I'm An Auntie Again!

So I should really REALLY be in bed right now.  It's been a crazy week for me, but had to share some news!

I'm an aunt again for the 5th time! Yay me! So excited.

Miss Faith Ann Irene D. was born on Sunday July 22nd at 5:18pm, she was 6lbs 15oz and was 20 1/4in long.  She's beautiful.  I love her so very much! A HUGE congrats goes out to my sister in law Ashley.  She is one incredibly happy mama right now.  Who can blame her when your new little cutie pie is this adorable right?

Faith was a whole 2 hours old in this photo

This was Faith today, at 4 days old.  Beautiful!

However, Faith is in need of some prayers.  She is still in the hospital because she is jaundiced and it doesn't seem to be going away, just getting worse.  So it's looking like she'll be in the hospital until atleast Saturday. 

Ontop of it, it appears that Faith (who was born 3 weeks early, via emergency C section because her mama was having VERY high blood pressure that would NOT go down) well, she has some issues with her hands/fingers and feet/toes.  Some of her fingers are fused together, and her feet didn't develope quite right.  We know Faith will need some surgeries down the road, and physical therapy.  Right now we are loving how beautiful and sweet she is and just hoping she gets over one hurdle at a time.  Right now the jaundice is our big worry, next we'll all worry about her hands and feet.  My sister in law has a wonderful support group who loves her and the baby and we'll be there for Faith every step of the way. We'll hold her, and hug her, and give her kisses galore as she grows and meets every obstacle she comes to. 

My sister in law is meeting this head on, I'm so very proud of her! I can honestly say that when Keegan was diagnosed with his cancer, I criend and cried.  I was devastated.  Ashley has handled everything she has been told about her daughter in stride.  She loves that little girl, and knows she is exactly the way God intended her to be. God bless my sister in law and niece!

I have snuggled and snuggled that sweet little girl and couldn't be happier.  So glad there is another little girl in the family.  I'm just over the moon happy for my sister in law.  My children are happy and excited, but still a little unsure. 

My daughter has some adjusting to do.  She's realizing that now she is NOT the only girl in the family any more and will have to share her Grandma Ann with another little girl, and Kams has ALWAYS been Grandma's "little girl" and her Aunt Ashley is one of her favorite Aunts.  So there will be some adjusting she needs to go through, but she'll be ok.  (There's almost 5 years between her and Faith so they will be fine!) Kams was afraid to touch Faith she didn't want to hurt her, and she was afraid the baby would pull her hair (yeh not gonna lie her brothers got ahold of her hair a few times when they were babies! But we tried to assure her Faith would NOT get her hair, but she didn't believe us).  Took us awhile to get her near the baby at all!

Marshall was IN LOVE with the baby.  He would make an amazing big brother (too bad Mommy and Daddy are done having babies and his only "little" brother is his twin brother who is just 2 minutes younger!) So he's just going to have to dote on Faith and love on her. 

Keegan?  He's excited and loves the baby but gets bored with her easy and goes to do his own thing.  He'll ever so gently stroke her hair, grin at her and bolt off to go terrorize someone else.  He refuses to take a good photo with her. 

My husband hasn't gotten to meet his sisters baby yet, he wants to though! He can't wait till they come down to see us in a couple of weeks (so I can take her newborn photos!). 

I'm thinking we should keep him from seeing her for a couple years though....haha.  My husband MELTS around newborn babies.  He loves them.  That is his favorite stage.  So I just KNOW what is going to happen when he holds Faith.  He's going to get that look on his face, and I'm going to run for the hills screaming "Nooooo!!!" 

I've got my hands full enough with our 3 kids. 

Thanks to my sister in laws husband though all 3 kids are asking for a baby brother or sister.  They are just going to have to be ok with a baby COUSIN instead.  As much as I would LOVE LOVE another baby....I just do NOT think it is a good idea. 

If it is God's plan, fine, but I just don't feel like it is in the cards for us, and I'm ok with that.  I've had my turn having kids.  I've been blessed with 3 beautiful babies that I love with all of my heart.  It is other people's turn to have babies in the family.  I do not "need" another baby (contrary to what my brother in law keeps saying!)

Baby Faith makes grand baby #5 for my Mother in law.  She has my daughter, and twin sons, and an angel son (Ashely's first pregnancy almost 2 years ago, her son Roy was born at around 22 weeks I think, and sadly he did not survive, and we almost lost Ashley).  Now she has beautiful little Faith.  My Mother in law is thrilled for her daughter, and thrilled to have another Grand baby.  She's a great Grandmother who spoils her grand babies rotten!

