The shower...

One of the many decorations the shower crew made for the shower.

Elsa enjoying a ride at the shower.

One of Lydia's last chances to lean with her elbow on her aunt... something she did almost every time she sat on my lap while I was pregnant. Her aunt Emma is bestowing a kiss on her - something Emma does every chance she gets!

Enjoying a delicious drink.
Coffee punch! What else do you serve at a shower in a cafe?! And it was scrumptious!

Playing a fun game - filling in a calendar with guests ideas of what to do while waiting for baby. The calendar is still on my wall beside my computer in my bedroom.

As you can see, it was a full house and a really fun party! Thanks again Peggy, as well as everyone who came to share in the special occasion.

I was blissfully unaware that a young artist had been busy creating a shower hat for me with the bows from Cecilia's gifts...

But it was so pretty that I just had to model it for posterity sake!

The Shower Hat Artist....

Sisters passing out the party favours as the shower drew to a close. It was a wonderful afternoon and I enjoyed it very much.

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Just a reminder!

Don't forget to contact your members of congress and senators regarding FOCA. While you are at it - make sure you inform them as to how to you feel about the PORK Bill they are trying to pass off as a Stimulus bill - which is literally 75% pork and 25 % stimulus and will have your children's children in hock to the government to pay for it.

Oh, and then there is the little matter of the gentleman Obama has nominated to the position of deputy attorney general of the United States. The hearings for the nomination of David Ogden were yesterday - but it is not to late to contact your government reps. Remember, you can locate them here. HSLDA is strongly suggesting that parents protect their parental rights by opposing this nomination. To read about this click here.
(Who is HSLDA? click here)

To refresh your memory about FOCA and the post card campaign click here.

When you are finished clicking, start dialing, writing, emailing or combination thereof!


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Bye Bye...

One last group photo of Aimee and Feidlhim with the kids still at home.
Even the baby made it into this photo!
Excuse the outfits, we woke up to no heat on the main floor (and no hot water in the bathrooms) so we were sporting the layered look.

One last photo of my oldest baby... just before they pulled out of the drive. It never gets easy saying good bye - no matter how often you have to say it. And the larger the family, the more often it seems that you have to say it. Excuse me now while I go fetch my hankie... again!

Not sure how to distract myself now. I have cleaned the kitchen and dining room spotless!!

UPDATE:
Heat came back on @ 2:30 - third time the furnace has done this since the New Year. We are waiting for a repairman to show up. Hot water came back at about 4:45, filled with rust... Yet we had hot water all along in the kitchen, so clearly we need that seen as well. Know of any good plumbers we can suggest to our land lady?

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Danielle Bean » Please help spread the word

Danielle Bean » Please help spread the word

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I might be away for a few days...

We have enjoyed a really nice, but all too short visit with our eldest daughter and child, along with her boyfriend. I'm glad I took so many photos of our day at the park. I caught so many joy filled moments as Aimee played with her little siblings.

Now it is time to say good bye and I am not ready. We watched the calendar flip by day by day as we counted first the weeks, then the days and finally the hours until she would be here with us again and now it is gone. It was much easier to say good bye this summer as we knew another trip was planned with a lot of wonderful dates to celebrate in between. When next we will see her again is unknown. Hopefully not too long in the future, but possibly not for another whole year.

It is very, very hard to say goodbye. Possibly I will be just too sad the next few days to share anythign but some pictures from the past week. I do have the shower post almost ready - just another picture or two I want to add, but it is scheduled to post whether I get them added or not.

Keep our family in your prayers please as we have a few hard weeks ahead. I am not the only one who will be sad for the next little while - but somehow despite my sadness I must help my younger children deal with the hole they will each feel in their hearts with the departure of their sister, who has been so much fun to visit with this past week. And her boy friend, Feidlhim, will be very much missed as well.


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It is with shock and dismay that I learned today

...that author Amy Welborn lost her husband, Micheal Dubruiel yesterday. He collapsed suddenly at the gym and could not be revived. Please keep her and her young children in your prayers.

UPDATE:

For any who would like to help in a tangible way, Amy Welborn and her children Faith and Family has set up a Pay Pal donation button which you can reach by clicking here.

A spiritual bouquet is being created here for Amy and her family.
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A little Snow...

Yesterday afternoon we were at a local park, hiking around the lake, playing a little soccer and swinging on the swings.





By late evening... this is what our yard looked like.







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Virus update...

Hello everyone! I can not decide whether Cecilia is fighting a cold, as I know I am... You see when she nurses - it is not unusual for her to snort milk up her nose and then she has difficulties with a build up of mucus. Noah, now 13, had a similar problem as a new born. It is hard not to feel anxious when things are not just quite normal with your wee baby - isn't it?

