January 27th

Leave it up to Facebook to remind you of things on their anniversaries, whether you want to be reminded or not.

1 YEAR AGO TODAY - JANUARY 27, 2018

I almost lost my niece on that night after she gave birth to her 3rd child. The niece we helped raise alongside our own two children. The one that is like our oldest daughter.

But that is my niece's story to tell, not mine.

I'm going to talk about her 3rd child, our Grandniece.

January 27th, 2018 started out great.

You were born, and you were perfect.

Uncle and I got to the hospital when you were just a few hours old.

After we took this picture with you, we went home, thinking everything was ok.
But you got kicked out of this beautiful room, you and your mommy's room,

when you were only hours old.

Only hours after this picture was taken.

Only hours after we left thinking January 27th was a great day.

But when they rushed your mommy to the ICU, you had nowhere to go. Patients can only have 1 room at a time and your mommy was transferred somewhere you couldn't go. So they packed up all your belongings and had you at the nurses station.

But that's okay. Your auntie Bev found you at the nurses station. They had a cart with your diaper bag with all your cute outfits your mommy had packed for you to wear. And all the presents and flowers your mama received.

And I took you and fed you, and changed you, and slept in this chair, in the dark, storage area at the nursery, for the first 2 days of your life. And I tried to cry only when you were sleeping.

You were the one that took it all in stride. The most chillaxed baby you'll ever meet. Just deals with what you've been dealt, since day one. Your energy was so mellow and calming, I knew eventually everything was going to be ok.

.

When you opened your eyes and started really looking around 24 hours after you were born, it was just me and you kid.

Your daddy and your Uncle were at your mommy's side in the ICU. I was singing to you, and telling you about your silly big sister and brother. Telling you your ABCs for the first time. Telling you about Jesus and how he loves the little children and is protecting you and your mommy. And about your mommy's nana and savoo up in heaven. How much they loved your mommy, and how I knew they were looking out for both of you.

Trying to get you to drink that bottle, but you didn't want a bottle. You wanted that warm mommy milk again you had when you were only a few minutes old.

I said I know you prefer boobie milk, but Auntie doesn't have any on me right now, and your mommy is sick. I explained how happy and great you'll feel when you eat. I told you about my homemade chicken soup, and the grape leaf dolma your mom loves when I make. I promised you I would make for you one day.
But for now, you needed to drink this bottle. I told you how strong your mommy was, and how hard she was fighting to get back to you, and you had to be strong too.

You eventually took the bottle, staring at me like you understood.
Eating is awesome! That's my girl!
I think it was so I would stop talking, lol.

The nurses would come in and give me updates on your mommy. Telling me they would take turns taking care of you if I wanted to go home and shower. They wanted me to go home and shower, lol. Not a chance. Your mama wrote on paper to me in the ICU that she wanted me to find you and stay with you. Her new baby needed to be with family. So I found you and wasn't leaving your side until I was forced to.
Once, after several hours, they told me they were sorry, your mommy still wasn't stable, was critical, and they were going to have the priest come talk with us. The nurses stayed and prayed with me. We told them to send the priest to the ICU. We almost lost her, but after several days your mommy eventually made it back to you.
And you have no problem taking bottles anymore, lol. You have a genuine love of food and eat like its an event. Here you are last month eating my homemade chicken soup. The soup I promised I would cook for you when you were old enough...

Grape leaf dolma is next kiddo...

You were touched by an angel before you were born. This is how I found out you were on your way: I was babysitting your older sister and brother. When your older sister woke up she was so happy and told me her mama was going to have a baby sister. She said someone came to her in her dream and told her. (I think it was your mommy's Nana). Your mama and daddy just laughed and laughed when I told them they should probably pick up a pregnancy test. There was no way they said, they just had a baby, your big brother. But your mama took a test and sure enough, you were in her belly. Here's a picture of me and your mama at a wedding right after we found out you were in her belly.

I wrote this memory for you. Because I wanted you to know, you have always been special and will always be Auntie Bev's special baby, even after I'm gone. You even compelled me to write again for the first time in 7 years, lol.

And we went to your house this Saturday, on the 26th, and brought you your birthday presents and a container of my homemade chicken soup so you'd have it on your birthday. Because that's the deal I made with you in the storage room at the nursery. And I sang happy birthday to you, even though I was a day early.

I hope that one year soon, this date will only bring happy memories.

Because, after all, we have you because of January 27th.

And your mama made it. It's been hard but she loves her 3 children so much!

She knows how lucky she is to be here.

And you will always be her baby.

Your mama sent me 2 pictures from your 1st birthday party on the 27th. I know everyone likes the pictures that you can filter with bigger eyes, perfect skin and a crown of stars.

But I prefer the other picture. The all natural picture of you chowing down your birthday cake. Just like I told you, eating is awesome! That's my girl!

Happy 1st birthday eating machine.

Thanksgiving, 2018