Happy Birthday to Emily

From this...

To this...

And this...

Happy birthday to our sweet Emily Bernadette. I can't believe it has been 8 years since

she arrived with a vengeance. We celebrated this past week in Georgia a few times...once with Gramma (her birthday was on the 14th) and again with Great Gramma (hers is on the 27th). I am bringing her some lunch and cupcakes tomorrow and we will celebrate again tomorrow evening. Her birthday party is on Halloween at the skating rink and she is so excited! As I did with Matthew, I would like to write Emily a little note. Here it goes, Emily...

I remember the day I found out that you were in my belly. Daddy and I wanted a baby for a very long time and I was so excited on Valentine's Day 2002 that I was pregnant with you! What a great Valentine's Day present for us and birthday present for me!!!! I will never forget that day because that is when I first knew that I was a Mommy. When we found out that you were a girl, I wasn't too surprised because I knew in my heart that you were my Emily. We gave you the middle name Bernadette, after Great Gramma, Gramma, and Mommy. Daddy and I immediately bought lots of pink clothes for our baby girl! I really can't believe that 8 years have passed since we first met you. You were beautiful then and are beautiful today. I am so proud of the little lady you have become and I look forward to sharing our "girl time" as you get older. These are the things that I love about you:

* I love your compassion. You are kind to others (except sometimes your bubba) and I am so proud of the way you treat your friends.

* I love your enthusiasm for learning.

* I love that you have empathy for those who are hurting.

* I love that you held our hands during Luke's funeral--it meant so much to me and Daddy.

* I love snuggling with you each morning.

* I love our pedicure dates.

* I love your hair--it is so soft!

* I love it when you sing with your I Pod.

* I love how gorgeous you are.

* I love having conversations with you--you are so mature.

* I love how determined you are to beat your arthritis...and you are doing just that!

* I love the notes you write to me and Daddy--they make us smile (even the ones you write when you are mad).

* I love how much you are into fashion (much more-so than Mommy).

* I love how much you love your brothers (yes, even Matthew).

* I love the relationship that you have with Daddy--you guys make me smile.

* I love that you are my girl, my only girl.

I love so many more things about you, sweet Emily. You and your brothers are so important to me and Daddy. I want to thank you for making me a Mommy. Thank you for doing "girly" things with me...pedicures, shopping, dancing, singing, etc. I am so thankful that God gave you to me. I am so excited for you, especially as you celebrate your First Reconciliation and First Communion. Eight is a big year for you, so make the most of it.

I love you,
Mommy

PS To all of our friends, Emily would LOVE it if you wrote her a quick birthday note. She was so excited that I am writing a post about her and her birthday, so if you know her (or if you don't), please feel free to leave her a quick note. Thank you and God bless!

1 in 100

1 in 100. That's it. That's all you have to be to have a child born with a congenital heart defect. 1 in 100. Wow.

Before Luke was born, we didn't know how common heart defects are (and remember that my niece has ToF, so we weren't strangers to CHDs). Before you learned of Luke's story, did you know how common they are?

Too common. Too many lives taken. Too many parents holding empty baby blankets. Too many siblings trying to figure out where their baby is. Too little research done to prevent CHDs from happening. Seriously, the amount of money spent of research for CHDs is laughable. Why don't heart defects get the coverage they need so that these children can live? I ask myself that question each day.

You may be wondering why I am up in arms about CHDs today? Well, in the blogging/Facebook world, heart moms tend to be like family. We constantly pray for the babies who are fighting and mourn for the babies who we have lost. This week, there have been at least nine angels who have earned their wings due to CHDs. Nine. Nine...and that doesn't even account for the countless children who we have lost who are not part of the blogging community.

Too common. Too many lives taken. Too many parents holding empty baby blankets. Too many siblings trying to figure out where their baby is. Too little research done to prevent CHDs from happening.

Until we can get the attention of the media and force the issue of CHDs, the funding for research will remain the same. If any of you reading this post are involved in any way with media outlets, I am begging you to help spread awareness of CHDs. Losing Luke was the most difficult thing that Tommy and I have ever faced. We don't want any other parents to weep over their child's crib. With more research, hopefully no other parent will be forced to do that. I can give you statistics, personal accounts, as well as point you in the direction of medical professionals who would help shed more light on CHDs.

Thanks for allowing me to vent...it is so difficult to read the beautiful words that these new angel mothers have written, knowing that I have been there, too. Please pray for the souls of the gorgeous children the world has lost this week, including Joshua and Ewan (I followed their stories). Please also continue to pray for my sweet friend Ashley and her beautiful baby girl who will be born with a CHD. God bless!

PS Thank you so much for writing notes to Matthew on the previous post. He loved reading his birthday messages!

Happy Birthday to Matthew

Matthew right after he was born...I'm thinking that I may do a comparison of this pic and Luke's newborn pic. It's uncanny how similar they look.

Matthew's baptism. That gorgeous dress was made by Tommy's Nanny from the same material as his mother's wedding dress.

Messy Matthew

Love this face!

Today, our little man is 6 years old. We celebrated yesterday with a party at the local gymnastics place and went to dinner at Red Robin (or Red Robin...YUM as Matt calls it) as that is where he wanted to go. The photos above are of Matthew through the years and below are some pics from his party. Since he is now our big boy and can read, I want to write a special letter to him. Matthew...this one's for you.

Our sweet Matthew,

I remember when Daddy and I found out that you were a boy. We were excited and nervous all at the same time. We knew how to take care of a girl thanks to Emily, but a boy was something totally different. I hoped that I would be a good "boy mom". I remember going to the store that day and buying your first baby boy outfit. I was so excited to meet you. Now that you are 6 years old, I am still so excited to be a boy mom. Bubba, you are my favorite six year old and I am so thankful you are mine. Here are just a few of the things that I love about you:

* I love your hair, my little brillo head.

* I love your voice and the way that you talk.
* I love that you are our Captain Obvious.

* I love the fact that you can talk to God whenever you want--and that He talks back to you.

* I love that you never take blame for anything.

* I love how much you love your sister and brothers.

* I love your puppy dog eyes.

* I love your dimples.

* I love your enthusiasm for everything.

* I love the way you snuggle with me each morning.

* I love the way you hold your breath when you breathe.

* I love your great big stinky feet.

* I love what a good student you are at school and how well you can read.

* I love that your hands look just like Great Grampa Myers' hands.

* I love the way that you start every sentence with "Mom..."when you are talking to me.

There are so many more things that I love about my Bubba. You, Emily, Luke, and James are the best things that happened to me and Daddy. We are so glad that you are ours and that God blessed us with you. We can't wait to celebrate many more birthdays with you!

Love,

Mommy

PS. If you know Matthew (or even if you don't), please feel free to leave a comment and let him know what YOU love about him and I will let him read them. He would LOVE LOVE LOVE to see what people have to say about him (and so would I :)). Also, please continue to pray for all sick children. I have a friend here who is pregnant with a sweet heart baby and she could use your prayers. God bless you all!

Now for the pictures: