Heidi and Hannah

This is the drawing that will go on Hannah's grave stone. I love Hannah sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much!

and I miss Hannah soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much!

this will go on the back of Hannah's grave stone.

Love, Heidi Alice (Hannah's sister)



Valerie and Hannah

 I love you Hannah!!♥ I miss you Hannah!!♥

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

With lot's of love Valerie (Hannah's ♥ sister)    

Playing Babies with Hannah: Day 56 (1/31/11)

                                         

 

In the waiting room waiting for Hannah's feeding therapist! Terri Lynn put a sticker on Hannah's outfit!

Heidi having fun with Hannah.  Hannah is on a play baby bed.

Nathan and Valerie having fun with Hannah  on the play baby bed.

Hannah on the play baby bed. Nathan watching over her.

Hannah again on the baby bed. She is content and happy to be playing her siblings!

Here she is again on the play baby bed!  Happy to be with her siblings!

Playing Babies with Hannah

Today was a fun day and a busy day!  We did what we could for school.  I did what I usually did for Hannah.  Getting up every 3 hours to feed and pump milk for Hannah.  That left me with an hour and half of sleep that is if Hannah would go to sleep right away.  I would sleep a bit longer if I helped with my planning the day with Hannah and our outings.  Like going to feeding appointments.  I want to make sure Hannah has been fed before or that we will be able to get home on time to feed Hannah. 

Anyway today we had Hannah's feeding therapy, a doctor check up for Sam, and a skin/wart appointment for Cassie and Valerie.  So today I made sure I could plan the times for feed Hannah and pump for her during this day of appointments.  We went to Hannah's feeding appointment.  She did nothing.  She was too tired!  The therapist even brought in another lady to help but Hannah just slept!  I think she was too tired from Sunday being at church then grandmas house.  She must have been worn out.  We left the feeding appointment and headed right away to the skin appointment. Valerie and Cassie has some warts we are working on getting taken off.  It was so nice to introduce Hannah to their skin doctor.  The warts are actually going away!  We sat quietly in the office and watched Valerie and Cassie get their warts worked on.  Each of the children held Hannah in the doctors office.  Sam even came along.  Martin did not he had to work.  After this appointment we headed to Sam's appointment.  I had the younger kids stay in the van with Cassie so Sam had privacy.  Hannah came along though.  Dr. Levine was happy to see Hannah and Sam was doing good and we are happy. 

When we got home I fed Hannah right away.  It is just more comfortable for me to feed Hannah and me pump.  Sometime lately Hannah cries at first when I start feeding her.  I just bounce her until she stops crying.  Then I try to get her to suck on the pacifier with breast milk.  She just is not really interested in the pacifier.  I am a bit disappointed because her interest in sucking would help her to be able to be fed by mouth.  Oh well,  I will do whatever I need to help Hannah! 

In the afternoon after we got home from the Doctors and after feeding, the girls played babies with Hannah.  Hannah was the doll!  It was so cute to see her in the play baby bed.  The girls had a great time and Hannah was a great live dolly!  I love my girls want to play with their baby sister.  I trust them 100% to be careful with her.  I'm glad they have the memory of playing babies with Hannah!

Proverbs 31:10-31

  ¹⁰ Who^[b] can find a virtuous wife?
For her worth is far above rubies.
¹¹ The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
So he will have no lack of gain.
¹² She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
¹³ She seeks wool and flax,
And willingly works with her hands.
¹⁴ She is like the merchant ships,
She brings her food from afar.
¹⁵ She also rises while it is yet night,
And provides food for her household,
And a portion for her maidservants.
¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;
From her profits she plants a vineyard.
¹⁷ She girds herself with strength,
And strengthens her arms.
¹⁸ She perceives that her merchandise is good,
And her lamp does not go out by night.
¹⁹ She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hand holds the spindle.
²⁰ She extends her hand to the poor,
Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.
²¹ She is not afraid of snow for her household,
For all her household is clothed with scarlet.
²² She makes tapestry for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
²³ Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies sashes for the merchants.
²⁵ Strength and honor are her clothing;
She shall rejoice in time to come.
²⁶ She opens her mouth with wisdom,
And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
²⁷ She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
²⁸ Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her:
²⁹“ Many daughters have done well,
But you excel them all.”
³⁰ Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
³¹ Give her of the fruit of her hands,
And let her own works praise her in the gates.

