Tattoos and Pictures

I just wanted to do a quick post about our tattoos that we got recently. I got Hailey's actual footprints made into a butterfly and my husband got a replica of an HLHS heart.




Here is the one I got





And here is the one Josh got

We sure miss our little girl! But it feels great to have a part of her with us with our tattoos.

I don't have a whole lot of time to do an actual update. That will have to come later. But for now, I will leave you with some pictures of our little Leyna! By the way, she started walking on new years and has been on the go ever since!

                                                                 One Year photo!

                                                                  Just being cute!

                                                                        Kisses!

                                                                     Soo close!!

Playing at the park

And here is her 15 month photo!

I will update as soon as I have some free time. I need to include her monthly photos from Oct-now! Also update you on what's been happening. That is, if anyone even reads my blog anymore after being gone for so long!!!!





Prayers for Owen

I know I am really behind in updates, but we don't have internet at home. We mainly just use our phones for internet but unfortunately blogger doesn't work on my phone very well.

I will do an update later this month. Right now I just ask that you pray for baby Owen who was born on April 2. He is going to be having his Norwood on Thursday.

http://owenscloud.blogspot.com/

30th!!

Sunday was my 30th birthday! I can't believe everything I have been through in the past 30 years. Never would I have thought that I would have my first child and say goodbye to her only 4 months later.

But I am so thankful to have the family that I do. If it wasn't for Hailey, we wouldn't have Leyna. I believe Leyna was sent to us for a reason. To show us how to love again and to let us be happy.
Hailey was here to teach us how to love and to make a difference in hundreds of people's lives. Her time came and went. And now her sister is here to remind us of everything Hailey wanted us to learn. I truely believe that.
Even though it's hard raising her because we're constantly afraid something bad is going to happen,  i.e. scared to go check on her in the middle of the night and afraid she died of SIDS. But we're slowly getting over that fear as she is growing and thriving.
She is such an amazing little girl. She just started crawling on October 5th! Now she's all over the place!   It's so much fun watching her grow and learn!

We're also doing our second annual blanket drive in memory of Hailey. So if you would like to contribute,  here is the information:
Blanket Drive For Hailey

I'm currently enjoying a day off "work". Josh and I both do not have family living near by so we are the caretakers of Leyna 24/7. So I had a day at the Dosha Salon for a massage and facial. And now I get to spend the night at hotel Monaco in Portland for a full night's sleep! I have not spent more than 4 hours away from Leyna since she was born but I am so lucky to have a husband who spoiles me so much! Really enjoying this break but also misssing my family!
And I will leave you again with some pictures! Again,  comments aren't working and I still don't know how to fix them :( You can always contact  me via facebook if you need to!

She's not smiling in this one, but she looks gorgeous!

Watching the Packer game!

Crawling to me!

Go Packers!

8 Months

Ok, I really could have had this post done yesterday but my husband and I came down with a really nasty bug. We were pretty sick all day. Luckily I had a good friend who came to take Leyna for the day to avoid getting her sick. So far she's still doing great! So I ended up taking her 8 month photo today.

8 Months old!

It gets harder every month to take her picture, I love this little girl!!

I've also gotten a few e-mails saying people can't leave comments on my blog, so if anyone knows how to fix this, please email me and let me know how!

7 Months

I know, I know......

Leyna will be 8 months old tomorrow (45 min from now) and I am just now doing this 7 month post.
Since her last post my grandmother got very sick. She was put inot a nursing home and then passed away on August 11th. So Leyna and I made a solo trip from Washington state to Wisconsin. The flights there were great. She loved soaking up all the attention from everyone (what can I say, we make beautiful babies!). But the flight home was another story. She screamed the whole first flight! (1 hour). But the second flight she was better, I just had to walk her up and down the isles and introducer her to new people! Again, she just soaked up all that attention!

