Thrill-Ya!

	We took the family to Starbucks while our house is being shown. Bagels and cream cheese for all.

Fire Drill!

We have to do a drill before we get started. Loud bell. Lots of orange vests.
Kyle M. Schei

Mortgage Consultant | GFG Mortgage | gfgmortgage.com
Office: 425.374.5062 | Mobile: 425.359.1740 | Fax: 425.609.0067

The Travel 'Stache

Nothing presents yourself to strangers like a sweet mustache. Krista and I are boarding a plane for L.A. to take our first childless vacation in a long time. We are celebrating Krista's birthday on a BIG boat.
Kyle M. Schei

Mortgage Consultant | GFG Mortgage | gfgmortgage.com
Office: 425.374.5062 | Mobile: 425.359.1740 | Fax: 425.609.0067

"My Kids are Cuter than Your Kids"

You've seen the bumper sticker.

When I read that on the back of somebody's car my first reaction is "oh, you're THAT person. I wouldn't relate with you. In fact, you already annoy me." Then I have this fleeting thought of "we should compare kids."

I'm certain that while you're reading this you are thinking the same. You're thinking, "no, mine are cuter than yours".

They probably are. But then their kids are cuter than yours and the next kids are cuter than theirs, etc. ...

On our way to e wa.

On our way to e wa.

Thursday morning.

20 minutes later.

Almost march.

"Directness" is a virtue.

Just yesturday I attended our LA Fitness club after having our membership on hold for some time... okay, you got me. 9 months I've been away. In any case, I believe I attended only for the purpose of exercising, not my body, but my confrontational skills.

Jesseca, a good friend, had been over the day prior and had explained to me the lack of care that her 6 month old daughter, Regan, had received in KidsClub on Monday while Jesseca had attended a pilates class. Following the class, Jesseca the Sleuth, observed from the far windows into the daycare area and witnessed her daughter in the "big kids area" surrounded by older children while the closest caregiver was not less than 10-15 ft away. Not a big deal, right? But as Jesseca observed further, not one caregiver looked Regan's way for a decent 5-10 minutes to check on her well-being! Being a new mother of an "orally fixated" creature (my second child, 10 month old William) I can appreciate the desire to have "around the clock care" when Will is within 100 yards of anything that fits inside of a toilet paper tube! (We have 2 Heimlich incidents to date - he's ahead of my oldest by 2 incidents). I was, in the least, curious about this incident and therefore decided I would allow my children to stand in the line of fire while I accomplished a very large mission: "Do these people deserve my money or should I let loose the monster that I am, shrug my shoulders, and give my business to some other trophy Mom establishment in Mill Creek?"...

Yesturday I attended a Yoga class and today I attended a Kickboxing class.

Result Data:
The kids lived. The kids enjoyed themselves. But the data was manipulated. I walked in the first day and explained to the caregivers that my friend had been "incredibly displeased" with the care her 6 month old had received the day before and that I needed their assurance that my son would not choke to death and that my daughter would not wet in her "big girl underwear". They were extremely cooperative, if not wonderful! Katie wants to go back tomorrow and William, although he can't speak yet, shows great promise! Not to mention the sanity on Mom's end...

Yoga, I love. Kickboxing, kicks your @#$... and yes, I will be back tomorrow morning. And then again next week. Assertiveness is a virtue - it will even get you in shape. I can already feel the muscles tearing and repairing... tearing and repairing...

John deere baby

Hannah barbaric

Sleeping beauty

Kyle - christmas

My sister in-choice...

We love i-90 in the winter time!

Katie watching ipod movie

Mmmm...

Good morning!

Two Weeks in the Tri-Cities...

I grew up here. Born at Kadlec, lived in Kennewick, and lastly, attended Kamiakin High School prior to taking off for the Great Northwest and attending Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA. Ever since I can remember, my parents would pile us in the car and we would make the 5 hour trek across the mountains to my grandparents house in Bellevue, WA. When everyone sat complaining about the rain outside, I remember feeling refreshed, comfortable, cozy even! I knew in my heart of hearts that I would land myself on the west side of the mountains sometime in my life, I just wasn't sure when...

As soon as high school was done, I made the break. Bellingham was quaint, cozy and beautiful. There was, and is, no place like it. I fell in love there, walked downtown with Kyle while sipping hot cocoa on our first of many dates and decided, at a later date, to get married there as well.

