3 Word Sunday...

...Tear Free Mass.

Miss Ruby went to Mass again with me today, we've been going every Sunday now since just prior to her Baptism & aside from the FIRST time at Church & the actual day of her Baptism, EACH MASS since has been nonstop clinging to me for dear life accompanied by much crying.

Not today.
Today, call it divine intervention, call it whatever you want, but my girl, not only did PHENOMENAL, but was HAPPY for the WHOLE MASS! She even shared the sign of peace with others AND smiled at Father! A far cry from last week's shenanigans.

Now we're home & I have a screeching headache courtesy of the insence used this morning. Love it but ALWAYS has this effect on me sadly. So, a couple of advil & some whole grain crackers & water later, it's slowly, hopefully on it's way out.

I hope whether you attend a service or not, that you all have a fantastic Sunday & count your blessings each & every second of every day.

And, please keep China in your prayers as they continue to deal with such an enormous tragedy & momentous loss. They've announced 3 days of mourning for the deceased... I have a feeling most of us will be morning for years to come, as I still remember 9-11 as if it happened yesterday.

Always in my prayers & never forgotten.

God bless.

3 Word Sunday...

...Tear Free Mass.

Miss Ruby went to Mass again with me today, we've been going every Sunday now since just prior to her Baptism & aside from the FIRST time at Church & the actual day of her Baptism, EACH MASS since has been her clinging to me for dear life & crying.

3 Word Sunday...

...Tear Free Mass.

Miss Ruby went to Mass again with me today, we've been going every Sunday now since just prior to her Baptism & aside from the FIRST time at Church, EACH MASS

A Simple Question...

...deserved a MUCH BETTER reply.

The Question: "Wha's dat Momma?"

Seems simple enough, right?

Now, allow me to give said question some 'life' and insert it into it's proper place in the following scenario:


Me: *just out of a shower & wrapped in a towel sitting on the edge of my bed in my bedroom*
Ruby: *playing quietly on the floor of her bedroom with her little people.

Me, in my infinite wisdom, thought it would be fine to perhaps attempt to use THIS, quickly & quietly, before heading out the door for a baby shower we were attending. Had my towel laid on the floor, lotion near by, etc, etc, TMI, etc...

Ruby, who was like INSTANT STEALTH KID & APPEARED FROM OUT OF NOWHERE,
peeked at me, caught a glimpse of my little friend & asked: "Wha's dat Momma?"

My reply?

"RUBY, GO PLAY IN YOUR BEDROOM!"

Nice huh?

I really should have had something, ANYTHING at the ready JUST IN CASE of a situation like this... Christ, what am I gonna do should she find the rest of my gadgets in my bedside drawer?

Perhaps, it's time for a new hiding spot...

UGH!

A Simple Question...

..."Wha's dat Momma?"


Seems simple enough, right?

Now, allow me to put that question in a paragraph

3 Words...

...for the whole week & beyond: PRAYING FOR CHINA





A mother mourns next to the body of her child discovered in the rubble of a collapsed school...

I Put My Finger On It...

...Such A Pretty Fat, by: Jen Lancaster.
A mere 29 pages in & already I've laughed out loud so much so that I have tears running down my cheek! A good read thus far & honestly, if I weren't falling asleep trying to make it to page 30, I'd still be laughing (crying) instead of typing.
Time for bed, Church in the morning & then Mother's Day Family Fun. (said with a slight hint of sarcasm, truly, if you only knew my family...)

I'm sure I'll post tomorrow. Every time I say I probably won't post for this reason, or that, I end up posting more than I normally post during a week with NOTHING scheduled.
Go figure...

Oh, and before I go, what the HELL is this KINDLE gadget I keep seeing on Amazon? Are you SHITTING ME?



