He is B A C K

Yay! Tom Friedman from the NYT is finally back. He has been on book sabbatical all of 2008 and I’ve missed him. Dig it.

Dumb as We Wanna Be by Tom Friedman

Confidential to Luke

At this moment you are asleep and you cannot read but I want you to know that I’m thankful for your good dinner eating. Even when I feed you not so yummy foods. Delicious prunes and beautiful broccoli don’t make for the tastiest of dinners but you took it like a champ. Not once spitting it out. I realized I wouldn’t like it if that is what I had to eat for dinner so I added mango (your ultimate favorite food) and you still ate the prunes and broccoli. Thanks, coo bird.

Can’t Get His Groove

Order Up:

One bright sunny morning with a side of morning fun in the jumpy contraption.



Except he couldn’t get his full groove on. His left arm is on the piano that plays the music and well...see for yourself.

3 Toothpicks & Dental Floss

My dear father-in-law gave me a pot full of Lilly of the Valley from his yard. I’ve had them on our balcony for three days (I did bring them inside during the windy rain storm) and a few of them started to tilt.
Solution?
3 toothpicks
&
dental floss.
Can you spot my handiwork?

p.s. don't worry, the water is gone.

Storm Bird

As yesterday’s storm cleared this bird made an appearance.

F quietly snapped this from the balcony.

Shhhh

I’m trying to be very very VERY quite. Luke hasn’t been sleeping well (could he actually be teething?!) and he is down for a nap. The laundry is right by his room so I can’t do that. I don’t want to put the dishes away because of outright fear the clanking might wake him. There is no TV to watch unless I’d like to see Maury Povich help some woman find out who the father of her baby is.

So I thought I would share with you the fun thing I saw on TV last night.

I miss my Jane Austen on PBS. I wonder if you can get it in a box set? Last week Masterpiece Theater showed My Boy Jack. Jack was played by Harry Potter and Jack’s mom was played by Samantha from Sex in the City. Funny, no?


Anyway…

Last night PBS aired a fascinating documentary, Carrier. It’s about the USS Nimitz and it’s 5,000 sailors. PBS is showing it in 10 parts. There was a woman fighter pilot whose parents didn’t really understand what she did. While on deployment she was speaking with her mother who asked her if she flew at night, thinking that wouldn’t be safe. Or the 18 year old girl from Georgia whose dad was a pimp. With the help of her grandmother (whom she remains devoted to despite her passing away) she made it to 18 without a baby and knew she had to get out of her town. She saw the Navy as her way out.

It was great to watch, I really enjoyed it. Catch it if you can.

Baby Mia

Welcome Baby Girl Mia!
We can’t wait to meet you.
Annabel, you are going to

be a fantastic big sister!
Congratulations Paul and Mercy!

Sing!

Thursday evening Lindy and Papa Joe came to music class. So much fun! I managed two photos. I should have remembered to make sure camera batteries and the spare batteries were charged.


P.S. Luke has on the NY Yankee shirt Papa Joe gave him.

7

Don’t think for one moment that in all my high chair excitement I didn’t take special note of yesterday’s significance. Yesterday Luke hit the seven month mark. He is now closer to one year than being born. (deep calming breath) I can no longer imagine my life without him. God has blessed us with our son.

So by my superamazinghightech calculations, I’ll have child rearing down, um, never. And from my personal observations I think that puts me ahead of most parents who think they know what they are doing.

motherhood.
i
think
it
is
slowly
growing
on

me

Fried Food Update

Have been privately chuckling at the fried food would bring peace comment I heard last week. Can you imagine? Fried chicken, falafel and spring rolls for everyone!

Mission Completed

Update: Cushion arrived on doorstep just now!

My covert operation last week was an attempt to secure the item below. Item had to be ordered and arrived today. Our household now officially has a high chair. (patiently waiting for the cushion to arrive.)

Those close to me will know that I cringe at most baby items/gear…why does SO much of it have to be SO ugly? Faris read this article in Time magazine last week and said it sounded a little like me. Um, maybe…I guess.

Before

After

P.S. Wondering why Luke isn't in the after pictures? He is peacefully asleep. I guess watching his mother assemble the chair wore him out!

Confidential to JRKP

Do you even remember that you gave me Green Eggs and Ham for Christmas in 1995? You wrote on the inside cover a very JRK note (you had not added the P to your name in 1995). With half humor and half seriousness you told me I could read this book to my kids and tell them what a great friend you are. I will do as requested.

A Visit

baby boy
check.
quiche
check.
salad
check.
directions
check.

And just like that we were off to visit Gwen. Gwen is a member of our church and also part of the Senior Women’s Sunday School class. Gwen and Luke hit it off (as you can plainly see from the photo) and I enjoyed conversation with an older Christian woman. Luke and I also toured all the blooming plants in her yard: stunning purple azaleas, a flowering lilac bush, camellias and several others. OH!! Gwen has a super stunning view of the Potomac River and Alexandria! She can even see the Washington Monument fireworks on the Fourth of July!

It was a grand visit indeed.

Fried Food = Peace

I happened to catch a middle of the day rerun of King of the Hill and heard one of the more insightful comments of all time from the character Bill: “If everybody fried their food we would have peace.”

I tend to think he might be right.

Speaking of food…
So we have been doing organic food for a little more than two months I think. I’ve found it manageable for our small family of three and am really enjoying eating seasonally. BUT there are a few items that I cannot find organic versions of that I refuse to swear off (I promised my mom I would not be a super freak about organic food…I’m thinking she is remembering my intense 13 or so years as a vegetarian): Coffeemate Hazelnut Cream, Cream of Mushroom soup (my mom is Southern after all) and Orange Juice (we cannot find a with pulp calcium version).

