A Guest Blog & Kendyll's "Story"!

This is Kendyll .Thank You for My birthday emails. For my birthday from my mom& dad I got a new Bike. From my sisters(Carlie&Abby Kate )I got new clothes.

I love being 7!!!!!

Kendyll did have a great birthday, and although, she wanted to say a lot more on the blog, she has decided that "typing all that is WAY too hard". I kind of feel the same way most days... :)

So, here is the low down on K's big day. As I said before, she was not feeling completely better from the flu, so she had another day off of school. But, we still tried to get out a little and celebrate, even though she was tired!

Her day started with breakfast on the "You are Special" plate. Suzanne, if you're reading this, thank you for starting something by getting us this plate. The girls LOVE it and it is always the first thing mentioned as they plan their birthdays. Kendyll also requested a "REAL" breakfast in bed for her birthday, so that is what she got!

Next, it was a shopping trip with Grandma and Mommy. Grandma decided this would be the best way to get what Kendyll (and mommy) would want for new clothes, and we had a great time. She was REALLY excited to get to shop at Justice, a clothing store I had never walked into before, and actually was pleasantly surprised by. As a mom who tries my best to keep Kendyll looking like a six year old, and not a fourteen year old, I wasn't too sure about getting into these teeny-bop stores. But, it really was cute and we had a fun time trying on everything in the store!

Lunch was her choice...and she picked La Madeleine with her usual Quiche and Strawberries Romanoff. Dinner was the traditional family night at Chuck E Cheese, with lots of rides and games, as well as a few rip-off prizes for the birthday girl. :)

One of my favorite parts of the day was when Carlie got to give Kendyll her present. Carlie picked out an outfit for Kendyll and a matching outfit for her American Girl doll. And, she was SOOOO excited to give it to Kendyll. I love watching them get excited for their sisters, and I think Kendyll gave exactly the reaction Carlie was looking for. :)

It was a very fun day for our girl. And, it's very hard to believe that seven years ago, I was holding THE most precious baby I had ever laid eyes on, for the first time. I promised her I would share "her story" for her to have later, so here it goes!

February 18, 2002: I wake up right after midnight with a very sharp pain. I ignore it and go back to sleep. I wake up again at 2:00 and begin to time contractions that were about 6 minutes apart. At 4:00ish I decide to take a shower because they are getting closer together (although now I know how much they SHOULD hurt...and they really didn't hurt bad enough yet!). After a shower, and last minute packing, we load the car, and head to the hospital. After a few hours of contractions, I was still getting them more frequently, but they were not getting strong enough. So, my doctor decides to start Pitocin. Looking back, I laugh at my naivety, because I actually called the nurse in and told her I didn't really want to do that, and I'd rather wait for them to intensify on their own. She politely told me she would ask the doctor. Then, she comes back (probably never really asking the doctor) and told me I was not going to get anywhere without a little bit of help. So, I reluctantly said "okay"....and THEN the fun began. Oh. My. Goodness. I was SO not prepared for those next two hours. Pain that never let up is all I can say. But, after some anesthesia and some ice chips, I was happy again. :)

When the nurse saw that I was "ready" to have a baby, she told me to do two practice "pushes" before she called the doctor. Well, those ended up being the only two pushes I ever had to complete! She told me immediately to STOP and she ran to page Dr. Weprin. By the time Dr. Weprin got there, you were already on your way to meet us! She got there in time to catch you, and at 2:54 pm, a 7 1/2 pound bundle of sweetness arrived!! Daddy cried and cried and I just stared and smiled! You were beautiful and my heart was literally quadrupled in size that day. We are so thankful that God made you just the way He planned, and that from the first day you were born, your smile and your bright eyes have been a part of our lives every day.

I hope you enjoyed "your story" Kendyll Grace! We love you!!