I gotta pay 400 bucks for some clunky piece of electronic bullshit FIRST and THEN, only if I'm lucky, I'll find the book I want is available in 'kindle' and if so, I have to STILL PAY EVEN MORE for the privilege to DOWNLOAD said book to my waiting white piece of shit clunkmeister that probably weighs more than my very own ass!
Are you kidding me?
Well people, at this point let's get REAL, let's call a spade a spade, it's A DOWNLOAD, NOT! A! BOOK! Cuz, and correct me if I'm wrong here, but don't books HAVE PAGES? INK? A SPINE? A COVER? AN INDEX? CHAPTERS? There is something so seriously wrong with this world today that people are willing to pay over 400 bucks to own an UGLY plastic thing by which to read books when HONESTLY, THESE SAME PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE POWER ALL ALONG TO READ BOOKS, IT'S CALLED THE LIBRARY! Oh yeah, AND THE BOOK STORES! And I am pretty sure the books haven't staged a coo or anything, they're still there, still on the shelves, still hopeful that some of us haven't lost the love, the desire to feel the pages between our fingers, to smell the history within each chapter, to truly love not just the act of reading, but the LOVE OF THE ACT OF HOLDING THE BOOK ITSELF!

These Kindle buying freaks are the same morons who NEVER sit down to write an actual letter, and by letter I DON'T MEAN EMAIL! I mean, wow, look at that, A PEN! Wow, and is that paper? And what's that little sticky guy for? A stamp you say? How nifty! Perhaps this paper would fit nicely into that other paper, the folded one with the pointy top? Oh, an envelope, yes, that's right, I remember now! *SMACK UPSIDE THE HEAD*
Ok, sure, email has it's place, but there is something so sad about a world where now, not only is letter writing a lost art, but READING A BOOK is coming in a close second.

What's next?
Wait, don't answer that... I can't process this right now.
Need sleep. More later.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz... night.

"Hi, I'm Amy..."

"...and I'm a BOOK ADDICT!"

Truly, it's insane. Every time I go to B&N, I can't NOT leave without buying a new book for my shelf. Tonight, it was TWO BOOKS for me, TWO for Ruby & her Uncle Steve spoiled her & bought her & Bear a NEW FRIEND. His name, according to Ruby, is "Butterscotch Bear". I think he's cute, I also think that I'm NOT going to allow TWO BEARS to now accompany us wherever we go, THAT'S OUT! However, she may snuggle with Butterscotch Bear (henceforth known as: BB), play with him, have tea parties with him, even carry him out into the yard, but BB will NOT be leaving this house by way of a Volkswagen, PERIOD, AMEN! I'm a 'ONE BEAR MOMMA!'





Now, on to my books. Question: How do YOU buy books? Generally it's assumed that most of us KNOW before hand which book we're planning on purchasing, yes?
Well, yes... for the most part I think that's fair to say.
However, for me personally, there are times that, I find myself wandering aimlessly through aisle after aisle of books, and really not necessarily being there for any one particular book, but more just enjoying the atmosphere. The sights, the smells, the various people reading in cozy chairs, lost in their own book while sipping slowly on their toasty beverage of choice. It may very well be my own personal heaven. Being surrounded by so many possibilities, so many stories just waiting to be told, so many yummy treats that ALL GO SO GOOD WITH TEA! *sigh* That's how it starts, but it always ends up, it ALWAYS happens that ONE jumps out at me. Just one, but it has me transfixed staring in it's direction. Taking in every aspect, every detail of it. The cover first and then the size. Is it paperback (trade paperback being my book of choice mostly) or hardcover? And then, the back... curiosity gets the better of me & I pick it up & glance at the back, even just skim it... always the kiss of death.
Because every time, EVERY time, just enough of what I managed to see & read has me now
HOOKED & the book is clearly going to be coming home with me, I just KNOW it! And I'll admit, sometimes, those are really the most fantastic books for me to read. I mean, don't get me wrong, I have my favorite authors, but it's these 'impulse' books that follow me home, that usually tend to lend themselves to the possibility of being a new favorite author that I wouldn't have ever known about otherwise. (the blessings of being nosey by nature...)

Here are the two that I just could not manage to leave the store without:

Playing by: Melanie Abrams

Such a Pretty Fat by: Jen Lancaster


Decesions, decesions... just can't quite put my finger on which one to read first...

