Losing Our Angel Baby

Trigger Warning: Infant Loss

[I originally posted this on social media on 8/23/21. Just adding to my blog today.]

Hello, Loves.  

I am tearful as I type this. Sixteen-month-old Naomi is napping on my chest. I know it's very soon to be sharing with the world, but I am finding this is what this heart needs today. At all times, I need my people, and today is no exception.

Kurt and I are very sorry to share the devastating news with you that we lost our Angel Baby this week at 13.5 weeks of gestation. We were due in February. I ended up having scary medical complications the following night, landing me a 36-hour inpatient stay. It was painful and draining for me, and you can imagine that it was quite terrifying and overwhelming for Kurt to watch.

From the moment that we learned that our baby no longer had a heartbeat, we have been tremendously supported by our doctors, nurses, families, coworkers, and friends. Fellow school mom, Katie, was over with homemade muffins, a card, and a hug 30 minutes after I told her our news. Our sweet neighbor, Amy, was over in 90 seconds when Kurt called her at 10 pm on Wednesday night. Brother-in-law, Dave, then stayed overnight with the girls. Our sweet 15-year-old sitter, Lulu, skipped tennis practice in the morning to be with the girls. Super nanny, Hannah, watched the girls in the afternoon, bathed them, and helped them make a cheer-up poster for Mom and Dad. Sister, Molly, and cousin Will watched the babes on Thursday evening until my parents got into town. Sister, Ali, knows all too well some of the emotions we are starting to go through, and she has been a tremendous help. The Bayside and New Berlin Conraths were already on their way to Beaver Island, as we were all planning to vacation together for a week. They turned around and have been doling out love and support, as well. Our house is already filled with delicious, gifted meals, beautiful floral arrangements, and the most delicately-worded cards.

Our loving neighbor, Joyce, wrote to us in a note: "A heartbeat, no matter how small, lives inside you forever."

The girls have been absolutely incredible since we shared with them about the loss of our baby. June actually knew before we told her: "What's wrong, Mom? MOM. What's wrong? Do we not have the new baby any more?" When Rose learned the news, she continuously got in my face and did a very animated peek-a-boo to cheer me up, asking "Does that make you happy?"

Junie said a prayer with Kurt Wednesday night:

"Dear God,

I love you. I love my family.

Our new baby died, 

so could you please bring him back to us someday?"

Team Conrath is grateful for your ongoing love. I will be away from work the next couple of weeks to grieve, rest, recover, and be with family. 

Here are some pictures we have taken in the last 24 hours since I was discharged home from the hospital. We have laughed (mainly about Kurt accidentally spilling my own vomit on me in the ED), and we have cried. To say we are swimming in love is no exaggeration. Little Photographer June took many of these photos:

                         

                                 

Sending love to you all! And especially to all mothers and fathers who have lost babies and who have had difficulty conceiving. Those babies are all dancing together in Heaven and welcoming our Angel Baby with open arms.

A Letter to My Mum

 

[Article written by yours truly :) --  originally written for and published by THAT MAMA CLUB . Reposted on my own blog with permission!]

To my dearest mother:

I am sorry that I did not understand.

When I was younger, I did not fully understand the impact of pregnancy on one’s body. I was

not aware of the ways in which your body and mind had to stretch and grow in order to

accommodate the growing child (me!) within you.

I did not understand the fatigue you felt as you recovered from your deliveries and then

comforted and fed babies all day and then overnight. I didn’t know the effort that went into

bringing me into the world and the length of time required to fully recover from that

momentous event.

I did not understand the psychological, emotional, and physical exertion involved with feeding

your littlest loves. I wasn’t aware that women struggled so much with the decision (or lack of

decision) to breastfeed or not to breastfeed. I didn’t know about the heightened sense of

responsibility you felt as you were the primary nourishment for your child.

I did not understand the tremendous amounts of energy that you poured into your daughters

every day. I didn’t realize how much effort it took to make sure your young children were well-

fed, had diapers changed, went potty, went down for naps, and stayed safe from all hazards.

I did not understand the worries you felt. You worried about whether we were happy, healthy,

eating enough, kind to other children, and grateful. Most of all, you just wanted us to know

how absolutely loved we were (and are!).

I did not understand how you could feel isolated and lonely while home with your three tiny

beings. It would not have made sense to me then; there were people around you, only these

people required your time and attention. We couldn’t give back to you as much as you were

giving to us.

