SUPERSCHICK: August 2012

Friday, August 31, 2012

threeweddingsblog

It's a girl. Healthy, wriggling, 19 weeks old, 9 ounce girl.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Mary has been a gem lately. Besides showing off last night that she can tie her shoes by herself (surprise to us, learned from watching the shoe store lady twice), and just in time for kindergarten. She also has been volunteering to do chores around the house. Doing breakfast dishes, actually picking up her/their room. This morning she announced that she had put Bridget's sunglasses in the case to keep the dust off them. I mentioned she had been rather helpful lately. She told me, "Well, we have a baby coming and I just want to be useful." Whoa.

Of course, Friedie couldn't let the shoe tying trick go unchallenged. Sticking her tongue out of her mouth, she went to work. Within 20 minutes, she got it. Refusing help. Watch out for that one.

Tales from San Francisco.

We find out gender on Friday. Bets?

Sean

Monday, August 27, 2012

How can I NOT take pictures?????

We are enjoying our time in Madbury, and it's great to spend time with the Rourkes. I've been cooking, gardening, reading to Alice and Gus, and Daddy and I have taken a couple of enjoyable rides around New England.

Yesterday we went to Danvers, MA (which used to be Salem Village) to find the homestead and graveyard of Francis and Rebecca Nourse. She is the direct ancestor of Daddy's who was hung as a witch in 1692. She was 71 years old at the time, and her story is the story of The Crucible -- play and movie. I found out (online) that her homestead is a historic site, and that it was only about 1 hour from Madbury. We found it easily, and it is a lovely 27 acre homestead with original home. Other outbuildings have been replaced over the centuries, but her home is totally intact.She and her husband had 8 children (in the 1930's it was estimated that she had 15,000 plus descendants). A few years ago PBS filmed a special about the witch hangings --- Rebecca's sister Sarah was hung at the same time -- and the movie is called "Three Sovereigns for Sarah", apparently available on Netflix.

A few years after Rebecca's death the town declared her innocent and reinstated her church membership and paid the family some money. The "charges" against her were brought by two girls, about 10 years old, and despite the testimony of some 40 neighbors that Rebecca was innocent, the town proceeded with the execution. Rebecca was buried on the property, and later a monument was erected for her in the family graveyard.

She is back 10 generations from Daddy -- directly-- as follows:

Rebecca Towne married Francis Nourse (Nurse). She died in 1692
Rebecca Nurse was their daughter who married Thomas Preston
Thomas Preston was their son who married Hannah Leach
Thomas Preston was their son who married Rhoda Gross
Anna Preston was their daughter who married Lemuel Richardson
David Richardson was their son who married Rhoda Gale
Rhoda Richardson was their daughter who married Guy Carleton Nichols
Lemuel Nichols was their son who married Hannah Classon
George Nichols was their son who married Eva Lackey (Eva Mae Lackey Nichols --- hence Mae)
Mavis Nichols was their daughter who married C A Schickedanz
Richard Schickedanz was their son who married Martha Duker
Lexi, Sean, Paige, Brian, Brooke, Ashleigh, Jake and Abby were their children

Original home -- with kitchen garden in its backyard

Above the front door is a cool sundial

Dick at graveyard with monument to Rebecca

Pictures of Madbury life:

Picked flowers for Mommy

Rourke kid outing down the street

Reading to baby Mae

Now 6 lbs 11 oz

Friday, August 24, 2012

One last picture

Ferna, Andy's mother, brought over the bassinet she slept in as a baby. It has all been repainted and so beautiful plus great family history. Here's a picture of Mae in it:

Homecoming

Ashleigh had a good rest in the hospital with Mae, and the rest of us went on a Magic Garden Walk -- about 1 mile with 4 kids. I've been on the walk before with Andy and the children, and it is beautiful as most of the way is through woods, and then the walk opens out onto the UNH experimental farm -- lots of veggies growing and an apple orchard and a small graveyard with graves from the late 1700's. 4 very tired children at the end of the walk, but great diversion and exercise.

Gus and Alice did very well with Mommy in the hospital. It helped that Johanna and Emmy were here to play with, and it was a busy day on Wednesday making sand creations, running, riding trikes and bicycles and enjoying a beautiful sunny New Hampshire day. At night Andy put the kids to bed and read books -- Gus has been amazingly ok with Mommy gone.

Then the homecoming! Alice, Gus and I sat on the lawn for a long time counting cars and waiting for the Rourke car to pull up. The pictures tell the story. We are now settling in with Mae at home, and Gus is SO happy to have Mommy back. It is a good thing Daddy and I are here right now because Mae gets short shrift as #3 --- and there are always willing arms to hold her :)

Love you all so much -- hope this day is going well for you.
Mom

Starting out -- looking fresh and perky!!

Through the woods

Magic Garden patch

The hikers (plus photographer)

Apple Orchard

Reading bedtime stories

Waiting for Mom, Dad and Mae

On the grass, watching the road and counting cars til Mommy comes

She's back!!!

Mae brought presents for Alice and Gus

Dad and his daughters

Big responsibility to hold this baby Mae

Love this Mae!

Not quite the maternal "hold"

Rourke kids

A quick kiss for Mae

I always asked my children when they were growing up, "Will you let me hold your babies when you grow up? Now I have been able to snuggle with 20 more babies :)