Thirteen in 2013

"I'm not really done with childhood" is what she said when she reflected on being a new teenager. And I assured her that she didn't need to be done with childhood yet. Rachael, being the critical thinker, went into an explanation of life stages. I think the idea of growing up bugs her a little. As adventurous as Rachael is, she has always craved stability and clung to the familiar. The title of teenager signaled a transition to her and she expressed that she wasn't really comfortable with that. Transitions used to throw Rachael for a loop and each shift of schedule or location was disruptive. This past year had some major transitions, a new little sister, middle school, a huge home improvement project with a new bedroom and shift to having her own room, and I watched Rachael handle each, with a new emotional maturity.

Rachael is a fantastic big sister. Her love is not smothering but instead makes her available and tender. Johanna seeks Rachael out. At middle school Rachael discovered that her elementary friends weren't necessarily the kids whose company she enjoyed most, and by the end of 6th grade she was hanging out with a new mix of friends. She now has a great group of friends that are smart and quirky and kind, with similar values. The changes in our house were the most challenging and some of the decisions about our addition took some getting used to. Rachael surrounded herself with her things and is thriving in her own bedroom. The regular sibling tension that revolved around sharing a bedroom with 2 other sisters is gone and their relationships are better for it. Sometimes she does mention that she is lonely at night but she is glad for the change. All of these transitions were unsettling but Rachael handled them with a new grace. She isn't done with childhood but she is maturing out of the childish. She is beautiful and I pray she always retains her childlike joy and enthusiasm.

We celebrated her 13th Birthday with breakfast in bed, Mass as a family, gifts and a fun dinner of burgers and shakes. Then Jim, Em and Rae went to see the Desolation of Smaug together.

Happy 13th Birthday Rachael!

Christmas 2013 Part 1

Merry Christmas!  It truly has been a Merry Christmas at our house. We took advantage of 60 degree temps early in December and put up our outside decorations. It was a blessing to do it without frozen fingers and runny noses. Then PawPaw came into town for a weekend visit and we got to include him in our tree picking out and decorating. We pulled up all of the Christmas tubs and the girls had a great time rediscovering their ornaments from years past. We placed the tree in the corner of the living room this year in an attempt to protect it from Johanna's investigative hands, so prime tree spots were a little harder to come by. We left a lot of the breakable ornaments in their boxes this year but the tree was still full to the tips. All of the girls now have a big collection and took care to place the non-breakables down low. Continued...

  

Christmas 2013 Part 2

Continued...  We did our annual cookie bake and put Paw Paw to work rolling dough and cutting sugar cookies with the girls. They had a great time putting lots of thought into the decorating of their tray of cookies. It took some of them longer than usual so our cookie sheets were occupied and not in the normal production line. I added a 2nd baking day later in the week to finish out our homemade cookie gifts. Bridget then helped me pack each container with a variety of cookies to give away.    Continued...

 

Christmas 2013 Part 3

I had to work on the 23rd so I was a little worried that the house prep wouldn't be done in time for our Christmas Eve lunch, but Jim organized the girls and they each did their part. When I came home from work the majority of the prep was done and we could focus on the food and the final touches. Christmas Eve morning we had plenty to do but it was all manageable and for the first time I was showered, dressed and had dry hair well before family began to arrive. We took the annual cousin picture in the most low stressed organized manner ever. Having so many older cousins setting good examples made it all go smoothly.

Lunch was yummy and plentiful and we are so blessed to share it with Aunts and Uncles and cousins from multiple generations. The young cousins did a gift exchange and they had a wonderful time opening the gift brought by another cousin for them. Hanna received a book and immediately shared it with her cousin, Claudia. The kids all then headed down to the basement to play and the adults plus Emma and Chad settled in for our Yankee Gift exchange. Jim and I were the last 2 to draw numbers (3 and 12) I told him to take 3 and then I would help him out later with my number. There were a number of steals of Star Wars mugs and I re-stole the Marshmallow shooter that Jim had and lost. And then right at the end Jim lost the mugs one final time and had to pick from the final 3 gifts in the center. Will directed him to a blue snowman bag and upon opening it he discovered a hand knit replica hat from the Serenity TV series. It had been made with him in mind and it was providential that he wound up with it.  Jim was thrilled and those of us who knew his love for the show were thrilled for him. Heather did well.