Love, Sandi Kwant (Hannah's mommy)

Brotherly Love: Day 55 (1/30/11)

Sam holding Hannah!  He loved holding her.  Hannah was very special to him! 

Hannah sweetly sleeping in Sam's arms!

Martin holding Hannah!

Hannah sleeping on Martin on the couch! 

Hannah's weight check:  5lbs 13oz!

 

Brotherly Love

Not too much exciting happening today.  We went to church.  I fed and pumped breast milk in the van while the kids and Rick were in Sunday School.  Hannah was good in church!  What a joy to have her and show her off!  I love you, Hannah!  I'm so proud to be your momma!

After church we went to grandmas house.  When we got there we ate and while we ate I pumped food into Hannah Grace!  She was hungry and I was hungry so we both ate with the family!  Then when we were done eating.  I went and pumped breast milk in private. 

Later in the evening after I gave Hannah a nice bath and the rest of the family were in bed.  Martin and Sam had some fun with Hannah!  I love it when the older boys take a liking to playing and loving on their sweet baby sister! 

Mark 12: 29-31

²⁹ Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. ³⁰ And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.This is the first commandment.³¹ And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’There is no other commandment greater than these.”    

Love in Christ, Sandi Kwant (Hannah's mommy)
 

Sam's Birthday: Day 54 (1/29/11)

Sam got baseball cards from Sam!

Sam got a dog bowl and some pencils from Nathan! 

Terri Lynn gave Sam a Coke glass!

Terri Lynn loves Sam!

Valerie made this blanket for Sam!

Heidi made this pillowcase for Sam!

Cassie gave Sam this hatchet!

Martin gave Sam some baseball cards!

The Sam with mom and dad picture for his birthday!

Sam with all his siblings! 

Sam getting ready to blow those candles!

Sam blowing hard!

Hannah and Terri Lynn,  Hannah looks so small next to Terri Lynn,  Hannah's outfit also was way too big!  This outfit was one Terri Lynn wore!  Hannah's feet were not even in the feet holes! 



Sam's Birthday

Today is Saturday!  Daddy is home for the day!  And on Sam's birthday what a treat for him!  We don't have to wait for daddy to open presents!  Sam is 15 today!  He was born at 2am on a very snowing day! 

This morning at 9am a man named Jerry came and taught us CPR which the main focus was infant CPR.  We decided we wanted the older 3 kids to know CPR so just in case they could help Hannah if she needed help breathing.  So Cassie, Martin, Sam, Rick and I sat through his training.  It was interesting.  I held Hannah most of the time so the kids could practice on the fake dolls!  Anyway the kids hope they won't have to do CPR on Hannah but now they know.  They know we would trust Hannah in their care.  I'm sure they felt honored to be included in the CPR training!  Heidi was in charge of the younger kids downstairs!  The funny thing is they did well until the last 5 minutes.  They were needing to see what mommy and daddy were doing! Heidi did well watching them all downstairs!  Thank you, Heidi! 

Ok,  when the CPR training was completed the day was Sam's!  We then spent time opening presents!  We also did some Saturday chores!  What a joy to have my sweet baby with me while I did some Saturday chores! 

After lunch of Sam's choosing, we had his birthday cake!  He blow out all the candles all 15 of them! 

We love you, Sam so much! 

In the evening, we went out to dinner,  Sam's choice.  He chose IHOP.  So we went for dinner there for a 2nd time in a month and we had Hannah with us!  The dinner was good but the company was even better!   

Thank you to Lucy, Hannah, Jason, and Devon,  And to Bobby, Stephanie, and Bethany, we are so thankful for your visit!  You blessed us!  Sam was thankful too that his birthday got remembered!

Psalms 139: 13-18

¹³ For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;^[b]
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.

¹⁷ How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
¹⁸ If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You. 

