Dear Santa

Santa, if you’re out there, here’s my last minute wish list:

1. a working water heater installed immediately – I want a shower! I want to wash clothes & dishes & babies with warm water without having to heat it on the stove first!

2. my fancy wireless mouse that someone wandered off with this morning.

3. extra time to take a good long nap before our trip.

4. while you’re at it, let’s just teleport all of our belongings (including our home) to NE for the next two and a half weeks so that I do not have to continue packing or cleaning.

5. help this case of the sniffles we all seem to have to be nothing more than the sniffles.

6. give us a safe drive to NE with good weather and happy, sleepy children and happy, alert drivers!

No Time for a Christmas Letter

I’ve been meaning to put up the girls’ latest stats from our most recent visits to our beloved pediatrician. He is so good with the girls and just the right balance between keeping an eye on the important things and letting the little things slide. Here’s where we stand:

Violet – 2 mo. visit (though she is now 3 months!)

Weight: 11 lbs 6 oz (75th percentile) Note: this morning she was 13.5 lbs according to the bathroom scale

Height: 22.5 in (50th percentile)

Our precious little flower is growing like a weed! I am switching out her clothes this week so that she will be in 3-6 months for our trip to NE. This is good as we have a lot more warm clothes in that size. Everyone likes to compare, so in case you’re wondering, Molly was a little bigger than Violet at the same age – at her 2-month checkup, Molly was 23 in tall and weighed 12 lbs 10 oz (we didn’t have the blog when Olivia was 2 months old and I don’t have time to dig through the box that has her info to compare – sorry). Violet is going to be really fun to show off as she smiles like a pro, giggles and even coos. She makes the most lovely alarm clock with her sweet little gibberish around 8 every morning. Violet loves to be worn in a sling (I’m working on a babywearing post noting all our favorite carriers) and will even stop crying if she sees me putting the sling on in anticipation of being held. She still loves to be swaddled and will sleep most of the night in her crib in her own room if she is wrapped tight enough (with a few wakings to eat, mind you) using the large flannel swaddling blankets from her godmother (that were made back when Olivia was born!)!

Molly – 15 mo. visit (though she is 16 months today)

Weight: 22.5 lbs (50th percentile)

Height: 30 in (40th percentile)

Molly is trimming down a bit and finally outgrowing clothes lengthwise before widthwise! I am getting out the 24 months tub for her this week. We may have to stick with a few of the 18-mo. lot, though, because Livy was wearing this size in the summer! Molly has started repeating just about any word you say, but still only uses about a dozen words on her own (including bi-bet (Violet), dog, nana (banana), thank you and the absolute cutest is “Amen” said with a long stress on the A and folded hands). This morning she woke up crying, “Daddy, Daddy, Daddy” so I know she is looking forward to our long Christmas break with Daddy. Here’s my favorite Molly story recently. We were getting ready to go on errands and I told Livy to go get her shoes and socks. She ran to hide behind the chair and Molly trotted off in the opposite direction. I sighed in defeat only to look up & see Molly waddling back with her shoes & socks in hand! She had gone to her closet to collect them, sweet little thing. I forget she understands as much as she does! Another cute story was when I was sitting in the rocking chair with Violet & Livy. Molly brought Violet a blanket (as she does anytime she finds a baby blanket) and Livy asked Molly to get a blanket for her baby doll. Before I could even finish explaining to Liv that Molly doesn’t understand things like that, here came Molly with a blanket for the baby! Appropriately so, Livy then showered her in praises, “Good job, Molly! You did it!!”

Olivia – 3 yr visit

Weight: 31.5 lbs (50th percentile)

Height: 36.25 in (45th percentile)

Olivia actually lost weight between her 2 & 3 year check ups. I guess that’s what they call “losing the baby fat.” She did great with Dr. Guerrero and I credit the little medical kit she got from Great Grandma Andrews (and has played with Daddy very regularly over the last year) with her comfort level with medical professionals. Hopefully, this will hold true for the dentist in January when she has her first visit. I wonder if Fisher Price makes a dental kit . . . she is not so fond of brushing her teeth! Well, I just wrote a lot about Liv so I’ll only include on story here. Yesterday she & Molly were standing in the kitchen. Livy said, “Molly, can I give you a hug?” “NO,” said Molly (which she responds to every question). To which Livy responded, “But I like to give you hugs, Molly. I tink it’s fun!” Apparently, Molly acquiesced, and while they embraced, Livy said, “I love you soooooo much, Molly! You’re a good girl.” Such a nice thing for a mother to hear – maybe I am doing something right!

