Do you know this girl? She's growing fast

Happy Late Birthday post to my sweet Katy.

She really is sweet, most of the time.

Let me tell you a little about when she came into this world...

My Dr. was kind enough to induce me early since my prior baby was over 10lbs. An ultrasound the 23rd of December showed that she was in the breech position. Nona came to visit for Christmas so Happy Christmas to her, she got to watch the kids on Christmas Even while I went and had her turned. No epidural, lots of pain, but she turned and I got to go home. At 38 weeks, my Dr. induced me, January 5, 2001. It was an easy labor, my mom and sister came from Mesa, because we were living in Tucson at the time. My cousin, Jenn was there too, and Ben of course. She delivered in the evening, while my Uncle Tom was being interviewed on t.v. for some bird release thing, (I wasn't really paying attention). We like to say that Uncle Tom was in the delivery room about the time I delivered, since we could see him on t.v.

Anyway, I got to 10 and was feeling that urge to push (with epidural), but the Dr. had yet to show up cause that last part went so fast. The nurse called her and said she was in the parking lot and could I wait for her? I did my best to relax, and she showed up just in time to catch my 9lb 6oz baby daughter. We didn't know she was a girl until she showed up, that was fun.

Three days later, we are sitting upstairs in the loft, watching t.v. and she starts twitching her right hand, very rythmically. She was still acting like a normal newborn but just twitching her right hand and then it would stop. I didn't think anything of it until it happened over and over again. Weird thing is that she could nurse, she would smile, she would be awake, etc. while it happened. I called my Dr. office about 10pm and she said to bring her in first thing in the morning, 7am.

My mom drove me to the Dr. and at that point, she didn't twitch for him, of course. Well, he said he was going to call his neurologist friend and did I have a cell phone where I could be reached? I thought that was weird, but he wrote my number down and we left. We had just arrived at the Village Inn to enjoy some breakfast when my cell phone rang. It twas my Dr. telling me that they have a bed for her at the NICU and I needed to get her there ASAP. I about fell apart right there in the parking lot. We were just a few miles and it sure felt weird to walk right up to the NICU and have them take her and start running tests, hooking up IV's, etc.

My cousin, Dave Whetten and Ben came immediately and gave her a blessing in her little bed and I felt an assurance that everything would be all right. It turns out she had a stroke in the front part of her brain that controls her speech. She had been twitching on and off so they started her on seizure medicine. Long story short, she spent only 5 days in the hospital but about 18 months on the meds, with two more seizure episodes before we moved back to Mesa.

Fast forward 4 weeks, she gets what I think is a cold. I watch her for a few days then I take her to the Dr. cause she is wheezing too. 3 days of everyday Dr. visits and on day 4, she is turning blue and really can't breathe by the time I get to the Dr. office. He won't let me leave until he finds a bed for her at a nearby hospital. Thank heavens for wonderful respiratory therapists and lung specialists who worked with her round the clock to help her breathe. That visit was 10 days long. Although she was 5 weeks old, I still felt like I had just given birth, the stress from both hospital stays was not allowing me to recover. I remember thinking that I might not get to bring her home this time until later that first night when she had another priesthood blessing and then the peace came. I was blessed to be able to sleep at night (right next to her) and she was able to nurse for nutrition, even though she rarely woke up, except to eat. I celebrated Valentine's Day in the hospital, with my baby.

She slept her first year away, she was behind a little in her motor skills, but she eventually caught up. Her speech was delayed, probably from the stroke, but it was mild enough that only Ben and I could really notice it. When she was about a year old, I had to do the heimlech maneuver on her because she was choking on a dime left on the floor. Ben had the phone in his hand to call 911 when I finally got it out. I just remember thinking that she had suffered so much that first year and I was going to lose her from choking?!?!?!

This is the girl's day out to celebrate Katy's birthday. We started the tradition with Marly for all the aunts, grandmas, and cousins that are girls to shower love on the birthday girl when she turns 8. It is all about Katy and what she wants to do, since 8 is such a special birthday. We started at Souper Salad, Katy's favorite restaurant.

Baby Anny, Candice, Grams, Baby Tristan, Allison, Grandma Whetten

Paige, Katy, and Afton

girl cousins and sisters She is such a lovely girl, growing so fast everyday. She is so full of life and joy (except when she is depressed - family joke). She loves anything crafty or musical. I have enjoyed coaching her softball team and she plays basketball right now. She graduated from Let's Play Music last year and is in her first year of piano lessons and doing awesome. Sometimes I wonder how she can see through her glasses, they are so dirty most of the time, but she doesn't seem to mind. She can't keep her room clean, but is kind enough to share it with her two little sisters. She is a wonderful helper in the kitchen, with her sisters, and to her teacher at school. She is a fabulous student that any parent could be proud of. She was excited to spend her birthday with her girl relatives, having lunch, and getting her ears pierced. Her best friend is her cousin, Afton.Excited to get her ears pierced

Her brothers tagged along to hang out at the mall and "not" be with the girls, but they couldn't resist making faces through the glass.
Her new earrings

Later that night, the whole family celebrated at Cravings (thanks to a coupon from a BargainMom). They sang to her and she ate fried ice cream, yummy!

She has made the decision to be baptized into The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and we are thrilled with her decision. She is such a delight to us and we love her.

I love you, Katy!