WW: True Love

This yellow dress came back to us from Ireland. We bought it for one of the Irishman's nieces years ago and it was sent back to us for Caitlin to wear now. It is funny to think that I picked the dress out not ever expecting to dress my own daughter in it!

The heart quilt was made for Caitlin by her Grandma Laura. It came with specific instructions that it is to be used and loved, not saved and put away. My mom does a lot of paper pieced quilts and this happens to be one of my favorite patterns. I love it...and I think Caitlin does, too!

Speaking of quilts, Caitlin and I have a Wednesday lunch date with some lovely ladies including the talented quilter who made the Irish floor quilt photographed so often in Miss Caitlin's pictures! We are looking forward to it! If only spring break were a tad bit longer...

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Workout Girl

I think these outfits look like Caitlin is channeling her inner 80's workout video star. All she is missing is the leg warmers.



Notice the leg stretch?

And the towel for wiping away sweat drool.

And of course...we end with a mind workout. Who doesn't love a good book?

Mommy and Me: Sleepy Baby

The Irishman and I went to 6pm Mass tonight so Nana and Granda got Caitlin bathed and ready bed. By the time I finished feeding her she was more than a little sleepy. She is such a sweet baby girl!


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Hosted by Krystyn

Rockin' Rocker

There are so many things I love about this!



The smiles, the rocker, the blue outfit, the rare grumpy I-just-woke-up-face she got from her daddy captured in the photo in the upper right...

I entered several give aways a few weeks ago as part of the Nest Feathering hosted by Stephanie at Adventures in Babywearing for Beth at I Should Be Folding Laundry. Much to my surprise, I won something!

This is the Rock n Play Sleeper from Fisher Price that arrived last weekend. Monday we tried it out for naptime...and it was a hit! Caitlin has started rolling onto her tummy during naps, so it is a nice, comfy alternative. I love how it folds up!

So, thank you to Stephanie for hosting and Fisher Price for giving!

P.S. No one asked for my opinion...just giving it anyway!

Aunt Julie

We love Aunt Julie!



My sister was in town from Montana last weekend for the Baptism. Julie last came to visit in December so she could see big changes in Little Miss. We played together with the baby, went for a walk with the new stroller, and stopped for Steak-n-Shake on the way to the airport. Caitlin decided to give her sign of approval to her Godmother...Aunt Julie's first spit-up covered shirt. That's love!




We loved having her here and can't wait for her next visit!



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We love Aunt Julie, but this weekend it is Vicky from Nashville who is the hero in our house.

The Irishman called the cable company yesterday. They reset the signal and said he could try the automated help line. He seemed confident with this. Me, not so much.
After work he called the company again. I was with the baby, so I am not sure the details, but he was talking to a human who told him it COULD be the cable signal...or it COULD be a bad modem...or it COULD be something else. They set an appointment for the technician to come on MONDAY.
The Irishman seemed okay with this. He was thrilled that we get a $20 credit if they come late. Me, not so much.
We have rented a cable modem for about 5 years. That means we have spent about $300 on a rented modem. I have been saying for a while we should replace it...and I thought now might be the time. This made even more sense to the Irishman than getting $20 if they show up late, so the Irishman and his father went to the store and bought a replacement cable modem. They set it up in the living room, and....

NOTHING!
The signal in the living room is suddenly not strong enough. It looks like we will need that appointment on Monday anyway. Sigh.
So, I sent the Irishman to the nursery-themed-guest-room upstairs. He tried setting up the modem, phone, and wireless router there and...

IT FOUND A SIGNAL!

However, the modem had to be registered with our cable company. He tried doing it online but it wouldn't work. Go figure. This is when the swearing may or may not have started.
This meant a call to the cable company. We do not get good cell phone signal downstairs in the house so he had to sit in one spot with the phone on speaker. My phone on speaker to be exact. There was a phone charger maneuver in there as I tried to prevent losing our spot in line due to a dead battery.
Finally a very Southern voice came on the other end. And the Irishman did his thing.

He hates making phone calls, but he can charm them like no one else. During downtimes while waiting for the computer he will ask if they have been busy today. He will ask how much longer until they get to go home. He will ask if they get a lot of calls like this one. (During a recent call regarding our vacuum he asked if they get many calls as stupid as his...) Between his lighthearted chatter and his accent, he usually gets what he wants.
Vicky was no exception. She registered the modem and waited patiently while the very slow computer restarted. She wished up a good day. The Irishman thanked her for her help and asked her name. He asked Vicky from Nashville who he should send an e-mail to about her fantastic service.
I am not sure who was more pleased...the Irishman or the very southern Vicky from Nashville -


Or me.
We’re back online. At last!

Waking up with Smiles

I won't comment on the fact that this is yet another post from my phone.

I was taking pictures of sleeping beauty this afternoon. She looked so sweet...then she woke up. She always greets us with smiles and laughs when she wakes up so I took a picture of that, too. Love it!

And the computer issues continue...

I wrote all this out...and then lost it on the stupid touch screen. Not happy!

My morning computer time...my daily "me time" is not nearly as relaxing when the computer isn't working. My google reader is at around 400. I have read so many great blog posts from my phone that I cannot comment on from my phone. Talk about frustrating!

We are going on day three of little or no internet connection. It looks like a call to the cable company may be in order...from our cell phones because the phone is out, too...Sigh.

The worst part is that I have at least three posts saved and ready to go that I can't get to from my phone. Sigh.

I was smart enough last night to take some pictures last night so I could edit them this morning...not that I can send them to anyone without an internet connection. Sigh.

