The story I don't want to tell

This is the story I don't want to share.

The story I want to tell you is the story where I was on a retreat, grieving Lily and still hurt and angry that she wasn't in my arms. But in the midst of all of that I heard God say, "I have a baby for you."

The story I want to share is how I found out I was pregnant, finally, after nine grueling months of negative tests and 15 months of missing my girl.

The story I want to share is how I found out I was pregnant on Good Friday...and the Feast of the Annunciation. Two feasts that will never coincide again in our lifetime. And that I read this sweet blog just after I found out. And that finding out on this day filled me with unspeakable  peace I haven't felt since I held Lily in my arms.

The story I want to share is that this baby was due around Thanksgiving, just two weeks after Lily's second birthday. What normally is such a hard time of the year for us, was going to be filled with redeeming grace as we welcomed Ted and Lily's little sister or brother. We were going to have holidays we could look forward to.

The story I want to share is where I tried and tried to put up a shield and not love this baby with all my heart, but failed instantly. A story where I was already making plans and dreaming big for this little love of mine. A story where I could already envision Ted sharing sweet moments with this sweet baby when we visit Lily.

The story I want to share is I was almost starting to feel normal again. The story where the eight week ultrasound wasn't on my radar because those always go as planned. 

The story I wanted to share with you includes a cute announcement on Instagram of Ted and Lily sharing they were getting a new brother and sister this year.

But this is the part of the story I don't want to share.

A story that is once again filled with despair instead of hope. A story where we were once again left with a stranger telling us we don't get to keep our precious child.

A story where I couldn't even look at my husband because I was so afraid to see the hurt in his eyes. Once again we had to beg the question WHY? And this "why" cuts so much deeper than the first.

This is the part where people tell me how brave and strong I am, but honestly, I've never felt more broken or more weak. This is the part where people tell me how my faith will carry me through things and all I want to do is scream and cry at a God who could allow this type of loss to happen twice to anyone.

This is the part where I had to once again put on a brave face to celebrate my son's birthday, all the while feeling like I am dying inside. 

This is the part where I have to learn to silently forgive every single person who says the wrong thing because they have no idea what to say. The part where I want to burst into tears whenever I hear a sentence that begins with, "At least..."

There is no at least. There is no "at least you weren't far along" or "at least you didn't get too attached" because the truth is I was...I still am. I love this little person with all of my being the same way I love Ted and Lily. 

There is no "you can have more babies" because honestly no one knows that any more than I do. Rainbows are not a guarantee of any storm, let alone the storm of child loss. And more importantly, I wanted this baby...this sweet and perfect child. This irreplaceable, and unrepeatable, unique soul. 

But even harder than forgiving an ignorant comment is forgiving silence. The painful silence when you see someone for the first time after you lost yet another child. A silence that screams you weren't that far along. A silence that screams your child doesn't matter. The silence hurts so much more than any ignorant comment. Because the truth is, if you are eager to celebrate a new life growing inside of me, then you need to be willing to mourn that loss with me too. 

A week ago I was pregnant and today I am not. It's so surreal. Usually people say that with a smile on their face and a baby in their arms. I have said it now twice with tears in my eyes and empty arms.

I wish I had some positive spin for this post to turn on, but the truth is, right now, I don't. 

I have nothing. I am empty. I am broken.

I am without two of my children.

I miss my babies.

Ted the Threenager

Oh man...this kid. I honestly can't remember what life was like before he came along. He makes me smile through my hardest and darkest moments of grief. Not only does he make me smile, he makes me laugh like no one else can. Even on the hard days, the frustrating "threenager" days, I am in complete awe that I get to be his mother.

I love every. single. second.

So to celebrate my sweet, little threenager, I share some fun(ny) Ted-isms with you.

1.) He is such a creature of habit. We are going on six months of the same bedtime routine that includes prayers, hugs (Mommy first, then Daddy), followed by songs, "Lord I Need You", "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", and "Your are My Sunshine" and then "Nigh-night, sweet dreams, I love you!" In that order. ALWAYS. Every time. Did you catch the Rudolph song? I honestly don't even know where or when he first heard it, all I know is that I have had to sing that song every. single. night...since November.

