PhillyBou

Learning Limits...

2011-10-10T13:23:00.004-04:00

The other night, a woman approached Tee Jay in Lowe's and asked his many opinions on what type of drill she should buy, if each drill was battery-operated or electric, if extra bits would need to be purchased. During this exchange, Casey provided her own thoughts (usually just a shy, turning-her-head-away "no" when the woman directed the conversation her way). When Casey asked, "What's your name?" the woman responded with "Linda - but you know, you really shouldn't talk to strangers..."

Okaaaaaay, LINDA. Technically, you're correct. Casey shouldn't talk to strangers. And as her parents, Tee Jay and I should definitely be teaching her that lesson. But where are we supposed to draw the line? Where do we go past the limit of being friendly and enter the realm of "this person is a stranger who shouldn't be spoken to"?

I mean, first of all, it was Linda who started talking to Tee Jay in the first place - it was she who came up to a stranger and asked for his advice. Secondly, Casey with with her father. It wasn't like she was wandering by herself through the hardware aisle, asking folks their names. Lastly, strangers are constantly making small-talk with the parents of young kids - they "ahh goo" at our baby and question our toddler on how old she is. They like to smile and say "hi" in pretty much every setting, from the park to the supermarket to church and so on. Tee Jay and I have always taken the stance of being polite, so I've heard us often encourage Casey to "say hi!" to these people. When do we teach her that that's not okay?

Which brings me to another "what is the limit?" matter in our lives: homeless people.

When I was in high school, my then-boyfriend and I spent a lot of time in downtown Providence, and when a homeless person would ask us for money, we'd often take them into the nearest fast food restaurant and pay for a meal -anything they wanted- instead of giving them cash outright. We'd also frequently purchase a dozen Dunkin Donuts (they were half-price after 8:00PM) and hand them out. We thought we were doing some good while also not feeding the beggars' possible guilty pleasures.

Now that I live in Philadelphia, I obviously encounter homeless people and/or panhandlers at times. Granted, they're not in our suburban'ish neighborhood... but we certainly run into them when we're on the subway, downtown, and driving around in the car. In particular, there is one homeless man whom we've seen standing in the middle of a busy boulevard every time we've ventured out to our nearby BJs store. A couple of times, I have rolled down my window and handed him a $1 bill or a handful of change, to which he always says "Thank you, God bless you." Casey asks me who the man is and "what's he doing, Mommy?" when we have these encounters, and I do my best to explain that he doesn't have a job, he is probably hungry, and he is in need of a little bit of money. Then I usually find myself back-pedaling a bit, explaining that we can't give away everything we have because we need to eat, too, but that sometimes it's best to help people out - and that most of all, I guess we should just say a quick prayer for that man so that Jesus will watch over him each night and maybe help him to find a home and work soon.

Am I supposed to teach my child that this homeless man deserves some of my money - or that he is a stranger she shouldn't speak with or give anything to? Am I supposed to ignore the man when we sit at a red light right next to him, knowing in my head that he may be using folks' loose change to purchase alcohol or drugs or cigarettes? Or am I supposed to follow my heart, which tells me that no matter what his story is, whether it involves addictions or not, whether he is homeless "by choice" or not, whether he could work harder to find employment or not, he would NOT be doing what he's doing without there being some serious hardships in his life?

Let's face it. When my traffic light turns green, I take a left-hand turn, pull into BJs, spend a couple hundred dollars on some necessities (but also on many "splurge" items like brie cheese or craisins), and then drive back home - in my car, with the gas I could afford to put in it - to my home, which has air-conditioning and heat and a bathroom and cozy beds and too many toys and games and movies and other nonsensical items. No matter what, even if he could maybe make some different choices in his life, this man doesn't have the same luxuries I have right now.

I'm not writing this post to sound like a good person or to invoke anyone else to "get out there and do something." I seriously do struggle with which message I'm supposed to feed to Casey, and which actions I want her to see me taking.

This morning, we handed our homeless "friend" a little bit of change I found in my wallet and went on our way. But an hour later, as we loaded the car with our BJs groceries, I grabbed an old gift bag lying in the back and filled it with some of the goodies we'd bought - 10 packs of peanut butter crackers, a few rice krispy treats and chewy granola bars, a bottle of water and can of Diet Coke. We stopped at Wendy's next door and added a 20-pack of chicken nuggets to the bag, and then we pulled onto the boulevard and delivered our gift to the man. He didn't know what was inside as we drove away, but he said, "Oh my goodness, oh my goodness" at the heavy bag - "Thank you, God bless you."

I know we did a "good Christian deed," but I'm still unsure of what to teach my kids about limits, safety, charity and cautious cynicism. Any thoughts?

Remembering...

2011-09-11T08:46:00.010-04:00

In memory of the horrible acts of terrorism we witnessed on American soil 10 years ago today, and in honor of the men and women who gave their lives, some of whom bravely made that choice to put other lives ahead of their own, and in support of the thousands of people who mourn that loss every day, here are some little glimpses of patriotism in our household.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!!

Alleluia...

2011-09-07T14:54:00.014-04:00

Casey loves our church, St. Tim's. We pass it on days when she goes to daycare, and she has a wonderful after-Mass-hug relationship with one of our priests, Father Pat. She often asks to go to church (and yes, we sinners tell her to just wait for Sunday instead of taking her midweek!) and loves to talk about the church, the priests, the parking lot (yes, the parking lot!), and who she might bring to her church somedays ("I bring Auntie Heather there somedays, Mommy").

If you know Casey, then you probably know that she likes to sing about EVERYTHING. When she was a little younger, we started out by singing the "Elmo's World" song. Once we turned it into "Casey's song," she began requesting "Papa's song" and "Auntie Erin's song" and "Jack the doggy's song" and so on. If she knows and loves you, I can GUARANTEE that we sing about you on a regular basis! (Yes, that includes all grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, pets, and animals we've met along the way.)

If she asks me to "la la" something that I'd rather not make up a song for, such as "La la supermarket, Mommy?" I tell her that the supermarket doesn't have a song. To which she responds, "Happy Birthday supermarket, Mommy?" and then we move on to quickly wishing the something a very happy birthday.

If she asks us to "la la" something that might already have another song in existence that could work in place of the Elmo tune, such as "La la city bus, Mommy?" I will go right into its own song (for instance, "The Wheels on the Bus").

Sound confusing? Believe me, it can be!

ANYWAY (as this short little story gets farther and farther away from me), getting back to the church bit, when she first asked us to "La la church, please?" we sang a version of the pre-Gospel "Alleluia." For the Psalm verse, I made something up (which I'm sure is NOT actually a Psalm) by singing, "Jesus has risen today, Alleluia we sing our praises, for the Lord has risen to-oo-oo-day" and went back into the "Alleluia" part of the chant. The next time she asked us to sing the church song, I began to make up another verse, to which she promptly sang the original (yet made-up) version and told me, "Like THAT, Mommy." So the girl has a good memory, I s'pose... (smile)

And speaking of church, as I previously mentioned, we had Finlay Baptized into his Catholic faith back in July, during his second month. Instead of being Baptized at our parish here in Philadelphia, we traveled up to my sister's house in New Hampshire (yes, we slept over their house - meaning that four adults, seven kids, and two cats were under one roof!), and Finlay received his first Sacrament alongside his new cousin Eliza Marie. Eliza's parents Tree and Shawn are serving as Finlay's godparents, while Tee Jay and I have proudly taken on the role of Eliza's.

It was a GREAT day, filled with family, friends, and many beautiful moments.

The Godfathers:

I just love the little smirks in this picture (and it amazes me how different both babies look now, one month later!):

After all the excitement of the day (and probably singing many rounds of "Alleluia"), Casey was a very sound napper!

C'Mon, Irene!...

2011-08-29T20:28:00.003-04:00

I show you this picture, thankful that Irene didn't do nearly as much damage as we thought she might... but at the same time, I still have family without power! Prayers being said...

Caught Up...

2011-08-18T16:37:00.004-04:00

I just came on here to check out my granola bar recipe, as it's been awhile since I made them, and I can't seem to find instructions in paper form here in the house.

I found the appropriate post (I'm adding flax seed to the dry ingredients today, but won't know what else until I get into the kitchen), but also started reading the ones around it...

about Casey turning 11 months old...
about silly things we've said to each other...
about birthdays and Christmases and Red Sox seasons...

And in reading those posts, I began to feel guilty that when she asked for more hugs the FIFTH time today when she was supposed to be napping, I gave her the requested hugs, but somewhat begrudgingly. I told her sternly that Finlay and I were NOT coming into her room again - we were NOT going to give another hug until after her nap. And NO, Daddy was NOT going to give her a hug, because YES, Daddy was at work. (She continued to insist that I send him in, and I lost my temper momentarily and said, "Daddy is NOT here!! He's NOT HERE! Take. Your. Nap!")

I have to remind myself that the little girl who sometimes drives me crazy is MY little girl. My smart, sweet, loving, wanting-to-give-too-many-hugs daughter. Our only child before Finlay arrived and before we lost a lot of our patience. Poor thing. I think I'll make the granola bars extra awesome, just for her.

Two Months...

2011-08-18T08:21:00.004-04:00

As promised, though late, here are Finlay's two month stats:

Weight: 11lbs, 12oz
Height: 22.5in
Head Circumference: 14.25in

These seem like good measurements to us, especially because we can see Finlay's growth happening each day. He looks completely proportional to us, and yet...

The doctor's office gave us the percentiles for the above numbers, and I guess he's not quite proportional after all!

Weight: 50th percentile
Height: 40-45th percentile
Head Circumference: well... he's not even on the chart!

Dr. T was not at all concerned about the size of Finlay's little head, saying that he's been growing at the same rate since birth, and some kids just have smaller sizes.

Personally, I think that head circumference measurements must run in such a small range, since Casey always fell around the 10th percentile, her friend was way OFF the charts (as in, he had a big enough head that he was actually checked by a specialist as a "just in case"), and yet they both looked pretty much the same to everyone. I guess that (so far) Tee Jay and I produce kids with bitty noggins... but man, are those kids ever cute!!

In Finlay's second month, he began to smile and coo at us. I was anxious* for the first real smile, and it came while I was bathing Finlay by myself (a job usually reserved for Daddy) when he was 6weeks, 2days old. It was an adorable sight to behold, but a fleeting one. Finlay appears to be our "Mr. Serious" and his smiles are few and far between. (In fact, I'm pretty sure that ceiling fans have coaxed far more grins out of him than family members!)

The cooing is another story all together, since that is something we get to hear plenty of. It began as a tiny little "O" lip formation, but has progressed into many different sounds, two and three syllables at a time, some trilling of the tongue, and so on.

Just in case you were curious (and I can probably assure myself that you weren't), Finlay's bowel movements have slowed down significantly, and he presents me with a stinky diaper once every 5 or 6 days. People are always amazed by this information, but it's completely normal for his age and as a result of being exclusively breastfed. I remember when Casey started a phase of pooping once every two weeks! (Can you imagine?)

Sleep patterns have really become wonderful at nighttime over the second month. After he eats before bedtime (about 7 or 8PM), Finlay then sleeps for 5-6 hours before waking for the next feeding; then he goes back to an every-3-hour schedule. Casey did not steadily sleep for a long stretch like this until she was well past a year old, and Finlay's decision to do so has been met with much Mommy-approval.

On a special note, Finlay was Baptized alongside his cousin Eliza when he was seven weeks old, and we'll add a post about it with pictures.

We're loving our family of four and will share more soon!

* Look up the proper grammatical usage of "anxious" and you'll learn that I'm using this word incorrectly - Tee Jay is a stickler about it.

The House of Crafting Insanity...

2011-08-10T10:30:00.012-04:00

The Boudreau family gets together each year on the Sunday preceding Christmas to enjoy each other's company and sing carols in Grandma's basement around the up-and-decorated-all-year-long tree. Around the same time that I was ushered into this tradition, my two fellow admin assistants and I decided to homebake Christmas goodies for the executives in our department. I figured that because there were so many Boudreaus to celebrate the holidays with, I would bake treats for them as well... and crafty Christmases began.

After a few years of baking, my nephew Jamie asked for a superhero cape for Christmas, and I told the rest of the family, "Do not buy him one - I'm going to make a cape!" It wasn't easy (or pretty!), but I managed to turn out a doable (and very homemade-looking) cape with Tee Jay's help. (Each of his siblings have since asked for capes, and this year, it's finally Violet and Casey's turn to receive them - I cannot wait!)

Two years ago, when finances began getting a lot tighter in our household (where they unfortunately remain, especially anticipating having two kids in daycare!), Tee Jay threatened to give everyone just hugs for Christmas, but we managed to be thrifty in our shopping and present gifts as well.

Last year, the craftiness took over and many less-than-perfect items were given...

Like my first (and only, thus far) attempt at a purse, made from a hodge-podge of gorgeous fabrics, including an adorable pocket on the inside, and adorned with the most awesome button EVER (lifted from my Granny's button collection - with her permission, of course).

Like pillows for newly-renovated bedrooms.

Like funky scarves (which are soft but maybe not practical?).

Like nifty fabric coasters.

The men in our family didn't receive handmade presents, nor did Tee Jay's brothers, who will continue to be at tough-to-sew-for ages (14 and 10) this Christmas. But nearly everyone else received at least one little token of Boudreau craftiness.

Over the past several months, my head has been spinning with ideas of gifts for this Christmas, some which seem like they will be easy, others which will require my attempting techniques (and using special tools and materials) for the first time ever. My excitement grows each time I come up with yet another project to undertake, and yet...

...well-ell...

none of them are even started yet!! (Not even the aforementioned capes, which I've known for three years would be due to the girls Christmas 2011.) What's worse, none of these crafts are going to be as "simple" as the scarves and coasters from last year.

But I'm still determined, especially since Tee Jay's grandmother turned towards the homemade route last year and graced everyone in her family with a hand-knitted scarf, and I now cherish these, along with one done by his stepmom the Christmas before. It was like supporting evidence for the homespun-is-best (though not always easiest or cheapest) argument.

