For Maddie

Well, being that she's over 7 months old now, I guess I don't have to say I'm a bit late in welcoming Maddie to our family on the blog!! It's absolutely crazy to me that she is already 7 months old, I really can't believe that. And what an addition she is!! "Miss Moo" as we call her, is FULL of personality!!

Precious Madeline Brooks, you arrived in quite a whirlwind in the middle of the night!! Your Daddy and I were praying you would come on your own (because your brother did not) and as your due date approached (July 4th) we were very anxious. We went to watch fireworks at Lakeside with Granddad and Auntie (Lovey stayed home because she was recovering from surgery). I really didn't think you were coming on time at that point. But around 10:45pm that evening, I went into what is called precipitous labor, which means my contractions began very intensely with no warning and they were literally on top of each other with no breaks until you came out a very short while later, just after 1am. Thank goodness Auntie Ashley met us at the hospital and teamed up with Daddy, because that was one seriously intense labor and delivery that none of us will ever forget. Daddy was worried you may arrive in the car while he was rushing us to the hospital!!

 Maddie, the moment you came out and Ash announced you were a girl, your Dad and I just melted...and we were pretty shocked!! We both cried and looked at you in amazement that we grew a girl!! We couldn't wait for Jake to come in and meet you, so Daddy went out into the waiting room where our family was and brought your brother in. All of the sudden he looked so big and grown up to us, which was really emotional. He climbed up in the bed with me and held you and kissed you and said "Awww I wanted a boy, can you put her back? Is there another one in there mommy?" HAHA!! Then we let Lovey, Granddad, and Nana (whose maiden name is Brooks) come in and Jake announced to them you were a girl, which was so very special. And don't worry Maddie, your big brother Jakey is the BEST brother ever! He loves and adores you and enjoys being a good helper with you. Your bond with him is the sunshine in our life, and I love that you look just like him!! He is always thinking of you and doing sweet and thoughtful things for you. I really couldn't ask for more from him with how engaged he is as a sibling, which makes us so proud.

 


Each morning when yall wake up, it's Jake that you can't wait to see. Your entire face lights up with a giant smile when you meet eyes first thing in the morning. And then yall cuddle and laugh and babble to each other in the most adoring way. Below are three pictures of things that happen when you have an older brother around! You are such a happy girl-- very talkative and smiley. You are pretty much sitting up by yourself now, and I'm sure crawling isn't too far away. You're a true wiggle worm and roll all over the place. You found your voice at about 4 months old and haven't been shy about using it ever since! You are LOUD, particularly when you really want something or get excited!! You love solid foods, and even beg for it (we maybe should have given you the nickname "Oink" instead of "Moo").

Bath time makes you really happy and your favorite thing is to smile at yourself in the mirror while we dry you off. Now you are big enough to take a bath with brother and you two have the best time splashing and playing each night. Everywhere we go people stop to look at you, and you are graciously friendly with your smiles, letting them all know you realize just how cute you are! You have a precious feisty-ness about you that always makes us laugh. You are super strong willed and refuse to be ignored! You love to bounce in your jumperoo just like Jake did-- you look like you're going to jump right out of it you bounce so hard! You love to play with your feet, do patty cake, and hear animal sounds. You are very expressive and we love seeing how you interact and respond. I always say your voice should be recorded for baby commercials because your babbling is the most adorable sound.

 

