A Toddler's Baptism

I baptize Thee in the name of

The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Even soccer balls are holy in Gasperini-Ville.

*Author's note: This posting was not intended to be sacreligious, in case it's taken that way! We exalt baptism as a beautiful sacrament in Gasperini-Ville.

Hormonal

I just finished reading T-baby his nighttime stories before putting him to bed. As per usual, he chose two favorites, The Cuddly Chick: A Snuggle Book and Goodnight Baby before picking an unusual selection, Love You Forever by Robert N. Munsch, a sweet story of a mother raising a son.

Oh boy! Was this mama not prepared to emotionally handle such a story, particularly when the son rocks his aging mother and sings to her... By that time, I was a weepy mess and couldn't get out half the words! T-baby just looked at me like, "Mom, get over it." lol.

I guess crying over a sweet book, though, is much better than in my pregnancy with him, when I shed tears after a woman won the mountain climbing game on the Price Is Right by $1. Jubilation! Tears! The whole gamut.

Yes, this was a much better reason to cry.

Silly hormones!

Hope you've enjoyed a wonderful weekend. God bless.

Mama Chronicler

Spending oodles of hours turning the lives of these two...

into these...

Oh to give one's children the joy of their documented lives! My mom has done an amazing job of keeping track of all the little things... At last check, she was scrapbooking every detail about my senior year in high school. Incredible! Both my parents have always made me feel so loved as they cherish my every moment on earth with their overall enthusiasm.

While some parents choose to capture memories in different ways--through photography, videography, scrapbooking, etc.-- I am choosing to do it through writing; a chore, indeed.

And while the blog helps capture a few, I've been jotting down stories and milestones on my babies since day one without ever really having a place to put them... Until NOW!

I'm finally pulling them all together into the kids' own personal journals. The beauty of this endeavor is it's almost done!! Yahoo! M's (in blue) has the few remaining pages of notes left to transfer before I can *really* begin to chronicle our day-to-day. Oh, the end is in sight!

Cute notes of late?

* M says, "Mommy, I'm not a big boy. I'm an M (full name)."

* T-baby says "Elmo" and "apple" readily.

* M makes it through morning pre-school successfully in underwear!

* T learns to close his eyes, but squint ever-so-slightly to see us. The cutest of displays!

* M crayons correctly with his right hand--a lefty in sports and spooning and a righty in writing? We'll see...

So that's what I've been up to these days, humbly chronicling.

What about you? Hope you've been well.

God bless you today in this FRIDAY! Yahoo!

Reflecting on today

A few of my favorite things:

* a small little boy, who attempts to squeeze himself into a cooking pot. The cutest. (My camera was seconds late. Shux!)

* two of the best, adorable living-room-cleaners you've ever met, who put their toys away so well tonight.

* a wee one who won't stop saying "pop" all day long because he desperately wants a lollipop.

* big brothers who share in their "I-pooped-on-the-potty" success by requesting their little brother have a lollipop too. Little brother is finally appeased!

* squeals of delight and smiles like sunshine when I remove the lollipop wrapper... :)

* naked babies running through the kitchen, escaping bathtime.

* the 10th round of "ABC's" coming from the bathtub.

* the dishwasher and washing machine going at the same time. We're getting somewhere.

* oxygen... breathing in general. Afrin nasal spray. Enough said.

* the chance to sit down and commune with you all...

Yes, these are a few of my favorite things today.
Hope you have a few of your own for which to thank the good Lord tonight.
God bless.

The kitchen hoarder

Normally in Gasperini-Ville, we pride ourselves on family meals, sitting down and enjoying one another's company as we feast together. GG and I feel this time is of utmost importance as we come together under one roof at the end of a long day and model good manners/great palates to our children.

