Showing posts with label brag book. Show all posts
Showing posts with label brag book. Show all posts
Monday, April 7, 2008
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Here's what we've been up to...
So it took me so long to get these photos to load to blogger that I didn't even write anything about them. Sorry they are all blurry but Chloe had gotten a bunch of slime on the lens when she got ahold of the camera at some point. When I downloaded the pics off the camera there were about 20 shots of random things in the house taken from 'Chloe height'. Anyway-it's all clean now and hopefully the next round of pics will be better! Until then...
Sunday, February 10, 2008
More Photos Just For Fun!
Just a few photos of my crew. The girls like to set Hazel up with a work out on the baby gym and then hold what they call "wee-school". They read her books and play with her-it's super cute!
Piper finished her igloo project board and is presenting it today! She was pretty nervous when she left this morning but the little girls and I will go over and listen to her present it so hopefully that will help.
Chloe managed to get into Lowell's size 13 snow boots.
I had to get a picture.
This is one of my favorite pieces of Julia's.
She really wanted it on the blog so here it is!
We 'made' this bag for one of Julia's friends for her birthday. Isn't it too cute??? Wish I had thought of the idea or at least cut out some of the fabric but no, they are stickers and the bag came pre-assembled. That is my kind of sewing project!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Meet My Family
Here's a profile of our family if you are new to the blog or if we've been out of touch for a while:
I've been married about 12 years and I have 4 amazing daughters (ages 11, 9, 5 & 3 ) they have each come to us is such unique ways that I wanted to start a blog to tell their stories. They are the reason I live and breath and they make me smile everyday!
I've been married about 12 years and I have 4 amazing daughters (ages 11, 9, 5 & 3 ) they have each come to us is such unique ways that I wanted to start a blog to tell their stories. They are the reason I live and breath and they make me smile everyday!
I grew up in the SF Bay Area. I went to BYU and served a mission in the UK both too many years ago to matter at this point! I also taught school briefly before we moved to Scotland for a few years and started having kids. We have now lived in Utah for about 8 years and we really like it. Since we are both 'imports' to Utah it took some getting used to but I think we are finally settled and feel that this is a place to call home. We feel blessed everyday with the amazing gifts we've been given. Here is a quick synopsis of my little family:
This is my husband Lowell. He is super smart, super tall (6'8") and a super dad to our 4 girls. He loves traveling, hiking, cooking, films and all things technical (other than providing tech support!) He grew up in Chicago and also went to BYU. So far he's holding his own in a house with 5 females--we wish him the best of luck!
This is Piper-she's our oldest daughter. She just turned 11! How did that happen? She's named after my closest cousin that died of cancer in 1998. Piper loves reading, collecting recipes, snowboarding, art and writing. She is a fabulous helper to me and her dad. She helps around the house everyday and usually with only a minimum of complaining.
This is Julia. She loves music, cooking, clothes and school. She is turned 10 this year. She also really enjoys being the 2nd oldest (since the title of OLDEST has been taken) and being a big sister. She helps me all the time, I couldn't do it with out her!
This is Chloe our little miracle baby (age 5)! She loves all things sporty, water, noodles and books! We were given the privilege and honor of adopting her as a newborn in 2005. It was truly one of the most amazing and wonderful experiences of our lives. She gives all the sisters a run for their money since she is wild, loud and happy to be here!
This is Hazel, she's our youngest daughter and was born in September 'o7. She loves her sisters, her swing, rides in the car and walks in the stroller. She also has spina bifida and will never walk. She got her 'wheels' so watch out! She my mow you down one of these days. She is a joy and a blessing to have in our family. 
Monday, January 28, 2008
Pictures From My World...
I just love our house when the yard and all the other parts I don't like are covered in snow, plus the mountain looks awesome!
The kids snuck in a little sledding on the neighbors vacant lot!
Chloe being a big sister, her favorite thing ever!
Hazel: The Littlest Sister!
I walked in on this little scene, Chloe informed me that she was doing a 'puppet show' for Hazel and that I had to leave. Hmmmmmm....
Monday, January 21, 2008
Ski School
One of my favorite things about winter is Ski School. Lowell is a skier but being a California girl I never got the hang of it. It seems like such a waste for us to live 20 minutes from a world famous ski resort and not have the kids learn to ski. Piper and Julia tried snowboarding this year. They got pretty good at skiing over the last couple of years so we thought we'd try something new. Here's a look at their first day. They had fun with Cousin Connor (Chris' oldest) and best friend Mitrian.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Snow Camp
Piper's class is doing a unit on Native American Tribes. They each have to do an extensive report on a tribe that they choose. She chose the Inuits so we have been learning all about the Eskimo culture. For her project she and Julia & Lowell went and built an igloo and spent the night in it. Here are a few pictures.