Today is October 17th, 2006, and I have been out of the Tri-Cities for 9+ years now. Kyle and I have moved south from Bellingham and live within about 20 minutes of downtown Seattle, Katie and William - as far as I can tell - enjoy the refreshing rain and beautiful greenery that they've been born into, and I get to sip hot coffee everyone morning while looking out my window at the lush western washington 'tropics', sometimes surprisingly cloudless blue skies, the abundance of greenery, and last but not least, I get to anticipate the 10 minute drive to view the beautiful San Juan Islands... take my dogs to the beach... ride a ferry across the Puget Sound... or walk downtown Seattle and experience the diversity that only comes with a larger city.

Today I am here in Kennewick in the midst of my two week stay while my parents travel Switzerland together. I have driven my younger sister, Hannah, to school every morning and watched her volleyball games/practices most week nights. I have seen parts of this town that I have not seen since high school - neighborhoods, high school friends' houses, stores and shops. Yes, my mother and father comment on the ease it would mean for Kyle and I to just move over here and have them within a stone's throw... more date nights, kids closer to their grandparents, less phone calls and more time together, etc.
Though all this sounds wonderful to me, it can't quite compete with the connection my heart has to Western Washington. I don't believe I'll ever leave that place - I don't think I'll ever end up back where my roots are... yet I've heard that from others and have been increasingly surprised to see whose 'back' whenever I speak to my Mom during one of our many phone conversations or visit the sagebrush city myself.

Here I feel too exposed, unearthed, vulnerable, maybe even too emotional... there I feel cozy, secure, independant and like an adult. All these factors cause me to anxiously await my return to the Seattle area everytime I come over. I enjoy my time here and I love the time spent with my family and the priority it is for me to be here for lengthy visits won't change yet my desire to make it my permanent home has not increased...

Sorry Mom. I really think you, Dad and Hannah should consider a move over to the rainy side of the state! Just think, you'd be closer to the grandkids, Kyle and I could have more date nights, there'd be more time together and less time on the phone... just consider it.

I love each of you dearly.

Minivan Mom after all...

We took the plunge. Held our breathe, covered our ears for fear of the ridicule we just may encounter, and swallowed all pride...

We bought a 2001 Honda Odyssey. We will, unfortunately, be selling the 1999 Subaru Outback we have grown to love and appreciate. Yet when weighing the pros and cons of buying a larger vehicle we discovered it was well within our personal ministry desires to have the capacity to 'haul' people. And we weren't going to do it at 16-20 mpg for an SUV that seemed to 'better fit' our personalities. So we went for the only minivan I have ever been willing to look at. The Honda Odyssey. Yes, I'm proud to say this 7 seater beast will do 27 mpg on the highway while doing about 22 around town. That's better than the Subaru has ever done!

We will be handing over the cash and picking the van up this coming Wednesday. My first long haul will be this weekend as I drive over Snoqualmie Pass with my Mom and the kids to visit them in the Tri-Cities. Actually, I will be 'babysitting' my younger sister, Hannah, while my parents begrudgingly hop a flight to Switzerland for 2 weeks. During that time I will HAUL Hannah, Katie, Will and myself to and from school, volleyball practice, volleyball games, the store, etc. I'm sure it will be a luxurious ride - everything that I've ever dreamed in a MINIVAN.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Jess and I... oh yeah, and the parade of children.

We probably shouldn't be allowed in public. But as of yet, there's been no law passed prohibiting the sleep deprived mothers and their offspring to walk freely within the confines of a public building. Until that moment comes, Jesseca Emerson and I will take advantage of any mall, park, museum and consignment store that will allow us entry.


Jesseca (left) comes almost complete with her 4 year old son, Riley David (right), and her 3 month old daughter, Regan Anne (below right). I (left below) follow suit with my 2 year old daughter, Catherine Elizabeth (right), and my 6 month old son, William McCormick (below right). I can see the Mall Security now. Sitting in the viewing room, watching the security cameras and picking away at the unsatisfying lunches their wives packed for them that morning when all of a sudden one guy looks up to see Riley stroll through the Nordstrom entrance in all of his glory while quick behind is the all too familiar parade of two sleep deprived mothers, ANOTHER toddler and a couple of breastfeeding babies. It is Jesseca Emerson and Krista Schei. "They're back boys. Let's warn the men on the ground and FOR GOD'S SAKE, SOMEONE... ANYONE! Call the 3:00PM shift supervisor and tell him. We know they'll be here most of the day."

