Prologue: I have to admit that the closer I get to my little guy’s due date, the more eagerly I try to clear the calendar. It’s a beholden-to-no-man (save for my doctor) kind of thing…
And she’s a woman, so there you go.
Hosting Thanksgiving as well as a sleepover for my back-to-back birthday girls last week was the last big To-Do on my list, I think. (Key word: Think.) We survived! And made many happy memories in the meanwhile.
I. Birthday Breakfasts, Lunches, Dinners…
The festivities began last Wednesday, with the celebration of Cate’s 12th birthday. (12 years old? How cant that be?! She was six when I started blogging!) For breakfast she requested an old family recipe that my mom used to make: Fried Bread Dough.
First, thaw a loaf or two (or three or 80) of Rhodes Frozen Bread Dough overnight.
Gasp when you open the oven the next morning. Take a picture and then start frying, two to three slices at a time in a bit of Crisco & butter.
Note: This recipe is neither lowfat nor gluten-free, so if that’s what you’re looking for, I apologize.
Cate, however, does not apologize; she loves this stuff and so do we!
Serve with a generous smear of butter and/or a bit of syrup. Thank your lucky dietary stars that you make this breakfast on special occasions only.
We went to the noon Mass for her birthday—just Cate, Felicity and me, which was lovely. (The Feast of the Presentation of Mary, just as I picked it 12 years ago!) After Mass, we crossed the street, literally, to the hospital where I’ll be delivering my baby in [three?] short weeks’ time, and got a very fun tour of the maternity ward by a wonderful nurse named Judy.
“Can we stay on the fold-out couch?” my girls wanted to know. “No,” I told them. “But no offense.”
Lunch was a salad from a local deli, and supper was Cate’s all-time favorite, wild rice soup. I kept it simple; Thanksgiving loomed!
II. T-Day 2012
We were thankful—very thankful—that Grandma Cathy and Grandpa Doug were willing to come to us.
They even brought wine! So blame them for the half glass that I imbibed.
There’s something unsettling about a big pregnant lady hanging out by the table. You want to shoo her away, don’t you? For fear that she might eat everything.
Gang’s all here! Except for Little Mr. Number 7, but hopefully his plane will land by Christmas.
Look how tall my 12-year-old’s getting!
More on that later.
Here’s a quick shout-out for an awesome, post-tryptophan-induced-stupor game: Farkel!
We love this game, both the original version and the new spicified edition
Grandma needed a little help with the math.
Only teasing, Grandma! She was more than happy to assist 8-year-old Angela, who in turn was more than happy to sit on Grandma’s lap.
Ditto for Mr. Nini B, only he had to find a lap that was vacant.
Love Thanksgiving! Love spending time with family! Love that they had to spend the night because of an unexpected Winter snowstorm.
(Thank you, Minnesota.)
III. Back-to-Back Black Friday Party
Are you still with me? I should wrap things up, much like the gifts that my new 12- and 10-year-olds received for their birthdays.
Please note they talked me into a sleep-over.
(I couldn’t resist. Could these girls be more cute?)
There was nail-painting, of course.
How could there not be? Besides, they did it all themselves, no party-prep on my part. (I was off in a corner somewhere, sipping a coffee with my puffy sausage feet propped up.)
And then, the highlight: a trip to a local ear-piercing salon! (They’ve been waiting for this for years.) I was just planning to take them to Claire’s, but then my cousin (Felicity’s godmother) told me about a little local business run by a lovely Catholic couple.
Yay for little. Yay for local. Yay for lovely Catholic couples!
What are your rules for getting your girls’ ears pierced?
Do you wait ‘til they’re older, like 16? Or 30?
I’d always said that they must be at least 12…then caved (in Felicity’s case) because she’s a mature little girl.
They survived! And are, in this Minnesota Mom’s unbiased opinion, are all the sweeter for having done it.
Sweeter and more grown-up, that is.
[Insert big maternal SIGH right here.}
I don't know what it is about Felicity, but I just absolutely adore her! There is something about her soul that just speaks to me!
You make gorgeous children btw. 🙂
Oh my goodness, so much yummies and fun crammed into one post. That bread looks amazing and simple – perfect for me! I love that you drink an occasional wine when you're pregnant, I like to think it makes beautiful babies 🙂 And our rule for our ONLY daughter is that she can get her ears pierced at ten. My mom made me wait until I was 14. We actually pierced her ears when she was a bald baby but then one fell out soon after so I took the other out and they have closed up now. She'll have to go through the pain once again and she can't wait! Speaking of can't wait – come out baby, BlogLand is ready to meet you!!!
Your family is so precious/handsome (because I'm sure the older boys don't want to be called precious)! 😉 You look great and I hope you are feeling great in these last few weeks of your pregnancy!
