“His lesions were so severe he couldn’t eat. Rashes covered his entire body. We had to inject him with Pedialyte every 15 minutes just to keep him from passing out. In the midst of trying to be a normal family of 3, we suffered 3 miscarriages. Here we were, emotionally and physically exhausted, still yearning for hope. Little did we know, after 11 pregnancies, baby B would surprise us with blood in his diaper at just 2 months old. We knew something was terribly wrong.”
‘Flesh was hanging off the roof of his mouth. ‘Your son has no immune system to fight this.’ We were trapped inside the house for months in total isolation.’: Mom to medically complex, autistic sons urges ‘find your village’
‘They made life easier by doing the things for me I couldn’t do myself, and even the things I could.’: Mom shares emotional ode to parents, ‘I hope with all my heart to follow in your footsteps’
“My parents did not overprotect me. They did not swoop in to solve all my problems for me. They did not try to shield me from real life. They did not try to make life artificially painless. But they made life easier. They still do.”
‘He was born looking like he’d been in a boxing match. His face was bruised, but no one seemed very concerned about it.’: Baby is born with microcephaly, ‘I truly see Grayson as the blessing he is’
“They have been unable to find a reason why this happened. I didn’t go out of the country while pregnant, I wasn’t exposed to Zika. He didn’t have a stroke in utero, and there is no gene to blame. We had no idea there was anything wrong before he was born. His whole life has been an emotional whirlwind. I wouldn’t have chosen this for him or for us, but I wouldn’t change it either.”
Mom’s Boyfriend Interrupts Family Photo Shoot To Tell Her Daughter He Adopted Her
Kylee thinks she’s participating in a family photo shoot. In reality, she’s about to receive her dream come true, courtesy of her mother’s boyfriend.
‘Stop settling for half ass men. You deserved to feel loved, momma.’: Mom urges parenthood is teamwork, ‘the right man will help out in all the ways you need’
“I see your posts, momma. ‘I never get to sleep in, but my man always does.’ ‘I’m so tired of never having help.’ ‘I wish I could be as carefree as my husband.’ The right man will step up and do whatever needs to be done to help out his family. You shouldn’t have to beg.”
‘Parenting is a woman’s burden. If the house isn’t clean, it’s a mother’s fault. If a mother wants to have drinks, she should be responsible. If Dad wants to, it’s OK.’: Wife grateful for husband who ‘assists in this parenting journey’
“‘Must be nice to have a husband who helps,’ they tell me. He will never carry the burden that I do. Dad’s babysit (so I’m told every time I leave our children with my husband), while us mothers look after their children.”
‘Dear husband, don’t ask how you can help. Just do something—ANYTHING.’: Mom urges ‘do something big or small’ to help your partner
“You stare blankly at me. Again. ‘What can I do?’ you ask. Again. I’m tired of delegating and constantly giving what I feel like are ‘orders.’ You’re a great dad, a great man. You work hard. ‘He’s such a nice guy!’ they always say. They’re right—you are. But I’m at my breaking point.”
‘No, don’t panic. He has a plan. Oh Lord, please let him have a plan.’ He led our daughter in, eyes closed. I gulped my wine.’: Widow recalls emotional birthday surprise late husband planned for their daughter, ‘I didn’t know I was crying until I reached up to wipe my face’
“I came home on party day, carrying in the snacks, which was my contribution to the big shing-ding. He met me at the door. ‘Close your eyes.’ I could tell by the eagerness in his voice he had something delightful to show me. ‘Watch your step.’ He led me into the living room. I imagined glitter abound, circus performers hanging from the chandelier, ballerinas leaping. I was dripping in anticipation. He took my hand, shuffled me to the center of the room. ‘Okay, open!’ And, I did. Nothing.”
‘It’s day 721 of not seeing you. You aren’t something we can pack up, put in a box and label with a Sharpie. You are our son.’: Mom’s grief journey after losing military son, ‘I miss you’
“The lady at the thrift store bravely asked about how we were doing. And you know what? I didn’t lie. I didn’t say good. I thought, ‘Wow, it has been over 2 years. How can that be?’ I found your box of baby clothes and the blankets Grandma made you. You are everywhere here, and at times I don’t want to live in this place anymore.”
‘My daughter took her final breath. I felt a sudden surge of energy rush into my body. I carried her downstairs to the gurney.’: Grieving father recalls ‘hardest thing’ he’s ever done, ‘Sophia needed her Daddy one last time’
“When the funeral coordinator arrived, I gently picked Sophia up one last time. I carried her down the stairs to the gurney waiting for her. I made sure she was carefully secure as she was loaded into the van to the funeral home. I was lucky to be her daddy. I still have not grieved from watching my beautiful sweet girl die. I write her name in the shower on the glass with a big heart every day. It’s my way of remembering her.”
