Wilkins Patrick McDonald

Our little man arrived on Friday, September 27th at 9:40am, weighing 9lbs 6oz and measuring 22 inches long. We are so in love and so glad he's here!

 

The week leading up to Wilkins' arrival was truly wonderful. Tucker's mom Judy flew in from Texas on Thursday, 9/19, and spent lots of time playing with Margot and taking good care of us. I had my last day at school on my due date, Friday, 9/20, and the following week, Margot stayed home from daycare, while Tucker worked from home.

We tried our best to soak up the last minutes of only-childhood with Margot, too. As Judy said, it was one of the most precious weeks  we'll remember as the pace of things slowed down and we anticipated the changes and joy ahead. 

Judy and Margot

Tucker and Margot

Tucker and Margot on the new swing.

Margot at Nordstrom showing off her new Hello Kitty shoes from Sassy.

Our last supper before we headed to the hospital.

Contrary to my best hopes, Wilkins didn't want to come into the world without a little prodding. There were many times where I thought I was going into labor, only to have the contractions peter out. So, we went with our back up plan and Tucker and I headed into the hospital on Wednesday night, 5 days past my due date, for the induction.

Before we left for the hospital, Margot wasn't feeling so happy...

Judy, Tucker, and Margot

 A happier moment since Margot has a snack.

Here we go again!

 It took longer than expected to get things going, but by Thursday night, I was finally making progress and our sweet boy was born at 9:40 am on Friday September 27th.

We were just a tiny bit shocked when the nurse announced his weight of 9 lbs 6 oz and 22 inches long; no, we did not see this coming. Doctors had estimated his weight to be somewhere in the 8lb range, but even then, I was a bit skeptical, thinking there was no way such a big baby could come from me.

  Naively, I thought there were just some people who made big babies (ie: tall moms and dads) and that I was just not one of them! I guess at 41 weeks pregnant, all bets are off anyway.

Margot and Wilkins meeting for the first time at the hospital.

Judy, Wilkins, and Margot with her new baby.

 I was so happy to see Margot and missed her like crazy while I was in the hospital. 


We were anxious to get home and checked out of the hospital on Saturday afternoon.

 Wilkins, doing his going home dance.

And as for his name? Wilkins Patrick was a name we'd had our hearts set on for a while. Wilkins is Tucker's step-dad's last name (Lewis Langley Wilkins, Jr.), and Patrick was the first of the Hollands (my maiden name) to come to the US from Ireland, in 1849. We think it has a nice ring to it.

Wilkins and Judy.

Wilkins, Judy, and Margot

First selfie with Wilkins. Get ready little guy!

People say he favors me...maybe? I guess we'll wait and see.

We snapped a few family pics while Judy was here.

Margot, Judy, Tucker, Wilkins.

As always, more to come soon!

The Talk

It was time again to have "the Talk"; this time, with Margot.

 With so many changes ahead, we thought it was time to sit down and have a discussion with Margot about being a big sister, and that, in fact, she will not be the only child in the house any more.

She seemed to take it well, though there were lots of long pauses and awkward silences. There were also a few requests to go "outside" and eat goldfish. We're afraid she's not taking this transition seriously. 

 Afterwards, she made a few calls on her cell phone, (mostly to her Sesame Street crew,) and had to put her head down to really take in the breadth of what we'd talked about.

We'll see how it goes.

All Over Again

Yesterday, I received a lot of love from

my mom and mother-in-law.

 

My mom called after dinner and we had a long, and familiar, conversation where she recounted the weeks and days leading up to my birth. We talked about how much mystery there was when I was born and how today, I know so much about the little guy in my belly, even though we have yet to "meet".  She had heard my heartbeat and seen a fuzzy sonogram before I was born, while I've seen my child's hands, feet, a 3D image of his face, watched him practice breathing, and even seen his aorta (it looks like a candy cane). My mom also talked about what it was like to expect to have a baby in her arms by Thanksgiving, but not actually meet me until January 5th. Things have changed! 

 

We've had this same conversation before, (including how she watched Magnum PI before waking my dad and dropping my sister at the neighbors when it was time to go to the hospital), but as I get closer and closer to my due date, it is comforting to talk about some of my fears and hear her story, knowing that everything turned out ok.

