On February 14 we celebrated Lydia's 2nd birthday with some of our friends and family. Here are the pics that we took during the day.
We hope that everyone who made it for the great day enjoyed themselves like Lydia did!!
2nd Birthday
Papa's Spirit Lives On
I’ve long been fascinated with ghosts and haunted tales. That’s probably why Halloween is my favorite holiday. However, the thought of actually coming in contact with a ghost has always seemed frightening to me. But that was until I had a spiritual connection with Papa, my late father-in-law, that leads me to believe he is aware of Lydia’s existence and continues to be proud of Randy’s accomplishments.
This photo of Papa was taken when Jack was born.
This past Saturday night, my friend Amy and I participated in a Chicago Ghost Investigations (CGI) tour at an old warehouse near Chicago’s China Town, which is supposedly home to dozens of spirits. During prohibition, Al Capone used the warehouse for his underground operations, and today several artists rent space inside the building, which, from an overall perspective, looks like it could be a used as a backdrop for a SAW movie.
CGI is actually doing on-going research inside the warehouse to try and identify the spirits that live there, and they rely on these public tours to collect some of their data. Before we started the tour, real-life ghost hunters provided us with a crash course in “Ghost Hunting 101,” explaining that in addition to encountering a building ghost often times attendees bring their own ghosts with them. I immediately turned to my friend and said if any spirit followed me, it would be Steve, my mom’s late boyfriend, or Papa.
The ghost hunters assigned Amy and I to a group of four and then armed us with a flashlight, dowsing/divination rods, a thermal scanner, and an EMF scanner before essentially setting us free in the dark, damp and very eerie basement of the warehouse. CGI did recommend we set up our equipment in an area that’s known to have activity with a spirit they believe to be Al Capone’s accountant.
Each person in our group had a job to do. Ashley was to hold the thermal and EMF scanners, AJ was to ask the spirits questions, Amy was to record what was happening and I was to hold the dowsing rods. These are the tools that enable communication with the spirits through a series of yes and no questions where the spirits are asked to please cross the rods based on their answer. The ghost hunters recommended that we ask the spirits the same questions twice to confirm the consistency of the responses.
While I steadily held the rods at chest level, six inches apart and parallel to the floor, AJ introduced us and asked, “Are there were any spirits in the room?” If the answer was yes, AJ asked the spirit to please cross the rods. A few seconds later the rods crossed and I almost lost my shit (sorry that is one of my favorite sayings right now). Then AJ went on with the questions and we learned the spirit was a male who was not associated with the warehouse. AJ then asked the spirit, “Are you with someone in the group?” The rods crossed for yes. My heart started to beat rapidly and my adrenaline rushed because at that moment I had a feeling the spirit was “my ghost.” AJ asked the spirit who in the group the spirit came with and the rods were at a position that didn’t point at anyone directly; he proceeded to ask “Are you with Sarah?” The rods crossed for yes, and my heart started pounding even faster. Practically in shock, I immediately asked AJ if I could start asking the questions because I believed it was Steve or Papa wanting to reach out to me.
I started by asking, “Steve if this is you, please cross the rods.” Nothing happened. I then asked, “Papa if it is you, please cross the rods.” The rods crossed and I was overwhelmed with emotion. It was like I felt fear, joy, excitement, nervousness and sadness all at once.
My next question was “Papa, please cross the rods if you know about Lydia, your granddaughter” and the rods crossed. Through this communication, which was approximately 30 minutes long, I asked several yes or no questions and learned he wanted me to tell Jack and Izzy “Hi,” give Lydia a kiss for him, tell Jody and Amy either “Hi” or that “he loves them” (I can’t remember the exact question I asked) and tell Randy that he is “proud of him.” I also learned that he is aware of Amy and Caleb being engaged. I also made sure that he knows we all love and miss him dearly. I asked if he was happy and he crossed the rods for yes, which put me at ease. When I asked if he is always with us, I didn't get a definite response.
