Starting Solids-Preparing the Meal

First food: alvacados

I love the look on Margaret Mary's face; its like "something big is happening and I'm not sure what it is"

11-20-09 - Funny, Random Things

Funny things Sam said last night about Margaret Mary (some are quotes about her and some are things said to her):

• "She's soft."
• "Her hands are sticky."
• "When you get big... I'm going to chase you."
• "When you get big... we'll watch football!"
• "I want her to be my princess." (isn't this sweet? To which Jason responded, "no, she is my princess!" Even sweeter!)
  

Random notes - 2 things we forgot in her 6 months update:

1. She is ridiculously giggly when she gets really tired. It's almost worth keeping her up late... almost.
2. She loves sitting on the front porch. Why??? To watch the cars go by - particularly the trucks... loud ones!

What Jason Does All Day...

...and why he is so busy!

Check out this recent article about Fraternus. Jason has been helping Jimmy Mitchell start up a Fraternus chapter in Nashville, TN. Jason also manages chapters in Pensacola, St. Augustine and Tallahassee.

Fraternus hoping to form virtuous ‘heroes in society’

Theresa Laurence, Tennessee Register

Shouts of “Coragio!” filled the streets of Germantown the night of Nov. 4 as 80 young men sounded their rallying cry outside Assumption Church, preparing for initiation into the Fraternus brotherhood.

Part Knights of Columbus, part Boy Scouts, part Search, Fraternus is a new national program whose mission is “to form boys into chaste young men of integrity.” Fraternus is for those “seeking a genuine brotherhood centered in the person of Jesus Christ,” according to Jimmy Mitchell, a 2008 graduate of Vanderbilt University and founder of the Nashville chapter of Fraternus.

It takes a lot of courage to lead a virtuous life today, but Mitchell and his fellow Fraternus leaders are confident that this new program will give participants a strong foundation to walk as disciples of Christ. By joining Fraternus, these 6^th-12^th graders learn “they are not alone in fighting this fight” to be virtuous, said Mitchell.

“This is a unique group to be a part of,” said David Lee, a senior at Montgomery Bell Academy and a Cathedral of the Incarnation parishioner. “It’s hard to find a solid group of high school guys willing to be open about their faith.”

With an emphasis on mentorship and accountability, Fraternus provides the opportunity for young men to practice the virtues of faith, hope, charity, prudence, justice, temperance and fortitude. Members of Fraternus attend weekly meetings, regular outdoor excursions and summer camp.

And it’s all done in a male-only setting. After being involved with youth ministry for several years, Mitchell said he witnessed “how young people respond when mentored by a young adult of their own gender.”

While some classmates chide him about being involved with a guys-only extracurricular faith-based activity, MBA junior Mark Simpson said it doesn’t bother him. “We try to lead by example and not talk too much,” he said.

Simpson said he is thankful to have found a group of guys all “pushing toward heaven” together.

His cousin, Anthony Simpson, a senior at Father Ryan High School, said in the few months since Fraternus has started up in Nashville, the brotherhood has already formed a “tight bond.”

It’s also been a good chance for Catholic teenagers from public, private and home school settings to band together, Anthony Simpson said. The ideals of Fraternus are tough to live up to, he said, “but it’s worth it in the end” to keep striving.

“We do everything we can to walk with them,” Mitchell said of himself and the dozen other Fraternus leaders, “but the captains (adult leaders) don’t have it all figured out either.”

“We help pick them up when they fall down,” said Mitchell. “To begin, and begin again” is a mantra that Mitchell espouses, affirming the young men that it’s OK to make a mistake, but to always get back up and try again.

All of the Fraternus brothers have the “authentic desire for holiness,” Mitchell said, and truly want to make the effort to live a virtuous life.

For Jacob Green, an eighth grade home schooled student and a member of Assumption Parish, coming to the weekly Fraternus meetings “is a blessing. I look forward to every Wednesday night,” he said.

At the weekly Fraternus meetings, held at Cathedral, the participants enjoy fellowship with games and pizza. Guided by scripture and the catechism, they watch movie clips that teach virtue. Then the boys split into small group squads according to their age to further discuss the challenges and solutions to living out the night’s virtue. “That’s really where the formation happens,” Mitchell said of the small group time, which is led by a young adult “captain.”

Still in the pilot phase, Fraternus is just entering its second year. Nashville is only the fourth city to launch a new chapter, and the first outside of Florida. While “bishops and families around the country are knocking on our door,” the program is still waiting for “funding to catch up with the demand,” Mitchell said.

With glossy brochures, a well designed website and comprehensive program guide, Fraternus is easily transferable to new dioceses. Fraternus only starts up in a new diocese with the approval of the bishop and the commitment of a sponsoring parish. The Nashville Fraternus chapter is sponsored by Cathedral and Assumption parishes.

Mitchell, who works full time for Fraternus, is excited about the program spreading around the country, even if it takes some time. “We’ve seen amazing fruits already” in Nashville, he said.

What does Mitchell hope for the Fraternus brothers, especially the high school seniors, as they graduate and move on? “We want to equip them to be mentors, to bring about renewal in the culture. We want men who are faithful fathers, priests and heroes in society.”