Thus far, Finlay is still a MAJOR cuddlebug, and he doesn't like to "play independently" for any period of time longer than 4 minutes. But I'm hoping and praying that before my maternity leave ends, I've got him taking at least one all-by-himself nap each afternoon - so that I can get cracking on these many ideas!

Tee Jay will read this and groan, I'm sure, as today I'm busy making tutus (more on that soon), we've still got work to complete for our entryway coat rack and shoe bins, Casey's bedroom (which has been a work-in-progress since her birthday in February), and of course, the kids' Halloween costumes! (You know what? I'm going to groan at the Halloween realization, too - it's coming so soon, and I've done ZILCH for it so far.)

At least I've got good intentions... even though I feel we're almost always living in the house of crafting insanity (and projects-never-quite-finished).

I leave you with this, a picture I stumbled upon when looking through the Christmas set. It's of me, Teresa and Erin - three sisters each holding a sketch of ourselves (in childhood) done by my Aunt Sara Garska. These are homemade treasures at their best, and I'm appreciative that my parents bestowed us girls each with the original last year, making professional-type copies for their own homes. (And of course, I'm forever grateful to Aunt Sara for loving us and wanting to draw us in the first place!)

... and OH, help me God, it just dawned on me that I still haven't finished Casey's Christmas stocking (made from her newborn coming-home-from-the-hospital outfit), and she's finally at the age where I should have her stocking made, as she'll remember it year to year. And, at nearly three, I'm pretty sure she'll want to know where Finlay's is, too. Prayers, people! Crafting prayers are needed!

Measuring Up...

2011-08-09T11:36:00.008-04:00

Finlay is now over two months old, but since I haven't yet posted any one-month stats, I figured I'd start there first... and see how many days it takes me to getting around to the two-month ones!

At birth, Fin was 7lbs, 15oz ~ 19in long. At his one week appointment, even though we were dealing with some slight jaundice (enough to make me a slobbery mess the last day in the hospital, petrified we'd get readmitted the way we were with Casey), he'd gotten himself just over the birth weight, tipping the scales at 8lbs. It was thrilling to me, as you might remember that we waited three weeks for Casey to hit her birth weight!

For his one month appointment, I continued to be pleased, as he weighed 9lbs, 8oz ~ and was 21.5in long ~ with a head circumference of 13.75in. I didn't write down where those measurements fell in the "average baby" percentile ranges, but the nurse practitioner at our visit assured us that he was falling within very normal limits and was doing great. She actually wrote in his little book that "Mom, Dad, and big sister are doing a super job!" (rah rah sis boom bah)

As previously mentioned, we have decided to capture Finlay's growth in a different way than Casey's (photographs done monthly in the glider), and here's our little reveal:

Finlay is being shot weekly on a different fabric, so that by the end of the year, we have a whole "quilt" of growth pictures. Hopefully, we keep up with it (so far, so good)!

At one month old, Fin was still a very sleepy baby with few alert moments during the day. When his eyes were open, they were definitely focusing on the people staring at and admiring him, but there wasn't much interaction or personality shown.

In the first month, he met most of his extended family members and many friends, and he endured countless hugs and kisses from big sis Casey.

By the end of the month, I was just barely falling into some sort of comfort with how to handle two kiddos at once - and I was doing so on predictable (though not long) intervals of sleep, since he woke every 2.5-3 hours for nursing.

Posting two-month stats soon!

Another Month Bites the Dust...

2011-07-29T15:04:00.009-04:00

My last post was on June 29th... which means it's been a month of no-blogging. Not surprising, I'm sure, to any readers left. (Are there any of you left??)

This month, just like the one before it, has gone by quickly. We're somewhat settling into a better routine here at home. Casey is attending school just three days a week (Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday) while I snuggle with Finlay and try to devote a lot of one-on-one time to him (though I'll admit that I often use these days to catch up on cleaning house, starting projects that will inevitably never be finished, and so on). On Mondays and Thursdays, I try to plan at least one fun out-of-the-house activity for Casey's sake (even if it's sometimes as simple as walking to the playground or having "splash day" in our own yard), and we both make time to sit and relax together in the moments that Finlay demands our (my) attention. I dreaded Mondays and Thursdays for the first few weeks of Finlay's life, simply because I wasn't use to juggling two children at once - and wasn't yet skilled at getting Casey to independently play (instead of getting into trouble) when necessary. (I also wasn't prepared back then for how to react when she'd hit Finlay. Yes, we dealt with a two-year-old hitting a two-week-old once or twice.) But I think that all of us are getting the hang of our new family.

Even Tee Jay has had to adjust, of course. His responsibilities have shifted somewhat (though certainly not lessened!). Before I had Fin, Tee Jay would arrive home around 4:15, relax, play on the computer, and then cook up a delicious dinner while watching his little kitchen TV. Casey and I would arrive home near 6:00 and be ready to eat, play, bathe, and hit the hay. Now when Tee Jay gets home, there is zero "alone time" available to him normally (except for the rare occasion when Fin and I have already headed out to pick up Casey on our own). He sits for about five minutes (usually holding the baby) before driving to NJ to get the girl. They arrive home and eat a meal that I have cooked. So though he's off the hook in the kitchen for the next few months, Tee Jay is still doing an incredible amount of housework (because my "housecleaning" moments on days alone with Finlay are pretty small, despite my feeling of accomplishment) and co-parenting (because two kids are a LOT of work, I tell ya!).

Finlay has been doing great, and we're finally seeing a little bit of "chub" developing on him. I wouldn't say he has rolls yet, but lines are starting to show on his arms and legs and I know those delicious, want-to-gobble-them-up rolls are coming soon. Though he looks completely proportionate to me, each time he's next to another baby near his age, Finlay's head looks so much smaller. He certainly doesn't have the hanging cheeks that Casey had... maybe they're still to come. He usually drinks from a bottle (of pumped milk) once a day so that when I return to work, he'll be a seasoned pro at switching from the breast to the bottle and back again.

I almost don't want to post this, in case it jinxes us in the future, but Fin has not yet hit a colicky phase, which Casey entered into at 6 weeks old (and didn't get out of until 12 weeks). He is more alert during the daytime (we had several smiley staring contests today), but is still a big napper. It makes me nervous that maybe he should be awake more, because I honestly cannot remember what Casey was like at this age, but then I think that he's probably exactly where he should be at this point. In the evenings, Casey is normally asleep (or at least in bed) around 7:30, and I nurse Finlay around 8:00 or 8:30. At that point, he goes down pretty easily into his co-sleeper and snoozes for about 5 to 5 1/2 hours. I nurse him again, and he's up next about 3 hours later. Let me tell you, this is a welcome routine! Casey didn't sleep this soundly until she was WELL over a year old. Granted, I know things are bound to change any day, but I'll take what I can get at this point.

I'll write more soon about our recent trip to RI and NH, as well as Finlay's one month stats (just in time for his two month checkup) as well as our "monthly" photos... which have a different spin from Casey's monthly in-the-glider shots.

Perspectives...

2011-06-29T14:55:00.003-04:00

I posted on Facebook yesterday that as terrible as it might sound, I've sort of been hating my maternity leave so far.

Sounds bitter. Mean. Not very nice-mommy-like. And ever so slightly "postpartum blues," right? I really don't think it's the blues at all. Just a real statement that probably a lot of moms feel (whether it's kiddo #1 or #2 or more).

I mean, I love love LOVE Finlay. He's super cute, makes all kinds of squeaking noises and little smiles, and absolutely lights up his older sister's world. (His errant hand will graze her face as she literally plants down on top of him, and she'll squeal in delight, "Mommy! Finlay touched me! FINLAY TOUCHED ME!!!")

When we first arrived home from the hospital, I was moving slow and taking things easy, due to the c-section and normal after-birth recovery necessary to any mother. We had family here in town, and when they left, along came my mom (and her fiance) and my sister for the weekend. Finally alone as a family of four the following week, I developed a sinus headache but figured it would go away soon enough on its own. Tee Jay was off from work that whole week, and we enjoyed our time together, despite my occasional complaint of "Why can't my head stop killing me?"

At the end of that week, on my first night of sleeping on Finlay's side of the bed, I strained my neck in wanting to watch and attend to him... and therefore pulled a muscle, which has resulted in nearly two weeks of subsequent pain. And I'm not just talking a little dull throbbing here and there. I was experiencing massive, major pain that would radiate up into my skull. The kind of pain that you can't just sit around and "take." The kind that definitely warrants some medication.

I put myself back on a regular dosage of Motrin (having been on it initially for the c-section healing) and booked an appointment at the doctor's office, where I was also prescribed an antibiotic for what was confirmed to most probably be a sinus infection. My doctor also wrote a script for a c-spine x-ray (as a "just in case" if I continued to be in severe pain by the end of this week) and taught me a couple of ways that he'd like me to sleep to best support the neck. (Tee Jay has subsequently moved back to Finlay's side of the bed for now, and he dutifully wakes up to hand me the baby for nursing throughout the night, bless his heart.)

Among the antibiotic and its corresponding acidophilus, pain medication, Colace, and prenatal vitamins, there were days when I was taking 17 pills in total. Casey has begun counting my dosages for me when I take them, and she asked in the car this morning, "Your neck and head hurt?" because there's no escaping Christina-complaints in this household. Everyone knows that mommy hasn't been up to par.

Tee Jay began to feel ill (stomach-wise) at work on Monday and ended up having a co-worker drive him home after he made a couple of failed attempts to venture there himself. Within two hours of his being snug on the couch, I too was sick, and I spent the better part of that evening vomiting wherever I could make it (the utility sink, Casey's potty, and thankfully often the toilet - where normal people choose to do such a thing). I felt a deep despair that night, crying, praying that God would send one of our mothers to our doorstep, wondering how on earth we'd manage to take care of two children while sick. Once the stomach bug passed (we are very appreciative that it seemed to be a 12-hour thing), I moaned that my neck and head still felt like they were literally exploding. I complained that I didn't know how I'd manage to keep two children happy all by myself on Thursday (when Casey is not in day care). I cried that I felt like I was failing as a mother and not being able to truly just enjoy my children and my time home with them.

And while I know my feelings were all valid and normal, especially when you add post-pregnancy hormones into the mix, last night I made a conscious decision to try to put things into a different perspective and just "offer it up."

Growing up, my mom often told us that when times seemed really hard, one of our options was to "offer it up" for someone or something else. As in offering up our own pain to God (essentially just "dealing" with it) for the sake of a suffering friend, the unborn children in this world, a special intention, or so on. It may not have always been easy, but there is a power in the human brain that allows us to focus our energy away from our own trials when focusing on prayer for another's tribulation. So it usually worked, and it's a phrase I've heard myself and both of my sisters mention in our adulthood.

I didn't need to look far in "offering it up" last night.

First off, my baby boy turned three weeks old on Monday, and that day it dawned on me that he'd officially lived for one day longer than my friend Lori's baby Sofia (for whom I requested prayers back in February). Lori and her husband, while they'd never brought a baby home before and probably didn't know all the mess and emotion they were in store for, anticipated their daughter's arrival with joy and excitement. When a labor-and-delivery complication cut off Sofie's air supply and left her in a vegetative state (for lack of a better term), they prayed with all their might that some miracle could happen and reverse the effects of the disastrous delivery. They stayed in the hospital for 20 days (Lori literally never left it, and I'm not sure if Mike did either) and watched their still little daughter with all the love and determination they could muster. When they brought her home to let her pass peacefully surrounded by the love (and nursery) they had prepared for her there, they were able to experience what was probably the most beautiful but excruciating event any parent ever could imagine. Since that day, Lori's online posts reflect a lot of pain, a lot of slow healing, and a lot of honesty. And while she hasn't had to deal with chapped breasts, or been drained by a baby waking up all night long, or tried to juggle a toddler and an infant at the same time , or worried about what a particular cry might indicate, I know that she'd trade her situation for all of the new mother woes in the universe. So I offer my pain up for Lori.

I also found out last night that my cousin Justin will soon be deployed to Afghanistan, leaving his wife, their 20-month-old son Jackson and their 3-week-old son Griffin (born just three days after Finlay) in their housing in Germany. I cried last night for Justin and the boys, but mostly for Ali, who will too soon be handling single-parenthood while also worrying about her husband's well-being. I told Tee Jay that for all the head- and neck- and stomach-aches in the world, I cannot imagine his leaving me in another country to take care of both kids and fend for myself. I absolutely don't think that I am a strong enough person to do it, and I wonder where Ali will get her strength. So I offer up my pain for her, too, hoping that by doing so, a little bit of the courage she'll need is coming from my prayers.

I guess it's all about perspective... and I think I'm finally ready to embrace my new one and learn to enjoy all the blessings I have, no matter if my head is pounding or not.

He's Here!...

2011-06-19T18:45:00.005-04:00

Well, 13 days later (and what else is new with such a blog slacker?), I'm happy to announce that

Finlay August Boudreau

joined our family! He arrived on Monday, June 6, 2011 at 8:12AM, weighing in at 7lbs,15oz and measuring 20in long. (My heaviest baby so far, but not my tallest.)

Finlay was delivered via a scheduled c-section (a decision that Tee Jay and I made several months earlier due to the fact that I'd had a c-section with Casey and preferred a repeat surgery to aid in having childcare and other details arranged ahead of time).

The evening before his birth, Tee Jay's mom, my dad, and my stepmother were all here in Philly with us, and we had a lovely dinner with them. Casey knew that her baby brother was going to be born the following day (she'd known for months that a) he was coming in June, b) a doctor would be taking him out of Mommy's belly, and c) that Grandma would bring her to the hospital to see us), and there was a definite excitement in the air.

I also experienced some apprehension that night, scared that something could potentially go wrong, that Finlay might not be healthy, that my relationship with Casey would never again be exactly like it was. Somehow, both Tee Jay and I finally fell asleep for a few short hours before we began our 4:30AM journey to the hospital.

There, I was hooked up to some monitors, administered an IV, and asked many questions. We met with the anesthesiologist and were finally ready to go. The surgery was scheduled to begin at 7:30AM, but due to some complications with another delivery (an unplanned c-section being whisked into the room next to ours), we didn't make headway until 8:01AM... and as you now know, Finlay was born just several minutes later.

