Saturday, December 22, 2007

The princess . . .


McCartney Raye was born in September 2003. We were fostering 2 very difficult children at the time, Dustin was in a very difficult mental state at the time, and Harrison was 15 months old. I was a crazy-busy pregnant mommy. I began to have problems with my blood pressure and was put on strict bed rest. The following day I began to black out and was sent directly to the hospital to be induced the following morning. I gave birth to McCartney 4 hours later before being induced. She was 17 days early. After she was born, I went directly into surgery and McCartney had difficulty regulating her body temperature so she went into an incubator. Daddy spent the night by her side. We found out the next morning that she had a sacral dimple and could suffer from some form of Spina Biffida. After a few weeks of horrific waiting, we found out she was fine.

She was a mellow baby who slept through the night at 3 weeks old. She was active and alert. She loved being next to her brothers and her eyes lit up when they spoke to her. She was completely bonded to me. Where Harrison was Robert's boy, McCartney was MINE. She cried whenever I was away from her. I was totally responsible for her happiness. I found the "art of baby-wearing" and purchased a sling from Cindy. It was the best thing I ever did. She could be with me and up against me at all times, and yet I could function. When I went back to work, Robert would "wear" her in the sling and it totally helped create a bond. She loves her daddy, but to this day she is MY GIRL.

She was enrolled in speech when she was a toddler because she had nearly no words. After about 3 visits, she was speaking like crazy. I fully believe she could before, she just had no reason to. She knows all her "stuff" but will not perform. Still at 4 years old, it amazes me when she reads a word like she has known what it was for years. You think she has no idea and it quite ditzy, she isn't, she just doesn't flaunt what she knows. I'll ask her how she knows something and she says, "Because I'm smart."

She is bossy and strong-willed. She is sweet and ornery. She can charm the pants off you one minute and scream in your face "you're stupid!" the next. She's purely a girl. When Harrison was little we would ask him, "Are you rotten?" He'd say, "I not rotten, Sissy's rotten!" As ornery as she is, she is also very thoughtful and kind. She knows when someone is upset or angry and tries to reach out to you. She is extremely cuddly, but doesn't like to be held for more than short periods of time. Where Harrison would be content to sit in you lap for hours, she will hug you 15 times in that hour, but will not sit there and will not be still. She is full of energy and always on the move. She is tenacious and determined.

She's my princess who loves to dress up in dresses and skirts and then wants to where jeans and play with the boys. She constantly changes her mind and loves to annoy the pants off her brothers. She pushes Daddy's buttons and drives me over the edge. She's definitely a female!

3 comments:

  1. My second child also had delayed speech. My two are 20 months apart and he would point and say, "UH" and his sister would translate and provide his need for him. No words were needed from him.

    My favorite part of the story was:

    "She can charm the pants off you one minute and scream in your face "you're stupid!"

    I could so see this in my minds eye, been there, done that.

    Life with your daughter is going to be like your favorite amusement park ride; full of twists, turns, and excitment and even when parts of it are acary as soon as you jump off you go right back in line to do it again as you can't seem to get enough of it. Enjoy the ride Sheri!

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  2. You know I can so relate, my daughter is the oldest and then I have two boys, and the difference is night and day. They all have their unique personalities, but I have to say my daughter, at the present age of 16 is my biggest challenge. I love her to pieces and could choke her most of the time. Her mouth never stops!!! Patty's definition of the roller coaster is quite accurate.

    Being female it would be really nice if both of our moods would swing the same way at the same time but its usually opposing moods. There are times when I do feel sorry for my sons.

    And of course, now that she has her monthly meltdown, she has decided to enlighten all of us, loudly too, that it has arrived and therefore she has the right to be a "psycho" for however long it lingers. Sigh....

    My youngest son is seven years younger than his brother and eight years younger than his sister. He walked at 8 1/2 months, but wouldn't talk. At the age of two I was getting really concerned, and then one day it was straight out complete sentences. Talk about a surprise! And to this day I am amazed at his selection of words, sometimes we have to define them for the older kids!

    Life is wonderful with kids.

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  3. I think McCartney and C. might get along well. Or at least they'd be able to keep up with each other. C.'s entire life, people have looked at us and asked, "Does he ever stop moving?" Yes, when he sleeps. And then he still moves around quite a bit! Hope you had a nice Christmas. Dinner soon? Are you busy the weekend of the 5th?

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