Tonight, however, was a different kind of dinner as the boys and I were on our own because GG had class. As if nothing had changed, M and T dove right into their green peas, shoveling them in by the spoonful. I am so grateful my children like vegetables! And yet the irony of it all was that there I stood in the kitchen, hoarding pieces of a warm french bread loaf dipped in homemade pesto, thanking God that I didn't have to eat thawed frozen peas and what was to come--meatballs. What a hypocrite I was and yet I loved every minute of it! :)

I would take bites of bread and then saunter around the corner to check on their progress. There they sat, sweetly eating away their green vegetables (I guess mine including green basil, eh?) while their mom gorged herself on delicacy in the next room! lol. I was pathetic!

So why didn't I just bite the bullet and eat with them at the table?
Yet another mother irony coming here... because I didn't want to share.
I knew as soon as they saw my bread they would want some... but I wanted it.
Yikes! I'm as bad as my two-year-old!

I've actually been caught in a few too many of these kitchen-hoarding moments lately.
Just yesterday, M found me eating out of the pickle jar and insisted on having one (which he spit out after one bite)! Later that day, he also nabbed me with a spoon in the ice cream carton (I'm living the pregnant cliche, I admit!). BUSTED! Of course I had to give him at least one spoonful to keep him quiet! "Don't tell your brother," was all I could muster in my shame. Heaven forbid we'd have to share with one additional person in the household! lol. :)

Am I alone in my kitchen hoarding in this innocent world?
Or are there other mama and daddy hoarders lurking out there?
If you're one of them, join the club. I think we've earned it! :)

Enjoying my full belly of pesto and bread...
God bless.

Sunday Follies

I braved the zero degree temps this afternoon and headed to the grocery store to buy ingredients to make homemade chicken noodle soup. (Gasperini-Ville needed sniffle therapy!)

I made my way home, unloaded the goods, and then cried...

I had forgotten to buy the chicken.

Baby brain, anyone? :) lol. (FYI, I'm now able to laugh about it.)
Hope you're having a more expedient evening!
God bless.

Excuses, Excuses!

I admit to being a less-than-stellar blogger this past week.
For this, I am so sorry...
If you only knew the whole story, though, I'd think you'd understand.

A load of nausea... A lot of fatigue...
A little bit of baby.

YES!
We are expecting again!!!
Hallelujah, indeed.

My excuses actually extend a ways back to about, oh, the Thanksgiving holiday or so.
I've been a little secret-keeper, treasuring my little bit of news and praying for a healthy continuation of the pregnancy. (Please know, though, how I ached to tell you, my blogging readers!!! I'm such an open book, this
was a real challenge for me!)
But now we've made it--Monday I will be through the first trimester!
Woohoo!!

And while all of this has brought about great reflection on our sweet Jude, we know God has the most perfect of plans beyond our wildest dreams. He is preciously caring for Jude and both are rejoicing in heaven with us in this new life!

Here are some other girly details-- I'm due around August 4th or so, which is a week after GG's bar exam! We are already praying for great timing there. This will probably be a first where I'll be praying to deliver LATE! :) lol. Overall, though, the timing (while slightly stressful) is almost perfect because GG won't be starting his new job until September. That means we'll have a month to bond together as a family... Can't wait.

My nurse practitioner took pity on my nerves at my first appt. at 9.5 weeks and gave me a quick ultrasound, which revealed the little squirt with a wonderfully beating heart! What a relief! We were thrilled to know our baby was thriving at that point... And have been praying every day for a continuation of its health and well-being.

Above all, GG and I realized the other day that our boys are GROWING and becoming "bigger" little guys before our very eyes. As of next month, we'll have a 3-year-old under our roof and two boys eating peanut butter (I start it at 18mos.)! M is beginning to share and try new things. T-baby is really starting to say different words and communicate well. Our babies are growing up!

All that said, it's time for another baby Gasperini in the world!
It's time!!

So there you have it, my little piece of heaven.
Thanks for walking this journey with us and praying for God's will along the way.
Thanks for sharing in our joy!

Whew! So glad you finally know...

Hugs and prayers! May God bless your Saturday evening.