I know some might think this is a hoax, but I made sure I kept the rods as still as possible to ensure I didn’t accidently manipulate them. I could feel the force of them moving; some responses were stronger than others. And the most amazing thing happened when I asked Papa to give me hugs. The rods moved pretty strong towards me. There was no way I could have manipulated that unless I twisted my wrists, which I didn’t. Also, Ashley was holding the EMF and thermal scanners, which confirmed a spiritual presence. She told me that each time I asked a question, the EMF scanner didn’t really engage, but when Papa was answering, the scanner displayed strong activity.
After I told Papa “bye,” I asked my friend, Amy, her perception of the situation. She told me she was glad I got to experience it and that once I determined it was him everything seemed to flow quickly. She said it seemed so personal that she felt like the rest of the group should have left the room. I felt so peaceful after it was over because for me, it confirms he is in heaven and watches over us.
We then moved to another room where we believe we communicated with a prostitute who was murdered in 1943, at the age of 50, by one of her customers. We also learned she lived near the warehouse and knew Al Capone. We tried to get her name using a radio frequency box but we couldn't make out what she was saying, but we all heard something. In this encounter, my friend, Amy, held the rods and she felt the rods move as I had. However, in my situation, Papa’s answers flowed better and seemed stronger because I knew him and was able to ask relatable questions. Whereas, with this female spirit, we were grasping at straws trying to figure out what to ask her so we could learn more about her identify.
Since then, I can’t get the Papa experience out of my head. I want so badly for it to have been real, however, the skeptic in me has been trying to figure ways in which the situation could have been manipulated. But in all honestly, I don’t think it could have been rigged and my friend doesn’t think so either. Even Randy, who called my experience “bullshit,” doesn’t think CGI could have manipulated the situation.
Whether you think my account is real or not, I truly believe I was communicating with Papa, and I feel very fortunate to have been able to have such a magical experience. And even if it is was all smoke and mirrors, the truth is Papa’s spirit still lives on through his family and friends. We all carry him in our hearts and have fond memories of him that will last a lifetime.
What's in a Name?
Picking a child’s name can be a difficult task. After all, with endless monikers to choose from, it can be overwhelming. Plus, you need to consider things such as does the name pass the “banana fana fo fana” test (poor Chuck) or will your kid have to endure teasing. Consider “Maxi Pad,” “Hairy Mary,” “Scary Larry” or worst of all “Hot Carl.”
Lydia at 3-months old.
Selecting Lydia’s name wasn't too difficult, but there were some hurdles. If she were a boy, I would have to have gone to battle with Randy as to why “Rock” makes a horrible name unless, of course, the kid becomes a bad ass, wrestler or football player. For a girl, Randy threw out the name “Opetta,” and all I could think was “What Tha!”
I actually came up with Lydia’s name, and thankfully Randy liked it. While unsure about ever having kids, I did have some names in mind long before she was a twinkle in my eye. I liked the names “Olivia,” “Sophia” and “Lydia,” which was inspired by Winona Ryder’s “Lydia Deetz” character in “Beetle Juice.” The name “Lydia” is of Greek origin and means “from Lydia, beauty.”
As time went on, I lost interest in “Olivia” and “Sophia.” And it is a good thing because they now top the hottest list of baby names, and Lydia will probably have two or three girls in her kindergarten class with these monikers. Of the top 1,000 names in the United States for 2012, “Sophia” ranked #1, “Olivia” #4 and “Lydia” #95.
Growing up, I was pretty much the only “Sarah” in my class. As I have gotten older, I find my name to be more common. My name was actually going to be “Samantha” but my mom changed her mind because something inside her told her I was a “Sarah.”
What's interesting is that my mom’s great grandma on her mother’s side was Sarah M. Pullen, and my middle initial is also “M.” My mom didn’t know that when she named me. Something else that’s fascinating is that Sarah M. Pullen was born on August 11, 1858 (died on March 11, 1894), and my sister, Samantha, was born on August 11.
If I had been a boy, my name would have been “Michael,” as if being called “Sarah Knightrider” wasn’t bad enough. Imagine if I would have shared the same name with the show’s main character. People would have always asked me where “Kitt” was.