Our eldest daughter is here from Ireland and, sadly, with so many of the adult children working and/or in school we have not been able to organize a night when all 13 children can be home so that we can take a family picture of them all. However I do have some lovely pictures from a trip to the park with ten of them together. I will post some later and possibly a video of them all on the swings - well Cecilia is not on the swing, but if you peer really closely you can see her stroller in the back ground!

I might be a bit of a tease - and just post a few pics a day to give myself a little breathing space and still be able to entertain you all a little bit each day or at least every other day! Still planning on getting the shower pics up - there are some really great pictures from that day.

I have to say - that I feel that my blog has become really humdrum and not too inspiring. I apologize if that is the case. There is is much going on and I am s l o w l y preparing to begin teaching ESL classes three nights a week. I have fallen into the trap of judging my blog with others and thinking - oh they are so clever, so sweet, so funny, so thoughtful... and I am just ... boring! I so do not want to be boring! I want to be inspiring and helpful and don't feel I am quite cutting that grade right now! It feels as though my brain is too tired to be witty, funny, entertaining and most especially - inspiring! Many funny cute things happen almost daily here that I could post to give folks a little laugh but by the time I find a moment to blog - I have fogotten them all. I need to start carrying around a tape recorder! Oh well - the pictures will have to do for now.

Blessings to you all!
Christi


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Welcome Thomas James!

There is a new baby in the blogasphere world. Click here to oooh and ahhh and maybe leave a welcoming comment! Congratulations Jenni & David! Read more!

shower pictures may have to wait...

... as it appears that little Cecilia, barely one month old, may be getting a cold. She is stuffy, gagging on mucus and having a rough time. I am cool misting her which is giving her some comfort. Could someone cool mist my brain please? I am feeling frantic and extremely challenged emotionally. Cecilia and I just barely recover from one illness when we are confronted with another - since the day of her birth.

There is a lovely thought I would like to share with you from Elizabeth Foss. She has put into words the thoughts I have been struggling to form since Cecilia's birth as I struggle to balance the joy and wonder of the addition of a new, tiny, fragile member to our family with the responsibilities that come with being a homeschooling mum to a baker's dozen. Click here to read her thoughts as she struggles to do the same.

A quote from Sister Patricia's Joynotes: "The more I get a little older myself.. I see that with age comes the cross and holiness.... somehow I always had a sort of feeling that holiness was in doing and accomplishing.. but now I believe it is more in accepting and trusting."

I will finish with a little begging - for prayers. Prayers for health for our whole family and prayers for the graces I am in desperate need of to cope with all of this illness!

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Looking forward to...

...sharing the pictures from Cecilia's baby shower that was held in November and hosted by my good friend Peg at a local coffee shop. The lovely owner of the shop took photos, when my camera ran out of batteries. Last weekend when we stopped in to her shop after the baptism she took the time to burn the photos onto a CD and now I can share them with you. Stay tuned!

Here is a teaser...



and the shower crew posing with me... Peg and her daughter Anna, with Bethany and Emma spent an afternoon making party favours and having a fun time together. Thank you again Peggy and girls!




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pro life ad

This ad was played on inauguration day. To watch click here and enjoy the lovely pro life Catholic blog I found this ad on.








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FIGHT FOCA with the postcard camaign

No doubt most, if not all of my readers are aware of FOCA and the horrible effects it will have on the prolife movement and the increased number of unborn babies who will die a terrible death should this legislation pass.

Catholic Parishes across the country are participating in a post card campaign to try and defeat this horrible legislation.

Here are a few links to educate yourself if you are not yet aware of the details:

FOCA

Even if you are on the fence regarding abortion - please read about the legal effects this legislation will have. This will impact on EVERYONE, not just the unborn so please educate yourself.

POSTCARD CAMPAIGN

Locate YOUR member of Congress

Now if you wish to just copy and print straight from here, I have the suggested postcard information below. I also have the NC contacts to whom it is suggested we mail our postcards to. But not all of you are from NC, so above this is the link to a website that enables you to find the name of your own member of congress or senator. Once you input your address you are taken to a page with the members of congress for your area as well as links to addresses and websites. I tried it and it did not require the extra four digits for the zipcode only the first five that all of us know for our own zips.

Please consider joining in on this campaign.

POST CARD:

Dear Senator ,

At this time of serious national challenges, Americans should unite to serve the good of all, born and unborn. The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), the most radical and divisive pro-abortion bill ever introduced in Congress, would create a "fundamental right" to abortion that government could not limit but would have to support. FOCA would overturn many existing widely supported policies, including laws protecting parental involvement and conscience rights and those preventing partial-birth abortion and taxpayer funding of abortion. Please oppose FOCA or any similar measure, and retain laws against federal funding and promotion of abortion. As your constituent, I would appreciate a written response telling me how you would
vote on these matters.

