Giving Back

The girls had a pulmonologist appointment today (everything went well) and they are weighing in at 13 lbs 3 oz for Presley and 15 lbs even for Kourtney. Travis and I have always felt that we owe the NICU alot for saving our girls and they were always so compassionate and caring and overall it was a great experience as best that it could be coming from that kind of situation. Some of the things that we got from the NICU during our stay were preemie clothes that were donated by another family and that we got to "shop" for in their little room that was filled with all different outfits and pick out which ones we wanted. That really made my day back then as I didn't feel/want to go out and shop for my tiny little babies as there was just so much more to do and worry about and the ones that are suitable for the NICU are hard to find since they have to be button snap in front for all the leads and the pants can't have footies as they need access to their foot for the pulse oximeter. So for the girls' birthday we asked for family and friends to donate either money or preemie clothes so that we could make a donation. We got lots of money and I had so much fun shopping for those little bitty babies in there and was able to get several outfits and 96 scrapbook papers and stickers so that the NICU nurses could make imprints of the babies' feet and hands, also something we got while in the NICU that I plan on framing and putting up in their nursery. It is hard to believe their feet were only 1 inch back then! While there, we actually ran into Jo, one of our primary nurses and she was SO excited and recognized us right away! We also ran into one of the neonatologists, Dr. Lee and talked to him for a bit and then everyone kept coming out a few at a time to say hello. It was so fun. We gave the big box of clothes and scrapbook paper to them and they were so appreciative and we knew the families would be just as excited as we were 1 year ago. we attached a before and after picture of the girls for inspiration and hope. Click on the picture to view it larger so that you can read it.

The donation

The front of the card

The back of the card

Look Whoooooo Turned ONE!

The girls' birthday was Saturday and although it

was just us four celebrating, we had a BLAST!

They woke up at their usual time and I put them

in their Birthday Girl shirts that I found at The

Children's Place since that is the only store

that sells birthday shirts in the 6-9 size. Most other

places only have 12-18 months.

Birthday Girls!

Presley

Presley talking

Kourtney

Kourtney playing

P & K

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Playing as one year olds!

 We went with an owl

theme of " Whooo's Turning 1" and it was so very cute!

The Whooo's Turning 1 theme


I decorated their

highchairs the night before with streamers, balloons, and

thesemini "I am one" banners and they smiled and

laughed so hard when they saw where they got

to eat breakfast. It was the best thing in the world

to see them so excited. They looked around and saw

that the whole living and dining room were

docorated too and went crazy screaming for me

to give them one of the many balloons that were

floating around the house.

The party decorations

The highchair decorations

Kourtney was so excited to see her highchair that morning--

she smiled all through breakfast!

Presley of course being mischeivious and trying to pull at the streamers--she was
so excited she was screaming!

K & P in their "I am one" highchairs

I baked the girls a cake in the shape of a number 1 and

it was delicious!!! It may nothave looked perfect

but it was oh so good!

The girls got lots and lots of presents and we want to thank

everyone for thinking of them on their special day!

 

Table filled with presents

The girls loved opening their gifts although Kourtney

was more interested in eating the paper.

K & P opening gifts

Mommy with Presley

Daddy with Presley

Daddy with Kourtney

Mommy and Presley

Mommy with her little miracles

After we ate pizza that we had ordered and the girls ate,

we sang Happy Birthday

and had some cake. Kourtney loved hers but

Presley didn't like the way the icing felt on her hands so

she didn't eat much of it but did manage to get a

lot in her hair. We talked to a lot of family on the phone

and they wished that they could be here with us

but everyone took a turn singing Happy Birthday

to the girls and wishing

them a good day and many more to come.

We even Skyped with

Grandmama and she was so excited and

it made her day.

Kourtney loving her cake! Look how big her eyes are!

P not wanting to touch her cake

Hey! Why did you take the cake away?

K

First she's calm....

then she screams! haha!

That cake was GOOD Mommy!

Clean up time!

