This Easter Season

 I spilled water on my laptop several weeks ago, and ever since then my mouse has taken on a life of its own. It's gotten better thankfully, enough to allow me a quick post spanning the last month or so.  So much to record!

Rose's 4th birthday! Princess Rosie awoke to balloons and nutella crepes (leftover from Easter, but she doesn't need to know that)

David decorated Rose's cake like a champ.

Daddy and Rose do a birthday craft. What a good daddy.

Lots of baking this month. David may have a future here.

Hilary and Natalie accompanied me (and a bulging baby Cook) to our school's annual auction. 

Yes, we bought a Deere. It takes Dave a little over an hour to do the whole lawn with this thing. David frequently sits on his lap on Cloud 9. 

It took about a month, but our neighborhood has been completely repaved, providing hours of entertainment for our little truck enthusiast.

Watching deer down in the gully behind our back yard. Our first spring has been magical: seeing what flowers pop out around the house has been fun. We've got mulberry trees, a gorgeous pink dogwood, forsythia, lilacs, Chinese snowball viburnum, and a crabapple to name a few specimens. 

Frankie huddles at one of her soccer games. She's done really well for her first stab at the sport- she's very good at hustling, and I think the coach appreciates that. They haven't won a game yet, but not for lack of trying! 

Celebrating a trifecta of occasions: Maria's Confirmation, Natalie's birthday, and Mother's Day. 

I'm 36 weeks today and very much looking forward to meeting our new little guy. He's like a perfect basketball sticking out in front of me- I don't recall such perfect rotundness with previous pregnancies. Dave and I were marveling yesterday at how God made the female body to house another human being...it really is awe-inspiring, especially when it hits me I have 4 more weeks of intense growth to go (can it be possible to expand more??).  In the meantime I hope to be able to do more frequent updates. Your prayers for a smooth and happy labor and delivery leading up to June 10th are much appreciated!

Preparing for Easter

We dyed our eggs on Wednesday and made matzo on Thursday in preparation for our Seder meal Holy Thursday night.  I should have taken a picture of the kitchen after four children were done making matzo... just think "flour explosion". I also wish I had taken a picture of the spread- it was delicious and meaningful, as always. This lamb recipe never disappoints. We were happy that our friends Michelle and Daniel Jacobeen, who we've asked to be Baby Cook's godparents, were able to join us this year (before Michelle rushed off to sing and direct music for the Holy Thursday service).

Our little guy had an adventure Good Friday, right after Lolo and Lola arrived. He fell off his bike and landed right on his little knee. Stitches were necessary. So thankful Dave was here to whisk him off immediately to our local Urgent Care. Of emergencies, it went as smoothly as it could have.

As you can see, he's no worse for wear, grinning in a new Easter suit compliments of Lolo and Lola. We're waiting for a call from Ralph Lauren's modeling department.

We've got huge forsythia bushes in our back yard- so lovely! Instead of fake ones I was able to use real branches for our Easter egg tree.

Counting down to the pinnacle of the liturgical year, only hours away, when Our Lord rises. So much hope with this feast, yet it's hope tempered by the realization that we're not there yet. Life's struggle continues. Tomorrow is a lovely foretaste, though, of that final repose with Christ that we all long for. A blessed Triduum and Easter to everyone!

Welcome baby Graham!!

A long overdue welcome to our newest cousin and nephew, Graham Michael, born March 20th! We can't wait to snuggle you someday soon! We've received picture updates since his birth through a shared iPhoto photo stream (thanks for doing that Jeff and Kate!) Some choice ones below.

This is magazine-worthy.

He's so cute!

Goings on

Yesterday David learned to ride a 2-wheeler, admittedly to my surprise. Dave had confidence he was ready, and apparently he was right. Now to start working on Rose...

Our little absent-minded professor

Frankie continues expanding her rainbow-loom skills.

The most exciting 15 minutes of David's life: watching a bulldozer at work from 20 feet away. He followed it, sitting down cross-legged at times, around the perimeter of the playground as it planted trees. This park is pretty cool!

Our bird family

We decided to name the sweet cardinal family living on our back porch. The dad is Charles, the mom is Caroline, and the baby is Carrie. (Recognize them from Little House on the Prairie?)  It's fascinating to watch the teamwork between the parents; they have a system down. The father knows when the mother is leaving the nest and comes to feed the baby while she's away. Sometimes the father comes to pass some food on directly to the mother, and it looks like they're kissing. Needless to say, Charles, Caroline and Carrie have won our hearts.

