Our New Love

Introducing.....

Aliyah Leilani Donigan

What's with the name?

The name Aliyah (ah LEE yah) has a few different origins; Hebrew, Arabic, and Swahili. My favorite meaning is from Swahili which is "exalted".

Most people know that Rob is from Hawaii. A couple of his siblings have Hawaiian middle names. We liked the idea!

Leilani (lay-LAH-nee) is a compound Hawaiian name. Lani meaning heavenly, spiritual, majesty and lei which is of course a garland or necklace of flowers: hence "heavenly flower".

We welcomed Aliyah into the world on Thursday, August 20 at 5:20 pm. Two weeks early! Today (Sept 4) was actually my official due date. No complaints here!

Aliyah weighed 6lbs 14 oz. My biggest baby! She was 19 inches long.

Daddy enjoying some quiet time with our little lady before the visitors started to arrive.



Parker, Lexi, and Dylan were SO excited to meet their new little sis. They were beaming. I was beaming watching them.

Throughout my pregnancy, all three of the kids found a name that they loved and wanted to name their new sister (besides Peanut). The name that Parker fell in love with was actually quite fitting for him. Are you ready for this............Parker wanted to name his new sister Blaze. Sounds like the name of a basketball team, or a race horse. Doesn't it?

Parker actually got this name from my friend (thanks A LOT Sarah H.;)). Apparently her dad wanted to name her Blaze. She shared the story with Parker and he, of course, thought that it was the coolest name ever.

Then we have sweet Dylan.

Dyl was sitting at the table one day, by himself, enjoying a snack.

He looks up at me with an "AH HA! I got it!" look on his face. Then he says, "Rock Star! Mom, that is what we should name the baby, Rock Star!"

How could I not chuckle at that one?!

It gets better.

Dyl was at the doctor's office with Rob, Aliyah and I. He asks me, "Mom, what's Aliyah's middle name?"

I answer, "Leilani."

Dyl sweetly replies, "So can her last name be Rock Star?"

I tried to nicely explain to Dyl, without crushing him, that her last name is the same as the rest of ours.

Oh, how I love this boy!

Next, we have our lovely Lexi.

Alexia has been so EXCITED for this moment. When she could finally have a sister!

Rob and Lex were looking at baby names on the computer one day and they came across the name........Aliyah. They both liked the name. This became Lexi's top pick. Right there next to Parker's "Blaze" and Dylan's "Rock Star".

Delivery day comes. Rob and I are in the hospital. Our sweet baby girl is born. We still don't have a name. Aliyah was on the list of three names we considered. (No, the other two were not Blaze and Rock Star.) We didn't finalize until the next day. Aliyah Leilani Donigan. We are pleased. :)

As for nick names, she already has several. Rob likes to call her "Ali" (i.e. Allie). Parker claimed he was going to call her "Blaze", but hasn't happened much. Lexi often calls her "Li Li" (lee lee). Dylan has pretty much stuck to "Aliyah". My nick names consist of Ali, Love and Little Lady.

Aliyah did not enjoy her first "sponge" bath. Do they ever?

The nurse brought our perfectly smelling sweet treasure back to us all snuggled up, burrito style, with a pretty pink bow in her hair.

We were able to pack up the day after delivery to head home. This cute little red outfit was the same outfit that Alexia wore home from the hospital. After we pulled it out of storage, I showed Lexi. She beamed and asked, "Can it be the first outfit the baby wears too?" Great idea, Lex. Great idea.

With our car all packed up and Aliyah dressed to go, Rob and I waited for her to come back from her final tests and assessments. Then we would be free to go.......so we thought. Our departure was delayed for a couple of hours.......

But we FINALLY snapped her in and hit the road for home!