My sweet Maddie, you were born with hip dysplasia and had to wear a body harness for the first 5 months of your life. We were blessed that it was discovered in the hospital the day after you arrived, so treatment could begin immediately. Initial projections were that you'd be in the harness for only 6-8 weeks, but your improvement was very slow and it ended up being not until after Thanksgiving that you spent your first day of life totally free from the harness. It was really hard not being able to bathe you the first two weeks and not holding you skin to skin, but we knew the harness was keeping your hips in place so they would grow correctly, and that we had to be patient. Once the bi-monthly ultrasounds started showing signs of growth in the right direction, we were able to take the harness off for an hour each day so you could bathe and stretch your precious little legs. Eventually you were weaned down to wearing it just 6 hours a day, which was wonderful compared to the 23 hours we started with. I will never forget the day your wonderful doctor told me your hips were in normal range and you no longer had to wear the harness. I was caught off guard because I had become used to the disappointment each month of another "no change" report. It felt so good to throw that harness in the trash and celebrate! Mommy was so ready to buy you some pretty dresses and pants once you were no longer restricted by that thing! We are so thankful that God healed your hips without needing surgery, and that your doctor was so compassionate and encouraging. We will see her again when you're 8 months old for an x-ray to check and see how your hips are doing. You were so strong and persevered through this Maddie, and we are so proud of what a trooper you were. Luckily you will never remember having to wear the harness, but mommy and daddy certainly will never forget seeing you go through it.

 

Madeline, you represent great redemption in our lives, and everything that is strong and joyful. Your Daddy and me went through a very difficult year and a half after your brother was born. Daddy is my best friend, and there is no one else I would rather share the privilege of parenting with than him. He is the best Dad and you and Jake are so darn lucky to have him- he is so much fun! We knew we wanted a sibling for sweet Jakey boy, and finding out I was pregnant with you was the best 30th birthday present ever! Your presence symbolizes everything that Daddy and I fought for and believed we could have. No matter how sleepless of a night we may have with you or how fussy of a day it was, we never lose sight of how incredibly lucky we are to have you and Jake. Yall bring us more joy than we ever could have imagined, and seeing the two of you together is pure bliss. Jake makes you laugh like nobody else can. You watch every little thing he does and I can see the wheels turning in your little head trying to figure out how you can do it too! When we first brought you home from the hospital, any time you cried, Jake would valiantly run across the house saying "I'm comin Maddie!" Now he talks to you and tells you all kinds of things and you listen so intently. He sings you songs (Itsy Bitsy Spider and I See the Moon are your favs) and he holds your hand when you are upset in the car, which calms you down. You pretty much think he's the funniest thing ever and it doesn't take much for him to get a huge grin from you! I can only envision what it will be like when you can actually walk and talk what crazy adventures yall will have together. He constantly tells Daddy and me how much he loves you and he smothers you with affection every day. My prayer is for you two to be the best of friends and each other's number one fan, always. He is already quite protective of you, which we love! You and Jake were baptized together in October, and in typical Jake fashion, he was leaning over kissing you on stage in the middle of the ceremony for all the congregation to see! Yall love to "cuddle wrestle" and something tells me as soon as you're able, you will be pinning Jake to the ground! I think you may give him a run for his money and keep him on his toes once you are up and about. You have already managed to spit up in his mouth twice, which made him cry and made your parents laugh! You also have a cute little growl that you do pretty consistently which also tickles us.

 

Maddie you have the most precious spirit, it's exuberant and playful and strong and curious and we are just so smitten with you, we can't get enough! As your Lovey says, you have a twinkle in your beautiful blue eyes (which your Daddy says are the prettiest eyes ever!). You have full filled such a special place in our hearts and in our family. You make us laugh every day and its all going by so fast how quickly you are growing and changing. We feel so fortunate to have had a boy and now a baby girl. The differences between you and how you've each developed are so interesting. As cute and girly as you seem to be, I have no doubt that Daddy and Jake will try to turn you into a tough little athlete!

 

For some reason it was hard for me to imagine myself having a little girl, but now that you are here, I really can't picture our lives without you! And now having seen your darling personality unfold, God truly gave you the most perfect demeanor that fits right into our family. My heart is just overflowing with love and joy and gratefulness for you, my sweet baby girl! Words can't describe the joy you've brought us or how much we love you, Maddie-Moo!!! You and Jake are our live's greatest blessings and Daddy and I are immeasurably blessed to be your parents!! We know God has wonderful things in store for you and I can't wait to see what they are!

