A dear friend gave us a some pictures from the graveside service.

I'll never forget the peaceful feeling we had and all of the love that was expressed to us that day.

Letter to my baby

I remember when the pregnancy test finally showed that I was pregnant. Dad didn't believe it, and honestly I couldn't believe it either. We just couldn't believe that in 9 months we would have our very own baby. Those first few weeks we were so excited but we decided not to tell anyone for a while in case we miscarried. I thought Dad might burst because he was so excited to tell everyone. Finally we wrote a poem and read it to Dad's family. We told my family a knock knock joke. During those days we wondered whether you'd be a boy or a girl. We wondered if you would have blonde hair like dad or brown hair like mom. Would you have mom's brown eyes, dad's blue eyes or end up with Grandpa's green eyes? We thought we loved you then...

At our second doctor's appointment we were so excited to hear you little heart beat. But when the Dr. went to find it she couldn't. Our hearts seemed to stop, until the Dr. reassured us that she believed everything was fine, and that the missing heart beat was due to Mom's tilted uterus. The ultrasound confirmed that and for several precious minutes we were able to watch you from the ultrasound. You were so tiny and so active. We were so impressed by all your flips and somersaults. We laughed as right at the end you did 4 or 5 flips in a row. We knew then you would be athletic. That is when dad nicknamed you the, "Ninja Baby."

The first week of June we went in for another ultrasound, this time to find out if we were having a boy or a sweet little girl. The ultrasound took over and hour, because our little baby wouldn't stop moving for the tech to get a good look at anything. She was finally able to see your brain, which she told us looked absolutely terrific. Your heart looked strong and Dad counted to make sure you had all of your fingers and toes. The ultrasound tech told us you weighed 10 ounces! We were so impressed with your growth. She then told us we probably wouldn't be able to find out the gender because our, "little stinker" as she called you wouldn't uncross their legs and turn for the camera. We knew then you'd be modest and conservative. The tech told us we'd probably have to come back in 6-8 weeks and try to find out the gender again since our little one wasn't cooperating. They had me get up and jump around, take a walk to try to get you to move and....Nothing! Then Dad leaned in close to my belly and said, "This is your chance. We are choosing the colors for your room. If you don't let us see what you are, your room is going to be poop brown and diarrhea green. " Just then you flipped over and uncrossed your legs and the tech told us, "OH! She is definitely a girl!" Dad was stunned because he thought you were a boy all along. I was so excited and couldn't wait to get started on your room.

I didn't waste anytime either--I made all of your crib bedding. It turned out so perfect, even better than I had imagined. After it was finished I used to go sit in your room and imagine when I could hold you in my arms and wrap you in your soft fuzzy blanket.

I'll never forget the first time I felt you move. I have never been so happy. It was such a special moment. I was so excited for Dad to get home so I could tell him. For the next few weeks, I would yell for Dad anytime you moved and he would run in and put his hands on my belly. For a long time you weren't strong enough for him to feel. Then one day you did your biggest flip yet and Dad got to feel it. His face lit up like never before and he said, "I told you she was a ninja!"

Through the following weeks your movements got even stronger. And I soon realized a pattern; if I drank juice you would flip immediately as if to say, "I liked that...more please" It became obvious very quickly that your favorite was grape juice. Anytime we wanted to feel you move I would grab some grape juice and we would wait for your acrobatics.

However, grape juice wasn't the only thing you liked. I loved taking you to church. Once the music started up you would begin to kick. You just loved hymns, especially when we would sing in young womens. I told your dad you loved music and that's when I asked him to sing to you. One night we all settled into bed and I asked Dad to sing you "Edelweiss." So he laid his head on my belly and sang to you. You gently kicked throughout the song. Once it ended you kicked Dad right in the face with your strongest kick ever! Dad and I were laughing so hard. Dad was once again reassured that you were in fact a ninja. I told Dad that his girls were already ganging up on him. This was the last time we felt you move. Thank you for giving us such a precious farewell. For those special moments, our family was together. Someday, we will be all together again.