Homemade costumes

Since it's looking like Halloween may be a wash-out due to the impending hurricane, my kids might not get to go trick-or-treating in their costumes. And after all the time and effort I put into them, I think that is more sad for me than it is for them. So, of course, I needed to at least get some photos of them before it gets all rainy. And while we still have power, so I can upload them (you can tell I'm thinking the important things through here. We may not have non-perishables, but I'll have my kids Halloween costumes posted!).

My father made our Halloween costumes every year when we were kids and it is one of the best memories I have of my childhood. So it's just second nature that I would make my kids' costumes every year. My sister makes her daughter's costumes too. I think it's in our genes.

This year, Luke wanted to be Thomas the Train and Clara was adamant that she would be a ladybug.

Luke is ecstatic about his Thomas and absolutely loves it, but only wants to wear him for about sixty seconds at a time. Sure, it's probably a little heavy and awkward, but don't you know how long mommy worked on this, Lukie?!

I made Thomas out of a cardboard box, a tube thingy for pouring concrete that I bought at Home Depot, a lot of hot glue, electrical tape and paint.

If you look closely, you can see where I spray painted the grass. Our back yard is full of blue, red and black.

When Clara declared she would be a ladybug, I was a little disappointed. I had it all planned out for her to be an Olympic gymnast, but despite her affinity for the Summer Games and the United States, she was not having it. But now I'm very happy we went with her idea. She makes one super cute ladybug.

Her costume was easy. I just glued black felt circles onto a tutu I made for her.

I glued black puff balls onto pipe cleaners and then twisted them onto a black headband.

And the wings are just cardboard pieces that I cut out and covered with red fabric and more felt circles.

I cannot tell you how much fun I had making these. I seriously might make costumes for them throughout the year. Sure, my house might have been a disaster during that week-and-a-half, but I am so happy when I have a project that I love.

Who needs a clean house when you can play dress up, anyway??

Prayers please

If you get a chance, we could use your prayers. There is a potential adoption situation that we are involved in, but it is still very much up in the air. I really don't know how it will all turn out, but we are just praying, praying, praying that God's will be done.

I wish I could give you more details, but since there are still so many unknowns, that's all I feel comfortable saying for now. Just know I am so appreciative for any prayer you can offer for this situation. Especially for the baby. We just hope and pray this plays out according to God's will, no matter the outcome.

Thank you so much. I just knew I needed to take this prayer intention to all of you, since your prayers are always so powerful.

I am starting a novena to the recently-canonized St. Kateri Tekakwitha. If you feel so inclined, here it is if you'd like to pray it with me:

Kateri, favored child and Lily of the Mohawks, 
I come to seek your intercession in my present need: 

(State your intention here...)
 
I admire the virtues which adorned your soul: 
love of God and neighbor, 
humility, obedience, patience, 
purity and the spirit of sacrifice. 
Help me to imitate your example in my state of life. 
Through the goodness and mercy of God, 
Who has blessed you with so many graces 
which led you to the true faith 
and to a high degree of holiness, 
pray to God for me and help me. 

Obtain for me a very fervent devotion to the Holy Eucharist 
so that I may love Holy Mass as you did 
and receive Holy Communion as often as I can. 
Teach me also to be devoted 
to my crucified Savior as you were, 
that I may cheerfully bear my daily crosses 
for love of Him Who suffered so much for love of me. 
Most of all I beg you to pray for me 
that I may avoid sin, 
lead a holy life and save my soul.  

AMEN 

In Thanksgiving to God for the graces bestowed upon Kateri: 

(Recite the following prayers...)

Our Father...

Hail Mary...

Glory Be... (3 times)

Kateri, Lily of the Mohawks, 
pray for me. 

Long overdue - Brother Francis review

I'm a bad blogger.

Let me explain.

Several months ago, I wrote this post about how much we love the Brother Francis videos for children. I honestly just wanted to share with all my fellow Catholic moms something I had found that I thought was pretty awesome.

Shortly after posting, I received an email from the company that produces the videos asking me if I'd like to receive copies of the other three videos and review them on my blog. Um, of course I would! I was thrilled and I couldn't wait to watch the others and write a review. 

We received them very quickly and it was more than I had even expected!

Along with the three DVDs - Forgiven!, Let's Pray and The Bread of Life (we already owned The Rosary) - we received four companion coloring books, children's prayer cards and a book mark (you can get all of their products here).