More information is available at www.fraternus.net.

Photos by Theresa Laurence

CREAM!

I love breastfeeding, but it hasn't always been easy. When Margaret Mary's weight gain slowed down around four months, our doctor suggested we meet with a lactation consultant to make sure that everything was all right. (Margaret Mary's weight is now great; we think that her growth spurt might have come a little late). When we met with the lactation consultant she suggested expressing a little milk in the morning, putting it in the fridge (when exposed to cold, the fatty hindmilk rises and settles at the top creating a nice film of Cream), and then feeding Margaret Mary this cream with a spoon. Here are some of the pics from one of her feedings. She LOVED the cream!
I Like the last picture "Hey, where did you guys go? I'm not done yet!"
These pics are a couple weeks old, but I still wanted to share them.

Day at the Gardens

Last Sunday we took Margaret Mary to some local gardens after Mass. She had a great time sitting up by herself, trying to eat the grass, reaching for all the leaves and just chillin' in her papa's arms. There was a huge tree there that was absolutely beautiful; the branches would go all the way to the ground before branching out. Needless to say, Jason was a huge fan. We hope to go back soon!

What Jason Wants for His Birthday...

So several of you have been asking what Jason wants for his birthday, so here is the list:

- A scooter (yeah right!)
- A briefcase
- Money to get his suits altered to fit his arm. I can't wait till Christmas so you guys can see how handsome he looks in all of them!

I can't believe he is going to be 25! It seems like yesterday he was driving me home with his Dad in the front seat because he still had his permit! Crazy...

6 Months

I can't believe that Margaret Mary is six months old! We went to the doctor yesterday and she is 15.4 pounds (40% percentile), 26.25 inches long (75%), and has a head circumference of 42.5 cm (50%). All is well; she is sitting up by herself, grabbing for things, talking our heads off and laughing up a storm. Her favorite things are waking up Papa in the morning, eating spatulas, bath time with mommy, and exploring anything she can get into. She is teething like crazy, and you can see the top of her bottom tooth coming in when she opens up her mouth. The doctor did say that she had a blocked tear duct on her right eye (it is a little swollen) and will have the have minor surgery around 9 months. Jason and I freak out about our little baby going into surgery, and are trying to get used to the idea before she actually has to have the procedure done. They are going to have to put her to sleep, and I joke that they are going to have to put ME to sleep so I don't freak out!

We can't believe that it has been half a year since Margaret Mary was born. We love her so much and can't wait to learn more about who God made her to be.

Rolling Over # 2

Margaret Mary has discovered how to roll from her back to her belly! She doesn't do it consistently yet but she knows how. I love how in the video after she rolls over, I can't even get her to stop playing with her book; she acts like it is no big deal! Sometimes when she is playing with her toys, she finds a toy and pulls on it to pull her body over instead of rolling over herself. Unfortunately, we don't have a video of that yet. Here she is rolling over by herself...

All Hallows Eve

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On All Hallows Eve, we went on a long overdue trip to the pumpkin patch. Margaret Mary had a great time laughing at the wind blowing in her face and staring at the pumpkins. She wasn't really interested in holding them (but later at home, enjoyed chewing on all their stems and then throwing them on the floor!). We were the only people at the pumpkin patch and got half off the price of our pumpkins because the place wanted to get rid of them! They also had a maze for kids to run through, and being the only people there, Jason and I thought it would be fun to try it out thinking it would be easy. Jason was out of the maze in two minutes. I, on the other hand, discovered every dead end and finally only made it out when Jason showed me how. *sigh* I blame it on the sleep deprivation. (Margaret Mary is teething).

Mamamamamama

This video is from a couple of weeks ago when Margaret Mary was starting to babble "mamama." She would make the funniest face as she would try to make the "mama" sound. She has already stopped making these faces, which makes this video even more priceless. Now, she is an expert babbler, with her favorites being "abba," "mama," and "baba." She has recently figured out how to scream and enjoys watching our reactions to it.

Family Visit

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My parents and grandparents came down to visit a couple of weeks ago; it was so good to see them and Margaret Mary loved all the attention. My mom brought down some of my old clothes and in the top picture, Margaret Mary is wearing a dress that my mom made for me when I was her age. I think it is so beautiful and I love putting my daughter in it! Unfortunately, I didn't get a good picture of my mom and Margaret Mary so I'll have to work harder on that next visit. The second picture is of my dad and the third of my Memaw. Thanks for coming down guys, I love yoU!

Little Margaret Mary only a couple days old!

I found this picture today of Margaret Mary only a few days old. This was taken during the light therapy she had to undergo for jaundice; this picture was taken at one of the few times we could hold her. Look at how little and sweet she is. I am so glad that I'm a stay at home mom so I can be there for her. Yes time flies, but I don't feel like I've missed anything. I love being there for her all day, all night (because of teething and her little stomach virus, she is up every hour!), every day. I LOVE being a mom.