Jess and I don't usually plan our outings in detail. There's no reason to. We commented on how our husbands wouldn't be allowed to accompany us on these outings because we don't want to HAVE to explain to them why all these 'stops' and 'breaks' are especially important.

"Yes, the kids need a moment to play. And YES, they probably will again before we go!"
"Yes, I need to feed Regan/Will again."
"No, I didn't put a diaper on Riley, he's potty-trained but he has to go NOW!"
"No, Katie can't swim in the fountain! Yes, I mean it Kyle! Even if you roll up her pants!"
"Yes, it is worth it to go nurse the babies all the way down at Nordstroms and then resume our shopping."
"Yes, I DO think that GAP Kids will have some good sales."
"Yes, even comparable to a consignment store. Haven't you EVER looked?!"
"No, the kids have had enough shopping for one day. They won't listen anymore."
"I said, they won't listen anymore! We need to haul out of this place as fast as humanly possible!"
"No! There's no time to stop by the APPLE store. I'm so sorry."

All the while Katie and Riley are "acrobatting" their way down the walkway outside the mall yards ahead of their mothers. They are dancing, laughing, hiding, head-butting, screaming and on the brink of going insane. Jess and I pick up our speed. We walk at a faster pace, pass stores that only moments earlier were an option to browse, and race for the car. We pile the kids in and start the engines praying that God will be gracious and allow the kids a somewhat easy bedtime routine once we pull in the drive. Each time I say, 'I won't do this again!'... but believe it or not, the joy of the outing is all too much to resist the next time around.

Yesturday morning Jess and I decided to take the kids to ice cream at Coldstone at Alderwood Mall. That way they could play on the toys outside of Sears and Jess and I could also spend some time looking for good sales. (Not WHILE the kids were playing. No. We're not that bad.) We arrived at 4:00PM and left at 7:45PM. Let's see... we went into 3-4 stores - at most. The rest of the time was spent doing what we love to do most...

Raising a handful of freakin' adorable - not to mention well-behaved - children. Thank you Jess for being the friend that I need at moments like these. I love you SO much.

Katie's Aunt Hannah...

On January 21st, 1993, MY sister Hannah Catherine was born. It was a dream for me as a 14 year old to have a baby sister. I mothered her and sistered her... the "mothering" entailed diaper changes and the quite often babysitting jobs as well as feeding her a bottle and sharing my bedroom with her. The "sistering" entailed things like showing her how to blow her Cheerios through her lips across the dining room table only to erupt into a chorus of laughter, waking her up just because I wanted to hold her and dress her various times a day as if she were a doll. I used to lay her on her tummy as a 3/4 year old, bend her knees so that she was essentially kicking herself in the bottom and then I would wrap the top of her underwear over the top of her sneakers. She would be stuck screaming and rocking on her belly until either Mom came to her rescue or my penalty was such that the better decision was to release my little sister. But down deep as we grew up together... we just understood each other. Even at moments when noone else understood us. WE understood us.

Now, my "little" sister Hannah is 5'9" and 13 years old. She is probably my daughter, Catherine Elizabeth's, favorite person. Hannah understands Katie. Katie knows it. To watch these two interract is like nothing else. Oh wait - that's not true. It's exactly like Hannah and I used to. I am now reaping the rewards and the consequences. Hannah mothers Katie AND Hannah "sisters" Katie.

Today, September 19th, Katie is 2 years old. For her birthday she received, from her Aunt Hannah, dress up clothes.
Included in the outfit was a pink tutu, a pink boa (frilly, sparkly scarf), a fairy hat, a wand, and a pair of pink slippers. Katie could not put the outfit on fast enough! Hannah GOT her!

It was incredible to watch!

Since that moment yesturday when Katie opened her gifts from Aunt Hannah, she has not been without her tutu. We pull it off at diaper changes only to have it right back on. Katie insists on wearing it out and about. To her friend's house, to the park, to the mall, running around outside...


The joy that I have received from this experience the past 36 hours has been so pure and exhilerating. What an awesome parallel to witness... my sister and I then she and my daughter.

Hannah, you are loved. Thank you for being such a phenomenal role model for my daughter now and in the years to come. I love you with all my heart and I hope these pictures will bring you the same pure joy and laughter that I have had - thanks to you.

