Bittersweet

Let me very clear. I am proud of Sammy and who he has become. I am amazed by Sammy and everything he is. I love him so much that it hurts to try and quantify it.

But it is often hard. It is usually a challenge. It is always just a little extra effort.

It's Sammy.

My rainbow boy.
The boy who smiles from inside out even if he doesn't ever smile back at me. He loves to hug me these days and always asks "Why do you smell so good there Mommy?"  He tells me now that he has big feelings. He cries from sadness now as well. It isn't just angry and happy. But , he still has some of the most annoying stims (currently a screech), he calls names when he gets even a little bit angry, and he hits. He makes me so angry sometimes that I want to run away from home. Just take the itty bitty and go far far away. But to think about life without him makes my eyes burn and my throat catch. He is after all my rainbow baby ...right?

He has taught me so many incredible things. Far more than I have taught him. He frustrates me beyond belief and makes me so very proud every day.
Some days, like today, it's hard to breath. The weight of life with Sam  can often feel like falling into an endless hole filled with jello.
Green Jello.
My Nemesis.

What is the alternative though?
Life without? I know what that is like to some degree. I don't have my Emma with me.

Sam Blowing out the candles

So my Darling Rainbow Boy,
Please know I love you with all that I am. Every moment. Every breath. Every second of every single day. Forgive me for the tears that fall because sometimes the bittersweet of it all is just too much to hold inside.

Emma's angel Dan Bought in 2010 for me

My Dearest Emma,
Please know that even though i spend the day laughing and celebrating you are also so very close to my heart. Know That I love you as well, though I never held you in my arms. There will always be empty space where your hand belong in mine, silence where your name belongs on my lips, and longing in my arms for you.

Happy Birthday My Sunshine Boy Sam and Dearest Emma.
today we celebrate all that you are.

Fear, Focus, and Moving Forward.

Yesterday was hard. Not in the "I can't do this  because I might die" sort of hard, but the "remain in the moment and be OK" kind of hard. Infant and Pregnancy Loss Remembered day is never easy and it brings the flood of emotions I am never really prepared to handle. Adding into that a few of my dear friends have just lost babies as well, and I am pregnant now so I was a wreck yesterday. Sammy had a rough day, Nate had a rough day and baby was like velcro on a wool sock. My guess is that they felt my stress and emotions.

Sammy also had his bake sale yesterday for kids with cancer. he sold out in just 2 hours and made 36$. I have never seen that boy glow like he did yesterday. He went over to people at the football game to tell them about his fundraiser. Daddy went and helped him get the right words but he did it himself.

So we have been trying to figure out where to send the money and I think we have it figured out. Just a little more checking into things first.

I ended my day with a candle burning for Emma, for my friends, and family. I ended the day with dry eyes and full arms. I ended my day blessed beyond belief , peaceful but sad because I know my sweet girl would have fit in this family perfectly and I will miss her forever. I ended my day cuddled between my three youngest kids with Squish dancing inside my belly and all I could think was "how blessed I am to know, that even the end is not really the end. That what lies beyond me is more powerful than anything I could wrap my head around. I am blessed with all I have. I am surrounded by light and love."

I am going to let that be my focus as I move forward.

Tipping Point

I have been quiet because I would rather not write then bore you all with the darkness that seems to have taken over here lately. People that know me , know I tend to pull in when it's hard. October is infant and pregnancy loss month (along with a ton of other causes). October 15th is a difficult day for me. I find this  year that I am needing release somewhow. I need to put meaning into who Emma was, I just can't figure out how just yet. I need to find some sort of solace in this pain before Squish is born.

 To add to it, I am nursing an injured hand after a few out of control moments with Sam the other night. He has been a mess off and on. One minute he is wonderful and better than ever, the next, forget it. He hasn't swung at me in ages and this week it has happened numerous times.

So please bear with me as I pull myself together. I promise I will get back to posting normally soon. I have even recieved some kind of cool fun award thing. Tomorrow I will tackle I promise.

Until tomorrow...

Truly....Madly...Deeply

I am dealing with some very personal and emotional stuff right now and it is really hard for me. I keep trying to stuff it and go past it, but I can't. What has worked in the past does not work now and as a result I am struggling to tread water. I figured I would put it here in the hoped that writing it down will ease it somehow. I am so afraid I will regret this.

I can usually get by during this time because nothing MAJOR triggers it. This is different, because just the time line triggers it.

I lost a baby at 14.5 weeks. I know I have talked about Emma here before. I always hesitate because I don't want people judging my grief. I don't want to be a downer in the group.
I understand its been a long time. I understand it was "only" 14.5 weeks. I know so many that dealt with it being far far worse. Far more...tangible.
This wasn't tangible. I barely even acknowledged it then, I couldn't. It's something I truly, deeply, and unquestionably regret. It took me years to even fully acknowledge loosing her on August 22, 2001.
Some may realize that is Sam's birthday with just an earlier year. He came in 2004.
This year on his birthday I will be 13 weeks pregnant with this little squish. Emma's due date and Squish's are just weeks apart, and it's driving me mad.

Months ago I entered a contest on The Blog here and apparently I won. I had forgotten I entered. I received a beautiful comfort bear and a book (which is going to be a blessing for someone else) from them. It's funny how much the big white bear comforted me.

Then I read this story and I can't breath. 

An old friend of mine just lost a baby and my heart breaks for her.

I am surrounded by it. I can't run away this time so I guess I am going to trudge through it. Just please God, don't let this baby come on her due date. I can't do that, please.
I keep panicking that squish is gone too.I can't get control of myself. I feel crazy.

I obviously have to deal with this. I just don't want to. I worry that people will judge my grief. That they won't or don't understand. Let's be honest here. I don't even understand.