I asked for and had my ears pierced for my seventh birthday, so our rule for our daughter is 7 or when she asks, whichever happens second! My girl is just 20 months old, but already occasionally fascinated with my earrings. I had mine pierced a second time at 19 (my only 'college' adornments, though, TYVM) 😉 – but have worn the same small silver hoops, perpetually, for years. They go with most everything and don't get caught in my hair or clothes and, well,… at 39 weeks pregnant and with a toddler, that 'lazy' habit seems more sound by the day.
Happy Birthdays!!!!
I was 12 when my mother let me get my ears pierced; my daughter is thirteen now and has no interest but I would have been pkay with it when she was really little, frankly, so isn't it funny that she doesn't want them?!
The new earrings do make little girls seem so grown-up. They looks so precious and pretty.
I am glad you are still blogging even though so busy. Good to hear you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and we are all praying for you that all goes well with baby coming!
That bread looks wonderful…so simple yet so tasty sounding. Might have to try it soon 🙂 My rule for ear piercing is that they have to be old enough to take care of them themselves. With 5 girls, I wasn't about to make sure everyone's earrings got cleaned and turned every day, so usually when they are 10 they can have it done. I will pray that you have a safe and easy delivery and a healthy baby 🙂 God Bless.
When I was in fifth grade my dad said I could get my ears' pierced if I got straight As in school. I worked my butt off and finally, after the fourth quarter I pulled it off. I was 10. The morning came and all three of my younger sisters cried that they wanted theirs done and low and behold, my dad took me, the 8,6 and 5 year old in tow. Not that I minded:) We loved our earings. So when I had my three girls, I told them that they could get theirs done whenever they wanted. They were between the ages of 5 and 7 when they got theirs done (separately!). The biggest obstacle is to time it when it doesn't coincide with basketball, lax or soccer in which they can't wear any earrings, even the studs.
My rules for ear piercing are (1) they have to be old enough to take care of their ears themselves, and (2) they have to want it. That means around 8, usually, though Meggie wasn't ready till 10. 🙂 Beautiful family, Maggie!
Happy birthdays! My girl was allowed to have her ears pierced whenever she wanted, mainly because I know I'm a pushover so I didn't even bother with setting a rule about it. I think she was about 6 or 7, but she didn't start wearing earrings consistently until much later.
Tell A that Evelyn had to be double digits to get her ears pierced, and she did it on Sept. 22…for her 10th birthday just like A!
I grew up in Mexico where little girls' ears are pierced at birth. After all, how else would you be able to tell the boys from the girls?! 😉 So I had each of my girl's ears done when they were the ripe old age of 1 month. Mine were pierced at 6 weeks, so like mother like daughter, I suppose!
The look on Felicity's face was totally worth hanging through the whole post! My girls have started asking . . . must find the nearest Claire's in order to avoid patronizing a tattoo parlor.
Tracy, she was SO apprehensive! But don't go to Claire's when you decide to have the girls' ears done. You'll save a lot of money if you go to the same place that we did.
awww what a fun party! its always interesting to me to hear about people's ear piercing standards/family policies. we're cuban on my dad's side so we pierce as babies (i was 4mo old and my sister was 3mo). the question is alwyas, why aren't her ears pierced *yet*? 🙂
counting the months until our little one can get hers! 🙂
I remember that my mom wouldn't let us pierce our ears, so we "went over her head" to Grandmother who bullied Mom into it. 😉 I think I was 12. I told my oldest that she could when she was old enough to do the care routine which was around 10, I think. For some reason, we went crazy with Meg and both thought she should get hers done at 5. So we did!
My older DDs were told when they turn 13 they could (that was my age when I had mine done and my mother had issues with infections, which is why I had to be that old.) Saying that however my 2nd DD waited until she was 14 (she wasn't as brave as she thought). Since we have 2 younger DDs and live in MN, I'd like to know where you went (we've done Claire's with the older 2).
Oh, this was a long post–I love it! (I'm not the only one with a bunch of stuff in my head, wanting to get out into one giant post!)
I kept meaning to come back but never did, then you kept posting more and more….I love it!
Have to try that fried bread thing—yummmmmm! Maybe tomorrow! I have some frozen bread dough on hand!
My girlys need to wait til they are 12. I almost gave in this past summer for b-day number 10, but didn't, and am glad, because it's something to look forward to and that b-day is already taken care of then. I was supposed to wait til I was 13, but then my parents surprised me with 12!! Yay! Now, I never wear earrings, unless I want the baby to pull them out…that is if I had the time to put them in.
What fun for your girls!! Now you have new stocking stuff to put into them!
I did not want to take the girls to Claire's and I looked around. This shop is near our house. We LOVE it. The daughter of the owners' can do both ears at one time with perfect aim. We get their ears pierced when they are 11.I was so glad to see you post pictures of these lovely people.
Great post-you look beautiful! We pierced Alex's ears at 5 months. We wanted to do the Italian tradition because of my roots. I am glad we did. She has been none the wiser and does not touch them.