Hospitalized with bronchitis.

Sick With Bronchitis

Pulse ox

Sleeping during a breathing treatment

In January of 2010 we took Brooklyn to the urgent care center due to her having a fever, cough congestion, and runny nose. The doctor checked her oxygen level and said that she was dipping down in the 70's, and that she felt we needed to take her to the hospital to be monitored!!! We took her to wise county, where she received IV antibiotics and oxygen. They diagnosed her as having bronchitis and were released a couple of hours later. The next day brook woke up around 8:00 AM then fell back asleep & slept from about 10:00 AM to about 5:00 PM She had rapid breathing, fever, and same symptoms as the day before. She wouldn't drink anythink and I feared that she was going to become dehydrated. We decided to call the doctor to see if we should bring her back in. She reccommended that we take her to Cooks children's where all of her specialists are. We were there in a packed waiting room but only waited about 5 min. to go back, and they decided that we were going to stay. We were monitored for 3 days, and her fever broke, she was doing much better and we were released!!!

A mother of a "special" child

A mother of a "special" child

When I was young I'd often say, I'd like to be a mom someday

While playing with my baby doll, I thought that jobs not hard at all

I'd have a baby,maybe two, a girl in pink........ a boy in blue

I grew up and sure enough,

The baby that was sent to me, was born with disabilities

At first I'm frightened thru & thru, there is so much to learn to care for you

This wasn't in my plans at all, whenever I was young and played with dolls

Your mind and body were so weak, you might not ever walk or speak

So much special care required, I'm often scared and often tired

As months and years go slowly by, I often smile but sometimes cry

To watch you grow and not complain, though you endure your share of pain

Oh how I'd hold you and I'd pray,that you'd be healed and whole someday

But I know that was not to be, not physically or mentally

And so I taught you best I could your progress slow but very good

But then one day I realized, as I gazed into your loving eyes

That I had learned so much from you, determination....courage too

A love so unconditional, it floods my soul and always will

I'm proud to say I gave you birth, for your an angel here on earth.

Author unknown

BIG Little sister!!!!

Me and the girls!!!

Bath time babies!!!

Brooklyn 16 months & Brandi 2 months!!

The girls are 14 months apart but are very close to being the same size!! Brandi is catching up with Brooklyn so fast!! Their last measurement on February 8, 2010 Brooklyn @ 19 months was 30 inches, and weighed 18 pounds 4 ounces. Brandi @ 5 months was 27 inches, and weighed the exact same at 18 pounds 4 ounces!!! I was so shocked that they weighed the same!!! Brookie is still in the lead by 3 inches but, baby sister is catching up very quickly!!! So we now refer to Brandi as "The BIG little Sister."

Becoming a big sister!!!!!

First picture of all three of my beautiful babies!!!

Brandi Nicole Strahan

Brandi Nicole 1 month & Brooklyn Aliyah 15 months

The new Big Sister!!!!

The approaching time of the baby's birth was a very anxious time for me. I was worried how Brookie would take to having a new baby in the house, and how we would manage having a new baby and having brook who is so very demanding, to say the least. Brandi Nicole was born September 7, 2008!! She weighed 7 pounds 11 ounces, and was 21 1/2 inches!!! It was very different than Brookie's birth. I had a second C-section due to risk that go along with having a natural delivery after having a previous C-section with Brook. Brandi was a beautiful, pink, healthy baby!!! She looked like a lil' butter ball compared to Brookie when she was born!! Brookie was at the hospital whenever she was born and stayed in the hospital with Ben and I during the hospital stay!! She has only ever been away from me for a couple hours whenever I had to go to the hospital early on in my pregnancy with Brandi, due to severe cramps and bleeding. We don't let her stay with any one else due to all of her medical problems, I would be a nervous wreck!!! She did very well at first when the baby was very small and didn't really do much. Now that the baby sits up and plays she will sometimes hit and pinch her, but I don't think that it is her way of being mean. She does this to Ben and I, and it seems like more of an impulsive behavior. She is my little mommy hen and tried to "help" with the baby!!! She will give the baby her bottle, or take it from her!! She tries to shove her pacifier in the babies mouth whenever she cries, even though the baby never took a pacifier!! And she will give her kisses!! Over all I would say that she is happy to be a big sister, and loves the new baby!! I do feel like it will be beneficial for brook to have a sibling so close in age, due to her developmental delays.