 

Earlier in the day, Tucker's mom Judy sent me the blessing below.

 

FOR A MOTHER-TO-BE

Nothing could have prepared

Your heart to open like this.

 

From beyond the skies and the stars

This echo arrived inside you

And started to pulse with life,

Each beat a tiny act of growth,

Traversing all our ancient shapes

On its way home to itself.

 

Once it began you were no longer your own.

A new, more courageous you, offering itself

In a new way to a presence you can sense

But you have not seen or known.

 

It has made you feel alone

In a way you never knew before;

Everyone else sees only from the outside

What you feel and feed

With every fiber of your being.

 

Never have you traveled farther inward

Where words and thoughts become half-light

Unable to reach the fund of brightness

Strengthening inside the night of your womb.

 

Like some primeval moon,

Your soul brightens

The tides of essence

That flow to your child.

 

You know your life has changed forever,

For in all the days and years to come,

Distance will never be able to cut you off

From the one you now carry

For nine months under your heart.

 

May you be blessed with quiet confidence

That destiny will guide you and mind you.

May the emerging spirit of your child

Imbibe encouragement and joy

From the continuous music of your heart,

So that it can grow with ease

Expectant of wonder and welcome

When its form is fully filled.

 

And it makes its journey out

To see you and settle at last

Relieved, and glad in your arms.

What is ahead of me, I've done before, my mom, mother-in-law, and women everywhere have done before...and yet, it's still such a sacred and beautiful thing. I feel fortunate to have such loving support as I walk the path of meeting my son!

Margot Month

In honor of Margot Month, I thought I'd post some pictures of our young lady.

 

 She is a very busy girl these days. Running, climbing (which she insists on doing independently), carrying things around, and generally exploring everything around her.

At 20 months, it's very important that she do things herself and on her terms. She will tell you when she wants to be carried and when she wants to go outside, inside, upstairs, wherever...

 She will also tell you when she wants to eat and exactly WHAT she wants to eat. We have her fooled into thinking that the squeezable food pouches are a treat so she gets excited about 4 bean medley, quinoa, greek yogurt, spinach and squah mixtures.

  She loves pulling out books and settling into a lap for some reading. She does lots of pointing, imitates sounds of animals, and can sometimes anticipate what comes next in a story.

Waking up from her nap is her toughest time of day, around 3:30-4:00pm. She needs to ease back into activities at her own pace and LOVES to snuggle when she first gets up.

When Lock and Holly came over, she showed off her teeth brushing (or rather toothpaste eating) skills.

Her new bedroom is on the main floor and has windows that look onto the deck. As we were sitting outside with our friends, she thought it was hilarious to watch us from her crib.

 

 A new park opened up in our neighborhood which has been wonderful. Poor Margot has the fanatical mom who fully clothes her to play in the water. I promise I will draw the line at WholesomeWear. 

 Our girl has been interested in the potty lately and charmingly announces the events taking place in her diaper on a regular basis. Maybe we'll start thinking about potty training?

 I found this pic the other day and couldn't believe how little she was! She was about 12 weeks here. Time flies!

38th Week

Until this morning, I had a very witty blogpost prepared which was all about the challenges faced in the final weeks of pregnancy. It was a little sarcastic with complaints you've probably heard before. I talked about the ridiculous comments people make to pregnant women and how this commentary was getting under my skin.

Then, something happened over the weekend which changed my mind about posting it. A co-worker of mine, at the beginning of her third trimester, lost her baby. She drove herself, alone, to the hospital to endure the worst news of her life.  

 

As I was trying to make sense of it all and understand what this will mean for her, I realized that listening to comments about my growing belly really is a privilege. Is this phase all that "difficult" for me? I'm pretty sure I can manage the

well-meaning (even if annoying) comments that people are making. And soon, all of this will be forgotten and replaced by the experience of being a mom for the second time.

 

My co-worker's loss reminds me of how deep down, I've been acutely concious of surpassing the all-important 37th week. For some women, the experience of pregnancy can be unnerving...the kind of thing where "you don't know, until you know" that everything will be ok. That's been true for me, too.

