She taught me a(nother) lesson !

Last week I was changing Demetri's diaper and talking to him throughout the process (trying to keep him on the table)!  In my babbling, I said "uh-oh, looks like we have to make some more wipes for the little man".  We cloth diaper - and use cloth wipes.  Sophia has watched me whip up a quick batch of "wipe solution" more times than I count.  I was preoccupied so I hadn't noticed that she had gone into the bathroom across the hall.  When I came out of my son's room, there she was... mixing and shaking the little jar.  I noticed my little bag of "stuff" on the counter and the bottle of lavendar oil looked almost empty.  (I've had this same bottle of oil since Sophia was born and we began our cloth-diapering journey).  "HUH (gasping), SoPHIAAAA, what did you DOOOO?" I said behind my gritted teeth.  She calmly got off her footstool and said "Mama, you didn't say Thank You"...and she carried her wet wipes to the changing table.  Choking back a tear, I followed her to the room, gave her a hug and told her how thankful I was that she was such a "big helper" to me!

Since that day, I have noticed so many more times that she is "helping" me.  I've really tried to make it a point to show her my appreciation and let her know what a great job she is doing.  I can see the joy in her little eyes when I take notice and make a big deal out of something she has done for me.  It is precious.

Sophia's stewardship in the kitchen

Sophia was very disappointed this past Sunday to hear that her Catechism class had been cancelled. She looks forward to Sunday School and just looked so "bummed out" when I told her that she would have to wait until next week.  Then my koumbara asked her if she wanted to help in the kitchen when the kollyva came over after the Memorial Service...her eyes just lit up.  "Help" and "kitchen" are two of her favorite words!  She mixed, stirred and even served it into a hundred dixie cups!  She felt so important  helping and really took it seriously....and didn't spill even one kernel of wheat!

A great day for a party...and a pony!

Sophia has a little friend that she just adores...and this weekend was her 3rd Birthday Party!  How exciting!   She had been talking about it all week and practicing to sing "Happy Birthday"!  I didn't tell her until a few days before, but there were going to be a few surprises at the party.  They were having a petting zoo, which consisted of sheeps, goats, bunnies, a pig, guinea pig, ducks...and best of all, a PONY.  She immediately said she couldn't wait to ride the pony.  I was tempted to start taking bets as to whether or not she would actually ride it.

She was a little anxious when we all went out back to see the animals.  Her little friend showed no fear and jumped right up on "Barney" (the pony).  Pretty soon all of the children had gone on Barney.  We decided to put Demetri on and see how  he liked it.   He LOVED it and went on twice.  After that I told her that Barney was going to have to leave soon, so if she wanted to ride...this was her chance.  She quickly said "I wanna ride him now".  She got on and didn't look back....and then went a few more times!  She loved it.  She also got the gutts to go into the petting zoo area with the animals.  Baba took her, so I wasn't really close enough to see if she actually TOUCHED anything - although she will say she did!!

Teddy Bear Picnic

Today was the annual Teddy Bear picnic at our public library. Sophia was so excited about it all week.  She had all her snacks picked out to share with her friend, her teddy bear was ready to go...and she was really happy that Demetri was going to be a part of it this time.  Last year, when the picnic took place...I remember that I was just finishing my 40 days and it was one of the FIRST public places he went.  I carried him in the sling and he slept the entire time. But this year was a lot different. I venture to say that the little man has just as much fun as his big sister - if not MORE!

Sophia helped me pack her lunch (pb & j), some fruit snacks, drinks, crackers - and plenty of extra for her little friend.  She picked out her 2 blankets - her Noah's Ark and a Teddy bear blanket.  The library had it set up very nice again.  They had their normal story and song time inside.  The theme was....Teddy bears, of course.  Then everyone got to go outside to enjoy the picnic.  After the children ate, there were plenty of activities to enjoy.  Ring toss, bean bag toss, tunnels to crawl through, play tents, parachutes, balls and nets.  The kids had a wonderful time. It was a great day.

MaMaaaaaa, He's WALKING!!!