It will all be okay though. Today is a teacher work day...then a week off. The Irishman may take a couple days off to spend with us. Nana and Granda may take a day trip or two being as I will be able to resume baby-duty...and I am looking forward to a week of baby-duty!

Happy Friday! Here's to hoping my next post is not from a touch screen...

WW: Life is a Bowl of Cherries

I have the almost-spring-break-my-grades-are-due-and-I-am-so-far-behind-I'll-never-catch-up blues. My teacher friends know what I am talking about!

I have this to look forward to though:



A week off with my baby girl!



Lots of play time...



Lots of fun! I can't wait!

P.S. My mom picks out the best outfits...

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The Words This Time

Let's hope the fourth time is the charm...

I uploaded the last post three times. We are having major computer issues lately. So I am going to try to add the words from my phone to go along with the pictures...don't expect too much from the phone typing!

There were 13 babies baptized on Sunday. It was crowded, crazy, and a bit assembly-line-ish. Regardless it was a great day.

My sister Julie is Caitlin's Godmother and the Irishman's brother Michael is her Godfather. Michael couldn't make it across the pond this time so Granda filled in for the ceremony.

Afterwards we had some friends and family back to the house. It was a lovely day!

Caitlin's Baptism

Mommy and Me Monday

Caitlin Josephine was baptized yesterday.



Our lives have been blessed by her birth, and it was wonderful to see her receive blessings.

I held the baby while others held the cameras, so I again had several pictures to choose from for Mommy and Me Monday!

I have more to share about the day's events, but there are dishes to wash, sub plans to e-mail, and a sister from out of town to visit with so it will have to wait until later!

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Hosted by Krystyn

All Dressed Up...

with somewhere to go!

A couple of weeks ago I broke down and bought some tights so that Caitlin could wear the wonderful dresses her Aunties have bought her. I was getting sick of the "Florida cold" weather! This dress came from Aunt Chris. The shoes were bought separately, but matched perfectly!

Caitlin was the fashion queen of the cry room at Mass.

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Today is the day of Miss Cailtin's baptism. She will again be all dressed up with somewhere important to go!

The Christening will take place after one of the Masses, so we decided yesterday to go to Mass early in shifts so that there was some one home with the baby. (Caitlin will sit through Mass, but Mass and then the Baptism is a bit much to expect from the girl!) My sister and I planned to go to the 4pm Mass yesterday afternoon at a local church...only to walk in during the sign of peace. Some ancient older lady said under her breath as we walked in, "My, my aren't we late for Mass."  Needless to say I grabbed a church bulletin and darted out the door as quick as we'd come in. It turns out the website was wrong...Mass was at 3:30, not 4pm. Oops.

As a refult, my sister and I are off to 7:30 Mass so that we can help get the house (and the baby) ready for the days events...expect pictures to follow!

God bless!

A Beauty in Blue

I had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day yesterday.

Then I came home to this...



and it didn't seem so bad anymore!

Lucky Ducky

At our house even the rubber ducky dresses for St. Patrick's Day!



Hosted by Cecily

4 Months

Guess who is 4 months old?



Who Me?

These are some of the Irishman's FAVORITE pictures.

She has grown SO much! She is average weight and above average height. I think she may be above average in smiles, too!

Can I tell you how much I love the picture in the bottom right corner?

I am about to have to go back through the closet again to pack up more clothes! It is a good thing Granda's suitcase was full of so many new beautiful dresses given to the baby girl by friends and family from across the pond.

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It will be a big weekend in our house. Aunt Julie is coming from Montana to visit for Caitlin's baptism on Sunday. I am taking Monday off to spend some time with my sister, so there are now only 6 days before spring break. Nice. (And yes, I counted today. It is not yet 6am and I still have to GET to school...)

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I handed out my St. Patrick's Day mini cards to my kids at school yesterday. (The ones signed, "From Morgan, Jenny, & Caitlin) My little darlings could not figure out who Morgan was. There was a family picture of the three of us at the top of the card. Hmmm...looks like I will be working on inference skills next week!

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Yesterday shortly after I left for work, little miss discovered how to put her foot in her mouth. (Something I am also quite good at, but not in the same way!)  It might have had something to do with the crazy Irish Odd socks I put on her before I left...they are the same ones in the 2 month picture...they are two different colors and say on them "Irish Odd Socks."  She was interested in them as soon as I put them on her!

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I thought I had one more thing to say, but I can't think of it. My mom used to tell me that means it must not have been important. Happy Thursday!

Top o' the Mornin' to Ya!

She is dressed in green and ready for St. Patrick's Day!



and so are we!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

from Jenny, Morgan, and Caitlin

 

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Getting our Green On

St. Patrick's Day is almost here! The Irishman mailed our St. Patrick's Day cards yesterday. It wouldn't be so bad if half of them were not going to Ireland. Oops! Oh, well. Too bad they don't make belated St. Patrick's Day cards!

I also made cards for our co-workers and my students at school. The ones were ordered from Shutterfly were awesome but a lot more expensive than using Photoshop Elements and ordering wallet prints at Costco! I realized AFTER I had them printed that I do not usually use my first name with my students, but that will likely make them like the cards even more. I can hear it now.

So...here you go:



I love how relaxed she is in this picture. And those eyes...

The Irishman originally didn't like this picture, but it has grown on him. It still makes me laugh every time I look at it!

This was our best attempt at a family picture. Note for next year...no white shirts for Mommy unless we want her to look like a ghost.

And this was the winning picture. I love the smile, the shamrocks, the flower...sigh. Do I really have to go to work today?

Happy Almost-St.Patrick's-Day to you and yours!