Respectfully:
Print Name _______________________________________________________
Address _______________________________________________________
City, State & ZIP Code ______________________________________________

NC contacts:
Richard Burr
217 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING
United States Senate
WASHINGTON DC 20510

Sen. Kay Hagan
B40A DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING
United States Senate
WASHINGTON DC 20510

Rep Mel Watt

2304 Rayburn House Office Building,
District of Columbia 20515-3312

Dear Representative ,

At this time of serious national challenges, Americans should unite to serve the good of all, born and unborn. The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), the most radical and divisive pro-abortion bill ever introduced in Congress, would create a "fundamental right" to abortion that government could not limit but would have to support. FOCA would overturn many existing widely supported policies, including laws protecting parental involvement and conscience rights and those preventing partial-birth abortion and taxpayer funding of abortion. Please oppose FOCA or any similar measure, and retain laws against federal funding and promotion of abortion. As your constituent, I would appreciate a written response telling me how you would
vote on these matters.

Respectfully:
Print Name _______________________________________________________
Address _______________________________________________________
City, State & ZIP Code ______________________________________________

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Welcome Cecilia Therese to the Catholic Church

Changing into her baptismal gown

Ready to be baptized in the gown her oldest sister sent to the family.

Godparents, Cecilia and parents are gathered about the baptismal font with her 2 brothers acting as servers to Father John

Receiving the holy oil on her chest

Blessing the water in the font.

Receiving the Holy water of Baptism

Being blessed with the Chrism Oil - such a beautiful aroma.

Receiving the symbolic light of Christ

Welcome Cecilia Therese into the original church of Christ.

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my apologies....

...for disappearing off the edge of the bloggers world. But I have been too sick to blog. Cecilia and I are slowly making a come back. While we were struggling my three oldest children ( who still live at home) managed to make it to the March for Life and with their Dad, who drive one of the youth group vans. It was an awesome experience for them. For those of us at home it was a very lazy two days filled with P&J sandwiches and lots of movies. I simply could not do more.

Now my husband has put his back out... Monday will see him at the Chiropractors.

On the GOOD side of things... Cecilia Therese was baptized today. It was a nice quiet baptism followed by coffee at a local coffee shop - the very same one my shower was held at. Lots of pictures were taken and I will try to share them soon. The reception is next Sunday as our oldest daughter and her boy friend fly in from Ireland to meet the newest little sibling. Apparently though that is Super Bowl Sunday???

Can you tell we are not big football fans? I don't think I have EVER watched a Super Bowl Sunday so I had not a clue when I planned this. At any rate - I have been too sick to get the word out about the reception to many people anyway. Now I am wondering if many will be able to attend anyway? Oh well - we have such a large family that we are a party in ourselves when we all get together.

I am hoping to be a little more consistent with the blogging soon. But it all depends on our health! Blessings to you all and thank you for the continued prayers.

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An awesome Movement...

...is taking place in Canada. Given the current political crisis here in the States and our worries about FOCA amongst other possible human rights losses it would be wonderful if we could do the same here. To read the VISION of Canada's CRY click here. To see more details and hear some cool music click here.

I will be honest, I choked up listening to the music and reading the vision. As much as I have come to love the US - I domiss my original home. What I would give to see my native country and my adopted home both be all they can be - and for that vision we need to visit with our Founding Fathers of the US.

Does anyone have any ideas how we can create our own CRY here in the US?

"I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord." John 1:23

Can we not somehow join our voices as one and through our unified prayers make 'straight the way for the Lord" here in the US? I know we have a novena happening right now across the country in hopes of stopping the signing of FOCA and the loss of our rights that would ensue if this bill passes. Can we not find someway of being even MORE unified and more in touch with all Christians? Prayer IS our only hope!

Lets put our brains together and pray on this and see where it takes us and if you have not joined the novena - it is never too late to start.

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A great Post

This post by Elizabeth Foss, titled "Keep Your Eyes on Your Own work" is an excellent read. As Elizabeth is a homeschooling mum, my first assumption was that this was about children and school work. I was half correct. It is about school work, but not the kids. It is written for we mums and the temptation we can succumb to of comparing the interior of our homeschool life with exterior of another family's life. Now Elizabeth focuses on the homeschooling aspect of life - but her advice is applicable to ALL areas of our lives.

When have we not looked at the well behaved family two pews in front and wished that was our crew? Yet we are not sitting in that pew and we have NO idea of what is really happening there. How about the mum whose blog just screams massively organized super mum and we wonder where we have gone wrong? There are numerous times I have been guilty of comparing the interior of my life with the exterior of someone else's life.

So what to do about it? Well - read Elizabeth's post and then apply her advice to ALL of our green moments. This does not mean we can not be inspired to do better and be better - but lets just not let envy of someone else's perceived perfection blind us to our own blessings.
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Prayer request

Please keep little Cecilia in your prayers. In addition to reflux accompanied by occasional projectile vomiting and a continuous eye infection due to a closed tear duct, she now has a yeast infection that she has so generously shared with me. Now nursing has become a painful exercise that is hourly dreaded.

