Christina in Arizona: Kayla Nicole is 8!!

8 years ago my cell phone rang and it was my sister telling me that at her ultrasound they found out that her amniotic fluid was nearly gone and that they were going to do an emergency c-section to get the baby out before it was too late. I dropped what I was doing, got in my car, and started driving to Chicago from Indiana, where I was living at the time. Kayla Nicole was born 5 weeks premature, but healthy. Since she was so small she and a little jaundice she had to be in the area where only parents and grandparents are allowed. I arrived at the hospital 4 hours later so excited to hold my first niece for the first time ever.

The nurses, despite my sister's requests, would not allow me to hold Kayla, even though none of the grandparents were around. I saw her through the window for the first time and I couldn't help but stand there and cry because I wanted nothing more than to hold her, kiss her, and just love on her. Watching the nurse have to draw blood from her tiny heal was the saddest moment ever. This tiny, tiny little helpless baby was screaming and shaking like newborns do.

Within a few hours Kayla was finally allowed to come to Liz's room. The moment I held her I was in love! Since that day, Kayla has been my little buddy. I drove up from Indiana nearly every weekend after she was born and spent as much time as possible with her. We bonded well and I honestly didn't even care that I was spending a ridiculous amount of money on gas to see her sweet little face.

When I left for Uganda in 2008, I had no doubts that Kayla would remember me when I got home, but I was nervous about her sister, Alexandria who was only 15 months at the time. Through the magic of facebook pictures and skype (not video because the internet wasn't good enough for that), the girls and I were able to keep in touch. In January of 2011 when I left for yet another year in Uganda they were both old enough and I had no worries about being remembered, only about missing out on their lives. This is now the second year in a row that I've not been home for Kayla's birthday, since I was in Africa last year, and this year I'm here in Jersey.

I realize more and more everyday just how much I love my nieces and how difficult it is to be away from them and miss their lives. We skype a lot, we color pictures and mail them to each other, we talk on the phone, but it's just not the same. I miss hugging them, tucking them into bed at night, building forts with them, reading books together, going to the playground, riding bikes, and just being together.

I got to skype with my family tonight, sing happy birthday, watch Kayla blow out her candles, and watch her open the gift I sent her. It was almost as good as being there... almost. It's weird to be so close to them (relatively... aka on the same continent) and not to be with them for special things like this. At least when I was in Africa I didn't even have the option of going home for a birthday... it just wasn't feasible. I can't wait to go home at Christmas and actually be in the same room.

Here are a few pics of Kayla, Alex, and I over the years. I don't have tiny baby pics right now because my computer is out being fixed.