Oh, and F brought me presents tonight. Flowers and Nutella. Joyfully accepted the flora. With trepidation I received the Nutella. Lovely husband smiled and said it could be an exercise of self control.

Right.

I do have something more worthwhile to share. Our pastor is preaching a few sermons on gender and two Sundays ago the sermon was on marriage. It was nice to be reminded/encouraged/convicted. You can listen here.

Wonderful Wednesday

Not only did I enjoy fellowship with other mothers at Wednesday morning bible study BUT I also enjoyed an afternoon with Carmen and Evelyn. It was a superduperfantasticwonderful day. I’m not used to so much interaction with adults! LOTS and lots of adult conversation. Bible study (Proverbs 31) was rich (and deep, soul stirring, convicting and motivating) and my head is still spinning as I consider my task of woman/wife/mother.

Luke and Evelyn, sure to be great friends.

I’m sure you have heard that the Pope is in Washington, DC and there is lots of local conversation about road closings and such. The news keeps talking about the Popemobile. Am I the only person who thinks it is ridiculous to call the vehicle the Pope is transported in the popemobile? Are we in first grade? Can a news reporter think their reporting is serious if they utter the word popemobile? Come on.
That is it.
I’ve decided.
My auto has a new name.
The Camillemobile.
Why would I call my Ferrari a Ferrari when I can call it The Camillemobile?!

Confidential

Confidential to Jan: Thank you for so generously sharing your daffodils with me this season. It has been such a treat to find them at the front door. When you said your home inland had a lot, I never imagined this many!!

Uncle Sam

Happy Tax Day

(Is that an oxymoron?)

Vacation

When I opened the balcony door this morning Faris said, “It sounds like we are on vacation!” The Bay is making vacation sounds and the bright sunshine can help a woman/wife/mom stop and exhale. Ahhh. A nice way to start my day.

About today...

Headquarters has given me and my partner (codename: coo bird) a mission. It is a covert operation. All I can tell you is that we must secure an item of great importance.

Now if my partner would only wake up from his morning nap.

Mission Update

Mission Aborted
Mother hen and coo bird were not able to secure item of household importance. Agents will make second attempt at undisclosed date and time.
Over.
Note to self: YOU are not Sidney Bristow.

Weekend Adventure #684204

I am really starting to believe that motherhood redefines every aspect of a woman’s life. In my past life weekends meant a break from the daily grudge of the 9-5 job. In my new life, there is no break from my job so weekends have a new meaning.

week-end : more time with my onetruelove. Pronunciation: \ˈwēk-ˌend\ Function: cozy joy

Our weekend was lovely, especially our Saturday night dinner at Brian and Kelly’s home. Dinner was delicious (Brian, we are still talking about your outofthisworld grilling) and conversation was a pleasure.

Luke and Caleb greeted each other in typical small people way. I’m pretty sure they explored one another’s noses with their fingers.

Sunday Morning: Breakfast in Bed for Daddy

Who later decided to share his oranges…

Drat

Three o’clock in the afternoon
The fog finally starts to burn off
And the sky looks like
Liquid silver.
I thought we might
Have a go at some pictures.
I didn’t account for
The f-i-n-g-e-r.
Drat.

So Long, Old Friend

You have been a true companion over the last six months.
I confess I never wanted you.
You epitomized ugly baby paraphernalia and I didn’t want you in my adult house.
My mom sort of made me get you.






And
Thank
Goodness
I
Did.





You have served us well.
I wish I could give you a medal of honor, you deserve it.
Alas, it is time for us to part.
There is a new sheriff in town.
No offense old girl but the kid has to move on.
(oh man, I hope no one EVER SAYS THAT TO ME!)

(it's a video again, press play for your viewing pleasure)

Sleeping With the Fishes

My dad can build things. When I was little he built me a cool go-cart (I painted it orange and my parents still have it…Luke, you don’t know what fun you are in for, sweet baby!) My brother and I built birdhouses. And we even built tool boxes. The summer I married my onetruelove, my dad built a screen porch for my mom and a big shed that really looks like a mini-house to store his stuff. And that is just a sampling. The man can build.

I asked my father if he would build a mobile for Luke and presto, there is now a mobile above the crib!! As if there were any doubt that my father could do it.

Yesterday afternoon in pictures:





Luke now sleeps with the fishes.

Thanks, Dad. You made the perfect mobile, just as requested.

Our Hope & Promise

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
-Colossians 1:21-23

Sunday evening we dedicated Luke at the church Faris grew-up in. It was a wonderful evening with family and other believers. Pastor Esper gave a strong message and I was steadied by his encouraging words. I particularly enjoyed our time at Faris’ childhood church (and the church his parents still attend) and found the love and kindness overwhelming.

What do I mean by dedicating Luke? It means that Faris and I will endeavor to raise Luke in a godly home, showing him a Christ like love. It is our earnest hope that one day Luke will make a profession of faith in Christ Jesus, the one true Savior.

P.S. This isn’t the same as infant baptism. Our reading of scripture leads us to believe that baptism in faith is an individual decision.

Laugh Little Luke

A laughing Luke.

A note to my less tech savvy readers: This is a video, press play to enjoy!

Fire

Our morning sky looked like it was on fire.

Our Matrix Experience

Allow me to set the scene for you.

We are driving home from our cherry blossom walkabout by way of Capitol Hill. I’m lost in my thoughts of the good old days working on the Hill when all of the sudden Faris exuberantly says, “Camille, look! It’s like the Matrix.” And he was spot on.

Among the pillars and suits there was this woman in pink. Just like the Matrix. The Matrix woman might have been in a red dress but who cares.

Tulip Library

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Tata!
We celebrated with a cherry blossoms walk.