Nomenclature

Lucy came charging into my bathroom yesterday morning.  She exclaimed, "Baaa, baaa!" (bath).  She began trying to tear off her jammies.  It was mommy's shower time, but Lucy was so excited, so I could be persuaded to take a bath instead.  We hopped in the bath.  After a few moments, Lucy began pointing at body parts and muttering toddler-ese.  I pointed too and said names (well, euphemisms).  

I said, "Arm."  

She said, "Awm."

I said, "Belly."

She said, "Beb-yee."

I said, "Boobie."

She said, "Bebbies."

I said, "Daisy." (Euphemism for private parts.  We don't need to point.  She knows what that is.)

She said, "Day-dee." 

Then she said, "Yay!" and then she repeated the new names over and over, followed by, "Yay!"

I just wanted to remember a sweet moment when Lucy learned new words very quickly and they actually sounded like the words she attempted. 

(The girls and I were practicing the lift from that eighties dance movie.  They have no idea about the movie or the lift, but they were overjoyed to be lifted high in the air.)

 

Extra-Curricular Activities

The kids pick up animal excrement in the backyard to earn extra privileges.  I looked out my bedroom window while they were doing the activity to see the kids walking around the yard giggling and helping each other.  I had to snap a picture out  my window.  But I wish I had snapped the giggles.

My Favorite Snack is Bubbles

Look at these chubby legs.  They are so cute.  They look edible.  Those itty-bitty button toes perched at the edge of the chair are so endearing.

Lately, Lucy has been pulling chairs up to the counters to do whatever she wills.  She is not destructive like Annie, but she is starting to get into everything.  She helps herself to snacks and water a lot lately.  

She pulled up this chair to play in a sink full of soapy bubbly water.  Now every time I wash dishes in the sink, she is right there in a minute with her chair "helping."  She eats the bubbles and drinks the water--actions that make a grown-up's skin crawl.

But, look at the joy on this kid's face.  That is priceless.

Finding Fault and Forgiveness

"for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Lk. 18:14)

No one is without faults.  "Lord be merciful to me a sinner."

"`Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, `Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.'" (Lk. 11:15-32)

I think these passages and icons speak for themselves.  However, I will add, and forgive me if this gets cryptic because am a tad tired and burdened, finding fault and seeking forgiveness is not the end of the story.  The next step is correcting the fault.  Sometimes that correction is long and painful.  If the fault is not corrected, the same problems will occur over and over.  The same fault will plague a person unto death.  

Even more so, the solution, the correction to problems are not always clear and or easily attained.  I have often heard people say you have to be consistent, because to really correct a deep problem is about correcting bad habits.  Habits are difficult to break.  At first, one tries to be diligent, but the bad habit nags and nags until one fails again.  But, then again with consistency that bad habit will fall away or the person will breakdown and go back to old ways.

I imagine that every once and a while the Prodigal son longed to carouse with friends again.  Then he remembered how painful it was at rock bottom and thought better.  I hope that he indebted himself to his father and worked away quietly and dutifully for the rest of his days.

Mno hya lita! 

Pioneers Don't Cry

I still hear my mother's voice telling me not to cry over spilled milk.  I was seven or eight years old and spilled nearly a half gallon.  But would it be all right if I cry over spilled Sugar plum body wash on the carpet?  Because, I did.  I shed a tear or two, when I discovered our handful of a three year old had dumped an entire bottle of body wash on the carpet.  My word, if ever I turn away from her this the kind of thing she does.  I was making dinner at the time and I really should have insisted she help me.  But, I had thought her brother and sister were playing with her and I did not want to disturb good play.  She must have slipped away from them.   There's not really a good solution to lots of soap in the carpet.  You just sort of have to hope to do your best the get it out.

I thought a nice painting activity would get the messiness out of a three year old, but I am pretty sure it only turned on the messy switch.  Annie is not anything like Alex at this age, who patiently made a beautiful icon with me...last Thursday it was a lot of toothpaste on the carpet, Friday she dumped a spice jar of cinnamon sugar spice on the carpet after breakfast (discovered my vacuum was kaput), and the day after soap was blueberry yogurt.

We have just finished the 4th book in the Laura Ingalls Wilder Little house series.  We are already reading the next volume.  Each time we read one of the Little House books I am astonished at their grit.  I wish I had grit like that.  The trials Pa endured losing homes and crops and so forth are just a astounding and he did it all with a smile on his face and a song in his heart.
Here I am fretting and crying over finances, medical bills, home school and soap in the carpet and they did not cry over anything.  I do not think this is a bad thing.  It's okay to have emotion and feel it within, but having crying fits exacerbates the situation and is not necessarily fruitful.  It can certainly waste a lot of time and energy.  I think there is a certain amount of fortitude and humility in repressing excessive displays of emotion.
I am not preaching all this as though I am a model of this skill.  I am simply saying there is something to admire in the ability to take life's hardships and carry on with dignity and spirit.
There are also a lot Biblical passages about carrying on with a cheerful heart:

 A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit. Proverbs 15:12-14

 All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast. Proverbs 15:14-16

Mno hya lita!

