Margaret Sue

Margaret. My great grandmother, my dad's grandmother, and my grandpa's mom. I've always felt a connection with her. She passed away when I was a baby, but I remember looking at my mom's wedding album at four years old, finding Grandma "Toots" (as in "tootsy") and pointing to her. I'm pretty sure she is one of my guardian angels. It's my only explanation for feeling a bond to her when I really have no memory of her. Before we found out Henry was a boy, we had Margaret picked for our little girl's name. We are glad our little Maggie bares her name.

Margaret was born in Switzerland and left with her mom and sister to America when she was a teenager. They traveled by boat to America, then by train to Utah and eventually ended up in California. My dad recalls her as a stern but loving grandmother who welcomed her grandchildren with root beer floats, gave amazing head scratches, and never yelled at or told on him (when he and his twin did things that would have gotten his parents upset with them). She was a strong woman who raised her children well and made many sacrifices for her posterity.

Sue. My mother. Where to begin...I've been trying to write this section for over a week now, and nothing seems to be good enough.

I've always had a great relationship with my mom. Always. She's been a best friend throughout my life. I hope I can have the same relationship with my children that she has with each of her kids. She is continually teaching me through her words and actions about being thoughtful, going the extra mile to help others, and how to sponge bath a newborn, among a million other things.

As a child I remember playing games together, cooking together, and talking about any and everything. Now we continue to play games together, cook together, and talk. I love going to her house and I always hate to leave it. Sitting and chatting (about "nothing," my dad would say) is my favorite thing to do with her. She is always available to listen or spend time with me and my children. Like Grandma "Toots," she is a strong woman who raised her children well and is willing to make sacrifices for her family. My mom would do anything for anybody. In one word, she is selfless.

Maggie Sue has great women in her life to look up to. And I hope as she learns about her great-great grandma and grandma that she will come to love and revere them both the way I do.

One Month

We've already had one full month with little Maggie Sue, better known as "sister." She is growing bigger every day and we can't seem to slow it down--but we're grateful that growth means a healthy baby. Maggie is a great eater, a descent sleeper (an excellent sleeper when lying right next to mom or dad), and a content baby. Being the happy child she is (along with Henry's naps and Brendon working a lot of night shifts at the ER), the transition to life with two children has gone much better than expected. We couldn't be more grateful she is here, healthy, and happy.

Pictures never do her justice, but here is Maggie's first month. (And like I knew I would, I have failed to take even half of the number of photos I did with my first child. It doesn't mean I love you any less, little Maggie.)

Recap of the hospital: we all adore her.

Leaving the hospital

The newborn pose 

(I know my babies are no longer new when they quit tucking their feet & 

wrapping their arms by their head)

Christmas photos

One month old

First Dose of Our Christmas

Just thought I would post a few pictures and videos for your enjoyment!

Good Reads

With interview season under way, I have been able to do some reading in my spare time and on flights. Here are some recent good reads.

My favorite was The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. A quick look at the wikipedia page for HeLa cells will tell you how important they have been to scientific research. The author explains that "more than 60,000 scientific articles had been published about research done on HeLa, and that number was increasing steadily at a rate of more than 300 papers each month." But more than that, this book delves into Henrietta's family history, with all of the racial and ethical issues that surround the use of her cells. If you are intrigued by the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment, then this book is for you.

This was the fastest I have ever read a 250 page book. It took me only two days because I had a lot of travel time and I couldn't put it down. The combination of politics and sport, as well as the determination of Nelson Mandela make this gripping from start to finish. It's a shocking wake-up call to institutionalized racism that lasted until the 90's. Apartheid is such an important part of world history that it should be taught to every child worldwide.

This was a book on my father-in-laws shelf written by a man who has a PhD in physics from M.I.T. and has spent a good portion of his life studying the Torah and Talmud as well as other texts of Judaism. He reconciles the accounts of the creation with scientific evidence in as simple of terms as possible. By analyzing modern evidence and the context of biblical translations, he brings both sides into congruence. It got a little repetitive at times, but the principles will stick with me forever. 

Heaven on Earth

Time has seemed to stop. We are at home, all together. The four of us. No worrying about schedules or daily routines. We are simply hanging out, playing together, and taking care of each other. We have been experiencing a piece of heaven on earth this last week. There is something special about a newborn in the home and having time together as a family.

