Edith Margaret: Just Arrived

We pulled out the massive hair bow to count out the second #ladykenney's growth this year. I hope to be more diligent and timely in both taking the pictures and in posting them this time around but I'm already behind. In order to share the 1 month pictures before she hits the two month mark in 2 weeks, I should start from the beginning.

Edith Margaret Kenney, our little bundle. I fought long and reasoned well for your name and it suits you oh so well. Tim and I were married on the feast day of Edith Stein (St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross) and I have since fallen in love with her fierce piety. My name is Rylee Grace which means I am not named for any obvious patron saints. My middle name is a nod to my paternal grandmothers family and especially her mother as it is her last name and I am so glad for that. But ever since we did saints projects in fourth grade and were instructed to use the saint we were named for unless we didn't have one and then we could pick any, I have vowed to make sure my children would have one of their names nod to a saint. Anyway, we knew Gemma was a Gemma before we had kids, before we knew she was a girl, we have always had a patronage to Saint Gemma, it wasn't a big decision or a fight for us. I started thinking about Edith for a girl about the time we decided on Gemma's middle name. We would debate, Gemma Grace or Gemma Ruth or Gemma Elizabeth or Gemma Brigid or what? I would start ending the discussion with, 'and the next daughter will be Edie.' I knew with the old fashioned and STRONG name Tim might not be on board so I warmed him to it by introducing it early and often. This way, by the time we decided to get pregnant with baby number two, he was with me and didn't even really pose any other possibilities. Margaret is Tim's paternal grandmother and we are thrilled to have some strong, charitable, empowering, selfless, and Christ-seeking women to look up to. 

Oh, Edie, we love you so. This is you, in your first week of life.

Party like a Pineapple

Any excuse to celebrate my best friend is a good one but her birthday is the best, obviously. I have very few pictures but we fixed up our backyard space with some lights and decor and all of our indoor furniture (we have since purchased some outdoor seating) and invited friends over for Rose and Sangria! 

Can I give you all some advice, live with your best friend as much as possible. Even when married with kids, it is so good to see Shan every day, to share meals, laundry folding, life with each other. Thank you for always letting me be me and for going to Wegmans with me even if you already grocery shopped that week. I love you! HBD STB (I mean half birthday!)

Bathtime

It probably seems ridiculous to dedicate an entire post just to a babies first bath... but this is the kind of crazy thing a mom does and I am embracing it. First, Edie really enjoys bath time and is very zen which is refreshing considering that Gemma hated baths from birth to 20 months. And when I say hated I mean was terrorized by them and screamed the whole time. Second, we have loved having baths on the kitchen table so everyone can help out. Finally, Gemma loves giving Edith a bath and it is the most heartwarming thing, my mom heart grows three sizes each time.

Williamsburg

My parents are true snow birds who travel from Florida to Michigan when the boys are out of school for the summer. This year, they went way out of their way so we could all enjoy a long weekend vacation to kick off summer. We all met in Williamsburg, Virginia at a resort with swimming pool and park to supplement our historical venturing. It was so fun to see Gemma really grow to love her uncles and to enjoy the pool for the very first time!

Annapolis

You guys, I really love Annapolis. So much so that we've gone a million times; anytime someone comes to visit, it's my first question and suggestion. So this time we took Torey and Meghan. It was my first time ever having the terror that a parent experiences when their toddler is near water.

Summer 2017: Park Edition

We are seriously so lucky to live just blocks from a really great park. Tim is off work in the summers and home with Gemma. Most days consist of them walking to work to meet me for lunch and some length of time at the park, with meals and naps sprinkled in. Here are some pictures from the park to prove it.

House Guests

AKA: Sister Wives

So you already know that Shannon lives in the basement of the house we rent but we have had a few more additions come and go in the past few months. Tim and the many women that surround him!

 First* up: Torey! Aunt To stayed with us for two months for a 

PT rotation this spring.

 Then: Aunt Meg came after school finished and our babysitters left town to watch Gemma for two weeks until she started work.

Next up: Grandma to fill the gap from Aunt Meg until Tim was done with school. I feel so lucky to have such a great relationship with my mother-in-law that I am always thrilled when she comes and stays for extended periods of time.

 Okay and then: we had Meredith stay with us for the summer while on internship in DC.

 Round it out: Nana came at the end of summer when Tim went back to work until Edie came and I was on maternity leave.

Seriously, how did we get so lucky to have so many wonderful women in our lives that would want to live with us and join the routine and chaos of our regular family life? And women that would give of their time to help with our Gemma. And join in the hilarity of those who look at us and wonder "which one do you think is the mom?"

*Technically Aunt Melon (Maddie) was first for her spring break when she watched Gem for the week but it went undocumented...