Our poor little guy was scrunched way up high in my belly, and the two attending physicians manually pushed him down (pulling on my entire body basically) and then even used the vacuum briefly on the crown of Finlay's head. But he was delivered successfully and healthily, and to be honest, I felt better than even after my past c-section. (Yahoo! for that.)

I'll post more soon, but in the meantime, here he is!

Giddyup, Cowgirl!...

2011-05-22T15:12:00.008-04:00

I hate that I haven't blogged in so long. I hate that my sister, mother to four children (and one on the way!) is far better at keeping up with hers than I am with mine. I hate that I make promises to "catch up" on the blogging... but don't seem to ever deliver on the promise.

Excuses excuses excuses - including the fact that our computer has been "putzing out" on us for several months' time (requiring lots of backing up to an external hard-drive, which in turn then leaves me without my photos readily available) - they just don't really cut it.

So now while Tee Jay and Casey are napping (and my churning belly lets me know that Finlay most definitely is NOT), instead of waiting to get two-year-birthday and Easter and Christmas and other photos off the other hard-drive and uploaded to this newly working PC, I'll just share with you our little outing from today.

CANTER YOUR HORSES!

Casey and I share really nice rides to-and-from her daycare five days a week, and along those trips we get to see two sheep (in the same enclosure) and many, many horses (among a handful of farms). Lately, she's becoming more and more insistent, with her finger pointed in the air like a scolding parent mind you: "I want to go in there." This request/demand is always made when we pass one particular farm, and it's followed by, "Mommy, talk to Daddy. I want to go in there with the horses."

So I did talk to Tee Jay to find out if he thought there was a place we could go nearby that has horses just-for-the-seeing, since it's not like I'm ready (or have the money) to get my two-year-old into riding lessons (though I'd venture to say my first time on a horse was probably earlier than Casey's age now, having been raised by a Mom who took a "trail ride" with my grandfather nearly every Sunday when we lived in West Virginia). While he and I started looking online for possibilities, I stumbled across the website for the exact farm that inspired Casey to want to "go in there" and realized they were having an Open House TODAY!

We ventured out to Majoda Stables and spent a good two+ hours there, mostly spending our time snacking on hot dogs and hamburgers and walking to-and-from the barn and the bench near the riding ring. We learned very early in our day that Casey did NOT want to be anywhere near the horses themselves (not even the goats or the adorable soft bunny rabbit named Cheezit), but she LOVED watching the horses and the children riding them... from a safe distance. (That is, she loved watching them once she got over her fear that one of the many horses behind a fenced enclosure might come eat her hot dog out of her hand. A five-year-old'ish girl next to her explained all about how horses are vegetarians...)

Casey took a special liking to one horse named Cinnamon while I spent most of my time petting a horse named Jack inside the barn. The whole ride home, our sleepy girl asked us to sing songs about horses, sheep, Cinnamon and Jack. As afraid as she was at times there on the farm, I think she'll be begging us to go back soon!

Seeing Blue...

2011-03-09T18:49:00.015-05:00

So, in chronological order (of exciting news in our household!), I'll try to play "catch up" with back-blogging.

The first exciting thing we have to announce is that many, many weeks ago (egads - it was two months ago!), we had an anatomy scan of our little BouBerry, and... it's a BOY!

We are excited to be welcoming Finlay August Boudreau into our home at some point in early-June.

Finlay (pronounced Fin-Lee) is a name of Irish/Scottish descent, and we chose it simply because we've liked it for quite some time.

August, on the other hand, carries more sentimental value, since we chose it from my (Christina's) family tree - on my dad's side. August F. Grummich was born August 28, 1833 in Aushca, Bohemia (now Ustek, Czech Republic) and died June 25, 1911 in St. Louis, MO - he is our little guy Finlay's maternal great-great-great-great-grandfather.

Just this past weekend, we encountered a most pleasant surprise when Tee Jay’s grandmother (on his dad’s side) told us that the only grandfather she ever knew was Auguste (the French spelling) Bernier. Auguste Bernier is Finlay’s paternal great-great-great-grandfather.

Therefore, while Casey’s middle name represents her grandmothers (Susanne is her middle name – for Susan and Leslie Anne), Finlay’s middle name represents his grandfathers’ families.

In an even better twist of fate, Tee Jay has been working diligently on his 2011 Philadelphia International Flower Show exhibit, “Rediscovering Rodin” (which began this past Saturday). Tee Jay didn’t personally create the interpretation for his display this year, so he paid little attention to the details about Rodin himself, focusing mainly (and understandably so) on the design, the plant forcing, the creation of his “Thinker” topiary, etc. When his grandmother, sister and I arrived at the show on Saturday, we were all stunned to read the signage about the famous sculptor, Auguste Rodin. (It’s meant to be!)

We'll post more about our boy Fin when he arrives, of course!

Fervent Prayers...

2011-02-14T06:25:00.003-05:00

I know we've been MIA for like longer-than-ever... and we'll be back soon, I promise.

But for today, please please please PRAY YOUR VALENTINES' HEARTS OUT for an old friend Lori, who with her husband Mike, are bringing home their 20-day-old daughter ~sweetheart Sofia Isabella~ so that Sofie can pass away peacefully in the comfort of her parents' arms and warmth of the beautiful nursery they prepared for her so long ago.

My hardest task this morning was picking which pants Casey should wear to her Valentine party at school, and I therefore cannot imagine the terror, anguish, and anger that will be present in Lori and Mike's day or upcoming days (and their families' as well).

Our prayers are intended for them, fervently, and I ask that yours be also.

What Goodies!...

2010-12-02T20:01:00.008-05:00

When I first saw Casey through the doorway of her classroom this afternoon, I could tell her hair was differently styled than when I dropped her off this morning. It looked so cute from the front, but the real surprise came when she turned around, touching her hair and lovingly saying "Emily" (giving credit to her beloved teacher, who gave her the hairstyle), and showed off the two most adorable first-ever braids a little girl has had!

Seriously, I've never even THOUGHT about braiding any portion of Casey's hair - errrr... rather, I didn't think it was possible to do so yet. But man, did I love it!!!

We remembered to grab some quick pics in the tub before suds and water washed her braids away:

To add more excitement to the evening, a package was awaiting us when Casey and I arrived home (Tee Jay having been patient and leaving it unopened - even though it was technically addressed to him). It was from my Granny and Gogron in West Virginia, and ohhhhhhh... was it ever good!

First off, how totally awesome is it to get mail???? (We had also received our first photo holiday card of the season - super cute, Owen!!) But mail in the form of a brown paper package filled with goodies from West Virginia lovies? THE BEST! I won't list every little gift the box contained, but let's just say that we three Philly Bous exclaimed each step of the way, and Casey is already loving her little "look and find" book.

Tee Jay and I whole-heartedly agree that the pièce de résistance is this super hip and oh-so-sentimental "cake taker" which once belonged to my great-grandmother Stella. The cake taker is much older than I am and graced my Granny and Gogron's home on McQueen Boulevard the many times Stella brought a cake there. (Tear jerker! Family heirloom!)

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Granny - for packaging up such wonderful gifts! We love you and Gogron more than words could ever say!!

The Cat's Out of the Bag (or in the oven)...

2010-11-23T19:02:00.004-05:00

So, if you’re a friend of mine over in the Facebook world (funny how “Facebook” gets mentioned in practically every post?) or if you’re a family member or have a way to obtaining good gossip, then you already know…

…we’re pregnant!

Yes, we are expecting our little “BouBerry” sometime around June 13^th (the date’s been up for debate among me, the doctors, the ultrasound techs, etc. – let’s just say it’s between June 9^th and June 14^th). That puts me at 11 weeks’ along at this point, and here are four quick observations I’ve made so far with this pregnancy:

1) We are already in a “better position” than we were with our last pregnancy, when at the first ultrasound, no fetal pole could be detected. The past miscarriage definitely made me a lot more paranoid this time around, but at eight weeks with BouBerry, we had an ultrasound which not only showed a moving little “raspberry” at that point, but also let us glimpse AND HEAR a beautifully beating heart. I know that life is fragile (especially the life of a teeny, developing baby) but I feel more confident now that I did after taking that initial pregnancy test.

2) Just like last time, people are already REALLY ANNOYING in their constant baby- and pregnancy-talk. Don’t get me wrong… it’s nice to be cared about. But when I work with someone 5 days a week, and they ask me how I feel, followed by “I had nothing for my first, but was sick as a dog with my second” every single day of those 5 days, it gets a little (a LOT!) old. And we’ve got 29 more weeks to go! Soon, I’m sure I’ll be bombarded with the “Wow, you’re getting big!” and “You’re still here?” and “You haven’t had that baby yet??” statements. For now, I’ll leave you with the two most interesting ones over the past week

– Last Monday, when I was 10 weeks’ pregnant, a coworker stated,
“You’re having a boy. Your face hasn’t changed a bit.” (I was only
TEN WEEKS’!!! I hope my face wouldn’t change already!)

– Today, the same coworker mused, “Wow – you’re really carrying
different this time.” (I am only ELEVEN WEEKS’!!! Come on!)

3) It is not too difficult (yet) to chase a toddler around while pregnant, which I’ve been warned could be a tough thing to do by the end. However, having a toddler does make it harder to sneak snacks in while driving! When I need to eat, believe me, I NEED TO EAT – and at 5:00PM when carting Casey home for a well-balanced dinner, the last thing I want is to have her snacking in the backseat. But if Mommy’s munching away, she definitely wants in on the action.

4) For the first time in my life, I have no idea where Tee Jay and I stand on the subject of Future Kids. Before we were married, we both knew that we definitely wanted children. I always said I wanted 7 (but would settle for 4), and he always quipped that 2 would be a nice number. At some point, I think I convinced him to jump up to the 3-kids range, and after Casey was born, we were still on the "there'll be another one someday" bandwagon. But now that we’re juggling the finances of just one in day care (and pulling our hair out about the certainty of a second), I honestly feel clueless as to what our future family will look like. I mean, don’t get me wrong – I’m not really worrying about this right now; it’s certainly not keeping me up at night (while other things are!). We’ve got plenty of time to ease into the parenting of BouBerry alongside Casey – and I’m sure plenty of pay raises, job changes and other life adjustments to get through – before we even have to think about adding a third Baby Boudreau to the mix. But it’s a strange, clueless feeling nonetheless.

Oh, and for the heck of it, let's throw in a quick fifth observation - If you are emotional to begin with and were even more emotional the last couple of times you were pregnant, well... it should just go without saying that you're DEFINITELY out-of-control emotional the fourth time around!

But we're living through it, and I'll leave you with the sweetest little pics of our BouBerry.

Artist

2010-11-13T10:36:00.007-05:00

This morning Casey painted a few masterpieces after breakfast....

Then went promptly into the bath!

A wonderful start to the weekend!

Happy Halloween!...

2010-10-31T20:11:00.006-04:00

Yeah, we have a lot to post. But let's just start with the most recent event, which was (still is!) Halloween!

Casey "for-real Trick-or-Treat'ed" this year, and she wore a homemade turtle costume. She was SUCH a little sweetie, really getting the hang of Trick-or-Treating after a couple of houses. (She wasn't so great at actually saying the words "Trick-or-Treat," but she certainly had "Thank you!" down pat.)

Casey's friend Zack "The Gorilla" Santucci came to visit from RI (with his parents) for the weekend, and he got into the spirit, too!

Ditto...

2010-09-27T18:21:00.009-04:00

To quote my sister's recent blog post: "FACEBOOK MAKES US LAZY."

No, I'm not going to blame Facebook entirely for my Blogger absence. Or the insurance exam I took two weeks ago (and studied like a fiend for). Or the fact that our (pretty brand spankin' new, mind you) computer caught some virus (maybe) and has gone kaput on us, despite frequent re-setting, re-booting, whatever-you-call-'ems.

But all of those things, on top of my being a mom, wife, and well... ME (and those closest to me know that Christina is not the most organized of folks) contribute towards an overall blogging laziness.

Lazy. Lazy. Lazy.

Sometimes I think it's more about just being tired, personally. Tonight, for instance, I drove home thinking about how abandoned this blog is, and I vowed I would write a post. But when I got home, the house was filled with the wonderful scents of homemade, delicious American chop suey. You know, the really, really good kind. And I sat down to eat it, thinking, "Hmmmmm... It'd be a lot easier to just go on Facebook and write Christina is happy and full from her husband's amazing dinner."

But I'm here (double kudos because Blogger erased this entire post and I'm typing it again!!), and I'll give you a quick glimpse into yesterday.

My good friend Jen and her 2-year-old daughter Makenzie treated Casey and I to Casey's first-ever MLB game yesterday! They even showed up at our house with a little pink Phillies hat for Casey to wear, and she sported that thing for the majority of the day. It was the final regular season home game of the year, and the Phillies were playing the Mets (think Sox vs. Yanks type of atmosphere), so the crowd was excited and there was a lot for us to see. The girls patiently sat with us in the seats through the end of the 5th inning, Casey yelling "Gooooooooo!" and even waving her rally towel when she saw other spectators doing it. They gobbled up way too much kettle corn (I was a little paranoid, but no choking occurred, so I guess that means she's allowed to eat popcorn from now on) and took in all the sights of the game.

After the 5th, we escorted Casey and Makenzie to the Phillies Phun Zone where they chased each other (and were chased by other kids), went down the slide (over and over and over again), and really let their steam out so that we could take two "winding down" toddlers home with us. Right before we left, we stopped off at Guest Services, where Casey was presented with her very own "First Phillies Game" certificate.

I know Casey is cute and all. That's a given. And I guess I'm partial to her. But, man oh man, I could not stop staring at that kid yesterday as she walked through the stadium with her little pink hat, white t-shirt, stonewashed jeans, and new sneakers. She was just overwhelmingly adorable, and my heart was full. (The only thing that could have been sweeter was if we were at Fenway, but since this is her hometown, I guess I'll allow Case to cheer for the Phils as her National League team...)

I didn't bring my camera with me, and our computer is void of everything right now (I mean, there's NADA on this system), so you'll have to live with these three meager cell phone shots...