The igloo took about 1o hours to build so they did that over 3 days and then went back the next weekend to camp out.
Here are Piper and Julia at the snow camp. Lowell dug the table out from under several feet of snow so they could use it.
Here is the finished Igloo! It is pretty sturdy and looks great!
More digging to get down to the ground so they could build a fire. They all said they weren't too cold, they had good sleeping bags and candles in the igloo to keep them warm. Lowell said it was a little crowded in the igloo but other than that they had a pretty good night.
Julia was pretty pooped after a snowshoe hike and all the work on the igloo.
Reflections on Piper Snuggles
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2008-by Gramma Bonnie
Reflections on Piper Snuggles 2005
Recently while cuddling in bed with my six-year-old granddaughter, Piper, she asked me what life was like when I was a little girl. It made me reflect on how my life is suddenly seeming long to me. Looking back made me keenly aware of the changes that have taken place within me and the world I call my own. Growing up in the 50’s and 60’s was a cake walk compared to today and yet it was laced with trials and tribulations, excitement and great joy, hard work and fun times too. It was filled with love and learning, family, the perplexities of life and a boat load of boring days too. Each era seems to have a unique way of molding and shaping us into who we are destined and desirous to become. One thing that has become apparent over the almost 58 years I have lived is that each of us continues to learn, grow and change all of our lives. I am beginning to realize more and more that the essence of who we are also remains somewhat the same while our environment and our experiences create and hone the facets of each diamond in the rough.
As I thought about how my life was different than Piper’s as a little girl I saw clearly that the changes are just as dramatic as those experienced by my grandparents and me. She was flabbergasted to know that when I was six we had just gotten our first black and white television. There were no microwaves, cell phones, Barbie Dolls, computers, video games, VCRs, DVDs, CDs, I-Pods, Palm Pilots, Videos, Air-conditioning in homes or cars, no electric hair dryers for home use, no fast food, and no huge and abundant birthdays or Christmases. She could not comprehend only having three or four dresses to wear to school and church and a few play clothes. I can still remember that in the fifth grade I had a blue dress with a drop waist and a rhinestone pin and a red plaid dress and that one week I would wear one of them three times and the next week two times. She didn’t comprehend why as a girl I could never wear pants to school, or that we washed our hair only once a week and went to bed with wet pin curls to have curly fluffy hair for church on Sundays. We didn’t have Wal-Mart and we didn’t just go shopping for stuff as entertainment. If we ever went out to dinner it was a very special occasion, not the twice weekly trip out the kids are use to these days. Dessert was also a very special treat, not a twice daily occurrence or more as it is today.
When I was her age the dentists did not believe in using Novocaine on children and I can still remember the pain and terror of having my teeth that were untreated by fluoride drilled and filled. Life was more painful and less painful at times than today. It was harder in some ways because we didn’t have so many of the modern conveniences we now enjoy, but less complex because life was less complicated and less stressful. We didn’t have so many choices to make for every little thing. Sometimes I find myself yearning for those days when I go to buy diapers, or ice cream or a cold remedy and have to filter through 80 choices. We didn’t have to read the labels on food to make sure we could recognize anything that was actually contained in the package as edible. In those days we could walk to the store alone or with a small friend and not fear pedophiles or kidnappers. We didn’t need our own swimming pool, playing in the sprinkler was just great.
Ironically, with all the differences in our worlds of growing up, the essence of that little girl I held in my arms was not that different from me at her age. We both were sweet and innocent, had a longing to be pretty and feminine and to feel loved. We both wanted the attention of our parents, our grandparents and our teachers and friends. We both had a deep and inborn longing to one day meet Prince Charming and have a little family of our own. We both had an abundance of goodness within our hearts and a desire to please. We were both the firstborn in our family and ladened with the responsibility to be a good example to our siblings. Sometimes we relished that and other times it was a burden we didn’t care to bear. Somehow, we accepted and carried out the role as best we could. Somehow that role of the firstborn carries on for a life time. Piper is doing an excellent job. She is great with Julia and almost like a little mother to her baby sister, Chloe. She is sensitive and wants everyone to play by the rules. I am the same and it has hurt my heart a lot to know that people sometimes don’t care how I feel nor do they live by the rules. People often just make up their own rules as they go along and fair or right has little to do with it. I hope that as Piper grows those painful learning experiences will be gentle on her kind and tender heart.