I did not understand why you awakened at 5 am each day to squeeze in your prayer time and

coffee in the silence. It sounded strange to me to set an alarm so early just to have those

precious moments to yourself.

I did not understand the sacrifices you made in your own career and personal life so that you

would be as available to us as possible. I didn’t think about how, in becoming a mother, you had

to give up some components of your life before children.

I did not understand how your heart hurt when one of us was sick. I could not yet know how

one person’s body and being could be so intertwined with another’s.

I did not understand the cognitive effort that went into planning every meal, carpool, vacation,

holiday, playdate—and the list goes on and on. I saw you working, but I just didn’t comprehend

the vastness of the to-do list.

I did not understand the communication and attentiveness it required to stay on top of the

school, work, and activity schedules of our family of five. We were absolutely busy, and in my

eyes, it was easy to have it all fall right into place. It felt seamless.

I did not understand your frustration when you had to remind us over and over again to do our

chores and to participate in the family responsibilities. It didn’t seem to be a big deal to me

then.

I did not understand how hard you and dad worked to ensure your marriage remained strong

and everlasting. I didn’t know that it took a conscious effort to be sure you were not drifting

apart amid the chaos of everyday young family life.

I did not understand, but still, I was grateful. I was thankful to have you as my mom and to have

dad as my dad.

And now I am a grown woman and wife, and I have three young, vibrant daughters, myself.

And I know.

I do now understand more of how you may have been feeling.

I wish I would have been able to know it then, but that, of course, is not how life works.

So, please know how utterly grateful I am to you for the decades of your life that you’ve poured

into nourishing and loving me and my sisters.

And of course, amidst all the craziness of having little children, I do now also know the absolute,

unconditional love that I feel toward my own children. And I know, without a doubt, that you

cherished (and cherish!) that love, too. I know what an incredible impact each of my children

has had in my life and how each child allows me to love greater and greater. I know the

precious feel of their snuggles and the delicate sound of their voices. I know so intimately how

these little people are helping to fulfill my life’s mission and to make my life more full and

complete—in such a beautiful way. And I know that you know all of that, too.

I love you so much.

Aren’t we the luckiest?

My Breastfeeding Journey

This is my breastfeeding journey:    

June was my first baby to nurse. When she was born, we danced the breastfeeding dance so gracefully. Everything was lovely. Breastfeeding, to me, was motherhood—and motherhood was breastfeeding.

As my exhaustion caught up with me around June’s eighth week, though, my postpartum depression and anxiety began rearing its ugly head, and breastfeeding was no longer graceful, no longer lovely. I stressed about every little piece of nursing. I worried about how I would find time to pump between patients. My supply had been strong, yet I now worried about how and where I would store my frozen milk. I researched every little detail to any unhealthy degree and set standards far too high. I found—and created—any reason to worry.

When a lovely friend, colleague, and fellow mama reminded me that giving formula was a perfectly viable option, I cried my eyes out. It was true. With much deliberation and support from my husband and family, I opted to allow my supply to dry up while we transitioned to giving bottles. It was a horribly scary time. I was angry, and I was so sad. While I knew something had to give to help me become whole again after the crippling weeks of anxiety, I still felt so defeated. I feared I was no longer the mother I dreamt I would be.

And then I gave the bottles.

And my beautiful daughter ate.

And she grew.

And she was happy.

And I grew.

And I was happy.

And I could relax.

And now Baby June is three. And she’s a big sister twice-over. And I have nursed two more babies. And I have fed bottles to these babies. And we are happy. And we have learned to be flexible. And we have learned to dance our own dance.

Mama & big girl, June

Nursing June in the hospital!

Nursing-- & hiking!-- Rose

Post-nurse Naomi

And we are so, so proud of who we are, where we’ve been, and where we’re going.

Own your story, give yourself (a whole HEAP of!) grace, and know that what is right for you is right for your child.

Also, June told me last night that I make her heart happy. If 8-week-old June could’ve spoken, I know she would have expressed similar sentiments. Her mama was working so hard and truly doing her best. Aren’t we all? ☺️ Keep on keepin’ on, friend. You make our hearts happy!