The Third Quarter...

2010-08-15T19:53:00.006-04:00

We're in the third quarter of 2010, and I stumbled across my New Years' Resolutions today.

I'm pleased to announced that I have successfully:

2. Facebook'd less
4. Lost 15 pounds
5. Finished a few sewing projects (our living room is becoming adorned with pillows!)
6. Prayed frequently
9. Revamped the living room (though it's still a work in progress)
11. Traveled to both West Virginia and Missouri
13. Got family portraits done (of us three, but NOT of the extended families yet)
14. Successfully nursed Casey through the 12-month mark (and far, far beyond)
15. Donated a good amount of my hair to Locks of Love

We'll have to ask Tee Jay how he's doing with:
"have more patience for people who don't walk on escalators when there's no reason not to."

Back Installments of "Overheard in Our Home"...

2010-08-15T13:56:00.009-04:00

These are oldies that I jotted down on scrap paper and came across today...

Q. Does my voice sound different to YOU when my fingers are up in my nose?
A. Yes.

I think ______ is Jewish. His last name is Temple. That's the only thing I'm going off of.

T: You smell like burger.
C: You do?
T: No, you do.
C: That doesn't sound very nice.
T: No, it's good. You smell like the greasy stuff leftover on the plate.
C: Huh.

Hot Night in the City...

2010-08-09T19:49:00.010-04:00

It's hot in Philly, but Casey still prefers to be outdoors when possible (and her Daddy is often willing to fulfill such wishes).

This evening, a few young girls from the other end of our street posted a sign on our corner, so Teej and Casey went to check it out and saw a hand-written notice with an arrow that read "Face Painting."

We took a little walk down to the Face Painting area of the sidewalk, and Casey dutifully sat for a flower on her arm while she met Courtney, Nancy and Marisa (future baby-sitters, I hope!). We paid the ladies $1.25 for the artwork, and I fear that at 7:50PM on a Monday, they might not get much more business. But we had fun (while it lasted), and that counts for something!

Tickle Me or Kill Me?...

2010-07-30T20:00:00.004-04:00

A furry red monster has moved into our home. Rather, he's INVADED it.

Tee Jay and I do not like the idea of sitting Casey in front of the TV on a regular basis, so shortly after she was born, we moved our living room set to the basement. We gave up our obsession with DVR'ing and canceled our cable subscription, and then when the bunny ears and digital converter box began to fail, we renewed again - but this time for the bare minimum basic package. (Meaning that for about $6/month, we can tune into ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, and PBS. And that's about it, folks.)

However... we're big fans of the computer, so as she grew, Casey became more interested in doing Mommy and Daddy things. And when she tried to use our keyboard and mouse, we figured we'd find something fun to show her online.

By plugging "Sesame Street Celebrities" into youtube, we stumbled across this cute little number (four!) by Fiest:

Casey seemed to enjoy herself, so we added a couple of different alphabet songs (Elmo with India Arie - and lots of monsters with Miles) and fun spinoffs (Norah Jones lamenting for the letter "Y," the Goo Goo Dolls singing to Elmo about being proud, etc.) to our repertoire.

Granted, we knew that Elmo starred in a couple of these videos. We knew his name was mentioned a few times. But we never said to Casey, "Let's go watch Elmo!" We'd just occasionally pull her into our laps for a quick song when she was bugging us about our time on Facebook. (She obviously wasn't asking us to get off of Blogger, since... we never post! Sorry!)

So, imagine our surprise one evening this week when I was at the kitchen sink telling Tee Jay something about our nephew and Elmo, and from her high chair, we heard a clear, perfect "EL-MO." Tee Jay said, "Did she just say Elmo?" "Uh, I think so." We both turned around to look at Casey, who repeated "EL-MO" and then put up her little palms and shrugged her shoulders, as if to ask "Where did he go??"

To make the connection more complete, she then craned her neck to the left and turned around as much as possible, pointing into the living room at the computer. "EL-MO." And Elmo it was. We rewarded our girl with three, four, or maybe five video viewings that night.

However, her thirst hadn't been satisfied and the requests haven't stopped. Casey asks for Elmo anytime the computer is in her view (we've even started closing the rolltop desk, hoping that "out of sight - out of mind" works), she asks for Elmo while getting ready in the morning, and she asks for Elmo in the car driving home each evening.

How is it, that no matter what, this furry red monster always seems to steal children's hearts??

Thankfully, I don't find Elmo as annoying as other kids' obsessions (like Barney - oh, shoot me if she ever learns who he is...). We don't watch Sesame Street and we don't own Elmo's World videos, so our limited exposure is in the cute mostly-sung-by-famous-folks internet videos.

We headed to Target tonight as a family in search of something "EL-MO" for Casey, so that the computer is not the only way to fulfill her. Though her Daddy thought it was fun to make all of the talking, walking, shaking, tickle-me, and whatnot Elmo dolls do their thing (talking, walking, shaking, tickle-laughing, etc.) in the toy aisle, I'm pleased that we brought home the ever-quiet Elmo coloring book, Elmo waterproof bathtub book, and a little red furry, huggable, lovable, no-batteries-necessary stuffed Elmo.

It amazed me, walking out of the store, that Casey has her first real character "lovey." Is she really that grown up?? I wonder what comes next...

(And there are no pictures yet, as the kiddo will NOT keep still with her new Elmo items!)

Mood Swings...

2010-07-16T20:18:00.007-04:00

I miscarried a baby in May, and I’ve thought several times about letting my teeny blogging world in on the news (though I don’t know if anyone still reads this thing, since I’ve been the slacker-as-always), but just never got around to it. Never had the right words. I didn’t need sympathy. I didn’t want words of encouragement. Our miscarriage was just another step along the way in my life, through our marriage, and for our family. It wasn’t an easy process, but it wasn’t the end of our world, either. I have an amazingly supportive husband, and together we have faith.

This morning, I laid in bed for a few extra minutes, not quite wanting to get up and start the day, when I thought about a friend who has recently become pregnant. I realized that not once since I heard her news have I felt anything but thrilled for her, her husband, and their first child. I’ve been excited that they’re adding to their brood and happy that there’ll be another wonderful baby for me to admire and visit. As I ignored the alarm clock and smiled about my friend’s good fortune, it dawned on me that I must really be doing okay with my miscarriage.

However…
Casey’s best friend at day care is a little boy named Lucas. When the two of them see each other in the mornings, they run to one another and dole out HUGE hugs (which caused them to fall on top of each other and bang heads yesterday morning!). I wrote about Lucas in Casey’s baby book one night this week, mentioning that he’s her first “real” friend that she made all on her own. Because there’s a space to include a picture of the friend, I made a mental note to ask Lucas’ parents’ permission to take a shot of the two together. I don’t see his parents every day, as our dropoff and pickup times don’t always correspond, but I figured I would get a chance soon enough.

This morning, Lucas and his mom drove into the day care’s parking lot just after Casey and I. We walked over to their car, and Casey waved excitedly at Lucas while waiting for his mom to hoist him out of his car seat. While Lucas’ mom was leaning into the car to get him, I noticed that she had a stylish, cloth band at the top of the back of her jeans and thought, “That’s cute – and funny, in a way – I had a pair of maternity jeans like that.” Once we got inside of the building and I actually saw the front and side of Lucas’ mother, it hit me like a truck… “Ohmigod, she IS pregnant.” She had the most adorable belly and had probably ‘popped’ just recently.

I was so completely taken aback by this realization that I couldn’t utter a single word. I didn’t ask Lucas’ mom about taking a picture of our kiddos, I didn’t ask her about being pregnant (because I didn’t want to be rude), etc. I just signed Casey in, dropped off her towel and change of clothes/shoes (Fridays are Splash Days! yea!), and gave her a big kiss good bye.

I walked out to my car feeling ANGRY. I was sooooooo pissed off, thinking that Lucas’ mom is probably due around the same time or just slightly after I would have been due with my “Baby Bou Too” (our pre-miscarriage pet name for the baby). And if we would have had our second children around the same time as one another, they could have gone through Chesterbrook together and been best friends just like Lucas and Casey. I felt consumed with jealousy and anger, and had a churning stomach about my misfortune. I couldn’t help it.

I arrived to work feeling completely sorry for myself and oh-so-upset about this “what if” missed opportunity for my next child’s supposed new best friend (seriously, how crazy were my thoughts?). Before I could even get settled at my desk, however, I was confronted by a coworker with good news – her cousin, who had been trying to get pregnant for QUITE some time (and had been a topic of our conversations and hopes) was finally expecting a baby.

My heart leapt in excitement. “Really????? No way! Ohmigosh, I’m sooooo happy for her!” I gushed. And I meant it. And, sheepishly, I realized that up until that point, I hadn’t felt happiness for Lucas’ growing family. Talk about a wake up call…

Since this morning, I have thought about what I’ll do the next time I see Lucas’ mom and how I can honestly tell her how joyous I am for her. I have thought about how I don’t like that I had a miscarriage – but that I know in my heart if Baby Bou Too had been born, our next child (should God bless us with another) wouldn’t have existed, because the timing wouldn’t have been exactly what it will be when it happens.

I may not be able to fully avoid a future knee-jerk jealous reaction… but if I have one, I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to squelch the anger and envy quickly. And I’ll remind myself to just dwell on the fact that I’m exactly where I need to be, and so is my family.

The Proof is On The Counter...

2010-06-20T15:29:00.006-04:00

When my countertop looks like this, it can only mean one thing... the in-laws are here!

A Belated Congratulations...

2010-06-19T14:32:00.008-04:00

My sister "erin e" (also known as the beloved Auntie Erin) graduated this past December from Washington University with a Masters in Human Resources Management, and she chose to walk in May at the main commencement exercises.

We flew out for the events (Casey's third and fourth flights in her young life), and it was absolutely WONDERFUL to not only celebrate her Auntie Erin's accomplishment, but also to introduce Casey to the many aunts, uncles, and cousins who live here in St. Louis. Best of all, Casey met (and really warmed right up to) her Great-Grandpa Ruegg.

It was just a glorious long weekend of love, family, and fun!

(click on photos to enlarge them)

A Few Changes and A Lot of Growth...

2010-05-30T21:44:00.001-04:00

Over the past few months, many changes have been taking place in Casey's schooling. Not earth-shattering ones, mind you - I mean, we're still at Chesterbrook (and paying a boat load! smile). But shortly after her first birthday, Casey transitioned from the Infant to the Toddler-A room.

The transition was deliberately lengthy. First, we started by giving Casey my pumped milk in a sippy cup, then pouring the leftovers into a bottle. She did well and drank exclusively from a cup during school hours not long thereafter. Then we began introducing cow's milk into the cup, and pretty quickly, though she noticed a difference, she didn't seem to mind the change in flavor (or temperature, as the milk isn't heated like her bottles had been).

Next, Casey began visiting the Toddler-A room for short periods during the day; an hour here, a couple of hours there. When she was finally in the "grown up" area at pickup time, I noticed a marked change in Casey. She was still excited to see me and dropped everything to crawl, walk, or climb straight to Mama. But when she arrived in my arms, she loosened her grip, would point to things or friends in the room, and pronounce "Dahhhh!" (her word for most things at that stage). It was as if she were showing off this new, fun environment.

Her end-of-the-day greetings then transitioned to wanting a hug, but immediately pulling away to go back over to her friends or whatever activity she'd been involved in before I opened the classroom door.

Nowadays, she'll often run over and say "Hi" to me, but she's not quite ready to leave Chesterbrook as soon as I arrive there.

This isn't upsetting to me in any way. There are brighter colors, more toys, and lots of noise in the Toddler room, and it's quite obviously geared towards her maturation. I love seeing her so happy with friends and teachers (oh, the kisses she gives and gets!), and each day is a testament to the growth she's experiencing in the day care setting.

Of course, nothing in this life is perfect...

A minor complaint (if I could even call it a complaint) is that Casey comes home MESSY! Big t-shirts are worn at lunch (instead of bibs), but when the air was still cold enough for long sleeves, the ends of them were usually covered in spaghetti sauce or some other delicacy. Playing outside, interacting with other kids, working on real projects (versus the cute, barely touched "art" from the Infant room), etc. all lead up to less-than-pristine shirts and pants at the end of the day. It may mean more OxiClean for us, but it's also a nice indication that our daughter is having fun, fun, fun!

And - here it comes - our little doll has been BIT (bitten?). It's happened three times over several months (twice within a week of one another by the same child), but not at all for awhile. We've been reassured that this is somewhat normal for her age-group, and though seeing the first-time mark on Casey's arm was disconcerting to us, one of our major concerns was that she'd learn how to bite back! (We so don't want to be the parents getting the report that our daughter hurt someone else.) Thankfully, we haven't received such word yet. We've been told that Casey occasionally participates in the bad behaviors known by her age group (hitting, eye-poking, etc.) but that she is a real sweetie and not at all a repeat offender.

She is learning so much at Chesterbrook that we can barely keep up with what she now knows. She has MANY words:

Mama, Daddy, hi, buh-bye, kitty, dog, woof (usually followed by puppy-like panting), moo (responded when asked, "Casey, what does a cow say?"), more-more (always said twice in a row along with the sign language for "more"), diaper, row-row-row (almost exclusively stated in threes, as in "Row, Row, Row Your Boat"), yeah, and baba (for "baby").

Until recently, she loved pointing to her nose, and we were so excited that she finally knew a body part. Now, however, she will NEVER touch her own schnoz, but loves to rest her finger upon ours. She was looking through a book a few weeks back and saw a picture of a baby's ear. She showed me the picture and then grabbed her own ear, and I exclaimed, "Good girl - EAR! Great!"

Well, it's always nice to get attention, so Casey then showed us, upon our asking, her arms (waving them up in the air), hands (think "spirit fingers"), legs and feet (patting them with her hands), head and hair (a little too much pulling on it for her own good), mouth (she drums it with her fist while saying "ahhhhhh" - much like we non-politically-correct folks did to imitate Native American Indians when we were kids), and a new favorite: her BELLY! Warm weather has ushered out the use of onesies, so Casey's stomach is always accessible for a peek or poke! We had no idea that she already knew all of these body parts.

