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Kenley's 3rd Birthday Donations

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Kenley Alden Hayes was born sleeping on 12.29.15 at 38 weeks and 4 days gestation due to a blood clot in her umbilical cord. She had dark brown hair, her daddy's lips and would take part of our hearts with her forever. 

Kenley was concieved through an IUI and injectible fertility medications. After nearly 3 years of natural trying, multiple failed fertility treatments and 2 miscarriages, she was concieved against great odds. I have Diminished Ovarian Reserve meaning my egg count is extremly low (at the time I was tested I was 26 years old and my levels were that of a 45 year old woman). We chose to have bloodwork done around 10 weeks to check for genetic abnormalities, and the sex. The moment I heard that Kenley was genetically normal and going to be a girl, I cried. Finally! I had the chance to have a healthy baby and a daughter. I was finally able to give my son a sibling.
I couldn't wait to watch her grow. I dove into planning her little life, and decorting her Nursery. I dreamt of braiding her hair, and doing her makeup while we played dress up. I looked forward to mending her broken heart after a break up, taking her prom dress shopping, and helping her choose a wedding dress and becoming a grandmother to her children. I finally had my forever best friend. All the things that a mother dreams of doing with her daughter were stolen from me on the night she died.



In my greif journey I have found comfort in many things, but the most healing for me is helping others. This is why we decided to create care packages in honor of our daugther. Last year, for her first birthday, we were able to donate 20 care packages filled with: good quality tissue, chapstick, lotion, a notebook and pen, a candle to remember baby, forget me not seeds to plant in honor of baby, and two books for the parents.  Not much, but something to hopefully provide a little comfort during the worst moment of the bereaved parents lives. 
In June 2017 we were told the 20 packages donated in December of 2016 didn't even last 6 months at our Hospital system. Last year, for her 2nd birthday, we upped our donation to 40 packages. We added a few new items including a figurine for the families to display, and a clay mold for the family to get keepsake impressions of their childs foot or hand. We also added a book that the parents can read to their child before they say their goodbyes. We know this is such a personal choice, but had we been given a book to read to Kenley, we would have. It's such a normal parental instinct to want to read a story to your child and we wish we had that opportunity.  

We also donated 40 sleepers (43 boy and 44 girl) for stillborn babies to be dressed in after they are born. It's my hope that the family will keep the sleeper and cherish it forever.  In addition, we donated 40 books for the hospital to give to families with other children to help them understand what has happened.


We have created an Amazon wishlist full of items for the care packages, and we are also accepting donations to help fund the items that we do not get purchased off the wishlist. If you want to view the wishlist and make a purchase in lieu of donating money you can do so by clicking here. All items will be delivered to our home.

If you would like to learn more about Kenley and our journey through life after her death, please check out my blog here.  Our journey has been documented on Instagram, as well, and you can find it here. 

We are so thankful for any help that is given to us in the journey to honor our daugthers memory and help other greieving parents. 


**All funds donated will go directly toward care packages**

Organizer

Randi Hayes
Organizer
Baltimore, OH

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