Little Angel Baby

Little Angel Baby

Sunday, April 12, 2015

A Letter to our Angel Baby

This is a letter that I wrote after I delivered our son. He was born to us at 18 weeks as an Angel at a precious little size of 10 inches and 11 ounces.


To our little angel baby Axl Lynn,

Daddy and I found out we were expecting you at Christmas time, you were one of the best Christmas presents we could have ever asked for. As soon as we found out we couldn’t keep it a secret for long.  On Christmas day we told your Grandpas and Grandmas, along with your Aunts and Uncle we would have another baby next year with us at Christmas. Everyone was very happy and excited; we made your Aunt Torri cry! You were about 4 weeks old when we found out about you.

Though we waited until our very first time seeing you to tell everyone else about our very exciting news, it was hard to keep it a secret.  My little Angel, you gave Daddy and I our next gift on Mommy’s birthday 2/6/15.  That is when we got to see you for the very first time. Your heartbeat was a strong 165 bmp, and you were very tiny since you were around 10 weeks old the very first time we saw you. Daddy said you looked like a frog. J We were able to bring little pictures of you home to show everyone.  That night after seeing you for the first time we couldn’t keep it a secret any more. We told your Great Grandma and Grandpa Ripley about you, and they were very excited like the rest of us. After telling them we couldn’t wait any longer, we had to announce it to everyone. Daddy being a fan of video games had a wonderful idea. We placed two of Daddy’s controllers on the floor next to a brand new one with your picture saying player three was joining the game. It was the best feeling to announce to everyone we were expecting our little buddle of joy.

As we all shared in the happiness over the next four weeks I couldn’t wait to get to hear your heart beat again. On March 6th I got to listen to your heartbeat and it was a strong 155 bpm.  Little did Mommy know this would be the last time she would get to hear that wonderful sound. I now wish I would have been able to record it for Daddy to hear for the last time too.  When I left that appointment I made one to listen to your heartbeat on 4/3/15. Then, Daddy and I were supposed to go 4/9/15 to find out if you were a boy or girl. We were very excited to get to find out if you were a boy or a girl and couldn’t wait. Mommy had a strong feeling that you were a boy since the day she found out about you. Little did I know I was right!

Mommy and Daddy started picking out little things for you, and then a few big things too. We set up your pack n’ play, high chair, and bassinet in anticipation. We just couldn’t wait to get your room ready.  Daddy had big plans for you too. Since we felt deeply in our hearts you were a boy before we really knew yet, Daddy was ready to take you riding in cars and on dirt bikes. I was convinced you would learn to ride before you learned how to walk or talk.  I eventually found out that you were meant to ride bikes when I felt your strong kicks. I tried to have Daddy feel your kicks through my belly, but you would play around and not kick when daddy was there. I am not sure Daddy could feel them since they were faintly felt through my belly, but apparently you wanted to wait to show Daddy your kicking abilities.  Daddy said you were excited for Super Cross. He must have been right because you were kicking away and seemed to want to ride. Mommy felt your strong little kicks for the last time that she remembers on Tuesday. You were a little quiet on Wednesday, and I didn’t feel you kick at all on Thursday. Mommy just thought you might be very tired!

