonder Pets' while the Sears service guys slave away on our appliances. No problems, just annual maintenance, but I love the thought of getting all the nooks and crannies cleaned out, belts replaced, etc. I'm sure the next load of dishes or laundry will be (or, at least, will seem) cleaner, brighter, quieter. We are hard on our trusty machines around here, and they deserve a little TLC.

I wonder if these technicians are accustomed to greeting their customers in their fuzzy slippers with wild hair and coffee mugs in hand? Hmmmm, maybe I should have made myself more presentable. Too late now...