That's one happy Grandma! Every grand child born
makes her happier and happier.  Have I ever mentioned how
much I love and appreciate my Mother in law?  I am very blessed
to have a wonderful Mother in law.   

I had went up to my Mother in laws on Friday afternoon with my 3 kids.  I threw my sister in laws baby shower on Saturday.  Sunday morning she woke up not feeling well, and we were all very concerned so we all went to the hospital to see what was going on.  I have a friend that lives in town there and so the kids and I went to her house for awhile while my sister in law was on the monitors seeing how things were going.  My kids would have been a little bored at the hospital.  So I waited near the phone nervous wanting to know what was going on! Then I got a call from my Mother in law telling me that my sister in law had to have an emergency C section because her blood pressure was sky high and was NOT going down, but rather going up.  So I scurried back to the hospital leaving my kids at my friends house (THANK YOU JONI!) and I got there right after they had taken her back to get prepped for the C Section, but I got to talk to my mother in law who was prepping to go back with her during the C Section.

Everything went well for my sister in law and baby during the operation.  She was born at 5:18pm and then I got to see them almost exactly 2 hours later.  I was a nervous wreck in the waiting room! I was waiting with my sister in laws, mother in law (make sense?) THAT was interesting.  (Interesting turn of events surrounding my sister in laws pregnancy but that's neither here nor there or anyones business really, but it has made things...stressful and interesting at times! And I'm generally not one to keep my mouth shut on my opinions on some matters, but I've done my best to be very good and not say anything...atleast online anyway).  I love my sister in law dearly and am always there to for her, even if I don't always agree with everything she has going on in her life.  That's what family does, they are there for each other, that's what fellow moms SHOULD do.  Agree to disagree and support each other anyway.

My sister in law with her husband, and holding her baby Faith

Poor little Faith is not a fan of having her picture taken.  THAT is something she is going to have to get over in this family.  I'm that crazy family member who pokes the camera in EVERYONES face whether they want it there or not.  I will get your picture.  And you will smile, or die trying.  Muhahaha.

Anyway, I am so glad I had my camera at the ready, because wouldn't you know it...NO ONE had a camera with them (cept me!) When Faith was born! I ALWAYS have my camera with me.  Always. So thankfully Ashley will have some photos of Faith from the day she was born.

I can't wait to see them again in a few weeks for newborn pictures.

This whole month has been VERY busy for us and so I'm scrambling around trying to get the kids back on a schedule because preschool starts in a few more weeks, and I still have a few more school supplies to get them (back packs, kleenex, wipes, school clothes....) Ugh.  Busy! PLUS the kids have a dentist appointment tomororw (err...today now?)

Speech appointments for the boys, behaviorial therapy appointments for Keegan.  Keegan also has an upcoming cancer scan on Aug. 12th. 

July 31st is 3 years since Keegan was diagnosed with cancer, and August is 2 years of being no evidence of disease...that is if his scans in a few days are all good! PLEASE no cancer please please please please!

My husband hasn't to see a specialist in St. Louis for a neck injury he received almost 5 years ago from a bad accident he was in.  He is having fluid build up in his neck area, NOT good.  It is looking like they may have to drill a whole in his skull to relieve pressure, it's causing him a TON of issues at the moment. 

Plus once the kids start back to school, I'm going back to work (THANK GOD! It's about damn time) I miss working. Granted I've enjoyed being at home, most of the time.  And I'm glad I've been able to be here for Keegan during all of his cancer journey, and being here for Marshall while we monitored his seizures and all, but still, I miss working.  I've always had a job since I was old enough to work! The past 3 years have been brutal. 

My Mother in law is having some health issues and is planning on moving close to us so she can just be here to help with the kids, which is wonderful.  We can help her and make sure she's ok (we worry about her being several hours away from us with no one to help her, cept currently my sister in law is with her).  But we'll be glad to have her close to us. 

So yeh, there's a LOT going on.

I'm also still volunteering at the local animal shelter, photographing the dogs that need homes, and with some gentle encouragemnt (ok more like kicking in the ribs from my dear friend Jody!) maybe doing some doggy photography on the side for people who their dogs are a part of the family too.  I like working with the animals (honestly, it's a lot like working with children...no joke, and I do not mean that in a bad way at all!)  Patience, creativity, snacks, bribing....yep, it all works for kids and animals when taking their photos! Simplicity.  Don't get too creative or it won't work.  Keep it simple and classy, and have fun.  Don't be a stick in the mud. 