Brendon is home for two weeks (minus a two-day interview in Texas). He has been playing Mr. Mom, doing everything from dishes and laundry to playing with and feeding Henry, making sure our little man is getting lots of love and attention, not to mention getting diaper changes and going to bed on time. Brendon is a saint to say the least. I told him he should change career paths to stay at home full time, but he declined, reminding me that we wouldn't make it very far in life. Having so much time together is rare and what makes it so special, I've concluded. Between Brendon and my mom who calls every day to see if she can help in any way, we (Henry, Maggie, and I) have been in good hands.

Maggie is such a joy. Something hit me when I first saw her out of my belly: it was an instantaneous love handed to me for this child. My daughter. I cherished my time with her in the hospital. We had a lot of alone time, and, just like with Henry, I completely fell in love with her. Now that we are home, the love continues to grow. She is so angelic: the essence of a pure child. Her father and I adore her.

Henry is slowly warming up to Maggie, bless his little heart. We are trying to be sensitive to him and his needs. Each day he is making progress in getting acquainted with his sister. The other day he came up to her while she was awake on my lap and talked to her for awhile and gave her a kiss for the first time. He has repeated this several times since. Henry often hears the phrase, "Be soft." He is learning a lot about being a big brother and I have no doubt that he'll be one of the best.

 

Our lives are forever changed. Forever changed for the better in so many ways. We are thrilled about the newest addition to our family and, even though there are difficult days ahead (I'm wondering how I'll be able to manage two by myself coupled with sleepless nights), the good moments will outweigh the hard ones, I'm sure. 

Maggie, we love and adore you and are so grateful you are a part of our family.

Introducing Maggie Holmes!

Margaret Sue Holmes was born at 2:50 pm, weighing in at 6 lbs 14 oz (rounded up if you watch the video), measuring 19.5 inches.

We rolled into the hospital around 8:45, got checked in and hooked up, watched the Michigan vs. Ohio State football game while Maggie made her way down the chute. At 2:25 the nurse checked and said she was very ready to come out, so the doctor ran over to the hospital by 2:45 and one contraction later, Maggie was out. The nurse predicted it would be quick when she checked, but I didn't believe it until I saw it! We have had a lot of comfort and confirmation these last few days about this new addition to our family. We are so excited!

Henry's Latest Request

Winter beanie and gloves.

Throughout the day, inside or outside (although he prefers to be outside).

Right after waking up from a nap or as soon as he spots the gear in the morning.

He sure does look good sporting it all.

In Preparation for Our Baby Girl

(1) Baby showers
My sweet mother-in-law and extended family threw me a baby shower. The party was complete with adorable decorations, fantastic food, generous gift-giving, practical projects, and the perfect company complete with warm conversations. Have I ever mentioned how much I love and adore Brendon's family and the extended family relationships they have? Simply incredible. Lots of love and support from so many people!

My incredible book club also threw me a shower. I thought it was so sweet that they even offered to do such a thing. We had a great night together and I'm so grateful for the friendships I've been able to build while living here.

(2) Big brother
We've been talking about "baby sister" to Henry. Pretty sure he's going to be shocked when she gets here and will need some a lot of adjusting to not having mom or dad at his beckon call, but I'm also pretty sure he's going to love and adore his baby sister. Henry loves babies and is so cute with little girls (even those his own age). Lately when I point to my belly and tell him "baby sister," he hugs and kisses my belly. He is such a sweet boy.

(3) Baby clothes & accessories
On top of the baby showers, I had a dear neighbor and friend offer her girl clothes to me. What a blessing! And they are adorable clothes to boot. All the baby clothes are washed, folded, and ready to go.

A friend and I have been getting together once a week for the past few weeks to make felt flowers for our girls. So unlike me, I know. If I could afford it, I would buy them off of Etsy; but for now, I'm making my own headbands and have even started enjoying the final products. Pretty sure I'm pushing my crafting skills to its' limit.

(4) Prepared
I have stocked up on diapers, made an activity jar and play/art bucket for Henry so we make time to do something fun each day once the baby comes, and my Christmas shopping is complete!

Baby girl, we are anxiously awaiting your arrival into our family! 
Only seven more days to go.

Surprise!

Brendon does not like surprises. At least when I rub it in with, "I got you something but you don't know what it is." He'll search everything to find the gift: credit card statements, the house, our bank account...and he'll spend a fair amount of time looking until he finds out what it is. Christmas presents under the tree? He's a peeker. Double wrapped? Doesn't matter. He'll get to the gift.

