Picnics in the Crib

As of late, Elias and Addie have been synchronizing their naps/rest time. What a joy. So, today Adelaide woke up and I got her diaper changed. I then looked at my watch and saw that it was time to release Elias from his prison. I brought Adelaide in to his room and plopped her in the crib. At that point, Elias started to play with her and seemed to invite her on a picnic complete with his favorite friends, Lambie and Puppy. He did this for some time so I thought it would be fun to try and grab a snippet of it on video. (Mind you, this is the first time I'm going to try and post a video so we'll see if I have the technical capabilities to pull this off!) Please note that in the video Adelaide is NOT really getting candy from Elias. It's just pretend. No need to call social services on me.

Daddy's in Recovery

Yesterday poor Adam was sick with some kind of stomach bug. Elias found it hard to understand that Daddy was home but couldn't play. Mommy found it just as hard to understand. The day itself was really quite manageable. Our friends had us over to play and eat lunch--which was a great help. We then did naps and played and made a run to the grocery store for chicken noodle soup and ginger ale for Daddy. I did baths for both and entertained Addie while Elias had books and prayers. Then I got her down and then I was about ready to collapse.

What is strange is that I do this every day by myself up until dinner time. However, I think it all comes down to expectations. Adjusting and readjusting them when something goes awry. I really rely on Adam to help me on the weekends and boy do I recognize his absence when I have to do it on my own for six days in a row. On top of that, I was putting the finishing touches on my sermon and trying to get through the final loads of weekend laundry. Today was an absolute respite because I awoke at six am and headed to work--grown-up work that is. I preached twice and celebrated twice and still had plenty of energy to take the kids ice skating this afternoon. What a difference it makes to be responsible for only wiping my own nose for a few hours a week!

The Joy of Toes!

It's so cold my hair is standing on end

Snow and Sleet Beat God

This is the first Lent I have ever experienced where I will have missed two liturgies during these forty days and forty nights. Ash Wednesday, as was mentioned in the last entry, was snowed out. This morning I woke before six and conferred with the Senior Warden at St. Luke's. We determined that the roads were a sheet of ice--as was her driveway. As we were talking a car got stuck outside her door. So, we decided to cancel the liturgies for the day. I hate to do that. However, I would also hate trying to get over there and put myself in jeopardy, as well as other parishoners. When I turned on the TV to see if other churches had cancelled, CNN was highlighting Madison on the news for horrible weather. All stores are closed today and the police have declared that only emergency vehicles be on the road. It is dangerous. So, a good decision and yes, another day in the house.

I thought it would be fun to capture a few Elias--isms over the past few days.

On Tuesday, I headed out to hear Barack Obama speak at a rally in town. I attended it with my friend, Jocelyn, and 20,000 of my other closest friends. It was exciting and energizing and regardless of whom I vote for, I know it was a night of history in the making. Poor Hillary is supposed to speak tonight, but there is no way that is happening. So, Adam says to Elias, "Mommy is going to hear Barack Obama speak tonight." And Elias yells, "On NPR!"

A few days ago, Elias and I were trying to get out the door, which is the usual struggle of putting a coat on a moving target. I mananged to get the coat on, but then he fell over. I said to Elias, "Oops, you lost your balance!" he said, "Where did my balance go?"

Elias's godmother, and our dear friend, is a deacon at our church. He calls her Grandma AD, which is his moniker for Grandma Archdeacon. However , her real name is Susan Mueller. Susan often wears some black strappy shoes for Sunday liturgies. Last night, Elias got into Adelaide's closet and pulled out a pair of black patent leather shoes. He was strutting around the living room saying "Susan Mueller shoes""

Yesterday, Adam jumped into Lake Monona for the Polar Plunge. The jump is to benefit Special Olympics. Adelaide and Elias and I cheered him on. Here is a picture of Adelaide preparing to freeze for a reason! Daddy refuses to post his picture because he says he looks like a whale:)

The Acceptance Letter!

It seems that my hours of nursery school prep, plus manners and social adaptability tutoring have paid off. Elias has been accepted to pre-school. We couldn't be more proud:! It appears that this was an especially competitive year--many kids who already knew their colors and sang their ABC's backwards. However, Elias must have just nudged them out with his ability to pick his nose around the clock and sing politically correct songs like "B-I-B-L-E that is the book for me!" Now that Elias is in we aren't losing a moment. Addie will start her prep tonight by trying to eat rice cereal for the first time. Thanks to New Morning for being willing to take our money--and our child--next year--if we are here!