  

 

          

                                                                            

Psalm 139:13-16

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was being made in secret. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

Mother's Day 2012

Mother's Day has traditionally been a special time my family celebrates, but it definitely took on a whole new meaning once I became a mom myself. I knew at a very young age I wanted to be a mom, and in my heart I felt a strong calling that it would be my most important job in life, along with the role of being a wife. I am so grateful to my husband and our son for making me feel special and loved yesterday. And I want to take the time to recognize my own mom as well.

My mom and I have always been close, and I feel very blessed to have that relationship in my life as an adult and a mother. One of my mom's best qualities is her thoughtfulness in doing sweet and special things for those she loves. She finds unique and touching ways to show she cares, and I still appreciate that as a grown up. This Mother's Day she gave me something so neat that is now hanging in Jake's room. She framed a picture I drew as a young kid of our lake house. Our family and extended family spent decades of memories there and I hope to give Jake plenty of those memories too. Sometimes we give my mom a hard time about saving too many things from when my sister and I were young (ahem play-doh?!), but this was a time when I was so glad she saved my artwork. She also saved numerous old toys of ours that Jake now plays with. Someday when my kids outgrow them, I will pass them on to my sister for her future children. My mom always stressed the importance of my sister and I being close and respecting and appreciating how we are different from one another. She encouraged our individuality while fostering our desire to embrace all the ways we could connect.

Birthday dinner

Another special thing that comes to mind is how mom likes to plan all kinds of surprises-- from little things to big parties, she is a planner of all sorts of fun schemes that bring those around her joy. In October she pulled off a big 30th birthday surprise for me, when I thought I was just showing up for my Dad's 60th. When she decorated a nursery at their house for Jake, she had an artist stencil on the wall the lyrics of one of my favorite lullabies, "I See the Moon". When my sister and I graduated from high school, mom spent months making each of us videos of our first 18 years of life. These hour long slide shows have pictures of family and friends and music that is so meaningful, and they remain one of the neatest gifts she has ever given. Mom is a good encourager and has always done a good job with notes and cards that cheer you up, remind you that you're loved, show you she's proud, or challenge you not to give up. She is also the BEST trip planner! Thanks to my mom, our family has enjoyed spectacular vacations every year since my sister and I were young. We've been to such amazing places and done so many cool things because of her time and effort in researching the neatest things to do and places to go. She helped me plan Michael's and my babymoon to Scottsdale, and I will always seek her assistance in trip planning in the future because knows how to find the best of the best get-a-ways at great rates.

me & Mom

My mom is also good at taking the time look into things. When I needed relief from aches and pains during my pregnancy with Jake, she found a doctor who helped me through prenatal massage and chiropractic treatment. When I needed a swim teacher for Jake, she found one. When I was looking for a good counselor, she referred my to one of the most helpful people I've ever encountered. While I'm remodeling my bathroom, she buys me magazines and sends me pictures and shares the things she has learned over the years from doing remodels with my dad in their homes. I am also thankful that my mom got me involved in a variety of activities when I was young, such a sports, art and music, and then as I grew up, she allowed me to choose which ones I wanted to stick with. I played piano and did ballet and jazz and performing arts and painting classes, along with soccer and basketball and volleyball and track...some parents make their kids do certain things for certain reasons, but my parents were always supportive of my choices in extracurricular things, and it helped me figure out who I wanted to be. Something else my mom has always pounded into us is "Count your blessings". My parents adopt a family at Christmas to give presents to each year, and it has instilled in me a strong sense of wanting to give back to those less fortunate as well. I will never forget one Christmas morning my mom and I went to an ER to bring little gifts from the church to everyone on call that day, and although it was a little gesture, it brought a lot of emotion out just to touch the staff and bring them some joy at work on a holiday when most are home with their families.

Having Jake has made me appreciate my mom even more, and has allowed us to share a new type of connection. And it's so special to see her with my child and watch the bond they have. I feel very fortunate to live just minutes from my parents, which means they are involved in our life on a weekly basis. Jake is always thrilled to go to "Lovey & Granddad's house". I think she nearly has something new to give him every week, even if its the littlest thing, she's always thinking of Jake. Right now, Jake thinks that the only reason my parent's go on vacation is to bring him back new toys, ha!