 After that, P & K had a bottle and took a nice long nap
(because turning one year old is very exhausting you
know) andMommy
andDaddy wrote this letter
 to P & K for when they get older.

Being one year old is so exhausting! -P

Tell me about it! -K

Dear P & K,

                      You, my little miracles, are one year old today.

A year ago on February 18th 2011, it was gloomy and

cloudy outside and it certainly matched everyone's mood

that day. You were going to be born far before you were ready,

15 weeks too early, and there was no stopping it. The doctors

had already told us that chances were, you were going to be taken

back to our Heavenly Father after just a few short minutes of your

life beginning. I must say that Daddy refused to

believe them, even up to the last minute he kept on saying

 "They are going to be fine". I will never know how he knew that

you would be, but he said he just felt it inside of

him that God was telling him it was going to be alright. And

then both of you entered the world at 3:18 am so quickly.

Presley you weren't breathing and had no heartbeat

and Kourtney, you cried out the tiniest little cry they said.

                               

                                                                                       Presley

                                                                       Kourtney

I will never know how you sounded because I

was put to sleep and was becoming

very ill from the infection. It was then that

God decided that he still wanted you as

 his angels, just ones that got to stay here on earth.

You were whisked away and

Daddy tried to follow, but they wouldn't let him.

A couple of hours later, they

came out and said you two were doing great and were

definitely fighters and that

he could see you two. Mimi and Daddy went to

go see you and Mimi even picked

out your name labels for the isolette that was to

 keep you warm as if you were still

in Mommy's belly. It was a beach scene and under

those bilirubin lights it looked as

if you were sunbathing. I didn't see you until you were

2 days old. I just couldn't bring

 myself to see you two suffer and felt guilty for not being

able to protect you and keep

you safe inside. But God knew what he was doing that day

and had you not come into

this world early, the infection would have sent all 3 of us

back to our Heavenly Father.

You were baptised at 5 days old and that was also the day

I got to touch you for the very

first time.

                                                               

I use to sit at your isolettes for hours and wait

for the day that they would let me hold you

and I wanted so badly to just hug you and

kiss you but you were just too fragile. No

longer than a ruler and barely a pound, I

thought there was no way something so

small would survive. But you did. I sometimes

smile because that Minnie Mouse you love so

much was longer than you were at birth.

Holding K for the first time

                                                        Holding P for the first time

The hardest part was putting you back

in your isolette and having to leave you behind.

I used to love when you would look up at me

with those beautiful eyes that didn't even

have the long eyelashes that they have now or

when you would hold Daddy's finger as

if to ask us to stay just a little while longer

and not to leave.

Now, I smile because I am so blessed to be able to get

so many cuddles,anytime I want to for however

long I want. Sometimes I pick you up when you're

 sleeping just to get some

cuddle time and I love every minute

of it. You are getting stronger and stronger everyday

andI am so proud of our will to live and thrive despite

 all of your obstacles. I want you to know though

that just because you didn't

get to come home with us right away, that I didn't

miss out on any of your firsts like your first bottle,

first smile, first bath, sitting up on your own, crawling, and

 standing on your own, or

even your first words. I was right by your side

 through all of them.  

                                                                          Kourtney and her first bottle

 Presley's first bath

                                                                                Kourtney's first bath

                                                    Kourtney sitting up for the first time

Crawling for the first time--K

                                                                                Kourtney standing

                                                                              Presley sitting up

                                                                              P & K standing up

Every year you will get stronger and stronger and I see you get more

beautiful everyday.Presley, you may look like Daddy but you definitely

have my attitude and you are the life of the room and you love people.

I love your dimples and your facial expressions and long eyelashes.

 Kourtney, you are my patient one and I love your huge smile and

those big blue eyes. I love everything about you and we never

knew how much we couldlove until we had you two. You've taught

me that life passes too quickly and I am cherishing every single minute

 that I have with you. Mommy and Daddy love you

so much and will always be here for you.

                                                                                                        Love,

                                                                                      Mommy & Daddy