We have a prescription called in for us but it is snowing... snow in the south is a serious problem as it is so rare that most drivers don't know how to drive in it - so one hazards out on the road only when extremely necessary even if you have over a decade of driving experience in the snow... as it is the other drivers who are lethal!

For some bizarre reason snow in the south typically equals power outages - even just a thin layer can cause this. Perhaps this can again be laid at the feet of inexperienced drivers - taking out power poles perhaps? At any rate, as well as clear roads in the morning, I am also praying that we do not lose the power. And most nights find me begging our Holy Mother to petition Jesus to help little Cecilia with her tummy aches. Sometimes I beg him directly and at other times, remembering the miracle at Canna I turn to her and ask her to plead for Cecilia's comfort. Truly there is no greater pain than watching a small child suffer, especially while helpless to help her. All I can do is hold her and murmer little prayers as she squirms and cries out in pain until after a half hour or so of prayer she is finally quieted and sleeps.

Well, speaking of Cecilia, she is now hungry so I best go take care of her. I will be so glad to start with our meds. I just hope we can get them tomorrow morning.

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Battle of the Bulge...

Is there anything more depressing than spending 4 plus hours shopping for something special to wear to your daughter's baptism only to come home empty handed and extremely sad over the weight you have gained despite healthy eating during the long weary past nine months?

Well, yes, there IS lots that is more depressing than that but, regardless, I think I have found the motivation to keep ahead of the temptation score. I just need to get a full length mirror and try several too small outfits that are in sizes I NEVER dreamed I would that ever fit in - let alone be TOO BIG to fit in. I need to do this daily! Then I will never ever feel tempted by a chocolate chip cookie or McCafe Mocha again.

Sonoma Diet here I come... again. Stay tuned because this is one battle I am VERY motivated to win. I want, some day (soon) to be able to once more walk into a store and not only be able to find styles of clothing that I like - but actually be able to fit into them. Luckily I came across the book for this diet over the holidays in the dollar store and bought it.

What I like about this "diet" is that it is not so much about being a diet as a change in eating habit with healthier choices, portion sizes and food combinations. I will go straight to stage two because as a nursing mum I do need some natural sugars such as you find in fruit. Stage one, I think is too restrictive for a nursing mother.

I think my fatal error while pregnant is that while I avoided a lot of desserts, treats and soda - I did not remain focused on whole grains and healthy food combos that work together to help your metabolism. Add that to the body's natural desire to put a little baby fat on for future nursing needs and you end up with more than a little cubbiness.
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Conversations about love...

Emma entered the kitchen singing at the top of her lungs a song that is far from a family favourite but which has become a top ten hit with Emma. Plus there are only a few lines that she has mastered:

"Last year I gave you my heart, but the very next day you gave it away! This year, to save me from tears, I'll give it to someone special, special!"

This refrain is typically repeated over and over, but this time she stopped and announced to all of us in the kitchen:

"I bet I know who that special person is! JESUS! Jesus is waiting at the door of my heart, and next Christmas I'm going to open it up and let him in! I will give Him my heart. Jesus can't come in unless you open the door and I will open it for Him!"

At which point Elsa had entered the kitchen and catching something of the idea that people were giving their hearts away announced:

"Well, I don't want to give my heart away to anyone. "

I asked her "But will you share your heart with Jesus?"

"Oh yes, I will!"

... and you can't ask for more than that can you? Sharing and giving your heart to Jesus because you know He is waiting to be invited in!




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Chocolate tempations...

Score update!

I was winning and the score for the chocolate was way behind me and then...
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BETHANY MADE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES....
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... and I walked into the house from grocery shopping - famished and I ...
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... scarfed one down before serving myself a bowl of healthy Raisin Bran cereal - which I then washed down with a second cookie and a glass of cold milk.
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I think I will have to ground Bethany for making such a delicious batch of cookies!
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So the score is:

Temptation: 5 M& M's and two homemade chocolate chip cookies


Christi: Said no to McCafe Mochas and offers of chocolate... so perhaps we are tied?

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Day Fifteen....

Sharing some time with a few of her big sisters...

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The Chocolate battle

The Score: Temptation VS Willpower

Chocolate:
5 m&ms (DARK CHOCOLATE NO LESS!)

Christi:
0 wins over temptations and quickly feeding children all excess chocolate found about the house to give her an edge over temptation!


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Legal...

... and it was much less painful than I thought it would be. Today we completed the birth registration of Cecilia Therese which we started last week. We needed photo ids and something from the OB/GYN we saw a couple of times during the pregnancy to prove that I really had been pregnant with the baby we brought in last week and that this was not a black market baby. Luckily I had kept close tabs on my ultrasound report and was able to bring it in.