Everyone started to gather their things and headed out happy and full. Will and Heather always stay later to visit with us and this year we checked our watches and realized we could get to the 4:00 Mass if we got ourselves together quickly. Will and Heather headed out first with Emma and Megan and their kids and we put food away and then followed them. When we got to church it was packed and standing room only. It took us a few minutes to find them but there they were with saves seats for us in the 3rd and fourth rows. It was a beautiful Mass and so sweet as Hanna fell asleep on Jim's shoulder.

We had a snuggly evening with ornament opening, reindeer food sprinkling and a family viewing of White Christmas. Christmas morning would soon be upon us, full of happy daughters, wrapping paper, toddling Hanna checking out everyone's gifts, and sweet handmade things from the girls. Megan typed us notes, Bridget made us cards, Rachael made bracelets, and Emma sculpted a FireFly Jayne with the same knit hat, and a single circle with five parts each with a bead, one for each sister to string as a necklace. And a bracelet for me. We are so blessed. We spent the morning playing, Rae and Meg got Nook tablets so that kept them busy, but we all played a new game together. Tsuro, it is a tile laying game that all of us enjoyed. It is pretty quick so people could join or leave as they wanted. After our relaxed afternoon we went to my parents for Christmas dinner and settled in to conversation and loving on new baby Joseph Victor.

I am grateful and content and I wish you all a Merry Christmas!

Bridget's Lucky #7

What a difference a year makes. I think of her as my "Little Bridget" but then I look at her and I am amazed at how she has grown. A year ago she was a timid kindergartener with a collection of apprehensions and a sweet smile. She still has that same sweet smile but one of the front teeth is now missing and her smile is transitioning to the adult one she will one day display. As a 1st grader Bridget no longer needs to be walked to her classroom by her big sister and sometimes instead walks a kindergartener from our bus stop to her old classroom. Bridget who last year was apprehensive at talking to the other kids in her class is greeted and greets her friends eagerly. Bridget is a diligent student and has made fast progress on reading. She started the year with only letter sounds and now can read a Gerald and Piggy book to her little sister.

Bridget has tried a lot of new things this past year. She stepped into her big sister role with such happiness and lovingly looks out for Hanna. Bridget went to a Girl Scout summer day camp for the first time this August and decided that she wanted to join a GS Daisy troop. They meet every other Monday and has introduced her to a new group of friends. She is a little tentative at Daisys but looks forward to going to the meetings and events. We were all happy to attend a GS ceremony for her investiture. Bridget also decided to play a team sport and joined the rec soccer league. We all had fun cheering her on this season. Bridget has stepped out on her own in many ways this year and has gained a new level of social confidence. She is still very much herself and assesses situations before diving in but she does dive in.

It has been such a pleasure to watch her blossom this year. Bridget's birthday was on a Sunday this year so we had the whole day to enjoy and celebrate her as a family. We started with breakfast in bed, opened gifts, went to Mass, and went out to dinner at her choice of restaurants. She chose the one with the books and the big pictures on the wall. (Dimitri's) Then we ended the evening by watching Teen Age Mutant Ninja Turtles as a family and painting her nails.

Bridget said it was a day with all of the best things!

Happy 7th Birthday Bridget!

First Taste of Snow

We got an earlier than normal first snow on Sunday. It was beautiful and thick and coated the trees branches with an icing effect. Snow continued off and on into the evening and we woke up Monday without power. It was pretty chilly in the house already. Schools were closed so the big girls stayed home while Jim worked and I brought the little girls to Aunt Becky's before I headed into the office. They all had a fun relaxing day. Then on Tuesday morning the snow began again and they closed school. We didn't get as much as they foretasted but we did get a few inches.