Penitence and Petulance:Ash Wednesday with Eli

Yesterday, Elias had a large lump on his neck. Needless to say, his father and I were scared. We took him to the doctor and discovered that he has an infection in his lymph node, which is a lot better than having a tumor. However, Elias also had to have blood drawn and that was quite traumatic. I sat in the waiting room with Adelaide and I kept hearing him scream, "Too tight" in reference to the tourniquet. He later cried out "All done" and "I don't like that very much!" Everyone gave me looks of compassion in the waiting room while Dad helped hold him down. Elias persevered and they got the blood.

Today we were due back for a check on the lymph node as well as Adelaide's 4 month old check-up. All was going fairly well in the doctor's office except for the minor disturbances of pulling wipes, trying to escape to step on the scale, and attempting to log on to the doctor's computer. Yet when the moment came for Adelaide to get her shots, I was holding her bottle at the ready and hoping to avert the inevitable cries. Just as the nurse finished poking her, Elias decided to prostrate himself on the floor of the examining room. Nice, right? I told him to get-up and sit in the chair. He did so only to return to the floor and lick it. I was so mad I lost my temper and swatted his cloth diapered bottom. I couldn't believe that I was trying to comfort his sister and he was trying a new form of fasting for the beginning of Lent. In all seriousness, today was one of thsoe days when God seemed far away and Sin seemed ever so real.

On top of all this, we were having a blizzard. I drove them home in a glaucomic state and we got stuck, momentarily, on a street close to our house. The VW made it and we managed to settle in the house for the remainder of the day. Even the Ash Wednesday liturgies around town were cancelled--including the one at which I was going to preside. I'm glad now because it is treacherous outside and everything is shut down. We have tried to observe the beginning of a Holy Lent by repentance (for my actions and Eli's) and by fasting, prayer, and self-denial. Any more days of being cooped up like this will need extra doses of Lenten prayers to keep us all sane.

Feast of the Presentation in the Temple

Yesterday Adelaide and I made our first pilgrimage to the monastery as a mother/daughter team. We were particularly excited because it was her four month old birthday and a Feast Day. The Feast was the celebration of Jesus' presentation in the temple. All Jewish families were required to present their sons after forty days and their daughters after thirty days in the temple for cleansing. I love this scene in the gospel of Luke. At Jesus' presentation, old Simeon says, "Lord, you now have set your servant free to go in peace as you have promised in your word. For these eyes of mine have seen salvation which you have prepared for all the world to see..." Old Simeon has been praying for the Messiah, and he recognizes that Messiah in Jesus that day. He is now at peace to die. (I really wanted to name a son Simeon, but couldn't convince my other half.)We have an icon from Jerusalem that depicts this beloved scene.

Well, Adelaide arrived on the scene at the Order of Julian and was greeted enthusiastically with kisses and hugs. She and I had some quiet time in our room while she lay on her blanket meditating on her fists and I on the Daily Office. Soon she became tired and I rocked her to sleep and placed her in the dark hallway. About ten minutes later the bell rang for the noonday liturgy. It didn't wake her so I tried to get her to stay asleep as we walked over to the chapel. She did well through the beautiful chanting and only added some sweet snoring to the psalms. However, during the intercessions she let loose with gusto. She was making such loud tooting noises that echoed through a very small chapel. I kept patting her back in hopes that I would muffle her contributions. It seems that a full outfit change was in order before the noonday meal. The meal was a talking meal becuase it was a feast day. Only one monk inquired after the percolating noises she made. I explained that there actually was no need for percolating--she was fully brewed.

Adelaide enjoyed all the love and attention she received and didn't even mind when the nuns and monks poked fun at her hairline. They asked if we had begun to teach her Hebrew or Greek yet and I explained that we thought we should still wait a few months. After dinner, I rocked her to sleep again and placed her in that same dark hallway. I met with my spiritual director and, of course, she promptly awoke ten minutes into our discussion. After our discussion, we made our pilgrimage home.

We were thankful for all the love and best wishes we shared with the community. And, we were most grateful that Adelaide got to see the temple and share in the joy of her own presentation there!