Daybook

Just popping in to say a quick hi and breaking all the blogger rules--no explanations, no promises, no pictures. Are there blogger rules? Like, you have to explain if you come back after a long/unexpected absence, and you have to set goals and tell the whole internet about them to keep you accountable (then offer more explanations when you fail to meet those goals anyway), and always post pictures because posts without pictures are boring and un-pinnable. Is "pinnable" a word? "Pinable"? There's another rule to break...

Whatevs. (And that IS apparently a word because "the computer guys" didn't put a squiggly red line under it, as Michael would say...)

I've missed blogging, but I didn't feel like I had much to say. Especially not after pushing through a rough couple of weeks to meet a deadline at the end of August, recovering for a month, then surviving (mostly, I'm not quite done) another crazy two weeks for the next project. Maybe I'll do a post about all those projects... next year...

But I was inspired and motivated by Bobby's  Weekly Writing in October link-up, especially when she suggested that if we needed something to get us started we could just go with a daybook kind of post. I can do that! I think I can I think I can I think I can... Chug chug chug, puff puff puff puff...

What, you don't randomly start reciting children's books in the middle of conversation?

So, with no further ado, currently I am:

reading
The Anne books, for the zillionth time. I'm on Anne of the Island and almost cried last night when Anne refused Gilbert's proposal. These are books that truly get better every single time, and I just have to read them in autumn. (Michael would tell me I don't "have to," I just really want to. He told me that the other day when I needed coffee. Good gracious.)

Also trying to read Augustine's Confessions. Because I'm ashamed I've never read the whole thing, and every time I read a passage from it for something else it is so beautiful and moving. I'm thinking this is one area where it's not really the thought that counts...

praying
This prayer from St. Augustine:

Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy. 

Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. 

Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy. 

Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy. 

Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy. 

Amen.

And Psalm 131:

O Lord, my heart is not lifted up,

my eyes are not raised too high;

I do not occupy myself with things

too great and too marvelous for me.

But I have calmed and quieted my soul,

like a child quieted at its mother's breast;

like a child that is quieted is my soul.

O Israel, hope in the Lord

from this time forth and for evermore.

I just "discovered" this psalm and I am totally taken with it. Maybe because I feel like I'm almost never quieted and I am usually occupied with things too great (or at least too much!) for me.

listening

For Colette to wake up. Because teething. Ugh.

around the house

My parents moved in last week! Yes, moved in to stay. No, they're not in poor health (thanks be to God). Yes, we actually just all wanted to live in the same house. There's more to it than that--but it deserves its own post. You know, next year.

We put a lot of (pretty minor but very time consuming) work into the house and yard this summer getting ready for a refinance. And it totally paid off (hahaha, I'm so exhausted look how funny I am). But there's a lot more to do, starting with redoing the retaining wall along the garden/weed bed in front of the house--because the current wall is not doing a particularly good job at retaining and consequently the porch is sinking and starting to pull away from the house. No bueno. So that's next on the list, along with finishing (because planning totally means we've started, right?) the necessary remodeling to turn the basement into a bedroom and living room instead of one giant toy room.

watching

NCIS with Alex. We're almost caught up on Netflix (we took a semi-unintentional hiatus a couple years ago and fell off the wagon). This is some serious relationship-building stuff for us, because if it weren't for NCIS we would probably never have gotten married. Also deserving of its own post--I don't think I've ever told the story here. Man, these daybook things are fantastic for generating post ideas! But remember, no promises.

enjoying

October. It's my favorite. 

Watching Colette's personality and sense of humor continue to emerge. When she's really tired but happy she does this thing where she just shakes here back and forth until she starts leaning and wobbling all over the place. It's hilarious--until she smacks you in the nose with the back of her head.

Watching Michael learn and grow this past month of homeschooling. I love his curiosity (mostly), and watching his mind work is just a delight (mostly).

Listening to John Paul talk--he sounds so much older than 2 1/2. Last Thursday was a really rough morning, and at one point I had gathered all of the kids around me to try to hug all of them at once after having yelled at all of them for--I can't even remember. So rough. But I was crying and apologizing for yelling, and JP just looked at me and said "Is okay Mama. No woozles." Because apparently he thought I was crying because I was scared of the woozles.

Seeing Liam transition from toddler to big boy. He's almost four, so I guess he hasn't really been a toddler for almost a year. But suddenly he's seeming so old. He can be so sweet and so thoughtful, and also so mischievous and so creative. And his delight when he answers a question or sounds out a phonics exercise is the sweetest.

