McGinnis Family Blog: November 2012

Friday, November 30

Art Class

My moms group at church offered a small art class this morning for the kiddos. I signed Molly up as I thought she would love it - which she did - even though she was the youngest child in the class!

The instructor was a bit eccentric and the kids LOVED her!

Our friend Caroline with Molly - mesmerized. *smile*

First, they learned about primary colors . . .

Then they mixed the colors to make secondary colors! Molly made green first, of course!

Thursday, November 29

My Grandma Betty died unexpectedly in a car accident in March of this year. I miss her terribly and wish often that she was still here - especially lately as this month would have been her 83rd birthday and we all would have gotten together at her house over Thanksgiving, as we always did with our HUGE Catholic family she created with my Grandpa Jim. I would have loved for her to have met Baby Kate.

When she died, I was just 13 weeks pregnant with Kate and had just told her we were expecting a few weeks earlier. My parents helped clean out her home after the accident and my mom found a small white baby blanket she crocheted with her arthritic hands. Every time one of us grandchildren went to college she made each of us a custom crocheted afghan and every time we got married, a bigger one - then each time we have a baby - another one. Molly sleeps with her blanket from Grandma Betty every single night. With each wash, it gets softer and softer. Pretty cool that of Grandma's 47+ grandchildren that we ALL have multiple blankets to keep cozy warm with and think of her.

So, it was so meaningful when my mom found this - small white handmade baby blanket with Grandma's crochet supplies - her most recent project - we assumed - for our baby on the way.

I washed it for the first time the other day in Dreft so that it would be soft and cozy for Baby Kate to start using. It was so hard to drop it in the washing machine - as I ran my fingers over every inch of the blanket one more time. As - I know - her hands touched every piece of that blanket - and by washing it I was letting go of her touch, the smell of her home - and all her hard work. But, I knew by washing it that we would get to USE it - which is what she would want. Actually, she would think I am SO silly for making such a fuss over it. Regardless, it is now soft and cozy and oh - so warm. I noticed something else I did not notice before washing it - there are tiny flecs of silver in the blanket. I touched every inch of this blanket before throwing it in the laundry and never noticed the silver in it. But, now the silver shines so bright and sparkles in the sunlight coming through the window. I now think of this blanket as sent from Heaven - literally. Thank you Grandma Betty. Kate will treasure this beautiful blanket forever. We love you and miss you. xoxo

Tuesday, November 27

Kate Lately . . .

Growth spurts seem to happen before my eyes. She will eat a lot one day and the next day or two I will notice her filling out her clothes just a little more and sleeping a little extra - and just like that she gained another couple ounces! Kate is such a happy baby. If you smile and talk to her - she will ALWAYS smile and coo back to you. She LOVES to be paid attention to and just eats it up every time I gaze in her eyes. I am seriously addicted. If I didn't have Molly to remind me that I still need to make lunch, do laundry, help her potty, etc. I think I would be smiling and coo'ing with Kate ALL.DAY.LONG.

{She loves shadows - especially these off her changing table every afternoon around 4:00!}

{Bath Time}

Kate has a little bit of acid reflux, as Molly did - and every other night or so - she has a gassy tummy and cries for a few hours, even with her medicine. Often the ONLY thing that works is me rocking and singing to her. I'm NOT kidding - she immediately stops screaming, spits out binky and smiles at me. Full on SMILES. Then she starts to coo a little - trying to sing with me and eventually falls asleep in my arms exhausted from crying as her eyes slowly drift into her head . . . Sometimes Mike is not home from work yet and I'm getting Molly dinner or helping Molly with something so I can't always give her this undivided attention. But, when I do - and sometimes have to sing really loud so she can hear it over her crying - within seconds - literally - she starts smiling and stops crying. It is A-MAZING! Mike thinks it's pretty magical too . . . my eyes sometimes tear up with emotion. Something as basic and easy as my singing You Are My Sunshine & Baby Mine can stop the crying that quickly.

Coolest thing ever to experience as a mother - at least so far . . .

Sunday, November 25

Baking with Grandma JoJo!

Grandma surprised the girls with their own rolling pins so that on Friday they could bake cookies together! The girls had a blast baking with Grandma!

They kept saying, "I need MORE flour!!!"

Our kids are so lucky to have such a fun Grandma!!

Kissin' Cousins!

Molly & Isabella were INSEPARABLE all weekend! Now that they are both 3 years old - they are into all the same things and they went from playing one thing to the next the whole weekend - if they weren't playing chase, they were giggling in a corner, or reading a book together, or playing kitchen, or playing babies or . . . They are so sweet together - they even shared their favorite things with each other - trading their favorite headbands and necklaces!

They watched Polar Express for the 1st time with all of us while eating pizza Friday night! So fun to see their reaction to Santa and the North Pole in the movie!