Infant Equipment

Our rockstar Godmama to our little Mamie is pregnant with her first precious bundle and just reached out for clarification on my thoughts on infant equipment. Infant equipment would include any type of "container" (a harsh word, but pretty accurate!) in which you can place your babe to rest, including swings, bouncy seats, car seats, etc. I sent her a response and thought it might be helpful to share with other new mama friends, too. 

Hey, pandemic! This COVID baby has a message for you.

Let me start by saying that: 

• My girls do spend (or have spent) some time in baby "containers."
• I will occasionally let the girls take (supervised!) naps in the containers when they fall asleep. 
• The containers do help a mama's sanity, which is not to be disregarded.
• As new parents in this age, we are inundated with baby equipment options that are (sometimes!) somewhat affordable and are advertised as necessary for a happy baby and/or good sleeper.
• You are very much still a wonderful parent if you use baby equipment often.

Mamie love kicking back in her bouncer

Having said that, I will also say that I am not a big fan of leaving baby in the car seat or bouncer/swing for too long-- and especially not during naps. Why?

1. Increased risk of torticollis, which is a condition in which baby has asymmetrical neck muscle tightness. When a baby is super young (typically under 2-3 months), they can't hold their head up in the straight, or midline, position on that reclined surface. Instead, their head will tilt (ear to shoulder) to the side. This is especially true when the baby is sleeping-- and then, really at any age that they would be in the baby equipment.  If the baby has an asymmetry to begin with, it will be accentuated if they spend more time in the car seat, swing, bouncy seat, etc, as the head tilting will further cause tightness in the neck muscles on that side. I often treat babies with torticollis, and a big piece of my treatment is education in transitioning the babies out of these types of baby equipment.

2. Increased risk of-- and/or worsening of-- flatness on the head. If baby has a neck turning preference at all, and if they fall asleep in a container, they inevitable start to form a flat spot on the back of their head. Staying in that equpiment makes it worse, as it's harder to inadvertently roll off of the flat spot.

 

3. Limited spontaneous movement. This is sort of a hard one to describe. Basically, though, in a container, babies are not able to move much. On a flat surface and even in some carrying positions, babies have many more opportunities for movement-- and even at a very young age. For example, parents often note that their tiny baby (2-3 months old) will wiggle all over the crib at night! In my opinion, it's good to let the baby have their freedom to move, even if it awakens them in the beginning.

4. Keeping a babe in a container reduces the chance for Tummy Time, and Tummy Time is THE BEST THING. I have heard that an expert pediatric practitioner calls Tummy Time the academics of infancy, and I agree!  I know, I know, I know. Let me guess? Your baby hates Tummy Time. At a young age, every baby hates it after a few minutes. It is a fact that babies often are not fans for long periods of time, but if you start from day one (or start today! It's not too late!!), it is much more palatable for the babe. There are also many strategies for improving even the youngest baby's Tummy Time tolerance. [Stay tuned for a separate blog post!]

Tummy Time help from the biggest babe!
(Supervised, of course!)

In an ideal world, your babe would tolerate 60-90 minutes (or more!) of Tummy Time per day by 4 months of age. I do not mean all at one time, and Tummy Time does not only have to happen down on the floor. Your baby can also do Tummy Time on your chest, across your lap, in your arms, over a ball, face-to-face, etc-- stay tuned for another post). Also in an ideal world, your babe would spend only 20-30 minutes, 3-4 times per day in any type of baby equipment. This is just an ideal world, though, and the ideal is certainly not always met in my house! 

*I should add that a baby wrap/carrier IS great for your baby, as long as the baby has good alignment while inside the carrier. With a baby carrier, you want to be so certain that the baby is always positioned to allow proper breathing, leg alignment, and, of course, safety as you move about. If you need to bend down while wearing your babe, 100% bend with your legs! And if your baby has any neck tightness/asymmetry, try to sometimes position them with their head sometimes turned to the right and sometimes turned to the left.*  

Other alternatives to having your babe spend lots of time in equipment is placing the babe on a blanket on the floor, or if you’re worried about a dog or sibling running too close to resting babe, in a pack n play or a similar playpen. 

Again, just my two cents, but I am confident that this opinion is shared by many in my field. And I DO put my babes in bouncy seats and other equipment every once in a while. We also take long (6-8 hour) car trips to Ohio and Michigan often, so the teeny babes sleep for prolonged periods in their car seats then. Feel free to take or leave this advice on baby equipment. You are a rockstar mama.

