On September 26,2001 we were shocked to find out I was 7 weeks pregnant! We were raising our then 4yrold Daughter Jasmine, and 3monthold Son Johnathon. ! My due date was set for May 20th 2002. As I got closer to my due date my doctor decided to induced on May 20th at 6am. By 3pm I was uncomfortable, I had a total of 3 strong contractions and 2 1/2hrs of labor total before Jessica was here!! Much different from my other two children at 32 and 33hrs of labor! She had come so quick that we were all still in shock! She was a beautiful little girl!! (We never found out what we were having, but KNEW it was a girl in our hearts)She was 19 3/4"long and 6lbs 8ounces. She was so sweet and had little puckered lips and a soft fuzzy head!! I instantly nicknamed her "Angel".
Jessica was always happy, smiling and cooing. She would wait patiently in the morning for you to get her up and would light up when I walked in the room, then I would sing to her "Good morning beautiful" and she got so excited that she would kick around and make noises!
On her first Halloween she was a Lion....I told her how cute she looked and that I just HAD to get a picture of my little Lionese. She gave me the biggest grin and instantly she was a ham for the camera!!
Her first Thanksgiving was spent with Grandma and Grandpa Harding, Aunt and Uncle, and her two cousins. She just enjoyed all the attention that she got from the family and was passed around so everyone could tell her how beautiful she was and how special she was to everyone.
On Christmas-Eve she opened all her presents. (because we were going to grandma and grandpa Hardings for Christmas Morning)She got a little stuffed Alligator from her grandparents in Florida, which she loved to suck on and used as a pillow. Her favorite toy was the teething beads I got her. Her brother tried to steal them from her and she held on and played tug of war with him, saying "NO YOU DONT". Daddy got her some sweet little outfits to wear. Of course she also thought that the wrapping paper was a wonderful toy! She was so sweet and had started showed a wonderful sense of humor. She stayed up all day playing with her toys and watched her siblings show off thier toys. Later that night we held her and she snugged her little head under our chins and would play peek a boo with everyone around her...Just before she was put to bed she smiled at everyone in the room...a smile that goes straight to your heart...A smile from a true Angel.
Christmas Morning 2002
She didnt wake up...Everyone tried everything to bring her back ...but God wanted his Angel back ....he only lendt her to us, so she could remind people "What pure Angelic love is".
January 3rd 2003 Jessica's Funeral.
We had a funeral to celebrate Jessicas life , not to mourn her death. It was done like a wedding, in white lace, gold , and roses. She had a laced white casket, and she wore a white pleated dress with a big gold rose, and little gold rose on a white headband (it was made for an angel and fit her perfectly.)There was Angel figurines, stuffed animals and glass dolls. A family friend, his wife and daughter sang a beautiful song for Jessica. The pastor talked about how special Jessica was and how she touched so many lives.
After the funeral the family was left alone to say our good-byes. I think I stole all that time!!! Hubby and I gave her a single rose (mine was red ,his was yellow)and we placed her teething beads with her.Just before they closed the casket I felt that I had to give my baby a kiss good-bye and so I kissed her on her forehead twice. Jessica is buried close to a tree in the Lullaby Garden (babies only) at the cemetary.