All three of us are very thankful for many things this year, especially our loving and supportive friends and family who called, emailed, visited and proved to us how lucky we are to have them in our lives. Molly, Mary Grace and I are truly blessed to know such wonderful people.
Mary Grace was able to bond with her two Grandmothers over the past month, and she thanks them for preparing great meals and holding her during those long nights when she didn't feel like sleeping. Mary Grace also loved being able to meet her uncle Colin and aunt Johanna, who were nice enough to make the long journey up to the frozen tundra of the North to welcome her into the world.
Thanksgiving was very special this year. We invited Jane and Henry to come up and celebrate with us in Washington. Jane, who spent the previous week being a tireless and diligent grandmother, prepared one of the best Thanksgiving meals we have ever eaten. After stuffing ourselves silly, we all watched football, enjoyed some fine red wine and just stared at Mary Grace.
We nervously said goodbye to Jane and Henry the following Saturday, and entered the reality that is unsupervised parenthood.
Things have been going smoothly since Henry and Jane left DC. Molly and I have been doing a pretty good job of being parents, and Mary Grace was able to spend time with her other Grandmother who came up to Washington last Thursday and stayed through the weekend. Grandma Stephanie accompanied us to our geneticist appointment at the Children's National Medical Center in DC, where we learned that Mary Grace is not only completely healthy, but also in the top percentile for cognition and development. Mary Grace has grown two inches and gained almost an entire pound since birth. She loves eating, which is making things easy on everyone but poor Molly.
I have to point out that the Children's National Medical Center is one of the most inspiring and heartwarming places I have ever been, despite the large number of sick and dying children at the facility. The way in which the hospital dignifies the children almost brought me to tears. Mary Grace was given a tiny hospital gown to wear so that she wouldn't have to sit on the table in only her diaper. Everything about the the staff at Children's pointed to the fact that they viewed Mary Grace as a human being. Having been ushered in and out of so many doctor's offices lately, we have noticed that most medical facilities unintentionally treat children as if they are pets or some type of valuable, inanimate possession. It isn't that they are disrespectful or cold, but merely that they don't take the time to recognize your child as another human being. Children's, on the other hand, understands that parents view their children as beings worthy of the respect and attention that older patients deserve. This is very moving when you see it acted upon your own child. After learning that Mary Grace's hand is not indicative of any underlying genetic or medical issues, the entire experience made Molly and I realize how lucky we are to be dealing with such a relatively small concern. We are also thankful to live in an area where we have such superior pediatric medical care.
On top of everything else going on, Mary Grace is opening her big blue eyes much more often, she loves to stick out her tongue and even smiles every once in a while. She is sleeping pretty well I guess, but every once in a while we have one of those nights where she just refuses to go down. Those nights can be especially difficult when I have a busy day of work the next morning. People always tell you about the lack of sleep that comes with having a baby, but I don't think you truly understand it until you are going through it yourself. That being said, I haven't been fired for sleeping under my desk or anything, so I guess I cannot complain too much.
Below are some pictures taken over the last few weeks:
Enjoying time with her Uncle Colin.
Mary Grace cheering on the Tarheels with Mommy.
Our little bear.
Glad that Daddy is home from work.
Thanks for the shirt Chelsea!
Yes, Daddy did that perfect swaddling!
Sleeping like a little angel.
Tummy time.
All dressed up and mad as a hornet.
Enjoying her pedicure.
Working up an appetite on Thanksgiving with Poppie.
Preparing the Thanksgiving feast.
What a fine meal.
What's a happening hot stuff?
James and Owen reading to Mary Grace.
Good morning.
Giving Daddy a big smile!
Trying on her Christmas hat.
Ready for her walk on a cold day.
Mary Grace loves her "Uncle" Will.
Modeling her dress from the Kennellys.
Looking cute in her snow suit.
Happy to be with Grandma again.
Taking a nap in Daddy's arms after a long, sleepless night of crying.
