We call him Super

When he was three, Stephen insisted he was Superman.  Furthermore, we were all in on the game and he assigned superhero names to everyone.  For weeks, he insisted we call each other by these names and we call him only "Superman." Even when our super-names began to fade, Stephen still insisted on Superman. And so it happened that everyone around us called him Superman--friends and neighbors, cousins and godfathers.  He became Superman. Over time, as the game faded and was replaced by other games of make believe, the name lingered in its shortened form: Super.

Now, on a soccer field on Saturday morning or a basketball court on Saturday afternoon, you can hear other children shouting, "Pass it here, Super!"  In the parish hall on Sundays, someone is sure to ask "Chocolate or sprinkles on your donut, Super?"  And it's not just the kids; the grownups do it, too.  I met in lady in the bleachers last week who didn't even know what my son's name really is.

Today, he turns eight! Happy Birthday, Stephen.  We think you're super!

Around the Horn

Remember this picture?

Nicky went to work with Mike and spent some seriously fun time on the set of Around the Horn.

When he got home, he tried valiantly to recreate the experience with his siblings.  He plays the host and they are the panelists.  But it was difficult to do using nothing but kitchen chairs.

Two nights ago, I was awakened to a panic in the middle of the night.  I got up to do a "kid check" and couldn't find Christian. After several frantic minutes (that felt like frantic hours), I found him in the garage, constructing this of duct tape and cardboard.

Now, Nicky has a proper desk, complete with mute buttons and he can play on!  Here's what he thought when Christian unveiled the surprise:

Oh LOVELY Sunday reading!

It's a lazy sick day here, perfect for a great, big, thick Sunday paper.  Unfortunately, the thick Sunday paper in these parts is full of hogwash. So, the thin Sunday paper is what's on the porch and I can pretty much read the whole thing waiting for my first cup of tea to brew. So, what to read with the second and third cups?  Regina Doman has a new blog!  Truly, this a pure joy to read this morning.  How I love to hear her "voice!"

When There's Really Not a Lot of Snow

Nicholas, indignant, to Katie and Gracie:  Snow Angels???  You're going to make snow angels?? How can you make snow angels?  That's a waste of perfectly good snow.

And he puts a few more precious snowballs in the freezer.

The dreaded question

Says the seventh child (the child born just before the digital camera), looking over the row of baby books:  Where's mine, Mommy!?  I can't wait to see all my pictures.Michael and Kari have lots of pictures.

Sigh.  That's because Michael was the first and because MICHAEL took Kari's pictures.  I'm a bad mommy, Katie. There are pictures,here, somewhere.  I will scrapbook, sometime.  I promise, dear girl.