2016: Full of Blessings
This morning I ran some errands on my own (a rare event since Stitch was born), and as I drove I was trying to remember what we did for New Year's Eve last year. When it finally came to me, I was kind of shocked that I had to work so hard to remember. Lloyd [...]
Keeping Holiday Expectations in Check
I've been anticipating this Christmas for what seems like my whole life--the magic of the first Christmas with my living child. I never thought I'd have to quantify it in that way. We've been through a first Christmas as parents, but our child was with us only in spirit and memory. As the actual holiday gets closer, [...]
Including Patrick in our Halloween Traditions
As we build new family traditions with Stitch, especially as the holiday season has begun, Lloyd and I want to make sure that Patrick is included as often as possible. We want Stitch to know about her big brother. We want to say his name and hear others say his name. Halloween can be challenging for [...]
Handmade: My Going Home Outfit
Me in my going home outfit. Photo by David Winters, used with permission My parents kept many handmade treasures that were mine when I was a baby. My mom had made my going home outfit with leftover fabric and lace from her wedding dress. When we were pregnant with Patrick, I asked her [...]
Welcome to the World, Baby Girl Stitch!
I've been quite remiss in updating Meek Manor with our news. We welcomed a baby girl on Tuesday, February 23, 2016 at 12:31 a.m. She weighed 4 pounds, 11 ounces and was 16.5" long. The first six weeks have been quite the ride, but we wouldn't change a thing. She is perfect in absolutely every way, [...]
My New Philosophy: “Baby Don’t Care”
In early January, I headed over to Quilter's Way to quilt Stitch's grey and yellow star quilt on the Gammill longarm. Towards the end of the day, when I only had one more row of quilting to complete, a couple came into the shop. The husband was quite interested in how the longarm worked and [...]
Lady of Leisure with a few more Grey Hairs
A week ago I posted my monthly article at Pregnancy After Loss Support--Pregnancy After Loss: When a Textbook Pregnancy doesn't feel like a Textbook Pregnancy. I felt like I'd really turned a corner in acceptance and hope for this pregnancy. Thursday, I headed into my 32-week OB appointment calm and confident, certain it was going [...]
Stitch Update: 20-Week Milestone and Scans
Wow. Last week was a big, stressful week. But like many of the milestones we've reached since we lost Patrick, the anticipation was far worse. Once the week arrived, I was ready to hear the news and know how Stitch was doing. Reaching 20 weeks was probably our biggest milestone in this pregnancy, other than [...]
I’m Having a Little Tricky
A few weeks ago I found a video of my nephew when he was quite wee. He had waited through much of December to put Baby Jesus on his advent calendar, which was how he counted down until Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Jon, and Auntie Val would all be at his house for Christmas. He almost couldn't [...]
The Pregnant after Loss Dad’s Anxiety: An Illustration
On some level I thought I understood my husband, Lloyd's, anxiety during this pregnancy. I saw him cry with relief at each reassuring ultrasound. I saw him tense when I talked about my worries. I saw his general worried nature increase. But, I didn't fully grasp his level of fear and anxiety until last Wednesday, [...]
Feeling Normal
One of the things I'm trying to embrace during this pregnancy is the moments where I feel like a "normal" pregnant woman. They don't come often, and sometimes they sneak up on me and are quickly followed by moments of sadness or reflection. Yet, I still try to embrace them. I'm finding it so interesting [...]
Hello, Stitch!
With both excitement and terror, we'd like to announce that we're pregnant. If you've been following our family's story, you know that we've been trying to conceive for over a year since losing our first son, Patrick, who was born still on April 2, 2014.