Feasting on Icons

We are back at it for the moment.  The project went all right.  By all right I mean the disaster was contained to the kitchen.  No paint was splattered on the carpet.  The kids thoroughly enjoyed the experience.  So perhaps I will find time again next week to draw and allow the kids to write icons.

The Feast of the Presentation

Sunday of Zaccheus

This one was intended for Annie to paint.  I made it simpler. 

I definitely wanted Annie to have her own icon, because this is how it ended up.  She's a free spirit. 

The children were most interested in the story behind the Zaccheus Icon, because clearly a man is in a tree and that is interesting.  I was most interested in it as well, because of the meaning for myself--that one must ascend the tree away from materials things in order to see Christ.  Then to be forgiven and achieve the kingdom one must repent and fully release material possession.

Rain Delay Morning

It was a bit rainy this morning.  I was not up for much in particular.  But, I promised my 3 year old a "Rainbow Dash My Little Pony"  for finally having lots of consecutive days of dry panties. We made a trip to two local grocery store and they had no ponies.  So we finally ended up at Toys R Us.  After making the selection, we wondered around and tried out all the electric tot cars.  The kids had a pretty good time.   I was pleased because it amused them so much trying out each car.

Faith Like a Child

The sweetest interaction occurred yesterday during homeschool.  Alex (7 yrs.) bumped into Kristiana's (5 yrs.) chair and she nearly fell out of the chair.  Alex quickly moved back to his seat without saying a word.  Kristiana let out a huge exasperation, "Alex! You almost made me go to Heaven!"  Alex and I immediately began giggling.  It was exceedingly cute and silly that firstly, she thought falling out of her chair would make her die and secondly, that dying would mean she would go to Heaven.

Then Kristiana became a little weepy because we had laughed at her.  It was hard to express to her that we were not laughing at her meanly, but that we thought what she said had a sweetness and an innocence about it.

I whispered into Alex's ear, "What she said was funny because she thinks she was going to die and dying means she is going to Heaven.  But, it does not work that way does it?  We don't go to Heaven just because we die." 

Then Alex responded, "Yes, Mommy. She doesn't know about Hell.  Let's not tell her about Hell and then she cannot go there because she won't know evil.  She will only know good."

Awe. Melt my heart.  It is a nice thought to think if we just don't tell her about bad things, then she will always be good.  I also was surprised that this is the thought my son had for his sister whom he sometimes wishes never existed. 

Mno Hya Lita!

Day-off Update

We had grand mom visit.  We had a lovely time: candy and movies and talking.

"We're fabulous!"

Wall-to-wall lego carpet is not very nice to step on. Grandmom helped Alex organize his Legos.  

Love my little Princess Sofia

Ballet Dancer

Family Clown

I jumped out of bed this morning, got everyone dressed, let the dog out, saw snow, then remembered to check my email.  I discovered our once every other week homeschool co-op was canceled due to inclement weather.  Well, at least everyone is dressed and ready for the day. 

Techno-School

I have long struggled to parent the inquisitive 2 - 5 year old range of children.  They are high need, high energy and poor communication skills.  Especially now as a home schooling mom I have found it even more of a challenge to both educate older children and keep the busy toddlers out of trouble.  I have dealt with many stress inducing scenarios via the toddlers.  Often have I wondered whether I am cut out for this sort of work.  I am sure every mother questions herself in such a manner.  Motherhood is, simply put, challenging.  

For the past year and a half, I have desired that one of our children go to preschool because she is absolutely into everything every minute of the day.  She also seems a bit high strung and high need.  It is not as though I have not tried to creatively deal with it, redirect and so forth.  However perhaps with preschool she could go somewhere else and channel her energy--save my nerves from having to both school and dash about the house keeping her out of it.

This week has been different.  There is one key change.  We acquired an iPad and the tot is using it to stay out of trouble.  Normally, I have activities for Annie to partake in alongside our home school lessons.  It does not take too long before she has done all she desires to do and slinks away to flood the bathroom or write on walls with permanent marker; break something valuable.  This week when she began to look restless, or fussy, I offered her the iPad.  She had educational preschool games to play.  She stayed entertained for as long as I needed and she even learned a little phonics and counting this week.  Kristiana is doing better with counting as well.  It's a win all around.  It has been peaceful during school.  It's really an answer to my prayers.  It's my electronic nanny.

Mno Hiya Lita!

Great and Holy Icon of Bunny Ears

I love the question my little daughter asks.  During liturgy yesterday, at our Byzantine church, Kristiana looked up at an icon of Christ on the ceiling and asked,

"Mommy, why is Jesus making bunny ears shadow puppet?"

It's Like Riding a Bike...

That is what people say when they mean, something is easy to do and never forgotten...

A lot of people hold dear the first ever two-wheeled bike ride.  It is a small triumph that makes one feel big, grand and free.  The young rider wobbles, feels anxious, heart pounding, nerves rattled.  Then after trial and error, the magic moment comes when he takes off, fully balanced and speeding away on the bike.  