Clara and Luke watched them and loved them. They colored in the coloring books and played with the prayer cards. But then a very crazy summer hit and... you probably know where this is going if you follow my blog, because one thing you haven't seen on here is a review.

That's right. The generous producers sent me complimentary Brother Francis videos and I never got around to keeping up my end of the deal - writing about them. And it has weighed on me every single day. But it's better late than never right? So here goes...

We absolutely love Brother Francis in our house. I love him because the videos are very orthodox Catholic, with great messages and lessons even I can learn something from. I have honestly never heard some of things explained in as clear a way as they are in these videos. 

And my kids love him because... well, I'm not exactly sure, but I have my theories. 

First, I know they love the type of animation that is used in Brother Francis videos. It looks a lot like the animation in the cartoon Super Why, if you've ever watched that on PBS. I don't know why, but they are always drawn to shows with that sort of look. It's very colorful and bright, which may have something to do with it. 

Second, Brother Francis is relatable. He is a Brother, yes, and is very knowledgable, of course. But he is not above doing goofy things. He bumps into things, or falls down... things kids do a lot themselves. Clara and Luke laugh at those moments, moments that would be lost on me if not for their reaction. 

Third, the music. That's one of the best parts! There are lots of songs and they are good. Really good! Not annoying ear worms, like on some shows (well, they're not annoying but they DO get stuck in your head! My kids sing them all the time!). Prayers like the Our Father are set to music, as well as original songs that have a great beat, like one where the kids even rap a little bit. 

My kids are also extremely picky when it comes to TV. You'd think they'd be happy to watch anything, but no. They definitely have their favorites. Thomas is one of their favorites, and sometimes they're happy with whatever is on PBS, but not always (it's a frequent battle in our house... you mean I'm letting you watch TV and you're going to be picky???). But one video they are always up for is Brother Francis. Always. They often ask to watch it. And not only do they not cry or whine if I suggest it, but they actually get giddy and start yelling "Brother Francis! Brother Francis!" and dancing around. I think that speaks volumes. If I can have a go-to video for when I'm making dinner, or to get a teething toddler out of a crummy mood, AND have it teach them about Mass and Jesus, then I'm all for it.

Watching one of the Brother Francis DVDs, Luke's in the process of crossing himself here

You might be wondering what age the videos are appropriate for. Well, as with most kids shows, children can take different things from them at different ages. I can see them watching these videos and learning so much about confession, the Rosary and the Eucharist in three or four years, things they can't really process right now. Yet, even at ages one and two, they are learning about forgiveness and that being naughty is a "sin". They know what Eucharist looks like, and that the priest says "Body of Christ" and we put out our tongues to receive it. And they know what the Rosary is, what prayers we say with it, and that it has something to do with Mary.

I'm also noticing them applying what they've learned in the real world, like when we're at Mass. Or even when they're coloring in one of the Brother Francis coloring books, I've seen Luke point out the Eucharist and he's so excited about it. I love that!

The fact of the matter is my kids watch TV. And they are little sponges. I can't believe the theme songs they know by heart and the random things they have learned from shows they've watched. So if they're going to retain what they're watching to that degree, why not have it be about their faith? 

I highly recommend all four videos. My kids don't really have a favorite among them, but maybe I'd say they really like The Rosary just because we had that first and they got to know the songs really well. The Rosary is great if you want your toddler to get a better grasp of prayers like the Hail Mary, Our Father and Glory Be. Or, if you do a family Rosary and want your little ones to have sort of a context for what you are doing. 

Let's Pray teaches them about prayer, and they learn the sign of the cross through a cute song, and there's even a segment on St. Therese.

Forgiven! is all about reconciliation and sin. As in all the videos, Brother Francis teaches about what could be a heavy topic by using stories that kids can understand. For example, he shows us a little girl who finds money and spends it, despite realizing it belonged to a friend of hers, and then shows how she makes amends. This would be awesome for a child nearing the age of his or her First Reconciliation.

The Bread of Life is great too, and explains the Last Supper and the Eucharist in a way kids can understand, even if it's just so that my little ones can recognize what a picture of the Eucharist in a monstrance is. Like Forgiven!, The Bread of Life would also be perfect for a child who will soon make their First Communion.

I also don't think the price is bad either. Each video is $12.99, which not only is do-able to buy for your own family, but would also make an inexpensive, yet thoughtful and original, gift. 