The two women that I worked with as we filled in the forms and chatted were incredibly friendly and very nice to work with. How often can one say that about a civil servant. I think perhaps it has something to do with being in a small town. Things in a small town tend to be slower than in the cities and even more intimate. There are fewer demands on the city employee in terms of numbers and they can take the time to chat and to actually care.

So when we finished the lady in charge took an envelope and, in beautiful cursive, wrote Cecilia's full name and was careful to add the accents on the two e's in Therese and then put her paper work in it as she congratulated me that she was now "legal".

It was a good feeling and was a nice cap to the first two weeks of Cecilia's life. Now if I could just figure out what I am eating that has been making her so gassy the past 48 hours. Poor baby! Poor me - I have banned C H O C O L A T E from my diet for the next few days in an attempt to determine if that is the culprit!

I'll let you know how it goes...


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Another picture...

They say a picture is worth a thousand words - so I am cheating and sharing thousands of words with you this week, without typing hardly one!

I am slowly recovering- thank you for the prayers and I will keep everyone updated as much as possible. Unfortunately, I just begin to recover from one health problem only to fall into another. Now 'tis the old back that is complaining in a big way, so an appointment with the chiro appears to be in order - SOON!!

Still, given we have had two newborns land in the NICU in the past - we feel very blessed as we would rather it be one of us suffering from health problems, than one of our little ones.

And so here is one more pic for all to enjoy - the delight on Elsa's face as she meets Cecilia for the first time!

And again - thank you for the prayers and keep them coming please, as they are still needed!

Elsa meeting Cecilia for the first time when Cecilia is about 6 hours old.
(I cropped the picture as my eyes were showing the fatigue of little to no sleep throughout the previous 48 hours... not a pretty sight to be sure!)

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Prayer request...

...from Blessed Among Men.

Suzanne over at Blessed Among Men has the flu going through her home and her newborn is only about 10 days older than our little blessing. Please pray for a speedy recovery and that Micah is spared the flue - hopefully through the antibodies in his mama's milk!

As to myself - I am making a slow recovery and it appears the prescriptions are doing their job - praise God. As to getting my hematocrit levels, and thus my energy levels, back to normal - appears to be a slower journey. Thank you for all the prayers that have been sent our way and please keep them coming. I can not tell you how much we appreciate them.

Blessings
Christi
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God mother and God daughter meet...

Day One: First introduction...



Day Five: Cozying up together in Mama's rocking chair, God Baby on God Mummy's chest.




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I think there was a compliment ...

...in there somewhere.

While watching Cecilia sunbath to help with her jaundice during one of the few sunbursts we have had since her birth, Elsa chuckled and laughed as she commented:

"Oh she looks just like a little frog, Yes, she looks like a cute baby frog."

Yes - I will definitely take that as a compliment... somehow!


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Day eight...

...and Cecilia Therese has graced us with several smiles today. Several! What do you do with such a precocious child? Plan her high school graduation in a few months from now???


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Elsa's response to her first peek at her new sister

We have all been worried as to how Elsa would respond to her new sister once she was actually on the scene. When the children returned home from their sister's home, a few hours after the birth Elsa immediately climbed onto the bed beside me and began to examine the little bundle in my arms.

When one of her siblings asked; "So what do you think of your new sister Elsa?" she silently grinned and gave them a thumbs up - something she reserves only for her dad's great cooking!

So obviously this baby is a big hit with her!
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Prayer Request

I have had a few complications set in following the birth. I finally saw a Dr today. I have been given some prescriptions, but if I do not respond soon to the treatments - I will need surgery.

That is always a bad news scenario - but it is much worse when you do not have insurance. Please pray that I respond to the treatments.

Cecilia is a wonderful blessing whom we are all enjoying. Her coos which she has been making since a few minutes after birth are too adorable for words! She seems to be as musical as her name sake!

However, I am just beginning to be able to enjoy her more the past 24 hours, as I was too exhausted and in too much pain from the complications I am experiencing to do more than nurse her and hold her at night when she was too agitated to sleep the first three nights. Now she is developing more normal patterns of eating and sleeping. It is understandable the difficulties she had in adjusting to life outside the womb. Such a shock to the system - no? Add to that a 36 hour labour... and you have a pretty tired baby!

Thank you in advance for your prayers and God Bless you all! Posting might be sporatic - depending on my pain and energy levels.

Blessings
Christi aka mum2abakersdozen



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Welcome Cecilia

Cecilia
Born at 7:07 am
8 lbs 12 oz, 17"

Many, many thanks for your prayers and thoughts! God bless!

Baby sister sitting with 2nd oldest sister.

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no news...

...they say is good news. Or so they say. So, that being the case, I have only good news to report on the baby front: which is to say NO NEWS.

Please pray for me for faith and perseverance and, better yet, for a baby to produce herself - VERY SOON.