She can walk up and down the stairs while holding onto railings or our hands (but also likes to crawl and use knees), empties the dishwasher with Daddy (a favorite pasttime), and is getting quite skilled at making real music come from the many flutes and pipes we have lying around the house. She is also becoming very interested in (and good at) simple puzzles.

Casey has a new obsession with dogs - she loves hearing, seeing, and pointing at them. They're totally the "it" thing right now for her, made complete by a new dalmatian stuffed animal (named Doggy) from my cousin Matt.

At her doctor's visit last week, Casey measured 33 inches tall and weighed 22 pounds, 3 ounces. Her hair is getting longer (and in her eyes!), but she refuses to leave ponytails or barrettes in it (and Mommy refuses the first hair cut just yet). She has 10 teeth (8 in the front and her 2 top molars), and her doctor could feel the bottom molars just under the surface of her gums.

She seems, in most ways, more like a "kid" now than a baby. We are helplessly in love and constantly shocked by how fast this is all going!

She's Gone and Done It...

2010-05-01T17:45:00.003-04:00

So, Casey decided to forgo her nap today (normally from about noon-2:00PM), and we kept waiting (and watching and trying for) a sleepy moment to arrive, assuming we could help her sneak in a few winks in the late afternoon before dinner.

But no nap came for this obstinate child, so she went and did what I've heard so many other parents describe...

Casey fell asleep right at the dinner table:

Warm Weather, Here We Come!...

2010-05-01T09:25:00.002-04:00

Seeing this kid wear little shorts is absolutely the highlight of my day...

My Crunchy Kind of Girl...

2010-04-24T06:47:00.004-04:00

Happy belated Earth Day, y'all.

We've been amiss from our blog (as usual), and wanted to post you an adorable photo of Casey on Earth Day, dressed as quite the hippy that she is (she wore tye-dye that day)...

...but our camera decided to give out on us once and for all (which is why you're seeing a picture from Longwood Gardens instead.)

Granted, our camera was many, many years old. It was bound to happen at some point. It's always nice to upgrade. Yadi yadi yada. But none of those statements make it very easy to swallow the idea that we'll now have to spend some mucho bucks on electronics today (when we didn't budget for such an expense).

Life goes on, though, and cameras are necessities (as far as I'm concerned!), so let's hope for even clearer, nicer pics in the future.

The one shot I was able to take this past Thursday before the camera went kaputz was this:

Granola Bars

2 cups oats
1 cup nut(s) of choice (crushed, chopped, halved or whole)
3/4 cup wheat germ (I substituted crushed Wheat Chex here)
3/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup dried fruit (Craisins, raisins, etc.)
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup butter (half a stick)
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix together oats, nuts, wheat germ and sunflower seeds in a baking dish. Toast these dry ingredients in the oven for 10-12 minutes, stirring once. Pour them into a large bowl and add the dried fruit to the mix.

Meanwhile, line a jelly roll or lasagna pan with wax paper, and lightly spray it with non-stick cooking spray.

In a small saucepan, mix brown sugar, honey, butter, vanilla and salt together - set the stovetop temperature to low-medium, and bring your liquid ingredients to a boil, stirring constantly. Allow to boil for about 2 minutes and remove from heat.

Pour liquid ingredients into bowl of dry ingredients, and mix quickly. Spread and flatten your granola mixture into the prepared pan, adding another sheet of wax paper on top to help press down your bars. Allow to harden for at least 1-2 hours, cut into squares, and ENJOY!

The real keys to this recipe, in my estimation, are the oats and the liquid ingredients. If you use at least 1-1/2 cups oats along with 4 cups of other dry ingredients (to have 5-1/2 cups total) -and combine that with the liquid measurements- you're going to end up with a delicious snack in your household.

Just think of the possibilities.... Breakfast Bars with Cheerios, yogurt bites, dried apples... Salty Sweet Bars with pretzels, caramel chips, peanuts... and so on.

OBX

2010-04-07T14:50:00.006-04:00

We will be back soon... we are busy vacationing in the Outer Banks! In the meantime, we wanted to leave you with a little taste of the fun we are having down here - Casey enjoying the sites...

Almost Here

2010-03-31T17:34:00.003-04:00

Red Sox Home Opener against the Yanks this Sunday - Casey is ready... are you?

And Just Like That, It's Gone...

2010-03-27T19:03:00.004-04:00

The above picture for my Mom is probably like anyone else watching an extremely creepy horror flick.

But I've been growing my hair since Casey's birth and figured that there was no better reason to cut it than to donate the "spun gold" (Mom's term) to Locks of Love...

Proof...

2010-03-21T09:08:00.007-04:00

We mentioned several weeks back that Casey had begun walking, but we never offered proof... until today!

And a Little Later...

2010-03-20T13:47:00.007-04:00

A small sampling of aforementioned (and aforepromised) birthday party pics are FINALLY here!

A Little Late...

2010-03-20T13:41:00.004-04:00

Happy (belated) St. Patrick's Day!

(We celebrated by taking advantage of the beautiful warm-up that has happened this week in Philadelphia. Unfortunately, Monday's forecast calls for dropping temperatures and more rain, but we'll take what we can get for now.)

Sunday Treats...

2010-03-14T16:50:00.007-04:00

Peanut Butter French Toast

In a medium bowl, stir together the following ingredients until well blended:

1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup pancake baking mix (like Bisquick)
3/4 cup peanut butter (can use 1 cup if preferred)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg

Carefully dip slices of bread into batter on both sides, and place on greased hot griddle, in sandwich maker, or in waffle iron. Serve with syrup, mini chocolate chips, powdered sugar... or all three!

(Our batter batch this morning was enough to coat 12 slices of Texas toast.)

While on the subject of sweets, aren't these little oatmeal apple pies (with bits of cranberries) just the cutest?

They'll be added to Casey's breakfast collection at school, where we keep a Ziplock in the freezer of homemade treats (French toast, banana pancakes, soda bread, zucchini bread, and now these) for her to enjoy each morning.

And a last little sweet bit - I thought I was buying donuts... but the packaging proved me wrong.

House and Home...

2010-03-13T15:50:00.004-05:00

So, here's our weather in Philly...

It's been raining since Thursday night, and as you can see, isn't supposed to let up for awhile. Winds are also supposed to reach high speeds throughout many parts of the storm.

We have discovered... I hate to say it, but I will... LEAKS (egads, NO!) in our house as a result.

Miraculously, thus far, the trouble spots are all within a very close range of one another and confined to the unfinished concrete "utility" corner of our basement. We're heading out in the wet, windy day to buy some silicone at Home Depot (thanks, Kristy, for the birthday gift card!) in the hopes of a quick (or semi-long term?) fix.

Casey's grabbing the rosary beads! Won't you pray along?

Feast!...

2010-03-04T20:58:00.000-05:00

St. Casimir, a prince of Poland and Grand Duchy of Lithuania is a patron saint of the young, quite fittingly for our little girl. Pious from early childhood, St. Casimir loved to help the poor and was devout to the Eucharist and the Blessed Mother. He died at the age of 26 on March 4, 1484.

Today, we celebrate St. Casimir and ask him to pray with us for the health and growth of Casey Susanne.

Professional Shots...

2010-02-24T18:58:00.007-05:00

Twelve Months Old...

2010-02-20T19:50:00.002-05:00

Love To All...

2010-02-14T09:47:00.001-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

(And Happy Birthday to Casey's Grandma, too!)

We're going to hang out with our friends Mak, Alicia, and baby Sarah Reese today - and this delicious looking cookie gets to come with us. We hope that you all enjoy the people you love every day of the year - and that today especially, you let them know how much they mean to you!

She Walks, She Walks, Oh Baby!...

2010-02-13T20:39:00.004-05:00

(If you're thinking William Hung's "She Bangs, She Bangs!" you're on the same wave-length as I. If you're thinking Ricky Martin's "She Bangs, She Bangs!" then you're one degree smarter.)

So, yes, the baby girl WALKS!!!!

Casey, Tee Jay, and I ventured out in the snow (we got more, more, oh-way-too-much-more snow this week) to my cousin Craig's house tonight for some Campbell birthday celebrating, and not only did Casey get her first ever birthday presents (wow!), but after seeing the fun, raucous rough-housing of cousins Elle, Max, Katherine, and Colin, she decided to WALK.

Walk walk walk!!! The baby walks!

She did eight full steps in a row at one point, which was the farthest distance, but throughout our cheering, Casey managed several consecutive steps many times over.

Now, she just needs to master the skill in time for her first birthday extravaganza next weekend!

(And thanks to the cousins for her presents - we think that adorable dresses and cropped sweaters must be the fashion trend of the baby season!)

Snow Day!...

2010-02-06T08:48:00.003-05:00

This is the ladies' current state of affairs. It's been snowing since about 9:00PM last night and hasn't stopped yet!

Tee Jay, on the other hand, ventured out in the park's truck at about 5:30AM to help man the city's Emergency Response Center. We think he'll be putting in at least 12 hours today, but it's not so bad since it puts extra money in the paycheck and I'm sure is a bit exciting for him.

Be happy, healthy and WARM today, everyone!

Eleven Months Old...

2010-01-23T09:49:00.000-05:00

More Sweet Than Bitter...

2010-01-20T18:37:00.003-05:00

I remember when she turned a month old, I wistfully realized that I was already four weeks down on my maternity leave with Casey. I remember thinking that time was moving much too quickly. Boy, was I ever wrong – time isn’t just moving quickly... it’s on more like warp speed!

Casey is 11 months old today...and this is therefore the last time that we can say it’s her “birthday” before it’s actually, truly, really, honest-to-goodness her BIRTHDAY. The thought shocks and saddens me in many ways.

Within the next couple of weeks, Casey will get to celebrate her first Valentine’s Day (also Grandma’s birthday!), but after that, it’s all old news.

She will have had her first of every holiday... no more “Baby’s First Easter” bibs or “My First Christmas” ornaments. She’ll have lived every day of the regular calendar year – March 12th or June 1st or September 24th (and so on) will no longer be days that she hasn’t experienced before. What a sad little thing to let go of.

But on the other hand, I am thinking positively for the future. These past months with our daughter have taught Tee Jay and I to love each other more, to make time for relaxing and enjoying the moment, and to cherish each new day (and the growth that comes with it) of our lives with Casey.

Just today, she went from sitting to crouching to standing (without pulling up on something) and stayed there for several long seconds, even venturing to clap her hands without falling down! We have so much more to look forward to.

(And, after all, once she’s a toddler and no longer our “baby,” we’ll still have February 29, 2012 to celebrate with Casey! If only they made "Little Girl's First Leap Day" paraphernalia...)

Discussion

2010-01-07T21:26:00.002-05:00

Casey and I (Tee Jay) were discussing zucchini today... she came to the same conclusion as I did --- Yuck!

Overheard in Our Home...

2010-01-02T18:35:00.003-05:00

Parent 1: "Wow - look what we made."

Parent 2: "I love it... LOVE IT!"

Parent 1: "Yeah, it's like when people are proud of their garden and vegetables they've grown. Like, 'Check out this cucumber I grew!' But we made a baby. We just made the BEST cucumber ever."

Parent 2: "Ever."

Let's Share...

2009-12-31T20:10:00.004-05:00

Here are some of my New Year's Resolutions... what are yours???

1. Blog more
2. Facebook less
3. Master the art of keeping a clean house, a successful job, a happy girl, and a loving marriage
4. Lose at least 15 pounds
5. Finish a sewing project
6. Pray frequently
7. Keep my nails pretty
8. Hang more portraits on our walls - we've lived here for over a year, for crying out loud!
9. Revamp the living room
10. Finish revamping the basement
11. Travel to West Virginia and Missouri
12. Make a delicious cheese souffle
13. Get family portraits done (of us three AND then also including extended families)
14. Ensure that Casey continues getting breastmilk until she's at least 12 months old
15. Measure out the necessary 10 inches and donate most of my hair to Locks of Love

Tee Jay's is to "have more patience for people who don't walk on escalators when there's no reason not to." I'm not entirely sure what he's getting at there, but a man's entitled to his resolutions, right??

Ten Months Old...

2009-12-30T19:53:00.000-05:00

This is the best shot I could get from this month's "photo shoot" in the glider. At ten months, Casey is growing by leaps and bounds, and she's demanding her independence loudly.

For instance, as these photos will show you, she does NOT like being told to sit still in Mommy's glider...

We went home to Rhode Island for nine days over Christmas (photos will be posted just as soon as nice family members send me some - I was so busy playing the Mama role that I forgot to take pictures! please send some!), and by the time Casey went back to Chesterbrook Academy, I had many updates for her teachers... Since we'd been gone, she'd cut three new teeth, had let go while standing, had briefly cruised while playing with her friend Zack, learned how to give lip kisses, and finally mastered the art of blowing kisses, too. WOW!

I cannot believe that in less than two months time, this girl will be celebrating her first birthday. These days have flown on by, eh??

You Win Some, You Lose Some...

2009-12-11T15:19:00.006-05:00

Okay, so I've said it time and time again, it seems, that I'm sooooo sorry I'm not posting more frequently! Life has been super dee duper busy lately - that is, it's been even busier than just having a fast crawling 9-month-old on our hands.

Namely, during my lunch hours at work (before taking a 15-minute pumping break) and then at 8:30PM once Casey's gone to bed each night, I've been cramming for an insurance exam. It's been consuming, frustrating, mind-numbing, and nerve wracking. And on top of it, my brain has been drifting to the many tasks to complete for the holiday season.

~ I have to make six dozen cookies for a work cookie-exchange on Monday.

~ We're hosting our 4th Annual Ornament Painting Party at our house tomorrow, which means we need to have on hand: tons of wooden, glass, ceramic, and plastic sun catcher ornaments; paints and brushes; soda galore; three big crocks of delicious hot soup; and some small appetizers.

~ Casey's Christmas gift from Mommy and Daddy this year will be a homemade fabric crinkle book. (Everything else is from Santa.) Sewing has not yet begun!

~ A beloved nephew is going on 3 years old this year - which means that it's finally time he receives his own super hero cape. Also being sewn here at home; also not yet begun.