Catherine Elizabeth and William McCormick

 

The pleasure that I receive from watching these two interract is healing... 

Disaster Control

I swore to NEVER be one of those Moms who unwillingly pushed one of those child-size zambonis around the store where the toddler can "drive" the cart while your infant rides atop the handle bars just to keep the world from falling from its axis while you got a FEW things accomplished. No. I would be stronger than that. And no, my child would never get to enjoy such audacious luxuries especially at the expense of my dignity. Of which one loses a lot of after knocking over end caps of crackers and cereals, shelves of plastic patio dinnerware, not to mention the occasional run-in with the regular sized shopping cart coming the other way down the aisle. These large carts are the H2s of the grocery shopping world and I've always despised them.

But then there was today.

Katie and I awoke at our regular time of 7:30AM while Kyle and Will continued the sleep/wake rhythm for another half hour. I got the coffee going, made toast, gave Katie her milk and resorted to our new couch to watch Arthur and play house with Katie and her "tchoo" babies -- "tchoo" stands for 2 or more. One is never enough. Kyle slowly arose and brought Will out with him. He handed Will off, hugged and kissed us all a good morning and went to pour his cup of coffee. Upon his return, he sat with appreciation next to me on our couch. Couches with springs and without holes is something we've never known!

In any case, Kyle's relationship with our daughter is quite unique. Katie loves dolls, she loves dress-up and make-up, she loves her tea party set BUT she enjoys just as much the danger that her father introduces her to. These are things I've spoke of before... skateboarding sitting on daddy's shoulders, standing on daddy's hand while he straightens his arm up over his head, being thrown oh-so-high in the air with high hopes of being caught on the way down yet a shadow of uncertainty is always present. Exciting. And I believe that because of this connection Kyle tends to believe that they connect on all levels. An example of this is how he will observe her chipper/happy mood in a moment's time and begin to "push her buttons" hoping that she will simply laugh in good humor and continue on with her chipper/happy mood. But what he doesn't realize sometimes is that this happy go lucky fun that he's having is only flipping our daughter on her head emotionally simply to turn right side up in a funk for the rest of the day!

This morning Kyle began playing with Katie nicely. Talking sweetly, having good conversation, taking orders and playing house. This then turned into being silly hoping that Katie would follow suit. When she didn't and instead lovingly asked him to 'get back on track' in her own words, Kyle continued on. This then turned into Katie laughing in the same way one laughs when they're being tickled against their will. You know, the pissed off laugh. When all was said and done, Katie didn't have much interest in playing anymore but instead wanted Mom... and she wanted me for the rest of the morning. No joke. It was all I could do to get out of the house and go to the grocery store in hopes of finding a child-size zamboni that my daughter could enjoy while I attempted to get something accomplished.

Today at Safeway in Mill Creek, Will sat in his carseat atop the handlebars and Katie Andretti bulldozed her way down the aisles while I shopped for tonight's lasagna dinner. Aside from having to BACK OUT of aisles and reevaluate how close I was to anyone ahead of me, it wasn't all that bad.

I apologize to anyone I have mocked in the past for lugging these monstrous carts around the store. For all I know, you probably had a morning not unlike the one I just had and there I was - less than understanding.

Public Nudity

We were just recently annexed into Mill Creek City limits. Formerly Unincorporated Snohomish County - you know, where children running around in their birthday suit isn't so uncommon. But the poshness of Mill Creek is becoming more and more apparent to us. For starters, we received a pamphlet this last week touching on issues such as water purity, all-city garage sales, tax dollars 'well spent', etc. A plea was made asking us to wash our cars at the local car wash as opposed to doing it ourselves since the soap water pollutes city water; cops patrol the neighborhoods in the evening hours for safety purposes - I don't know if it makes me feel safe or puts me on edge to be quite honest. Thinking of things such as these caused me particular concern today as my daughter and her friend, Riley, danced around in the front yard completely nude. Riley started in his undies but quickly resorted to being more 'free'.

They ran around screaming and throwing buckets of water on each other. When they got near Jess or I, Jesseca simply reminded them that "Mommies don't like to get wet, remember?" They bought it. Most of the time. We ate chips and guacamole, mowed the lawn, threw all the bath toys into the pool, turned on the hose and watered the plants, ran inside the house dragging dirt and wet grass clippings with us, made juice - and the kids even executed the most hideous of behaviors and peed outside. At least I know Katie did. Right in the guacamole. No joke.