 

I texted my sister this morning and asked her to pray for my friend. No matter what you believe or don't believe, I think her words make sense and are comforting.

 

Here's what Sarah wrote back to me:

"I am praying, and will continue to. These 2 verses are more for you than for her. 'Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.' (Matthew 4:4 NLT)

'Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.' (Romans 12:15 NIV)

You've been in a difficult place before, losing a baby. Mourn with her if you can. Pray for her. Send her a note or visit, whatever God puts in your heart to do. People in mourning need space, but also to know they are not alone. I love you sis!'

 

 

 

Summer 2013

Yes, I've been a slacker. I've also discovered how I have very honest friends and family who have not hesitated to share with me how much of a slacker they think I am  shared their concern for my lack of posts these past few months. Thanks for the pep talks, folks. 

Yes, it has been a busy summer, and, here is the world's longest blog post to illustrate it. Being pregnant with a very busy one-year-old may also have something to do with my "slacking".

I like to think that I've just been living in the moment all summer, thankyouverymuch.  

Here we go, Summer 2013, narrated by yours truly.

We started off the summer on a high note with Margot's visit to Children's where she saw 7 docs in one day. Phew. All had great news to share and expressed no concerns. We already knew she was a champ, but it was a relief to hear knowledgable, experienced professionals agree. Hooray Margot!

You know I have to throw in a flower pic somewhere in this blog post. So here it is, right off the bat.  Our hydrangeas were beautiful this year. They started out pink and over the past 4 years have turned purple.  Beauties!

The beginning of the summer included some scrambling on my part to make sure Margot had some fun toddler equipment in the backyard. From friends and neighbors (whose kids have outgrown these things) I was able to pull together a little house, a mini toddler gym, this slide, and her lovely police car, (as you've seen in previous posts). We have a balance bike waiting in the garage for her little legs to grow just a bit longer.

At the end of June, I flew up to Boston to visit my sister and her now 3 kiddos! We had a blast. Here are Braxton and Ava in the front yard.

 Here's Naomi and I, awkwardly figuring out the lap thing.

And my gorgeous sis with the wind blowing her hair back so glamorously! She's pretty smitten with this little munchkin, as is everyone who meets Naomi.

When I got back from Boston, Margot and I needed some time to catch up together. I took her to the park, and as usual, she showed me the ropes as I followed her lead. She's a pro, and here, she's just taking a break from her busy-ness.

For the 4th of July weekend, we headed to a tiny town called Deltaville on the Chesapeake Bay where our good friends, Amy and Eric, have a house. It was an incredible weekend.

 Here's Margot practicing her moves on dry land. With how much she loves the water, I have no doubt paddle boarding, and many other water sports, will be in this girl's future, someday.

We had quite a group in Deltaville this year...I think there were 12 of us, plus 3 dogs and 1 kiddo. Here are Karin, Luke, Tucker, and me.

Tucker and me.

 Jenny, Amy, me, Karin, and Erika

The day after we got back from Deltaville, my sister and her kids arrived from Boston. We had so much fun while they were here. Almost everyday was a new adventure, and the days we stayed home were fun (and necessary) too. 

Here we are being "that" family at the Air and Space museum. I love how I'm taller than Sarah (she's actually 4 inches taller than me) and Braxton (who's 6) is almost as tall as his mom. Funny.

Since I took off of work (yes, I still work in the summer) I got to have the most fun with Sarah and the kids while they were here. Tucker got in a little bonding time with his new niece, though. 

We took the kids to the Children's museum at the National Harbor and Margot had so much fun. Here she is, squeezing Tucker's head. There's a lot of love right here.

 After my sister and her kids left, Margot had our own fun at the pool. She couldn't get enough of the water and watching the older kids swim and play. I was happy to have a place to cool off...

And pizza...what can I say, but we ate a lot of it this summer! 

A new spot called Pete's New Haven Style pizza moved into the 'hood and we've been almost every week since it opened. So. Yummy! 

We had dinner at our friends Ty and Liz's house and I snapped this pic of these 4 nudists enjoying their dinner. Margot insisted on including her teddy in the dinner conversation.

We also got to see the Nats play in July. It was so hot, we had to finish watching the game from a restaurant inside the stadium. It didn't quite feel right, but it was necessary.

