Some days I think back over the last ten months and just sigh. I am so grateful that we have made it this far with Maddie's heart surgery. We have almost all of the medical bills paid for. Our goal is to have them paid for by the end of the year. I look at Maddie some days and just cry. Why were we given such a miracle????
That answer will have to wait for another day because today is the day for Kaitlynn. I believe that I mentioned before that Kaitlynn is my Precious Gift, Jackson is my Greatest Joy and Madelynn is my Miracle. Even though all children are a gift Kaitlynn is amazingly special. She was the perfect baby. Let me explain........
Due to Phil's job having little work at the time, he was sent out of town to work close to the due date. Because it was just me I packed my hospital bag and kept it in the car because it was half the distance from my parents house to the hospital than my house to the hospital. I spent a lot of time over there. Well finally Phil told them no more travelling. I never took my hospital bag out of the car. At my last check up before my due date the doctor asked if I had my bag in the car. I told her yes. She said GO TO THE HOSPITAL. They believed I had pre-clampsia. With the due date so close they were just going to induce labor.
When Kaitlynn finally arrived about 31 hours later, she was beautiful. My mom and dad were there and so was Phil's mom. She was perfect. Perfect weight, length, color.......she had the famous Phil Addler eyelashes, blue eyes like my mother, even her birthmark was a kiss from my grandmother. Except for a two week period where I probably walked 2-3 miles a night in a circle in my house while she cried. The first five months of Kaitlynn's life were medically uneventful. Then came my first Mother's day.
I spent it in the ER. Where she had a raging temperature and the ER nurse could not figure why a child with a 103 temperature was not screaming her head off. After several hours at the ER they found nothing wrong with her and sent us home. The next day she was perfectly fine. Kaitlynn was even walking at nine months. She had a playmate that was 2 months older and she was always trying to keep up with her. She was so little when she first started walking. I even have her first steps recorded on video accidentally.
In a 5 year period I believe she has been to the doctor other than a well check maybe six times. Two of those times were reaction to bug bites. If you ever wished for a healthy baby Kaitlynn is it. As long as you spray her with bug spray she will be fine. Even with all that happened with Madelynn, Kaitlynn was a trouper. In December, I had to take Madelynn back to the hospital I cried all the way there for two reasons............
First the obvious who wants to take their heart baby back to the hospital. Second the next day was Kaitlynn's birthday and I knew Madelynn would be there for a few days. So I would miss her birthday. Thankfully, my mother went to the hospital to be with Madelynn for a few hours so I could have dinner, cake and ice cream, let her open her presents and put Kaitlynn to bed before I had to go back to the hospital.
There have been so many times I have had to lovingly tell Kaitlynn she had to wait because Madelynn needed this or that. Even with Jackson and his three surgeries, including the one two weeks after Madelynn was born. She ALWAYS patiently waited. She always waited her turn. Don't get me wrong there are days she has no patience. However I wish God would have blessed me with just half of Kaitlynn's patience. She is such a good big sister and loves sharing her room with Madelynn. I am sure some day that will change but for now I will enjoy it.
So, this past week I have tried to reward Kaitlynn for all she has had to endure. It is not her fault she is the healthiest. I thank God for that every day. She always seems to be last, this week I tried to put her first. On the days I did not have to work I kept Kaitlynn with me and sent Madelynn to daycare. We met with Kaitlynn's god-mother and had lunch and spent the afternoon with her. We ran errands together. Just spent some mommy and me time together. She loved every minute of it.
As I look at her today she is so big and ready to take on the world. I don't think any little girl is more excited about kindergarten than her. We met her teacher and walked the classroom. So as she makes the giant leap to "big girl school" I made something just for Kaitlynn. I wanted her to know that my most precious gift is never forgotten and I love her for her patience with all of my heart. I will enjoy watching her make the leap to "big girl school" and savor every minute.
Good Luck Kaitlynn.............I love you more..........
TTFN
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