Once the guacamole was gone and the kids started getting cranky (again, mostly Katie) we decided it was time to call it a day. It was naptime for everyone. And there's nothing better than slipping into cool sheets for a summer afternoon nap with the fan blowing on you after a naked romp in the sun and a splash in the pool with your dearest of friends.

I'm sure we'll do it all over again tomorrow.

My heart is 20 months old...

To the left is a picture of my heart.

There have been random moments when I realize that my daughter is my heart. Kyle holds my heart, Katie is my heart. As is my son, William, now. Yet the part of my heart that signifies Katie has been grown, tarnished, shined... it's old. Or so it feels. Were anything to happen to her I would lose incredible memories of the past and awesome dreams and visions of the future. She is becoming her own person and is day by day pushing my 'motherly' influence away. She will do that until she reaches the end of high school, and as most of us know because of personal experience, it is then that she will begin again to draw closer to me as she once was in infancy. Phone calls asking for direction in life, late night conversations about boys and very likely - hopefully few and far between - desiring financial 'assistance'.

The other day as we were leaving Doxa church in West Seattle, I let go of her hand on the sidewalk as we approached our car. We were parked in a diagonal spot beside the church building on a residential street. Katie and Kyle made their way around the opposite side as I set William in on the passenger's side. Over the top of the car I noticed a vehicle driving up the street towards us. It was a 'motherly' moment when you run through the checklist in your head: 1) there's a car approaching from the driver's side 2) Katie is on the driver's side of the car with Kyle 3) the car is not going fast 4) Katie is probably holding Kyle's hand...

But she wasn't. We have begun to teach Katie to 'touch the wheel' of the car as I lift William in and she is NOT allowed to let go until Mom or Dad says so. Kyle was aware of the car and took precautions to keep Katie safe. On this particular day, Kyle's hands were full and as he instructed her to touch the wheel while he opened the door she decided to take off right towards the street. At that same moment, a car flew around the corner from behind me on the passenger's side of the car and within a second of time I could feel the car speeding from behind me, I heard Kyle shouting for Katie to STOP at the top of his lungs, I heard the 'click' of William's carseat in its base, and my heartbeat stopped, my brow was instantaneously sweaty and I couldn't breathe. I knew that my daughter, in her disobedience, was about to pay the ultimate consequence - I knew that my heart was running out into oncoming traffic. I do not know how fast I got around the back of the car and I do not know if the car coming from behind me even noticed a little girl in a pink coat and jeans running happily out from behind a parked car as her mother raced towards her. Seconds of time did not have to pass for me to realize the impact this little girl has on my life.

The drive home was silent. The minute I spoke up and got no more than a breath out, Kyle piped up saying that that was the scariest moment of his life. I didn't have to speak. We both just sat in silence as Katie, in her naivety, asked questions and told us stories from the back seat. She was happy and content. I looked at her amazed and thankful for everything that she is. As a dear friend told me yesturday, that was the first of many moments such as these when you realize that your children ARE your heart.

She and William are asleep as I write this and I cannot wait until tomorrow morning when I will feed William for his final 'night feeding' and hand him off to his dad to sleep the rest of the morning. I will awake with Katie and serve her toast with honey and milk while I indulge in a couple cups of coffee. We will watch Sesame street at 6:30, then Zaboomafoo at 7:00. Sometimes Arthur and Clifford: The Big Red Dog will be in the line-up before Katie gets bored and begins the day's destruction of the house.

I love being a Mom. But boy is it terrifying. I hear the cycle of joy/terror never really ends.

My World

(Left Photo: Katie and William - May 11, 2006; Right Photo: Katie - 6 weeks old, 2004)

My oh my, I've sure set myself up for failure this time. Trying to summarize "my world" in its current state is not unlike trying to catch one of those annoying weighted rubber balls. My brain goes from 'oh, what beautiful and euphoric moments I have to write about' to 'today was hell'. Now, how I can so quickly jump from one extreme to the next boggles me as much as it boggles you. So, maybe that's just it. My world, as I see it currently, is a place of extremes with a whole mess of a lot in between. In summary, that is.

