Harmon's Haven

Meet amazing dad Robbie, mother-in-training Jesika, 7 year old best big sister Bree, 5 year old boy in every way Gabe, 3 year old who thinks he's 10 years old who makes us all laugh McKay,
and 9 month old sweetest Quinn Marie...the Harmon Family!

Monday, October 21, 2013

She's Here!

He does that every time doesn't he. Just when you aren't sure if God is going to answer, he does. Just when you think something isn't going to happen, it does. It's the "fourth watch" thing...
Our little girl came. The day after my last post...August 12th, 5:12 PM at a healthy 7 lbs 10 ounces. She is Quinn Marie Harmon and I love every bit of her. By way of a quick birth story:
Monday I woke up determined to make the week better than the last week which had been full of unmet expectations...just waiting for my baby to come! So I planned several things for the week, the first being to finish covering my kitchen chairs. I had covered two chairs months ago and had been meaning to finish. So I borrowed my friend's staple gun and got to work. The contractions had been pretty constant, but no different than the past few days, or actually past few weeks for that matter. (There had even been several nights where I had been up with contractions, but after an few hours of being pretty consistent they would stop! So disheartening!) So as I was stapling the new seat covers on my chairs I would have to stop off and on because of a contraction, and after a few hard ones I thought I had better start timing. While they weren't consistent, they were definitely harder and some were only a minute apart. So I called my Dr and they said to go in just to check it out...good thing we went in cause I was at an 8!!  I was thrilled beyond words. And the labor was wonderful. Because I had done it naturally last time I definitely knew how to manage the pain and only had a few freak out moments. We got to the hospital around 3 and she was born just after 5. Just like last time I had an angel nurse who told me all the right things (like when they said I could push and I just didn't think I could do it cause I was so tired she just looked at me and said, "Take a deep breath, you can do this and you are going to do this." I just thought, 'Yes, you are right. I am going to do this.') Two pushes later our little girl was here! And she has been a hit with her siblings ever since. Bree is honestly the best helper. I trust her walking up and down stairs holding Quinn she is that good. This is how I found them just chatting. Sisters are the best!
 Then two days after Quinn was born Robbie accepted a new job! Surgical Care Affiliates is the lucky company that gets Robbie Harmon on their team. They are thrilled, and so are we. That fact that it would require us to move to Chicago was sad, exciting and crazy all wrapped into one. Sad because of all the amazing Arizona people and our house that we would have to leave. Exciting because it is a really great job opportunity, a fun new city, and a new adventure for us. Crazy though because they wanted Robbie to start by October 1...which means we had to get our house ready to sell, list it, hopefully sell it, and pack up and move...all with a newborn!
While it was crazy, we could not have been more blessed. Our house sold in four days at a superb price. I only had to stay in AZ for three weeks without Robbie to close on the house. Robbie's new company gave us a moving allowance so we were able to have movers help pack and ship our things. The kids were all really excited and helpful, and Quinn was an angel through it all. God is so good.
Celebrating daddy's new job!
 A couple weeks after Quinn was born my sweetest sister Sarah came to visit. She was a month away from entering the Missionary Training Center to serve a mission for our church in Taiwan, and so she came to spend a week with us. Since my parents are in Australia as mission presidents my mom couldn't come as she normally does when I have a baby, so Sarah came in her place. And  can I just say, SISTERS ARE THE BEST! Honestly, she was such an amazing help and we had the best time. It was a week of heaven for me and for the kids :) They sure love aunt Sarah!
 She even got to watch them in the Primary talent show perform "My Little Buttercup." It was hilarious.

 And all the while the kids just loved on their little sister. I think Gabe and McKay each asked to hold her 10-20 times a day, not even exaggerating! They are both so sweet with her, which I love to see from boys.
McKay's love makes Quinn a little nervous at times :) but they are going to be buddies for sure.

We all especially loved when the smiles started early in September. There really is a little bit of heaven when  baby is in the home.
And saying good-bye to so many wonderful people in Arizona was harder than I thought. These lovely ladies are some of my mother-in-laws family...they are such amazing women who I have learned a lot from! They really made our time in Arizona so wonderful. I love each of them.

But now it's off to Chicago...the first place that Quinn will even know. We love this little girl so much already and I am so grateful we get to have her as part of our family.