Dabbling in genealogy. So far I've traced ancestors back to Scotland in the early 1700s, Cape May, NJ in the early 1700s, and France and Switzerland in the early 1800s. And I'm pretty sure there's a direct line to William the Conqueror, because I remember reading some of the documents one of my uncles put together when I was in high school and then trying to impress some history-nerd friends with it. If I remember correctly they failed to be properly awed by my distinguished lineage.

And with that, I should probably do the dishes and fold some laundry* before bed. I mean, before Colette needs her 9pm snack, to be followed by her 10pm snack, to be followed by her 3am snack, to be followed by her 5am rise-and-shine routine. Or at least that's how it went last night...

*In the interest of full disclosure, I refused Alex's offer to clean the kitchen and won't let him help me fold the laundry, because those chores are my chance to watch Netflix and as long as there isn't an imminent deadline I would generally rather do them myself. They're almost as much of a luxury as a chore, however bizarre that may be.

Check out the other weekly writings at Revolution of Love, and I'll try to be back here before next Saturday--maybe even with pictures! (Oh wait, no promises!)

Hoodlums

I don't know what it is about hoods, but the boys love them.

And Colette fits right in with the rest of the crew.

Michael has called her Colette Cynthia pretty consistently ever since we told the boys they were getting a little sister and what her name would be. Recently Liam has started calling her by her full name as well. For the first almost three months John Paul just called her "Baby," and it's only within the last month or so that he's started calling her "Kett." I didn't think anything could get more adorable than that, but about a week ago he started calling her by her full name as well--it comes out as "Kynthia" and I kind of hope he calls her that forever. It's the sweetest.

Boy Talk

M: When I grow up, I'm going to have two jobs! I'm going to be an engineer and a fire fighter.

Ash: That sounds like a great idea, Michael.

L: And I'm goina be a engimeer and a train!

M: And when I grow up I'm going to live in a house close to the tracks. But far away from you.
Ash: Oh no! That would make me sad if you lived far away from me.
M: But I'll be a grown up!
Ash: But even when you're a grown up I will miss you if you are far way.
M: It's okay, because when I die I'll come to see you in heaven.

Alex: I'm going to have to call shenanigans here pretty soon.
M: Why? Is it a boy or a girl? Who is She-nan?

(looking at pictures in a book)
M: That's an ambulance!
L: That's not a ambiance!
M: It is an ambulance!
L: It is not a ambiance!
M: Oh, right. That's a tank.

M: Knock knock.
Ash: Who's there?
M: Interrupting banana.
Ash: Interrupting banan...
M: SPLAT!

L: (watching me dip bread in batter) Oh no! Mama's fingers are all French toasted!

L: (wearing his new blue cape and his engineer hat) I'm a super conductor!

Alex: Liam, are you sad?
L: No, I'm not.
Alex: Are you happy?
L: No, I'm not.
Alex: Are you mad?
L: No, I'm not.
Alex: Are you...?
L: No, I'm not.
Alex: We need to work on your philosophical s.... (was going to say "stuff")
L: Do they taste good?





Ash: (commenting on our pork chops and sweet potato hash dinner) I think it's practically paleo.
M: What's paleo?
Alex: Paleo means really old.
M: But we always throw away paleo food!

Boy Talk

Michael (4 1/2)

Alex: Mama's pretty awesome, isn't she?

M: Yeah. And pregnant!

M: (enunciating very deliberately) My ears have yaks in them!

Ash: Um, wax, not yaks. 

M: (much screaming from the basement)
Ash: Michael! What's wrong? Are you hurt?
M: (sobbing) No! My church fell over and that's not what I expected it to do!
poor guy... sometimes Legos are more trouble than they're worth...

M: I think I'll need grown-up underwear.
Ash: Um, okay. Do you need some new underwear? Are those getting too small for you?
M: No, when I'm a grown-up.
Ash: Yes. You'll need grown-up underwear when you're a grown-up.
M: And then I'll live in my wife's house.
Ash: Oh, okay.
M: Across the sea.
Ash: Oh! That will be far away!
M: Well, I will have some vacations.
Ash: I think vacations will be a good idea.


