The Fine Game of Nil

It’s amazing what five hours of sleep will do for your mood and outlook on life and motherhood. Liam’s sleep has been off for a few weeks now, and we had been getting 2-3 hours of sleep in a row at night… (10pm, 1am, 4am, 7am, etc). I never realized you could feel so tired that you might throw up. But apparently you can. But last night, he slept from 10pm to 330am and then again until almost 8am. It was marvelous, and despite the dreary weather, I feel like a new person. I got the checks deposited at the bank, did three loads of laundry, scooped the cat litter, and washed the dishes. Not bad.

Alex has started his new job at NEB and it appears he likes it. He has to get up hellishly early to commute on days he bikes, but I think he enjoys the biking bit. Liam will start daycare there next Thursday. Keep your fingers crossed.

To add to alex’s previous post… we had gone to Missouri (Lake of the Ozarks) to visit Penny and Bruce from Nov 2-6, in order to enjoy one last round of freedom before Alex started his job and actually had “vacation time”. (Up until now, vacation has been limited only by my job). That visit was really nice, and Penny, though clearly starting to feel worse, was in good spirits and enjoyed holding Liam, and playing sound games with him. He gave her lots of big smiles and she loved it. (He loved it too). Monday, Nov. 5, Penny went into the hospital because she was having trouble breathing. We went back to Nevada as planned, and were told it was a pneumonia and she would stay at the hospital a few days on antibiotics. We came on home Tuesday Nov. 6. By Wed morning we found out it was more serious than we thought, and by Wednesday night we had decided we were going back. We bought tickets for Thursday morning at 9am. we were home in boston less than 36 hours. We got to the hospital Thursday night, and she was still lucid and able to talk to us and play with Liam some more. they invented a new game, “stand up, sit down”. They had great fun playing it. Over the next few days, her waking was less often and less lucid. It was a really though and emotional time for all of us (her sister and his husband, and her niece had also flown in), but it was good to all be together and to be there when she was awake. On Monday, November 12, during a wonderful Missouri thunderstorm, she passed away. I know that alex thanks you all for your warm thoughts and prayers, as do I.

Penny (my mother, for those who are not acquainted with how I address my parents) died this morning from metastatic cancer. She was diagnosed 8 years ago, while I was still at Clark, and has been fighting it since. She was an amazing woman; she was the one who taught me how to cook blueberry eggs, and how to count in binary. I am very sad to see her go, but am happy that I knew her for 29 years and got the chance to introduce her to her grandson.

The published obituary follows:

HOLMAN, Dr. Carol Penny (ne. O’Lear) of Nevada, MO, died Monday, November 12. Born in Passaic, NJ, Penny lived in Mahwah, NJ before beginning graduate studies at Syracuse University where she met and married her husband Dr. Loyd Bruce Holman. She is survived by her husband, and their son Dr. Alexander Holman, his wife Emily, and their son Liam. Penny was sister to Linda and Bill Dator, and aunt of Lisa, Rebecca and Will.
A graduate of Ramsey High School and of Michigan State University, Penny received a Masters Degree and Certificate of Advanced studies in School Administration from Syracuse, and a doctorate in Psychology from the Forrest Institute of Psychology. Penny served as the director of education for the New York Upstate Medical Center’s facility for emotionally disturbed blind children, as a teacher of children with special needs, as a writer of educational materials for the National Crusade for Opportunity, and with her husband as a producer of documentary films for the New York State Department of Education in India. She maintained a practice as a clinical psychologist for more than ten years in Nevada, MO.
In lieu of flowers, donations to your favorite charity in Penny’s name would be appreciated.

Here is a post with little to no substance, but pictures. I have been asked by several people for picture updates. we will be adding content worth reading soon as well, but until then…

My friend Julie in St. Louis with Liam

My friend Meredith, in St. Louis, with Liam

Here is both of them with Liam

My friend Xochi with Liam

Shelley holding Liam

Liam and Griffin (Gipson) in matching pumpkin hats

Liam as Pierre, the French baby

I really appreciate Bruce being okay with us making a flying trip to St. Louis while we were in Missouri visiting. We left the Lake at 7am, drove 3 hours to St. Louis, stayed for two hours to have brunch and visit with family who were in town (Andy and Barb from Florida, and Cathy from Nebraska, as well as my parents from Seattle) for my Grandma’s birthday. We then turned around and drove the three hours back to the Lake, arriving around 4pm. It was a long drive, but it was so nice to see the family, some of whom had never met Liam, and my parents who hadn’t seen him since he was 4 weeks old (he’s 3 1/2 months now).

Four Generations on my side of the family (Great Grandma (Eberle), Grandma (Gerard), Mom (Holman), and Liam (Holman)).

Has anyone ever claimed I was dignified? ‘Cause if they did, they’re wrong!

Liam definitely takes after his dad, and can, for the most part, sleep anywhere…. Once he falls asleep, that is. Getting to sleep is tricky, but once he’s down, he’s out.

All the Holmans, except me (it’s tough when alex or I are always the ones taking the photos)

The entire Holman Family. I think this is the only picture we have of the whole family. This was at Will and Rebecca Dator’s wedding in September