2014 -- It's Going to Be a Doozy

I am somewhat in denial about the fact that it's New Year's Eve. Yet, even so, it is easy this year to look back on a particularly eventful year, and look ahead to a year that promises ever-more of the unexpected.

2013 was wonderful. It was busy. It was full of all those things that life should be full of: family, blessings, adventures, love, laughter. It was the sort of year that I would never, ever, in a million years have envisioned for myself, but that I would not change for anything. It was a year of trusting God and being rewarded many times over.

This I think pretty much speaks for 2013. Smiling in Wichita, KS.

But 2014 . . . oh, 2014, the adventures and surprises you have in store. And that's only taking into consideration the stuff we can anticipate.

Like the final steps of this never-ending residency application process.

Like Charles' home stretch of med school rotations (and getting back into that routine after all these lovely weeks off of it).

Like learning our (Charles') fate for residency. And making plans accordingly.

Like welcoming Mr. Man, and adjusting to life as a family of 4.

Like Charles' med school graduation, and the (very) necessary celebrating that will go along with it.

Like moving . . . somewhere . . . and getting settled into life there.

Like moving . . . with two under 2.

Like Charles beginning residency, and all that will bring for all of us.

Like Clare and her brother continuing to grow up . . . and all the adventures, heartaches, headaches, laughter, and fleetingly beautiful moments that brings.

So, 2014, you've been warned. We're waiting for you . . . Bring. It. On.

Happy New Year!!! (and stay safe out there)

*insert lots of cheers and hoots and hollers and noise maker noise and confetti here*

In Which Life Happens and I Learn from It.

As I mentioned on my 7QT post last week, Advent this year was a big, fat fail. A good chunk of that was thanks to not being home for most of Advent, unless we were packing/unpacking. The Jesse Tree fizzled out after about a week. The second, third, and fourth candles of the Advent Wreath never saw a flame until Christmas Eve. We decorated in the most liturgically correct way we could muster -- the weekend before Christmas. I did sing lots of "O Come! O Come! Emanuel," if that counts for anything.

I wasn't overly concerned, though. I was looking forward to the hustle and bustle of the last few days of the season. I thrive on it. I was going to do all my Adventing in a week.

Then, as luck would have it, Clare got sick with some lame virus. Thursday night, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and even Monday turned into a blur of fevers and medicine, doctors and worry. And prayers. Lots of prayers. All my poor, sick, miserable girl wanted to do was lounge on Mama. It was all I could do to sneak away for a few errands, get a bare minimum of stuff done, keep Charles and myself alive. One-by-one, items were crossed off the to-do list; not completed, but not necessary either. That's why there are no lights up at our house. Why there were only two kinds of cookies (both already made and frozen) for Christmas. Why visits never got paid. Why things slowed down.

Thanks to lots of answered prayers, when Clare woke up on Christmas Eve, her fever was broken.She had enough energy to watch Nick Jr. somewhat independently and let us pull everything together to have some family over for a nice Christmas Eve celebration. One where it was easy to thank God for answered prayers.

Also feeling well enough to climb in the block basket.

The (not so surprising) thing about Christmas, though, is that it comes, whether you've had a good Advent or not, whether you're ready or not.

Maybe that's why Christmas Eve is my favorite day of the year. I wake up to anticipation and the ever-present holiday to-do list. There is a buzz in the air. Inevitably, the deadline, whatever it may be hits, and then . . .

Then, then, then . . .

Christ is there.


He is there in anticipation of children, waiting for their gifts, even when they don't (fully) recognize that Christ is the real gift of Christmas.

He is there in the music, the readings, the candlelight.

He is there in His Church, gathered in worship.

He  is there in families and friends. In food and fellowship.

He is there in the midst of the sickness, hunger, sadness, and loneliness that plague so many during the holidays.

He is there, body, blood, soul and divinity in the Eucharist.

He is there, a babe born in Bethlehem, the Word Incarnate.

He is there, seeking a way to enter our hearts, to fill us, to change us. He is there, beckoning us, waiting for us. That is what Christmas is all about. We might be waiting for Him in our liturgical celebrations, but really, He is waiting for us.

I might have spent my last days of Advent frustrated with my inability to do. I might have "gotten busy" and pulled a lovely evening together for our company. I might have failed to meet my own expectations for what the day should be, but I actually saw what Christmas can be. I saw through the trimmings and trappings. I saw what mattered most. I saw Christ.