My favorite dish of the summer included a chimmichurri recipe that Tucker's mom Judy recommended to me. I used it on tilapia to make fish tacos.  

De-lish!

Margot and her buddy Hazel spent a lot of time together this summer. These two are about 6 months apart, and they're two peas in a pod.

For Hazel's 2nd birthday, Margot got dressed up and brought her a fancy balloon.

The next weekend, after a visit to our friends Rob, April, and Addy's house on the Hill, we strolled around Eastern Market while Margot snoozed. This was the worst of the summer heat, and it didn't last long. By the following week, the temps were down in the 70s, as if it was fall.

Remember that garden I planted with my students last spring?? Well even if this monumental event slipped your mind, I will show off anyway. 

Here are the fruits and vegetables from the garden we planted at school. Not sure why my students weren't just ecstatic about coming to school to pick up vegetables over the summer. So odd..? I gave these to the staff and took some home, too.

At the beginning of August, we went to Lake Anna with some friends. It was quiet and peaceful and the water was HOT. Not warm, HOT. Like taking a bath. If you'd like to learn why, check this out.

Amy and Margot, comparing kicks

 The crew, fishing in the afternoon.

Tucker with his catch o' the day.

Margot and Amy

Liz, having a J. Crew moment. Can you believe she had a baby about a minute (or 11 weeks) ago?

And then there's me, large and in charge, with what appears to be a magnetic belly. 

(I'm holding Liz's little guy Zachary, and Margot wiggled her way in there too...)

Margot and Emma, politely pretending like no one made them hold hands for a photo op:)

Last family vacation with only one in tow!

Did I mention our pizza consumption this summer? This was from our"date" which also included a romantic appointment at the doc for a sono of #2. We know how to have fun.

And then, without a doubt, my most indulgent weekend of the summer: my yearly trip with my girls from SLU. This year, we were in Annapolis (thanks to the largesse of my belly and my impending due date) and we had a blast. 

Jen, me, Kara

Andi and Kelley

Andi and Jen

Our crew of 9, sans Myndi this year since she was busy at home with baby Finn. She was missed!

On the Woodwind sailboat cruise in the Annapolis Harbor.

Dr. Banagan, one of our fearless leaders and planners this year! 

Sara, me, Sarah, and Caitlin

Jen, Stokie (or "Nicole" as she's known to others, such as her parents and husband) and Andi

I miss these girls already.

Last weekend, we caught up with some of our favorites, Lock and Holly, who indulged us in some good food and (after a bit to drink) some music. Lock has an extraordinary talent for playing the piano and Margot was enthralled. It made me think that sooner than later, I'd like to find a place for my grandmother's piano in our house. This of course, would require a move to larger house....someday!

And lastly, we got to celebrate the upcoming arrival of another baby: Baby Le, due just a few weeks after our little guy. Here are the parents to be, Rachelle and Winston. Margot's giving Winston her best  lesson on "Wiggly One Year Olds, 2013 Edition." He survived.

Amy was one of the amazing hostesses. Everything,  from food, to decor, to activities, to company was perfect.

  

With all the fun trips behind us, we can't help but start to plan for what's ahead. 

On that note, here's Margot, preparing to sell her little brother. 

The shirt says: "Brother for Sale: $1.00 or best offer". Yep, this cracks me up every time.

 We bought Margot a doll which we've so cleverly named "baby brother."  Genius.

We've also established "Margot Month" where we're trying to give her lots of extra attention so that when this interloper disrupts her life in a few weeks, she's feeling loved and connected to mom and dad.

We went to the Montgomery County fair last weekend and Margot loved informing the animals of the sounds they make. Here, she's instructing the sheep to say "BAAA". Thanks, Margot.

 With school beginning, my belly burgeoning, and my patience wearing thin (sorry Tucker) this post is ending close to the place where this entire blog began: nesting.  That post was almost two years ago.

I did some baking (and cleaning and organizing) yesterday and am feeling more and more ready to meet this little person.  

There might also be a little something to the daily comments and looks of shock and awe that I receive from co-workers that I'm actually able to transport myself to work everyday. Yes, I'm ready.  

The waiting game begins. As always, more to come....