2.) He F-I-N-A-L-L-Y gave up the Wubbanub (his "Bubbies"). On his second birthday, we went to the dentist for the first time and I thought I was the "best mom ever" because he had never had juice, off the bottle, and no thumb-sucking. Then the dentist asked, "what a about a pacifier?" So I quickly crawled back in my embarrassed mom hole because Ted was still carrying around THREE of them. Dentist said get rid of it by his next appointment. 

I tried once to take it away and I just couldn't do it. He wandered around the whole house crying and looking for it. He kept checking the washing machine, more crying and looking at me with these sad, weepy eyes saying, "bubbies, mama?" Totally caved. I just couldn't do it so I gave it back to him. That lasted about seven minutes. 

We went back to the dentist and I was humming, "please don't ask, please don't ask" and sure enough he did. I tried to make it sound like he barely used it...thankfully the dentist didn't follow my Instagram to know what a Big. Fat. Liar I was. Once again, "Get rid of it."

 So we planned to make a "beanie bear" or some other cute elaborate and Pinteresty way to get rid of it. But then magically one night...it just broke! And he didn't want it anymore! He threw it across his room and said, "No like it!" Thank goodness, because honestly, I never could have taken it from him. I still miss hearing him say, "Bubbies."

3.) His bestie is still his sweet Lucy. We don't babysit her anymore, but at least EVERY single day of the week he asks to go over to her house. They have the sweetest relationship and you can see them sharing jokes and stories that only the two of them understand. He loves to look at her and with a deep voice say, "Luuuuuu-cy!" Seriously, it's the cutest thing ever. 

4.) He loves his sister Lily and he is the best big brother. He sees things all day that remind him of Lily and he's always quick to point them out. He loves to decorate her marker and share some fruit snacks while we visit. It breaks my heart and makes me beam with pride all at the same time. 

5.) He won't eat vegetables. Any of them. Ever. I try every single day. He takes whatever vegetables I give him off his plate immediately and will say, "No like it mama." They are not even allowed on the plate with the rest of his food! Luckily, he hasn't caught on to the fact that his smoothies I make are chock full of all kinds of veggie goodness and we have those several times a week. So I will still consider him a "healthy eater."

Which is a complete lie because he rarely eats dinner too. Unless it's pizza, mac and cheese, or chicken nuggets, he won't eat what we are eating for dinner. We rarely have those things, so he rarely eats dinner. I remember when he was a baby and my kid was going to be the best eater and eat all the good organic veggies and fruits. NOPE, not even close. Now he has an opinion and it changes every single day! But of course, he will always eat ice cream. ;-)

6.) He wants to go to the park every day. Or to a pool. Or on an airplane. He will look up at me and say, "Mama, I go on a airplane? Pleeeeeeease? I go on a airplane to Iowa? Pleeeeeease?" I mean, it's a wonder I haven't maxed out a credit card just to take him for the day because it's so stinkin' cute how sweetly he asks to go!

He also loves helicopters, trains, cars, watching fire trucks and school buses drive by. Seriously, he's the cutest.

7.) He has a toddler bed and he slept in it exactly...ONCE. He still prefers his crib even though I totally splurged on super cute Aden + Anais bedding. He doesn't care. He prefers being able to climb in and out of his crib with all of his animals...or sleep wherever he wants.

8.) He was so excited to pick out a costume for Halloween! We bought it weeks ahead of time. He even threw a tantrum in the store because he wanted to wear it home. He played in his costume for weeks...until it was actually Halloween. He was the only kid who was not dressed up. Maybe next year!

 not Halloween

  not Halloween

 not Halloween

 HALLOWEEN ;-)

9.) He loves to help me bake! I love spending this time with him, even though most of Ted "baking" is trying to eat whatever we are making. He will sneak tastes when I am not looking and say, "Mmmm...mama, that's delicious!" It is simply impossible to be mad at him.

 

 
10.) Even though he is now a big THREE YEAR OLD, he still looks up at me every night before bed and asks me to, "Hold you like a baby?" He still wants to snuggle and cuddle up in my arms and I am terrified for the day when that stops.

He still loves to snuggle. Most days he has to sit as close to me as possible or right on top of me. Sometimes he will just rest his arm on mine. It's usually when I am having a rough day missing Lily. I know he knows, even though he can't say it yet. He is so sweet and so loving.

And last, but certainly not least...THESE CHEEKS! Please don't ever loose these sweet, squishy, kissable cheeks.

Happy birthday Ted Kolbe! You are my sunshine.