I am a mother of four and because I will always be a mother of four, I sometimes refer to Lila as our caboose. Now that she has turned 1 year old, I have such a feeling that our life as a family is really taking off.
The story of Lila's arrival into this world is very special to me for a couple of different reasons. Just over a year ago, I was very pregnant and Phoebe was turning 5 years old. It was right after her birthday party that my mom began to feel really sick and went in to the doctor. The doctor wasn't very worried, but, shortly after that, she became jaundiced which led her straight to the hospital. It was that trip to the emergency room that turned our lives upside down. She had a "growth" on her pancreas. It's funny the careful words that doctors sometimes use.
I don't know when it really began to sink in that my mom had cancer. All I remember thinking at the time was that my mom would be able to fight her way through it and that I needed her with me when I had my baby. My mom had been with me from epidural to post delivery with Cade, Phoebe and Sofia. How could I deliver a baby without my mom's hand? I couldn't. At two weeks early, I went into my doctor's office and asked him to do all he could to make me have this baby before my mom had to go back into the hospital for major surgery to remove her tumor.
I had Lila that afternoon with my mom right by my side. A few days later my mom went in for surgery and never really recovered.
As a 28 year old mother of four, I have often had people react with shock at how early I started having babies and how many I had! (I'm sure many of you can relate.) And I, myself have wondered from time to time what our hurry was. It was while I was thinking about just that the other day, in my car, when I had one of those 'lightbulb moments'. My Father in Heaven knew what I was going to go through. He knew exactly what trial and pain that was to befall our family and he blessed me with the opportunity to have my mom be with me until I had all of my babies here on Earth. I will always be so grateful for that.
Lila truely was the last great miracle that my mom was able to witness before she passed away and Lila truely is a miracle.
Lila was born with a cleft palette. Thankfully, her cleft was fairly mild. It took a couple of initial weeks of stress and frustration, but, she eventually was able to eat as any other baby, (with the help of a special bottle). Then, at eight months old, Casey and I reluctantly handed our baby over to an amazing Doctor at Phoenix Children's Hospital to have the cleft repaired. She is now fully recovered with not a scar to show. What a perfect miracle this baby has been from her first second in my arms.
We love you, Lila. You are the most content and happy baby that I have ever known and you have truely completed our family in a way that only you could. Thank you.
10 comments:
That was a sweet post! I'm glad you shared that. Happy B. Day to Lila, she is too cute.
love your post! you have a gorgeous family....lila is beautiful. happy birthday! hey my blog is now private, so if you want to view it email me at rstokes22@cox.net.
Brianne, you and your post get me every time, so tender and filled with such special words. You have had such an amazing year, I just can not even imagine.
She is so adorable. She has such a glow about her.
To bad I did not live closer to you, I would love to run with you. You could put your little caboose in a stroller and come with Cash and I.
She is such a doll and truly a blessing. I am so glad that your mom was able to be by your side Brianne. What a bitter sweet year for you. I can only imagine all of the emotions that you have gone through. You are definitely a strong woman.
What a sweet post. I can only imagine what you have gone through this year, and I truly do believe we are blessed with children to help us through our trials. You are such a great mom and Lila is lucky to have you! Hope she had a great birthday! We have to be out of our house on the 27th, so soon. We are going to do a few things over at that house to make it work a little better, then we will move in.
Happy Birthday, Lila! Lila's birth will always be a marker for such a difficult time in our lives. I am so glad that we have her to be (as you have said) our light in the darkness.
that was such a sweet post. My heart truly breaks for you because i know you were as close to your mom as I am to mine. Im so glad she was able to be there for you when you had all your kids.
I hope Lila had a fun birthday :) I know I say it all the time, but really, your kids are so dang cute! Lets get together SOON
She is a little dolly. What a cutie.
Bri.. This week has been nuts for me. I would love to do it next friday, if that's good. I know the twins would love to come along.
Also, have you been to the Temple to see the exhibit? It is so neat, and I always think of people like you who have had difficult times lately, to go to it. It is so powerful. It just really reminds us of who we are and of a loving Savior who still watches over us, and loves us. Anyway, let me know about next week. I would love to go to lunch.
What a great story, thanks for sharing.
Brianne, you are a very heart-felt writer. I always enjoy what you have to say. Your family is wonderful and I am glad that you had your mom here for all your kids' births. What a blessing. Happy Birthday Lila!
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