The Mangal Family

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Halloween 2010

This year Halloween has been sooo fun. Not that the other years havent been fun, but this year Nevaeh has really started to understand the whole concept of it all.

On Saturday evening we went to trunk or treat at the church. Nevaeh loved getting candy......she takes after her mother's sweet tooth for sure. I am sure she dreams about candy some nights....sometimes in the dead of her sleep she will suddenly say "candy". Makes me laugh so hard cause she is still usually sleeping when she says it. Anyway for the trunk or treat she was dressed up as Strawberry Shortcake, which is another one of her most favorite things at the moment. It was so fun getting her all dressed up. I found her costume, on friday. I was just gonna let her be the lady bug but then I thought it would be fun to let her be Strawberry Shortcake cause she would just get a kick outta it. The costume was actually a fruit fairy costume but I made it Strawberry Shortcake costume. I took crayola paint and put it in her hair cause it was non toxic and washable, worked pretty good for the night. Nevaeh loved getting all the candy, but it was a bit cold and we left before we got all the cars. Then we went to visit family. We went to Grandma and Grandpa Heath house and Nevaeh got playdough, she will have soooo much fun with this in the next weeks. Then we went over to Grandma Mangal's and she gave Nevaeh yummy M&M's. Uncle Saif and Auntie Saeeda spoiled Nevaeh with lots of chips and candy....lucky girl. Wish Nevaeh's other Aunties and Uncles lived closer would be sooo much fun.

On Halloween Sunday, Nevaeh had her friend's Jax birthday party. Jax turned 2. His mom did such a wonderfull job and created Bob the builder for the theme. It was soo neat. They had a truck that had a lift set up....which they took the kids for rides on. The ones that wanted to go ( Nevaeh was too scared) It was like having a mini carnival....way too fun. The juice cups were mini pylon cups really cool idea. Anyway it was soo fun Nevaeh loved it. She even got to help cut Jax cake along with a few of the other kids. Then later in the evening we handed out candy, Nevaeh never even flinched at the scary costumes. I even put on scary masks at the stores and would say "scary scary halloween" I thought she would be a bit scared on Halloween so I was trying to prepare her...but all she would do is laugh at me. I surprised how brave she was she didnt get scared at all only thing she said is " oh scary scary" and laugh.

For trick or treating Nevaeh dressed up as a ladybug. So when we went trick or treating Nevaeh got the hang of it pretty quick she would knock on the door and keep knocking even after the people starting coming, and when they opened the door she would say tick a tea. It was soo cute. At one of the houses we were telling her say trick or treat and she looks at the lady she says "no tick or tea, "CANDY". It was sooo funny Najib and I could barely contain ourselves. We didnt even make it around the block but we had been out for about an hour, and Nevaeh went up to a house with Najib holding her in his arms and the guy gave her a candy, as she was saying thank you in the middle of the sentence she fell asleep and would absolutely not wake up. She slept all the way home and even wake up during prep for bed while taking off the costume and what not. If you know Nevaeh you know this is a rare occasion, rarely does she ever fall asleep, and especially that deeply. This was the funnest Halloween, one to remember for years to come.

Friday, March 12, 2010

My Love Letter To My Precious Daughter

My Precious Baby Girl

Nevaeh Jasmine born November 5th 2008 at 10:34pm

8lbs 1oz, 55cm long

Before you were conceived I wanted you,

Before you were born I loved you,

Before you were here even an hour I would die for you,

This is the Miracle of Love.

I remember months and months before even getting pregnant, we had everything planned out. We had the whole nursery together: the crib, blankets, toys, creams, bath soaps,medicine kits, right down to both boy and girl clothing. It was a long time that we wanted you, and the time finally came where we were planning to bring you here to this earth. I Love you sooooooooooo much Nevaeh!

I went to the doctor to talk about planning your arrival and he decided to send me to do some bloodwork. After several weeks of procastinating I finally went to get my blood taken it was a Thursday. I remember sitting at the lab waiting my turn and I saw a beautiful pregnant women and thought to myself ummmm I can't wait till I have a little one of my very own. We had taken a few home pregnancy test at home several weeks before and they came up negative so I had no expectation and no thought that I was with child. The next day on Feb_____ it was a Friday, I was at home waiting for your Aunty Shelly and Cousin Monica to come over for a visit. I had just cleaned the house and received a phone call from Dr. Billett telling me "Laura your bloodwork that you had yesterday came back to us, and your DEFINETELY PREGNANT. " He asked that I come in to see him right away he just wanted to do a checkup. I was so happy and excited, yet in shock because it was very quickly this all happened, I couldn't believe it. I called your father home from work and told him of the news. He too was so excited , that we had tears of joy from the news. Immediately that day I told your father I think its a girl. Monica was so excited and wanted to come into the Doctors with me, so she did, thus the begining of her baby fever. ( But I think she had baby fever before this appointment anyway.)