It was so great seeing all my family, I just wish it wasn't under those circumstances. I miss my grandma so much!  She had a stroke in 2007 and just hasn't been the same since then. And I only saw her 1-2 times a year before that. It sure makes me regret not being able to live closer or able to visit more.

As for Leyna, she is doing great!  Still hasn't figured out how to crawl, I think she's going to be walking before she figures out how to crawl! She is always wanting to stand and pull up on stuff. I am sure it won't be long!
She can now say "mama" and "dada" and also a few other "babbles"! She is also so very affectionate, I love it! She gives the best hugs and is always trying to kiss us.

We will be starting our 2nd annual blanket drive in memory of Hailey. Last year we got around 100 blankets, this year we are hoping for 150. I will post more information on that as soon as I get to the post office and open up a PO box.

But for now, here is her 7 month picture (she didn't want to smile this month!) Who knows when I will post her 8 month photo, hopefully I will actually get it done tomorrow!

7 Months Old!

Trying to walk!

Also, go check out Matt Hammitt's new album, "Every Falling Tear" He's a Christian artist and his son, Bowen was born with HLHS. He just celebrated his first brithday and Matt made an album about his experience this past year. Matt Hammitt

Standing!

I also forgot to post this picture of Leyna standing!!
She stood yesterday for over 2 minutes without any help from us! She's going to be walking soon, oh no!!! ;-)

Such a big girl!!

6 Months

I know I am a little late posting Leyna's 6 month update, but we were on vacation in Wisconsin when she turned 6 months. We were also there when Hailey would have had her 2nd birthday. It was nice to be around family but it just didn't seem the same since we didn't really do anything to "celebrate" her birthday. I think next year it will be easier for us to be home where we can do a balloon release and make cupcakes for her 3rd birthday. I sure do miss that beautiful little girl.

Leyna is doing awesome, she is already sitting up on her own (since 5 1/2 months actually) and she now has her 2 bottom teeth! She is also trying out some foods, so far her favorites are peas and carrots. She's not much of a fan for the sweeter foods. But that's alright because the vegetables are much more healthy for her.
This summer is really going by fast, I can't believe Leyna will actually be 7 months old soon. She will be turning 1 in no time! I can't wait for that update and all her birthday pictures and her "smash cake"!

We also had some family photos done while in Wisconsin so I will share some of those after posting her 6 month photo. She didn't feel like smiling for her 6 months photos, so maybe her 7 month ones we will get a smile!

6 Months old!

Cousins, Leyna and Taylor

Grandma and Grandpa with all 4 grandchildren.

Beautiful girl!

<3 Sisters <3

Also, please pray for baby Rachel's family. I have been following their blog since before she was born. She was only expected to live a few weeks after birth. She ended up living almost 15 months. Sadly, she passed away yesterday. Please click here and offer her family all the support you can.

Not fair

I just really want my Hailey back. I miss her so much it hurts!! It's not fair that all the druggies and child abusers get healthy children. Why us? Why did she have to die!? It doesn't make sense. We would have been amazing parents to her! Just really sad tonight and missing my baby girl. :'(

Happy 2nd Birthday, Hailey!

Today Hailey would have been 2 years old. I'm not going to do a long post at the moment as we are currently on vacation in Wisconsin. I just wanted to write a quick "Happy Birthday" to my very special little girl. We love and miss you so very much!

5 Months

Just wanted to do a quick little 5 month post. Leyna is getting really good at grabbing everything in sight! She is also sitting up really well, almost with no support at all. Of course we still have to be really careful and watch her since she likes to lean back suddenly! We're currently in the process of moving to a new house, so this shall be fun. Packing and moving with a 5 month old!! Luckily my Mom is coming out from North Carolina to help entertain Leyna for us while we pack. Then it's off for another adventure, July 16th we are off to Wisconsin for a week. So if you have any tips for flying with a soon to be 6 month old, please let me know! I am going to need them!



Leyna in her beautiful dress a friend of mine brought back from Hawaii



Pretty Girl!

Our hippie baby!