Piper loves being a girl. The pinker and frillier and sparklier something is the better she likes it. She loves to dress up and have fairy dust on her little arms and to feel like the true Princess she is. I hope that as she grows she will continue to enjoy her femininity and that she will learn to love her body and enjoy it. I pray she never falls into the body image trappings of society like thinking she is too tall, too big, too white, too anything that causes her distress and makes her feel awkward or different or less beautiful than she is. I hope that a good and healthy self-concept just grows within her naturally and that she doesn’t struggle with it like so many of us do. I have not grown up with the luxury of that blessing. In my era I don’t think many girls have. I hope Piper’s generation is smarter.
Somehow, I saw in her hope for a bright future. She has a wonderful faith in the temple and a great desire to marry there one day. When she was tiny and didn’t quite understand marriage, she cried because she could not go right in and marry me in the temple one day as we were strolling by. I hope that she can marry a man as wonderful as her grandpa and that she can know the joy in her own family that I have had. I hope that her husband will cherish her and help her and love her as much as she deserves, not because she will be perfect but because she has a pure heart. That is just something you can see in a little girl’s eyes when you hold them close and snuggle up with them in the morning. The joy that I felt when looking at her made me realize that one of the blessing of grandparenthood is that there is a bit of ourselves that has the chance to vicariously do things over again. The mistakes I have made do not have to be hers if I can teach her and share my cache of experiences and wisdom somehow. As my heart is turned to her I hope that hers will also be turned to me as she grows up. The more chances I have to cuddle up with her in the mornings now the better the outcome will be later. Those precious moments bond us together one little snuggle at a time.
Reflections on Piper Snuggles 2005
Recently while cuddling in bed with my six-year-old granddaughter, Piper, she asked me what life was like when I was a little girl. It made me reflect on how my life is suddenly seeming long to me. Looking back made me keenly aware of the changes that have taken place within me and the world I call my own. Growing up in the 50’s and 60’s was a cake walk compared to today and yet it was laced with trials and tribulations, excitement and great joy, hard work and fun times too. It was filled with love and learning, family, the perplexities of life and a boat load of boring days too. Each era seems to have a unique way of molding and shaping us into who we are destined and desirous to become. One thing that has become apparent over the almost 58 years I have lived is that each of us continues to learn, grow and change all of our lives. I am beginning to realize more and more that the essence of who we are also remains somewhat the same while our environment and our experiences create and hone the facets of each diamond in the rough.
As I thought about how my life was different than Piper’s as a little girl I saw clearly that the changes are just as dramatic as those experienced by my grandparents and me. She was flabbergasted to know that when I was six we had just gotten our first black and white television. There were no microwaves, cell phones, Barbie Dolls, computers, video games, VCRs, DVDs, CDs, I-Pods, Palm Pilots, Videos, Air-conditioning in homes or cars, no electric hair dryers for home use, no fast food, and no huge and abundant birthdays or Christmases. She could not comprehend only having three or four dresses to wear to school and church and a few play clothes. I can still remember that in the fifth grade I had a blue dress with a drop waist and a rhinestone pin and a red plaid dress and that one week I would wear one of them three times and the next week two times. She didn’t comprehend why as a girl I could never wear pants to school, or that we washed our hair only once a week and went to bed with wet pin curls to have curly fluffy hair for church on Sundays. We didn’t have Wal-Mart and we didn’t just go shopping for stuff as entertainment. If we ever went out to dinner it was a very special occasion, not the twice weekly trip out the kids are use to these days. Dessert was also a very special treat, not a twice daily occurrence or more as it is today.
When I was her age the dentists did not believe in using Novocaine on children and I can still remember the pain and terror of having my teeth that were untreated by fluoride drilled and filled. Life was more painful and less painful at times than today. It was harder in some ways because we didn’t have so many of the modern conveniences we now enjoy, but less complex because life was less complicated and less stressful. We didn’t have so many choices to make for every little thing. Sometimes I find myself yearning for those days when I go to buy diapers, or ice cream or a cold remedy and have to filter through 80 choices. We didn’t have to read the labels on food to make sure we could recognize anything that was actually contained in the package as edible. In those days we could walk to the store alone or with a small friend and not fear pedophiles or kidnappers. We didn’t need our own swimming pool, playing in the sprinkler was just great.
