20 things that happened in the last 40 days

1.

We went apple-picking in the Valley, on a glorious sunny October Thursday. I talked Patrick into taking a day off mid-week, and it was heaven. We picked 60 pounds of apples, and did our first attempt at food preservation -- freezing, making apple butter, and apple cider.

2.

I burnt the apple cider. (Note in the above that I said it was an "attempt.)

3.

I realized that some blogs I had been reading are actually not healthy for me mentally or spiritually. This could be worthy of its own post, but suffice to say, unless I am your personal friend or I find your blog a source of encouragement to my vocation, I can't read it anymore. If every time I sit down to read it, I think "How in heaven's name are they DOING all these crafts/homemade delicious food-whatevers/attachment parenting victories etc.?" and simultaneously feel bad about myself as a mother, it's not helpful. Yes, yes I know, we all have a tendency to compare our worst moments to each other mom's best (and bloggers thrive on showing off their best moments!), and blogs often don't give a full picture. So I needn't get bent out of shape that I am somehow 'failing'. I just need to cut back on some of my daily blog reads so I'll stop getting either so despairing or envious (which, I should point out, are actually sins). So long, Soulemama (et al).

4.

I joined Weight Watchers. It's really refreshing to motivate myself to eat better and to take good care of myself. Please note, I am not trying to be one of "those" bloggers who shows off how great she is. I have a hideous sweet tooth and pretty much daily scarf chocolate chips when I think no one is watching. Seriously, though, this is incentive for me to eat better, drink more water and therefore give dear little Isaiah, my breastfed baby, a better start at life.

5.

In a similar vein, I have started exercising, at least 5 days a week, from the comfort of my own home. I am enjoying doing Zumba, aerobics, and, get this, kick-boxing. Eat your heart out, Chuck Norris.

6.

My kids decided napping was for the birds. Yes, both kids. Noah now will only take a daily "quiet time" and that's with bribing him with a granola bar to stay in his room for about an hour and a half. Isaiah seems to be a fan of only sleeping in my lap or the Ergo. And that's in about 20 minute intervals.

7.

On that note, when people say "Oh! You have your hands full!" I think I must frown or wince and hold back from wanting to say, "Yep, it sure feels like it." When I complained about feeling... how you say... swamped, to my sister, she wisely pointed out that "the babymoon is over". As in, I'm not a terrible mom, I am simply facing reality without extra hormonal bliss. I am happy, of course, but yes, my hands are full.

8.

We hosted an All Saints' Day party. There were over 40 people here in our rather modestly-sized home. It's crazy to think of! But we had a great time, the kids seemed to enjoy themselves, and so I am happy I did it. (It certainly taught me that I am not naturally gifted at hostessing, though. Anyone have any tips on how to improve in this area?

9.

Oh yes, both kids dressed up. Here are there homemade (but not by me! I wish...! maybe next year?) costumes.A cute and chubby li'l St. Francis of Assisi
A costume recycle from Noah's infancy

St. John Bosco (at his request.)

10.

I lost Noah in the grocery store. It was the worst 15 minutes of my life. They put the whole place on what they call "Code Adam", where the doors are barred until the child is safely returned to his mother. He was returned to me by our church's choir director who saw him wandering around without me and had heard the Code Adam announcement over the loud speaker and figured he was the missing child.

11.

I read Neil Postman's "Amusing Ourselves to Death", a book about the television-culture. It was written prior to the takeoff of the Internet, so I wonder what he would say about the advent of this new media. By the way, Postman isn't trashing television as entertainment but presenting a very convincing, thorough analysis of why it is a horrible means to communicate news and other information. It's fascinating.

12.

I also read "The Miracle Detective" by Randall Sullivan. It's a really interesting story of a writer from Rolling Stone magazine stumbling upon Medjugorje. I am not really sure where I stand on this supposed apparition -- I see compelling reasons to both believe in it and that discredit it -- but I thought this book was very powerful, very human, and very funny at times. (Also, it's worth it just to read Fr. Benedict Groeschel's reflections on the whole controversy. Who doesn't LOVE him?)

13.

Patrick and I were asked to be godparents to our friends' baby! We prayed a great deal for this sweet little boy in the womb, and so it is an honour to be asked to pray for him in a special way as his godparents! This is our first time godparenting (now THERE'S a made-up verb if I ever saw one!) together, but he will be my third godchild. (So between my two biological children and three spiritual children, I think I qualify for already being the mother of a big family!)

14.

I got a stomach flu. So I spent most of two days in bed while my two-and-a-half year old ran around our bedroom and Isaiah lay next to me. They were mercifully good-natured and listened to me read them books and occasionally get horribly sick to my stomach without batting an eye.

15.

I took parenting advice (foolishly!) from Jimbob and Michelle Duggar. The first night of my flu, I decided to watch some mindless tv on tlc.com and they were talking about how they usually stay up until 1am working to keep their life organized, so I decided I should start doing that too. I tried that for all of one day, then noticed how miserable I was the following day, and reminded myself, I have two kids, not 19 (actually 20 now! They have another one on the way!) and I should give myself a break.

16.

Noah can use the word "monstrance" properly in a sentence, much to my surprise and joy, and is playing Mass more and more elaborately every day. Too cute for words.

17.

In light of the previous thought, here is a photo of Noah giving Patrick "Holy Minnin" (an apple). He does this about six to eight times a day, making us KNEEL to receive. It's gotten to the point that I have found myself saying "No Noah, I can't take Communion from you right now; I'm washing dishes." I wonder what Duty of the Moment Catherine Doherty would think I need to attend to at moments like these? Encouraging the faith and imagination of my child, or cleaning up the general chaos of our home?

(And yes, Patrick has on 'pajamas' in this picture; they're actually his costume for our All Saints' party. He's St. Maximilian Kolbe.)

18.

I am geekishly excited about Advent already, and the excitement of the NEW TRANSLATION OF THE ROMAN MISSAL!! Our pastor has already started using it, and getting us to use the responses, and I am in awe how the subtle word changes, in the words of consecration especially, make the Mass even more beautiful.

19.

I have had "Baby Beluga" stuck in my head for about two weeks. I won't lie; I actually like that song. I think Raffi is a very gifted musician and his songs are beautiful.

20.

One more Raffi note: the song "Everything Grows" makes a happy, busy postpartum mommy like myself teary-eyed every single time. I can't help but look at Isaiah, then at Noah, and really understand what everyone means when they say to parents "they grow up so fast!" I am really hoping to enjoy the next 6 months of my little guy's life (where did the first six GO?!) and stop trying to simple endure them.