I have restricted access to the girls’ blogs to authors only (that would be me, but I added John to the list as well.) I set up Caroline’s blog shortly after she was born to allow out-of-town family to watch her grow. It has evolved into her baby book, really, since I am not a scrapbooker. I love putting new pictures of the girls on the blog, and I really enjoy looking back over the past weeks, months, years remembering. It was meant to be fun and to bring joy. It is not meant to create more work for me. I’m mom to a new baby and am not taking on additional tasks right now. It is not meant to be a competition for who is featured in the most pictures. And it is not meant to hurt feelings.

I’ll continue to update the blog, but it will be visible only to me and John and serve as a memory album for our family. I have enjoyed sharing pictures with you these past almost four years. If you want to see them, come visit us! Perhaps I’ll be able to open them up again someday.

I finally gave in and read the much-hyped Twilight series. I like to read, and so many people said these were good. What really prompted me to pick them up with interest, though, was how many conservative Christian friends raved about them. I’m talking friends who are of the mind that they would not read the Harry Potter series. And these folks LOVED Twilight. Which is about vampires. So, kid wizards–NO. teen vampires–Yes. I was baffled. I was curious.

I asked a friend why she thought that was, and she said SEX. I’m not giving anything big away by saying that Edward and Bella save it for marriage.

SPOILERS BELOW:

I finished the last book in the series last night, and I can see many levels of Christian imagery. Denial of sinful nature (these vampires don’t suck human blood, though it is a constant struggle to abstain.) Self-sacrifice (though not in the Christ sense as it is all about saving their only child.) Good (and one is good because denying his sinful nature allows him to love others as he loves himself) versus evil (who is only looking out for his best interests.) There was also the mormon idea of being bound for eternity in marriage.

So much to discuss, really. This is great for bookclub fodder. Or for a literary analysis thesis.

When Caroline was smaller, we had plenty of playdates. I enjoyed visiting with other moms while the kids played. Now that she is older, I have a whole new appreciation for playdates. Now, you see, it’s a drop and go kind of thing. And either way (as host or guest) playdates are FABULOUS! If you’re the one dropping your kid to play with someone else’s for a few hours, the beauty is obvious. What is not as obvious is how great it is to be the host, too. Mom can get quite a bit done (or just relax with a few moments that don’t involve Candyland) without constant interuptions from a lone preschooler. Two is better than one.

John and I had our first night out since Elizabeth’s birth last night. That means it was the the first time Elizabeth was in care of someone besides her momma or daddy. She was with her Uncle Tony and Aunt Mary, though, so she was in excellent care!

We had a nice time — drinks, dinner, auction bidding, and adult conversation (even though the dinner conversation was about schools. The Bindels are one of maybe three families at St. Matts who won’t be sending our kiddos to private school.)

On getting dressed up:
I wore lots of makeup, tried to go curly with the hair, and wore a jazzy top from White House/Black Market (outlet, of course!). I think I ended up looking more scary than what I was going for. Caroline, Megan, and Sophi all kept staring at me. I asked them if I looked scary, and they said “No. You look fancy.” I don’t believe them, though. By the time I was halfway through my Cosmo, I didn’t care how I looked anyway.

On Elizabeth’s first bottle:
She refused to take a bottle from Mary, so Tony had to give it to her. I imagine the internal monologue in Elizabeth’s head went like this (in a Stewie from Family Guy voice):
“Get that blasted contraption of glass and rubber away from me, woman, and put those mammaries to some use!”

On mama’s good luck:
I won the grand prize of the Shuttle Prizes (tickets bought to choose a shuttle, each with a prize) at La Noche, St. Matt’s fundraiser last night. $500 worth of jewelry from Tracy Tenpenny. Gorgeous stuff. Just in time for Elizabeth’s grabby stage. I wore on necklace to church this morning and felt really pretty. Elizabeth did grab it a few times, but I was able to break her free without breaking the necklace.