Ironically, with all the differences in our worlds of growing up, the essence of that little girl I held in my arms was not that different from me at her age. We both were sweet and innocent, had a longing to be pretty and feminine and to feel loved. We both wanted the attention of our parents, our grandparents and our teachers and friends. We both had a deep and inborn longing to one day meet Prince Charming and have a little family of our own. We both had an abundance of goodness within our hearts and a desire to please. We were both the firstborn in our family and ladened with the responsibility to be a good example to our siblings. Sometimes we relished that and other times it was a burden we didn’t care to bear. Somehow, we accepted and carried out the role as best we could. Somehow that role of the firstborn carries on for a life time. Piper is doing an excellent job. She is great with Julia and almost like a little mother to her baby sister, Chloe. She is sensitive and wants everyone to play by the rules. I am the same and it has hurt my heart a lot to know that people sometimes don’t care how I feel nor do they live by the rules. People often just make up their own rules as they go along and fair or right has little to do with it. I hope that as Piper grows those painful learning experiences will be gentle on her kind and tender heart.
Piper loves being a girl. The pinker and frillier and sparklier something is the better she likes it. She loves to dress up and have fairy dust on her little arms and to feel like the true Princess she is. I hope that as she grows she will continue to enjoy her femininity and that she will learn to love her body and enjoy it. I pray she never falls into the body image trappings of society like thinking she is too tall, too big, too white, too anything that causes her distress and makes her feel awkward or different or less beautiful than she is. I hope that a good and healthy self-concept just grows within her naturally and that she doesn’t struggle with it like so many of us do. I have not grown up with the luxury of that blessing. In my era I don’t think many girls have. I hope Piper’s generation is smarter.
Somehow, I saw in her hope for a bright future. She has a wonderful faith in the temple and a great desire to marry there one day. When she was tiny and didn’t quite understand marriage, she cried because she could not go right in and marry me in the temple one day as we were strolling by. I hope that she can marry a man as wonderful as her grandpa and that she can know the joy in her own family that I have had. I hope that her husband will cherish her and help her and love her as much as she deserves, not because she will be perfect but because she has a pure heart. That is just something you can see in a little girl’s eyes when you hold them close and snuggle up with them in the morning. The joy that I felt when looking at her made me realize that one of the blessing of grandparenthood is that there is a bit of ourselves that has the chance to vicariously do things over again. The mistakes I have made do not have to be hers if I can teach her and share my cache of experiences and wisdom somehow. As my heart is turned to her I hope that hers will also be turned to me as she grows up. The more chances I have to cuddle up with her in the mornings now the better the outcome will be later. Those precious moments bond us together one little snuggle at a time.
Julia Mae's 'Happy Feet' Day Spa by Gramma Bonnie
SATURDAY, JANUARY 19, 2008
Julia Mae's "Happy Feet " Day Spa
Meet Julia, aka Beautiful Chocolate Eyes . This is my nickname for her along with Jewels for all the obvious reasons. She has gorgeous dark chocolate eyes and she is a Jewel! Julia noticed I had done some blog spots on her sisters Piper and Hazel and cousins Connor and Spencer and she felt it was her turn.There are many things to share about our sweet seven-year-old granddaughter but she has made a special request for me to publicize her new business.
Julia is a person who loves all thing feminine. She is also a rising entrepreneur. Her new business started to take root she was four or five and all of us would be together. She would champion "Girl Power" which is apparent in the Stewart home..lucky Lowell, with so many girls around him always! One of the activities to celebrate "Girl Power" she loves to have is spa night. No boys allowed! Spa night has become a regular nightly event whenever Aunt Laura, Gramma, Mom and Piper and now Chloe and Hazel are together. This is what we do. Everyone gets in their jammies, we go down to the basement guest suite and everyone piles on the bed. Then Julia gets out the towels, lotion, etc, and proceeds to give everyone a great foot massage. Can I just say it is to die for? At the end someone always gives her one too. She, along with the rest of us, really loves this.
Julia would do this every night of her life if she could get everyone else to participate!
Since not every night works for everyone else I think she has decided to open up her own business.
"Julia Mae's "Happy Feet" Day Spa"
I was able to get an interview with this lovely proprietor of the Happy Feet Salon this morning and these are the things she asks me to share. Her spa is open by appointment only and she is willing to take day or evening appointments. So just call her at any time at home and she can arrange to have you in for your massage. She says she offers, massage of your feet, lotion, perfume, and will even do new polish for you. BYOB. She should charge $2.00 per foot and she wanted me to tell you that she is the only one that actually does the foot rubs..she will not be passing that off to an assistant or anything. All you Provoites should take her up on it. She does a great job! You will feel, relaxed, entertained, and your feet will be very happy! If you ask her I am sure she will play Jake Simpson's version (hers and my personal favorite) of "Isn't She Lovely" and/or "You Make Me Feel Like Dancin'" by Leo Sayer on her MP3 Player during your special day spa treatment.
