Lent

Ash Wednesday has always been my favorite celebration with in the Catholic Church.  It marks the first day of Lent, which is a 40 day period of preparation for Easter Sunday.  It is marked with fasting, prayer, and abstinence. 

As a child, I was always humbled on Ash Wednesday.  Each time I would receive ashes, the priest’s words would stay in my mind for days and even months.  "Remember that thou are dust, and to dust thou shalt return."  I would take everything so literally as a child.  I was very passionate about the rules.   I remember asking my parents about death and how it “worked”.  Did we all really die?  Did we all turn into THE actual ashes that were on my forehead? 

Well, as the years went by, I learned to understand that something’s were just symbols and rituals.  But I also learned, and always focused on, the truth that we are only on this earth for a finite amount of time.  Regardless of class, wealth, skin color, or education, one thing is certain, we are mortals and our time on earth is borrowed.  This truth was reaffirmed when I became a parent, truly realizing just how precious life is. 

So every Lent I find myself pondering these thoughts and questions.  Each lent, I ask myself how can I be a better person during this life, how can I know I lived my life to the fullest?  I guess you never really know.  Regardless though, like many Catholics,  I give something up each and every Lent as a form of abstinence.  As a child it was normally candy or sweets, as and adult, it has ranged from meat, alcohol, eating out, and even caffeine (although that year I did not make it). 

I am going to change my focus this year.  Instead of giving up, I am going to try and give.  Each day I am going to give or do a little something extra for someone else.  Not necessarily purchasing something or a grandeur gesture, but rather just a simple gesture to help someone or something else out.  It might be volunteering extra hours, or taking my neighbors trash in before they get home, or visiting my elder neighbor so Logan and Catherine can make him laugh as they stomp through his garden.  (I do wonder though if he actually enjoys our visits as my kids do sprint through his flowers before I can catch them.)

In summary, I am going to focus on giving vs. giving up.  Brian plans to give up all fried foods, which is indeed a challenge given his love for fried seafood po’boys on Fridays in Lent.

Side Note: My very first time alone with Brian was on Ash Wednesday in New Orleans.  We walked from the Entergy Building to Jesuit on Barrone to get ashes.  Other coworkers were going to join but bailed at the last minute. I remember thinking this guy is super nice, very polite, and good looking as well.  Three years later we were married.

Go to the Mardi Gras

Growing up in New Orleans, Mardi Gras was always a fun time.  It was a week off of school.  It was a couple of weeks where business hours were a little more flexible.  It was the only time of year you could find king cakes.  It also became routine and something that could be taken for granted.  Surely, everybody else got excited about what costume they would wear this year.  Surely, everybody owns a second ladder – one with a bench for small children affixed to the top of it.  Surely, everybody drank their milk out of Mardi Gras cups while eating dinner.  Surely, everybody knows how to “second line.”

It wasn’t until I got older, traveled a bit, and eventually moved away that I realized a sad truth…In almost every other city, Fat Tuesday is just a plain, uneventful Tuesday in February or March (depending on the year).  It is a reason that I know what it means to miss New Orleans.

So, going back to NOLA this year for the first weekend of carnival season was important for a couple of reasons.  It was a good feeling to get back and see what I have been missing.  But, also, it was a good way to indoctrinate my children to New Orleans at its best.  Hopefully it will get them to feel the same way I do.  Logan went to his first Mardi Gras parades last year with his mom.  The noise was a bit much for him and the bombardment of sights and sounds tired him out.  He feel asleep, but only after borrowing Cousin Michael’s “Baylen Brees style” noise reduction headset.  Catherine was still a bit too young for her first trip with immobility and unpredictable, but frequent sleep patterns as her downfall.

This year was different.  Logan thrived in the scene this year.  His confidence and familiarity allowed him to truly enjoy the experience.  He was enthralled with the marching bands, particularly the brass horns.  Catherine was overwhelmed by all the lights and people, but really loved the furry stuffed animals we caught.

Mardi Gras 2013 was truly a different experience for me, even though I had been to countless parades in my life.  It was a déjà vu of sorts as well.  I saw the parades and the whole city through the eyes of a child again.  I felt the excitement that had almost become secondary after so many carnival seasons, because it felt new again.  I saw the excitement in the eyes of my children.  I was an ambassador for the city, but more importantly, I was a dad trying to give my children the fun, loving memories I had growing up.

18 Months

Catherine Anne is already 18 months old.  We met with Dr. Koush (best pediatrician ever) last week and got a good bill of health.

Weight: 20lb, 10oz    (5%)

Height: 32”        (62%)

Head Circumference: 18.5”        (64%)

Catherine started walking around Labor Day, when she was 13 months old.  (Funny because Logan’s first steps were Memorial Day, when he was 13 months old.)

She now runs, climbs, jumps, hangs, and sprints.  If Logan can do it, she thinks she can do it as well.  When she first started walking, she got a bunch of bruises on her forehead and I felt so guilty.  There were three weeks in the fall where the bruise just moved across her head.  I though St. Rose was going to call CPS on me.

Likes – WINSTON (pronounced din-din); all other dogs (word- ruh-ruh); feeding Winston anything and everything; sitting on our laps for story time; peek a boo; being chased; putting on clothes herself; putting cream/lotion/soap/shampoo on her, imitating us; her two baby dolls; bracelets and purses/bags (putting them on her arms); any toy Logan has; carrying all things at the same time; taking off her shoes, socks, and bows.

Dislikes – Catherine really does not like any doctor’s office.  I noticed this when she went to the dentist for the first time and started screaming when she saw the chair and/or white coats.  The nurse was going through her medical history with me and I realized that Catherine has been to the doctor’s a decent amount of times.  She was born with a clogged tear duct that had to be irrigated twice at 8 months and again at 10 months.  She also had her fair share of ear infections and got tubes at 13 months.  Since getting tubes, she has had one more ear infection.  So I guess she is entitled to have a bit of doctor anxiety.  We are thankful she has not had any major medical problems.

Working on – She is saying new words almost daily.  Her latest kick is to point out drains on the street and dramatically yell “agua.”  She can sting two words together, although not necessarily a sentence.  While waiting for the doctor this morning, she was pointing at the door and said, “door outside.”

Eating – She loves to eat!  She likes yogurt, fruit (oranges, strawberries, and blueberries), cheese, beans, and crackers.  She eats a lot of pistachio nuts as well, although I think that attraction is due to Logan loving them.  She insisted on using a spoon around 16 months and would refuse to eat if I fed her.  So meal times are extremely messy, but she is getting better.  I still squeeze in some spoonfuls when she is not looking.

Sleeping – Cat loves to go to bed when she is tired and ready for bed.  She will walk up to the crib and put her arms up and say, “night-night.”   This is a WONDERFUL thing.  However, she is quite the early riser.  For a while she was up every morning at 05:30 and would make sure the whole house heard her if she was not rescued!  The last three days she has slept to 06:45-07:00…so hopefully this is becoming a trend.

We still are not sure exactly what we are going to call her.  She currently answers to Catherine, Katie, Kit Kat, Katie Cat, Red, and Baby K.