Liam (almost 3)

L: (much screaming from the basement)
Alex: What happened?
L: John Paul took it from me!
Alex: What did John Paul take?
L: John Paul did it!
Alex: But what did he do?
L: John Paul took it away from me!
Alex: I know Liam, but what did he take away from you?
L: I don't know...

L: Knock knock!
Alex: Who's there?
L: Banana.
Alex: Banana who?
L: Banana orange!
and then he laughs hysterically like he just told the best joke in the whole world... it's the only joke he ever tells--and he cracks himself up each time

L: Hey, I have an idea! I have an idea!
Ash: What's your idea, sweetie?
L: I don't know...
Ash: You don't know what your idea is?
L: It went downstairs.

Ash: Liam, you need to eat some of your chicken if you want ice cream after dinner.
Liam: I have an idea!
Ash: What's your idea?
Liam: No!

the boys with Grandpa this summer

Top 10 Reasons My 4 Year Old is Out of Bed--You Won't Believe Number 6!

Sorry, I couldn't resist. Please tell me I'm not the only one who finds internet headlines ridiculous and obnoxious. And yet they are so ubiquitous that I find myself thinking in them... ugh.

Regardless, I really do have 10 reasons to share for why my 4 year old is not in his bed (as he should be). Whether or not number 6 blows your mind... well, nobody else on the internet gets sued for false advertising in their headlines, right? ;)

Without further ado:

10) (any time) "I have to go potty!" Let's just get the obvious out of the way, shall we? But really, no complaints here as I would far rather take him to the bathroom kick Alex out of bed to take him to the bathroom than change his sheets!

9) (3am) "I had a dream that I talked to a stranger and he spit on me." What?! Obviously we need to have another talk about not talking to strangers, but not in the middle of the night!

8) (4am) "I heard ghost/monster/something else noises in the wall." This one always makes me sad because I hate the thought of him being scared... but he gets up and comes into our room to tell us, so he's obviously not too scared. And they have a sound machine, so he can't even hear the house settle or cars outside.

7) (15 minutes after being tucked in) "I can't sleep. Liam's talking to me." He would stop talking to you if you would stop talking to him!

6) (2am) "Daddy! Liam's not in his crib!" Note: Liam has never (knock on wood) climbed out of his crib. After Alex took M back to his room: "Oh, there he is!"

5) (usually the second time he's up after being tucked in) "My covers are in a mess!" Your covers would stay perfectly arranged if you would just stay in bed!

4) (5 minutes after being tucked in) "My bed is broken!" The fitted sheet had come untucked from one corner. Slightly.

3) (5 minutes after being tucked in) "It's being a rough night." It wouldn't be half so rough if you would stay in bed long enough to fall asleep! But let's pray your Guardian Angel prayer anyway...

2) (5 minutes after being tucked in) "I'm having rough dreams." Pretty sure you haven't been having any dreams yet, buddy. But let's pray your Guardian Angel prayer anyway...

1) "Can I be awake?" No! It is still dark outside! Go back to bed and stay there, please!

Boy Talk

Michael (4):

Ash: That's a lot of lotion, make sure to rub it all in.
M: On my flippers?
Ash: ... Your flippers?
M: Yeah.
Ash: You don't have flippers.
M: pointing These.
Ash: Those are your knuckles.
M: Oh.

(upset because Liam's dinosaur was getting a little too close to his carefully constructed scene) Liam is getting into my business! He needs to get into his own business!

(upset because John Paul was trying to take apart his Lego sheep) Mama! This sheep is my homework and John Paul is always destroying my homework!
I'm sensing a pattern here... Welcome to your life as the firstborn, my son.



Alex: Michael, what are you drawing?
M: I don't know. What does it look like? (his standard line whenever he draws anything)
Alex: Hmmm... Is it a plate of spaghetti?
M: No it's not! It's worms attacking each other. But that's not nice.

Ash: Michael, who is the Lamb of God?
M: Um... Jesus!
Ash: Very good!
M: But what would happen if he turns into a boy?
Ash: Well, he's not really a lamb, like an animal, but it's a way of saying that he takes away the sins of the world.
M: without missing a beat That's too bad!

Liam (2):

L: A Thomas-ache! A Thomas-ache!
Ash: You have a tummy ache?
L: Yeah! A Thomas-ache!
You are so happy about it, I rather doubt it... 