I know that, time and time again, I get distracted. I fail to pray as I should. I fail to see Christ where I should. I fall short. But thankfully, God is loving and merciful, always waiting for us to come back to Him. I thank God for this Christmas, and another chance to return to the embrace of He who was born lowly, laying in a manger, and later rose to eternal Glory.

God bless us, everyone.

 

7 Quick Takes, Vol. 47

On the 3rd day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: a chance to sit down and write for the first time in ages. Using this to link-up with Jen (feel better!) and a quick Christmas wrap-up!

1. Life. Happened. (Y yo no blogo.) I've actually got a nice, reflective post coming tomorrow (or maybe next week) on alllllll of that, but in the mean time, consider this a teaser and a (* * *) in your book to indicate that time has passed, and pretend that the in-the-mean-time happenings are of no consequence.

2. We made it nice and early to get good seats for the early Mass on Christmas Eve. Clare was really good for about an hour-and-a-half (meaning, up until the Liturgy of the Eucharist, if you take the wait time into consideration). I was extra glad to hold my own little ball of energy this Christmas, and actually had the opportunity to reflect on the Incarnation and the Nativity in spite of her taken-outside-antics.

Cutie McCuterson in her Christmas dress.

3. From there we came home to begin the feasting with Charles' parents, along with some present opening and a cameo by my sister and brother-in-law (and their in utero little one, if we're being technical -- and since this is the first time I've mentioned his/her pending arrival on here . . . . eeeeeeeeeeeee! I'm awfully excited for her, and for our kids to have 6ish week apart cousins). And staying up filling stockings and putting together tables and princess castles.

4. Christmas morning was enchanting. Clare still doesn't quite get the whole present thing, but was pleased as punch to sit down in her new little chair and play with her "cattow." I think that would have left her pretty satisfied for the rest of the morning. We helped her rip into the rest of her packages, exchanged gifts between Charles and me, set up some still-boxed toys, and sipped coffee. Finally, we made and enjoyed a late breakfast. Pretty much exactly what Christmas should be, I'd say.

5. It was early afternoon before we were dressed, packed, and in the car to head north to my dad's house for dinner and time with the folks up there. It was another round of feasting and gabbing and present opening and jammies (I don't have pictures ahora. Lo siento.) and laughing way too hard while playing some version of charades meets Catch-Phrase.

6. We came home yesterday afternoon, and I think alllll of us were Christmas-ed out. I was plum exhausted, and I think Clare and Charles were, too. We had a nice relaxing evening with pizza and DVR.

7. We have a couple of days of restful quiet this weekend, before next week. Charles' brother will be in town, which always makes for a fun, but busy, few days. Hoping to do some reading and some sleeping. Maybe even make use of a Starbucks gift card. :) I can think of nothing more celebratory for the 4th and 5th days of Christmas than that!

Have a lovely weekend! Merry Christmas, everyone!

Frozen Odds and Defrosting Ends

I blame it on the unbelievably cold Denver weather.

But can't actually complain toooooo much, because most of my experience with the weather has been running between a warmed car and a heated building. Usually while whisking a 20ish pound toddler between locales. On the upside, I am now convinced that we can survive winter weather in and of itself should we Match into a cold climate. Ever the optimist am I.

The good news is that, as of writing, Charles' interview status is 7 down, 2 to go. A week from today, it will all be over. God willing.

We survived our first-ever plane ride with child. Clare fell asleep on Charles' shoulder at the airport and woke up at cruising altitude, clearly confused, but equally reassured that Mama and Daddy were right there with her. She quickly decided the plane was all kinds of fun with a smiling college student across the aisle, a cup of milk, and a weird, round window with clouds outside of it. If only she could have run up and down the aisles, I think she would have deemed it perfect.

Sweetness

I'm also loving that we are staying this week with Charles' sister. In addition to having 3 "puppies" that Clare, of course, loves, K lives in a lovely home in a lovely neighborhood that is currently covered in snow and full of Christmas lights. Which gives me warm fuzzies, by golly.

I'm starting to get giddy excited for the end of Advent and Christmas. I'm excited for a little pause to reflect on God and family and fasting and feasting in the days leading up to the beginning of 2014. I've got more rambling to insert there, but I'll save it for a later date/post. :)

7 Quick Takes, Vol. 46

Joining Jen and others for my weekly 7QT fix.

