How Do I miss Thee?

Mary Catherine has been away. We have prayed a Hail Mary for her every day. I periodically ask "I wonder what she's doing right now?" I know she is having a blast at the Catholic Girls Camp she's attending for a week. And I miss her! Not only do I miss her presence, but I miss being able to at least fool myself into thinking I know what her experiences and thoughts are. This is easy to do for the first several years of mothering. But I remember going to camp. I remember all the interactions with friends, the joys and frustrations, the things I learned about myself. I DON"T remember talking to my mother about them. This parent child relationship can be so intimate, and so lonely. Is Arveragus my consolation? So small and dependant and easy to read? If he is, it is bittersweet as I look into his milky face and imagine the 11 year old he may be one day. It is all so brief, and so beautiful.

Baby Music

Dear Sweet Arveragus,
I have always sung to my babies and you are no exception. The songs you like best are :

• "How Sweet it is (to be loved by You)", James Taylor
• "Everything's Alright" JC Superstar
• "Arveragus Asperagus, Mama's Little vegetable, Arveragus Asperagus, Mama's little plant."
• "The grand Old Duke of York" with you going up and down at the right times.

I want to hear you singing along, but am happy to snuggle you close and serenade for now.

Love, Mama

Birthday love from sisy

I can't believe you are already three months old! It seems like yesterday you were a baby. But you are still as cute as ever so I can't complain. Today Thalia saw you trying to crawl and you looked cuter than ever. I am going to miss you so much when I go away this week

I love you so much and hope you always stay this cute,

love Mary Catherine.

Siblings

I have the La Leche League library in the van. All 4 boxes. This is a great benefit when I am waiting for various children, friends, or spouses (ok--I only have one of those) to meet me. Today I grabbed "Siblings Without Rivalry". A great book which, like most of these parenting books, I enjoy re-reading every now and then to remind myself of the skills I have forgotten I have.

But wouldn't you know it--ever since I started skimming it the kids have been angels with one another. Sisters joking while doing dishes. Brothers running around like puppies. John Henry running upstairs to get Thaddeus when he woke-up this morning. Everyone wanting to help with the baby. It's bliss. It needs to be recorded for the times I'm sure they will be Cane's and Abel's! But today it is Bliss!

3 new skills and weight

• laughing--the classic pterodactyl chuckle
• rubbing eyes with fists
• shooting poop out of butt 3x's the distance of body--covering bed, mom, and dad who screamed "I've been hit!"
• According to the hanging scale at Lauren's house--14 lbs.

The Year of additions!

Most of the day I listen to table saws, circular saws, and hammers going crazy. The hammering is not just John, but the children also. Thankfully, Dad is willing to have little hands practice nailing things together.

Arveragus does not actually help all that much, but makes for a good prop when it's time for a photo.

So we will some day look back fondly on 07: the year we gained two additions is the family, one eternal, one earthly.

Call it what you will

Thaddeus and Arveragus have been my only pacifier babies. They are both frustrated thumb/finger suckers. Arveragus is still trying to get his fist in his mouth. Not easy to fall asleep with your fist in your mouth!

Anyway--there are a lot of names for pacifiers. Some we have heard, and use are:

Sus (my favorite)

Binky

Dummy (British)

Babu

Dodo

Can you add any?

Vacation shot

Arveragus,

This is just about the only picture I took of you during our week long vacation. Forgive me. We were very busy, and really didn't take too many pictures. Except for Mary Catherine who took a digital photography class and took 100+ pics of flowers, mountains, and people on ski lifts.

I love you--and take MANY pictures of you when we are home and not so busy!

Momma

Vacation shot

Arveragus,
This is just about the only picture I took of you during our week long vacation to Utah. Forgive me. We were very busy, and really didn't take too many pictures. Except for Mary Catherine who took a digital photography class and took 100+ pics of flowers, mountains, and people on ski lifts.

I love you--and take MANY pictures of you when we are home and not so busy!

Momma

Collard Greens

The vegetable that caused Arveragus enough intestinal pain to have him up from midnight to 1 am, and again at 3:30 am. This is remarkable because it was truly the first time I had to be out of bed at night to care for him.

If you don't have kids, trust me, this is AMAZING!

God Bless mellow babies! I'll even grant them the right to be up at night everything three months or so.