The Simple Things...

Kisses from Mama

Mama's wedding ring...who needs a rattle...

Sydney and Auntie Nad

Auntie Nad came to visit and got to see Sydney bright eyed and bushy tailed as they say...

Yippeee Auntie Nad is here....

Big Sisters

During our evening visit today we got to give Savannah, Shelby, Nana and Auntie Nad a little one on one time each with Sydney.

Unfortunately visiting with Shelby is a full time job and she was just thrilled to get to put her little hand inside the incubator for the first time. She decided that tickling Sydney's feet might be a good idea so hence both my hands were full so I didn't get to snap a pic.

Savannah is now understanding how to be an ultimate big sister and how careful to be as well as quiet. She got to hold hands with Sydney for the first time. She is so proud of being a big sister to two baby sisters who "she loves the same and are very different".

Nana and Sydney

Nana and Sydney got to enjoy their first cuddle on Saturday morning. Sydney was well behaved and now Nana too has a new appreciation for the word "little" :)

Happy 4th Birthday Shelby

On Saturday 09/29 we celebrated Shelby's 4th Birthday.

Shelby had insisted for some time that she wanted to have a birthday party. If she was mad or upset for any reason, her first comment to you would be "...then you're not coming to my birthday party....".

When I asked Shelby what kind of birthday she wanted, her response was a "Cars" birthday.

Cary and I got quite a lot of entertainment out of discussing Shelby's birthday plans with her. At one time she wanted no adults (except her family) and no girls. Trying to get her own sister on the list from day to day was a challenge :)

In the end we had her three little boy buddies over (and yes she relented to letting their baby sisters come) and a bouncer and a cake and she was a very happy camper.

Shelby is my tomboy who loves anything the color blue, is proud to have a best friend named Jack and while she can dig in the dirt, be covered in paint or play with her cars until she falls asleep, she also loves each and every doll and stuffed animal equally. Our house typically looks like a day care as Shelby manages to have dolls covered with tea towels (blankets) from one end of our flat to the other.

I look at Shelby in amazement, she is tough and rough and ready to rumble and has no idea how breathtakingly gorgeous she is. Her big eyes and black eyelashes have a way of always stopping me in my tracks, sometimes forgetting what I'm going to say next. She is funny and sensitive and her strong willed personality always reminds me that she has her own set of rules, that there is a "different" way of doing things. She rarely asks for forgiveness or permission and I love the way she always marches to the beat of her own drum regardless of what anyone else is doing. Shelby makes motherhood an adventure and I can't wait to see what the next chapter of our journey holds...

Its a Bird, Its a Plane, its....Kilo Baby

So as the title says, Sydney Keown reached that fabulous 1 kilo (2.2 pounds or 1000 grams) on Thursday evening during her date with her Dad.

Cary went up to visit Sydney on 09/27 to have some one on one time and it turns out she pulled out all the stops for him. During his visit she gave him a good cry (a sound we have both come to love and get super excited when she does. We did not hear our baby cry since she was born for 32 days so we gloat to each other every chance we get).

Not only did she meet her kilo weight and cry but also sucked a teeny pacifier for the first time. I sit and watch patiently day after day at the wonder and miracle of Sydney and half the time she just sleeps through my visits. She'll give me a look as if to say, oh hi Mom its just you. He shows up one night by himself and she turns into a little showgirl.

Ah well, I guess its our teeny equivalent of when the mom spends all their time with baby and their first word is Dada. Such is life...

Savannah and Shelby Time...

After some feedback by one of our dearest babysitters (thanks Joan!), I decided it would be most helpful to hang out with the girls uninterrupted for the rest of the day Saturday. We tried to take a nap but after that failed I turned to chocolate and we made brownies. Well the girls actually took to redecorating the whiteboard while I baked. They of course were very happy to help me clean the mixer and bowl. Here's a little pic of that.

After that we cleaned up and headed to dinner with Nana at California Pizza Kitchen followed by a trip to Toys R Us for Shelby to pick out a present from Auntie Jac. Her gift of choice was a double stroller from fisher price (cannot believe I payed retail when I work for the company!)

After that it was off to Baskin Robbins to order Shelby's Car cake that she has had her eye on for months. Savannah fell asleep in my arms which was sheer bliss while Shelby continued to play with her new stroller until she nearly collapsed but fortunately went to bed without too much fuss....

I'm Grateful...

I was thinking to myself on the drive to the hospital on Monday evening (yes it takes me a while to catch up with blogging), that Motherhood could be defined as being on your way to the hospital to visit your daughter with nothing but the radio and a cold gatorade all the while you have floor seat tickets to the Justin Timberlake concert and being okay with it. I was thinking while on that drive how grateful I am to have such choices and to live in a place where my tiny baby is being so well looked after and that I have opportunities and will have many more to see such entertainers.

I am so grateful this week as Sydney is impressing us all and how she truly is one of my sources of wonder. She has gained 65 g this week and her feeds started on Sunday at 1ml every twelve hours to now 9ml every three hours!!!! She should be at a kilo in no time. I also had the sheer uninterrupted pleasure of holding her for an hour and a half on Thursday and she has been doing very well all week. Her ventilator setting has come down from 40% all the way to 23%. If she keeps this up she will hopefully be off the vent in the upcoming weeks.

I am also so grateful for a community near and far of such wonderful friends. Monday and Wednesday we had meals from Michele and Mary. Wednesday Veronica kindly watched the girls for us while we went to the hospital and Gabe and Karla joined us to meet Sydney for the first time as Mr and Mrs Delfosse:).

Thursday it was Back to School night where I learned Savannah has turned around 180 and is doing very well (and also learning Japanese...who knew!), followed by a mini girls night out with Petrea and Heather who also got to meet Sydney for the first time. Everyone's reaction is always the same.....she is SOOOO tiny.....followed by she is amazing! That's Sydney for you, Tiny but Mighty as the nurses say.

All in all we are doing well and for THAT I am very grateful :)

Hi Everyone

I am giving the whole idea of "blogging" a try. I think it may be the answer to sending such large emails and also my increasing need to journal, document and be able to remind my kids all the little things for later in life. We'll see.

For those of you who are new to me and my blogspot.... I am the mother of 3 beautiful baby girls. Savannah 7, Shelby 4 (almost) and Sydney 3wks 3days who was born at 26wks6d gestation (delivered early due to me getting HELLP Syndrome).

Sydney is currently at the NICU at Santa Monica UCLA hospital where she is doing very well and this blog will hopefully help with our journey and ultimately our celebrations to come.

Attached is our first family picture taken this Sunday 09/16/07.

Samantha