1. I joined Charles in Tucson for interview fun yesterday and today. It was my first night away from Clare, so I tossed and turned a good chuck of the night. Lovely. She and Grandma & Grandpa seem to have survived the night, and it was nice to get some R&R yesterday afternoon. I've also eaten a couple of meals without toddler antics, which is freakishly calm. Even so, gotta admit that I miss my girl. I almost even miss reading Hop on Pop. But not quite. I'm not in need of counseling or intervention. Yet.

2. My mom grew up here, I had extended family here who we visited frequently while growing up, and I went to college here (go Cats!!), so there are about a million memories around every corner. That makes it annoying to drive around with me. "That's where bla bla bla. And that's where bla." I'm shiny eyed and happy. My companion is glassy eyed and regretting that muzzles on humans are not considered appropriate.

Raising her right!

3. Sadly, too many of those memories involve food. My sister and I (and probably other family members) are allllllllllll about eating our way through town. Charles asked about my plans this morning, and sadly, they involved my college hangout coffee shop and family favorite lunch spot. With some other time killing in between.

4. Which brings #2 and #3 together in the craziest story. I was at this coffee shop (and by this, I'm somewhat literal, since I'm sitting in said coffee shop typing this morning) with a couple of friends one evening, drinking lattes and having Deep Collegiate conversations, I'm sure. Randomly, (for reals, the most random ev-ah) we were approached by a strange Russian septuagenarian with an accordion. He played, we smiled politely. Then he started encouraging us to dance. And play his accordion. What???!?!??! Yeah. So, a couple of us do an awkward linked arms circle dance. A couple of us play a couple of off key notes on his accordion. I don't remember how the situation finally ended, but, as was pointed out when I texted the recollection off this morning, we were dancing like little Russian puppet monkeys. So weird.

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5. 23 weeks pregnant and obsessively talking about food. Could I be more cliche?

My magic, bump shrinking shirt!

6. Fine, I'll talk about the weather instead. It's cold for Arizona, but that's not actually my main concern (for once). Instead, my concern is the absolutely frigid weather we'll be facing when we go to Denver tomorrow. Charles and I have cold weather odds and ends, so we'll be fine, but we're piecing stuff together for Clare, who is an Arizona baby with an Arizona wardrobe. Should be interesting. Expecting to spend lots and lots of time indoors in the next few days, and looking forward to things getting back to seasonably cold weather mid-week.

Modeling Daddy's beanie.

7. Oooh, I know what I nearly failed to mention -- wishing everyone a happy Feast of St. Nicholas!! Clare's shoes will be getting their inaugural treats tonight (a day late since we were gone, but she'll never know!) in accord with my New (Liturgical) Year's resolution to live more liturgically.

Have a lovely, safe, dry, and warm weekend!

O Come, O Come!!

{Linking up with Michaela from California to Korea to share what I love about Advent.}

I have mentioned before that I love Advent. Rather than adding to the hustle and bustle of a busy season, I find that it gives me an excuse to slow down and do things differently. It also gives a purpose to, or at least an excuse for, the busy-ness. Some of what I love:

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1. Traditions. I love that Advent is so easily marked by traditions. Advent wreath? Check. Jesse Tree? Check. Liturgical colors at Mass? Check (at least for me). It becomes easy to build time for prayer, for scripture, for quiet into that framework -- and still keep it from becoming so burdensome that it is not sustainable.

2. "O Come, O Come Emmanuel." Yes, I know you're sick of it by Christmas. Know what? I'm not. I love the song. I love that it gets stuck in my head and I find myself singing it all day/week. And the fact that they are directly tied to the O Antiphons of Evening prayer?!? Sign.Me.Up. Or, more accurately, ignore my off-pitch singing. It's better than when I bust out O Holy Night. I promise.

3. Easing into Christmas. Because of Advent, I don't feel pressure to go from a pure Thanksgiving focus to a pure Christmas one at midnight on Thanksgiving night. Instead, I get eat my pie in peace. I can my Advent stuff together (See: #1). I try to knock my shopping out early, so as not to focus on it. I decorate after Gaudete Sunday (the 3rd Sunday in Advent). It marks a subtle liturgical shift in Advent, turning toward the preparation for the coming of Christ in the Nativity. I see it as a sign that it's time to get Christmas prep into high gear. I'm preparing for the coming of Christ in the Nativity by wrapping and baking and "elfing." And belting those O Antiphons in song loud and proud. Know what? For a week or 10 days (13 at the outset), that is fun for me!