And if you don't believe me, just listen to Luke's review of the Brother Francis videos (he's looking at the Brother Francis website as he's talking)... 

If you want to check out clips from the videos or to purchase them, just click here to visit the website. And while you're there, check out the great freebies they offer too, like coloring pages and prayers.

Okay, I feel better now. And I didn't write a glowing review just because I felt guilty that it was so, so overdue. I would have written the same thing if I had done it on time, I swear! It's a quality product that teaches my children about their beautiful Catholic faith, how much God loves them, and how to be better people, and I'm happy to have them watch it. What more could a busy mom want??

We're smiling over here...

I swear you guys have a direct line to God.

Because as soon as I posted about being at my absolute wit's end when it came to Luke's sleep problems, he started going down without crying.

Do you know how miraculous that is?

It's amazing. Unbelievable. We're still, after six nights, in complete shock over here. And very, very happy.

The kid goes in his converted crib (should have done that sooner), sippy cup of water in hand (I always had a no-drink policy in their beds, but Luke had a no-sleep policy, so...), and just lays there - LAYS THERE - as I say goodnight and walk out of his room. He fusses a tiny bit as I carry him in, even sometimes a tiny bit as I say goodnight, but then nothing.

One night, after ten minutes of silence, he cried. But I just went in, talked to him and laid him back down, and that was that.

Tonight was six nights in a row of going down without crying. One night away from his prized Thomas bed. I did not think we would get here. I NEVER thought we'd be getting him that bed. I better start looking on Craigslist.

That's not to say he has slept through the night all those nights. But the deal was no crying when falling asleep. Tackle one problem at a time. Before this week, I can't remember the last time I had a peaceful evening without screaming in the background (and by "background" I mean the other side of the living room wall). It's been wonderful. Just wonderful.

And last night he surprised us by sleeping in his bed and staying in his room the WHOLE night. It can be done. There is hope.

So thanks for the advice and prayers. My evenings are free again, so maybe I'll be blogging more! Or just sitting, smiling, appreciating the lack of toddler screams. Silence is a wonderful sound :)

Sleepless nights

Tonight I was pondering exactly why I haven't been to my blog lately (no, I'm not pregnant) and I can't really come up with a good reason. I guess it's because things are still kind of unstable here. And then there's Luke's lack of sleeping. That's nothing new, it just has come to the breaking point where it's driving me absolutely nuts. And to bring it all full circle, I suppose that's, at best, not helping my anxiety and, at worst, even causing it on some level. It's like we never left the newborn stage; we're still not getting seven or eight uninterrupted hours of sleep. This morning we celebrated because we had five. Five. It occurred to me after saying it out loud how crazy that sounds.

You know how you tell yourself that those first few sleepless months of a baby's life will be over before you know it? Well, we told ourselves that, only it never passed. With the exception of a few weeks here and there where he slept well, Luke is still a colicky infant between the hours of 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. He naps well, though, so there's that (and in case you are wondering, we've tried no naps, earlier naps, shorter naps, you name it. Nothing changes his night problems). 

I'm also currently weaning him (again, in case you're wondering, his sleep problems were here before weaning), which we can only hope might end up helping him to sleep better in some way. It hasn't been easy - I'm still nursing him once a day - but I'm noticing he is asking less and less and not getting as upset for as long when I say "no" (but, to put it in context, it's been over a week and he still cries and pouts, fighting to get my shirt up, each and every time). The really good news is he wants to cuddle with me on the couch a lot lately (he's actually quite demanding, telling me to "lay down" and "move your hair"), like he is replacing nursing with cuddling. And that just warms my heart.

Now I'm heading to bed since - the miracle of all miracles - Luke is, for now, asleep in his converted crib. This will be his second night in it; he had been "sleeping" on a flip sofa on the floor, which really meant he slept wherever he passed out after screaming and crying for two hours straight. And that was always on the hardwood floor in front of his door. But the floor doesn't allow for adjustments in the middle of the night, so he'd always wake up and end up in bed with us. That's the hard part of sleep-training Luke - you feel like you've run a marathon when he finally falls asleep after hours of screaming, only to have him wake up an hour later. That doesn't do a whole lot of good for your psyche the next night when you're trying to talk yourself into letting him cry instead of scooping him up and cuddling on the couch until your husband comes home. 

