An Unexpected Cuddle

Because I make it back to the house at 11:15 pm on Wednesday nights this semester, Josh gets Lola ready on Thursday mornings. I had just awakened when my daughter came in, fully dressed for the cold in jean jacket and signal orange pants. She climbed up the side of the bed and lay down next to me for a hug. Since Lola now decides for herself when and where the cuddles will occur, this moment was precious!--K

Spirituality and Money

I hardly ever write about mature subjects on this blog, but I feel I should comment on an egregious pamphlet that our family received in the mail recently. It was sent by the Episcopal church (we recently switched to Presbyterian church, but we remain on the Episcopal mailing lists). When talking about stewardship (giving money to church and charity), one of the writers of this pamphlet said, "It is reasonable and wise to save money for a nest egg, for a rainy day, and for retirement." In other words, this writer is saying that, for good Christians, three different anxiety-relieving piles of cash are acceptable to hoard. Josh and I believe in saving for retirement, in order not to burden the next generation. However, this other kind of saving, this "acceptable hoarding" is completely contrary to all mainstream interpretations of Christian principles. A much more faithful Episcopal priest we once knew gave a sermon in which he claimed that people being baptised always wanted to hold at least one item above the water while they were dunked. For him, it would be a nice suit; for many others, a wallet. C.S. Lewis was radical enough about money to say that he had moral doubts about the very basis of the modern economy: the investment system. He did not condemn the system, but he did say that the rule for charity is to give more than one can afford: to give enough to charity that one must give up things one would have liked to have or do. He also says that if you are in possession of all the goods and comforts possessed by all your neighbors who make the same amount of money that you do, you are not giving enough. According to this standard, all the people at the less faithful Episcopal church that we recently left should, at minimum, give up their gas-guzzling Ford Explorers. Is this such a radical idea? I'm not even saying that they should give up their 3000 square foot houses.--K

Daughter of a Poet and a Novelist

Lola was taking her bath tonight, with her usual complement of toys, and she put her toy horse in a plastic cup. I said, "The horsie's in the cup." She repeated, "The horsie's in the cup." Then, at two tones higher: "The HORSIE's in the CUP." And finally: "HEIGH HO THE DERRY-O the farmer in the dell." What genius! What poise!--K

Leprechaun Lola

Lola wanted to put this outfit on today because it reminded her of a ballet costume. Here she is dancing in it.

How to Have Fun as a Dad

Here are Daddy and Lola in matching Hello Kitty hair baubles. Yo Jo!

How to Have Fun as a Mom

Here is my favorite thing to do this semester. Since Josh is not working, Lola and I need to torment him occasionally (we are both still going to "work," aka, school). When it is time for Josh to get up to take Lola to school, I say to Lola: "Go get Dada." She understands completely the regressive tone of my suggestion (Josh has been "Daddy" for about a year), and she runs into the bedroom, yelling, "Da DA!" at precisely the level of his sleeping head. It's good fun.--K

New PJs; Tiresome Flu

Here's Lola in the cute pink duck pjs from Grandma Linda R. The second picture was taken tonight, while all of us are soldiering through a mild case of flu. That's my baby's sunny disposition!--K

I Got My Ph.D. in Cookie Hearts

Today I made 30 heart cookies, each 4 inches across, to sell at the English Honor Society bookmark and bake sale. The one in the front (with pink icing) is Lola's. She liked it, but I think the dark chocolate cocoa in the recipe was a little overwhelming for her. I was originally going to write words on all the cookies, but the task was beyond my meager icing skills. The only one that has words is the one you see in the center. It's a broken heart cookie, and it says "Ow."--K

Sticker Heaven

Below are pictures of last night's project: Lola turning me into a human stickerboard. Tonight I was sitting with Lola while she ate her dinner (pizza). I closed my eyes for a second, then opened them. Lola noticed and said, "Mommy tired." I said, "Yes, but Mommy loves you all the time." She stared at me, trying to decipher my statement, so I added, "Mommy loves you whether she's asleep or awake." She smiled and put her hands together to clap, and we clapped together. All was well.

Cutest Freakin' Thing Ever!

And for once I don't mean my daughter! Lola posed for this picture to show all of you readers the diminutive scale of our new corner sink for the three-foot-by six-foot mini-bathroom that sits adjacent to our bedroom. We can finally install a bathroom in it: it's been seventies style wallpaper and a plumbed hole in the rotted floor (I am not exaggerating) since we moved in (Summer 2006). Thanks Grandma Linda R. for the renovation help!