Do your best, get your rest, and enjoy those baby snuggles!

Fall, 2018 apple orchard trip with the Junie and Rose.

And, Not But

A wise friend of mine once shared with me the importance of using the word "and" rather than using the word "but." It is important to recognize that I (we! you!) can feel more than one emotion at once. And all of those emotions are valid.

So, here goes:

I am in love with my baby girls, and I need a break from them.

Yes, I need a break from them.

I am in my home today, and Baby Naomi and her sisters are not here.

I am sitting at my kitchen table, and there is no baby attached to my body.

I am eating a dirt cake cup (YUM) that my sweet neighbor just dropped off, and no one is trying to 'flit' (split) it with me.

I am using my computer, and no sticky fingers are crawling all over the keys and the screen.

I am collecting my thoughts, and I don't hear any tiny little voice asking, "Mom? Mom? Mom?"

I am alone in my home, and I LOVE IT. 

If you know me, you know that I am obsessed with these baby girls (and husband!) of mine. I am so grateful to be the mother of this strong girl tribe; Kurt and I are certainly blessed beyond measure!

Also, between the pandemic, my maternity leave, and a host of other factors, catching more than a moment of solo me-time has been quite the challenge recently. In fact, it has been over 14 weeks that I have been alone in my home for more than 30 minutes.  And this quiet, this calm... it is so reparative.  It is not an indictment on my littlest loves; it is simply a truth.

After I had Junie, my first babe, I would have felt ashamed and embarrassed to share these feelings. Shouldn't I always want to be near my little ones? Shouldn't I always love to hear the sound of their excited squeals-- of them calling out to me?  The answer, I have learned, is an unequivocal no. 

Through my work, I am fortunate to see a little slice-- a cross-section, if you will-- of all different types of mothers.  Two of the themes of parenthood that I hear far too frequently in the work with my clients and their families are guilt and shame. I hear it from fathers, too, but mainly from mothers. Wonderful, attentive parents subtly (or not so subtly) express that they don't know if they're doing enough, they don't know if they are BEING enough for their babes.  This self-doubt and self-deprecation has GOT to stop, friends.

Mama, you ARE good enough. In fact, you are better than 'good enough.' You are strong. You are a force. You were meant to be the mother of your child, and no one can do a better job than you can. You are a phenomenal gift to your child. 

Am I grateful for this time? Absolutely.

Do I know that I'll miss this chaos like CRAZY in upcoming years? Absolutely.

And am I exhausted? Absolutely.

Peace out! ✌Time for a quick bowl of cookie dough ice cream and a nap!

Hospital "Activities" With Your Newborn!

Last week, on 4/1/20, Kurt and I welcomed our sweet baby girl, Naomi, into the world.  As is nearly always the case, the hours leading up to her birth were a big adventure. The labor lasted seven hours, during which I *may* have lost my cool for a few (read: MANY!) minutes. Haha!! [With each birth, once the babe has safely arrived and my pain is under control, Kurt and I have enjoyed many shared laughs about my (LEGIT!!!!) dramatics during delivery.] To say I was ecstatic to finally meet Naomi and to have her on my chest is an understatement!

After each of our big girls, June and Rose, were born, we welcomed our families into the delivery room to meet the new babe. They (respectfully!) only stayed a few joyous moments and then returned home. Over the next 36-48 hours that we were at the hospital during each of those two prior stays, we would be visited again by our parents, siblings, and dear friends-- and treated by delicious meals and treats. It is so fun and exciting to introduce your loved ones to the tiniest new family treasure in those first few days. Obviously, those hospital visits are not allowed at this time.

This time around, because of the very real threat that is COVID-19, things were a little different in the hospital. Thankfully, Kurt was allowed to join me in the delivery room. Out of necessity, we broke our "Safer at Home" mandate and sent the girls to the super loving, capable hands of Kurt's brother and our sister-in-law, Kyle and Allison. Of note, for over two days, these two rockstars juggled working from home and caring for four strong-willed children between the ages of 10 months and 3.5 years!