5 More Reasons Why B&N Is A DANGEROUS PLACE...

...for me & my CREDIT CARD! It's insane, every time I go I can't NOT leave

3 Word Sunday... (X's 3) *UPDATED*

...oh yeah, AND it's two days early:



Honestly, SERIOUSLY, that's a Corelle plate. The same Corelle that boasts "crack & break resistant"... BLAH BLAH BLAH.
AS YOU CAN SEE, it can & does break. I have dropped them on the floor before & they've survived. Excellent. Today, for whatever reason, one fell out of my hands & landed just 'so' onto one of my Rachael Ray pots in the stove & SMASH, broken in a heartbeat.
Sure, I have other plates but it's just annoying because now I have to try to explain to my OCD that having FOUR big plates and only THREE small ones, is well... ok?

IT'S NOT OK! IT'S FREAKING ME OUT! I WANT MY PLATE BACK!
Damn those people at Corelle, they don't just sell individual plates, or if they do, I haven't ever seen them! GRRRRRRRRRRRR
And who KNOWS if my pattern is even being made anymore?
I digress...

And because I could NOT resist to add this one as well:



We've been going over writing the alphabet for a while now & she's known how to spell her own name... "R- U- B- Y- dat spewls Ruby! Momma, I did it!" so she knew what was up, but when I ever showed her how to write the letters & then left her alone with the paper & my pen, never did I think that upon returning to the kitchen table about ten minutes later, that I'd find that. I was proud as could be & just told her, simply:
"Good job Ruby, you wrote your name all by yourself!"

She smiled at me & said, "Awl by self!"


(Saturday May 10th) And finally...



"PROUD AS'A PEACOCK!"

We went to the "Mother Daughter Tea" that the YMCA hosted this morning for all mothers & daughters, not just Staff, and we had a very nice time! As you can see, there was FACE PAINTING! (Ruby loves that) and arts & crafts etc...
I brought my Mom, and Ruby brought me. ;) Just couldn't resist sharing my little 'Peacock's' picture as she's QUITE PROUD of her face!
Said Miss Roo after her face was complete: "Momma, I a peacock now, we needa go an getta peacock costume at babies are a us, ok? Nayme dey haf one for Ruby? We wiw wook Momma, ok? C'mon Momma, wets go! No wanna haffa be wate!"

So, I've posted THESE early (you'll all please note how I didn't say 'these ones', as doing so would have been redundant. Clearly anyone who's anyone, or anyone who's lived her whole life with an English major as her best friend & been HIT OVER THE HEAD ENOUGH TIMES to KNOW that making SUCH GRAVE mistakes only results in assault & battery, UNDERSTANDS FULL WELL that it's either, THESE -OR- THOSE, AND NEVER these ones or those ones... GOD FORBID! *ducking*) because I may or may not be posting this weekend as, although I will want to, we're very busy around here. I have a 'Mother Daughter' tea tomorrow morning at the Y that I'm going to with my Mother and with Ruby too obviously. Tomorrow is also my parents anniversary so there's that, and then Sunday is Mother's Day! So, I'm sure we'll have family over & be quite busy but I didn't want to miss those wonderful "3 Word Sunday" vid's that, I swear, she outdoes herself on week after week! Don't you agree?

Everyone have a wonderful weekend & to all of you Mom's out there, whether you're children are home or you're still waiting, ENJOY YOUR DAY! A MOM IS A MOM IS A MOM, period... Happy Mother's Day Everyone!

Now, back to GOOGLE to find SOMEPLACE where I can replace that damn plate!

*The Things We Do For Love... (updated)

...Bear does TENFOLD. hee hee



*It has been pointed out to me that 'the things Bear does for love', needs a little more explaining as, merely wearing a velor jumpsuit wasn't exactly what it means to love. LOL It goes beyond that... what most of you clearly don't see but what I knew when taking this picture, was that Bear is wearing at LEAST 5 layers of clothing as Miss Ruby couldn't decide what he should "wear to a ball...". So, first some undies for bear (courtesy of BAB), then some socks, then a sweater, then, nope... wrong undies, new pair simply put OVER old ones, good. Then a fancy silk dress that, OOPS, has matching undies too, 3rd pair of undies join the party. Then a t-shirt that says "princess" on it. Then, "Oooh Bear, you gonna haffa be cowd so you not go wiffout a jakket, you gonna haffa put dis on Bear, cuz I wuv you, an you haffa be warm, ok?"