Hep yoo! Hep yoo! whenever he needs help... I love it

but let's be honest--when you're two and your trains simply won't cooperate,
remembering to use your words isn't exactly high on your list of priorities

L: puts a blanket on his head A elf-unt! A elf-unt!
Ash: Are you an elephant?
L: Yeah! Moo!
Ash: No, an elephant doesn't say moo! What does an elephant say?
L: Raaawwwr!

upon observing me poking Alex in the ribs for stealing my phone: Mama! No a-hit Daddy.

John Paul (11 months):

A lot of "ooh" and "daa" and mimicking the craziness of his brothers

Happy Birthday, Liam the Agreeable!

Guess who turned two? This guy!

Two months ago... whoops!

At least we celebrated his birthday on time! We had an All Saints Day/Construction themed party mash-up.

From left to right: Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati, St. Joseph, and David.

Later St. Joseph went from 1st century carpenter to a modern construction worker who was too busy to stand very still for a picture.

Once everyone had a hard hat we moved outside to crack open geodes. Notice the impressive mix of costumes combined with the party hats. So random. So us.

Daddy's birthday helper.

I made this icebox cake (with the homemade wafers) and I was thrilled with how it turned out... despite the achy muscles from hand-whisking that much whipped cream.

And it must have been a hit, because the rest of the family has requested it for Michael's birthday party in a couple weeks. We shall see; so far Michael's requests for birthday food have been ice cream, ice cream cake, and corn on the cob (?!). Come back in March when I finally get around to blogging about Michael's birthday, just before it's time to celebrate John Paul's birthday. Hmm... I'm sensing a pattern here.

Back to this guy!

Two is both my favorite and not-my-favorite age. There is a generally delightful abundance of communication and an often frustrating lack of reason. Liam is talking up a storm, and I absolutely love it. Right now everything is "dat's siwwy!" He and Michael got a talking Spencer ("Sodor's sleek silver bullet," for those of you not up on your Thomas and Friends) from Cici for Christmas, and one of the things it says is, "I'm Spencer the Grand!" When Liam is playing with it he always repeats, "Pencer da Gwand, dat's siwwy!" Spencer also says, "Out of my way, slowcoach!" and now Liam can often be found running laps around the house yelling "Ow da way, so-hoach!"

Partially inspired by Spencer the Grand, we've started calling Liam "Liam the Agreeable" because his answer to almost any question is "Yeah," regardless of his actual opinion or intent. Alex and I joke that he is the second son from the parable in Matthew 21:28-32. Liam is the one to immediately and docilely answer "yeah" or "o-hay," and then run off and do the opposite of whatever we asked (or forbade).

He is constantly following and mimicking Michael. I hope Michael loves it as much as I do. Liam repeats whatever Michael says, mimics whatever he does, follows wherever he leads. If Michael is sent to timeout, Liam will go along and sit down next to him. But he is also totally his own little person, with his own sense of humor and mischief. He is also a wonderful big brother, incredibly sweet and affectionate to John Paul... except when he is (not infrequently) stealing his toys.

My favorite is when Liam prays. He make the Sign of the Cross (more or less... most days a little less than more) and prays with us before meals. He sings and prays along in Mass. When he hears the bells at the consecration he always whips his head around and whisper-yells, "Jesus!" and it always melts my heart. He has established his own little litany of patron saints when we pray together as a family after Mass, and it goes something like this: "St. Thomas... St. James... St. Henry... St. Percy..." Okay, so maybe he's a little confused about differentiating between saints and trains, but in his defense Thomas, James, and Henry are all saint names, and  there is a Bl. Thomas Percy. I love how proud of himself he is as he announces each name and waits for the rest of us to ask their intercession.

Oh Liam Roderick, you are a joy and a handful. We love you so dearly and we are so thankful for you!

{p,h,f,r} & Theme Thursday: Crack (me up)--My Boys

Oh these boys. How I love them.

And I also love when they are running around the yard, expending all their energy, playing happily together, totally entertained... for all of, you know, three minutes.

But this week we received an especially wonderful hand-me-down from my brother- and sister-in-law. And playtime in the yard has reached a whole new level of awesomeness. Which is to say, we are actually playing in the yard. Multiple days in a row. For hours at a time.

{pretty} / {funny}

As I was taking this picture, Michael was yelling: "Mama! Come back! You're in GREAT DANGER! You went away from us and you're going to get a BIG OWIE!" Obviously the long talks about how it's important to listen to Mama and Daddy and stay close to us when we say so have made an impression. The gift of Hilaire Belloc's Cautionary Tales for Children to the boys from Liam's godfather may have helped as well... 