Keeping Busy

Quick bit: GG wow'ed us tonight at dinner by showing the boys his ability to catch a chunk of string cheese in his mouth after throwing it in the air. What a talent! No sooner was he through his applause, though, than we looked over to find T-baby chucking his entire string cheese across the table. He was so thrilled with himself, we couldn't help but laughing! PARENTAL WARNING: Children will imitate your stupid tricks! (And as if we didn't have trouble with throwing food before this incident... Oh Lord! Lol. :)

**************************************

We've been attempting to busy bee ourselves this week while holed up in the house due to blustery weather. The kids tried their lot at finger painting the other day--T-baby appears to be the family's budding artist, creating a beautiful peacock-looking illustration (with a little initial help from mom!) Once M got over his messy fingers, he had a great time and was always asking for more paint. No surprise there.

Today, we bit the bullet and ventured outside for a wintery escapade. While it only lasted a half hour, the kids seemed to enjoy themselves. T-baby faceplanted in the snow a few times, while M created his first snow angels and enjoyed throwing mommy-made snowballs at a nearby tree. He found it so cool to see the snow mark left behind. What a thrill!

I can't believe tomorrow is Thursday! Hope yours is a wonderful one! God bless...

The Grind

Yep, we're back to it in Gasperini-Ville.

Today marks the beginning of GG's last and final semester of law school. It's an awesome "last", yet he still has to endure it! Ugh! :) We've been so spoiled to have him with us over the last three weeks.

The kids clung to him today as he left... :) I do admit, Daddy is a much more fun than Mommy.

While I really try to like tackle football, engage in train track building and engine lines, conjure enthusiasm about all sorts of things like the potty, bed, and bathtime... Daddy seems to do it so much better.

When it comes down to it, we are so lucky to have a daddy like ours.

Thank you, dear GG, for your relentless energy, encouragement, and enthusiasm! We miss you already!

You come home soon now, you hear?! :)

Hope your Monday is off to a brilliant beginning. Grind or not, we can make it!

Delectable!

A single law school friend of ours received a 13lb.(!) Honeybaked ham from his future employer as a Christmas present. And guess who is now inundated with pounds of wonderful ham???

You got it. The Gasperinis.
Love having single friends who receive large amounts of ham for the holidays. ;)

So tonight we made a favorite meal, ham-laden and wonderful!
If you happen to have some ham on your hands, this is DIVINE!
Enjoy and God bless!!!

Pretty Penne Ham Skillet
1 lb. uncooked penne pasta
3 C. cubed fully cooked ham
1 large sweet red pepper, diced
1 med. onion, chopped
1/4 C. minced fresh parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 tsp. minced fresh basil or 1/2 tsp. dried basil
1-1/2 tsp. minced fresh oregano or 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 C. olive oil
3 Tbsp. butter
1 can (14.5oz) chicken broth
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 C. shredded Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the ham, red pepper, onion, parsley, garlic, basil and oregano in oil and butter for 4-6 minutes or until ham is browned and vegetables are tender.
Stir in broth and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10-15min. or until liquid is reduced by half. Drain pasta; stir into ham mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Yield: 6 servings.

*I just realized days later that our new godson weighed almost as much as the ham! What a chunker! lol!

And again I say, rejoice!

We are rejoicing yet again today with the news that our GODSON HAS ARRIVED!!!

We've been waiting...
and waiting...
and still waiting some more... until last night when he came!
Baby A was born to our dear friends around 10:30pm after about a week of pre-labor.

How much did our strapping godson weigh, you ask?
A whopping 10lbs. 13oz.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And to think the midwives thought this would be the smallest of my friend's three kiddos.
Not so much.
Way to go, Kel!!!

Prayers for the world's newest little saint-to-be and his adoring family.

Basking

I am basking in the afterglow of a wonderful birthday...

