KATE AND ALEX ARE WELCOMING A LITTLE ONE to the neighborhood!
We created this page as a central landing place where our loving community can find out how best to show support.
A FEW FAQS
We thought you might ask…
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We're grateful for your willingness to jump in! Please review all of the below. Links will lead you where you need to go, and other assistance can be sparked with a group text per the instructions at the bottom of this page. <3
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We were expecting to welcome the baby mid-August 2024; they decided to come a little later :) See the deets below!
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We didn't learn the biological sex of our baby during pregnancy, and still don't care about it now they've arrived! We don't think of the world in pink vs. blue and request that you don't either. We reference the baby with a singular "they." Due to the relentless binary enforced within the system, we may at times default to pronouns based on how they physically present and the sex assigned at birth. But mostly we will stick with "they/them". When the time comes, their pronouns will be up to them. Their name will be a gift they don't have to keep. If this is new to you, we encourage learning a bit more, considering what the world might look like if we allowed people to truly choose their own identities, and asking us questions from a place of curiosity.
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Our little one decided to join us earthside ten days later than modern docs like to estimate, but still on their own terms :) About 30 minutes ahead of what would have been the first step to scheduled induction interventions, Kate shifted from early to active labor. From the first major contraction to moment of birth was just over seven hours. While capacity at the hospital did impact our birthing experience, overall things went smoothly and without major complications amidst the unmedicated, vaginal birth. Both mama and baby are healthy! They look forward to sharing more with the world about the realities of birth, which somehow, wildly, is a portal we all get to this world through, but most seem to know very little about!
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It was up and down! Both a physical and a mental game. As some of you may know, we lost our first pregnancy in 2021 (and nearly, Kate's life with it), so this experience intertwined both excitement and grief for us (see here and here for more). We're grateful for your understanding as we navigate it all!
THE LITTLE ONE IS FINALLY HERE!
Welcome to the world…
NAME
Sage Lawless Leist-Murray
Birthdate and Time
August 27th @ 9:17pm
Weight and Length
6 lb 13 oz. | 19.5 inches
A LITTLE ABOUT ME
My first name was first inspired by the blue sage alongside the Devil’s River, where my parents rode the rapids while I was in womb. My middle name — originally a highlander surname spelled “Laghlese” or “Laweles” — references our Irish/Scottish ancestors who embodied resistance, for now is a time of great change in the world.
WAYS TO SHOW SUPPORT
SPEND SOME TIME WITH OUR FUR BABY
Ripley is learning what it means to share a household; our border collie could use a little extra love. Pretty much anytime is a good one for a game of frisbee in the yard, a walk to the park, or some other outdoor focused outing.
Send us a group text per the instructions below if you’re willing and able, and we can sort out the best time for you to come by!
CONTRIBUTE TO our MEAL TRAIN
We need some fuel to navigate the sleepless nights and ensure a strong milk supply.
If you’d like to drop us a meal - whether breakfast, lunch, or dinner - to help us ease into parenthood, click here to claim a day (or use the button below)!
DO US A FAVOR
Running that errand * might just * come secondary as we welcome the baby earthside. Whether it’s doing some dishes, picking up something from the store, mowing the lawn, or otherwise, we will be grateful for an extra hand.
Send us a group text per the instructions below if you’re willing and able, and we can sort out the specifics!
THERE ARE a few NEW THINGS WE COULD USE IN THE CASTLE…
OUR BOUNDARIES
Bringing a tiny human into the world is hard work! We’re grateful for your assistance in adjusting to our new life so we can focus on bonding with the baby, healing our bodies, and finding ease in this big transition.
DiGITAL COMMUNICATION
…can be really exhausting. Even in regular times. Please know that if you’re calling, texting, or emailing, we appreciate the outreach, but we may not reply immediately.
Plus, Kate isn’t the only one you can contact! She’s already doing the labor of carrying, delivering, and feeding the baby! Please be mindful of the mental load, and consider the assumptions you might make about roles and gender when reaching out.
We appreciate you following the instructions below re: a group text. This gives us best bandwidth to get back to you! We’re in this together :)
IN PERSON VISITS
First… consider what type of visitor you will be. Are you a doer or a baby lover? Check out the five types at this link to gauge your expectations. Communicate the type you plan to be with any request for a visit, so we can let you know if we’re ready to welcome you or need a little more time! In particular, please be aware that a visit doesn’t guarantee you time holding the baby :) It depends on the details and timing!
More so, please do not ask to visit if you are sick or have been around anyone who has recently been sick. We request that you wear a mask and wash your hands on arrival to help keep our baby healthy!
… and beyond
Please take note of our pronoun usage outlined in the FAQ above! We default to a singular “they/them.”
We’ll let you know what else comes to mind as we consider the ways in which we plan to raise our little adventurer!
We appreciate your understanding <3
READY TO REACH OUT?
Please send a group text to the following folks:
Lesley Murray | 512.968.8232
Alex Leist | 512.773.5123
Kate Murray | 512.944.8336
“If the day ever came when we were able to accept ourselves and our children exactly as we anD they are, then, I believe, we would have come very close to an ultimate understanding of what 'good' parenting means.”
— Fred Rogers