~ Christmas cards are ready (though a portion of the design got cut off, which greatly disturbs Tee Jay, the creator of said cards). We just need envelopes and some quick addressing/stamping skills.

~ There is still a list (ever-dwindling, thank goodness) of gifts to buy and wrap.

~ And on top of everything else, I've been convinced by one-who-will-not-be-named (but is a pretty smart person, I'll admit) that the best stocking for Casey -and all future Boudreau children, I s'pose- will be one which is hand-made out of her "going-home-from-the-hospital" outfit. Again, another project not yet begun... and one that may have to wait until her second Christmas.

I know that I'm probably preaching to the choir and not likely to get many sympathy votes from any of you harried, hurried, or worried Christmas-ites out there. We're all stressed, I'm sure. 'Tis the season!

But before I could focus much worry on the Christmas stuff, I first needed to get through the insurance exam - which I took today AND PASSED. (Thank God, thank God.)

However, my elation was a bit marred when later this afternoon, Alex from Four Seasons Roofing & Siding told me that we need a new roof (a whole new roof!), and no, this probably isn't going to be covered by insurance.

You win some, you lose some, right?

In the end, though, how can I really consider anything a loss when these two peanuts live in my home??

Promise...

2009-12-02T19:29:00.000-05:00

As a little girl, my family had an Advent wreath every December, and we read and sang from a book called "We Light the Candles" by Catharine Brandt. It was a beautiful way to come together as a family, even as we grew into teenage and adulthood and were often busy with friends, jobs, and school responsibilities, and remember that this season is about so much more than Black Fridays and Cyber Mondays.

We Ruegg gals love our Advent book and traditions so much that just a few years back, our parents found and purchased us each our own copy of "We Light the Candles" (which still has the same little drawings in it that our original 1976 version did!).

I am so glad to continue the tradition for Casey.

From "We Light the Candles"

We call the first candle promise to remind us that God promised to send his Son Jesus.

Long ago the prophet Isaiah spoke these words of promise about Jesus to God's people.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6)

Long before Jesus was born, God promised it would be so. People joyfully celebrate Christmas because God gave the world his own Son, the very first Christmas gift.

Nine Months Old...

2009-12-01T19:54:00.002-05:00

I've got a headache as big as Texas (and that's big!) and am just soooo lazy and such a slacker lately that Tee Jay had to say, "The nine month photo isn't posted!" for me to get this up here. Sorry it's so late!

Leaps and Bounds and Crawls...

2009-11-22T19:32:00.003-05:00

It's been way too long since we've posted good news on here, so I promise photos soon.

Life just seems so busy lately, and Casey is 99% of that busy-ness. Particularly, she's CRAWLING!

Casey and I ventured to New Hampshire last Sunday (Casey's very first plane ride!) to visit with my sister and her family (of one husband and four kids). It was on Tuesday, after watching her older cousins zip, zoom, and crawl (or Violet's version of crawling, that is) around her, that Casey, alone in the living room, began crawling. And it's true, perfect crawling. One knee in front of the other, and hands moving forward to match. She was tentative that morning, but gained a lot of confidence by the time we flew back to Philadelphia late Wednesday. (Tee Jay had quite the show in store for him when I set her down on our living room floor!)

Ever since, Casey's been unstoppable. And we learned, after a mere couple of hours, that our house... well, it ain't ours anymore. Baby-proofing, MAJOR baby-proofing, is in order. (I guess I hadn't noticed the need as much at my sister's home, where after having four kids, she and my brother-in-law have set their rooms up so that everything is open and available to children of all ages.)

We've also learned that Casey's noggin is going to have to get very used to bumps along the way. Man, she's a brute, and she's constantly knocking her poor little head on things now.

In more news, Casey came home from New Hampshire with another tooth - or maybe got it the day after we arrived back in Philly. (It's hard to tell, since she guards her gums like Fort Knox. Even Mama and Daddy aren't usually granted viewing privileges.) This one is on the bottom, and I thankfully haven't been bitten yet, though I am afraid it may be in my future.

And since her growth seems to be happening in leaps and bounds, I guess it's finally time for Casey's first "cold" (or whatever it is) to manifest itself. We noticed last night that instead of a peacefully sleeping baby girl, her bedroom was housing a barking seal. Ahhhhh, the horrible (and most uneasy, to new parents) sound of croup. While I nursed Casey, Tee grabbed Dr. Sears' The Baby Book, and in the dim light of our bedroom, we discovered that there's really not much a doctor could do at this point. We ramped up the warm mist vaporizing, let Casey sleep in our bed (even though we've been warned by seasoned parents that this should be a "no no"), and gave her the almighty pacifier (a.k.a. Mom's breasts) throughout the night. She did TOTALLY fine (whew!) and she is her happy, adorable self during the daytime, but we know that croup can often sound its worse during the second and third nights... here we go! (We started this evening with a steamy nap in the bathroom while a hot shower ran - and we'll follow up with plenty of vaporizing and will check in on Casey periodically throughout the night.)

Casey is also becoming cognitive of the word "NO." And boy, she doesn't like it! Just a few minutes ago, she was going towards the cord of our laptop, and both Tee Jay and I sternly, slowly expressed our displeasure. We didn't raise our voices, but clearly looked at her and said, "Noooooo. No, Casey. NO." She sat very still, stared at us, and let her sweet smile slowly turn downwards into a definite frown. The crying followed quickly after, and I couldn't help but laugh while I scooped her up in my arms. I was so proud that Casey understands us... yahoo to having a genius-child! (Don't mock me - I'm sure she's a genius, okay????)

A Prayer of Peace...

2009-11-18T08:39:00.003-05:00

Casey's Great-Grandpa Dick passed away peacefully last night, and I ask you to pray for his family, that a spirit of peace envelop them while they remember his full life.

Trick-or-Treat...

2009-10-31T16:20:00.011-04:00

A Halloween TRICK:

Instead of cutting the top ("hat") off your pumpkin before carving it, slice a large square portion out of the back.

You'll still be able to scrape out the seeds, be able to put a candle inside, and have enough oxygen for the flame to stay lit.

A Halloween TREAT:

Preheat your oven to 400°.

Place your pumpkin square (as above, cut from the back before you carve), meat side up, in a 9x13 baking dish.

Slice a butternut squash in half and spoon out the seeds from both sides. Place these, meat sides up, in the dish next to the pumpkin. Spread a pad of butter along the meat of all three pieces.

Peel and dice two pears (any variety), and fill the squash "holes" with your pear bits.

Sprinkle your pumpkin and squash with cinnamon and nutmeg, and if desired, pour 1/2 teaspoon vanilla into each squash "hole."

Fill your baking dish with about 1/2-inch water, and cover with aluminum foil and bake in the heated oven for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and scoop out the pears, pumpkin meat, and squash meat, leaving the skins behind. Hand mash all ingredients together in a large bowl (puree in blender/food processor for newer eaters). Spoon mixture into ice cube trays, cover tightly, and freeze overnight. Pop cubes into a large ziplock bag until ready to serve individually to baby.

(Yes, we are giving out what my sister calls "the sucky candy." For the record, I LOVE Smarties and gumballs!)

Happy Halloween!...

2009-10-31T10:20:00.005-04:00

We wish for all you goblins, ghouls, ghosts, and other wonderful characters to have a safe and fun Halloween!

The Thing About Eight Months Is...

2009-10-27T22:22:00.001-04:00

...that Casey has finally cut her first tooth!

(I discovered it tonight - wow!)

Eight Months Old...

2009-10-27T18:43:00.001-04:00

Amazingly, We're Still Here...

2009-10-14T21:48:00.002-04:00

Hells Kitchen aired a finale last night, and guess what? We missed it. And somehow, miraculously, I still haven't checked online to see who won Chef Gordon Ramsey's top spot at a new restaurant.

We dumped cable about three weeks ago, and I've got to admit that it's not too bad. I thought that I'd miss our shows tremendously, that life would be extremely different without DVR capability. And while I do feel a pang of regret when I hear the words "Project" and "Runway" in the same sentence, I think Tee Jay and I are both quickly realizing that there is, indeed, life beyond television.

If the cable box were still present here in our living room, I know that we'd be watching, DVR'ing, and constantly playing catch-up on Modern Family, Glee, High School Reunion, Top Chef, Holmes on Homes, Project Runway, Hells Kitchen, Survivor, Amazing Race, America’s Next Top Model, The Office, House Hunters, Income Property, CBS Sunday Morning, Southland, Medium, Jeopardy, Say Yes to the Dress, Jon and Kate + 8, House, Brothers & Sisters, Community, Parks and Recreation, Saturday Night Live, This Old House, The Soup, Iron Chef, Wife Swap, The Next Food Network Star, Law & Order, Heroes, Lie to Me, Mad Men, So You Think you Can Dance, Cold Case, American Idol, The Late Show with Conan O'Brien, Landscaper's Challenge, and probably countless other shows.

(If that's not one of the most pathetic paragraphs I've ever written, I don't know what is.)

Do we watch TV? Sure - The Jay Leno Show is on in the background while I type this. But I've got to say, there's a little something freeing about our spare time no longer being dictated by fictional or reality-based story lines which don't include Casey, our cats, our families, our home, or our conversations with one another. I dare you to give it a try.

Catching Up...

2009-10-08T19:38:00.006-04:00

Here's some of what we've failed to post on the blog in a timely manner...

Professional Six-Month Photos:

Some more play time with cousin Violet:

Dressing in argyle with Dad:

Talk Like A Pirate Day:

Thank you, Sam Moon, for hosting us!

I'll Show Her Who's Boss...

2009-10-07T18:40:00.003-04:00

Casey says something that sounds surprisingly like, "Tee Jay." So I let her know tonight that Tee Jay is NOT what she is to call her father.

"Casey, his name isn't Tee Jay to you. You may call him Daddy or Princess Daddykins or My-Favorite-Man-Daddy."

My vote's for the second option.

School Days...

2009-10-03T18:20:00.005-04:00

It's funny to think of my seven-month-old in school, but it sounds nicer than daycare. And at Chesterbrook (Academy, that is), there is a curriculum and "lessons" for even the youngest sweeties.

So, with school comes cheesy (a.k.a. adorable) photographs and first-time artwork.

Prayers...

2009-10-01T22:16:00.002-04:00

I was going to post some school-related stuff tonight, but then heard the news that my niece's first school friend had passed away yesterday.

I have been thinking about this poor 5-year-old boy's family ever since, and it is so upsetting to me.

Having Casey is one of my greatest joys, but it's also a tough job to undertake. There are times when I am less patient than I should be, and I know that I have a lot to learn. But I can't (and won't) imagine life without that peanut. If she wakes up every two hours tonight and keeps me tired and dragging and not sure how I'll make it through work tomorrow, I will praise God because it means she's alive and able to communicate, in her own way, with us. I need to remind myself to feel this gratitude (and thank the Lord for it) every day.

Tonight, my prayers go out to little Payton's family, his teachers, and his friends. Please send out your prayers as well...

I Guarantee You...

2009-09-30T21:52:00.003-04:00

...that if you dress your infant daughter in any color other than pink, people will be sure to tell you how cute "he" is.

Apple Bottom Jeans...

2009-09-28T21:48:00.004-04:00

She's just too stylish for words...

And don't you think that these next three shots really make it seem like Casey truly is dancing at the club?? (...shorty got low, low, low, low, low, low, low, low...)

The Stupid Voice in the Background...

2009-09-28T19:21:00.017-04:00

Yeah, so here are some recent home videos... with the world's STUPIDEST Mommy-voice in the background. (I therefore apologize - but the baby is cute enough to make up for it, I hope!)

September 21st - Making her new funny face and saying lots of "da-da-da"s:

September 28th - Casey's version of clapping, which is her newest trick:

Casey has become a little bit of a mime lately. She can't fully copy our actions, but she knows how to wave hello and good-bye, sticks out her tongue when we do so, tries a silly clap as evidenced above, and has a LOT to say, even if only she knows what it means!

In other news, I have LOVED making baby foods. It's not necessarily that I don't trust Gerber and the like, but I feel like I can do better and healthier (at least, I hope I am!). I love that up until she hit solids, Casey Sue was an exclusively breastfed baby. And now I can continue with a feeling of wholesomeness, homey-ness, and nurturing in picking fresh, local fruits and veggies and making them into purees that my baby enjoys. I've never been a big health-food nut myself, but I've got to admit, these look and taste (yes, I have tasted most!) delish. Tonight, however, presented a whole new ballgame when I pureed organic chicken, potato, sweet potato, and onion together. Ahhhhh, nothing like liquid meat to make you rethink what you want for dinner...

Just For Today...

2009-09-20T23:00:00.003-04:00

We've been keeping super busy here in Philly (what else is new?), so I'll just fill you in on today (yesterday, by the time I've actually posted this).

When I woke up today, I thought we might be able to go apple-picking after Mass.

What I didn't expect was that the orchard would be so quaint and have hayrides!

I didn't think that available for picking were so much more than apples! We had the option of choosing our own grapes, peaches, pears, veggies, pumpkins and more.

I didn't know that it'd be a perfect day for making delicious baby foods. This time, I cooked parsnips, butternut squash, acorn squash (both plain and with apples and cinnamon), and zucchini for Casey. The last baby food of the day, warm applesauce, was ready for her at just the same time we realized that she's now learning how to have more solid 'movements.' She grunted and turned red and didn't appear to like this new 'development,' so we're grateful that she's enjoying said apples (which should improve the situation).

I didn't anticipate our washing machine would make an ominous shudder before filling the basement with a haze and nasty smell. I didn't understand what the odor was, but felt it might be gas. I didn't comprehend that when my husband answered "yes" to "Ohmigod, do you think we should call someone??" he guessed we'd talk to a knowledgeable coworker or dad later... not that I'd dial 9-1-1 and bring firefighters to the house for what was probably a burned rubber belt in the machine. I thought it was gas, okay??? (Reason #501 to live near family!)

I didn't imagine that the quiet moments and chaotic ones would make it such a busy day that Tee Jay and I wouldn't get to eat dinner until after Casey was already in bed... and that we'd go to sleep exhausted, yet so incredibly fulfilled.

