Childhood Wisdom
Baby Observations
In the Hospital Patrick: “His toes are as small as carpenter ants.” Patrick: “Kieran can open his eyes.” Finnian: “He has eyes.” First Day Home Finnian: “Kieran has arms and legs. I thought new babies just had heads and bodies. The new babies at Mass are always in blankets. All you see are their heads.…
Read MoreLearning from Older Siblings
I’m trying to get the house ready for the baby. On Saturday, Elizabeth watched Theresa clean the toilet. Soon afterwards, Elizabeth was found in the bathroom with a washcloth in her hand. She was scrubbing the inside of the toilet with the cloth. I guess that since the toilet bowl brush had been put away, she decided…
Read MoreHope
Brendan: “Mommy, two people have won $10,000 in the Top Foods Monopoly game and one person has won $35,000. You haven’t been to Top Foods in a long time. We can’t win if you don’t go shopping there. We still need to pick up the free tickets that we won.” Me: “It’s only been about two…
Read MoreLipstick for Dogs?
Brendan: “Who put lipstick on Heidi? It’s all over my hands.” Finnian: “I did.” Catherine: “Finnian, you don’t put lipstick on a dog.” Finnian: “Well, she’s a girl and she has lips.” I just hope that my daughter is not planning on keeping the lipstick.
Read MoreToo Big for Her Britches
Elizabeth: “Daddy, I want you to read St. George and the Dragon and Patapon (a.k.a. Noel for Jeanne-Marie).” Daddy: “I can only read one book. I am tired and I need to get up early in the morning.” Elizabeth: “Okay, Grandpa.”
Read MorePriestly Role Models
Sedes Sapientiae, ora pro nobis. Our parish has been blessed with a second priest, Fr. Harkins. His presence has inspired my two youngest sons to pretend to be priests and “offer” Mass. They’ve been dressing up, cutting “hosts” from printer paper, ringing their little bell, and using their child-size thurible. The other day, Finnian…
Read MorePassing on the Blame
A week ago, I went downstairs to start another load of laundry. Upon returning upstairs, I noticed that the living room was no longer clean. I asked those present, “Who destroyed the living room?” Elizabeth quickly informed me, “St. Nicholas destroyed it.”
Read MoreWhy He Does What He Does
Yesterday, despite the fact that some of us are sick, we decided to head to the beach and finally take our Christmas photo. Prior to leaving the house, I told all of my swimmers that they were not to go in the water. Upon arriving at the beach, I reiterated my instructions. As usual, Patrick’s desire…
Read MoreTesting Vocabulary Patrick Style
Patrick: “Mommy, can you please help me clean my room tomorrow morning.” Me: “Yes.” Patrick: “Good because otherwise I might get ‘roomatism’.” Me: “I don’t think so.” Patrick: “What is rheumatism?” Me: “I think its when you have sore bones.” Patrick: “Yes, if you don’t help me clean my room, then I will have rheumatism…
Read MoreEarly Morning Theological Discussion
Finnian: “I wish that people didn’t die in the army. I wish that Adam and Eve hadn’t sinned because then people wouldn’t die.” Patrick: “Finnian, people don’t die, unless they go to hell.”
Read MoreTwo-Year-Old Vanity
“Mama, I don’t want to wear that. I want to be beautiful.” Dear God, please bless my little girl with humility.
Read MoreA Teaching Moment
As Patrick and Finnian were playing on Friday, we heard Finnian tell Patrick: “Patrick, Jesus died on the cross for us, so that we can live with Him in Heaven. The devil can never go to Heaven because he is bad. The devil will never be allowed in Jesus’ house.” Finnian must be listening to…
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