I think Julia would like it if I also mention some important upcoming dates for her as she likes to plan ahead. She will be turning 8 on August 28th. She is planning an evening Family Party that night. On September 6, 2008 she will be getting baptized so save the date.
And on January 1, 2009 at 10:30 am she will be holding her first annual Jingle Bell Parade. Don't miss it! I am sure she will have some great things in store for anyone who can make it. And be sure to bring you own Jingle Bells please!
Julia Mae's "Happy Feet " Day Spa
Meet Julia, aka Beautiful Chocolate Eyes . This is my nickname for her along with Jewels for all the obvious reasons. She has gorgeous dark chocolate eyes and she is a Jewel! Julia noticed I had done some blog spots on her sisters Piper and Hazel and cousins Connor and Spencer and she felt it was her turn.There are many things to share about our sweet seven-year-old granddaughter but she has made a special request for me to publicize her new business.
Julia is a person who loves all thing feminine. She is also a rising entrepreneur. Her new business started to take root she was four or five and all of us would be together. She would champion "Girl Power" which is apparent in the Stewart home..lucky Lowell, with so many girls around him always! One of the activities to celebrate "Girl Power" she loves to have is spa night. No boys allowed! Spa night has become a regular nightly event whenever Aunt Laura, Gramma, Mom and Piper and now Chloe and Hazel are together. This is what we do. Everyone gets in their jammies, we go down to the basement guest suite and everyone piles on the bed. Then Julia gets out the towels, lotion, etc, and proceeds to give everyone a great foot massage. Can I just say it is to die for? At the end someone always gives her one too. She, along with the rest of us, really loves this.
Julia would do this every night of her life if she could get everyone else to participate!
Since not every night works for everyone else I think she has decided to open up her own business.
"Julia Mae's "Happy Feet" Day Spa"
I was able to get an interview with this lovely proprietor of the Happy Feet Salon this morning and these are the things she asks me to share. Her spa is open by appointment only and she is willing to take day or evening appointments. So just call her at any time at home and she can arrange to have you in for your massage. She says she offers, massage of your feet, lotion, perfume, and will even do new polish for you. BYOB. She should charge $2.00 per foot and she wanted me to tell you that she is the only one that actually does the foot rubs..she will not be passing that off to an assistant or anything. All you Provoites should take her up on it. She does a great job! You will feel, relaxed, entertained, and your feet will be very happy! If you ask her I am sure she will play Jake Simpson's version (hers and my personal favorite) of "Isn't She Lovely" and/or "You Make Me Feel Like Dancin'" by Leo Sayer on her MP3 Player during your special day spa treatment.
I think Julia would like it if I also mention some important upcoming dates for her as she likes to plan ahead. She will be turning 8 on August 28th. She is planning an evening Family Party that night. On September 6, 2008 she will be getting baptized so save the date.
And on January 1, 2009 at 10:30 am she will be holding her first annual Jingle Bell Parade. Don't miss it! I am sure she will have some great things in store for anyone who can make it. And be sure to bring you own Jingle Bells please!
Friday, January 11, 2008
Monday, January 7, 2008
Piper's Art
Piper has quite a history as an artist even at the young age of 8. She has some really fantastic art teachers at her school. If anyone wonders why we drive out of our area to a different school, it's stuff like this that makes the extra driving worth it.
In 2006 Piper won an art contest at her school hosted by the local university. She did a piece in the style of Joan Miro as a tribute to him and his work. Her piece was on display at the university for a semester and she was pretty thrilled about it...OK, so were we!
In 2007 Piper had a great teacher than did an amazing art project with them. Two of the kids in her class have parents that teach art so they got a bunch of free canvases for the class to use. They came to the class and taught the kids how to do a painting from start to finish. Planning, sketching, everything right up to the finale: an art show held at a local gallery. The parents were invited to the Gallery Opening and were able to bid on the pieces. All the money made went back to the gallery to help keep art alive in our town.
2007 Gallery Opening
Four Eyes by Piper
Piper also has the honor of having one of her pieces framed and put on display at her school in the main lobby. It's a self portrait done in the style of DaVinci complete with backward signature.