Thus, the velour hoodie.
And then, the Pièce de résistance, little white silk 'FAAAANNSSSSEEEEE SHOOOOS" for our friend, for what would going to the ball be if not DISASTROUS had he forgotten his shoes. CINDERELLA ALL OVER AGAIN PEOPLE! (sadly the shoes were added after this photo but trust me, he WORE THEM!) hehehehe

So, even though to you & me, Bear is just a stuffed animal... something about him sitting there, NOT of his own free will, wearing just about everything she owns to put ON him, looking QUITE DEFEATED, just tugged at my heart strings, and so I took the picture. And yes, in this particular moment, I felt Bear was real, and so was his love for Miss Ruby.

Oh, and according to Roo: "Bear haffa wovewy time atta bawl Momma, he stay up too wate & now he is gonna haffa havva time out!" So I reiterate; the things we do for love.
(cuz you know that Bear didn't deserve a time out for tardiness, he deserved a MEDAL OF HONOR FOR WEARING ALL THAT JUNK!)

Yes, I Can Make Calls On It Too...

BUT, it's more often used for this...



...and this,



and ABSOLUTELY for this next one, where, before you watch it, I should tell you that she's just received money from our wonderful neighbors, Charlie and Joan, for her Baptism. Something to keep in mind... oh, also, Ruby refers to Church as, "God's House".

*smile*

Sick But Still Silly...

...look at those cheeks. My girl has had a fever the past two days of 102.4.



Her cheeks were on fire, her neck, her head, her hands, her back, her everything.
So, you'd think that when I suggested we visit the doctor to dig a little deeper & find out what's causing this fabulous fever, she'd have a fit, right?
Wrong.



This, was my girl earlier today at our doctors office. All smiles & twice the silly as normal. My doctor even looked at me like I had two heads.
"You sure she's sick Amy?"

*Ruby just giggled even louder*



But, that's my girl. Even when she's sick, she's still in the best of spirits. Sure, she's been taking 3 hour naps the past two afternoons, but hey, she's just resting up so she can BRING the SILLY SMILES when needed.
And don't we need them... keep smilin' baby girl.
Momma loves you more and more with each one...

XoXoXoXo

Tea (and by tea I mean ICE CREAM) Party w/Bear...

Walked past Ruby's room today to peek in to this scene...




...she looked up & smiled in such a way that meant it was ok for me to interrupt this precious 'alone' time with her best friend, but also to please quietly enter, as plastic dairy queen ice cream tea parties are big business & not for nosey Mommas.




Apparently, Bear's favorite flavor is mint. I asked, figuring the two options were clear... vanilla and chocolate. I got a look shot at me like I had four heads & after shaking her own, said in a voice of disappointment, "Mooooommmmaaa... it's MINT!"




I really should pay better attention at her & Bear's functions from now on I guess.

"Pikewed Pekkers, Wump Wump's & A Pancake Bear..."

True stories, honestly I couldn't make this shit up if I wanted to...

1. Ruby's been sick as of late with a fever that, as of this morning, was 102.4. Needless to say she spent the morning home with Nannie & Nonno while I went to work.
No biggie...

I come home from work & my daughter proceeds to inform me of a new 'song' she's learned.

"Momma, is a new song! Wisten... 'peteah pippah havah pikewed pekkers! How many he have Momma?"

Nice. I knew that one was my Mom, as she taught us the same song with probably just as much/little success many years ago. And what the hell is a pickled pepper anyway?
I digress... the fun's not over yet.

Then, as she's squatting on the floor looking over the new Target catalog, (brought the mail in with me moments earlier) she looks up at me & says, "Momma, I did a squeeker!"
(translation? A teenie TINY amount of pee decided to come out before she was seated on her potty... no biggie.)
I tell her, "It's ok Ruby, squeakers happen, even to Momma's sometimes. Just get on that potty before the rest of your peeps wants to come out too, ok?"
I hear, "Ok Momma..." and off go the little pitter patter of not so quiet feetsies.

(minutes pass...)