Since his birthday a few weeks ago, our little man has been taking 2 or 3 steps here and there.  Of course, he didn't really need to walk by himself since his big sister was always right there to pull him along!  Yesterday, he began to walk all over the house!  He would actually make it from one room to another.  This made Sophia SQUEAL with delight, "MaMaaaaa, he's walking"!  She has been eagerly awaiting this day, since I've been telling her that one day he would be able to walk by himself and play with her more!  So, now that he can walk on his own two feet....he decided he would just start standing in his little push-wagon instead of using it as a walker!

St. Nektarios

Today we commemorate St. Nektarios in the Orthodox Church.  The children and I started our day by attending Divine Liturgy.  In the simplest of terms, I was able to share with Sophia the story of this beloved modern-day Saint.  She prayed with me and helped to light our "candili" this morning.  There are so many AWESOME books and resources about St. Nektarios...I am currently reading Saint Nektarios - The Saint of our Century, by Sotos Chondropoulos.  A wonderful book!

I will share with you the story of the end his life here on earth. The entire article can be found here.

One afternoon of September 20, 1920, a nun by the name of Euphemia brought a little rassa-clad old man, who was convulsed with pain, to the Aretaieion Hospital of Athens, a state hospital for the poor. The intern of the hospital asked the nun for information about the little old man to enter into the hospital register. "He is a monk?"
    "No. A bishop."
    The intern laughed sarcastically. "Leave off the joking, Mother. Tell me his name so I can put it in the register."
    "He is a bishop, my child. He is the Most Reverend Metropolitan of Pentapolis."
    "For the first time in my life I see a bishop," muttered the intern to himself, "without Panagia, gold cross, and -- most significant of all -- without money!" "Indeed he is a bishop," repeated the nun. "The Metropolitan of Pentapolis. This metropoly belongs to the Patriarchate of Alexandria. He is the Most Reverend Nectarios Kephalas. Some time ago he left Egypt and came here, close to you, as a matter of fact, because he directed Rizarios School. For some years now, however, he has lived as a monk in the convent of the Holy Trinity on Aegina. There he became gravely ill and in spite of his protests, we brought him here." She then showed the intern his credentials which proved him to be the Metropolitan.
    The intern of the hospital, amazed by everything he had heard and seen, shrugged his shoulders and told the nurses to place the sick man in a third-class room where there were several beds for the destitute. The doctors diagnosed that the sick little old man was suffering from severe systitis, a disease of the bladder. For two months the Hierarch Nectarios Kephalas lived in the midst of terrible pains, and at ten thirty in the evening of the eighth of November, 1920, in peace and at prayer he gave up his spirit unto God at the age of seventy-four.
    In the final days of his life, the Saint was kept in the ward of the incurable in the midst of many poor, sick people who were about to die. Next to his bed there was a man who had been paralyzed for many years. As soon as the Saint gave up his spirit, a nurse of the hospital and the nun who had accompanied him prepared his sacred tabernacle for the transfer to Aegina for burial. For this purpose they dressed the Saint in clean clothing. When they took off the Saint's sweater, they placed it on the bed of the paralytic to get it out of their way and continued preparing the Saint's body. And O, strange wonder!, the paralytic immediately began to gain strength and arose from his bed healthy, glorifying God.
    The day he reposed, the whole hospital was filled with such a fragrance that all the patients, nurses, and doctors would come out in the halls to ask where such a fragrance was coming from. For some days after, they could not use the room where they placed his relics because of the fragrance, even though they kept the windows opened, so strong was the fragrance. This room is now a chapel dedicated to the Saint.
    They took his relics to Piraeus and put them in the Church of the Holy Trinity while they prepared a small, wooden coffin. From there they took him to Aegina where they gave him a simple burial at the Convent of the Holy Trinity.
    Some years later, as is the custom in Greece, his grave was opened to take the relics out. When they opened the grave, what should they see but that the Saint was whole and fragrant. Not even his vestments had changed in any way. It was just as if he had fallen asleep and been buried that very day. They had not told the people of Aegina, because he had already worked many miracles and become very beloved, and a very large crowd would have gathered -- even from Athens and other places where he was known -- for the opening of his grave. So, early in the morning, as soon as they were finished with the Divine Liturgy, as it was dawning they went and began to open the grave. At the same time there was a taxi coming by on the road below the convent. Inside was a woman who had been to some resort place. She was not a woman of good repute, but of ill repute and many sins. As soon as they approached the Holy Trinity Convent, there was such a fragrance in the air that she told the driver, "Stop. What is that fragrance?" So he stopped and looked around. "Oh," he replied, "here is the convent of the Holy Nectarios. What else could such a fragrance be but that they are opening his grave today, and the fragrance is coming from the grave. For many times a fragrance came from his body before they buried him. And even from the grave it comes sometimes." Immediately she opened the door of the taxi and ran to go and see. She went up to the convent at the moment that they had opened the coffin and found the relics whole. She was very moved by this and by the fragrance, especially. She began to weep and publicly confess her sins. Thus she was corrected and became a prudent and Christian woman in her way of life. His body remained marvellously incorrupt for more than twenty years, continually distilling a delicate, heavenly scent.
   But whether for our sins or some other reasons, some years later the relics of the Saint dissolved, and what we have now are his holy bones. They encased his holy head in a bishop's mitre and opened the top so one can kiss the crown of his head. The other parts of his relics, which have much fragrance, they put in a silver box. This fragrance has continued ever since to rejoice the faithful who come to venerate his precious relics with the assurance that Saint Nectarios has been received by God into the abode of the righteous. His veneration was formally recognized in 1961. The list of his miracles grows longer every day, and his shrine in Aegina has become the most popular place of pilgrimage in Greece.