Seven Months Old...

2009-09-20T19:16:00.008-04:00

...by the way, seven months brings us a baby who doesn't sit still very well for a "formal" picture in the glider.

We tried over and over again, but she had other ideas. Does she always want to?:

A) Lean all the way forward?

B) Grab her toes?

C) Slouch backwards?

or D) All of the above?

Plan C...

2009-09-17T20:38:00.004-04:00

Our little family of three made a pact to don pink tomorrow in support of Tee Jay, who has been geared up to receive his first-ever "pink slip." Casey and I were even going to treat Teej to a meal at Outback Steakhouse after the eventful workday.

But as you may be able to tell from those first two lines, our plans aren't happening anymore - because the layoff isn't coming! (Can I get a "yahoo," please??)

Basically, Philadelphia is in a terrible financial crisis (who isn't?) and our Mayor proposed a doomsday budget called Plan C in which all libraries, rec facilities, and parks would be closed and 800 police officers would lose their jobs - it was to be a loss of approximately 3,000 Philly employees, Tee Jay included.

Along the way, we've been a bit angry about the situation and Mayor Nutter's (now, there's a name...) handling -or mishandling- of it. But we've done our best, and succeeded, at not being too nervous about our future. There wasn't a lot we could do about a possible layoff until it arrived. And worry wouldn't help much except to cause belly- and headaches.

Based upon news reports and a letter from the Mayor, we were 99% sure that the notices would be delivered tomorrow, but were also assured there was a chance that the Senate might be able to pass a bailout budget sometime between September 18th and the employees' final work day of October 2nd.

That possible bailout surprisingly arrived today!

We are, of course, happy about the news. And now the only Plan C in our lives can go back to being Casey... who'll probably still decide to wear pink tomorrow.

(Yea! for her Daddy!!)

More Baby Food...

2009-09-03T22:24:00.000-04:00

(featuring a MoBoleez bonnet)

Baby Food!...

2009-08-31T18:25:00.000-04:00

A Busy Summer...

2009-08-30T09:01:00.015-04:00

I really should entitle this post "A Busy Life..." because that's exactly what Casey has had so far in her mere six months!

Tee Jay and I are currently both on living room couches (he's snoring; I'm typing) as Casey naps on a quilt on the floor. We are embracing and enjoying a lazy Sunday, yes. But...

we wrote down our hectic schedule since her birth and have realized that in addition to our travels to RI (twice), NYC (once), and several weekend drives to nearby NJ, we have had out-of-state company in our home for 12 weekends since Casey's birth. TWELVE!! That's three months of visitors - not to mention our "in town" friends who have also stopped by.

This is not to say that we are ungrateful for our past guests nor are we opposed to future ones - but we're savoring our do-nothing-but-go-to-Mass-today plan.

Here are just some things we've experienced this Summer:

Tee Jay got his first grill! (Thanks, Dad and Cheryl)
We attended the 2009 Longwood Graduate Program's Appreciation Event (these are Tee Jay's fellows and professor from last year's graduation)
Checked out the Binswanger Triangle in Philadelphia (that Teej himself designed!)
Keri visited from Florida and brought Casey a dolphin (straight from Discovery Cove, where Keri works!)
Showed Casey how delicious Phở can be (though she got it "second hand" several hours later)
We had fun in New Hampshire with Auntie Erin, Uncle Shawn, Auntie Tree, and cousins
Casey learned from a pro (Grand Dad, a.k.a. The Dishwasher King)
Casey experienced her first-ever swim... dressed as Tarzan
The Santuccis rocked the 80s music and put the babies to sleep while dancing
We took Casey to her first Stephen Starr restaurant (ooh la la)
Someone learned how to sit up!
Daddy passed along his musical skills for the recorder...
...and the guitar!
More fun times were spent with cousins (here at the Adventure Aquarium)
And Mama and Daddy spent another wonderful day with Casey at Longwood Gardens
Needless to say, we're exhausted!

It's been a whirlwind since February 20, 2009 - and we're loving every minute!

Six Months Old...

2009-08-22T08:03:00.004-04:00

Yes, Casey turned six months old (six months old!!!) on Thursday, and I can hardly believe it.

In just another six months, will we really be celebrating her first birthday? It's crazy how quickly the months pass when you're having the time of your life!

Sooooo Hip...

2009-08-16T19:29:00.003-04:00

Our girl is too cool for school. Case in point:

We've been playing a little hooky lately, leaving early the past two Fridays (well, maybe it's her Mama who's leading the hooky parade!).

And tomorrow morning, Casey and I will venture out to Temple University's Developmental Psychology Lab to take part in a study on 5-month-olds (which Casey technically is for the next three days). Therefore, she won't arrive to Chesterbrook until noonish... and much to the chagrin of her teachers (who truly Love, Love, Love her - capital "L"s intentional!), because Casey's four crazy cousins are coming into town, she'll leave early on Thursday, skip school altogether on Friday, and come in late next Monday, too!

But what can I say? Summer is about sunglasses and fun, right?

This Just In...

2009-08-06T21:35:00.001-04:00

... Casey loves avocado!

Auntie Heather, get ready to take her to Rosa Mexicano for some good NYC eats!

A Wonderful Reminder...

2009-08-04T21:54:00.006-04:00

If you know me, you know I'm a worrier... neurotic... etc. Whatever word you want to use, it probably fits just so long as it means that I'm not the most relaxed soul out there.

Being a Mommy has helped to elevate my fears, not relieve them.

A new article by Danielle Bean at InsideCatholic.com offers a wonderful reminder of how life is supposed to be lived:

For The Love of A Balloon

"Oh no!" An entire van full of children gasped as two-year-old Daniel's green balloon escaped his chubby fingers, bounced its way over seats, and ducked out a partially opened window.

We watched in silence as the balloon floated freely past a nearby tree and then rode the wind, bobbed in the breeze, and climbed ever higher into the sky. Within seconds, it rose above the tree line and disappeared from our view.

Inside the van, a balloon-less Daniel took a deep breath and we all waited for what was to come.

Surely it would come.

It did come: He screeched. He wailed. He sobbed. And we leapt into action.

"Here, have my balloon!" many children offered at once. An older sister even handed him her green balloon -- an exact replica of the one that had just wormed its way from the clutch of his tiny fingers.

Such a replacement would have satisfied any reasonable person. But, of course, even on his best days, a two-year-old is not any sort of reasonable person.

"Noooo!" came the predictable protest. "Dat not my balloon!"

I am unusually sensitive to balloon-related tragedies. When I was a little girl, I suffered from severe balloon angst myself. I loved balloons. And when I say that, I don't just mean I loved them. I mean I really loved them.

I didn't play with balloons often, but when I did get my hands on one, fear gripped my heart. I clutched the balloon and tied its string to my wrist. I checked the knots, tightened them, and then checked them again. When I envisioned my precious balloon freeing itself from its tethers and floating away into the sky, I had to catch my breath.

And so it was that though I truly loved balloons, I never did enjoy them. Who can enjoy that kind of anxiety and pressure? Who can be grateful while suffering that kind of fear of loss?

God, the Creator of balloons and every other blessing on earth, intends that we should enjoy the blessings He gives us -- not obsessively secure them, protect them, shelter them, and fear their loss. As every mother knows, though, this is a difficult thing to remember.

One recent afternoon at my parents' house, I found myself sitting on the concrete front steps as I watched my smallest children ride bikes and scoot cars in the driveway.

These were the steps where my own mother sat and watched me ride bikes and scoot cars years ago. This was where she likely watched her children play and, as all mothers do, wondered and worried about whatever might become of them.

As I sat on those steps, I pictured my long-ago mother there, too -- the sometimes weary, often taken for granted mother of nine -- and I hugged her in my heart.

It's going to be alright, I assured her. That little girl on the tricycle will grow up to not only appreciate all that you have given her, but to experience much of it herself so that she might understand motherly love and sacrifice in as intimate and real a way as possible. She will be forever grateful to you for your gifts of faith and unfailing love.

When I consider my own children's futures, I still sometimes allow myself to fear just a bit. I do sometimes have to stop myself from checking and re-checking my "balloon strings."

I know from experience that one of the greatest gifts I can give my children is the example of loving without fear. It takes a special kind of strength and discipline to not spoil the gift of this exact moment with fears for the future or laments of losses we have not yet experienced.

I shared these thoughts with my imagined long-ago mother as we sat on the concrete front steps together. We kept each other company there, watching toddlers on trikes and basking in the sunshine of our perspective.

Holding on too hard or holding back out of fear are not love at all, we agreed. Love is embracing each fragile, fleeting moment for the blessing that it is -- free from fear, and growing in gratitude.

(If you're not familiar with her, Danielle Bean is a Catholic author, a mother to eight children, and my dose of wake-up-and-smell-the-coffee for this week.)

Messy Ventures...

2009-08-04T21:37:00.005-04:00

Casey began eating rice cereal this past Sunday, and she's doing pretty well... except that it's one of the messiest ventures we've embarked upon!

As you can see, eating doesn't require just a spoon from Mom or Dad. No, it's also all about fingers and rubbing and blowing raspberries and getting everything wet and slimy!

Even cleanup time is a chance to grab at something (this time the washcloth) and put it in her mouth.

Thank goodness for baby bath tubs!

(Yes, Casey is wearing a rather boyish bib - but it's the biggest one we've got, so it comes in handy. And who cares what bib she's wearing when she flashes those amazing baby blues??)

To Sleep Or Not To Sleep...

2009-07-26T22:03:00.004-04:00

We've been bragging to folks lately that Casey is in such a good "phase" of her (short, thus far) life.

She's just such an incredibly happy girl, and we seldom hear crying. If anything, there might be a couple of moments in the day where a quite whimper signifies hunger, but once she's promised food, she patiently awaits it. Other than her "feed me now!" warning, we are literally dealing with a perfectly-behaved and contented baby.

Not only is she not fussing, but Casey's actually laughing and smiling at anyone who'll smile back, kicking her legs and flailing her arms when folks pay her attention, and playing independently (and for decent periods of time) on her tummy, back, sitting up, etc.

But... last evening and tonight were slightly less easy. I can't tell if Casey is teething or gassy or WHAT, but Tee Jay and I didn't get a lot of sleep last night. We even piggy-backed "baby duty" this morning while the other parent napped.

Tonight had all the makings for a similar experience when nothing would soothe the girl upstairs. I tried feeding her. We sat with her in our bed. The rocking chair was put to good use. A teething ring came out of the freezer. We briefly discussed the idea of letting Casey "cry it out," but though we try to make our own parenting decisions, we also give credence to Dr. Sears, who suggests that in the first six months of your baby's life, they are building trust with you and shouldn't be left to soothe themselves.

So down the stairs our girlie came, and she thankfully was content to play in her bouncy seat. Casey fell asleep at 10:00PM in this position, keeping a monster grip on her dangling toys...

Five Months Old...

2009-07-25T18:00:00.000-04:00

Overheard On Our TV...

2009-07-22T21:55:00.003-04:00

Dennis Miller on The O'Reilly Factor:

Listen, here’s my feeling on hot dogs... I know they’re crap; that’s what I dig about them! I don’t need a warning label on it. Just like when people who smoked cigarettes said there was no warning label, you wanna say, “If you didn’t know smoking was bad for you, you’re lying through the hole in your trachea!”

I dig the fact that hot dogs are crap...

Now THERE'S a man after my husband's heart.

Slacker!...

2009-07-15T22:42:00.004-04:00

Yes, I am an eternal blog-slacker, and I apologize for that... but maybe I should have entitled this post "Slackers" in plural, since Tee Jay has never once posted (not even when Casey was born and I had just had 'major abdominal surgery' - as we like to call it in our house).

Anyhoo, things have been super busy since I've returned to work, and the blog has suffered in response.

All in all, it's going well. Casey is absolutely thriving at day care. She is eating three 4-oz. bottles each day and sometimes wants an extra little snack right around the time I'm due to get her in the evening. That's a huge leap from the half-ounce here and half-ounce there routine for the first few days when she wasn't too sure of her surroundings.

Can't you just see the adorable chubby-ness here?

I'm learning how to not necessarily thrive, but at least survive. Work is super busy, especially since a gal went out on maternity leave as soon as I started back (she's in labor AS I TYPE THIS! - the doctor was just called in, so we know little Michael is arriving soon, soon, soon).

And home life is keeping just as hectic. In the mornings, I get myself dressed and brush my teeth and hair before getting Casey out of her crib and fed. Then she is changed and strapped into the car seat so that I can grab her bottles, my breastpump and all of its supplies, and anything else necessary (new diapers or wipes, spare bibs and clothes, etc.) for the daycare.

In the evenings, we try to spend all of Casey's awake time just playing with and enjoying her to the fullest. Once she's in bed, we run around desperately trying to do laundry, wash dishes, prepare bottles for the next day, and get ourselves showered (since the mornings are too cramped at this point).

It's tiring, but hey... it's PARENTHOOD, right????

Independence!...

2009-07-04T05:33:00.006-04:00

If a geneticist were to carefully examine a sample of Casey's blood, we're fairly confident he/she would find traces of French, German, Scots-Irish, Welsh, and Belgian ancestry. If not more.

To many, this would classify Casey as a "mutt" - to us, she's simply all-American.

Thank God for the freedom and privileges our country provides! Now if only we could tune into the Bristol 4th of July Parade on our TV sets here in Philadelphia...

A Big Day...

2009-06-29T17:07:00.008-04:00

This has been 18 weeks+ in the making, folks... CASEY WENT TO DAYCARE TODAY!!! (And Mommy, Daddy, and Baby all faired well, thankfully.)

Months before Casey arrived, Tee Jay and I visited Chesterbrook Academy near my work with our friends Ken and Carrie. Their infant Owen was already enrolled in the facility, and they were impressed with its teachers, setup, environment, and curriculum. By the time we left the Open House that evening, we both felt very confident that we could entrust Casey's daytime care to Chesterbrook as well.

Last night, we checked and rechecked our list and bag to take with us - two extra sets of clothes, a little sweater, spare socks, a binkie, diapers, wipes, A&D ointment, her bottle caddy (complete with four bottles of Mama's milk), additional frozen milk, a homemade blanket, and some rings with a teether for her crib. We were ready!

