Rachael turns Nine

Rachael's birthday felt a lot like the day of her birth 9 years ago. Cold and windy but wonderful. We greeted Rachael with breakfast in bed in the family tradition that she started for the rest of us years earlier. We went as a family to the harbor and spent the day at the Science Center. They had a Divinci exhibit which we enjoyed. It was crisp and clear as we headed off to dinner. Rae chose Pizzeria Uno's. In the bathroom after dinner she told me that she really didn't want singing for her dessert because people would stare at her. She was anxious when I told her that it was already set up. She got through the attention just fine and enjoyed the birthday dessert. We opened gifts at home. Jim and I continued the Christmas gift of a Nintendo DS by adding accessories. Rachael was gracious all day.

  I have been reflecting on our 2nd baby since her recent birthday and I feel honored to have been called to raise her. She is so multifaceted that our parenting job is challenging and yet I can see her with an amazing story to add to God's works. Rachael can be so angry and so tender, so thoughtful and so impulsive...(last week she cut off her eyelashes with a toenail clipper)...  and so completely delightful. I have come to realize that she has many fears and many insecurities but that I have the honor of making her feel comforted and secure. The amazing thing is that I can physically see it happen on a regular basis. Rachael will look small, holding her Speckles in both hands just under her nose as she realizes she has to go into her dark bedroom. I get to say I'll walk in with her and she looks a little larger. I stand by her bed as she climbs up her ladder to her loft bed. I get on a chair myself so we are at eye level and I touch her fleece covered shoulder. I kiss her and hug her and she visually looks more confident. Rae snuggles in and grabs a book with a calm smile. What a job a have! I treasure being her Mom.

Christmas

Christmas 2009

We love Christmas and I am so glad we decided years a go to host a Christmas Eve open house each year. Hosting keeps me motivated to clean up the regular mess in the house and Christmas somehow seems to have it's rightful importance when we put in the extra effort to prepare. We invite all of my siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins and of course my parents and happily most people were able to come. It was a very full house with 19 kids and 18 adults. The kids all know the routine and head to the basement to play when they arrive. Our girls love having everyone over. The kids all come up to eat and of course to open gifts. The kids all trade names for the gift exchange. This year we had them all open the gifts at the same time. It took less time and was lower stress, but I still have no idea which cousin gave which gift to my girls. For a 2nd year we adults participated in a Yankee gift exchange, complete with gag gifts and the stealing of  more appealing ones.

With the party over we relaxed, had a light dinner and then went to Christmas Eve Mass. We got there with no time to spare and discovered a packed parking lot made even worse by the huge snow piles. We drove right out of the parking lot and back home and instead went to a later Mass. Holiday Masses always feel so weird, because despite attending every week we only recognize a handful of people. The rest of the regular 9AM crowd are on their own holiday schedule. It reminds me how big our parish really is. Bridget received a tiny plastic set of the Holy Family for her birthday and spent Mass playing with the figures. The girls were all excited when we came home to open and hang the new Christmas ornaments. Bridget and Megan were very concerned about the cookies and beer for Santa this year. Santa was not disappointed.

Christmas morning was beautiful, each girl was surprised by what they received and happy. We gave modest gifts but there was no disappointment. Rachael had taken the time to make or buy gifts for each of us and reveled in the joy of giving. Emma stitched small things for each sister and gave them with love. We all enjoyed the spirit of the day. At one point Jim and I stood smiling at them, "This is good".

Our kids don't need stuff. It is the sharing of important times and unimportant moments with family and friends that they treasure. After Christmas, Jim and I were discussing our cramped house and both of us are looking forward to a time that we have a space that is more conducive to these gatherings. We are thinking, looking and considering what our living options are. Ideas of maybe renovating this house, maybe moving, and most recently the idea of building a home are in my head. For now it will stay in my head and we'll pray about the right direction to go.

Bridgie Rose turns 3

We got 21 inches of snow over the weekend so our plans have shifted in celebrating Bridgie's 3rd birthday. Jim and I were really looking forward to both being off and enjoying our little girl by herself. But those 21 inches resulted in another day off of school so the day was our typical juggling of 4. Jim and I got up early to make pancakes. The cookie cutters were still out from the 56 dozen cookies the girls and baked over the weekend and Jim came up with the idea to make Bridget's pancakes into snowmen, snowflakes, and presents. The girls woke up and we could hear a commotion in the bedroom. Megan was trying to keep Bridget in bed, and Bridget was now crying. We arrived singing and carrying her breakfast. The tears were quickly replaced with a huge smile. She loved the cards her sisters made for her, their gifts and the shaped pancakes.

After eating we let Bridget open her gifts from Colorado and from us. Then it was time to play. Bridget now has her own 18 inch doll so she was able to join her big sisters in the basement and really be a part of the elaborate world they created for the dolls. It is an apartment under the table complete with Christmas decorations, bathroom and multiple beds.

We all went shopping together for the food for our Christmas Eve party then after lunch the girls and I went out together to build a snowman. The powder we received over the weekend was now perfect for packing. This was the first snowman Bridget helped build and she really wanted it to be a girl. She asked if we had a flower to put on. I know there is something around here somewhere and I hope to find it before the snowoman melts. They took advantage of the huge plowed piles of snow by the road and began making castles. Emma made steps and a slide, while Rachael worked on a bathtub in her hill. They were having so much fun they did not want to come back in.

We went to see the new Disney movie "Princess and the Frog". It was really good but sadly I think the part that made the biggest impact on Bridge was the scary vodoo guy. She keeps talking about him. Emma and Rachael were both surprised that they really liked the new princess movie. We had dinner out before heading home.

Throughout the day we all kept saying happy birthday, and Bridget just kept grinning. She had a happy day surrounded by her whole family. She's 3 and amazing.