Most Holy St. Nektarios, pray to God for us! 

Learning to "create" and "pretend"...

I'm not quite sure what I expected.  I think I had somewhat of a vision of my children, neatly sitting at the table and coloring (NOT eating the crayons, tracing her hand on the closet doors or the table that I painstakingly stained for her room).   I thought she would understand that when you paint with the watercolor paints, the cup of water that I gave to her was to rinse the brushes - NOT WASH THE PAPER!   I had no idea that I was supposed to specify that the three different containers/colors of playdough were SUPPOSED to remain three different colors - not end up as three containers of a putrid purplish color blob !

First time Mama - with a lot to learn!

Well, after boxes of crayons (too many to count), tons of water spills and a decision that she could do WITHOUT playdough...our little artist is learning and emerging!  She has shown such an interest in such things now, that I've had to actually start a little supply cabinet !  It's filling up quickly with all things "Arts and Crafts"!  We also bought her a great easel from Ikea for her Nameday gift this year.  I have to admit, I think it is such an awesome thing to watch.  Just watching both of my children grow and learn is something that I never envisioned as being THIS MUCH FUN!  I love doing things with them, teaching her a little bit of something - and then watching her take that and do her own thing.  Come up with new ideas, play make-believe, tell stories, role play, build things...it's all such a wonder to me.  To think....this is just the beginning of the fun!  Motherhood is such a Blessing!  

Our little artist 

Showing off her new finger puppets!  

We started fingerpainting by using Color Wonder paints by Crayola! 

Even Demetri enjoys scribbling on the easel !  He does, however, still eat the chalk if you aren't looking!

"Where's Noni"????

Well, it's been a great two weeks...but Noni and Granddad (my inlaws) have departed to return home.  I was completely prepared for the dreaded question..."Where's Noni?"  I made sure to get up and out of the house early, load us with a list of errands to do and follow that with some fun stuff for the rest of the day.  So far, it's only been somewhat effective!  But we can't complain, we had a wonderful time. Two full weeks of 1st Birthday parties, Nameday celebrations, Church services, sunshine, beaches, pools, restaurants, parks - all quality family time.  Sophia didn't give her grandmother a minute to breathe, as if she is her own personal little playmate!  (Pretty sure Noni didn't mind a bit).  The little princess also got to eat WAY MORE macaroni than any toddler should eat over that period of time, lots of snacks and even the forbidden GUM from Noni.  We will miss you guys and we're already looking forward to our next visit together.  Are we counting the days yet???

Wheeling her own ladybug suitcase....a "traveling gift" from Noni

My two guys...after Divine Liturgy on his Nameday

All ready to hit the beach

Enjoying a meal together