1 morning of freedom to do what I pleased
2 birthday cakes from family and friends
3 sweet boys, who loved on me all day
5 mylar balloons, delivered to my doorstep last night by two friends
8 in our lunch party at Friday's (my parents and grandparents drove in to celebrate!)
12 in our dinner party at Chik Fil-A
15+ pieces/blades in my new food processor (quote of the day from my dad, "You should be able to put this thing together without directions..." How male! :)
29 candles
1000's of reasons to feel extremely blessed

Thanks for your wonderful birthday wishes!
It was truly a great day.
And I don't even feel that much older. Hallelujah! ;)

The Daddy Tax

As GG passed pieces of cut pear to a waiting M last night at dinner, he took a large bite from the top of each one. "GG!" I cried, "Don't take his food!"

GG smiled back and stated emphatically, "Didn't your dad ever take overly large bites from your ice cream cone? That's The Daddy Tax. It's part of the deal."

I just had to laugh.
And then I seemed to remember a Mommy Tax from somewhere in my past.
If not, I'm definitely inventing it.
Particularly with children's french fries.

God bless you!

Baby Joy

I joyfully write today to announce baby Owen, born at 3:56am to dear friends, Jess and Will (and sister, Carlee Scott!) We've been waiting for the "little" guy to show up, but didn't expect all 9lbs. 4oz. of him!!! Way to go, Jess!!!

GG had the opportunity to speak with Will today and got an *awesome* baby report, complete with weight, time of birth, labor duration, etc. When he got off the phone, though, I still had my typical girly questions: how long was Owen?, is Jess feeling alright?, how long will they have to stay at the hospital??? GG replied, "Honey, guys just don't ask those types of things." So typical, I must say. ;) At least I got a little more information than usual...

Here's an example of our usual friends-have-had-a-baby report from GG:
GG: Oh, so-and-so had their baby. (This news is usually about a week late.)

B-mama: Oh my goodness!!!!!! When?

GG: Uh, maybe Saturday.

B-mama: What were the baby's stats?

GG: Uh, I didn't think to ask.

B-mama: How long was her labor? Is the baby doing alright? How's the mom feeling? Are they home from the hospital yet?

GG: Silence.
GG: Continued silence... Why don't you email and see how they're doing? That might be nice.

lol.
He's so exasperating and so lovable all at the same time!!!
Thank goodness he doesn't have it all together--where would I fit in if he did?

Welcome little Owen and God bless you today.

[*I've updated the prayer requests and ask for your continued prayers. Thank you!]

Million Dollar Baby

How can a baby's hugs make a mama feel like the richest gal in the world?

They just do.

You have to experience a T-baby hug to know it... it's truly amazing!

Last night I received well beyond my daily quota of hugs at bedtime.

And now I'm beyond wealthy.

Thank the good Lord for these babies and their hugs!

Back to the White Stuff

From this...

to THIS

in one day's time!

Alas, the Midwest always has a pocketful of wintery surprises.

We arrived home yesterday to 11+ inches of snow. GG had to jump out and begin shoveling before we could manage the car into the driveway. Oh Lordy! Thankfully we made it and have been settling since.

And today, my sweet ones braved the snow to shovel and clear the drive and walkway! What troopers!!

Hope this finds you warm and snuggly, wherever you are.

Hot chocolate hugs sent from Gasperini-Ville to you today!!

God bless.

More

Heavenly Father,
As a new year begins, I commit myself more deeply to Your Will. Change me, mold me, and use me more for Your Almighty Purpose. Inhabit more of me this coming year so that I may be a vessel of Your Love and Grace. Fill me with your Holy Spirit so that I may walk in Your Ways more in the coming days.

Help my life to be less about me and more about You, dear Lord.
Amen.

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Happy Feast of the Motherhood of Mary, a beautiful celebration of Mary, who not only birthed, but raised the Son of God! What a responsibility. To imagine Christ as a whiny (yet sinless!) toddler only helps me adore our Blessed Mother more. She was undoubtedly amazing.

Thank you, Mary, for your devotion to Christ.
Thank you, Mary, for safeguarding the Salvation of our world.
Thank you, Mary, for serving as an inspiring example to me and all mothers.

God bless you today and in the coming year! Happy 2008!
*Also, please take note of the new prayer additions under "Prayer Requests". There are some desperate situations in need of your prayers. Thank you and God bless!