What some are calling the BEST Pic of MM Ever!

hehe, I love this girl so much!

Picking Out the Christmas Tree!

Look at Margaret Mary already reaching for her papa's checkbook! Ha! She is obsessed with paper right now and throws HUGE fits when we take it away from her. I used to let her play with it, but she likes to suck on it, bite off a chunks of it and then try to swallow it. It freaks me out!

On a different note, we got our Christmas tree the first Sunday of Advent and have really been trying to live the Advent season; remembering the wait of Israel for the Savior, and kindling in our own hearts the desire for the second coming of Christ. Jason made a beautiful advent wreath out of cuttings from our Christmas tree and each night at supper, we turn off all the lights in the house, except the tree and the appropriate candles for the advent wreath, and eat in their light. We can't wait till Christmas season (yes, we as Catholics celebrate Christmas for 12 days!) when we celebrate the faithfulness and the love of our God for us, shown through the birth of our Savior!

Daddy's Girl

Run Ins with the Cat

Margaret Mary is becoming more and more fascinated with our cat. Every time she sees him she starts smiling real big, squealing, screaming and making a kkkss noise. We are trying to teach her to be gentle with Mac, and Mac is being a very good sport, but you can see his annoyance when she decides to pull his fur. He doesn't seem to care that much about her. In these pictures, Jason was holding Margaret mary and Mac jumped up and sat down in his lap wanting to be pet!

My little girl is growing up

The other night, Jason came in with the camera right after Margaret Mary had fallen asleep in my arms. Isn't she so sweet? I can't believe how big she is getting and how much she learns and grows each day. I pray that I can savor every moment of every day with my little girl, even the hard ones! I love being a mom.

When I get older, I gotta get me one of these!

Margaret Mary LOVES playing with the steering wheel in our car. Now when I saw play, I mean chew on and slobber all over. :) I think she is gonna be a papa's girl as she gets older. She loves the outdoors, loves watching cars drive down the road and loves being behind the wheel. Jason, of course, won't mind one bit! They are so cute together.

Playtime with Papa

So when I went to get her up from naptime...

Margaret Mary has learned to pull down (and somehow untie) her bumper pads! She pulls the pads down and then sticks her arms and face out the slots in the crib like she is in a jail cell! Sometimes she pulls the bumpers into her crib and plays with the ribbons on the outside. Its very cute but I'm a bit worried about the bumpers. They were handmade by my mom and the ribbons are sewn on. hmmm....maybe I should take them off? Check out the innocent face she is giving me at the bottom.

Uncle Keck Comes to Town!

Justin Keck came to town the other weekend to celebrate Jason's Birthday as Jason was in much need of some quality guy time. Jason and Keck spent the weekend fishing, perusing thrift shops for good deals on suits (check out the one that Keck found!), hanging out and spending time with "his girls." It was great to see Keck; he is such a good friend of the family. The bottom picture is a candid and is so cute. You can see how excited Margaret Mary was to see her Uncle Keck! She really took to him and enjoyed spending time with him.

Happy Birthday Jason

Jason turned 25 on November 18th and we had a great time celebrating. We opened presents in the morning and then for supper we had his favorite (beef stroganoff). Jason's co-workers and friends treated him to some beers after work a couple days later and we came up to join them for supper. The top picture is Jason hanging with some of the guys, the middle is Margaret Mary with Jana (one of the only people she lets hold her (besides me, Jase and Eryn) when she is overtired, and the third is Sam loving on Margaret Mary.

Other Fun Food Pics

So far Margaret Mary has tried avocados, bananas, pears, apples, sweet potatoes (which she does NOT like at all-top two pictures) and yes Tammy, rice cereal.

I also like freezing my concoctions and putting them in this little mesh thing (bottom picture). It is a great relief to her when she is teething. When she is done she bangs this mesh thing on her tray and food flies everywhere. :)

Starting Solids-Conclusion

"I think I like this shiny thing more than the food!"

Starting Solids was an adventure. This first episode, I didn't make the food runny enough and she gagged on a small piece of avocado! Fortunately everything was okay, but I have been making her food a lot runnier. She still has the tongue reflex that pushes food out of her mouth, so starting solids has been more about introducing her to different tastes that actually filling up her belly. She loves avocados ( a great first food because its sweetness is similar to breastmilk and no babies have allergies to it!). I love making her baby food and hope that I can keep this up as she starts wanting more and more!

Starting Solids-Exploration

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).