I don't generally draw a sharp liturgical line in the sand and eschew all things Christmas before the 25th. I just don't think that's realistic. I'm a both-and Catholic. It is both Advent and the time that society celebrates Christmas. I can keep right on celebrating until Epiphany, and they don't need to worry their pretty heads about that, either. I'm okay with it. It's a season for magic, and light, and ohmygosh! Christmas!!

 Have a blessed Advent!

Attitude of Gratitude - 7 Quick Takes, Vol. 45

I fell off the 30 Days of Gratitude wagon somewhere around Day 20, but that is more a symptom of my ineptitude at updating my Facebook status regularly (which is really not very problematic) than needing a reality and thankfulness check. That said, here are my Thankful Thoughts. Linking up with Jen in the process.

1. I am thankful beautiful, growing family. I have a wonderful, amazing, Godly, supportive, loving husband who is also my best friends and the most amazing father I could have asked for for my children. I have a sweet, healthy little girl who is so full of vibrancy and life and a sense of adventure and fun that it's hard not to be completely taken in by her. I am waiting on a healthy baby boy, who I feel so blessed to be carrying, and who I know will fill our lives in ways that I cannot even imagine.

2. I am thankful for my extended family: my dad and sister and their people (and puppies for Clare to love on!) who love and support me unconditionally; for my aunts, uncle, cousins (and their kids), and two living grandmothers who I am so blessed to (mostly) live near and have real relationships with; all of Charles' family who, from the first time I met each of them, embraced me as one of their own.

3. I am thankful for friends: new, old, near, far, online, those I talk to every day, those I don't talk to often enough, those "pick up right where you left off" friends.

4. I am thankful for the gift of faith. I am thankful for Christ, His Sacrifice, His Church, His Sacraments. I am thankful for the 8 years I have been Catholic, for the chance to grow deeper in my faith, for the chance to raise my family in the Church, for countless blessings that have come into my life because of my faith.

5. I am thankful for all the stuff of life: a roof over my head, a warm place to sleep at night (and a cool one in the summer), for food security, for not having to worry about making ends meet. Not to mention all the first-world luxury stuff like getting to be a two car family, having my own washer and dryer, technology -- especially in the field of communications, etc.

6. I am thankful for opportunities. I am thankful for all the opportunities we have had this year for adventure, for travel, for family time, for new experiences, for chances to learn what I am made of. Mostly, I am thankful for the opportunities Charles has had, the rotations, the interviews, the opportunity to live his dreams and provide for his family at the same time. I am so eager to see what the new year will bring (but I guess that can wait 'til NYE).

7. I am thankful for the experiences I have had in life: education, travel, struggles, triumphs, sadness, joy. Each of those experiences has helped to make me the person I am today. My life is so rich and overflowing -- thus the overflowing heart today.

I am unbelievably blessed, beyond my wildest dreams. God has given to me abundantly and to Him I give all the glory.

Have a lovely, blessed weekend!

Mr. Turkey, Mr. Turkey, Big and Fat

Tomorrow is the day, people.

I can think of no better (unofficial) end to the liturgical year than giving thanks to God for the myriad blessings which he has bestowed on us in the last year (This year, I am feeling abundantly, overwhelmingly blessed, but I'll do that rambling tomorrow.), then pigging out harvest festival style. Twist my arm, why dontcha? Turkey? Cranberry? Mashed potatoes? Bread? Veggies? Bring. It. On.

Just (finally) posting some of the things I dream of creating, eating and owning:

-For the turkey, two years ago, I made the turkey out of Martha Stewart's Cooking School, and it was fab. Not to toot my own horn, but it was worth the bit of effort and was juicy and delicious. At the time, I was a few weeks pregnant with Clare . . . and the Friday after the Big Feast, BAM!, turkey aversion. But I got to enjoy that yummy bird the first time around at the very least.

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-I've been looking for a chance to try these mashed potatoes from Ina Garten for something fancy and different. I will make it happen one of these days, and I will document the details.

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-I prefer my holiday veggies somewhat straightforward: green beans cooked with bacon, corn, carrots with butter and brown sugar (my dad makes THE best boiled carrots -- they probably no longer qualify as veggies by the time he's done with them, but they are sooooooooo good). I'm happy to skip the casseroles and fancy sauces (though I'm happy to help make them disappear that way, too!).

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-I'm trying this recipe for rolls this year -- pretty straightforward. I've said it before and I'll say it again, making (and eating) homemade bread it good for the soul.

