Pictures of Abigail

I had to get this picture because I think this is the only time she slept in her own bed
this is one of my most favorite pictures of her, she is cute even when she yawns
her diaper is on backwards I just loved that she was so unique
Abigail taking a nap right before we got to take her home she was so excited she tired herself out

CARLO MENDO

So this story should have been told in the beginning and I am so sorry it has taken this long. Carlo Mendo lives with us, he moved in I think in March, and has been helping us ever since. It seemed Carlo was so excited for Abigail to arrive, he kept asking us what we needed, if there was something we didn't have that we really need he would get, well he got us this really nice stroll I had put on one of our list that we didn't even need but because we, meaning me, really wanted it he got it for us. And when we got Abigails little bed he wanted to help set it up, so there was Brian and Carlo in the living room not reading the directions and take what should have been 15 minute job and turning it in to an all nighter, but they had fun. Well when Abigail was born and Brian realized that he was going to need to find a way to get down to LA he called Carlo and with out hesitation Carlo left work and came to the hospital to pick Brian up to take him. So Carlo in his uniform and all drove Brian down to LA stayed with him for a while than came back to Lompoc and called me every day to see how Abigail was doing and to see if he could do anything for me. While Abigail was in the hospital Carlo came to visit and still then wanted to know if there was anything he could do. When we were finally able to bring Abigail home Carlo was so interested in what she was doing he would ask about her day what she did how much she ate. the first time Carlo held Abigail I ask him if he wanted to hold her and he seem a little scared at first as though he was going to break her, but I let him know that she was unbreakable and that as long as he just sat there I would hand him her and she would be fine. He was seem up tight for only a second and than he relaxed and what do you know he didn't break her. The night we took Abigail to the hospital Carlo came and brought us food and again let us know that if there was anything we need he would do it for us, and than our baby passed away and we need a little space and time with our family and he gave us just that and when the time was right he stepped in and was there again. I guess what I am trying to get across was Carlo helped me and Brian out a lot even with his small gestures of calling and asking about her meant a lot to us and for that we are grateful that Carlo took our baby in to his heart and loved her and cared for her. So thank you Carlo Mendo for all that you did for us.

JERRY

This is Jerry Abigail's brother and he is like her in so many ways. Brian and I decided that after Abigail left us we need something to fill the empty space that she would have filled. So Brian looked up puppies and decides on a pug since we had, had two pugs before it just seemed right. We drove to the pet store and saw him there all alone in his little cage just giving us the please take me home look, I had to wait 10 minutes to hold he cause some one else was holding another puppy. But when I finally got to hold him I didn't want to let him go, when I went to give him back to the sales lady he wrapped his paws around my hand and I knew I would have him. Yet we still held another puppy just to see if we want that one instead, but his sister cried when we walked away with him, so we put that dog back and told them Jerry was the one for us. We took Jerry to the beach and let him run around he was unsure about it at first but than he loved it, while he was running around we tried to come up with names for him and of course I wanted Elvis and Brian didn't, then my mom said what about Jerry and he looked up at her like yes great name so he was to be Jerry. Like I said a little earlier Jerry is so much like Abigail (in no way am I comparing my daughter to a dog so please do not take it that way) well they both love to snuggle and sleep on Brian, I could not sleep with Abigail on me in the bed but Brian had no problem so that is where she slept most of the time right on Brian's chest, and Jerry does the same thing he loves snuggling right on Brian's pillow with him. Also they pooped and peed when and where they wanted to, we where at the doctors office on base and Abigail was getting her diaper changed when all the sudden she decided to pee on the doctors table, and well lets just say Jerry is in the process of being trained. I think the biggest thing they have in common is water in the Brian, we just took Jerry to his first vet visit last week and the Vet told us that pugs and other little dogs get water in their brains just like Abigail but the only difference is theirs is not harmful. How funny we thought we picked something to fill the space Abigail left and ended up filling it with Jerry that reminded us so much of her.

CHROMOSOME #11

Who knew that you could write so much on just one baby who wasn't even here for a long time, but it seems that there is so much still unwritten about Abigail. We got a call last week from the genetics people trying to sum up what they found out from Abigail's genes. So you have 22 chromosomes and each has a double of it self or something like that, well it turns out Abigail's number 11 was missing some DNA and her number 22 had more than it was suppose to. For number 22 they said that she probably got that from me or Brian and we have to give blood for them to test to see, but she said that number 22 is not something to worry about it that darn number 11. With her having extra DNA in 22 you would have thought she was covered with missing some from 11 but she was missing A LOT more from 11. Yet even with them knowing that some of her DNA tore apart and some end up not coming back together and fell off (not really what happened but that is what I saw in my mind when she was describing it to me) they still don't know what cause her number 11 to have way less than it should. And they also don't even know if that stupid number 11 was the cause of her problems, so needless to say she has stumped them again. Abigail seems to be the rarest of babies they have no idea how she got the way she did, or how she survived as long as she did. But to be truthful me and Brian know that she survived as long as she did to show us the love of a child and that no matter how someone looks or their medical recorded they should be loved as the same if not even more than any one else and not just brushed under the rug. Oh and to that dumb Doctor who saw my child once and said that she had all these problems because she had down syndrome was not right at all I ask the genetics lady if that could have been the cause of her problem and she said that number 21 is what determines that and Abigail's 21 was perfect just like her.

Fathers Day

Well hello, I just wanted to write a little something for Abigail. As you know it was fathers day yesterday my first one being a father. It was one of those days where you feel like you are on cloud 9. I had to work so it kept me kinda busy but it was a Sunday and work was slow. I am not one that pays attention to important dates or holidays if i dont look at the calendar. If it wasn't for my family calling me at o dark thirty on my birthday every year i would forget that too. I think part of it is being in the military and having to work on holidays. So for me to deal with missing my family on those days i treat them just like any other. Fathers day was different this year. When we found out we were having Abigail i thought about being a father and having my own fathers day. I know i did not make it a big deal to my family but inside i was counting down the days till June 22nd. I know i am a father and always be but that did not feel the empty arms i had. I think about Abigail all the time and miss her so much. Some days are better then others and the bad days are getting less and less. Yesterday was just one of those days where i really missed her. I came home after work and opened fathers day gifts thanks mom, dad, sis, and jennifer. After that i wanted to look at some pictures of Abigail we have on the computer. As i looked through the pictures i thought about all the happy times we shared with her. Even though i did not get to hold my baby on fathers day i felt her and she made me smile. I know abigail is with our father in heaven and having a blast. I love you so much baby girl and know you are home.

Happy Father's Day Buddy

I know today is bittersweet but I saw this poem and thought of you...
What Makes a Dad

God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle's flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so,

He called it ... Dad

~~Author Unknown.~~

I am so proud of you,I am inspired by you, I love you!
love, Sis

Thank you

So Brian and I would like to thank Jennifer Uribe for making Abigail's blog. We just love it. The blog has given us closure in a way and it has been an outlet for us to put our feelings in to writing so thank you so very much. We also would like to thank our family members who have contributed so far to the blog, number one of course Caryn for writing Abigail's story with such passion and love as though she was one of your babies and not just your niece. Also thank you to my sister Jessica and Grammy & Papa (Nelda Fay and Tom), you guys told such beautiful stories that any one that reads them can tell they came from your hearts. I just know that Abigail reads them every day (she is a saint now so yes she can read) and is so thankful for your love.