When Kurt and I arrived to the hospital, we were greeted at the door by staff in full PPE and were screened to make sure we did not have fevers or other symptoms of the virus. Every staff person we encountered, then, was also wearing a mask. As we learned before we delivered that the hospital would be trying to limit people going in and out of the building, Kurt had packed a cooler full of food for us. We were all set with leftover frozen pizza, PB & Js, cheese and crackers, fruit, and La Croix: Kurt for the win!!  In an effort to reduce spreading germs, the water, ice, juice, and coffee stations in the hallway were shut down. That was a serious bummer, as I am oddly obsessed with chewing ice (Sorry, [dentist] Dr. Max!) while pregnant and just postpartum. Because of that, we were given bottled water after bottled water. Note: Don't do what I did. I'm afraid I became a bit dehydrated on Thursday night due to all-day nursing and trying to limit water bottle usage/waste. Stay hydrated and well-fed, yo!  The energy you'll gain from good nourishment over the first few weeks is so vital!

Floating babe!

After Naomi was born, a neonatologist from within the hospital checked her out, rather than our typical pediatrician, as outside pediatricians were not making visits due to the risk of the virus. Every little procedure/test (hearing, drawing blood, etc) was done in the nursery, rather than in our room, so as to minimize new providers entering our "safe" space. Our OB team gently encouraged us to try to leave the hospital just after the initial 24 hours of Naomi's life, so as to reduce our exposure to more people coming into the room. Because Naomi's bilirubin level was a bit high at the 24-hour assessment, we did end up staying an additional night for further testing in the morning. [All is well!]

Cheating Lizzie! This is actually baby June in the hospital!

During this time inside our luxurious (seriously!) Mom and Baby Suite, then, here is a little picture of how we spent our hours. There's nothing too novel here, but I am hoping this can be helpful for some new parents welcoming their new babe into the world!

• Skin-to-skin with Naomi. This is SO GOOD for the babe, and it's great for both Mama and Daddy to do. We would put Naomi in a diaper, put her bare chest up on our bare chest, recline back, and wrap a blanket over the two of us. Naomi just loved it! For the dads, especially, this is a great way to bond with new babe.
• Talking face-to-face with Naomi. Newborn babies are still working on their vision. They LOVE to look at faces, and they see best about 12 inches in front of their face. Babies are especially enthralled if you make big expressions with your face. These facial expressions, combined with soft, gentle speaking, are Naomi's favorite activities to date. :) 
• Soft, slow massage. Here is a nice Youtube video I found that shows a few common infant massage strokes. --> https://www.parents.com/baby/care/newborn/how-to-massage-baby/ . Doing the "I, L, U" ("I love you") has been my go-to with my baby girls. I quietly whisper "I love you" as I do these tummy strokes. 
• Tummy Time!  As a pediatric physical therapist, I am quite the Tummy Time fan. An expert in my field often shares that Tummy Time, in her opinion, is the "Academics of Infancy." Truly, it is THAT important for a baby to spend time on his/her tummy every day. Starting right away is key to the baby enjoying Tummy Time. [I have so much to share here that I am realizing I could write an entire blog post about Tummy Time... haha maybe I'll add that to my list!] For now, here are some good ways to start with Tummy Time on Day 1 of life:
• Tummy Time on your chest: recline back in a chair/couch/bed, and have baby prone ("prone" means laying on his/her tummy) on your chest. In all of these Tummy Time positions, bring baby's arms out to the side-- but still bent at the elbow-- a bit.



Naomi is actually doing Tummy Time here
 on the bed with me...
while I get a little crocheting in! :)

• Tummy Time across your lap: I like to fold one ankle over the other, and in "long sit" (knees straight) position, place your baby prone across your thighs. Have the baby's head on the "higher" side to make it a bit more enjoyable/tolerable. 
• Tummy Time in your arms: Practice this in seated first, so that you feel more comfortable. This is a great way to do Tummy Time, though, and baby often likes it more because you will be able to rock, sway, and walk with her like this.
• A big note about Tummy Time in the newborn days: Your baby will very likely not be able to lift her head at all yet. At best, from a flat surface, she can maybe lift her head enough to turn her head to the other side. Tummy Time at this stage is not so much about the exercise for the babe as it is for getting the baby accustomed to the position. In fact, as babies are often very comfortable in this position, she may even fall asleep. If you are closely supervising your snoozing babe, this can be a lovely way for her to rest. [As you very likely know, though, when unsupervised (ie while you are also asleep), the current guideline is that baby should sleep alone, on her back, and in a crib or bassinet.] 
• Changing the babe's diaper. After each birth, my hospital gives me a tracking sheet that also explains approximately how many feeding sessions, poopy diapers, and wet diapers I should expect each day; that is super helpful for me!  In the first 24 hours of life, for example, you are hoping babe has a minimum of only 4 feeds, 1 wet diaper, and 1 poopy diaper.  Over the next 24 hours, then, you are expecting babe to have at least 8 feeding sessions, 2 wets, and 2 poopy diapers.