We Love Nuns

The Home of the Mother sisters live in Jacksonville, and are very dear to our family's heart. These women have given everything to Jesus and love him so much; when you see them they are always glowing! They prayed for Jason and I when we were having trouble conceiving and so when we saw them at Mass the other day, we couldn't wait to introduce them to our little miracle. I am so excited that Margaret Mary gets to grow up around these holy women. Sister Claire is the one holding Margaret Mary.

What Sam Thinks About Margaret Mary Part 2

I got this email today from Sam's mom and thought it was too cute not to post. As I've mentioned earlier, Sam is the son of some of our best friends here in St. Augustine, and loves Margaret Mary. He is always saying sweet things to her that I try (and most of the time fail) to catch on camera.

"this morning at breakfast sam told me that he wants margaret mary to come and sleep in his bed with him. and gus will ask if he can be in the bed and they will say, there is not enough room for you. and then they will watch football. and they will be adults and margaret mary will be his sister. and they will talk and talk and talk and talk."

How sweet.

I always wanted an older brother to look after me growing up. Even though Sam isn't technically Margaret Mary's brother, I hope that they do grow up close friends and have that intimate kind of friendship.

On a side note, Gus is Sam's younger brother and our families joke that if God calls them to marriage, we will arrange a marriage between them (Margaret Mary and Gus). I find it funny that Sam says that there won't be room in the bed for Gus. It will be interesting to watch Margaret Mary's friendship develop with both the boys.

Mommy time, cute baby sweaters and pinestraw

It's Finally Fall in Florida

This Saturday, Florida finally had some fall weather. Jason and I were so excited that we bundled Margaret Mary up first thing in the morning and took her on a walk. Look at her just taking everything in! I think she is gonna be an outside girl.

5 Months Old!

Margaret Mary is five months old! It seems like she has grown up so much in the past couple of weeks. She is so BUSY reaching for everything, putting everything in her mouth and smiling. She is also becoming very frustrated at her lack of ability to move as she wants to. She can roll from her belly to her back and can almost roll from her back to her belly. She can also sit up for a couple of seconds, but is more interested in playing with toys then with trying to balance herself. She loves kisses on her belly, chewing on ribbons, grabbing Mac's hair and taking long walks outside with her papa. It is amazing how much she likes being outside.

October 17- The Feast Day of St. Margaret Mary!

On October 17, the Catholic church celebrated the feast day of St. Margaret Mary, whom our daughter is named after. Basically, a feast day is a day of celebration honoring Christ for his redeeming work in St. Margaret Mary and the way he changed the world through her service to him. Many Catholics celebrate their "name days" (the feast day of the saint whom they were named after) almost as much as their birthdays. To celebrate the name day of our babygirl, Jason took the day off and we spent it praising and thanking God for our little miracle. I love the top picture. We dressed our daughter up in a sweet little dress to go to Mass and I wanted to sit her up on a pew so we could take some pictures. But when I tried to sit her down, she was insistant on standing. Just then, some ladies at church came by and started talking to her. She is such a little charmer; her smile is just too much for me sometimes. I just melt. Being her mom is such an honor!

Jason's favorite pic of the Week

Some Sweet Black and Whites

So, our first photo shoot didn't go very well. Margaret Mary refused to look at the camera and smile. :) Here are a few sweet ones in honor of her five month birthday! So much has changed in just the past couple of weeks. I'll post more about her changes later when I can unload my camera...

Girlfriends

At the church picnic the other day, Margaret Mary got some play time with Emma, a friend who is about 18 months. The whole interaction was so sweet. Emma was all smiles, as she always is, and Margaret Mary was reaching for Emma, holding her hand, eating her hand and smiling back. I love this picture because it looks like they are telling secrets! I can't wait to watch them grow up together. Isn't Emma a beauty?

What Sam Thinks About Margaret Mary

Margaret Mary has a little friend named Sam who we talk about a lot on this blog. Recently, he has been all about Margaret Mary: telling her how much he loves her, stroking her hair, asking to play with her, etc. We tried to catch it on camera, but unfortunately, Sam was in a "everything is yucky" mood. It's still cute and you can see him love on her a little. My favorite is how he says he likes her clothes!

The Shiveries!

Jason and I think this is too cute. Margaret Mary gets the shiveries a lot but they are very hard to catch on camera. The other day, Jason was playing around with Margaret Mary and discovered that he can make her shiver by blowing on her neck. All three of us think it is hillarous!

The Best Ad the World Never Saw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2CaBR3z85c

Farmer's Market

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Our family loves to go to the farmer's market on Saturday mornings. We buy most of our veggies there and then listen to the old county bluegrass band that plays in the middle of the market. This Saturday, I decided to try a bow in our daughter's hair. I thought it was adorable. Yes, I know she doesn't have that much hair yet, but I couldn't help myself!

Tummy Time!

Now that the weather is getting nicer and nicer Margaret Mary has been having her tummy time outside. She loves looking at the flowers and can tracking butterflys. Check out her big ol' cloth diaper booty! The bottom two pictures show Margaret Mary's two main smiles. The one on the bottom is her "this is amusing" and the one above it is "I'm having so much fun I can't stand it!" She gives most of these smiles to her papa, especially when he comes home from work.