Happy 1st Birthday Kate

 

Oh my! Happy Birthday to my sweet Kate! Where do I even begin? WOW! How could it be?! I guess I can start by saying this year has been nothing like what I thought it was going to be...

There SHE is!

From the minute I knew she was there, she was my sunshine... She came into our lives after much heartache, a miscarriage - my lil E who I saw, who I heard his heart beating, who I loved instantly... Suprisingly, just 3 short months after that loss I found myself pregnant with Kate.... We were thrilled, delighted, and a little scared...

My pregnancy was a breeze in comparison with Aubrey's (but with Aubrey nothing is ever easy!)... I secretly wanted a girl, although I knew Dan wanted a boy.. I wanted a sister for Aubrey... Aubrey was less than thrilled about the news of a baby and simply stated "well, I hope it is a girl so I can at least dress her up." - yep, that's my Aubrey...



How we announced that we were having a second daughter!

We decided to name her Kiersten Marie - after my mom... I loved her name, until I heard other people pronounce it, and bug me with how to spell it... So one night I expressed my doubts to Dan about her name, he said he felt the same way and maybe we would just wait til we saw her to name her...

Well the morning of January 20, 2014 I was induced thanks to my pregnancy induced hypertension (high blood pressure)... We were scheduled for a 7am induction, but I really wanted donuts so we were a little late! I was so nervous, Aubrey's induction took 25 hours - so I figured we were in for another long day...

Who could ever love you more?

By the time we checked in, registered, etc... the doctor saw me at 8am - said I was 3 cm, broke my water and the nurse started the Pitocin... "Let us know when you start getting uncomfortable, you can have that epidural"

The contractions started quickly and by 10:30 I said to Dan, "I feel like a chicken but I am so uncomfortable and I am probably like 5cm max"... Dan of course didn't want to listen to me complain and encouraged me to get the epidural... The nurse came in, checked me, said I was 7cm, rushed Dan out of the room and the anesthesiologist came in with her lovely epidural cart - by this point I was so uncomfortable I couldn't think, I scribbled my name on the consent sheet and sat up... As she started prepping my back, I could barely sit still - I said to my nurse "I think I have to push", she assured me that I was just checked and only 7cm... I said "no, I am telling you I need to push"....

I asked them to stop, I laid back down in bed, she checked me - and said "call your husband and DO NOT PUSH" - the quiet dim room quickly was a flurry of activity - nurses racing, blue gowns and shoe protectors went flying - I called Dan in a panic and I text my mom telling her that I was "going to have this baby now, no epidural, no nothing" and I so vividly remember her text back it read "OH GOD, JUST BREATHE"

Only God creates such perfect love...

I would like to think I was in somewhat control of the situation, but I wasn't... I didn't swear, or bite anyone so I guess it could've been worse lol... The staff was amazing, simply wonderful... and there she was at 11:10am - and wait a minute... what is that??? HAIR!!! My Aubrey was born pale and bald, and this unnamed beauty was olive toned and a head full of dark hair... it was all such a surreal moment... and in that moment I knew, she wasn't a Kiersten... So what to call her?

My time in the hospital was amazing, I cherished every minute because I knew this would be the only alone time we would have... Aubrey still so demanding on my time would be ready and fully charged for when I got home... Now, for a name - my favorite name was Isla (pronounced Eye-La) which dan said absolutely no, Aubrey and Dan wanted her to be Natalie, and I was leaning towards Kate.. The night before we came home, Dan and I sat there alone and I named her Kate Marie - simple and sweet, just like her... And the day we came home, I think it was the coldest day of the year... I felt ever blessed to have my two beauties with me...

Kate is best known for her two-toned hair

Aubrey was demanding of me, I remember sitting on the floor in tears because I was so sore trying to play legos with her on a couch cushion... we played countless games of left, center, right while I breastfed (which was an immense challenge because I had mastitis three times in just a short period of time)... Kate was wonderful and patient... Her and I camped out in the living room, in front of a warm lit fire most nights... She slept well from day one, a huge change from my Aubrey...

Kate transitioned well through everything - moving to her crib, bottles, binkies, being tortured, and even Disney World.. she lived up to her name - simple and sweet... easy to make smile, hard to make laugh.... She loves food and her blankies, splashing and being with Aubrey, she loves making a mess and cleaning it up... She has taught me so much - with Aubrey I was "the perfect mom"... Pinterest snacks, schedules, read all the books, museum once a week, zoo three times a month, limited TV, read to her 30 minutes a day - but with Kate, she taught me to slow down - enjoy simple things, not live behind the lens of a camera... I was so excited for all the stages of Aubrey's life that I feel like I wished them away, but with Kate I almost mourn the progress she makes for I know this is most likely the last baby of my own that I will get to rock to sleep, the last first words, the last first steps - I am forever grateful for my beauties... Kate, my sweet little one - my only wish for you this birthday and always is health and happiness - for I promise you, it is all that matters my love, Happy Birthday xo

Kate and her 11 month butterfly chair monthly photo