10 Months!!!

Today Ethan is ten months old. Ten WHOLE months!!!! It’s hard to believe that we are gaining on one year so quickly!

Although he remains tiny at 27 inches long and somewhere around 16 pounds, he grows everyday by leaps and bounds. Probably because he’s trying to keep up with Emry. If she does it, he’s making an attempt at it, too. Short of walking by himself, he’s just about there.

This month his accomplishments are huge: pulling himself up to his feet on furniture, the bathtub, his crib and just about anything else he can grab. Climbing steps – so far at least four at a time. He’s trying to win gold in speed crawling, still military style. He likes to “talk”, play with anything his sister is playing with and eat (just about anything but mostly peanut butter and jelly). He walks when you hold his hands, laughing happily as he “chases” Emry. It seems as if I can’t turn my head for five seconds before he’s into, onto or trying to get something. He’s one busy little boy!

Yes, I can stand!

Peek-a-boo!

Sock Monkey, I’m 10 months old!

Traditions

I was raised in a family with lots of traditions. That part of our blood comes from my dad’s side of the family. The Catholic side. Because to Catholics tradition is everything. It’s more than the Bible. It’s more than the Pope. I think it’s even more than Mary…and that’s saying a lot.

That said, I find myself loathe to simply ditch traditions and somehow just let Christmas evolve. Although I would have to say that many of the traditions my family holds did just that: evolve. I’m pretty sure my parents never sat down and said the tree must be put up when Navy plays Army. Or gingerbread cookies must be made the day after Thanksgiving. Or only certain cookies must be made – no more and no less. Even though we are now all adults, we still seem to hold to “tradition”, even such “traditions” that have only been around for nine years (as long as they’ve lived in Indiana). Like where to put the tree now that Mom has placed a china cabinet in that location. There may be a mutiny if she decides to place it somewhere else…even though only my sister Sally actually lives at home and the rest of us simply return for the holiday.

So, the truth is, many of what may become my family’s traditions will likely evolve over the years. After all, Emry is only two and Ethan a mere ten months next week. They don’t know a tradition from a hole in the wall. And yet…I’ve been given traditions a lot of thought.

Maybe it’s because of a book I just finished reading. I picked it up because the title looked interesting: Christmas a Biography by Judith Flanders. If you haven’t read it, don’t bother. I can summarize quite simply. After many rabbit trails and chapters that didn’t seem to stay on topic, her conclusion is this: Christmas comes from everything and nothing. It certainly isn’t religious and those who try to make it so are idiots. But don’t commercialize it either for that’s just being greedy. All that said, Christmas means nothing, stands for nothing and is nothing. Bah! Humbug!

Now I’m not going to argue that Christmas is all about Christ’s birth versus it being a pagan holiday Christians turned around and made their own. Nor am I going to argue over putting up trees, giving gifts or singing Silent Night versus Jingle Bells. But we are going to celebrate the traditional Christmas of Christians in history past. We are going to celebrate Christ’s birth, the Gift God gave to us so we could be saved. Because if we do not stop one day a year to do so, our human nature will take over and we’re likely to never stop and celebrate. Which is wrong. Because, sadly, I need to be reminded to stop and contemplate the amazing Gift of God’s Son. And to take time almost every day as we count down on Emry’s paper chain, bake cookies, read Christmas stories, play with the Little People nativity and sing carols to tell my children of the wonderful Gift of God’s Son.

So, tradition #1: Celebrate Christmas.

I’ll think of #2 later…

Avid Reader

avid: showing great enthusiasm for or interest in

This past week a friend e-mailed me and asked how in I managed to get through a book 960 pages long plus many other books in one year. Where did I find the time? I guess the answer to that is twofold: 1) you always find time to do what you love, and 2) nursing a baby means you are required to sit down for quite a bit of time every day, especially in the first few months. Perfect time to read!

Yes, I guess I am considered an avid reader. My husband is continually astounded at how fast I fly through books, but he’s the guy that might get one book read this year and that’s Star Wars Made Simple for kids. I don’t think much of it. Honestly, I wish I had more time to read because the lists of books I have on my “Want to Read” list are already more in number than I have years to live. But I’m working on it.