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-My dream home will have a giant harvest table not too unlike this one. Bonus points if it is made with actual reclaimed wood (instead of courtesy of Crate & Barrel's mass-production elves).

Not exactly the dream but close enough -- via

-And I will serve my harvest feast on dishes like these:

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or these:

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or these:

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Happy Turkey brining and basting!

7 Quick Takes, Vol. 44

Joining Jen (and counting down 'til I can preorder the book, 'cause, you know, WOW!!!!)

1. It has been a (another?) crazy week 'round here. Between Charles' two interviews (plus dinners with yours truly), a trip to the OB for our ultrasound, Charles' test today, and all the regular stuff in life, it has flown. Ready for the weekend!

2. The exciting thing is that, for the first time since July, we have reached the end of another four week rotation and we do not have to go anywhere. No driving to some far off city to spend four weeks at a home that is not our own. No long trek to our actual home. No forcing a disgruntled, teething, sick of traveling toddler into a car seat. No subsisting on Subway, soda, and hotel breakfasts. Nope. Just time. Together. At home.

None of this. Thrilled, I tell you. Thrilled.

3. As as added bonus, it is raining buckets, and it's not supposed to let up anytime soon. As if I needed an excuse to keep the warm, pregnancy-safe beverages flowing today!

4. My mind has been swimming in a sea of blue this week, after our news! Besides mulling our potential name over (and over and over) -- I'm contemplating such very important child rearing questions as, "What do baby boys wear to Mass?" and "Should we get a baptism outfit with shorts or pants?" and "Is Clare more likely to smother him with a blanket, a doll, or a play feeding object?" In other words, I'm in love.

Soccer Star. Yes, that's a foot up there.

5. Baby names are a freakishly big deal in my weird world. I love them. Love. The best part of new babies, besides the baby, of course, is finding out what its name is. So naming my own kid feels like a big deal. I am thinking I'm not telling FB or the blog until he arrives. It just feels like more of an announcement that way. Because it needs an announcement? Weird, I know.

6. Liturgically speaking, this weekend is the kick-off to the one season I can do right. The feast of Christ the King of the Universe happens to be my Catholic birthday (when I was received into the Church and received the sacraments of First Eucharist and Confirmation). {As an aside, I really want to write a post (or a couple of posts) about my conversion, but I run into the problem of too much to say and too little substance. Meaning lots of rambling. I'll get there one day.} The last couple of years, I've celebrated Christ the King with breakfast after Mass and my favorite dinner. Then comes Advent. I love Advent! Love it! Then Christmas! More to love! It's the rest of the liturgical year when I fall off the horse. I make an effort at Lent and Easter, but I'm going to try to do better overall. Looking forward to reading Haley's book to help out -- food and the liturgical year. I can't think of a better combination.

7. I got nothing, so here's a totally unrelated picture to fill the gap.

16 months going on 16 years.

Have a lovely weekend!

Some Ramdom Thoughts About Our Baby . . .

BOY!!

What's not to love about that little face?!?

We found out yesterday that we are expecting a squiggly, wiggly (emphasis on wiggly) baby boy. And he see seems to be healthy, so that's the truly good news.

We're over the moon, though I expect we would feel just as airborne if we had found out that he was a she, because we honestly, truly, not saying it with one tiny grain of salt, would have been thrilled either way. I think it's the whole babies-are-a-big-blessing thing. Combined with the, God willing, we're-not-done thing. And the it's-not-like-you-get-to-pick-anyway thing.

The big challenge has been agreeing on a boy's name that we both like and fits out exacting Catholic standards of both names being Saints' names. With one gazillion canonized Saints, you'd think it wouldn't be as hard as it is. We've got a tentative winner, but we're mulling it over for awhile before we make any firm decisions or announcements or the like.

If Clare had her way, his name would be Guppy Guppy. Or maybe Guppy Puppy if you really talk her into it. We think we can.

Now, I'm obsessively considering what to do with a boy's room when we move Mr. Man into a nursery sometime this summer. Meaning I've got gobs of time to consider it. But I'm extraordinarily picky when it comes to nursery bedding. All I use are sheets (readily available) and a crib skirt (needle in a haystack or part of a large set), and I'm not interested in spending gobs of money on a bedding set I won't use and whose pieces I don't love anyway. And did I mention that I'm not a fan of baby blue? It's fine for clothes, but I don't think I could stand a baby blue room when there are so many other colors out there! So, basically I will spend too much time browsing crib skirts online trying to find the perfect item that may or may not exist. I finally found a darling pink gingham crib skirt for Clare/any future girls who get our crib. Who knows?!? Maybe lightening will strike twice.

