Update much?

So....almost 2 years have passed since my last update! OOPS!

Sorry about that! I just wasn't into posting much  anymore. But when I last posted, I told you about our 3rd baby on the way. Well she is here and is now 14 months old. She has made our life absolutely complete. She was born the day after Hailey's 5th birthday on July 19th 2014. We had a little bit of a scare when we found out she had a muscular VSD and we were worried she would need a surgical repair. But luckily her VSD closed on its own before she was born.
We named our precious little girl, Annabelle Faye. She has been the happiest baby we have ever met! It's very rare to hear her cry and she's a great sleeper! She's been absolutely amazing. And Leyna has been the best big sister anyone could  ever ask for. She absolutely loves her little sister. 
I'll leave you with a few pics. Hopefully it wont take me another 2 years for another post lol!

Been a while.

It's been over a year since I have posted here. But there hasn't been a whole lot to write about since I have taken a huge step back from the CHD world. I still post a few things about here and there on Facebook. But I just needed to take a step back. It's so incredibly hard to see all of the CHD stuff when all I want is my little girl back. 

Since taking a break I have had a weight lifted off my shoulders and I'm feeling less stressed out. It's been a nice breath of fresh air. I still love all the CHD families I have gotten to know and would love to be a part of the heart world, but I wasn't one of the lucky ones to keep my child. 

It just feels nice to live somewhat "normal" even though we will always be missing our little girl.

On the other hand, all this decreased stress has helped us in other ways as well. We have been trying to add to our family for the past 14 months and just recently got a positive test! Baby #3 will be arriving around July 24 2014! Just 5 days after Hailey's birthday. She must have picked this one out just for us <3

3rd Annual Blanket Drive

So I know I am way behind in posting and I know I said I would post more updates and pictures of Leyna. But I just have not been able to get the time to do so. My husband recently got a job that keeps him from being home all the time so most days, it's just Leyna and me. So basically like being a single parent, but not. Leyna keeps me so incredibly busy during the day that I don't really have much time to do anything else (besides the cleaning and all the other household chores that need to be done.) So anyways, I apologize for not updating like I said I would. But this post is a very important one to me.
This is for the 3rd annual blanket drive in memory of Hailey. I didn't post last year about the blanket drive because we didn't have internet and I wasn't about to try and do this from my phone! LOL!
Anyways, we are collecting new (or handmade with new material) baby blankets to be donated to Doernbecher Children's Hospital. Our goal this year is 100 blankets. Can you help us meet our goal? Please click on this link 3rd Annual Blanket Drive in Memory of Hailey

If you have any other questions or want any info, please feel free to email me at nmccrow@hotmail.com

I'll leave you with a few pictures of Leyna since it's been a while! :)

Tattoos and Pictures

I just wanted to do a quick post about our tattoos that we got recently. I got Hailey's actual footprints made into a butterfly and my husband got a replica of an HLHS heart.




Here is the one I got





And here is the one Josh got

We sure miss our little girl! But it feels great to have a part of her with us with our tattoos.

I don't have a whole lot of time to do an actual update. That will have to come later. But for now, I will leave you with some pictures of our little Leyna! By the way, she started walking on new years and has been on the go ever since!

                                                                 One Year photo!

                                                                  Just being cute!

                                                                        Kisses!

                                                                     Soo close!!

Playing at the park

And here is her 15 month photo!

I will update as soon as I have some free time. I need to include her monthly photos from Oct-now! Also update you on what's been happening. That is, if anyone even reads my blog anymore after being gone for so long!!!!





Prayers for Owen

I know I am really behind in updates, but we don't have internet at home. We mainly just use our phones for internet but unfortunately blogger doesn't work on my phone very well.

I will do an update later this month. Right now I just ask that you pray for baby Owen who was born on April 2. He is going to be having his Norwood on Thursday.

http://owenscloud.blogspot.com/

30th!!

Sunday was my 30th birthday! I can't believe everything I have been through in the past 30 years. Never would I have thought that I would have my first child and say goodbye to her only 4 months later.

But I am so thankful to have the family that I do. If it wasn't for Hailey, we wouldn't have Leyna. I believe Leyna was sent to us for a reason. To show us how to love again and to let us be happy.
Hailey was here to teach us how to love and to make a difference in hundreds of people's lives. Her time came and went. And now her sister is here to remind us of everything Hailey wanted us to learn. I truely believe that.
Even though it's hard raising her because we're constantly afraid something bad is going to happen,  i.e. scared to go check on her in the middle of the night and afraid she died of SIDS. But we're slowly getting over that fear as she is growing and thriving.
She is such an amazing little girl. She just started crawling on October 5th! Now she's all over the place!   It's so much fun watching her grow and learn!