These were a perfect few inches. Just right for packing and making snow balls. I set out all of the snow gear in the mud room and one by one they suited up. Meg and Bridge were out first and got started making snow piles. It took me a while to get Hanna dressed. Putting boots and mittens on toddlers is an Olympic feat. As I was trying to get her boots on she fell over onto her back. She lay there on her bedroom floor and started moving her arms and legs with the cutest grin. Was she doing snow angels?

I brought Hanna out and stood her on the sidewalk. She made the sweetest little O face and looked around. She struggled to move in a way that achieved her goals but Megan was happy to help her get from one place to another. At one point Megan sat her in the snow and Hanna laid back. She made her own little snow angel. I remarked over this and Megan said "I know, I showed her how" I guess the two had been practicing inside for just this moment.

Frustration set in as the reduced mobility continued to be an issue, but we re-positioned Hanna again. The girls were all outside now discussing what to build and how. They collected and molded snow. Hanna meanwhile laid in the snow and rolled to her tummy. She leaned down and let her lips touch the snow. She opened her mouth for a taste, then she did it again quite pleased with the sensation.

Hanna and I headed in after our fun and the big sisters continued to play and create in the snow. Emma molded the snow into a seated human, with impressive results. I don't know if we will get much more snow this season but it put us in the Christmas mindset and I am happy to say that Johanna enjoyed her first taste of snow.
 

Treasures Lost

    A few weeks ago our external hard drive fell off of our desk, we couldn't get it to start again. Jim and I held our breath, we looked at each other doing a mental accounting of what that might mean. I was horrified to realize I was woefully behind on uploading pictures to an online service. I went through year by year to see what media files we had, where. Sadly I hadn't uploaded any pictures after 2010. And I only had home videos on disc through 2010. This meant that our pictures and videos from 2011 and 2012 were only on that drive in digital form. I cut off my thinking there and didn't go down the path of what was lost.
    Jim took it into Best Buy to see about getting it fixed. I was hopeful. It was a couple hundred bucks but we decided it was worth it. Then Best Buy called back. They couldn't recover anything. The next option was to send the drive off to a clean room. That would cost more than a thousand dollars. Jim and I talked it over both with a nauseous feeling. Was this worth it? I felt better that I could download all of the pictures I had posted on my blog and I could download photos from Facebook. I had video from 2013 and pictures starting in March 2013. I could cobble together a visual collection, a small collection, but still a visual archive. I am still hopeful that family and friends can help fill in some blanks. Then we talked about what we didn't have. Video of Hanna's first months, the pictures I had taken of each and every cousin holding her in her first few days. Many other memories lost. I realized that I rely on these visuals, they are treasures to me. I know that I have a pretty poor memory and so I take pictures and I write journals, and save videos. It has prompted some soul searching for me. I tried to store up these treasures here on earth .
    When Jim and I discussed if it was worth the money to send the drive off to the clean room, the deciding point was Emma and Rachael's project. Emma and Rachael were inspired to do a stop action Lego movie of the Hunger Games. Over a year and a half they collected Lego pieces and began making characters, scenery and sets. They set up scenes from the movie and started taking pictures. Over the next year they took photos, carefully staging and incrementally moving Lego arms and legs. They rigged pieces with invisible threads and painstakingly moved characters and objects for realistic action. These photos are gone. The hours and hours of creative effort spent, now have no fruit to show. It was this project that prompted us to send the drive to the clean room.
     A few weeks later we received the bad news that they too were unable to recover anything. Jim and I both felt physically ill when we found out and we dreaded telling Emma and Rachael. The day after Thanksgiving we broke the news to them. They were silent, open-mouthed, but they weren't mad. Emma and Rachael let the loss soak in. They did the accounting of what was lost. Emma discovered she did have a few Hunger Game Lego pictures and Rachael had copies of non-Lego photos she took with her camera. They had something. Rachael started talking about  Lego filming again and Em put her head down. "I just can't" she said "not yet". Jim and I were so impressed with both of them. With the maturity they exhibited. They are my true treasures and that love is stored where it cannot be lost.