In further detail, Katie and Kyle enjoy a good ride on the skateboard almost daily. You wonder how in the world I could allow my beautiful daughter to ride atop the shoulders of her ever-daring father? Because I'm the same way. I would rather be raised on a farm in the 40's where you ride your bike to the market without fear of being kidnapped, you ride standing UP in the bed of your father's pick-up truck because it's more fun that way, you go swimming at the local fishing hole withOUT adults and your friend, Bubba, talks about his adventures hanging out the door of his father's milk truck on delivery day as they drive 50 miles per hour down Mr. Dafney's pothole ridden private drive. Yes, these are the days of Lassie. Back then, people didn't make fun of Timmy and his talking dog, they just enjoyed it. So now, I simply enjoy watching Katie laugh and scream as Kyle scoops her up and goes gliding down 133rd Place SE.

William is 6 weeks old and beginning the 'social smile'. With Katie, Kyle and I were adamant about NOT having her in our bed for the sake of our spontaneous marriage and what it entails to keep it 'spontaneous'. She rarely was allowed to sleep in the 'master' bed - I could count on one hand the evenings that I've allowed this rather outlandish behavior. Then there was Will. Oh, don't get me wrong. My thoughts and opinions on the matter haven't changed. And if you ask me at 7:00AM, 12:00PM, 3:00PM, 6:00PM, 10:00PM, sometimes even at 2:00AM, I would, with intensity, agree that the 'family bed' is not the most beneficial way to sleep a child. But when 4:30AM rolls around, you can bet that kid is in my bed. My last drained breast is hanging out of its intended enclosure while William and I sleep soundly - our bodies desperately needing the last few hours of sleep before the morning arrives and the 'dragon stirs'. AKA, Katie.

Every other Thursday Kyle plays poker with a group of close friends and every Thursday I have been attempting consistency and am engaged in a bible study with a group of phenomenal women from all over the Seattle area. So, the 'every other' Thursday is usually a night that the kids get to spend with Kyle's mom - Grandma Schei. :) It has been important for me to keep my identity as there are many hours during every day that I fight the battle of "Katie and Will's Mom" formerly known as "Krista Schei". My moments go from nursing to feeding snacks to nursing to changing a diaper to helping Katie go on the 'big girl potty' to nursing to changing a diaper to pulling maybe two weeds in the front yard to replugging the pacifier to... oh, I almost forgot!... nursing. Who am I again? And not to mention Kyle has some serious pent up energy that I need to be more in tune with.

This group of women has been a great release for me.

Anyone want to babysit so that I can be a WIFE again, too?! Kyle and I are excited to have his mom so close for that very reason. We've had some time to just be alone as she's been so great about watching the chillins'. Otherwise, we resort to staring longingly across the table during a family dinner out, giving high-fives when both kids are asleep before resorting to cuddling in each others' arms and falling asleep too, or simply conversing in the front seats of the car while both kids entertain themselves behind us.

I will wrap this up for the very reason that I need to feed my son and go sit on the couch with my husband before kicking this cold/flu in the butt by getting some much needed shut-eye. Yes, when you get sick you no longer have the opportunity to think about it. That's why I haven't mentioned it yet... Mom's don't get sick. They can't. I used to roll my eyes too when I heard these cliches of parenthood. Believe me, I'm trying my darndest to rebel against them but they have proven themselves true over and over again in the last 6 weeks.

My world is... a little bit of everything.

The first moments of William

The moment William McCormick was born on March 30th, 2006, at 7:06PM, I cried. I didn't cry with Katie. It was probably due to her being blue from the moment she arrived, not breathing, an intense labor and delivery with minor complications and the inability to just sit and breathe once she arrived -- I didn't breathe until she did which took a good 30 seconds to a minute. Those precious first moments were stolen from me. You know what I'm talking about - the baby thrown on the belly, screaming and kicking, goo all over his/her raisin-like face but oh-so-beautiful...

With William I got to experience that moment. And wow. It was amazing. He was wet and wrinkly... in fact, moments before he was being suctioned from every orafice on his face, peeing in every which direction while doctors screamed, 'no, little buddy, not yet!' I believe he actually peed in his own face and hair... but it didn't matter. He was beautiful. And a spitting image of his sister.

The moments that were stolen from me 18 months before were delivered in the birth of my son -- double fold. It looked like Katie looking up at me as well as my son. I can't describe it. I just cried.