William was helping me close the door in the car, and he looks at me and says "Be safe!"

Emma came home from school and had a special hat on with the words "Angel of the Day." She was the best behaved at Mass today. I am so proud of her!

Patrick just came up to me and asked to go to confession again. It's only been a few weeks, but I am proud of him for not being afraid or too nervous. Grace is so awesome!

William has decided to name the baby. He comes up to my belly and talks to him, saying "Good night, Mario." We keep telling him we are not going to name our baby after a video game character, but I don't think he quite gets it.

We happened upon a yard sale the other day, and William very excitedly brought me something. He was in the baby toy section and said "Look, Mommy, Angry Birds!"

• Patrick has been so generous lately. Without any prompting he shared his special St. Patrick's day treasures with his brother and sister, and gave up a very special toy to his cousin. I was SUPER proud of how unselfish he's been, and I *hope* it will continue.


• Emma told me that they did a volcano drill at school today. Patrick rolled his eyes and said "tor-na-do" drill. I thought it was so funny that she called it that, but Patrick was not going to let anyone say that without correction. Silly boy.

Parade Pictures

Tommy had the kids for the St. Patrick's Day parade. Patrick was to march with the Cub Scouts, and we bundled the other kids up for their walk/ride with Daddy. It was VERY cold that morning and as it turned out, Grandpa was driving his van, so Emma and William stayed warm and enjoyed a ride.

He looks so darn cute, doesn't he?

Today was the big day. First Confession for Patrick. All week I have been hoping to go as a family so I could get to confession with him. My plans were changed by my 2 sick kids who needed some extra TLC and a doctor's visit to say we have and ear infection, and watching for strep. It's always hard to go to the doctor's on a Saturday, but there is one doctor in particular with whom I don't have the best appointments. I usually feel very small and frustrated, largely in part due to temperment (mine) and personality (the doctor's). Unfortunately, this doctor was the only one there, and Tommy wanted to take Patrick, so it was my job to take the 2 sickies. I am so happy to tell you that the appointment went well. I am so grateful to God for such a good visit, with smiles, laughter and well-behaved kids. I know God was taking care of me because He knows how tough it was to miss Patrick's big day, and to deal with this doctor. I also know that Patrick did really well at his confession. He even went to a retired priest (the one with the shortest line) who has an accent. As we were going through the steps to confession, I asked what kind of penance he thought he would get. His response was that only grown-ups with big sins get big penances (like 5 rosaries) and he only has small sins so he won't get a big one. He was right! :) I am so proud of him, and I think he did a great job. I can't wait to take him for his next time!

I love it when I can feel like a "cool mom." Patrick has been coming home making these "fortune teller" thingys, which are just paper folded over, with dots and things all over it. I found those cootie catchers and made one for each kid and you would have thought it was Christmas for these kids. I love that something so simple would bring them such joy!

Emma-isms

• I came home from work and told my family that I didn't have a chair. Emma wanted to know if the patients had to stand up?


• One morning, she was very concerned because her teacher told them that they needed to bring a brown lunch bag to school and hers is pink.


• Emma recently got a haircut, quite short, in fact, because she started the cut in her room. She must have cut about 4 inches off the front of her head. It still is uneven in some spots.


• She is my bag lady. Everything goes in a bag to be carried around. Oh, and one bag is never enough. The more the merrier, especially if they are small.


• Her name is EVERYWHERE. I'm not kidding. EVERYTHING has her name on it. It is nice printing, but I am starting to feel like she is either preparing for when I die and claiming her inheritance, or she is like some animal marking her territory.


• The other day, I found Emma furiously writing on a stack of my "thank you" notes. She told me that she was making up invitations for her birthday party, which included a date, time and place with our address. Her birthday is in December.

Oh, William, so pretty!

The first purchase for the baby seems to be a big hit.

Blue and Gold

Don't you just love a man in uniform? :) We had the scouts banquet (on my birthday), joined by the grandparents. We had a great time and enjoyed a "mad scientist" show.

Patrick's second row, second from the right.

Grandma and Grandpa.

Mani and Papa.

The show was really fun, except for the fact that he kept using balloons to demonstrate things. Patrick spent the whole show with his fingers in his ears. He never volunteered for anything, and Emma did for everything. LOL

I wish I could remember what was involved in this experiment, but he did it twice for the kids. Their faces were priceless the first time!