"MOOOOMMMMMMMMAAAAAAAA!"
"Yes Ruby?"
"I did a wump wump. Is so teenie tiny, it's weally just a stain prolly. Naymie is not a poppie, but just a wump wump stain. Nannie caw it a wump wump... right Momma?"

"Yes Ruby, Nannie calls those Lump Lumps..."


The joys of keeping babysitting in the family...


BONUS TIDBIT: After the wump wump episode, I notice, on the kitchen table on a PAPER PLATE (which I despise, only REAL plates & ZERO waste for me, so I KNOW it's a 'Nannie' thing...) a small round pancake suspiciously shaped almost exactly like our dear friend Bear. So, I'll bite, "Ruuuuuuuuby, come here sweetie please."
"Yes Momma?" "Ruby," I ask as I'm looking down at this smile that spreads the width of her precious face... "what's the deal with this pancake?"
"NO TOUCHIT MOMMA! IS BEARS PANCAKE! IS NOT FOR EATING! WE WUV HIM AND HES GONNA WIV WIF US NOW! WE NOT EAT HIM, OK MOMMA!"
Apparently this is seriious business. So, I smiled at her, smiled at pancake bear & said with a smile, "Ruby, did Nannie make this for you?"
"Yes Momma, Nannie made it."
"Ok, well if Nannie made pancake Bear, then he needs to live with Nannie at her house, not up here with Ruby in Ruby's house, ok? Pancake bear will miss Nannie, so we have to bring him back ok?"
"Momma, das a good idea! We will bwing him bak rite now!"
*evil grin*



Pancake bear is accepting mail at 14 Bisson Street (FLOOR #1)
should any of you feel the need to contact him and/or Nannie. (Aka: Betty)

*grin*

3 Word Sunday...

...HOUSE call anyone?

*droooooooooool*

Ok, so yes, I am COMPLETELY BEYOND OBSESSED with one
Dr. Gregory House MD.
(otherwise known as the handsome Hugh Laurie)
Yes, it's true... I don't actually know how old he is,
& really, nor do I care. The man is SEXY PERSONIFIED!
I just hope that you'll all join me in prayer that my dreams go as planned tonight.
AMEN!

(God, understands my weakness... I'm already forgiven.
But just to be safe, I'll say an extra Hail Mary at Church.)

Root Pot Pie & My Boy...

...I wanted to give this post a sunny light to it prior to sharing it's original intention. One of Ruby's favorite bands is the Laurie Berkner Band. Has been for as long as she's been old enough to know what music was. Recently, on a trip to the market in the car with Nannie, she made an odd request.
Ruby: "Nannie, I wanna heah Root Pot again, ok?"
Me: *confused look shot towards my mother in the front seat* "Ah, what's that Ruby? You want what??"
Ruby: "Momma, I wanna heah Root Pot again, ok? Nannie, you pway it for me pwease?"
Me: *what the hell could she be trying to say?*
Ruby: "Pway it AGAIN Nannie..."
Me: *LAUGHING* "Ma, I get it, she wants to hear Rhubarb Pie again..." LOL
Ruby: "YES! ROOT POT PIE! PWAY IT AGAIN PWEASE MOMMA!" (clearly she's losing patience with us, ametures.)
Nannie: "Ok Ruby, Nannie will play Rhubarb pie again honey... here it is." *song starts again*
Ruby: *smiling* Fank you Nannie, Ruby wuvs root pot pie song! Is her favworite!

hehehehe

I honestly don't think she even KNOWS what Rhubarb pie is, and probably all the better as it's some pretty deliciously sinful stuff! Best not to know about that for a bit I would imagine.

And now, My Boy:




2 years ago today, I said the hardest goodbye to my most beloved best friend, my fuzzy son, my 4 legged soul mate, Ebenezer. My dear sweet loving boy, not a day goes by that I don't think of you & miss you with every fiber in my being. You will be forever missed & always remembered with all the love in the world.
Thank you for 10 & 1/2 magical, wonderful years together. Memories of you brighten my soul and make me smile from the inside out. Always loving you till the day we meet again, old friend.

Love,

-Mom & Ruby too.

(who always, upon looking at any number of photos of my boy all around the house, will say, "Awww Ebby Eeezer, Momma miss you buddy, Ruby too!")

Ain't that the truth...