This morning, we told Casey where she'd be going for the day, and just take a look at the mischievous grin that ensued... I'd love to know what she was thinking, what impish ideas were running through her head:

We took a quick family picture outdoors...

...and then headed out to Chesterbrook. By the time we got there, Casey was napping:

She woke up when we went inside, and while I got her things situated, Tee Jay put Casey in an exersaucer, where she began to have fun right away. We said 'good bye' to our grinning girl and headed out for a date day.

After breakfast and reading the newspaper at a cafe, strolling through little Main Street shops with fresh lemonade, hitting up the movies (we saw Away We Go), and then having jerk chicken at a Caribbean restaurant, we were ready to go "rescue" Casey.

Unfortunately, she was crying when we arrived... but had just started being fussy and was due for a bottle (she got Mama instead). Casey hadn't eaten as much as expected and had barely napped throughout her first day at Chesterbrook (so fussiness was to be expected), but we think she'll get more and more into their routine and adapt to having other babies around her soon.

Tomorrow we do it all over again! In the meantime, she's happy to be back at home and having fun with Daddy:

Patty Duke's Update...

2009-06-26T17:33:00.002-04:00

Here's a better pic for "when cousins are two of a kind!!!"

MJ to Tee Jay...

2009-06-26T16:44:00.002-04:00

Tee Jay has been engrossed in Michael Jackson-related news coverage over the past day, and I've been slightly (or highly) less interested. I've even marveled at the number of Facebook statuses about MJ... thereby adding one of my own specifically about the ridiculous influx for this wacko "Jacko."

Besides a little bit of Sesame Street this morning (Casey was sleeping, so yes, it was I who was watching!), the TV wasn't on today. Tee Jay got home, however, and while he perused the channel guide, he saw that MTV was playing Futurama. He questioned, "Do you think they're doing Michael Jackson stuff instead?" and selected the channel. Sure enough, Futurama wasn't on, as it appears that MTV is playing MJ videos 24/7.

I asked Tee Jay, "What would you say if someone asked what Michael Jackson meant to you?"

"I don't know... He was an amazing singer, and I loved listening to his music and watching his videos. He inspired me to dance. [I laughed. Tee Jay laughed.] He really did, though!! He was the person who made me want to dance... even though I'm not good at it."

The Way You Make Me Feel started on MTV, and as I was changing Casey's diaper, I couldn't help myself. My hips started swaying, my feet got moving, and I began singing to the baby... who started kicking her legs, flailing her arms, and laughing.

She was loving it ~ and I'll admit, I was loving it, too. Neverland Ranch and three kids with "Michael" in their names and every crazy antic and poor decision aside, he still makes us want to dance.

The Patty Duke Show...

2009-06-26T12:33:00.004-04:00

Let me start by saying that I find it funny when a show is named after a real-life person, but is a sitcom with another personality: The Patty Duke Show being one, The Cosby Show another. (After all, Patty Duke didn't have an identical cousin and no one in the Huxtable household was named Bill.) I digress...

So, like Patty and Cathy Lane on The Patty Duke Show, Casey Susanne and her older (by one month) cousin Violet Grace are nearly two-of-a-kind. (Can't you just hear the jingle in your head??)

Though Violet is already five months old, we noticed during our vacation that she and Casey appeared and felt pretty close to the same size. They both had pediatric checkups this week, and here's how our girls measure up:

Head circumference:
Violet and Casey are both 40cm
(that's little; the 7th percentile for Violet and 10th for Casey)

Length:
Violet is 25.25 inches (50th percentile)
and Casey is 25.00 inches (75th percentile)

Weight:
Violet is 14lbs, 8oz (50th percentile)...
and Casey tips the scales at 15lbs, 6oz already (75-90th percentile)!

Yes, yes - our girl is a porker! No wonder she looked about the same as Violet (height-wise and whatnot), but felt a bit more solid.

This most recent picture (but not necessarily the best of the kids) was taken at my sister's house. Big sister Clare is holding Violet; Simon has snuck away from the couch just in time for the click of the camera; and Jamie is holding his little cousin Casey.

Four Months Old...

2009-06-24T10:05:00.005-04:00

...and No Place Like Home...

2009-06-21T21:56:00.004-04:00

We're now really "home," back in Philly and ready to get back to our normal routine... which feels nice in most ways!

The vacation was long, busy, and soooooo wonderful (and we'll post pictures soon). Casey seemed to mature by leaps and bounds while we were in Rhode Island, clasping items with her hands more accurately, putting everything (everything, I tell ya!) in her mouth, starting this new "game" by sticking her tongue out, and consistently sleeping for at least one seven-hour-ish stretch each night.

When we arrived in Philly this evening, the maturation was even more evident when Casey reached out for and grabbed our cat Wendy (who was a little too surprised to be upset about it). And then... exciting, exciting... we realized that Casey fits in and enjoys her Exersaucer finally!

We're spending the rest of the night watching a lot of what we DVR'd during the trip and recovering from downing a pint of Chubby Hubby ice cream (eaten in celebration of Tee Jay's first official Father's Day).

Happy Father's Day to Casey's Daddy, Grand Dad, Loopy, Papa, Great-Gogron, Great-Grandpas, Uncles and Great-Uncles, and Godfather!

No Place Like Home...

2009-06-15T22:30:00.004-04:00

...to Tee Jay and I, Rhode Island very much still feels like "home." To Casey, we don't know if it ever will be.

But it sure is nice to have her here in the Ocean State for her first real vacation!!

Varying Degrees...

2009-06-10T22:32:00.005-04:00

Watermelon Cookies:

Cute (and tasty!), but really more trouble than they're worth...

Casey Susanne:

Losing our bedroom to all things baby...

Plenty of feedings and nursings (most in our PJs!)...

Many sleepless nights...
Lots of hard work...
Tons of sacrifice...

Worth every single second... and so much more!

Two Years and Counting...

2009-06-09T20:40:00.005-04:00

We were married two years ago today... how time does fly by!!

(A special thanks to our friends and family members who supported us, helped with preparations and stress-relief efforts, and who attended our nuptials!)

We shared sentimental cards with one another, but didn't buy presents. Instead, as the two-year anniversary is a "cotton" one, we're going to soon shop for fabrics to recover our dining room chairs and make a matching tablecloth.

Dinner was at a local Mexican restaurant (delicious!), and then for 'dessert,' we've realized that we ALMOST have a laughing baby on our hands... any day now, and we hope to hear giggles!!

A Philly Weekend...

2009-06-08T20:50:00.008-04:00

As previously mentioned, Tee Jay's sister was in town a couple of weekends ago, along with our (now-)5-year-old nephew Alex. They were in Philly to babysit Casey on the Friday night so that we could attend the Longwood Graduate Program's annual Appreciation Event, on the eve of the 2009 fellows' graduation. It was a great night (our second one out sans baby!), but we were excited to spend the next day with Casey (Mama missed her on Friday night) and our visitors.

We hit up Philadelphia and checked out Love Park, Tee Jay's Center City work building, several statues and fountains, the art museum, and of course the infamous Rocky statue. It was a loooooooong walking day for Alex (who was such a trooper), but Casey had it easy. Her view from the stroller was a sleepy one for about 99% of the time.

Bargains 'R' Us...

2009-06-08T13:28:00.002-04:00

I have a lot to post about, but I will start with this quick story.

In Rhode Island, K-Mart seemed to die a long time ago. But here in Philly, we have a "Big K" within walking distance to our home. And that, my friends, is a godsend when you're home all day with a baby who likes the outdoors, walks, and napping in her stroller.

In addition, our local K-Mart has been offering double-coupon deals throughout this summer, often doubling up to $2 coupons (which is practically unheard of). Being a stay-at-home mom (for the time being) and therefore having a household down to one paycheck, both coupon-cutting AND double deals have come in handy.

Today, Casey refused to nap, so she and I took a stroll down to K-Mart, where for $12.90, we purchased:

~deodorant for me
~deodorant for Tee Jay
~a four-pack of razors
~Lysol bathroom disinfecting spray
~snacks for Tee Jay's lunches
~a pack of size 3 diapers
~a tub of baby wipes

Now, if you do your math, you'll realize that the above shopping cart should have cost us about $40... and that it was like I bought the diapers and wipes and got everything else for free! I do love my bargains...

New Digs...

2009-06-02T10:37:00.007-04:00

When we moved to Philadelphia, the tiniest (and yes, we mean TINY!) room in the house was already painted a pale green color. We knew it would be perfect for the green-and-blue "Love Grows" gardening-themed fabrics we had bought for the nursery, and so the project began.

Casey's bedroom was a work-in-progress for awhile. We had to find and purchase old furniture, paint and hang things, work tirelessly at the sewing machine for the crib skirt, bumper pad, and curtains, etc.! But it's been finished and awaiting her arrival for quite some time.

Last night, that time came. We laid Casey down in her crib, turned on her little Wonder Aquarium (which plays Pachelbel's Canon in D), switched on the monitor, and walked out. I was a teeny bit teary, but everything went well... and if this is the kind of smile that greets me on most mornings, I have nothing to complain about!

Fashion Statement...

2009-06-01T11:33:00.002-04:00

And it's too bad, since we could take the little genius on the talk show circuit and make some good money...

All Encompassing...

2009-05-30T22:20:00.003-04:00

We spent a loooooong (yet fun) day in Philadelphia, walking quite a distance in the warm (I think of it as hot!) weather, and then driving around a bit before heading home. (More about the weekend as a whole later.)

On our way back, Casey finally woke up and decided that she was hungry. I was in the back seat next to her (Tee's sister was up front - wow, this post has a lot of side notes, eh?), and so I did my best to soothe. She wasn't really pleased with my efforts, wanting the real stuff!, and therefore cried for a good 20 minutes. By the end of the ride, I was nearly as much of a mess as she, getting emotional and worrying that I was going to lose my 3-month-old's trust (read Dr. Sears, y'all). I had a headache, felt sick to my stomach, and was plaintively calling from the back, "I'm getting sick!"

We pulled into the driveway and instead of taking Casey's car seat into the house, I just unstrapped her, grabbed her from the car, and literally ran inside so that she could nurse.

As she was eating, my tension and "illnesses" gradually subsided. When she looked up at me after a few moments, caught my eye, and broke out into a huge smile (forgetting the she was nursing - which, let me tell you, can make for a mess!), I felt such an amazing delight and laughed back at Casey, realizing that being a Mommy is truly all-encompassing.

Yes, our schedules and our wallets (and sometimes our patience!) are all stretched a little thinner. Our emotions are heightened. And today, it was clear that we are even affected physically by having this little bundle of joy in our lives.

It's pretty cool to know that our hearts aren't the only things in this.

A Real Beauty...

2009-05-22T23:13:00.004-04:00

Special photos for her 3-Month "Birthday"...

And What a Three Months It's Been...

2009-05-20T21:19:00.005-04:00

I just went back through PhillyBou to check out Casey's 1- and 2-month photos to ensure that I was posting a 3-month one that was similar enough.

What I noticed was that I used to write GOBS of stuff on here. I know that some of you loved reading my endless paragraphs - and for those of you who didn't, skip ahead to see the 3-month picture, because... I've got a keyboard tonight and I'm not afraid to use it!!

I chalk up the lack of recent long posts to these three things:

1) Casey's growth! As she gets older, this little "cherub" (people actually laugh that I call her that!) also gets more active. And as I've healed from surgery and settled into my Mommy role, I too have gotten busy!

Basically, we're into a pretty steady routine now (with just a few days where we're "off" a bit). Casey wakes up somewhere around 8:30AM, and after I feed her, she plays for nearly an hour by kicking her legs, flailing her arms, talking to me, and cooing at either our ceiling fan or the little animals hanging on her activity gym. When the hour nears an end, she starts some quiet whimpering, so I take my cue and get her in a fresh diaper and a new outfit for the day. I feed her again and then she takes a nap in her swing.

Casey's morning nap usually lasts about three hours (WOW!), and like I said, I've gotten more active, too! So, the second she's in that swing, I go racing through the house to shower, do laundry, prepare meals, pay bills, you name it. The time usually flies on by, and then Casey's awake and ready to eat again. During the rest of the afternoon, she may take a quick 30-minute nap or so, but I don't have much time where she's not happiest in my arms.

Tee Jay arrives home around 4:30PM, and he usually gets Casey in his own arms right away. (If he needs to run upstairs for a bathroom break or change of clothes first, she watches him go and waits for his return - it's the cutest thing.) I start dinner, and our evening has begun. This time usually consists of several more-clustered feedings, lots of spit up, and our new routine of getting Case in her PJs, Teej reading her a story, our saying prayers together, and then laying her down in the co-sleeper to learn how to fall asleep on her own (instead of in our arms).

So, as she gets older, I find I have less time to write.

2) TV! Yes, I'm going to blame our 'little' addiction on not posting as much. When we're juggling dinner, nursing, and a fussy spit-monster during the early-evening, Tee Jay and I sometimes manage to catch Jeopardy but not much else. So around 9:00PM when we really settle in on the couch, we've got to watch Medium, American Idol, House, Survivor, Brothers & Sisters, Amazing Race, Hell's Kitchen, and goodness knows what else. It's soooooo terrible, but yes, we're TV nuts.

3) Lastly, (and this is as bad as #2), Facebook! I used to be on Myspace, and people kept telling me that I needed to check out Facebook... and that maybe my maternity leave would be a good time to do it. I was a naysayer, but then when my sister Tree came to help out a week after Casey was born, I learned that even she and my brother-in-law were on Facebook. And that they were 'friends' with my Mom on the site. And that Tee's Mom was on there. And his grandmother. And a million other people.

So, I tried it out. And now I am ashamed to say that when Tee Jay and I are taking care of the TV addiction, I've also got the laptop on (like right now, as we watch the American Idol finale and I type away).

Whew. Three reasons for my apparent "absence" from this blog - and only ONE of them is good!!

And, if you've lasted this long, thanks for reading...

Three Months Old...

2009-05-20T21:13:00.000-04:00