My daughter in the puppy pen during a recent adoption event at the animal shelter.
This weekend I go to an adoption event in a nearby town where our shelter will have a
few dogs at up for adoption.  Can't wait to photograph it!

I am also heading up a project in Missouri (it's a nation wide project but I'm heading up the Missouri end of it) called LINE OF HOPE for Childhood Cancer.   I promised myself back when Keegan was diagnosed with cancer that I WOULD DO SOMETHING in honor of him and all of those children.  Relay For Life has been a BUST for us in the this community and I refuse to support the American Cancer Society when they give less than a penny per dollar towards childhood cancer.  They do not get my support.  My support goes to St. Baldricks which focuses solely on childhood cancer research.  The problem, is getting people to support St. Baldricks in my area.  Everyone here seems to be too wrapped up in ACS.  It's frustrating!

So that's why on Sept. 9th I'm heading up the LINE OF HOPE, MISSOURI in our fine state.  It's not going to be a big event this year, but I hope next year I'll have more time and money to do more.  Thankfully it doesn't matter how big or small this event is, it's ALL of the events in every state COMBINED that makes the big point.  That makes the difference.  So I'm happy with what ever we come up with!

Plus we're still planning on going to Camp Sunrise for families that have been affected by Childhood Cancer, but I've been so stinkin' busy that I have yet to get the paper work finished. Urgh. Lots to do!

I'm so exhausted, too exhausted to sleep actually I hate it when that happens.  I have a TON of house work to do (that's what happens when you leave your husband at home alone for a week! For the 2nd time in one month...nothing gets done!)  Especially when he goes to the doctor while you are gone and the doctor nearly has a heart attack when he sees the size of your husbands swollen neck, and immediately tells your husband to go home and not do anything for the next week while they work on getting him in to a specialist in St. Louis.  THAT is a scary phone call to get from your husband!

Also discovered over this week that my daughter gets some pretty bad car sickness (just like her mommy).  So she's been pretty miserable on the winding, curvy, hilly Missouri countryside roads we were on a LOT this week.  Poor kid.  If it's a straight road with no curves or hills she's fine, but you get her off the interestate and in the country....ehh...not so good.  Poor kid.  NOTHING helped her this week, she just cried the entire time we had to drive on this twisty turny hilly roads (had to say I was ill right along with her, but I'm used to it so I know how to handle it, she doesn't) 

We finally got some rain and a nice little storm last night, I slept right through it.  Then earlier this evening not long after I got home I got a call from my stepfather who told me a bad storm had swept through my Mothers town and straight line winds had knocked down power lines and it'll be a few days before my Mother has power back at her house (not good with all this heat, she needs her AC!)  So yeh, more worries there!

Plus found out my Father in law in Tennessee hasn't been doing too hot either and needs a kidney transplant.  So that has my husband and I stressed out and worried.  I don't think parents should be allowed to age.  (Nor should children after they hit a certain age!)  We need a "freeze" button.  But that won't happen so we have to handle what nature gives us...aging.  Thanks a lot.

One of our foster dogs (Katie) got adopted the other day, yay! Now we just have to find a home for Kolbi (she is one goofy puppy!)  Wouldn't mind finding a home for one of our 2 kittens either.  But I think they are pretty much stuck here with us.  Which is fine with my husaband who is more of a cat person, I'm the dog person. 

Katie our little yorkie foster gal that recently found her FUREVER Home! Yay Katie!
She loved snuggling with our cat Tobi (and our kids, and us and anyone else who came over)

Kolbi a little souveir of our visit to my Mother's house the first part of July. 
I'm lookings for JUST the right home for her!

Our cat Tobi resting in the dining room window why one of our dogs (Karmen)
hangs out outside for a little while during a small break in the heat wave
that has been baking Missouri this whole summer!

Kolbi with her partner in crime, Karmen.  Karmen totally babies
little Kolbi!!

So why am I still up typing on here, it's nearly 2:30am now. Guess I should upload my pics, and get this sucker posted and go to bed for crying out loud.  My kids will wake up far too early in the morning and I have a million and one things to get done tomorrow and I don't need to be exhausted (ha whatever I'm always tired, thank you very much stupid thyroid...and being a mom, haha)

Anyway, I just had to mention that I'm an aunt again! I'm so happy!