The girls are LOVING their kitchen from Santa and Livy has been cooking up all sorts of noodles & eggs, but she is most fond her little pitcher & plastic cups that were an after-thought at Ikea the day before Santa came (they got the first three sets shown here and we’ll have to go back for the baking set as they were out). Livy can frequently be found working in her kitchen all dolled up in the princess dress up clothes that she got for her birthday from Grandma Kane. They have both been really good with the tree and only have trouble with the candy canes. They are so hard to leave alone – good thing we only had a few on there! Livy thinks our tree is a bit too modest, though, after some she has seen in her storybook from Grandma Andrews.

Life continues pretty “normal” for JR & I with not a lot going on aside from the girls. However, JR has been training for the Austin Marathon in February (the full – 26.2 miles) so he has put a lot of miles on his shoes! The girls & I are looking forward to an even longer race (this is his first full marathon) to have plenty of time to stop different places to cheer him on & snack on our donuts!

I guess this will have to suffice for a Christmas letter this year. It is still possible I will get some pictures up before we go to Nebraska, especially since JR has been doing most of the work while I’m writing this!

May God bless you & yours with a very Merry Christmas this year and a most blessed and happy 2009!

Birthday Weekend for a Big Girl

We had a fun-filled birthday weekend here at the Andrews house. Instead of a birthday party, Livy wanted to go to Sea World. We had a really fun day with beautiful weather (sunny & 65), light crowds & special holiday shows. The animals were really animated during feeding times because they are not getting as much attention in the “winter” months. In fact, the dolphins were really active and splashed Violet & I pretty good while we were admiring their acrobatics. Our favorite was the Shamu show ‘Miracle.’ They didn’t actually use Jesus’ name, but they talked about the miracle that a tiny baby brought to the world, sang The First Noel, and encouraged us to recognize the miracle of our family & friends. The theme song for the show was When You Believe from the Prince of Egypt Soundtrack. This is the soundtrack that I played while in labor with all of the girls and that song specifically, was exceptionally meaningful for me with regard to Olivia and the miracle that her birth was for us. So, of course, I had a few tears stream down my cheeks as I saw my miracle baby’s face lit up with excitement on her 3rd birthday while her two baby sisters sat in their father’s lap. A miracle indeed!! On Sunday, JR made Olivia a beautiful princess birthday cake and she opened a couple simple gifts from us (a Cinderella Barbie with pony and a princess writing pad for tracing letters). She also opened a trunk of princess dress up clothes from Grandma & Grandpa Kane and that was the favorite gift! Grandma & Grandpa got to watch live on the webcam so it was all very exciting. While we ate cake, we visited with Grandma & Grandpa Andrews, Aunt Lisa, Abby, Andy, Alex & Ben. It was nice to have family for her birthday – even if they were 800 miles away! She has requested that we sing Happy Birthday each time she’s had cake and enjoys asking “Who’s birthday is it?” She knows the answer, but just likes to hear it!

It’s been awhile since I’ve written about Liv, so here’s an update I’ve been working on.