Earlier today, one of my son's snarky little buddies came up to me and exclaimed that he and his brother knew how to ride bikes without training wheels.  They are both older than my son.  This is not an impressive exclamation.  But they are all about impressing me.  So I smiled and a leaned in as though I was telling him a secret,

"Oh yeah, you know what?  Alex doesn't ride on two-wheels, because, you know, he's never been interested in taking off the training wheels.  We asked him once and he said he wasn't interested.  So why don't you go suggest that he take off the training wheels.  I bet he will want to take them off and you can teach him how to ride his bike."

An hour later, Alex came in asking to take off the training wheels.  We said okay, but once they come off, they stay off.  My husband battled with a cruddy bolt for 30 minutes, then a neighbor came along with a better socket wrench than we had (that's what neighbors are for) and removed the old rusted nut.

The boys all ran out into the cul de sac and tried to balance Alex on the bike.  They didn't have a clue.  So Andrew went out, doing his fatherly duty, he balanced him on the bike, and out of nerves, Alex almost immediately flipped the bike.  So we told him to get both feet on the peddles, Andrew balanced him again and walked him three feet then Alex took off riding.  That was it.  He was riding circles around our cul de sac with speed.  I casually reminded him he had brakes.  He tried them out.  Success.  Then he rode happily around the neighborhood with no trouble.  Both my husband and I were impressed, because we both remember more trial than Alex experienced.  

Yay for Alex--independence.  Now sniffles for mommy, because I am sure this will mean he will want to disappear on his bike for half a day on hot summer days.  He has mobility.  He's not tied to me anymore. 

Mno hiya lita!

Reflecting on the Past, Present and Future

1. Realized/remembered today, I don't miss high school.  I don't really miss being a kid either.

Newborn me…not good times. My sister liked to hit me a lot.  She was apparently very jealous.

Baby me - not enough food coming my way!

Little kid me - too much to even explain

High school me - very lonely

2. I do miss college.  If only I knew then, what I know now. 

3. Had I known in college that now I would be a home schooling mom of four, I would have never started in engineering and definitely would have done an education degree, alongside the philosophy degree (don't regret that, oh so useful, philosophy degree). ;-) It would be great too if I had done something that I could do as a part time job now.

College me - Awesome times!

4. I also would have cherished my college time more.

5.  I would take more art classes.

6. Someday, I'd like to be brave.  I am not sure, I've ever truly been brave.

7. Today, I paused in church to listen to and answer all my five year old's questions about the Nativity decorations.  It was totally worth the interruption.

That's my five year old hanging on my neck.  She throws her arms around my neck at least once a day and showers me with little kisses the way I used to when she was a baby and nuzzles me with her nose.  She tells me I am beautiful and skinny all the time.  She has a really great memory.  If we don't know where something is, we always ask Kristiana and she always know where it is.  The other day, we were outside playing at 5 p.m., and she affectionately greeted each neighbor as they drove into their drive coming home from work.  She's pretty wonderful.

8. Last night, my husband and I had a new year's celebration for two.  We're such good friends!  What good fortune we have each other.

(Mmm, bacon. Ahlalalal)

Now on to bigger and better things in 2014, because "the best IS yet to come."

Mno hiya lita!

Christmas 2013

Playing Ring around the Rosy with Grandpa 

I love how even Lucy, an 18 month old, grasped the concept of this game

Making cookies for Santa - What a mess!

Holy Supper - We don't have a dress code

Gifts for babes

Kristiana helping Lucy open a gift

Annie's Delight - Her own beautiful, princess garb

Lucy and Gramps - it seems the one year old always ends up naked on Christmas

The Greeks for Alex - Thank you, Mommy and Daddy.

Lego Research, as Alex calls it

Grandpa's icon

Kristiana's one Christmas wish - to have a beautiful dress

Annie's Despair - "What do you mean I can't open all the presents?"

The neighbors all came out for some sun and so did the pets.

Scooters!

Family Beyblade battle! Everyone took turns.  Beyblades are engineered tops.  They have special skills.  They bang into each other in the arena.  The first top to stop spinning loses.

Unfortunatley, I did not get a picture of the gingerbread house we made despite making the kids wait at least a week before eating it.

I am particularly fond of this picture.  Lucy, the red nosed baby, eating gingerbread.

Epic Nativity Puzzle - I am now of the belief that this puzzle was too large, because I felt I could not rest until it was complete.  I neglected my children for this puzzle.  It took four days of working all day.  After accidentally spilling pieces all over the kitchen, I am one piece short.  This is such a tragedy, because it will never be complete and my mind can never rest!  I am going to try a smaller puzzle next year.

We also watched "The Nativity Movie" this year.  I am not sure we will watch it again.  Our seven year old and five year old called out many the errors of the movie.  I thought it was wonderful they could identify inconsistencies in the portrayal of Mary.  There were lots of questions like, "Mommy, that's not how it really was, was it?"  "Mommy, Mary was not like that.  She was always good and obedient."

Our Christmas celebrating has died down due to illnesses.  

Christ is born! Glorify Him!