{pretty, happy, funny, real}

Baby Edition

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~

{pretty}

 

From my sister who was my best friend when we were children

From my father-in-law

I think that the flowers that I received from family and friends when Kieran was born are pretty.

{happy}

We are so happy to have a baby in our house again.

{funny}

My husband and I laughed when we saw this photo of our little girl posing for a photo with her little brother.

{real}

I am so in awe of the fact that we have been blessed by God with another baby.

Baby Observations

In the Hospital

Patrick: "His toes are as small as carpenter ants."

Patrick: "Kieran can open his eyes."

Finnian: "He has eyes."

First Day Home

Finnian: "Kieran has arms and legs. I thought new babies just had heads and bodies. The new babies at Mass are always in blankets. All you see are their heads. I thought they just had heads and bodies, but they really have arms and legs."

First Holy Communion

On Sunday, May 6, Patrick was delighted to receive his First Holy Communion. With Theresa's and my help, he had been patiently preparing at home since September and in our parish's First Communion class since January. As the day got closer, we used Preparing for My First Holy Communion and Patrick carefully contemplated what he would offer to Jesus each day. All week, he told me, "Only [this many] days until my First Holy Communion."

A few days after the First Holy Communion, I was happy to receive a link to photos that were taken during the Mass. Tbey told me what I already knew: Patrick took the reception of this Sacrament very seriously.

Unfortunately, in the days following his First Holy Communion, Patrick came down with a bad cold and a vomitting flu bug. This means that he has not received Holy Communion since May 6, but he will be doing so today and he is very excited.

"'I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the desert, and have died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that if anyone eat of it he will not die. I am the living bread that has come down from heaven. If anyone eat of this bread he shall live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.'

"The Jews on that account argued with one another, saying, 'How can this man give us his flesh to eat?'

"Jesus therefore said to them, 'Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has life everlasting and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, abides in me and I in him. As the living Father has sent me, and as I live because of the Father, so he who eats me, he also shall live because of me. This is the bread that has come down from heaven; not as your fathers ate the manna, and died. He who eats this bread shall live forever"'
(John 6:48-59). 

Spring Violin Recital

Bernadette participated in her second spring violin recital on Friday, May 11. She played "Two Guitars", a Russian gypsy folk song.

Photo credit goes to the father of the violin teacher

Baptism

On Mary's day, the first Saturday in May, after Patrick's First Confession, Mass, and his First Holy Communion practice, our pastor baptized Kieran. Much to my joy, Kieran's baptism was followed by our pastor consecrating him to the Blessed Virgin Mary. May Our Blessed Mother always protect and watch over Kieran!

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided.

Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I kneel, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me.

Amen.

First Confession

On Saturday, May 5, Patrick went to confession for the first time. After confessing his sins to Fr. Harkins, FSSP, Patrick said to me, "Mommy, I like going to confession. It is fun!" When we arrived home, he asked me, "Do I have to sin before I can go to confession again?"

"As the Father hath sent me, I also send you. When He had said this, He breathed on them; and He said to them: Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained."
(John 20:21-23)

Welcome Kieran!

8 lbs 12 oz

21 inches

Words cannot express how happy we are to have been blessed with a baby boy. If anyone had told me a year ago that I would be holding a baby in my arms in May, I don't know if I would have believed them. Last August 13, our pastor came over for dinner and we spoke to him again about the fact that since miscarrying in 2009, we had not been able to conceive. Our conversation, gave me a little hope.

After Mass, on the Feast of the Assumption, I knelt before a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary and implored Mary to intercede for my husband and me. I promised her that if we were blessed with another baby, I would do all that I could to try and raise the baby to be a great saint who would bring greater glory to God.

Two weeks later, I was overjoyed to learn that my husband and I were expecting another baby. The next Sunday, I knelt at the altar rail and I received the blessing for expectant mothers from our pastor.

At eight weeks, I visited the doctor. He did an ultrasound and told me that I had a subchorionic hematoma. He went on to explain that this meant that the baby had a 50/50 chance of survival. If the hematoma started to bleed and disturbed the baby, then I would most likely miscarry. He told me to take it easy (keep my activity level to a minimum, etc.) until the baby was 12 weeks. I went home determined to follow the doctor's orders as best I could with seven children in the house. I also called our pastor and left a message, asking him to please pray for this baby. At the same time, I trusted that Our Blessed Mother would protect my little one.

A week or two later, I found myself in the hospital due to a DVT (a.k.a. a blood clot) that was moving in my right calf. Much to my dismay, I was prescribed an anti-coagulant and told that I would need to take it twice a day until my baby was six-weeks old. I don't like to take medicine, especially when I am pregnant. This time, my husband called our pastor and asked him to pray. I prayed a Memorare and trusted that Mary would take care of our baby.

As my due date approached, a friend at our parish asked me who we were choosing to be the godparents. I told her and then explained, "Regina prayed for my husband and me to have another baby, even when I could no longer do so." Our friend responded, "We have all been praying too." My pastor reminded me of this fact after Kieran's baptism, saying, "We have prayed for this baby for a long time."

As I lie here nursing Kieran, I am so thankful for our pastor's, our family's, and our friends' prayers for our little boy. I am thankful that God has blessed us with another child.

May Kieran and all those who prayed for him become great saints!

I know that Mary will help us.

Our Blessed Mother will Always Help Us

I needed to read the following quote on Sanctus Simplicitus this morning:

"Following her, you cannot go astray; praying to her, you cannot despair; thinking on her, you cannot err; in her hands, you cannot fall; under her protection, you have nothing to fear; under her guidance you cannot feel fatigued; under her patronage, you will arrive at your heavenly country in safety."
~ St. Bernard ~

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners.

If the pain in my lower back is not indicative of the start of labor, then this baby, who I cannot wait to hold in my arms, will be induced starting at 2:00 a.m. tomorrow morning. May Our Blessed Mother help me through labor and delivery and protect this little one who I pray will bring greater glory to God!

Learning from Older Siblings

I'm trying to get the house ready for the baby. On Saturday, Elizabeth watched Theresa clean the toilet. Soon afterwards, Elizabeth was found in the bathroom with a washcloth in her hand. She was scrubbing the inside of the toilet with the cloth. I guess that since the toilet bowl brush had been put away, she decided that the washcloth was the next best thing. Ugh!

Yesterday, I asked Theresa to sprinkle the staircase with baking soda and then vacuum. This morning, Patrick sprinkled strawberry jello on Theresa's and Elizabeth's bedroom carpet in an effort to make it smell sweet. Instead, he stained the carpet red. I was able to get some of the jello out, but not all. The off-white carpet now has pink stains on it. At least, it's a girls' room.

I think that I know where the saying, "Two steps forward, one step back comes from." Now, I just need to accept the fact that although Mount Neverrest might be conquered (i.e. all of the laundry and ironing should be finished) before this baby is born, the house will not be thoroughly clean.