Love, Sandi Kwant (Sam and Hannah's mommy)



Went to Shopping: Day 53 (1/28/11)

Hannah wearing the headband  

Hannah and the cute flower headband.  Her outfit came from her sweet friend Margaret.  It was a hand-me down!

Close up of Hannah! 

Nathan having fun with Hannah!  He is in the background! It warms my heart to see Hannah's siblings enjoying her so much!

Sam is so proud of Hannah!  What a great big brother he is! 

Another picture of Nathan having fun with his baby sister.  He is so proud to be her brother!

He loves loves holding Hannah!

Nathan in awe of his baby sister! 

One of my favorite pictures!  Nathan kissing Hannah!

Close-up of Hannah!  She has her eyes open.  She looks happy!

Went to Sopping

Today was rather uneventful!  Anyway,  we did our morning routine and got all our school work completed!  Then I decided we needed to do a little shopping. I took all the kids with me.   Sam's birthday is tomorrow so we needed to get a few gifts for Sam.  Actually, Sam's siblings needed to get him gifts. 

We went to the DollarTree first, we got all of Sam's birthday gifts.  We also stopped at Joann's, the girls wanted to make Hannah a couple blankets but make them a bit bigger. We also wnet to Walmart.  We then went to Costco.  I needed a few groceries. 

We did have fun taking pictures of Hannah and her new headband flower!  Blessed times!

John 14:1-6

¹ “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. ² In My Father’s house are many mansions;^[a] if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.^{[b] 3} And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. ⁴ And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
⁵ Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”
⁶ Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Love, Sandi Kwant (Martin, Sam, Cassie, Heidi, Valerie, Nathan, Terri Lynn, and Hannah's mommy)

Occupational Therapist's Good Report: Day 52 (1/27/11)

Beppe enjoying time with Hannah! 

Pake enjoying Hannah and Heidi enjoying Pake!

Pake and his granddaughter Hannah Grace!!

Pake and Heidi were having fun with how big Pake's hands were in compared to Hannah!

Another hand comparison!  Heidi really enjoying time with Pake!

Heidi and Pake doing the hand comparison!  I enjoy these pictures of the fun Pake and Heidi were having!

Pake and Heidi and Hannah having fun together!

Terri Lynn at this time was enjoying books so much.  She'd get a pile of books and then lay them out carefully and then she looked at each one of the books! 

Daddy getting ready for his birthday cake!

Daddy blowing those few candles out!  I love this very special picture with Hannah!

Occupational Therapist's Good Report

This morning Beppe made breakfast again and I slept in with Hannah!  I don't feel guilty either for sleeping in!  Especially since I have been up alot of the night with Hannah.  In the middle of the night when I have finished feeding Hannah and she is not ready to go back to sleep,  I could get frustrated and upset but I didn't.  I just decided I would not get upset, I would enjoy my time with Hannah.  So while Hannah was being bounced in my arms,  I'd clean the kitchen, write thank you notes, clean the school room, do a load of laundry, and anything that is not noisy and I can do one handed.  I have good memories of me and Hannah in the middle of the night and making the mental choice to not get mad.  I'd also stand in front of the TV or lay in the couch with Hannah on my chest bouncing her so she would be happy!  I'm thankful I never got mad or upset at her for not letting me go to sleep.  I say to all new mothers enjoy every minute with your sweet little baby as they grow fast and those special moments will be gone! 

Anyway, I never got to school today as I got up late and Hannah's Occupational Therapist, Shaun, would be coming at 11am.  Beppe really wanted to meet the therapist and see what she did with Hannah.  Once Shaun came Beppe was so interested.  Of course, I was so happy to let Beppe be apart of the therapist time.  We all sat on the carpet with Hannah in the middle.  Shaun was happy with Hannah's movements, she felt Hannah's movements were better.  She was also happy with her head control.  With Hannah we celebrate the little steps; and we all those little steps miracles! 

After Shaun left, Beppe and Pake needed to leave to get back to the farm.  We will miss them so much!  We love you, Beppe and Pake!  

