Relief for mommy

Aaliyah playing horsee with daddy

"Aaliyah go over and stand by your sister so I can take a picture of you" and that's what I got.

Wearing a Wendy's bag on her head

In her Cinderella costume. She LIVES in it.

Well hello

Silly mommy

Aaliyah sitting with her daddy watching TV

Jimmy Pierce got Ciara this shirt and she looks pretty happy to wear it.

We repainted the bathroom and Aaliyah got to help

Ciara is doing very well and I would guess probably weighing in around 13 pounds. She continues to do well in therapy and is progressing well. We did an updated assesment on her last week and she was only behind on one section. She does not turn her head to sound. She will turn her head to a voice if you call her name, but she won't turn for sound. I talked to the therapist about how she was constantly hearing beeping and buzzing in the NICU, so maybe she has learned to tune it out. Other than that she is functioning at a 5 month level! Praise the Lord!

Aaliyah is super excited about Christmas and she IS christmas spirit!! She loves the lights on the houses and the decorated trees. Today I had to take her to the pediatrician because she has been coughing for about a week and a half. I've done breathing treatments on her but they don't seem to be helping. The doctor feels she has allergies and maybe some asthma. But sometimes allergies will present asthma symptoms. So we are starting her on a daily dose of Claritin. If this clears her symptoms up we won't have to do anything else. If she continues to have symptoms she will have to go through allergy testing. I'm praying that this will work. I had to go through testing once and there are a lot of needles involved. After the pediatrician we stopped by Hometown pharmacy to pick up her prescription and there was a blow up snowman that spun around. She was so amazed by this and wanted to get one to put in our yard. Well, seeing as how the snow man was 50 bucks we didn't get one. I have a feeling that everytime we have to go there we will be standing and admiring that snowman. I think we stood there and watched it for about 10 minutes before I could convince her to leave. She loves Christmas! There was also a tree decorated with wrapped boxes underneath. She saw them and said "Look mommy presents!! Can I have one" I explained to her that they really weren't presents just wrapped boxes and she was fine.

I had an appointment with Dr. Cherian last Wednesday because I have been having some problems with bleeding and pain. Unfortunatley the ablation did not work. So I am scheduled to have a hysterectomy tomorrow at the Punxsy hospital. I am super excited and can not wait to have things removed. I do understand there is risk with everything, but after 13 years of pain I am ready!! My mom has the day off tomorrow and she will be going to the hospital with me. Corey is also taking the day off and staying home with the girls. He has been having a lot of promblems with his lower back and we felt it would be better for him to stay home and not have to sit waiting for me at the hospital. I am fine with it. As long as I have someone there with me I'll be great. I will have to stay overnight, but if there are no complications I can come home on Wednesday. I don't know how I will feel on Thanksgiving. If I am still in pain Corey will just take the girls to Auntie Kay's house and I'll stay home. We had planned on going to spend the day with the Detwiler's because last year we spent Christmas with them and we want to start Christmas at the Bensons. To be fair. But this has put a wrench in our plans!!! So if you don't get to see us, I'm sorry. We will get to see you eventually!

We are so grateful and thankful on this Thanksgiving. Last Thanksgiving I was a couple of months pregnant and raising a one and half year old. Just assuming that I would have a normal pregnancy and hoping I could keep this one in full term. Little did I know that this would be the most difficult year of my life!!! God has blessed our family so much and I sometimes find myself wondering what I did so well that he let me keep her and not have to burry her. I love her so very much and I praise Him and his glory for all that he has done for me. I wanted Ciara more than anything and I was willing to do anything to keep her. Even if that ment standing on my head. I ran into a nurse today who had heard of my story and said she couldn't believe what I had gone through. She said that is true mother's love to go through all of that. Honestly (up until the last couple of days where I cried all the time) I wanted to do everything I could to keep her. I didn't care that I was on my head. It did bother me that I couldn't be with Aaliyah, but I did whatever I had to do to keep my baby. True love is God loving me and blessing me with two beautiful daughters!!! God is good.

Baby Phalen is doing awesome!!! I have been keeping in touch with her parents Sarah and Luke. She was taken off of C-pap and put on nasal cannula, but then had a set back and was put on the vent. This is to be expected with a premie and I told Sarah not to get too upset. If you take two steps forward you will probably take one step back. Sarah's friend is holding a benefit for her and Luke on December 4th at the Walston Club. I have been donating and doing as much as I can to help her out. Corey is making a shelf to be auctioned off and I have been hounding businesses for money or products!!! If you are around the area on December 4th stop by and help this family and this gorgeous little girl out!!! The last time I checked she was weighing in at 1lb 6 3/4 oz.

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving and please continue to pray for Ciara and Phalen.