• For first time parents, it may be helpful for you to know that the baby's poop will be dark, thick, and tarry for the first 2 days or so. This poop, called meconium, is totally normal. It is a mean joke, though, as I feel these poopy diapers are the most challenging to change, and it is a tricky way for new parents to get acclimated to changing diapers. It will get easier!!  Also, at this age, baby tends to bend his/her knees a lot when you go to change the diaper, so beware of little heels jumping toward that tarry poop!
• Feeding. You will certainly also start a lot of practicing with feeding through either breastfeeding or using a bottle and formula while in the hospital. As I have returned to nursing a tiny baby again this week, I have had to recall many tips and tricks for those early days. I hope to share a post about nursing tips soon, as I have been meaning to do so for my many girlfriends who are expecting their first babes any day!  Hooray for new life!!
• One little tip is that the babe's tummy is SO SMALL in these early days, so she needs surprisingly little amounts of milk at each feed. This is why, though, she may also feed often in the first few weeks! [Naomi is our first babe to really have her days and nights mixed up. She is feeding every 90-120 minutes overnight, so my overnight sleep is taking a big hit!]
• Other things Kurt and I did in the hospital include: 



I simply can't get over
this little butt and these tiny feet!

• SLEEP (obviously!! Lots of napping was accomplished!)
• Rest/daydream
• Take long, hot, peaceful (read: uninterrupted by toddlers!) showers
• Crochet (me!)
• Color (Kurt!)
• Read
• Stare at Naomi :)
• Take all the photos of our newest little bundle!
• Eat!

Most of all, just soak up all the newborn snuggles, smells, and noises! Love that baby!! 

YOU DID IT!!!!

Naomi Lee!

Our third precious daughter, Naomi Lee, made her appearance last Wednesday night. She is no April Fool, and we are all absolutely smitten with her.

24 minutes young!!

Naomi is named after a combination of Nana Nancy Lee, Grandma Debby Lee, great-grandmother Elisabeth "Omi" ("grandmother" in German), and the biblical Naomi. After hearing a particularly touching homily about the story of Naomi and Ruth at our wonderful friends' Beth and Dan's San Francisco wedding in 2018, Kurt leaned over to me and said, "I would name our next girl "Naomi." [I had sleeping 5-week-old Rose on my chest throughout that mass!]

So, here she is. She is ready to rock the name that speaks to the intergenerational friendship and support amongst women.

Who rule the world?

GIRLS.

And here's a smattering of photos-- our family loving on our littlest member and embracing this unprecedented time of physical distancing. I pray that sweet Naomi-- and other babes born at this time-- bring HOPE and JOY to you during this period of fear, isolation, and despair.

A skeptical lady.

Sleeping cherub.

Loving this girl so much!

Fierce!!! Protesting her first bath.

Daddy is super smitten with his third little lady.

Pure JOY on Mama's face as Naomi virtually meets family! All of our parents and siblings joined us at the hospital when June and Rose were born, so this is a new experience. We so look forward to the day that Naomi can snuggle up to all of our beloved family members and friends!

A little bundle!  

Love at first sight!

We are so lucky to have this daddy!

June's tender little hand here melts my heart!

June requests to hold the "Little Fella" approximately every 42 minutes.

Big sister, Rose, has been planting her kisses all over Naomi's little face.

Even though Naomi is the new obsession, Junie's still got time for her Daddy.

This is my favorite!! Rosie doing "beep, beep" on Naomi's nose! And little Junie B-- happy as a clam!

Perched. Peppa Pig is helping June stay very still for this photo-op.

So ridiculous. Haha... June says it looks like a towel on her head. #truth

Biggy girls briefly joining little sis for a nap.

Mama's little helper!

Yes, that is a pile of baby powder on the ottoman. June dumped it and exclaimed, "Wow!! A lot of white!!"

The biggest ladies-- making Mama and Daddy so proud!