In 2006 Piper won an art contest at her school hosted by the local university. She did a piece in the style of Joan Miro as a tribute to him and his work. Her piece was on display at the university for a semester and she was pretty thrilled about it...OK, so were we!
In 2007 Piper had a great teacher than did an amazing art project with them. Two of the kids in her class have parents that teach art so they got a bunch of free canvases for the class to use. They came to the class and taught the kids how to do a painting from start to finish. Planning, sketching, everything right up to the finale: an art show held at a local gallery. The parents were invited to the Gallery Opening and were able to bid on the pieces. All the money made went back to the gallery to help keep art alive in our town.
2007 Gallery Opening
Four Eyes by Piper
Piper also has the honor of having one of her pieces framed and put on display at her school in the main lobby. It's a self portrait done in the style of DaVinci complete with backward signature.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Hazel's Blessing Day 1/6/08
Hazel was blessed on Sunday-finally! It was great to have all the grandparents there ! After such a horrendous couple of weeks it was a nice ending to my parent's visit. Grampa Read, Grampa Jim, Uncle Chris, and friends Nick & David were in the circle to help Lowell with the blessing. He blessed her to be strong in dealing with her struggles, to find joy in her life and see the love that people have for her. It was very sweet and perfect for Hazel.
My parents Jim and Bonnie with Hazel.
The dress she wore was given to me in 1999 when Piper was born and so Piper, Julia and Hazel all wore it for their blessings. (Chloe was blessed at 6 months so she got her own equally lovely gown in a slightly bigger size) This dress is very special to me-it is just a wonderful keepsake to remind me of the times when my girls were tiny.
Lowell's parents Read and Mary Jane with Hazel.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Cookie-Cutter Babies!
So we keep telling people that Hazel looks just like Piper but I had to post some proof! Aside from the fact that Piper is probably about 15 pounds at this age and Hazel is about 9 they are like little twins.
Here is Piper at 3 months:
Here is Hazel at 3 months:
My sister and I always talked about how there are those families where the kids all look similar and you can tell they are related just by looking at them. We always wished we were like that for some reason. We both grew up hoping for cookie-cutter babies which I never had-until now! Piper and Hazel are totally from the same mold! I love it!
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Bringing Hazel Home
So I really started this blog to record all the stories about my girls and especially this last experience we had with little Hazel. I just wanted to get it all written down and archived before I forgot the little details. This is the end of the story of Hazel's birth that I started long ago. Feel free to skip it as most of you know the story, I just needed to write it for myself.
After those 2 weeks she spent immobilized on her tummy the day FINALLY came when we got to hold her! I thought I would be an emotional mess but I was nothing but thrilled and full of JOY! It was so wonderful to finally have that little bundle in my arms. In spite of all the drama and trials and hardships she was just a sweet spirit there to comfort me! How is that possible? I don't know but that was the case! 
After those 2 weeks she spent immobilized on her tummy the day FINALLY came when we got to hold her! I thought I would be an emotional mess but I was nothing but thrilled and full of JOY! It was so wonderful to finally have that little bundle in my arms. In spite of all the drama and trials and hardships she was just a sweet spirit there to comfort me! How is that possible? I don't know but that was the case!
Lowell is a big guy and you can see how little she is and how fragile she still looks. She was moved out of the NICU to the regular pediatric surgical ward on the 16th day. She was still having trouble with her O2 levels so she had to be on observation for a few more days. That was a time when I was so glad to have my mom with me. Lowell went home to be with the girls after my dad left and it was just me, mom and Hazel at the hospital. Mom was a great strength to me at that time just being there. I never knew it was true but the "I need my mommy" urge in times of crisis never really goes away. Thanks mom!
To be fair my dad was also amazing while we were gone. He took over the 3 older girls and kept the house running. I think he was tired by the end of his 2 weeks but I think they all had fun too. They came up to visit a few times and got to see Hazel, the NICU holds a sibling class where they talk about all the machines that the babies are hooked up to and stuff like that. So Piper and Julia went to that and it helped them feel a little less worried about everything.
So after a few days in the infant unit they said we could go home! I have never been so happy! I packed in about 3 minutes and was chomping at the bit for them to discharge us. The theme of most hospitals thought is "hurry up and wait" so it still took several hours to get out of there with all of our stuff, our whole crew and the O2 tank. Anyway-getting home was just the best gift ever. It was a great lesson in opposition for me, being away from home made going home and having all my kids in one room felt so wonderful.
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