It was the very next evening on the Saturday that I began feeling sick. We had Chinese Food that night and from that day onward till the end of my pregnancy I constantly had "All day sickness" as I would like to call it. Along with the all day sickness I obviously went through many other changes as well. I recall having back pain and pelvis pains. I would lay down flat on my back and sometimes had a hard time getting back up because I felt as though my pelvis was going to crack. Your dad was so loving during this time, thinking back to some of the things he did just cracks me up. There was one occasion that he was giving me a back massage and he wanted to put something warm on my back as he thought it would help relieve some of the pain. So he ran around putting towels in the dryer to warm them up and run back to me and quickly put them on my back. However the towels didn't stay warm for long, so being the brilliant man he is, he took a towel put it over my back and then took out the iron. You could imagine my reaction, as he was about to put a hot iron on my back. I don't know how he did it but somehow he convinced me to relax and trust him. As I did he took the iron over the towel that was placed over my back and went back and forth with the iron. It was a very odd solution but it really did help the back pain. He was always trying to be helpful and take care of me and you. He sometimes did them a weird way but somehow things always worked out. Throughout the pregnancy your dad was so good, he gave backrubs anytime I requested, (even foot massages too), cooked most of the time, cleaned up the house....even scrubbed the tub and toilet down when I was too big to bend over. He always asked if I had any special cravings....I rarely had any cravings....only once that I remember and it was for sour candies (sour keys). That was a weird craving haven't had sour keys since I was a child. I recall the smell of bacon made me sick. I could go on and on about all the wonderful things your dad did, just know that from the beginning he loved you too he was always concerned about you if I wasn't able to eat, always helped me up (even if I didn't want any) and worried that the chemicals that I used while cleaning might cause harm to you so thats why he helped with the cleaning....man wish I could always be pregnant hahaha. Life was good. I remember going to the ultrasounds, the first one was neat it was the first time we actually got to see you even if you were smaller than a little peanut......you were our little peanut. The second ultrasound was sooo exciting. We could actually see your hands, head, legs, almost everything. Daddy was so excited that he took as many pictures as he could on his phone as the ultrasound techniqunation said they didnt give any. The lady who was doing the ultrasound said that you were a very active baby. She couldn't get you to stay still long enough to do somesort of leg measurement test, to make sure you were growing properly. She tried several times, still don't think she ever did get it, you were just way to busy even in the womb. As my pregnancy progressed I guess probably around 5months or so that I began swelling. By the end of my pregnancy I was very very swollen...you will see pictures....throughout my body, from head to toe. You could push on my legs and actually see the indent. In the medical world they call this pitting edema. Throughout the pregnancy I gained 60lbs yes I did say 60lbs, luckily lost 40lbs after the first week after all the fluid drained. At my second ultrasound we discovered that I only have one kidney, thus the reason for all the extra fluid on board. However they say that my one kidney works excellent just with pregnancies will tend to have extra fluid, due to all the extra wastes the kidney has to filter out.

I remember the little kicks and flutters that began. I really miss that beautiful connection, it is such an amazing experience that motherhood brings. I wish that everyone could experience that connection, even men. Sometimes I feel that men really miss out, this is such a beautiful experience. The feeling that a little person is growing inside of you is truly an indescribable feeling. You are giving that little person life and everything that you do will affect that baby both the good and the bad. It is such a responsibility and commitment, I would never trade that connection for the world. I would sit for hours upon hours waiting for you to move. Sometimes I would poke at my belly just to get you to move as the feeling gave me so much joy. I think now it was then that I developed your bad sleeping habits.

As I think back upon my pregnancy with you, all the pains and discomforts are vague. Now that I have you to hold in my arms and kiss every minute of every day.....all those memories have faded away because you were worth every single one. If I had to I would go through a billion more just to have you all over again. " To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world." That is how I feel about you Nevaeh. You have brought so much meaning to my life. Your sweet smile radiates and warms my heart. You have such a beautiful spirit, you are so kind and loving. You have made our house, a home. Without you we would never be complete. I am so thankful that we have you in our lives. NEVAEH IS OUR LITTLE PIECE OF HEAVEN!!!

Memories Of My Sweet Sweet Baby:

On November 5th, 2008 at 10:34 pm my long awaited beautiful little girl was born. She weighed 8lbs 1oz, and was 55cm long. This day will never be forgotten. I have never been so blessed in my life as I was that day.
On January 5th, 2009 she had her first immunizations. Amazing enough Nevaeh has rarely had too much trouble with any of her immunizations, of course she cried when they stuck the needles in but only briefly. She is such a good baby.
January 14, 2009 Nevaeh had her first giggle. Honestly don't remember what made her giggle but I just remember how cute that little sound was.
January 18,2009 Nevaeh grabbed for the toy hanging from the handle of her carseat. I remember this Najib and I were so excited, we were just getting ready to leave for church. We thought she was the smartest baby in the whole wide world.....little did I know that this reach would later make us busier than ever in the months to come.
In February 2009 Nevaeh and I both started going to the chiropractor cause Nevaeh always turned her head to one side and we were paranoid parents. Within a short time she was had no evidence of this ever being an issue.
February 10th 2009 we had our first professional photo shoot. Melanie from Photo Expressions came to our house set up and did all the photos in our home. It was so nice not to have to pack up.
Work baby shower at Kim Mctavish house on March 11,2009. Had joint baby shower with several of the girls who also had babies from works. Thanks guys we were able to get the next size carseat with the gift certificate.
April 17, 2009 Nevaeh turns over both side well, starting to push to crawl like a little worm.
Aprill 20th, 2009 Nevaeh sits up for short periods well and unassisted.
May 11, 2009 Nevaeh sits up completely unassisted, tips occasionally.
May 14, 2009 Nevaeh puts bum up in the air while trying to crawl.
June 16, 2009 Nevaeh started crawling.
June 17, 2009 Nevaeh got her second tooth.
June 18, 2009 Nevaeh sitting up really good completely unassisted.
September 6th, 2009 Nevaeh signed her first word....More...More...More.
October 13th 2009 Nevaeh took her first steps.
December 18th, 2009 Nevaeh peed on the potty for the first time.

I can't believe how fast the time goes. I never thought I would ever forget all the new little things that Nevaeh did, but my mom was right you have to write it down or you will forget. I wish I would have recorded them in better detail, my thoughts and feelings but this is my new little way to record everything from now on. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH MY LITTLE ONE!