HAPPY BIRTHDAY KIKI!!

Three years ago today Heath and I welcomed our precious little Keali into our family.

I can’t believe it was three years ago!  I can’t believe my baby is 3!  She is such a sweet girl.

Here is the Reader’s Digest version of Keali’s birth story.

Heath and I scheduled an induction (my due date was February 6th, but I had been adamant with my doctor that she would be born in January because I wasn’t going to be pregnant after January 31st) for January 26th.  We went to the hospital very early in the morning—5:30 I think and I got hooked up to everything.

Things progressed nicely and I got my epidural around 9 am.  I had also insisted on receiving the epidural prior to being in a lot of pain.  I had such a bad experience with Kalyn I was sure there wasn’t any reason for me to feel real labor pains.  When the nurses were a little hesitant to order one so early, truth be told, I faked the pain a bit.  I really wasn’t any more than uncomfortable when I finally got it.  By the way, the epidural was a present from my Dad—perhaps one of the best he ever gave me!  He didn’t do it, but he got it for me.

Andrea had arrived earlier in the day—my choice for the second person in the room.  She brought chocolate and magazines.  I couldn’t have the chocolate until after, but she also brought me my beverages of choice for afterwards. 

After 8 1/2 hours of labor—the epidural wore off on one side towards the end and thankfully was fixed prior to pushing—Keali entered the world squalling.  I was crying, Heath was crying, Andrea was crying and taking pictures.

The instant I saw Keali I realized she was the most attractive baby I had ever seen.  She didn’t have the cone head or squished nose Kalyn had.  She was gorgeous!  Still is, actually.

We asked the nurses to check her palate first thing so we could know if she had the cleft palate and she didn’t.  I got to hold her for a few minutes, then everyone else held her too.  Andrea had one main job.  She was not to leave my side.  Period.  When Kalyn was born, once they took her to the nursery everyone left me and I was all alone for a long time.  Andrea stuck with me and kept me company.

Mom brought Kalyn to visit shortly after the birth.  Kalyn was immediately taken with her little sister and was so sweet and gentle with her.

Mom brought my after-labor sandwich from Subway and I broke open a Coke that Andrea brought me.  Yum.

We were lucky enough to have the following visitors that first day.

My Mom, Dad, Beverley, Andrea, Amanda, Jessica (I think Amanda and Jessica were there—I was drugged up).  Mamaw, Papaw, Klarice, Luke, and Brad.  Clayton and Dana also came with Ethan (Dana had just found out that week she was expecting her second baby!). 

Keali was a sweet baby, but a bit more high maintenance than her older sister.  It was really hard to not compare the two because Kalyn was so easy going and Keali was NOT. 

Keali has grown so fast!  She is now a big sister and such a sweetheart.  She shares endlessly with Kalyn and showers Kynan and Kaci with love.  She wasn’t much of a snuggler as a baby or toddler, but she loves it now.  We love her so much and are so happy she is in our family!       

2 Months

5 Months

7 Months

9 Months

11 Months

This was tonight when Heath was singing “Happy Birthday” to Keali over the phone.  Unfortunately he had to work and couldn’t be with us.

Isn’t she gorgeous!