We're also doing our second annual blanket drive in memory of Hailey. So if you would like to contribute,  here is the information:
Blanket Drive For Hailey

I'm currently enjoying a day off "work". Josh and I both do not have family living near by so we are the caretakers of Leyna 24/7. So I had a day at the Dosha Salon for a massage and facial. And now I get to spend the night at hotel Monaco in Portland for a full night's sleep! I have not spent more than 4 hours away from Leyna since she was born but I am so lucky to have a husband who spoiles me so much! Really enjoying this break but also misssing my family!
And I will leave you again with some pictures! Again,  comments aren't working and I still don't know how to fix them :( You can always contact  me via facebook if you need to!

She's not smiling in this one, but she looks gorgeous!

Watching the Packer game!

Crawling to me!

Go Packers!

8 Months

Ok, I really could have had this post done yesterday but my husband and I came down with a really nasty bug. We were pretty sick all day. Luckily I had a good friend who came to take Leyna for the day to avoid getting her sick. So far she's still doing great! So I ended up taking her 8 month photo today.

8 Months old!

It gets harder every month to take her picture, I love this little girl!!

I've also gotten a few e-mails saying people can't leave comments on my blog, so if anyone knows how to fix this, please email me and let me know how!

7 Months

I know, I know......

Leyna will be 8 months old tomorrow (45 min from now) and I am just now doing this 7 month post.
Since her last post my grandmother got very sick. She was put inot a nursing home and then passed away on August 11th. So Leyna and I made a solo trip from Washington state to Wisconsin. The flights there were great. She loved soaking up all the attention from everyone (what can I say, we make beautiful babies!). But the flight home was another story. She screamed the whole first flight! (1 hour). But the second flight she was better, I just had to walk her up and down the isles and introducer her to new people! Again, she just soaked up all that attention!

It was so great seeing all my family, I just wish it wasn't under those circumstances. I miss my grandma so much!  She had a stroke in 2007 and just hasn't been the same since then. And I only saw her 1-2 times a year before that. It sure makes me regret not being able to live closer or able to visit more.

As for Leyna, she is doing great!  Still hasn't figured out how to crawl, I think she's going to be walking before she figures out how to crawl! She is always wanting to stand and pull up on stuff. I am sure it won't be long!
She can now say "mama" and "dada" and also a few other "babbles"! She is also so very affectionate, I love it! She gives the best hugs and is always trying to kiss us.

We will be starting our 2nd annual blanket drive in memory of Hailey. Last year we got around 100 blankets, this year we are hoping for 150. I will post more information on that as soon as I get to the post office and open up a PO box.

But for now, here is her 7 month picture (she didn't want to smile this month!) Who knows when I will post her 8 month photo, hopefully I will actually get it done tomorrow!

7 Months Old!

Trying to walk!

Also, go check out Matt Hammitt's new album, "Every Falling Tear" He's a Christian artist and his son, Bowen was born with HLHS. He just celebrated his first brithday and Matt made an album about his experience this past year. Matt Hammitt

Standing!

I also forgot to post this picture of Leyna standing!!
She stood yesterday for over 2 minutes without any help from us! She's going to be walking soon, oh no!!! ;-)

Such a big girl!!

6 Months

I know I am a little late posting Leyna's 6 month update, but we were on vacation in Wisconsin when she turned 6 months. We were also there when Hailey would have had her 2nd birthday. It was nice to be around family but it just didn't seem the same since we didn't really do anything to "celebrate" her birthday. I think next year it will be easier for us to be home where we can do a balloon release and make cupcakes for her 3rd birthday. I sure do miss that beautiful little girl.

Leyna is doing awesome, she is already sitting up on her own (since 5 1/2 months actually) and she now has her 2 bottom teeth! She is also trying out some foods, so far her favorites are peas and carrots. She's not much of a fan for the sweeter foods. But that's alright because the vegetables are much more healthy for her.
This summer is really going by fast, I can't believe Leyna will actually be 7 months old soon. She will be turning 1 in no time! I can't wait for that update and all her birthday pictures and her "smash cake"!

We also had some family photos done while in Wisconsin so I will share some of those after posting her 6 month photo. She didn't feel like smiling for her 6 months photos, so maybe her 7 month ones we will get a smile!

6 Months old!

Cousins, Leyna and Taylor

Grandma and Grandpa with all 4 grandchildren.

Beautiful girl!

<3 Sisters <3

Also, please pray for baby Rachel's family. I have been following their blog since before she was born. She was only expected to live a few weeks after birth. She ended up living almost 15 months. Sadly, she passed away yesterday. Please click here and offer her family all the support you can.