Tuesday Randoms

• Yesterday, as the kids and I were heading to the car, we noticed that someone decided they needed to borrow our front license plate. Course, they haven't returned it yet, and I don't think they will, but we are now driving with only one plate on the car. It looks funny to say the least. We do have new plates to put on, but no screws for one set.
• When I went to see if Tommy's car was missing anything, I got lost in that darned parking garage. Yes, I know that sounds so silly, but unfortunately it's not the first time. I am not looking for a parking spot but Tommy's car and I always get turned around. William kept saying "are we going to get out of here?" And when we finally exited, there was a cry of "WE DID IT!" from the backseat.
• Valentine's Day was yesterday and the kids (coughandmommycough) had way too much sugar. Their eyes were so bright and the excitement to have a bag full of valentines was just so precious. It makes my heart so happy to see that they have made friends, good friends, and that my kids are liked is just so great.
• I have had 2 chiropractor appointments in the last week. My sciatica has been so bad, and I was really hoping she could help me. I really like her, and from what she has told me, she will work with me and get me to a good place so I don't feel like I have to go to see her for forever. I find it so neat that she can tell me what's going on with my whole body - and I'm a mess, but I know Tommy could have told her that. He's always told me that I am broken. She has given me a heads-up that my sugar is a bit high, and to help keep this baby small(er) we need to tackle that. I am having trouble giving up coke.....oh that addiction is strong! But, on another note, I am so happy that my back is feeling better.
• I am getting ready to try some new methods with my kids. I need these kids to be more independent in the mornings. We all need a better schedule (oh that word is going to be the bane of my existence) especially with the baby coming.
• Speaking of the baby, the sono technician told me the placenta is "anterior" - IOW, in the front, around the belly button area (mine, that is, not the baby's) and it makes for very odd movements. I can't feel him as much as I would like to, and only on the sides. It makes it hard for the kids to feel him moving too. I just hope it moves a little higher so that changes. Not that I am wishing for me to get any larger, but just a little change in the location.

William-isms

If I tell him something is upside-down, he will fix it and say "it's upside-up."

When he goes to get something, he will look at me, put his hand up and say "I promise I'll be right back. Will you wait for me?"

William sings ALL THE TIME. If he has Jessie in his hands, he will start singing the song from TS2, and hold the doll just like the movie.

When Tommy comes home from work, William RUNS to him, hugs his legs, then asks "Are you on a special assignment?" Maybe we are watching too much TV.

He is my first child that screams during a haircut. Tommy says he has nerve-endings on his hair. It's a viscious cyle: he screams, gets hair in his mouth, spits, then screams some more. Needless to say, he is looking shaggier than I would prefer right now.

William is still the most truthful in the house, especially when there is candy involved. He will tell me exactly where it came from and how many he has had and show me very excitedly what he is eating.

While driving in the car, I gave him a bag of Cheez-itz to eat. He couldn't remember the name and kept asking me "What's this in the bag?" "Cheez-itz, oh." He asked me quite a few times. By the time we picked up my mom, he had the same question. I responded with my "Cheez-itz" answer, and he says "No, they're crumbs." Sure enough, that boy just had crumbs left.

William will tell me when he's stinky. Not only will he tell me, he will start to walk up the stairs to the changing area so I can change him. I have NEVER had a child do this!

He knows there is a baby in my tummy, and comes up to me, puts his mouth on my belly and says (with his lower jaw sticking out) "Hello, ba-bee!"

I just got my first birthday present. Share my joy as I have joined the current age of technology with my new DroidX phone with a cute pink cover! My hubby came home with the coolest phone for me, and I am now able to text (woohoo!) and keep up with everyone! I started playing with the phone, and began laughing like Madame Mim from "Sword in the Stone" and the more I laughed, the worse it got. I know it has something to do with the very large belly I have right now, and usually it has a "trucker's laugh" at the end of the pregnancy, but maybe Madame Mim is better. And, let me tell you, if you want to make me feel really good, please don't mention how large my belly is. I am a very sensitive pregnant person, and I will either cry or rip your eyes out. :) I'd appreciate it very much.

New and Old

We are doing sacramental preparation with Patrick. This is a big year for him with first Confession and first Communion. I am so nervous for him, and for myself in hoping that he is prepared for these big sacraments. I know the graces will be there, but I am a bit nervous. He brought home the Act of Contrition that he is learning from school, and I remember seeing it on the wall of his classroom. It is different than the one I learned all those years ago and we have been saying it together at night. The more I listen to it, the more I am moved by the words, especially the last 2 lines.

This is the new one:
My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart.
In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned
against you whom I should love above all things.
I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more,
and to avoid whatever leads me to sin.
Our Savior, Jesus Christ, suffered and died for us.
In His name, my God, have mercy.
Amen.

This is the one I learned:
Oh, my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended thee.
And I detest all my sins, because of thy just punishments.
But most of all, because they offend thee, my God, who art all good
and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of thy grace,
to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin.
Amen.

This is such a big year, with a lot of growing up. As we do our prep, would you add some prayers for my big boy?