The Three Little Kids: November 2009

November 26, 2009

With Thanksgiving

“Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse.”

Henry VanDyke (1852-1933)

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Nobody in the world is more impulsive than a child. No child in the world is more impulsive than when he or she is at church. My children are no exception!

I'm happy to say that for the last 1-1/2 years or so, we have become pretty regular church-goers. Shortly after we moved here, we found a church and parish that we love. Never before have we felt so welcome, and so much a part of a church community.

While Jack may still go to the nursery instead of mass on most occasions, the girls have been doing wonderfully when they attend mass with us. They're beginning to pick up bits and pieces of the mass, prayers and songs that are followed on a weekly basis. One particular part of our church's mass that I love comes right before Communion. While the Eucharistic Ministers are heading up to the altar to recieve Communion, the music group has everyone begin singing a little song each and every week. The girls have heard it often enough, and it is a simple enough song, that they know it by heart. They'll sing along, and it's so darned cute to hear! Kara, in particular, has a loud and slightly off-key voice that sounds just darling ... people are always turning around to look at her and smile while she's singing. She's even received a few compliments from our neighbors at church!

Lord prepare me,

to be a sanctuary.

Pure and holy,

tried and true.

With thanksgiving

I'll be a living,

sanctuary

for you.

So today, as I think about Thanksgiving and all of the things that I have to be thankful for, I just can't help but think of this song in my head. I'm thankful for my family, my children, my friends, my home, my job, my community, my church ... and for the fact that my children feel comfortable enough around here to sing their little hearts out.

November 20, 2009

A Thanksgiving program to remember

Today was Kara's Thanksgiving program at school. For weeks her class has been working on making scarecrow hats, decorations and snacks, and learning the songs and poems that they would perform for their audience.

About 3 days ago, Kara mentioned that she didn't want to wear the hat she made.

About 2 days ago, Kara mentioned that she didn't want to go up on the stage.

Yesterday, Kara mentioned that she didn't want to sing OR smile.

Last night, we had a heart-to-heart at bedtime. I told her how mommy goes to each and every show at school, so very excited to see her little girl perform. I sit in the audience each time, just waiting to get a peek at my baby, and hoping that she'll participate in her show. Mommy assured Kara that there was no need to worry about performing in front of a big crowd, because each and every mommy and daddy would only be watching their special little girl or boy.

So today came, and off to school we went. Kara was in a pleasant mood when I dropped her off, and she willingly put on her little hat and posed for a class photo. So far, so good!

I took my seat in the auditorium with high hopes, but low expectations. Enter the two classes, with about 30 preschoolers. Child-by-child, they climbed up on to the stage wearing their darling little scarecrow hats and darling little smiles. I held my breath as Kara entered the room. She walked right up to the stage! She took her place! She smiled and waved at me!

And the performance just got better and better from there. Not only did she smile throughout, but she sang and did all of the actions ... she recited the poems, and kept waving to her mommy and Jack in the audience. She even gave us several "thumbs up" signs, and signed "I love you".

Never have I been so proud. My baby girl did it! Kara was in her first school program, without any complaints, resistance or tears. It was truly a Thanksgiving program to remember!

November 15, 2009

"American Girl"*

* for the record, I can't even proceed with this post without belting out the Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers tune. It was like the soundtrack to my day, playing in my head on repeat .... so in order to get the full effect, you'll need to get the song in your head as well ...

For about two years now, Grandma M has been anxious to continue her time-honored tradition with her youngest granddaughters. One that began years ago when her first granddaughter Jill reached the appropriate age. The tradition lived on with Johanna and Chloe, and Kara and Jenna were to be next.

For about two years now, I've been telling Grandma M that my girls just weren't ready. They weren't old enough to understand, nor appreciate the monetary value behind a toy. I knew of what I spoke. I had witnessed the baby doll carnage in our house for the past several years. Dolls in various stages of nakedness lay strewn about our house, or heaped together in awkward piles inside our doll basket. Unloved. Unfed. Undiapered. Neglected. Dirty and naked.

Despite previous history and experience, I knew that the day would inevitably come, so I had to get my girls prepared. We got on the catalog mailing list, and began looking at each issue as if our very existance depended on it. Catalogs were manhandled, fought over, read and re-read, written all over with circles and initials where each girl had staked their territory and marked their fancies. I cultivated this voracious appetite for the finer things in life, until I was certain that I had pre-conditioned them to the appropriate level of doll lust. I could see it in their eyes, I could feel it in the air. My girls were ready!

So on a beautiful fall Saturday afternoon, we trekked up to Grandma's house, picked her up, and continued our long and arduous journey to Chicago. With mounting anticipation, we arrived on Michigan Avenue and proceeded down the long blocks of the Magnificent Mile ... until we saw it in the distance. The red awning beckoned to us, and we knew we had arrived!

After what seemed like a sweet forever, we finally parked the car and got into Watertower Place. My first priority was looking at the directory to scope out where we were going to eat our lunch (mama has her priorities), so I missed what Grandma M called her favorite memory of the day: the girls' first look at the American Girl store, and the awe and wonder on their faces. Luckily, I did turn around in time to witness the cuteness of them staring into the store with their little faces pressed up against the windows.

Once inside, we met Auntie Mar and cousin Lily, and began our shopping experience. We looked at everything: Bitty Babies, Just Like You Dolls, and the traditional American Girls.

It didn't take Jenna long to zero in on her choice. Her months of careful research and consideration payed off! She headed right over to the shelf, and selected her first American Girl doll ... Julie! The joy on her face says it all ... she couldn't be more in love with her "girl".

Kara wasn't as lucky. After racing from doll to doll and section to section, we pretty quickly determined that she was still too young to make such an important decision. I think I could actually see the relief on her face when I suggested that we wait a bit longer, until she's old enough to make a decision. Perhaps mommy might have layed on the Even she was stressed about the finality of such an important desicion! She was perfectly happy to pick out a stuffed animal doggie and call it a day. I feared that she would change her mind as soon as we left, but she still hasn't!

American Girl store was all I thought it would be, and more. It was ridiculously crowded and hot, and despite the fact that the merchandise was expensive, people were walking around with HUGE carry bags of goodies to purchase. The lines were long and the whole experience was kind of a bit over-stimulating for this easily rattled mama. But do you know what? I'll never forget the day, and I'm almost secretly looking forward to returning there in the spring for a birthday tea party for the girls. Almost.