Eowyn Kathleen Ginny - 1/21/10

So after a long, arduous pregnancy, weeks of bedrest, 2 weeks of seemingly endless waiting after, Eowyn is here!

I think I'll do the birth story on the pregnancy website, for those who aren't really interested here. Suffice it to say, she got here very quickly, all natural, and totally healthy, at 7 lbs., 3 oz. and 19" long. She loves to nurse and only gets mad when she doesn't get food as fast as she'd like or her diaper is being changed. She looks a lot like MaraJade, but also shares a lot of traits with her brothers, so I guess they all just sort of look alike at first. We love her!

Tender-hearted Tristen

I had rented The Secret Garden in the hopes that kids would be interested in watching, as it was one of my favorite books as a child. So PJ pops it in yesterday while I'm cooking Mace's birthday dinner.

Early on, there's a moment where (I wasn't really watching, so didn't see the full context) Baby Colin is crying, abandoned in the foliage of the garden. It passed, and about half an hour later, Tristen comes and sits at the counter with me, still watching the movie. A few minutes later, he suddenly says in a quiet voice, "I just keep remembering the dream part where they left the baby all alone." And then he starts to cry.

I go over and try to explain that (as well as I could remember, and to help him feel better) that was just what Mary imagined she was hearing when she heard Colin crying at night, that he was just crying because his body hurt, and they didn't really abandon the baby (although I think that is what happened - it's been awhile since I read it). He just kept crying, saying, "Why would someone do that to a baby? You can't leave a baby alone like that. He was just crying and crying."

I had to sit down with him for a few minutes and talk some more before he could calm down. I often forget that he's really my most sensitive child since he hides it so well behind 8-year-old boy callousness. But he is the first to tune in to my moods (well, the only one really) and the most easily hurt by things. Sweet T.

What I Did On My Winter Break, by Melanie Bocek

In an effort to distract myself from the reality of bedrest and occupy my mind and body, I started crocheting again. Previously, I had only ever made blankets (OK, started blankets - I'd never actually finished a crocheting project). This time I got the idea to make some hats for the baby, then found all these awesome resources online for patterns and instructions/refreshers for how to make stitches - yippee! I had no idea all you could make crocheting. So I whiled away many hours picking what I wanted to make, starting with hats, then moving to booties, then adult slippers, adult/child beanies/hats and other cute accessories. I compiled quite a few printouts (which my mom got me a binder to organize them in - thank you!), then started going.

In all, I made 4 baby hats, 2 pair booties (working on a third now), 4 kids' hats, hats for the boys' teachers/carpool drivers, fingerless gloves and a headband for my little sister for Christmas, and a headband and necklace for my buddy Makelle (who is also a driver of the Mace - forgot to take a pic of hers, so I used the pattern pic: mine looked pretty much the same). It's been fun, I've learned a lot, and it's really helped keep me from going crazy when Monster insists on watching only what she wants during the day or I otherwise can't watch TV, or in the evenings when Restless Leg tries to act up. Well, that and online shopping. :-)

So here's what I made:

Maceisms of the Day

A few recent ones:

Dang! I know there were several I kept meaning to post, but of course I can't think of them right now. So here's the one I can:

(All related through PJ, since I'm here on my hiney) At church Sunday before last, in Primary, they're doing Sharing Time, talking about gifts. A little girl gets up, unwraps a present and says (essentially), "The best gift of all is Jesus" and has a picture of Jesus - to which Mace loudly declares, "Laaame!" Because right now that is his favorite word for everything he believes to be - well - lame.

Remembered another! My mom was here and asked Mace for a kiss. He presented her with his cheek, so she kissed it and laughed, teasing him that he wouldn't let her kiss his mouth. He steps back and says, "Ewww! I don't want to marry you! I don't want a marriage kiss!"

Where does he come up with this stuff?

So pleeeeez, make some.....

Kraft Macaroni & Cheese!!

Since there isn't much going on around here these days aside from me incubating (as PJ likes to call it), I thought I'd toss out the recipe for what I've been living on these days: Melanie's Mac & Cheese (of course, I also have a couple recipes for real mac & cheese that are awesome, but this is the lunchtime standby). Most of my friends & family know how much I love the ol' blue box, and that I have - over the past 25 years - perfected the art of making it. Now, if you make it according to the directions on the box, I feel it comes out soggy, watery and not so very cheesy. So please, try it my way at least once and see if it isn't cheesy, orangey heaven. This only applies to the real stuff - I don't do generic for my m&c.

Boil your water.
Once it reaches a full boil, pour in macaroni, stir well.
Set your timer for 2:15.
Get out your strainer, bowl, butter & milk.
Timer goes off; strain & shake off water.
* Pour in bowl & stir in 1 tablespoon butter (yes, that's all) (margarine is OK, but butter is preferred) until all noodles are coated.
* Shake cheese packet over noodles, pour in 1-2 tablespoons milk (yes, that's all) and stir well to combine.
Eat while hot!

(* = these steps must be taken while the noodles are piping hot - the heat will help melt the cheese, so you don't need that ridiculous amount of milk. So don't get distracted!)

And yes, I do eat this at least once a week for lunch, and about 2-4 times a week these days.

Maceism of the Day - 11/30/09

So popcorn is a big thing in our family. The kids start eating it at about 6 months old (we bite off the kernel and give them the fluffy part) and everyone really loves it. We use the Stir Crazy popper with oil and lots of butter and salt. What does this have to do with anything? The other night, Mace was finishing up the popcorn bowl while watching a movie and wiping his hand along the inside of the bowl to catch the rest of the buttery, salty goodness. He then says, "Mmmm, popcorn frosting" while slowly licking each finger.

Maceism of the Day? - 11/13/09

(Not really a Maceism, per se, but kind of.) When Mace brought his school pictures home yesterday, PJ and I (after laughing for 5 minutes) noticed a strong resemblance to someone else.........Mace now says he was purposely trying to look like Lewis from Meet the Robinsons, but we think he's just making that up because he's heard us talking about it. Regardless, his picture is just priceless - we think it perfectly captures the essence of Mace.

This morning, he wanted his hair spiked up again, so I did it for him. When I walked him to his class, we were a little late, so both AM and PM classes were there, sitting relatively quietly. As soon as he came in, the room exploded in a chorus of, "Mace!" "Cool hair, Mace!" "Hi, Mace!" "Over here, Mace!" The teachers had to quiet everyone back down and restore order, with Mace acting like this was completely normal. Apparently he has quite the fan club. It was really cute.