Enough rambling . . . I've got online window shopping to do!!

7 Quick Takes, Vol. 43

Writer's block = Blegh. I'm just putting it out there.

I sat down at least three times this week to compose a post about actual thoughts in my head, but somehow none of them even so much as began to come out right. as a result, I'm turning some of my incomplete post thoughts into my 7QT. As always, linking up with the fabulous (and conference hosting) Jen.

1. Charles was out of town on the interview trail all week. I wanted to write about the challenges of having him out of town without coming off as complaining. It's challenging, as anyone who's ever had a spouse away can attest, for any number of reasons. If dinner would make itself and land on the table at a preappointed time, things would be going pretty smoothly indeed. That said, I can't say I'm not counting down until his flight arrives.

2. I marvel at Clare's growth and development. I think so many parents think their kids are brilliant because they marvel at how much a little person can learn so quickly and how much they change in the blink of an eye. I know I've marveled at her vocabulary explosion any number of times, but it just doesn't cease to amaze me. I'm also in awe of her mimicking. The other day, she "sunscreened" her baby after I got her ready to head to the park. I realize these are developmentally normal, but to this first time mom, they are mind boggling!

3. I am now 20 weeks pregnant. Half-way, give or take. It is unbelievably amazing and unbelievably surreal to carry a little miracle. I'm extra excited to have our anatomy scan this week. I pray everything looks good, and hope we find out if our little bundle of joy (and sleepless nights) is a boy or a girl.

4. I had lots of little opportunities this week to reflect on the culture of death and how deeply it has seeped into our culture at large, but my thoughts are still rambling. Something might still be coming, but in the mean time, it's still a pass. Maybe God wants me to ponder more and "have the answer" less.

5. I'm lamenting the fact that I don't have Grace's knack for the hilarious retell of the ridiculous things my kid does. Strangely, this is one area where I really am better in person. Or maybe it's easier when my audience truly gets how crazy my kiddo is. Regardless, that is the main reason my blog is void of Clare's craziest antics. *sad face*

Relaxing and enjoying some tea at my cousin's house.

6. I have every.single.intention of linking up with Cari (even with her temporary MIA-ness) to talk about Thanksgiving, as I dream about turkey and stuffing and sides and family and food and gratitude. My first attempt at a draft was an exceedingly incoherent nightmare, so I'm hoping to get something pulled together for next week.

7. One goal that has long been deep in my heart is helping my family really live and celebrate the liturgical year. It's something that I'm truly passionate about and want to have as part of my family's life rhythm. Since neither Charles nor I grew up doing this beyond basic celebrations, Advent and Lent, etc., it's a slow process of incorporation. It's something I want to do more and more in the coming (liturgical) year, so I hope to write quite a bit about our journey in the coming months. 

Have a lovely weekend!

5 Favorites, Vol. 22

Linking up with Hallie to share some of my favorites, with even less rhyme or reason than normal, this week:

1.Technology -- It's a perpetual favorite, but still  . . . . We're in the middle of Week 1 of 2 Crazy Weeks, and, even with Charles across the country, knowing that he's a cell phone call, a silly text message conversation, spur of the moment selfie, or FaceTime session away makes it all the easier.

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2. Peanut Butter & Honey -- Toasted PB and honey has been my breakfast of choice for about a week. It doesn't hold me over all morning (what does these days?), but it is quick, easy, tasty, and I can convince myself that the PB gives me much-needed protein.

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3. Shipment Tracking -- There is nothing better than watching your package inch across the United States, from some obscure warehouse in Nowheresville, IL to the truck for delivery. It's like the Santa Tracker on Christmas Eve, but for grown-ups who like Amazon.

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4. Water -- Because Lil Bean is thirsty. Except when s/he is hungry. Plus, Clare says, "wahwehr" which is pretty much the most adorable thing. Until she spills my water all over the coffee table. #neverhappened.

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5. Inappropriate hastage usage -- I used to be very against, but it has suddenly grown on me (see #4, above). I dunno. I have a Twitter account, but I mostly only follow people on it. I have never, ever actually tweeted. I don't know if I ever will. But somehow, they seem like the perfect tool to make your point. Again, I dunno. But that's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

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Happy Wednesday!