While it's by no means the hardest part of becoming a parent, finding the perfect name for your child is a big deal because it's practically permanent. I say practically because, as adults, kids can go through the court system to have their names changed to “Ocho Cinco” or “Princess Banana Hammock,” if they don't like what their parents gave them.
How I Love Lydia, Let Me Count The Ways
Next week Lydia will be four months old, and I'm happy to report she's finally starting to come into her own. No longer is she the alien taking over my body or the newborn eating machine that interrupts my much needed beauty sleep, she is a tiny tot who is starting to show her personality. And I don't mean to brag, but she is awesome.
From what I can tell so far, Lydia is a pretty chill baby and about as low maintenance as a four-month-old can be -- all while being pretty freaking adorable (and I can say this without being conceited because she looks nothing like me). Everything about her is cute from the alfalfa sprout on the top of her head to the long toes on her slender feet.
Here are some of the things I love about her:
- I love the dimple on her right cheek that comes out when she smiles and laughs as I sing "Old McDonald" and sound like a deranged cow during the "with a moo moo here and a moo moo there" chorus.
- I love that she is not picky, and I can do things like switch nipples on her (bottles, not boobs) without her caring as long as she gets her food. Even her first night away from home, she soundly slept in her pack in play at Grandma Connie's house without any fussing.
- I love that at three months she started sleeping through the night, and I'm no longer overtired and putting my clothes on inside out.
- I love that she can projectile vomit all over me and act like nothing happened.
- I love that she contently watches TV while I take a shower or do a quick chore.
- I love that she prefers sticking almost her entire hand in her mouth as opposed to wanting or relying on a pacifier to sooth her, unlike a four-year-old I know.
- I love that when she is not feeling well, she is still a trooper, unlike her Dad who thinks the world is going to end ... oh wait, that's me.
- I love that she can be soothed by others. In fact, I joke that she prefers Auntie Jody's bosom over mine. Actually, it has been confirmed Jody is the Lydia whisperer, perhaps it's because she is a baby hog ... only kidding Auntie Jody.
I have been truly blessed with such a cool, content kid (knocking on wood right now), and I look forward to sharing her experiences with you. I'm just sorry it has been over a month since my last post. I promise to get better because I think I've finally gotten the hang of this mommy thing.
My Honey Bunnies
I realize Easter was a week ago and I am just now posting about it ... but, hey ... caring for a newborn, even when she is a good baby, is hard work. Lydia spent her first Easter sleeping while we all (me, Randy, Jody, Scott, Jack, Izzy, Amy and Caleb) enjoyed a steak dinner, which Randy cooked on his new Green Egg grill.
I find holidays, such as Easter, are a lot more fun and magical when kids are involved, specifically my Honey Bunnies -- Jack, Izzy, Adelyn and now Lydia. They make it possible to step back into my youth and once again enjoy visiting the Easter Bunny, coloring eggs and loading up on Cadbury Eggs and Reese Eggs. Ok, who am I fooling I would still load up on the candy if the kids weren't involved.
I look forward to when I can do all of the fun Easter activities with Lydia. And I am curious if she will love Cadbury Eggs as much as I do as well as get to watch the same Cadbury commercial that has been airing every year since I was a kid -- you know the one with the lion and llama on stage wearing the bunny ears.
Below are pictures of all my Honey Bunnies:
From left to right: Adelyn clearing loving the Easter Bunny this year; Izzy and Jack helping Lydia celebrate her first Easter; Jack's first Easter; and Izzy sporting her bunny gear this year.
Happy St. Patrick's Day
While my little leprechaun is too small to indulge in any of the joys of St. Patrick's Day, especially Shamrock Shakes, she did spend the day looking cute in outfits from Papaw and Grammy (my Dad and Lisa) as well as Mimi (Randy's Mom).
Don't you just want to kiss this little Irish lass!
The Two Mouseketeers
Even though she slept the entire time, Lydia helped celebrate Izzy's third birthday on Saturday, March 9 by dressing up to match the party's Minnie Mouse theme. How adorable are these two!
