BINKY

Dear Molly,

I woke up this morning and found you sucking on the wrong end of your binky.

It was so cute that I had to take some really bad phone pictures of you.

Sincerely, Lori

THREE MONTHS

Dear Molly,

Happy three months, little one.

I can’t tell you how much I love having your cute face around all the time.

You are a pretty good baby.

You are a sometimes a little coliky in the evenings but it’s not too bad.

You wake up a few times at night but you go right back to sleep.

You are super smily and coo-ing like crazy.

I love how chunky you are getting.

Thank you for blessing our little family with your cuteness every day.

I love you more than you will ever know.

Sincerely, Lori

MOLLY'S MANY FACES

 Dear Molly,

Oh, how I love your many different faces.

I could (and sometimes do) kiss that face all day long.

 

You are definitely your father's daughter with all those expressions.

I love you.

Sincerely, Lori

WENT TO THE FAIR FOR THE FOOD

Dear Kurt,

Today you took me to my first Idaho fair.

I decided I am not the biggest fan of fairs.

We spent an arm and a leg on getting into the fair, a few turns around the ferris wheel, a pony ride, and a bit of food.

But, oh, the food!!! I love me some deep fried food. Especially the funnel cakes. I LOVE funnel cakes.

That just might have made the three year old fits, nursing behind a semi truck, smelly people in wife-beaters, and sore feet worth it.

So, thanks for taking me to the fair, but next year let’s just have some one bring us back some deep fried goodness.

I love you.

Sincerely, Lori

DANCING IN THE RAIN

Dear Brooklyn,

Today I taught you an important life lesson: How to dance in the rain. 

You will never be too old, too dressed up, or too cool to dance in the rain.

I hope you spend many days of your life enjoying the rain.

Sincerely, Lori

BUMBO

Dear  Molly,

I busted our your bumbo today.

You look so tiny sitting in it.

Today I wish you could stay this little forever.

Sincerely, Lori

SWIM LESSONS

Dear Brooklyn,

Being three has a lot of perks. One being now you can take swim lessons!

So, while your dad was away at scout camp we signed you up for a two week session.

I was really hoping that it would help you love the water and not hate getting your head wet so much.

It didn't work.... 

You ended up screaming as soon as we showed up until I handed you to your teacher.

and on the last day they had to toss you off the diving board.

Maybe next year you will like it better. 

At least you were super cute while you were trying.

I love you.

Sincerely, Lori

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME

Dear Me,

Happy Birthday.

You officially have 26 wonderful years under your belt.

Today you were spoiled by your wonderful sisters, husband and friends.

For this next year, remember what matters most.

Enjoy the small moments.

Spend time with people you love.

Do things everyday that matter.

Don’t take a single day for granted, it could be your last.

Love yourself. Love Kurt. Love your girls. Love your family and friends. And show them you love them.

And HAVE FUN!

Sincerely, Lori

PERFECT

Dear Molly,

You are perfect. Just perfect.

I am overwhelmed with love for you.

Know that I would do anything for you. 

I love you to the moon and back and forever and ever.

Sincerely, Mom

MOLLY: A BIRTH STORY

Dear Molly,

Your birth story starts on the morning of June 16, 2012.

I woke up having contractions. Real contractions. I've had enough Braxton Hicks contractions to know the difference.

After about two hours of contractions every five minutes I called your dad. "Are you ready to have a baby today?" He got home pretty quickly.

Then I put him to work. Clean this. Pack that. Fix this. Scrub that. "I thought we were having a baby!"

I was worried about being sent home from the hospital so we went for a walk around the block. My contractions jumped closer together so we loaded up in the truck to take your sister to grandma and grandpas house. On the way there my contractions spaced out.

Another walk: contractions jumped to about 2 or 3 minutes apart. Drive to hospital: contractions spaced to about 10 or 11 minutes. A walk around the hospital: close contractions again. 

I was getting frustrated.

Around 4 pm we checked into labor and delivery. I begged the nurse "please don't send me home!" 

After a bajillion health questions the nurse announced I was dilated to a 3! Woo-hoo! I could stay.

The nurse started my antibiotics (Group B Strep positive) and around 5 the doctor came in and broke my water. That's when the nurse asked if I wanted my epidural now. "Might as well!" My contractions were still about 7 minutes apart but I was feeling good and I planned to stay that way.

As the time neared six my contractions got a bit closer and a lot stronger. "Go find the nurse. I want my epidural." Kurt wasn't too worried though. "They'll come when they can." If I wasn't in pain I would have kicked him.

The nurse went to see where my anestesologist was. Turns out he was held up the the ER with a trauma. The good news was that there was another aneteseologist that just started his shift. He would be there soon. 

Soon couldn't come soon enough. I was in a lot of pain. I was missing my nice, medicated labor that I had with Brooklyn.

At 6:40 the anestesiologist finally arrived. When he had me sit up to give me the epidural my contractions jumped so close together there were basically no breaks. When he asked me to scoot over on the bed about a foot I looked at him like he was crazy. Did he know I could hardly breathe let alone scoot?

I held onto your dad and gave him bruises in his shoulders as the doctor stuck an over sized needle in my back and my contractions tried to kill me. 

After what seemed like a lifetime I was able to lay back down. I was so excited for the numbing effects to kick in. They never did.

The anesthesiologist was patting himself on the back and getting ready to go take a coffee break. "You'll start to feel a tingling feeling. Do you feel a tingling feeling?" Ummmmm..... now that he mentioned it my right leg was feeling slightly tingly. 

My pain was getting worse. A lot worse. The nurse checked me. "OH! Hello baby!" I was getting close. Come on epidural!!!

After several minutes of no numbness and only little tingles in my right leg the anesthesiologist went back to work. He flipped me to my left side. He messed with my epidural tube. He upped my dosage. The other anesthesiologist came in and he tried to work his magic too. 

At this point I just wanted to be left alone to die in peace.

I heard the nurse on the phone. "Get here quick. She's about ready." Oh no. No way! Not without my epidural. "Make it work. Please, please make it work." 

All of a sudden there was a lot of pressure. Something was on fire. I was barely aware when the nurse pushed the anesthesiologists out of her way and quickly prepped me for labor. "I have to push."

It was when 7:20 the nurse picked up the phone and basically yelled "Get in here NOW!" Less than five seconds later the doctor ran in the room, shoved on his scrubs and gloves while informing me I could push whenever I needed to. 

I was still thinking my epidural was going to kick in when the nurse ran up to me and announced "This is going to hurt. You can do it." 

Gulp. Here goes nothing.

At 7:25 the doctor handed me you. My perfect little baby girl.

Since your dad looked slightly pale and a little rattled I even got to cut your cord. 

Soon after that my right leg went numb. Go figure. 

But I was in love all over again. With you.

For the next hour I just held you and nursed you.

Soon your sister came in to meet you. She was amazed by you. We all were.

We ended up in the hospital for an extra day so they could moniter you since the labor was too fast for the antibiotics to work. I didn't mind. More time for me to just lie there and stare at you while people took care of me.

And that, my love, is the story of how you came into this world.

Sincerely, Lori