Olivia Grace is now 3 years old. It’s exciting to see the big girl she is becoming – sweet, enthusiastic, affectionate, a little shy, & very bright. She’s loving her two mornings a week at “school” and her favorite thing is music practice. She always wants music on, and especially enjoys choosing between her CDs. She is starting to remember the words to the songs and is doing fairly well with the tune, too. Tonight she got to stay up a little later than Molly and we sang every song in her Children’s Bible Songs book. She was delighted and it was fun to do something together that we both enjoy. It seems that she & I have so little time together just the two of us anymore. She also enjoys the art projects they do at school – mostly painting – and hanging them on the refrigerator at home or sending them to work with Daddy. We have started watching one episode of Sesame Street pretty much everyday now. It’s surprising how well Livy follows the stories and participates in the little activities. She isn’t quite as enamored with Signing Time anymore and I’m disappointed because she was just about the sweetest thing ever doing all her signs. Guess I’ll have to wait for Molly to get into signing! I’m excited for what this year will bring for Olivia – she is understanding so much more of the world around her and has an insatiable curiosity. All day long, I field questions – why? what are you doing? why? what is that man doing? why? why? why? Livy didn’t really go through much for terrible twos, but has been known to burst into tears at the drop of a hat in the last few weeks. I’m sure this is just a phase, but I am hoping it is a quick one! We are working on following the rules and consequences for behavior (good & bad). Molly calls Livy ‘mama’ and it fits pretty well as she is the babies’ ‘little mama’. She definitely wants to help care for them by giving them their pacifiers, holding them & making them smile. In fact, she wants to do so much with them that I have to watch her so she doesn’t try to do more than she can handle. It’s wonderful to see how much she loves her baby sisters, though, and I can’t wait to see how much they enjoy one another in the coming year.

Christmas Love

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I’m just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I’m just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in the choir’s cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child. Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband. Love is kind, though harried and tired. Love doesn’t envy another’s home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.

Love doesn’t yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful that they are there to be in the way. Love doesn’t give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can’t.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.

-unknown author adapting Corinthians 13

Happy New Year!

It is the first week of Advent, and the beginning of a new year in the Church. I am hoping to participate more in the liturgical year this year and share some of the rich traditions of the Church with the girls (as well as foster my own spiritual growth). So we are starting with the basics – an Advent wreath (which is still in the attic but will hopefully be ready for the 2nd Sunday of Advent) and a little cradle that can be filled with cotton balls to make Jesus’ manger cozy by doing acts of charity. These are things I did as a child and I have fond memories of them. My mom even gave me her Advent wreath & the cradle to get us started. And to help us count down the days, we have an Advent calendar that my mother-in-law sent us hanging on the front door.

We also plan to celebrate St. Nicholas’ Day Dec. 6th by combining one of JR’s childhood traditions (St. Nick gifts) with mine (stockings). So we will get something sweet in our stockings Saturday and read a story we have about the meaning of the candy cane. Because St. Nicholas’ Day is also Olivia’s birthday, we will head to Sea World for a day of fun in the sun after that. They have a special Christmas themed celebration this month. We will attend Mass on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception Dec. 8th (a Holy Day of Obligation), and maybe do something simple like wear blue in honor of Mary. And one more feast we couldn’t miss out on is Our Lady of Guadalupe on Dec. 12th. We plan to take something festive to our bilingual playgroup (roses, maybe?) and feast on Mexican food for dinner. I have a book that tells the story of Juan Diego & La Virgen de Guadalupe that i brought back from Uruguay, but it is too advanced for the girls this year so I guess we’ll just look at the pictures.

We will have our little family Christmas on Gaudete Sunday (the pink and 3rd Sunday of Advent) so that we can celebrate together before we head to NE to be with our extended families. It is really a blessing that we get to see almost all our loved ones every Christmas and we always look forward to our annual visit. The girls are getting a wooden kitchen to share with a few cooking essentials – but don’t tell! By happy coincidence, our community Trail of Lights opens the night of our little family Christmas, so we will finish off our happy day that way. I will be curious to see what the weather brings. Last year we were all bundled up and the girls got awfully cold, but the year before we were in shorts & t-shirts!

Oh, and in the spirit of the new year, I’ve made a few resolutions already. One is to participate more in the liturgical year which I hope to share with y’all here as times goes by. And I’ve gotten out of some of my good prayer habits in recent years so I want to re-establish that foundation by making the time to pray everyday, even if it is brief and simple. Finally, I am hoping to put more emphasis on getting enough sleep and being active, which I think will go a long way to improving my disposition. So today I started attending a fitness class at JR’s gym at National Instruments – it was at 6:15AM!! And now that it is 10:30PM, I will respect my new bedtime and sign off – sweet dreams!

What are your plans for Advent, Christmas and beyond?