Soccer Season 2013

I feel like this season of soccer was our best ever. I base that not on the win loss record but a whole host of other factors. Other factors that reflect the things we value. The weather was amazing for most of the season and we were able to all get out, feel the sun and the wind, and enjoy the outdoors. One weekend games were canceled due to rain and a few of the others we had to wear our gloves, but for most even into November we were comfortable in sweatshirts. This great weather meant that all of us were happy to cheer at every game.

It felt really special to have both Emma and Rachael on the same team. Being 3 years apart generally means that they are in separate age groups but due to low enrollment in Emma's age group, they dropped that division and let the youngest play in the division down. It took a little bit of politicking to get Emma in but by the 2nd game she was on the red team with Rachael. At practice the coach asked if anyone had a parent able to help coach and Rachael volunteered Jim. Jim was very willing to help out and to have the 3 of them together was a real blessing. As a mom it was great to watch my girls work together on the field with Team Red/ Gryffindor. They called encouragement and instruction to each other as equals and extended a new level of respect to one another. The girls played well this season and Emma had both an assist and a goal. Rachael was a key player in the midfield and played with skill and intensity.
It was also very gratifying to see the way all of the girls on the team interacted with Jim. His good-natured sarcasm works really well at this age level and the team, including Emma and Rachael enjoyed having him as coach.

Our new soccer player also had great coaches. Bridget had decided to try soccer instead of dance this year and she really blossomed in the team environment. Bridget was on Team Pink/ Japan and was coached by one of her best friends parents. It also happened that a number of her girl scout troop friends were also on her team and a number of 1st grade classmates. Bridget's personality on the field was distinct hers. She is a natural defender, she hung on the outskirts of the ball herding pack but would get her foot on the ball if it came to her. Bridget was all smiles when she was needed to run back toward goal to defend it for her team. Bridget was always eager to get to do a goal kick or throw in and did a good job whenever she was tapped with the duty. We all had so much fun watching her from the sidelines and she was thrilled to see and hear us.

I love to watch them play.

Hello Books

I feel like we have done something right. I don't know what it was or if we should really claim credit but my little girl loves books. She will sit for long periods of time and go from page to page and back and forth. It can be upside down or right side up. She toddles around the house leaving a path of books, then goes back and re-discovers them again. Hanna was the most dedicated of our diaper wrestlers but now we just hand her a book and she reads while we change her. It also gives each of us the opportunity to get a still moment and a snuggle with the little ball of constant motion.

 

Our Little Pumpkin is One

We have had such an amazing year with our Little Pumpkin and it called for a celebration, a big celebration.

The day started with all of us coming into her bedroom when she woke up. She was a little confused by the six of us but as we sang Happy Birthday she swayed to the music and her grin got bigger and bigger. We spent the morning at the soccer fields and then came home to open presents. Johanna got into ripping paper and with some assistance from Jim and her sisters opened her gifts from us and Grandma Kate and PawPaw. I think her favorite toy was a pair of maracas. We laid her down for a nap as we switched gears to preparing for the party. We had invited the family, friends and neighbors to come celebrate our joyful girl's First Birthday.

We did a pumpkin theme and started with a cute invitation I had done on Etsy. Jim and I had stayed up late the prior evening chopping food and making and icing the desserts. The big sisters pitched in, hanging banners and cleaning up. We were putting the finishing touches on everything as people began to arrive.

Johanna was incredibly good tempered and smiled and was happy to be held by the guests who came to celebrate with her. Hanna happily sat in her highchair eating a banana and watching the commotion as everyone filled their plates with food.

Then it was time for presents. Everyone crowded around in the living room as Hanna sat in my lap to open presents. Hanna did really well going through the big pile from generous people in her life. After gifts Hanna played a little and then switched to Papa's lap for her cake. I made her a pumpkin bundt cake shaped like a pumpkin with dairy free icing. Johanna loved the candle atop her cake and grinned with squinty eyes and a wrinkled nose. She tried to touch the flame but Papa and cousin John blew it out before she burned herself.

Hanna was very excited to get into her highchair and eat her cake. She picked up the whole piece and happily ate it off her fists. By the end of the party Hanna was exhausted but kept walking around happily. She was happy but completely tuckered out.