Lucy's "Blessings"

Sunday was Lucy's Blessing at church, which is something that we do for babies in our church when they are born. Most churches baptize their babies, but we believe that children are not held accountable for sins, and are therefore blameless, until the age of eight. There is then no need to baptize them before then. At the age of eight, they can choose for themselves if they are ready to be baptized. We as parents hope that we have done a good job of guiding them in the right direction.
At any rate, Lucy was so quiet and good during the Blessing. I put her in the hand-smocked dress I made for her and the delicate matching bonnet I had sewed the night before in about an hour. She looked like a little angel, or a Victorian-era baby. She did not like the bonnet, though, and kept making faces and trying to turn her head and eat it.
After church, Mindy, Kevin, and the kids had to leave right away, but George's parents came back to our house for cake and early dinner. I made baked spaghetti, garlic bread, and lemon veggies. I had ordered her cake from Harris Teeter - vanilla with whipped cream icing. I requested ribbons and a purple border and letters. I had also asked for it to say "Lucy's Blessing", but they misunderstood and put "Lucy's Blessings" instead. I tried to scrape off the extra "s", but as it was whipped cream icing and not buttercream, I couldn't lift it off without smearing it. Oh, well. It tasted just fine.
Today, Mom and Mimi came to visit. They were going to watch Lucy and Drake for me while I went to the doctor for some neck and head pain I have had for over a week now. However, on the way home from shopping, my back driver-side tire went flat. I couldn't put my spare on because it is already on my front passenger-side because that tire just went flat and we are waiting to get a new set of tires. Luckily, my spare is full-size. So I missed my doctor's appointment. It is insane. I have gotten more flat tires in my two and a half years living in New Bern than I did in seven years living in Middlesex. Every few months, I get a flat. No joke. It's ridiculous.
Mom held Lucy for me while I re-potted some asters and pansies I had just bought and transplanted my rosemary and mint into the ground. The house across the street put out a trio of grinning jack-o-lanterns today, so I figured it's time to get our fall decor out, too. I had hoped to do it on Sunday, but no luck. It took too much time to make dinner and clean up from it, not to mention catch up on the eighty loads of laundry waiting for me so the kids could have clean uniforms for school.
Mom and Mimi took me shopping for a late birthday present (prior to the flat tire incident). We just went to Target, but I found so many adorable things: two-tone menswear-inspired heels, a gray sweater dress, a black lace-tiered tunic, a sweater-jacket with a fleece-lined hood, elbow-length tee, a cotton blouse (Xtra Small!!!yippee!!), and a pair of six dollar jeans. The jeans are a size 6, and I am normally a size 2. I have a little more baby weight to lose, so I refuse to buy any pants that aren't stretchy or super-inexpensive. Still, I haven't bought new clothes in months, so it was great, even if I had to swallow my pride and get the tee and lace tunic in a size Large. I told my mom that was incentive to make me lose those extra two pants sizes. We had Chinese for dinner though, and I pigged out, so I doubt the last few pounds are going to be coming off any time soon.