Kaitlin Ann Wilke

Oh, my sweet Katie. Kaitlin Ann Wilke. "Surprise" Baby C. 3.8lbs and 17.5" long. What a surprise she was! Katie is the baby the doctors were unaware of until I was 29 weeks pregnant---two weeks before delivery!

Katie has come SO FAR in her short life. She amazes me EVERY day. She is smart, beautiful, caring, and definitely ornery!
"Katie girl" was hospitalized the longest of the quads. She was airlifted to Childrens Hospital in Philly when she was only 16 days old-after she stopped breathing on us in the NICU. CHOP doctors finally diagnosed her with a double arched aorta, and had that repair done to her heart a few days later. She spent 11 weeks in the hospital, in total. She was found to have swallowing problems, and had a GJ feeding tube placed in her stomach. She had a hard time being extubated after her surgery---the doctors were unsure why. It was a very scary time. I remember one doctor in particular, in those dark days that I didn't know what would happen when she could not be extubated....he pulled me aside and said, "Mrs. Wilke, she will be just fine. She's doing things at her OWN pace. When she wants to breathe on her own, she will." That dr gave me my first glimmer of hope in Katie's prognosis.
With that being said, Katie is a vibrant and energetic 5 year old! You would never know of her hospital stays the first year of her life, as well as her many helicoptor rides to CHOP, and intubations, etc. She is my fighter. She is headstrong and determined. She is a leader. All those nights in the NICU I told Katie to "fight".....well, she sure is now! lol
Katie is my twin-I love looking into her eyes--and seeing a piece of me look back....She resembles me so much when I was younger.
Katie is smart and beautiful. She can be a bit bossy. :) She can be serious and goofy all at the same time. She loves to put on "shows" for the whole family to watch-she calls herself the "Amazing Katie"--and loves to have the attention on her! She adapts to who she is playing with very easily. Katie loves animals right now. She loves playing doctor to the animals. She says she wants to be a "nurse for babies" when she is older....I sure hope her wish comes true! Katie girl--Mommy loves you TOO MUCH. XOXOXO