Maddie Ann is finally here!

After a very long wait...I am so pleased to announce the arrival of my first great niece.....Maddie Ann-Marie Pike!

She came into this world on March 27th at 10:29 am weighing 7.4 lbs and was 19 inches long!

 Such a little baby who will change us all in a big way!

 I could not be more happy, or more proud of Alex.....he will be a wonderful father to this little one....

 Truly there is nothing better than a new baby! We are so excited to have one in the family again..she bring a new love...a new hope...and a new promise to the world!

 What a wonderful Easter present for us all!

 Alex and Sarah we are so happy for you and wish you all the love and support you need as you enter this amazing journey of parenthood!

 I took dinner over last night...and got to hold her...smell her...and kiss her newness! I found the perfect dessert to take too! You can't have enough pink with a baby girl!

Welcome to the world Maddie we already love you so much!

Getting ready for Baby Maddie

It was Baby Shower day for Baby Maddie and the girls were so excited!

 they love all things pink.....and babies....and family....so they were full of happy today!

 We are all excited about having a baby in the family again!

It is as if things have come full circle in a way....Alex was the first baby in my lifetime in our family. It was love at first sight. Mom and I kept him while Nana worked on the weekends. He cried and cried...and was such a fuss pot, but even then I was happy to stay up with him all night...even if he was crying. That's just what you do for people you love....you just try to take care of them....with your whole heart.

 and now my first baby....my sweet nephew Alex Clay......

is having a baby......in just a few short weeks......

 It's hard to believe....but it's happening......and we are ready to welcome Baby Maddie with love!

 It was a nice afternoon as everyone gathered to shower Alex and Sarah with gifts.....but more than that.... they were showered with support and love.....

 Sarah is so excited, as she should be.....and we were so happy she loved our "Maddie" gifts!

We can't wait to hold her and monogram her from head to toe!

Now how is that not wonderful!?

too much

Every other thought these days seems to go to my nephew Alex...and my sister. I wonder what I can do for them...what they need..I think about the pain Alex is in and the emotional roller coaster he continues to ride. Lila and I took lunch to Alex and Nana this week. We brought Steak and Shake and Lila was so excited to bring Alex the Oreo Shake . She walked into the hospital proudly holding it.

But when we entered the room and she saw Alex she was unsure....we all are a little unsure and we all just want him to be better...and healed...and happy again. We all just love him so much.

We brought a letter from Rollins and Sarah Kate to hang on the wall too.

My heart just goes out to Alex and this battle he has to fight....and to Nana who has to watch him fight it...as his mother it's just got to be hard...but they are doing it...one day at a time.

I left promising Alex that I would help him plan his Valentines Day for his girlfriend. I had brought him a picture of him and Sara together in a Valentine frame for him to give to her...just as a thank you for your love and support gift...I know he loves her and would want to do be able to do something like that...but right now he just can't. I am trying to put myself in his shoes and help in the ways I think would mean mean the most to him. When I got back in the car...Lila fell asleep...and I just lost it....just cried for Alex.

I wish I could take away his pain and heal him inside and out......

night phone call

When the phone rings in the middle of the night....the chances of it being good news are slim...last night at 2 am my phone rang.

It was my sister telling that that there had been a bad accident.....a bonfire and gasoline....my nephew Alex...burn unit at University Hospital by Ambulance....get mom.

We could not get mom by phone so Jeremy went over to pick her up while I got dressed. It seemed like forever so I made fresh team for my littles to have in the morning...unsure what the night would bring....What we would find when we got to the hospital.

We arrived and found the burn unit and....and my sister crying into her crutches....she has a broken foot.  When your baby is hurt...it hurts you....no matter how old your baby is ....that is just part of being a Moma. We comforted and talked and waited....

 Finally they told us the preliminary extent of his injuries....both hands...belly...chest...right hand and face would need skin grafts probably....plastic surgeon would be in.....and the nurse told us he was so upset to scare and disappoint his family....we took it all in in choppy doses of information...processing it all slowly but what we got from it in the end was that he was not going to die....there would be a great, long battle to recover but he was going to be here to fight it....and in that moment that itself was a victory.

 Finally we were able to see him...and he looked awful...bandaged and the raw skin peeking from under the bandages...the smell of singed hair in the room....and although the long eyelashes were gone....his beautiful blue eyes were right there...

 He said he was sorry....we told him we loved him.....we told him we would get through this...we told him we loved him....we told him to take his pain meds and get some sleep.....we told him we loved him....and he told us he loved us too. The ebb and flow of he speaks...we speaks..was nice....his voice...unaffected by the accident was comforting to hear. He was still here...we could touch him and talk to him. This night could have ended very differently...but it didn't...

I cried seeing his girlfriend Sara see him for the first time all bandaged up....she is his first love.  One word...Tender.

He wouldn't rest until we all left so slowly, reluctantly we all headed home....hugging everyone goodbye just because they were there to hug....

It will be a long, slow, painful recovery for him....

It had been a long night but that is the thing about nights...no matter how long they are....they always end...bringing with them a new day....and new hope. Praying for comfort and healing....and offering support and love very step of the way. We love you Alex Clay.

UK beats Tennessee!

Alex called and asked Riggs to  go to the UK vs Tennessee football game. He really misses Alex so he was happy to go! They both love the Cats big time!

It was a game to see....history in the making! After a 26 year loosing streak the Cats won! The boys got to rush the field!

I am so glad he got to go! Go Cats!!!!!

family time at Fat Jimmy's

 The fam met at Fat Jimmy's for pizza tonight! My sister needed a little love and a little distraction...she has had a hard week. My autistic nephew is now 18 and is being declared legally incompatent. It's hard. We all knew this day was coming but still to actually do it is another story. To take away things from him we all take for granted...like the right to vote...or drive a car. It's just a lot, you know.

But we met for yummy pizza and to catch up. We don't see each nearly enough and it is always good to see each other.

Sweet Sophie was there too...and any time with her is precious since I don't get enough of her either!

After pizza we headed to Graeters for Ice cream!

It was just nice see everyone...we are all so busy!

 and the last milk shakes of the summer tasted so good!

Happy St Patricks Day...we did the best we could!

St. Patrick's Day 2011 started off as a day of green just like it was supposed to be! We started the day with green sprinkled cinnamon rolls and everyone was shamrocked out in green!

But at noon I could feel a shift...and the first sign was of the shift was when I went to Carmen's cupcakes to get after school treats. My intention was to get green St. Patrick's day cupcakes...but when I got there I saw the chocolate ones with blue and  white straws in them...and Go Cats whispered in my ear! So I got both..yes it was St. Patrick's day...but it was also game day for Kentucky....March Madness!

 I picked the boys up from school so they could be home in time to watch the game when it started...and we were happy to find Jeremy home to watch it with us since he would be leaving for his trip to India on Saturday .....so that was a treat but the icing on the cake was watching him as U of L lost in the first round...he was beside himself with Joy! It was so funny...something he would only do in the privacy of his own living room!

Riggs started out in his green Shamrock shirt but had to put on his Kentucky blue by half time...it was a nail biter of a game...and we we all wondering if we would be just like Louisville and out in the first round.

 

 But the Cats won and Riggs and Alex celebrated with cheers and high fives....the luck of the Irish was with the Cats today...and we were so happy! So maybe we didn't wear green all day...but we did the best we could!