Also linking this one up with Cari for Theme Thursday because that totally cracked me up. 

{happy}

John Paul was loving the outside playtime as well. I was all set to take a picture of him sitting up, because this week he hit my all-time favorite stage of development: sitting up by himself with enough balance to play happily for extended periods of time, not losing his balance and falling over, but also not getting back down onto his stomach on purpose yet (and scooting away to chew on things he shouldn't)... but as I was taking pictures of him sitting up he very gracefully and deliberately leaned over and started scooting off the blanket. 

*sigh* 

I guess I should be grateful I got two whole days of stable-stationary-sitting.

{real}

Very real. Also real? Baby now awake and wanting his post-bedtime-pre-midnight snack.

Boy Talk: Theology Lesson with Michael

After singing a new song while tucking him at nap time:

M: What was that song called?
Ash: "This Day God Gives Me"
M: Gives me what?
Ash: Well, God gives us everything we need, every day.
M: very emphatic and very concerned But, Mama! God doesn't have chicken nuggets!

I don't think he was entirely convinced when I explained that God provides what we need to make/buy chicken nuggets...

love the milk mustache, Mr. Michael

Notes from the trenches: Spanish lessons, alligator games, and Bible stories with Michael

I've been meaning to blog forever... so much has been going on and I just couldn't manage to get around to it.

And then today I decided to totally redo the design. I wasn't pleased with the last version. I think this is my particular manifestation of the infamous Rappana rearranging gene. We'll see how long I keep this one...

Just a few brief stories, and then I really need to clean the kitchen. And I really need to get to bed before 11:30 tonight!

John Paul is enjoying the unadulterated adoration of his big brothers. Michael insists that we all call him "John PAOW," and Liam's pronunciation sounds mostly like "Pablo" these days. So Alex and I have generally taken to calling him Pablo.

I told Michael that JP's name in Spanish would be "Juan Pablo," and now he's very interested in everyone's Spanish names. He can also count to nine in Spanish, but he always skips siete, for some reason. Thank you, Little Pim.

Liam's current favorite game is talking about the alligators in the dining room (thank you Grandpa and Grandma for sparking his interest and telling us what alligators sound like). It goes something like this:
Liam (in a worried voice): Dators?
Ash: Are there alligators
Liam (still worried): Yeah
Ash: What do the alligators say?
Liam: RAWR
Ash: Oh dear!
Pablo: (laughs hysterically)
Liam (worried again): Yowd
Ash: Are they loud?
Liam: Yeah
repeat, multiple times per day

I love telling Michael Bible stories, and I love the questions and commentary he provides. Yesterday we were reading a children's book about the Last Supper, and it included the story of Peter walking on the water (because Jesus was sad and the Apostles were trying to cheer him up with stories about their time together). I was really trying to get Michael involved, so after I told him that Jesus could walk on water because he is God, I asked M if he could walk on water. "No!" he said, "I would sink and a shark would eat me! Or an alligator."

We are all about the aquatic predators in this house, apparently.

Okay, dishes are calling. Goodnight!

Boy Talk: The Liam Files

Oh my goodness. This boy and his words. Here are some of our current favorites at the ripe old age of 21 months:

nooch - smooch
huds - hugs
tatu tatu tatu tatu! - thank you
jiu-jies - blueberries
Hah-POHL - John Paul
Za-Za - Liam (your guess is as good as mine)
Dado - Michael
cahs- cars
tuts - trucks
tocter - helicopter or airplane
bye! bye tocter! (with wave) - whenever he hears an airplane overhead
roosrie - rosary
nuch - lunch
nook - milk
ashishus - delicious
paffles - waffles
tah-tos - crackers
tsatser! (always deep and growly) - soccer
dah-poo - diaper
pwack! pwack! - when you ask him what a duck says
a-joo-ja - alleluia

more interested in the pacifier now than he ever has been... and more interested in it than JP is too

such a good big brother

he wouldn't hold still enough for a non-blurry picture, but the hat reads "I hunt for hugs."
It suits him :)

cool dude!

do you think maybe we're related?

flying a "tocter"

getting adventurous with the sprinkler

reading stories with Grandma

Look for more boy talk coming soon from this chatty, busy little fellow! As Liam would say, "Ah joo!" (I love you!)