Gracie and Babysitting Morgan

I must say, that I have the two cutest nieces. I've always felt a special connection to my niece Morgan, because she and my daughter Lilly not only have Dad's that are identical twins, but she and Lilly were born the very same day, a couple of hours apart. I always wondered if I would have that special of a bond with this niece Gracie. It was not until yesterday, while visiting Gracie that I realized that I do. I was looking at here, hooked up to monitors, and wires, and lines, and drains.Mike was gazing at her too, so I took a picture, because it reminded me very much of how he would look at Ryker. It took me back to when Ryker had his first heart surgery (my niece and my son share the exact same heart condition, hypoplastic left heart syndrome). She smells so much like him,because Ryker was in the hospital his whole seven weeks of life, and so I now associate the smells of a baby in the PICU with what Ryker smelled like, his scent. So yesterday, just gazing at Gracie's sweet face and stroking her black hair, I felt this sort of bond just form. I looked at her, and wanted her to live so bad. I wanted her to get better, to go home and play with her big sister.The hardest part about knowing someone else that has a child with the same heart condition as your child, and having your baby not make it, is the feelings sometimes of it not being fair that their baby is doing so well, while you no longer are able to hold your own child. It is not that I want them to have to experience the loss of a child, it is just that I want my baby too. And so I knew it would be hard, no matter what the outcome happened to be with Gracie. But yesterday was the turning point. I looked at Gracie, and just wanted her to make it, wanted her to be on the other side of the statistics. I know how hard the road is with a heart baby. Even when they come home, it can be tough. But I know that Gracie, like Ryker, has the spunk to be able to fight the fight. She is strong, and truly a miracle, and I now more then ever have faith that things are going to be okay, that she is such a blessing to us all.

We also this week, had the opportunity to be able to tend my niece Morgan. She has so much personality, and just loves life and everyone around her. She loves her new little sister, and was just so sweet while her Mom and Dad were away from her. I am so grateful to be able to have a niece that has so much love for her aunts and uncles, especially Mike. Mike adores Morgan, and too has a special bond with him. He loved being able to help too take care of her this week. So here are a few pictures of my two adorable nieces.
*Just wanted to say that I absolutely adore my nephew Caden too. He is the only nephew or niece that I have been able to take care of at the hospital, as a patient and a nephew! Also, I have one other cute little nephew, Ethan, that turns two on the 1st of August!