So when Brendon left Henry and I for a three week rotation in California, I started to plan a surprise birthday gift without hinting to him I had a surprise. You see, three weeks is too long for us to be a part, Brendon's birthday was during this rotation, and with the help of a cheap plane ticket, my in-laws who were already planning on driving to Utah after Brendon's rotation, and some encouragement from my family (especially my dad), I decided to surprise Brendon.

Our surprise didn't go anything as planned, but it worked out perfectly. Our two-hour flight ended up being five hours. Brendon and his brother, Grant's, surf trip ended up being longer than planned. But Henry & I got to Grant's house about fifteen minutes before the boys got home. Perfect.

Brendon walked in, saw me and Henry and exclaimed, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!?!?!" We had a joyous reunion.

Best surprise ever. Best birthday ever. I was a little nervous as to how the surprise would be received, but just look at his excitement. His face speaks for itself. No regrets with this surprise.

Brendon asked how I'm going to top off this birthday gift. I'm not even going to try. Brendon paid me the ultimate compliment when we were at a pumpkin patch with shopping stores when he said, "We need to get an ornament to remember today." (We collect Christmas ornaments with vacations and memories we want to keep.) So we bought our birthday ornament to commemorate the birthday we'll never forget.

No Dad, No Binkie, & a Sore Bum

Dad left almost a week ago. Henry and I have stayed busy playing with friends as much as possible and have been doing as well as possible without a husband and dad around. Poor Henry is going through the wringer this week: Dad (aka: his best buddy) is gone, we are working on no binkie at nap and bedtime, and he has a sore bum. I swear this happens every time dad is gone: terrible sore bottoms. Sunday Henry was not himself, but he has become more happy since. He truly is a champ and I find myself saying to Brendon, "Henry is such a good buddy" every day. He seems to be playing on his own more often and is such a good sport whenever I go shopping or make dinner. We have definitely been sustained with some extra help while dad is away.

Who wouldn't miss this?

We love and miss you, Dad! 

Dad's Week Off

Brendon had a week off and we took full advantage of it, doing something every day as a family. We tried to enjoy our time together as much as possible in anticipation of his (last) out rotation.

Monday we went to a pumpkin patch up in Riverton with my sister's family. There was a free corn maze, a free hayride, and old tractors sitting out for the kids to sit on (at least that's what we used them for). We found some perfect pumpkins for a great price, too. Henry couldn't get enough of the tractors and we took him on the hayride twice, he enjoyed it so much. After the pumpkin patch we went to my sister's for soup and chili and had a great time visiting. Henry and Brooklyn are becoming better friends as Henry is learning how to interact more with other kids.

 

On Tuesday we set out to find some ducks. Thanks to the internet, we discovered a new park in Provo with a duck pond. As I gave bread to Henry to feed the ducks, he quickly put it in his own mouth. He's a good little eater. He chased a few ducks around and wanted to swim with them in their pond so badly. Dad walked around the pond with Henry but he was still adamant about getting in the pond. As I was feeding the ducks, I couldn't believe how close they got--a little too close for comfort for me. They even nipped at my fingers a few times. A bonus feature of the park was a play place. We went swinging and Henry played on the slides before heading home.

Wednesday was my favorite day of our week. My mom watched Henry for the day while Brendon and I had a day-long date. We went on a tandem bike ride up Provo canyon, a must do. I loved it so much someday I want to purchase a tandem bike. And having Brendon as my partner was great--he said he did more than half the work. It was a beautiful bike ride. After our ride we went to the temple together, always a treat. Then we went out to eat, to a movie, then bowling. On our way home Brendon said, "I hope the buddy is still awake." Sure enough, he was so we played with him a little before our day ended.

On Thursday we went to the pet store (instead of the zoo). This ended up being perfect and more of a hands-on experience for Henry. We walked into the store with a dog running around and Henry quickly found a cage with kittens. He played with them most of all because his hand could reach into the cage to pet them. We saw everything from fishes, frogs and turtles to lizards, mice, and birds. When Henry got a little too comfortable and started to stick his hands into everything, we decided it was time to leave. We will definitely be doing that again.

On Friday we drove the Alpine Loop. Since it had snowed in the mountains during the week, we were able to see not only the changing leaves but also the snow on the trees. It was a beautiful drive. Henry didn't care for it too much. He quickly fell to sleep until we finished our canyon drive. Lucky for him dad opted to stop at the park we drove past and played with Henry (while mom stood still trying to keep warm in the 30 degree weather).

It was the perfect week spent together relaxing and enjoying each other's company.