Lovey & Jakey

I remember when I got pregnant and my parents were deciding what they wanted to be called by their grandchildren. All of our friends and family were convinced that my mom should go by "Lovey", but she was not keen on the name at first. After months of thinking it over, I finally asked her one day to just imagine her grandson saying "Lovey" in a sweet little voice, and that seemed to do the trick! When Jake first started to try and say things, he affectionately called my mom "yuh". Then it became "wuvey", and now he can actually say "Lovey"! And I have to say that no other name would have suited my mom as well. Those two are so cute and silly together. Jake is always learning something new whenever he's with her, and she is very a hands on and engaged grandparent. Recently Michael and I went on our very first vacation alone and left Jake with my parents. As any first time parent can attest to, this is both a joyful and emotionally challenging thing to do! But it ended up being harder for Michael and I than for Jake, as he would barely even speak to us on the phone when we called to check in because he was too busy having fun! My mom went to great lengths to help me feel at ease while away, and for that I will always be extremely grateful. Jake ended up getting sick while we were gone, and I knew he was in the best hands being pampered by my mom and dad. My mom actually cried the day we got home and picked up Jake because she didn't want him to leave (and we just live a few minutes away)! I'm spoiled to have a built in babysitter basically on call anytime-- my mom even will rearrange her schedule at times or cancel things in order to help me out, which I seriously appreciate.

Easter pic

My mom loves gardening and has some of the prettiest flower beds you'll find. She also enjoys traveling, reading and yoga. One of her favorite past times is riding horses like the one she grew up with, and she still rides on occasion these days if the chance presents itself. She loves quilts and antique shopping and we always enjoy going to Roundtop every year. She's a good fisher too, loves to catch Catfish or Bass and she can't wait to do that with Jakey. You'll win her over with Bellinis from Carraba's (she's only allowed to have two!) or scoops of Baskin Robbins' Daquiri Ice and Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream. She loves a Corona Light with lime and good timing country music. And relaxing spa days at the Houstonian or Lake Austin Spa are always a luxurious treat with mom.

Mom: thank you for everything you bring to my life and our family's life. Thank you for all the times you've sacrificed and put us first, and for all your thoughtfulness and support over the years. Thank you for the laughter and life lessons and memories that we hold dear. Thank you for teaching me and guiding me, even when I was resistant to it. Thank you for letting me makes mistakes and helping me to learn and grow from them rather than beat myself up for too long. Thank you for demonstrating the importance of family and dedication in marriage. Thank you for being such a wonderfully fun-loving grandparent; in about 7 weeks you'll have another grand baby to dote on! Thank you mom for being you; I love you very much and am so thankful for you on Mother's day and always!!!

Easter 2012

HAPPY EASTER everyone!! He is risen, Amen!! 


Jesus said “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die." JOHN 11:25-26

Today we went to church and then had our first egg hunt of the day at home. Jake peeked outside the minute he woke up to make sure the Easter bunny had come and left eggs in the yard! Then we met my family for a yummy brunch at Lakeside and afterwards had our second egg hunt at my parent's house. We are thankful and blessed beyond measure to be happy and healthy, and Easter is a day to remember how lucky we are that Jesus saved us all!

Ready to hunt!

Look what I found

Such a poser in his outfit from Nana

Hunting with Auntie

Easter loot

Arriving at LCC

Family pic

My handsome boys looking for turtles

Nana, Lovey & Jake

Jacob Knox & Michael Knox (Granddad)

Nana & Jakey

Ashley, Mom, me

Jake w/ Aunt Ash

Love when he hugs our necks

Beautiful background at LCC

He specifically asked to take a pic "by myself"

Ash, Grandma, me, Mom

7 months prego!

Egg hunt #2 at Lovey & Granddad's house