Later in the afternoon, Dr. Levine called to talk about Hannah's test results from Children's.  The EEG showed no seizure activity. That was good news but we still don't know why Hannah stopped breathing a few weeks ago?  Maybe we will never know.  The hip ultrasound showed mild hip dysplasia.  Dr. Levine suggested we go see an orthopedic doctor at Children's.  We will be making an appointment soon to go. 

Tonight is the night Rick gets to have his birthday cake.  But he got a special cake.  It was a cookie cake! What a special time with daddy!  I love the picture of Rick holding Hannah and blowing  his candles out! 

Ephesians 6:10-20

⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,^[c] against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
¹⁴ Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶ above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. ¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; ¹⁸ praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— ¹⁹ and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Love, Sandi Kwant (Hannah's mommy)

Daddy's Birthday! Day 51 (1/26/11)

Terri Lynn gave daddy a little car for his birthday!

Heidi made daddy a pillowcase!

 Valerie made daddy a new TV blanket!

Cassie gave daddy a machete!

Martin gave daddy a case of Pepsi!

Sam gave daddy some exercise things!

Nathan gave daddy some baseball cards!

Daddy and his blessings!  We love you, daddy!

Daddy and Mommy with Hannah Grace!

Nathan trying out the excercise things! 

Dinner at El Gitano!  Happy Birthday Daddy!

Daddy's Birthday

First thing this morning the kids were all excited:  It was Daddy's birthday!   Of Course! Birthdays are special around here!  Daddy had to work so all day the kids were waiting and waiting for daddy to come home! 

We did school this morning after Beppe made breakfast!  Thank you! Mom!  At 1 pm today Hannah had an appointment with her feeding therapist Erin!  Beppe was all excited to see what the feeding therapist did for and with Hannah.  My mom was very impressed with Erin and her love for Hannah! Erin had made a a syringe that was connected to her pacifier so when Erin could control how much breast milk Hannah would get in her mouth.  Erin did want to scare Hannah with too much milk.  Babies who don't take milk by mouth can get scared of anything that goes into their mouth.  Some babies have stopped breathing when milk was introduced to them by mouth.  Erin was careful! 

After feeding therapy, we went home to wait for daddy to get home.  I got a call from the nurse.  They had the report back on Hannah's hip ultrasound.  The ultrasound showed mild hip dysplasia.  I knew something was up with her hips.  She hardly moves her legs and it is really hard to change her diaper and clean down there. 

I love you, Hannah!  We will do what ever we can to help you have a quality of life that God would be proud of! 

Daddy got home around 4:30!  The kids were excited!  Well maybe on the older boys!  Ha Ha!  Once Rick got settled in the house. We kids really wanted Rick to open his presents.  They could hardly wait for him to open the presents.  Hannah was in Rick's arms as he opened all his special presents. The kids really spoiled daddy! 

We invited Rick's mom Gertie to come along with us for Rick's birthday dinner to El Gitanos.  Rick loves this Mexican restaurant.  While we were there eating.  I needed to feed Hannah.  So Hannah was in my arms, her feeding pump and bag was in a backpack,  I had the backpack on my back.  I had Rick turn on the machine and make sure the milk was flowing ok.  Everything was working.  It was very odd having a backpack on your back, with a baby in your arms and eating dinner at the some time.  Believe me Hannah was worth the awkward feelings!  As I looked around I wonder what people were thinking?  It was obvious that Hannah was special.  What ever people were thinking I did not care.  Hannah was my baby and I was so proud of her and I love her so much! 

Please Note:  Birthday cake will be tomorrow. We were all too full after dinner at El Gitanos so we decided to wait until tomorrow! 

Psalms 127

¹ Unless the LORD builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the LORD guards the city,
The watchman stays awake in vain.
² It is vain for you to rise up early,
To sit up late,
To eat the bread of sorrows;
For so He gives His beloved sleep.         
³ Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,
The fruit of the womb is a reward.
⁴ Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one’s youth.
⁵ Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them;
They shall not be ashamed,
But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.

Love, Sandi Kwant (Hannah's mommy and daddy's wife)