Thank you in advance for the prayers.
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St. Stephen's Feast Day

...or as it is known in Canada and England - Boxing Day. Today is our big Christmas dinner - with THREE Priests coming. And I am having contractions... typically every 20 minutes. Now and then they stop for an hour or two and then start again. CP - If this baby comes today as you predicted... you are in big trouble!! I have told baby to be - she must be born by 12 or not till after 5 pm!

Will let everyone know what happens!

Blessings
Christi

POST SCRIPT - Contractions stopped shortly after 12 so no baby... she is either very lazy or very obedient. CP - you may breath a sigh of relief as we got through dinner with no surprise arrival. And I got TWO blessings. Now that every one is gone... contractions have started again. Hmmm.... lazy or obedient! Only time will tell.

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A child was born and they laid him in a manger...

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Happy Christmas Adam...

...which means we are the day before Christmas Eve. Where did Advent go? Is Christmas really just around the corner or to borrow an expression from the Muppet Christmas Carol - just two more sleeps till Christmas!?

Now that we are so close to Christmas, as impatient as I am to have this baby, I also now want to get through Christmas before she arrives! Ack!

Last night the children and I put together two ginger bread houses and decorated them. One is a gift and one is for us. I will try to get some pictures but first I need to locate my rechargeable batteries while also praying they are actually charged!

As ready as I thought I was - here we are only a few days... and I still have some important tasks to complete! Lots of baking still to do and clothes to double check for Mass. Benjamin and Noah are serving and Anna and Gabriela are bringing up the gifts. Emma is going to be GREEN with envy as she is dying for a chance to do that!

Well... I will let you all know what happens with this possible Christmas baby - she has lots of dates to arrive on so as to spoil plans of some sort, and after all, isn't that what babies LOVE to do? Arrive at the worst possible moment. Say on the 26th when we have three priests expected for dinner? I'll let you know - so stay tuned!

For some fun strolling down memory lane here are two posts from previous Christmas Adams:

2005

2006

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Overheard at the mission

On the fourth night of our parish mission a fellow parishioner introduced herself to our two youngest daughters:

"Hi - my name is Mary!" she said.

To which 3 yr. old Elsa responded:

"Aren't you supposed to be in Heaven?" Read more!

No - no new baby yet...

... just lots of contractions complicated with a couple of gall bladder attacks. Yippe - so much fun! I certainly can not complain that God is not loving me with lots to offer up this Advent!

Confession time - our Jesse Tree is a dismal failure! Between a four day Mission that we attended at night and colds and contractions and ... you get the idea. At least I got all of the posts up and can just follow them again next year. I am planning on creating permanent ornaments and focusing on the readings next year with each child taking a turn according to age to place an ornament.

We are betting on the Holy Innocents as her birthday - anyone care to place some bets - Due dates range from Dec 27 to Jan 04!

Love and blessings to all my dear readers. I promised someone will post as as possible after baby to be arrives, with her stats etc. Even a picture or two if possible.

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Congratulations...

...to Casey P. of South Carolina as she won this month's giveaway! Next month I hope to feature another book! So be sure to stay tuned in.


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Don't Forget...

...to enter the giveaway this month. Just leave a comment with your first name and a means of contacting you should you win! This is the last day you can enter!

May the best reader win!

Only one comment/entry per reader please.

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Note to Self

When passing the new kitten tuck in pajama strings to avoid tempting her to play... OUCH!


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Don't forget...

...to enter the giveaway this month. Just leave a comment with your first name and a means of contacting you should you win!

May the best reader win!

Only one comment/entry per reader please.

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Following our Advent progress...

I promised a few pictures of our progress through Advent. I will be honest, we have not done as well as I had hoped. Often by evening - I have been too tired to do the Jesse Tree every night - so we have sometimes been doing double symbols! I have been very focused on getting ready for the baby. I think I am ready... until I remember one more thing that needs to bought, washed or brought out of storage. Umm like the swing.... ARGH!

Anyway - I am posting a picture with this post so that you can see how the chains are shortening and also enjoy a vision in pink in front of a pair of the chains. It is Elsa all dressed up and waiting to leave for our parish Christmas party last weekend. So the chains are even shorter now!

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Where was my brain?

Where was my brain when I added the following to my fun things to do while waiting for baby to be this Advent/Christmas season:

'Take trip to tree farm in the mountains, on the 14th, to find and cut down tree with kids.'

Ummm, yeah. I guess it has been a while since I have been 37 weeks pregnant - otherwise how could I plan such an arduous expedition when somewhere between37 and 38 weeks pregnant. Typically I am pretty much immobile at this point into my pregnancy, a trip to the bathroom requires planning on my part. And I thought I was going to drive and hour or more to the mountains, clamber through the woods for another hour or so looking for the perfect tree, with eight kids in tow? Mind, my husband would be there too - but still - what was he going to do - piggy back me through the woods?

This thought struck me last week as I struggled just to maneuver out the front door and into our 15 passenger van! I looked at Hugo after settling myself into the passenger seat in the front and said, "There is no way I can go hunting for a tree - like this!" He sagely nodded and we drove off. A little while later he came up with a much better idea than mine.

