Mr. Potato Head

When Cates came home from the hospital she was nice enough (or smart enough) to bring home a present to her big brother. I was amused with Moses' use of Mr. Potato head's packaging.

Moses is pictured with the Mr. Potato Head tongue (which Moses calls a "bleh"). "Mommy, can you find my bleh?" "Mommy, can I put it on my bleh?" These are questions I hear regularly.

My Reminder

This is what my house looks like...most of the time. To my embarrassment and frustration the house is messy in the background of most of my photos. I only have one little one who is mobile but the immobile one (for now) has her own way of contributing to the mess. I came across this poem the other day and thought I should get it tattooed on me. Well, maybe not a tattoo. Maybe I'll just settle for posting it on the refrigerator door (if I could only find a blank space among all the animal, letter and number magnets...) My little ones will only be little for such a little while.

Gone Not Gone

With the kids gone

I sleep in a messy house

That I may wake up

Within the illusion

not gone

From Mother time: Poems New and Selected by Joanne Arnott

Favourites from Month One

Please pardon the formatting. I'm sure there's a better way to do it, but since I'm already a month behind, I though it best just to move on. Pictures from month two coming soon! (Note: You can click on the images to see them larger/in a film strip.)

Getting Acquainted

It took a couple of weeks before Moses wanted to touch Cates (other than bopping her in the face when she cried). Now, he frequently wants to "hold him." This is their first holding session and we are fortunate to have it on video. And, true to form, Moses quotes from one of his books: when he says "head to toe" he is referencing Boy of Mine where it says "How perfect you are from head to toe."

Cates Hosanna Rios

I had hoped to be able to share my version of Cates' birth in this post. We are adjusting as can be expected and enjoying the newest addition to our family, but let's be honest: they just ain't no time for birth story writin'. The birth story can wait or not happen at all, but we wanted to share a bit more about her name while she's still new.

Our little blue eyed girl bears the name Cates Hosanna.

Jeremy and I have known that we would name our daughter Cates for years. I don’t remember exactly when we decided on that during our 8 year marriage but it was an easy decision for us.

As Jeremy already explained, Cates is a family name. It was my Mother's maiden name and it is my middle name. It's also my brother's middle name and both my cousin's (on my Mom's side) middle name—it's gotten some good wear, I suppose! Used as a first name we liked its feminine sound and thought it would be a 'sweet' name for a little girl and would grow up nicely with her into adulthood. Hopefully she won't grow too weary of explaining to people that her name is "like Cate with an 's'. And it starts with a 'C'."

I did a bit of 'research' (googling something hardly qualifies as research, so I sheepishly employ half quotes to only sort of excuse myself) on the meaning of 'Cates'. I didn't find much; some sources say that it means "fair" and that it has English roots. We had an astute friend that thought perhaps we named her Cates as a derivative of 'catharizo', the Greek word meaning 'to cleanse'. It's certainly a nice thought. Perhaps we might adopt that sentiment—it would tie in nicely with her middle name—and I have no objections to her being fair or even English. But our intention in naming our daughter Cates was simply to pay tribute to my family. Specifically, we wanted to remember and honour two precious women that we said goodbye to in 2008: My Grandmother, Faye Cates and my Mother, Patricia Cates. Cates Hosanna is pictured above wearing my Mom's wedding band.

Mom knew we were planning on naming one of our children Cates. Jeremy and I were glad of the chance to share our then future children's names with her before she passed away. She didn't know that her middle name would be Hosanna. Cates' middle name was decided later.

Hosanna. It is a Hebrew word found in the Bible that means "save!" Jeremy and I warmed to this word as a name quickly and mutually. It was later, and separately, that we came to think of "Hosanna" as a kind of prayer, not only for Cates but for our family.

Hosanna. Save us. It is a prayer breathed, sung, shouted, spoken. A heartbeat beneath our days, a rhythm reminding us of our God-dependency. Hosanna, we breathe. Hosanna, we sing. Hosanna, we shout. Hosanna, we whisper in reverent trust. Hosanna asks mercy in our quiet fear. In darkness Hosanna waits with expectant confidence. It is tied onto the ragged edge of our doubt. Save us!

Save us from. Save us from harm and from harming others. Save us from missing all that God wants for our lives, from the emptiness and futility of life apart from Christ. Save us from ourselves. Save us for—for the purpose that he has prepared for us, for the beautiful, full, abundant life that He desires. Save us for something bigger than ourselves.

Hosanna! It is exclamation. It is invocation. And we hope, in the deepest, steadiest sense of hope, that Cates' life will be a proclamation of her strong and sure Saviour.

Alrighty then. Thanks for listening. More pictures, what you really want, to come. :)