*hugs to heaven*

XoXoXoXoXo

Congratulations Amy & Steve!!!

I'd like to take a moment to send my heart felt congratulations to my good friends Amy & Steve (Ruby's Auntie Amy& Uncle Stevie) who FINALLY TODAY, after a momentous wait, RECEIVED THEIR CALL! Their daughter Caitlin Elizabeth Shuang! She was born March 13th, 2007 and is currently 14 months old. She is from the Guangdong province, PRC. They receive their full referral & photos sometime next week, but just even hearing those words, "You have a daughter..." is cause to celebrate.
Miracles DO happen, even if sometimes, they take a little longer to reach those patiently waiting. CONGRATS AMY & STEVE, RUBY & I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE SWEET LITTLE CAITLIN! Enjoy this time & remember, SLEEP WHILE YOU STILL CAN!
;)

XoXoXo

-Amy & Ruby Cate
(who is STILL trying to figure out a way for you both to come & live with us...!)

My Guilty Pleasure...

...recently, a fellow blogger friend left an open forum for us readers to ask questions of her. Mine was simple I suppose. I asked:

"Besides photography, what is your most favorite guilty pleasure that, when you're indulging in it, you completely lose yourself to that moment?"

I am looking forward to her answer in tomorrow's post, but in the meantime it got me thinking about MY own guilty pleasure. Anyone who knows me KNOWS it's reading. LOVE getting lost in a book. My current reads are: Chinese Cinderella: The True Story of an Unwanted Daughter by: Adeline Yen Mah



& The Day I Ate Whatever I Wanted: And Other Small Acts of Liberation by: Elizabeth Berg.



I chose to start the Berg book first. It's a collection of short stories, which generally I'm not a fan of. I much prefer a novel, however... something about this one just called to me & when books talk, I listen.


I am excitedly curious to read Chinese Cinderella. It looks like an unforgettable story that will touch me in a way that will leave a mark on my soul. I just have a feeling about that one... I'll keep everyone posted and of course, if any of you have actually read it, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. Just please don't spoil any endings if at all possible, thanks.


You know, Ruby, too, has adopted the same love of books that I have and it makes me proud. To know that, when asked what she'd like to do with the $20.00 our neighbors gave her for her Baptism, that her answer would be "Wets go a bookstore Momma!" it just brings a genuine smile to my face and pride in my heart.

Ruby's recent additions to her book shelf are: Bear Snores On, by: Karma Wilson.



See and Spy Shapes, by: Julie Aigner-Clark



And last but not least...

Touch and Feel Baby Animals, by: Julie Aigner-clark



She was SO EXCITED, that she has literally spent all night, except for dinner time, READING her BOOKS! *smiles* That's my girl...

Slow & Steady...

...so I went & had my one on one with the surgeon yesterday. Seems that even though I've lost the weight they told me to lose & did everything they asked, I'm still an "Apple." Who knew? So, what does that mean you ask? Well, it means that I'm still pretty 'solid' around the middle, which means that I need to lose another 20 lbs before he's comfortable operating on me. Nice. Which means that now, my surgery date is no longer May 28th, but they've moved it back to June 18th.



Now, in the grand scheme of things, OBVIOUSLY whatever is healthier & SAFER FOR ME is what I want. But to have been immersed in this journey for over seven months now, I really was looking forward to the light at the end of the tunnel... and that light had a date. May 28th.

Not so much.

I know, every time I look at Ruby & enjoy the blessing that she is, I am reminded that this isn't a race, but more a safe journey to a new life, one that will hopefully be a long & healthy one full of all the happiness I have come to enjoy being Ruby's Mom.

I just hope that once I lose the rest of this weight & June rolls around, that they don't then say to me that I need to lose more weight & push it back even further to say, 2009? Ugh, how that would not be what I want to hear.

You know, I know this isn't a place for chatting about politics or religion, but I do think that everything happens for a reason and perhaps there's a reason I am now attending church again. Sure it was initially to introduce Ruby to it but it seems that now, more than ever, I'll need every one of God's graces to help me through this, for as patient as I know I can be, it's my guess that this whole process will dance on every last one of my nerves before all's said & done.
God grant me strength!