Mikayla's First CHRISTMAS Pictures

Remember when I told you a few posts ago that I had some VERY special pictures that were on the cameras I got back from the baby home? Well these are those special pictures. I wanted them to have a seperate post because I wanted to explain the entire situation. So let's start at the beginning. When I realized Mikayla would not be home for her first Christmas I was frantic. I wanted to have Christmas pictures of her. I knew that it would be a long shot because she was never wearing anything I sent down in any of her monthly update pictures but something inside said, "you have to try." So when Matt and Jenny offered to take a package down for me in December when they visited... I jumped all over it. I went out and found the perfect Christmas outfit...or at least one I could fit in a ziploc bag (which was required when sending packages). I hunted all over and settled on a red velvet dress. I bought matching black mary jane shoes, white hose, a matching onesie to put under the dress and then ordered velvet matching hairbows online. I cried when I packed it up to send to her. It broke my heart to send her a Christmas outfit in a plastic bag. I can vividly remember kissing the dress before mailing it to Matt and Jenny. I missed my girl. BAD. I wrote a lovely letter to the baby home (translated to spanish of course) asking them to put her in this dress for her December pictures. Then...a few weeks later...my December update pictures arrived in my e-mail. I took a deep breath, opened the e-mail, and my heart silently broke when she was not wearing the dress. Gone were all the hopes that my daughter would have a piece of her mommy with her as she celebrated her first Christmas away from her home. Kris told me that I should have known better but I didn't want to hear it. I let it go...sadly...and moved on....knowing that there was always next Christmas. Although I was heartbroken.

So IMAGINE my SURPRISE when I picked up these pictures from Walgreens, started flipping through them, and THERE WAS THE CHRISTMAS DRESS. The picked with love Christmas dress for my sweet daughter. I cried. I did. Kris even got teary-eyed. They are the best pictures out of ALL the pictures on the cameras. So here they are...Mikayla's First Christmas Pictures. They are late...but loved just the same. And OH so special. Thank you Matt and Jenny....I would have never had these pictures without you!!!!! And thank you to the wonderful staff at her baby home for taking the time to make one mommy's Christmas wishes come true!