Baby Carrie (who could be a Charles, we don't know...) growing feathers on her wings and taking up more space.

Taken a week or so later. She's getting all the nutrients her brother and sister would have gotten- perhaps she's growing faster than she might have. She's filling out the nest, and when she stretches out for feedings, it looks like she could topple out sometimes. Her little chirp is precious!

Rose likes to alternate between baby dolls and cars. A healthy balance I'm sure. David sure enjoys having a car buddy.

Birthday gift that keeps on giving

Want to know what Frankie's been doing all day, every day for the past week?

Looks a little uncomfortable, but hey, it's the style that matters right?

Rainbow Loom! Thanks Aunt Natalie. You provided a wonderful way for her to wile away the hours. Everyone can be expecting personalized bracelets, necklaces and rings. Teresa has asked for one for her birthday, too :)

Story of a bird

A few weeks ago we discovered a mother cardinal had laid eggs in one of our rose bushes. This rose is right next to our back porch, literally touching the screening, so you can imagine what an awesome view we had of the little cardinal abode! We all relished checking in on her and the eggs (no doubt to her dismay) to see if any had hatched. Rose even spoke in a hushed voice when going on the back porch: "I see the birdie! Quiet!"

Well, a few mornings ago I came out onto the porch to find the nest tipped on its side and empty. Rose stems were bent in half. Little feathers were scattered here and there. What a tragedy! I went out and inspected the area around the bush, only to find the three eggs scattered around its base. With the mother out of sight, I figured she had met her end. I took the eggs, put them back in their nest and brought them inside. What to do with them? Were they dead? Possibly: online, I found that eggs die very quickly if they're not kept at 100 degrees. Who knew how long they had been without their mama?

The poor eggs.

Then, I heard her. Her chirp is quite notable to our ear since she's been around so long. I rushed outside to find her inspecting the empty rosebush! I quickly put the reassembled nest back in its place and hoped she'd come back. She did!

Baby cardinal, hatched the day after the nest was restored.

Daddy cardinal feeding Mama, who feeds the baby.

My own little birdie, tormenting Mama sitting on the nest a few feet away.

Mama sitting on baby (who doesn't mind?)


The happy ending isn't without some sorrow: two of the eggs remain unhatched. They must have gotten too cold when the nest was tipped. My theory is a squirrel was trying to get to the bird-feeder, and climbed the rose bush, tipping over the nest and breaking branches. Needless to say we didn't refill the bird feeder.

What a beautiful little miracle to have observed as a family!

Birthday Girl

Frankie enthusiastically helped bake, frost and decorate her cake. I expect in two years she'll be doing everyone's cakes ...(wishful thinking?) :)

Can you tell these girls are related?

Frankie is the manang of the house. In Filipino culture, the manang is the oldest sister, and I get the sense that when manang says to do something, the younger siblings better obey; she's the alpha-dog. She's also blessed to have been born at a time of year when flowers are blooming, temperatures are warming up, and everyone is in the mood for a barbecue. We had a lovely afternoon of games, a piñata, group karaoke (to Frozen of course), pin the tale on Bonnie, and good food. Jackson even got a haircut from Uncle Dave.  What a gift to have grandparents, aunts, and cousins (and a nice neighbor friend) so close by to celebrate- thanks everyone! Her real birthday is on Wednesday, so we'll try to extend the birthday party energy til then, which won't be hard with balloons and decorations around the house. Happy birthday manang!

Spring days and Preparing for the Triduum

Hanging out with some friends. 

Our little guy will be getting strabismus surgery on both eyes April 25- prayers appreciated!

April showers bring May flowers... but what about April deluges? 

Lola's cinnamon rolls make a great birthday cake! Our big two-year old.

Saying good-bye to some dear friends.

The first 2 year old to actually blow her candles out herself! Bravo Rose.

Donning coats again. Spring, where did you go??

One of my favorite spring blooms: viburnum. Smells heavenly.



We'll be doing a passover seder meal tomorrow night, which will be a first for us. It's hard to get into the spirit of Holy Thursday with the little ones, so I'm hoping that sharing the meal Jesus celebrated the night before He died will kick off the Triduum in a more tangible way. Here's an explanation of the symbolism behind the seder I found interesting.  I don't think we'll be doing a full-fledged seder (e.g. downing four cups of wine through the course of the meal- Rose is crazy enough at dinner time), but we'll try to get a choice few of the major symbolic pieces of the meal in there.

Anyone ever participated in one? What were your impressions?