Solo church adventures

So, I have a twenty-month-old daughter. And now, a two-day-old son. (The four-year-old overactive wannabe altar boy will be discussed at a different time). Back to the daughter who, now that her mother is not coming to church for forty days, does not have a designated chaperone. Several parishioners have lovingly volunteered to help, but they may not be able to make weekday services. On such occasions, Lucia would be on her own (or, as a parishioner likes to say, not tethered).

Well, today was one of those days. I took the older two with me when I went to get ready for service. While I was getting things ready, I spent as much time as I could with Lucia, but then the service started. She went and sat on the first pew. And sat there through Orthros and Liturgy. By herself. And mostly paid attention. Did I mention that she is twenty months old?

In Orthros she spent some time leafing through the Liturgy book (quite carefully). In Liturgy, well, she spent a lot of time just paying attention. How do I know? Because when I turned out to give the peace, she looked at me and moved her left hand as if she were blessing. When I said "Let us lift up our hearts," she lifted up her hands like I had done. And when it came time for communion, she came down by herself and waited patiently to be the third (of four) to receive, and then went back to her spot in the first pew.

All I can say is glory to God and I am very grateful for this little girl.

Teddy Quotations

Following the service on Sunday, the organ started playing.  Teddy looked at me and asked, "is it time to get married?"

This morning, missing his cousin B, he asked, "Why do they [his cousins] have to go to school to be smart?"  I responded that he would need to learn things, too.  He looked at me patiently and explained, "I'm already smart."

I like his logic

Me: Teddy, why did you not write that 'e' at the end?
Teddy: Because it's silent.

Point-up-point

At Teddy's and my Irish dance class, one of the warm-up exercises is called "point-up-point."  (You point your toe, bend your knee until your toe is at your opposite hip, then point again, while hopping on the other foot, in time to the music.)  Lucia has been quite interested in everything that goes on at dance class, loving to watch the dancers and listen to the music.  This week, however, she tried dancing herself.  The funny part was, she can't actually do the dance, since, at the age of one, she's just mastered standing up.  So her hands were on the floor, and her right leg (and then later, her left leg) was flailing away in a not-too-bad attempt at point-up-point with the rest of the class.

Growing Up

Mommy: "Teddy, what do you want to be when you grow up?"
Teddy: "Daddy.  And when I get little, I will be Lucia."

Fair enough.

Baking with Daddy

Part of making cozonaci is letting it rise.  Or, as Teddy says, "We have to let it rise and shine!"  (There's a children's song which goes, "Rise and shine and give God the glory, glory!" ... and, well, I guess he's got the hang of baking for Pascha.)

Holy Week birthday

This Holy Week, of course, has included Lucia's birthday.  I already showed a picture of the cake, but there were also some little birds my mother sent, and a beautiful dress from a parishioner.

Who needs birds?  She'll take the camera, thanks.

And someone needed to test-ride brother's "Easter basket."  (The improvised awning was a test for taking the wagon to the pool, with the pool noodles.)

Runaway Prayer Train

So last night was frustrating, and I kept trying to think of what to say to someone who told me that my children were "distracting to the old timers."  In my fuming, I thought about the translation, "Suffer the little children to come to Me" (and telling the person: "Suffer") and what that word was in Greek.

So my husband says that the word in Matthew 19:14 was the same as used in the Lord's prayer.  When I brought up the bilingual Lord's prayer, Teddy comes up and says, "That's mostly the Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name..." I whispered to my husband, "Mostly!"

Teddy nodded and continued, "It's mostly like: Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of truth..." and didn't stop until he'd paced us through the entire trisagion prayers.

I think this is the best come-back I can offer, and I'm glad I keep my children in church, even if other people have to look at them and hear them. (Gasp.)  Just wish I could keep my mouth shut and my mind focused on the service.

(For the record, my children were actually pretty well-behaved through the entire service, and I didn't say that to the person.)

Yes Ma'am, Part 2

So now that we've taught Teddy to say, "Yes, ma'am" and "Yes, sir" when answering us, Lucia echoes, "Mum-um-um" ... even if Teddy doesn't say it, but when he should!  (Doesn't seem to matter whether it's "sir" or "ma'am"; she still says, "Mum-um-um.")