Kenna's Birthday

My little girl turned 11 on July 28th! I can't believe it! The time is going too fast! Here is the story...

McKenna Fawn Buck was born July 28, 1999 at 6:32 a.m. She weighed 6lbs. 5 oz. and was 19" long. When she came out she had a death grip on the umbilical cord and wouldn't let go of it. She was such a sweet baby! She was very calm and content as long as she was fed, clean, and had her plug (pacifier). Kenna was the first Grandchild on my side of the family so she was spoiled rotten! Papa gave her the nickname of Sweetpea, and he still calls her that and she loves it! When Kenna was about 7 or 8 months old she started getting sick and just couldn't seem to get any better. We had her to the doctor multiple times. She would seem to get better for a few days and then it would all come back. Coughing, stuffy nose, red eyes, fever... She just wouldn't get 100% better. A few days before her first birthday she got really bad. She was coughing uncontrollably, extremely pale, it seemed like she couldn't breath... It was kinda scary. I took her to the doctor and he admitted her to the hospital. This was when we learned that she had asthma. Her doctor said that they rarely diagnose kids that young with asthma so they called it Reactive Airway Disease, but he was 99% sure she had asthma. While it was scary to learn that she really was sick, it was also a relief to know that it was treatable and she would get better, eventually. She spent her 1st birthday in the hospital. In March of 2001 she was back in the hospital again. And then in May of the same year she was life-flighted to Primary Children's Medical Center in Utah. That was one of the scariest times in my life. She spent 3 days in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and then 2 days after that she was released. Since then she hasn't needed any hospitalizations but has been really close to it a few times. A few doctors have told me that she could outgrow her asthma but I don't think that is going to happen. It has stayed pretty much the same since she was a baby and I think if it was going to get any better it would show improvement by now. Oh well, we have learned to live with it and we know how to manage it.

Kenna has a split personality some days. She can be the sweetest girl when she wants to be. She can be a big help to me or, sometimes the other personality shows and her attitude pops out! And, boy does she have attitude!! I guess I knew it was coming eventually but I am not ready for it! She loves her siblings and she gets along with them most of the time. I am looking forward to her getting old enough to babysit for me!! And so is she!

She has been begging us for a dog for a long time so she got one for her birthday from Nana and Papa (with approval from Mom and Dad). Her name is Annie and she is a Lab/something mix.

We ♥ you Kenna!!