Update

So much has happened since the last time I had the opportunity to blog. I was due November 16 and I was put into the hospital on October 18 for the duration of my pregnancy. Fortunately Abby was almost a month early and I no longer look like this.

Abigail Elizabeth Allen was welcomed into the world at 11:46am on October 25, 2007. I had a super easy labor...I only dilated to 3 centimeters before I got an epidural. As soon as soon as they broke my water Abby went into distress. The cord was wrapped around her neck 4 times. I had to have an emergency C-section. I have never seen anyone move so fast in my life as the Doctor and nurses in that hospital room. One moment everyone is laughing and talking the next people are running with me in the bed to a surgery room. The C-section went great. Abby came out and I kept waiting for her to cry....finally she did and she looked so perfect. She was 6 lbs 11 oz and was 18.5 inches long. We thought all was well.

I went into recovery and pretty soon Rob came in and told me that Abby had a blood clot that was blocking blood flow to her legs. They were rushing her to the NICU. Abby spent the first 6 days of life in the NICU being stuck by Doctors and nurses and she was such a little trooper!!! For the 1^st two days of her life there was no pulse or blood pressure in her little legs. They treated her with blood thinners...Doctors told us they had only seen one other incident like ours and this would likely take weeks (more likely MONTHS) to resolve (cross your fingers it doesn't break loose and move). We prayed. I prayed in a way I didn't even know I could pray and our little miracle baby was healed in DAYS not weeks and NOT months.

Here she is....beautiful even with all the tubes and wires....

This is the day we found out that God had healed her....Mommy is holding her....and she is clot free! This will always be one of my favorite pictures!

I had a few problems with recovery...the biggest one is that I was super constipated! I hadn't pooped in 10 days...and if you don't think that is a problem....try it some time. My Doc (Dr. O) said we were on a mission...we called it Operation Brown! I tried everything...and I do mean everything! I had to drink two things of mag citrate (horrible just fowl stuff), enemas, suppositories....oh you name it...I had it. Want to know what worked???? Sugar free peanut butter cups. After 2 bags of those things I got to call Dr. O and tell her Operation Brown was successful! And then I got to leave the hospital (with mixed emotions since Abs didn't get to come home with us just yet.) After I got home I also had an infection...but a short treatment with antibiotics and I am doing just super now!

Back to my super cute baby!

This is the first picture of Abby after she went wireless!!!!

This is Rob and I holding her....wireless for the first time. I was so happy I thought I was going to POP!

We brought Abby home from the hospital on October 31, 2007.

This is her room...my friend Deanna did the art work in the room while I was in the hospital. I cried when I saw it. (Of course almost anything made me cry for the first few weeks after Abby was born....oh look a butterfly flew by...waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. I was a sobbing mess...a happy sobbing mess...but a sobbing mess none the less!) However as you can see the nursery is beautiful!

The next few weeks flew by in a big blur! We took her to the zoo....she slept the entire time.

We took her to church for the first time. Not a great picture of me...but who looks at me when there is such a beautiful baby in the picture anyways? Also there is my VERY pregnant sister watching Eric her son during the children's story.

Kelly was due December 8^th. Sadly on November 25 Kelly wasn't feeling the baby move and so she and Tyler went to the ER...Dylan didn't have a heartbeat. Kelly had to have a C-section. Dylan Joesph Reill was 11lbs and 1 oz. He was a beautiful boy. We do not know the reason he died. He will always be a treasured part of our lives.

Not surprisingly this has been a devastating time in our lives. I used to think Kelly was not as strong as me...now....watching her go through this....she's just a rock. I am so proud of her. I struggle watching my sweet sister hurt and not being able to do a darn thing about it. She and Tyler wanted to be alone for the first few days they were home. I think the hardest thing I have ever done in my life is to be supportive by NOT being around.

It is a difficult situation to have had Abby so close to Dylan's death. It's awkward and I do not know what to do. I told Kel I'd keep Abs away until she is ready to see her. She hasn't been able to see Abby since Dylan died. I understand...it breaks my heart that my joy brings her so much pain. I find myself holding Abby and just crying...crying because I want Dylan too!

The comfort I find is in knowing that in heaven we will all get to be together. It gives me more motivation than I can explain to look at this picture of Eric kissing Abby and know that I have to do everything in my power to make sure I am there to see Eric kissing Dylan for the first time.