I became an avid reader in about 3^rd grade. The truth is, I started reading a series of a books because the “popular” girl in my class was reading them and I was forever trying to stay in her good graces. It didn’t help on that score, but after that I was always in the midst of some book. As a teenager as soon as my schoolwork was done, I was in my room either writing a book or reading a book. I spent whole Saturdays doing nothing but reading. Ahh…those were the days.

Of course I want to pass on my love of reading to my kids. Some days I think Ethan is a hopeless case. Granted, I don’t read to him as much as I did Emry. I don’t have as much time. But, then, he simply doesn’t sit still like Emry. He might last one board book before he’s climbing all over me or attempting to eat the book. But we do try.

Now Emry…well, lately I can barely get her out of bed and down to breakfast for she’s sitting in her bed, a pile of books next to her and ALL of them must be “read” before she’ll get out of bed. At naptime, she reads. If she had a light in her room, she would probably read before bed, too. Now she carries books around with her. Beatrix Potter was right: little hands want little books. I got her The Tailor of Gloucester by Beatrix Potter at the library this past week. Now, it goes everywhere with us: the store, whatever room we’re playing in, any car ride and even the walk we took tonight. We’re walking down the hill and I’m pointing out Christmas lights. Emry? She’s got her little book open, “reading” aloud as she goes.

Maybe I’ve created a monster. No. I’ve just created another avid reader!

Five Minutes of Thanks

I’ve set my timer…in five minutes I will see how many things I can list that I am thankful for (which would be more if I wasn’t such a stickler about punctuation along the way…):

My God and Savior. My kids – Emry and Ethan. My husband Ed. My mom and dad. My sisters and brothers. My three adorable nephews – Jay, Curtis and Benito. My job that fits so perfectly into our lives and gives me a few hours break a week from household life. Vacuums, soap, washing machines and dryers. The ability to run, and jump, and stretch (even if yoga is not my forte!). Books, books, books, books!!!! The ability to read and write. Sunny but cold days. SNOW!!!!  Fall leaves to crunch, Walks with Emry. Games to play. Imaginations. Friends, even though they are all so far from me. Allyson. Clothes to wear. The fact that I can see color, and smell spiced apple cider, and hear Emry playing her little games. That Ethan sleeps through the night! Sleep (or what I get of it!). Warms blankets, hot showers. Ice cream, pizza and cheddar broccoli soup. My husband’s job. Our little place to live. A vehicle (most of the time). Sidewalks, rivers, a blue sky. Stars at night. The Bible. Bible studies. Rainbows, rain, really cold days. Five minutes to do this…oh, wait! Is that Ethan I hear?

Goal Accomplished

I think I have not yet blogged this week because I have been waiting in great anticipation of reaching my year-long goal. And, today, I have done it!!!!

If you recall, I posted on January 12 my reading goal for the year. Quite simply to read Shelby Foote’s The Civil War, Volume 2. Most of you might not think that’s a huge deal, but it is 966 pages that covers about two years of the war from Fredericksburg in 1862 into the spring of 1864. All in all, a lot of ground to cover.

I also had a late start in getting on with my goal. In anticipation of our move, I had been packing things we didn’t need to get to as early as the first week of January and that included quite a few of my books. Including this one. But I figured I had plenty of time, so when I unpacked it in March I got started. It is 9 very long chapters (over 100 pages each) but that’s only one a month at an average of 3½ pages a day. Easy peasy. Except I have a terrible habit of going to the library…and signing up to read books to blog about…and generally finding other things to read. But July, I confess I was a little bit behind.

So, once I had finished the most recent pile from the library in August (and when I say pile, I mean like six books at a time to be read in three weeks unless I can renew it), I promised not to check out anymore books until I was caught up. However, that was not a promise I completely kept as I put things on hold that are not yet out and forget about them until I get a text that it’s been published, the library has processed it and it’s waiting for me. Then I have to get it and read it in three weeks (usually less) because there’s a line of people waiting for it after me and I won’t be able to renew it. Still, by the end of September I was not only caught up but ahead…and two months later I’m done!

In truth, these volumes are not difficult to read. He writes in narrative and while some of the facts can be a bit dry, most of the time it is extremely easy to follow and sparks an interest to read further on this battle or that. He stays away from politics except as it forwards the war itself, which is nice (because Abraham Lincoln is a man I want to have about as much to do with as Barack Obama). Once I picked it up, I had trouble putting it down. In fact, I’m about ready to pick up volume 3 and finish the whole narrative…

…except for that stack of books I have waiting at the library!