But, for some reason, his new bed has worked. He still cries and falls asleep by his door, but the crying only lasts for a couple minutes. And after we move him back to his bed, the entire process only repeats a few times (usually until Ryan comes home and moves him back one last time), compared to hundreds of times when he was climbing out of his crib, or just had the flip sofa, or the week where he decided to strip naked and pee all over in a (successful) effort to get me to come in and get him.

We'll see how long he stays asleep tonight. Maybe it will be longer than five hours. But, if not, sleeping with him in our bed from 5 til 8 a.m. isn't so bad (I secretly love it). It's the crying and screaming as he's "falling asleep" that I dread. So I'm praying this new converted bed is the answer. And, if he's good, I've promised him a Thomas the Train bed. I checked Craigslist just to see if there were any, and oh ya, there were like five. Apparently a Thomas bed isn't something you hang onto as an heirloom. 

One night recently, I was questioning whether he even understood this deal I had made with him, to get a Thomas bed if he falls asleep without crying for a week straight. He's just a baby, I thought. Maybe I'm expecting too much of him. Then, as the little stinker sat by me on the couch after I had rescued him from his big, bad room, he pointed to the TV and said, "Big Brother, Mommy!" Ya, he understands. If all he has to see is Julie Chen to know what show is on (and I swear I barely watched it this season), then he knows exactly what deal I've made with him. And he knows exactly what he's supposed to be doing come 8:30 at night. 

I'll leave you with a family photo we took the other night, the first one EVER where both kids are smiling. It's safe to say I was a little excited when I saw what we had captured (and on self-timer, no less). And notice Luke's new hair cut, his first ever. Grandma did it, because I am no good at cutting hair. Just ask my college roommate. 

We look like a well-rested family, right? Clara's the only one who is. Thank God she sleeps through anything.

Extended trip

Our week-long visit to my parents turned into a two-week long stay for me and the kids. Ryan was kind enough to offer to drive home for work this past week and come back and get us today.

That means we got a lot of time to relax, play, and spend quality time with Nana and Boppy. And I was able to not do laundry, cook or clean. It was much needed, and I don't know that I'm ready to return to normal life yet. But we are all super excited to see Ryan in a few hours, so that will ease the transition.

What I have done the past two weeks is take pictures. Lots of them. Ryan is always telling me to just enjoy what we're doing instead of worrying about capturing it in photos. But I looooove to capture it in photos. I just do. I try to maintain a balance, but this week was great because we were just hanging out. So lots of time for portraits, candids, and excruciatingly difficult group cousin shots. I've decided we need some older cousins to hold the babies. That would make life a lot easier ;)

Here are some of my favorite shots. I can only imagine how much fun I'll have when these kids actually like having their picture taken. That will happen one day, right???

Our whole family at my mother's surprise retirement party

Our wedding reception was held in the building behind us (Farmers' Museum, Cooperstown, NY)

In front of their great-grandmother's memorial tree in my parent's backyard

I love this, but I wish it wasn't followed by a bite (which now you can easily picture, right?)

I'm going to miss all the great photo ops, pretty backdrops, and photogenic cousins. And, of course, my family. I just know my kids are going to go through withdrawal from their grandparents and especially their playmate, cousin Caleigh. I really wished we lived closer, but it's just not possible. So, instead, I am thankful for fun-filled, extended visits like this one :)

How I know there is a God

If I needed more proof that God is real, then I think I could use this as evidence...

While visiting my family in Upstate New York, we stopped by the Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha shrine today. After walking the Stations of the Cross, we came upon statues of Our Lady and St. Joseph glancing up at a crucifix.

That's when my rambunctious two-year-old daughter, who is smack-dab in the middle of the "terrible-twos" and who usually runs in the opposite direction of my camera, knelt down in prayer - completely unprompted - and stayed like that for a few minutes.

That's one thing. But then she became completely entranced. I can't remember the last time this girl stopped and sat still for this long (especially with no phone or TV show involved!).

I just kept taking photo after photo and she didn't even glance up at me. So I moved closer, and still she didn't budge. I don't mean to sound dramatic, but it was like she was some place else.

Then this...

...gave my mother and me chills.

I am telling you, this is not what a two-year-old does. Any mother of a toddler will tell you that. And in our house, bedtime prayers are often a fight. But today she was moved by something bigger, I am sure of it.

What I would give to know what she was thinking. Or what was being said to her.

"Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it."(Mark 10:14-15)