"Since we would have had to spend money on gas to drive up there, let's use that money to take the kids out to breakfast at Cracker Barrel next Saturday, and then find a tree lot to buy our tree from. Then they might not be too disappointed about not going to the tree farm!"

Excellent idea and all of the kids, without a murmur, agreed to it. After all, they are watching me hourly waddle here and there in the house. Being reasonable kids - it is just too painfully obvious that I would more than slow them down on the tree farm, I would plain out right bring it all to a full halt after about 10 steps! That would probably get us from the van - to the barn... never mind out into the cold, still acres of Christmas trees!

So Cracker Barrel - here we come: "A table for ten please, with two boosters, non smoking if you don't mind."

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At long last...

... this month's giveaway! This cool little sleeping bag would make a lovely gift for a daughter, niece, grand daughter or a neighbour's little girl you have been wondering what to give to for Christmas.



This is a hand made sleeping bag - sized for an Only Hearts Doll. These are nine inch dolls and you can learn more about their unique features here. I decided to make these sleeping bags because when I took a look at the ones being sold online - the price was more than I was willing to spend. Now the factory made sleeping bags do have zippers, but my experience told me that this was one more thing to break and until it broke - one more thing for me to have to open and close for little girls who would inevitably get the zippers stuck - as they do on their own clothes. (This sleeping bag would also work for Skipper, a member of the Barbie family and is about 9.5 inches tall)

This contest will be open until midnight of the 15th.
I will pull the lucky winner's number on the morning of the 21st.
(Only one comment/entry per reader please.)

All you have to do to participate is to leave a comment with your first name and a means of contacting you so that if you are the lucky winner I can let you know. Winner will be announced by first name only and the State they reside in.

The girls, who are ten and under, in this family really enjoy the Only Heart Club dolls and our boys are pleased with the fact that if a doll is left around undressed - they are not staring the adult female anatomy! I am pleased to be able to provide a well made doll that has lots of clothes to wear, fun and innocent accessories and does not provide an anorexic view of how a female body should look. There are also a number of books that go along with these dolls.

Please feel free to share the link to this contest and help get the word out on these really cool dolls!

(Note: I am providing this gift myself and have not received any compensation for the endorsement of the Only Heart Dolls or for mentioning Skipper/Barbie! Only the sleeping bag and matching pillow are included, The doll was for looks only and is not included as it is a well loved member of my daughters' family of Only Hearts Dolls! )

POST SCRIPT: Unless I am in labour, every attempt will be made within 48 hours of the end of the contest to mail the sleeping bag so that the winner can hopefully receive it in time for Christmas. This contest is open only to US and Canadian Residents to keep shipping simple at this time. )

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Sisters...

(Photography credits: Miss Bethany!)


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Woo Hoo!

I won a draw... I don't think I have EVER won anything in my life. I certainly can not remember ever winning anything! Do you remember Scribbit's week long giveaway? Well - I won one of the items and here it is!. Awesomeness! Thank you Scribbit!

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Some really Cool Advent Calendars...

...a little too late for this year but maybe next year? To check them out click here. I found the link on Danielle's site so you might have already checked them out. I really like the magnetic one - but I Have to wonder how long before we managed to lose some of the magnets. We have done well in the past with calendars but still - I wonder - magnets are so fascinating. "Will it stick here, how about here or here - oops - guess not!"And this little manger scene is adorable and so affordable! It would make a great distraction for the youngest magnet tester in my family. I need to remember to check out this site after Christmas and see if they are offering any of the Advent items at a discount.
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Some calendars we made for Advent

We made a couple of Advent calendars for ourselves. One was based on Bethany's idea that since Advent is a time of waiting wouldn't it be a good idea to have a calendar that gave us little sacrifices to do as we wait as opposed to treats. Now we didn't have any calendars with treats but I guess she has noticed the ones for sale that have a little chocolate for the person who opens the door that day.

I thought that was an excellent idea so I went to work on it that very night - it was jsut a few days before Advent was to start - so I did not have a lot of time.

I ultimately created two calendars, one with little sacrifices and activities for us to do that helped one to focus on the quiet spiritual side of Advent and another with the fun things we were planning on doing, such as crafts or baking we need to get finished in time to give away for Christmas.

I only have pictures of the calendars before we started to use them, but I thought I would share them anyway. At some point today - I hope to take a picture of the chains so we can see how we are coming closer to the removal of our bondage.

So enjoy the pics and look forward to some more as we come closer to the light of the world being revealed to us all in a little manger in Bethlehem.



The one above is the calendar with the prayers and sacrifices we are doing daily to help draw us closer to the Infant Jesus.
The one below is the fun stuff we are doing. Remember that you can click on the pictures and they will open up allowing you to study them closer - if you would like.



