Mama-luia

I love blogging and I want to blog more. But sometimes... just the mere idea of coming up with something to 'interesting' to write paralyzes me. Yet, because I love writing so much, I refuse to let the perfect be the enemy of the good, and so I decided to blog about something slightly prosaic, in part to just keep me in the habit. I'm blogging about what we ate each night. Although, I'm not convinced that what, or at least how, one eats at dinner is insignificant. In my bygone days of youth ministry, we were told during training to ask the teens, as a conversation opener, "What did you have for dinner?" It really is amazing what insight you can get into people's family dynamics just by inquiring into that one subject. And of course, more and more studies are coming out, saying a shared family meal is correlated to lower instances of substance abuse, depression, eating disorders, and risky sexual behavior; eating together matters. But... and that is...

 Noah: "Mommy, you know what would be the best life? To live in a cold house, to go to a restaurant for all your meals where you don't have to pay for the food, and then just sleep and go to Mass." It kind of sounds like he wants to be a homeless person, who frequents soup kitchens when he grows up. But a practicing Catholic, apparently, so... I suppose that's a small victory? "I would love to spend the rest of my life drinking mango juice, and being read to, or listening to audio books." Noah: Since I came to the table last, you should serve me first. Me: That is NOT how that Scripture verse works! Me: "Stop eating feta cheese in your blanket fort!" "You just wiped your tuna-crusted hands on my bare shoulder." Isaiah: (Singing) "Super-California-licious-expi-alidocious" (Singing) "Step, spaghetti, on we go!" (The lyrics are supposed to be "Step we gaily, on we go") (Sighing deeply)...

Our Elijah turned seven months old on Friday. We're more than half-way there to that exciting and vaguely wistful milestone of the first birthday. We're coming closer and closer to when he will be mobile and taking everything out of my cupboards, and wanting to climb the stairs, and chasing his older siblings in the yard. It goes by fast. And yet, it doesn't. I'm sure other moms understand what I mean. The days blur into night and back into days. Meanwhile there are these three other little people whom I love, who take up a lot of my energy too. (For instance, when Teacher says, "read aloud for fifteen minutes," it takes approximately 25-30, of course). It is all so cliche and almost embarrassing to say, but he is the perfect baby for our family. He makes us all laugh with his budding sense of humor (isn't it charming when babies begin to figure out how to make others laugh? And then they do it over and over?), his coos are the by far the best ...

Merry Christmas! Another beautiful Christmas season is upon us, after the longest possible Advent. We are having a happy, cozy time of all 12 days of Christmas. It's my fave. Five days before Christmas, the boys' school had their annual Christmas concert. Isaiah's class sang "The Friendly Beasts" and he did it so beautifully -- solemn but happy and proud and excited, with the quintessential scan of the audience for a familiar face and then an excited wave when he saw me and Elijah. I won't lie; I cried during his performance. I was so proud of him. He has come so far at school already. Noah played St. Joseph in the Nativity play for the Grades 1s and 2s. I was equally proud of him (but I refrained from crying). When it came time for Noah's play, Isaiah came and sat with me and Elijah, and he was pleased to tell me all the kids' names. As soon as the Christmas concert was finished, the excitement in our house became palpable. ...

Earlier this week, I was trying to take a photo of our Advent wreath set-up.  (Also, yes, I know, my photography skills always leave something to be desired.) Then I looked down and saw this precious sight: Elijah, balanced on my hip, was watching me the whole time. This picture says so much about he is:  quietly and sweetly observing his world, but always close by to me.  His life is very much influenced, perhaps dictated, by the schedules of his older siblings, and he handles it beautifully, provided he can remain close to me. Now as I look at this picture, I take a deep breath of gratitude and amazement. This beautiful little person is with us this Christmas. As I contrast this to last year, I can't help but feel so humbled. ***** I was pregnant with Elijah, only 16 weeks along. In the days right before Christmas, life was going on normally -- the kids and I were baking and decorating and getting very excited. I noticed I was getti...

My grandmother was a wonderful woman. She loved to watch the X-Files and NHL hockey, especially when the Habs were playing, she eagerly discussed topics like current events in the world and the Church and would play Bob Dylan's "Desire" as musical comfort food. She often paraphrased St. Augustine towards her smoking habit -- which she finally kicked at her cardiologist's insistence -- "Lord, make me quit smoking, but not yet." She devoutly wore her Scapular and made the best pancakes I've ever had. She was also one of the most generous women I know. Her home was always a hub for her children and grandchildren, and their friends and significant others. If a racoon stumbled onto her porch, in her house in the city, she insisted on feeding it, instead of shooing it away. And that's just what I experienced first-hand. The stories my aunts and uncles and mom have shared with me about their mom from when they were growing up are awe-inspiring. S...

Another St. Nicholas Day has come and gone at our home. And oh what an exciting day it was, as always! The two oldest could hardly bear to climb into bed the night before -- they kept getting up to wander downstairs and see if St. Nicholas had arrived yet. It was like a mini-Christmas Eve, the giddiness and joy the day brought out of them. The morning of, we had to hold the boys back until their sister was awake and ready to go downstairs. Then it was a flurry of excitement and activity as candies were discovered, new books leafed through, and obscene amounts of chocolate were eaten in lieu of breakfast before I shuttled them out the door to school. Oops. Engrossed in Kinder egg toy construction This year, we made little treat bags with gold coins for their classmates. Blurry photos I snagged literally right before they left for school Noah's teacher was impressed enough to write a thank-you note in his agenda for us doing that. I was so ple...