On 4/3/15 (Friday) Mommy was very excited to listen to your heartbeat again, hoping for a strong beat again. As Mommy went to her appointment she laid down on the table and the doctor was trying to use their Doppler Machine to find your little heartbeat. The doctor could only hear Mommy’s heartbeat and thought maybe you were trying to hide on us so we moved to doing an ultrasound. Mommy was kind of excited for that because she could see you too! When the doctor started the Ultrasound Mommy got a little scared because she wasn’t hearing anything and the Doctor looked a little concerned. After a little while the doctor told Mommy that she was very sorry, but she could not find a heartbeat. She said she wanted to bring in another doctor to make sure she didn’t miss anything. Mommy knew she was just being nice and knew that she was right.  She didn’t need another doctor to tell her. Another doctor came in and looked at you. Once again, she too could not find your heartbeat. This doctor started talking about other things she’d seen. She said you had fluid around your skull and tummy. This meant you died about a day ago. Mommy was wrong you weren’t sleeping on Thursday when she couldn’t feel you; you had gone to heaven instead. Mommy’s doctor let her call Daddy at work, it was the hardest phone call Mommy has ever had to make. Daddy didn’t want to believe it when she told him. Daddy traveled as fast as he could to get to the doctor’s office. When Daddy arrived we cried for a while, and then the Doctor came in to talk with us. She told Mommy she would have to go to the hospital, and they would induce labor so you could be born. This was hard to hear knowing I would have to give birth to you knowing you were already a little angel. Mommy and Daddy saw you again on the Ultrasound so the doctor could show Daddy that there was not a heartbeat anymore. She took some pictures of you and then we talked some more. Mommy and Daddy just wanted to know what happened to you.  She didn’t have an answer for us until you were born, but she gave us possibilities. We then left the doctor’s heartbroken and came home to get ready to go to the hospital to have you.

We arrived at the hospital around 3:30pm and checked in. Everyone was very nice to us.  Mommy knew they were only being extra nice because they knew you were an angel already.  Shortly after we got there they took us to get more Ultrasounds done. I did not want this but knew it had to be done. They took more pictures of you to make sure your body grew properly and you had all your organs. Sadly, after all of this they couldn’t tell much because of the fluid that was around your skull and tummy. This meant that we couldn’t get any answers as to what happened to you until you were born. Mommy was given the medicine to induce labor around 5:00pm. Your Grandma Nighbert, Grandma and Grandpa Ripley, and Aunt Amanda all came up to see Mommy and Daddy. We all talked about you a little bit, about what we knew so far and then talked about other things as well. It was hard not to cry when we talked about you.


After all of your loving visitors left it was just Mommy and Daddy waiting for your arrival. Mommy didn’t feel any signs of labor so they gave her more medicine around 9:00pm, 1:00am, and then again around 5:00am. Mommy couldn’t get any sleep due to being uncomfortable, sad, and heartbroken every time she heard another Mommy get to hear the sound of her baby crying. I would have loved to hear that just once with you.  It was shortly after 5:00am Mommy started feeling contractions. This meant you were getting ready, or at least Mommy’s body was getting ready to have you. The contractions started getting stronger and hurt. Daddy was there to help Mommy through this and held her hand. It wasn’t long, and around 5:26am Mommy had Daddy call the doctor in to the room. Mommy delivered her sweet little angel on 4/4/15. Since we didn’t know if you were a boy or a girl the doctor looked first thing and told us you were a boy. Mommy and Daddy decided to name you Axl Lynn. Axl is for all the things you will do in heaven working on cars and bikes, and like Daddy said when we knew you were an angel God needed more 50cc riders in Heaven. Your middle name Lynn is after Daddy’s middle name. We hope all your family members met you in Heaven as soon as you arrived. We know they will take good care of you while Mommy and Daddy have to wait their turns to see you.  Mommy and Daddy enjoyed getting to hold you and see your little face. You looked a lot like Daddy already. We took pictures with you, cried over you, and just held your precious little body. You were very tiny, but left a very large imprint on Mommy and Daddy’s lives. It was hard leaving the hospital without you and knowing we would never get to bring you home, but for some reason God needed you. The Doctor said you were born with a cleft palette and said something happened with your genetics, which is why you were not able to make it through the whole pregnancy. Mommy and Daddy were relieved to have an answer as to why we couldn’t bring you home, but it still hurts.

 Axl, Mommy and Daddy will think of you often, cry over you, and celebrate small things with you even though you are in Heaven. We love you and will be waiting for our chance to see our little boy one day when we join you in Heaven. For now keep an eye on everyone and know we love you and will never stop loving you. We will miss you as we have to celebrate your birthdays without you, and all of the Holidays we know you would have loved. We will be telling your story as much as we can, and your future little brothers and sisters will know about their big brother in heaven. You will be a part of our family and will forever be remembered by everyone in it.

Love,
Mommy and Daddy




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