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Happy Feast Day, St Nickolas!

We love to celebrate Saint Nickolas (or Nicholas) Day in our home. Years and years ago we replaced the secular image of Santa Claus with Saint Nick and our children just adore him and the little ones have a great respect for St Nickolas' assistant, Black Peter . In fact, as I type this up - the two youngest girls are helping Bethany to clean their room as they were reminded that Black Peter would be letting St. Nick know what shape their room is in.

Some fun articles to read and recipes to check out.

An interesting article about the variations of Saint Nicholas is here.

Here is a brief article that introduces some of the various names St Nick is known by around the world.

A wonderful page filled with cookies and treats for St Nicholas' day is here.

Interested in buying some cookies cutters shaped like the famous saint - click here. I will be looking into getting some of these.

And two more links to some baking ideas are here and here.

Enjoy and have a wonderful feast day.

On a different note - while my Advent Jesse tree posts will be consistent and I have a few posts already and pre-scheduled to post, any actual real time posting may come to an end, for a short time, soon as I am struggling both with pre-term labour symtoms, and severe back ache.

I am almost ready for Christmas and am thankful for the distraction of preparing for it, this has helped tremendously. While the Chiropractor has done wonders to keep me mobile I am finally reaching that point (that I usually reach much sooner) of just not being able to walk very well. Sitting is even becoming hard on my back so prolonged times at the computer have become painful.

Prayers are very welcome as I seek the graces I need from our Lord to be patient at a time of my pregancy when I am typically not patient!

Blessings to you all and we will let you know when this bundle of joy arrives and in the meantime enjoy the Jesse tree postings and the additional ramblings I have pre-posted. (Is that a word?)

Oh, and I am still trying to get the contest for this month up and running so keep an eye out for that, eh? I already have a wonderful book rounded up for possibly January, and another for later in the spring!


(Found the picture above of St Nick here.)

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is THIS my baby????

Where oh where did my baby go?

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Christmas Baking

Are you looking for some new ideas, tired of baking the same cookies every Christmas? Well this year we decided to buy a magazine for the price of a book! Not something I often do but I really wanted to try some new recipes this year. It is fun perusing the pages - but sitting here bored... drinking herbal teas and taking herbal tinctures to stop early labour... I started googling and came up with a really nice site. I am still exploring the site but thought I would share it so that others who might be looking for new ideas could have some fun too.

If you like to bake and want to try something new, or are just looking for some tips on how to make some of your traditional cookies look a little more professional - click here and have fun!

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A complete week of giveaways at Scribbit's place.

Scribbit is having a weeks worth of giveaways so jump on over to her place and try your luck! I put my name down for a nursing camisole. Can't wait to see what else she has to give away!

Best of luck to you all! Oh and she also has a link on the left side called the Message Board where you can see other giveaway blogging events that are going on. So check that out too.

Keep in mind that in a few days I will have Decembers giveaway up and running. This time it is a hand crafted gift - just ideal for that little girl on your Christmas list.

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We were privileged to enjoy...

...THIS tonight as we drove home from Raleigh. It was an awesome thing to see - even though we were not too sure exactly what was happening. It was clear though that some astronomical phenomenon was happening. However, not all of the family was with us - and it is possible that tomorrow another view, though not as clear as tonights, will occur. So perhaps we will take an after dinner drive tomorrow and like the bear who went over the mountain - see what we can see. After all, this will not occur again for another 247 years.

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Chef and Music critic...

Elsa appears to be both master chef and music critic at the ripe old age of 3 as determined by the following observation she made while deftly mixing up pumpkin bread while I added in the ingredients. We had Christmas music playing in the background and a particularly pretty piece had just finished playing when Frosty the Snowman came on. Within seconds Elsa sagely stated as she solemnly stirred without spilling a fleck of flour:

"That is not a beautiful song, Mummy."

"Well - it is a happy song, even if a little noisy, isn't it?" I asked her.

She nodded her agreement as she continued to studiously and carefully mix the flour into the wet ingredients.




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Following our Advent progress...

Well - we squeezed it all in today. Hugo left for a business trip with Nathaniel this after noon and we baked pies and then some gingerbread forms for 2 churches we hope to build. Then after a quick supper - we cleaned and tidied and did our advent readings, got the Jesse tree ornaments pasted on trees and each child broke a link off of his or her Advent chain.

I will include pictures as we progress in these projects! The first batch is of some of our chains which we constructed yesterday and of our Advent wreath, before the candles fell in. Tuesday I will head out and buy some candle holders. This happens EVERY year - my candles collapse. It is time to for some solid candle holders! Move over playdough... you are about to be replaced.

(These are two chains attached at the red links - which is for Christmas Eve. I attached them with a straight pin, simply to make them look more decorative in the windows where we hung them. I will continue to post pictures of this pair so you can watch them grow shorter!)
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The wreath... before the calamity hit....

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