On June 4th, I turned 18. It was supposed to be a fun day; my friends and I had planned to take a road trip to a beach 3-hours away and spend the day there. Instead, I was at home, violently ill for no apparent reason. In the end it was my best friend Shannon who convinced me to take the pregnancy test. 4 minutes later, I, Kaya Victoria Sutton, was holding a positive pregnancy test.
Before I even thought to tell my parents, I jumped in the car and drove to my boyfriend of 3 years, Leo Tomas Walker's house. The second he opens the door I blurt it out and he instantly envelopes me in a hug. But I can tell he is just as scared as I am and so for the rest of the night we talk about how much we love each other and despite being terrified we will raise the baby together.
2 weeks later, we sit down with my parents to tell them the news. They are angry and upset, and tell me I need to move out and raise the baby on my own. They promise to support me monetarily but in no other way. Leo's parents are much more supportive and open, so we move into the apartment suite in their house. We turn the second bedroom into a nursery, painting it in an animal theme to keep it gender neutral.
On February 3rd, after a labour of love (and 14 hours!) Leo and I became parents to a little baby girl, who we named Avery Miya Walker.
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Just before Christmas, four-and-a-half years after having Avery, Leo and I bought a house for the family. With Leo's job as a senior construction contractor and mine as neonatal nurse, we had saved enough money to put a decent down-payment on our 3 bedroom cottage style house. We moved into the new house in late January and just a week later celebrated Avie's first birthday.
About a year before that I had been put on evening/late night shifts at the hospital which meant not being able to spend as much time with Leo or Avery. So I decided to cut back on my hours and began working only four days a week. A couple weeks after that, I begin to feel sick but I put it down to stress about the move and reduced income. But when it continues to persist, I take a home pregnancy test, and this time Leo is there with me. We are both ecstatic when the test turns out to be positive! Later that evening Leo tells me has been planning something, and he proposes! Of course I say yes, and we are married in a small backyard wedding 2 months later, just before I start showing.
2 weeks before his due date, on October 11th, our little boy comes into the world, and quite quickly at that. Leo and I name him Landon Gabriel Walker, and Avery is excited to have a new baby brother.
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Two years go by and our family is everything I could have ever wished for. Avery adores her younger brother, and Landon is mesmerized by his older sister. As well, we adopted a golden retriever named Reese.
Then, something horrible happens. Only a week after Landon's 2nd birthday, Leo's younger sister Sarah passes away three days after giving birth to twins. She was a single mom and had moved in with us just a couple months prior. Leo and I immediately sign the papers to become the legal guardians of her twins, Noah Davis and Alexis Ruby Walker.
Less than a year later, in the dead heat of the summer, I surprisingly find out that I am pregnant again. The wounds have not yet healed after losing Sarah, but the thought of a new baby brings new hope. Soon, Leo and I begin looking for a bigger house to fit our growing family and quite quickly we find a reasonably priced 5-bedroom house with a large backyard.
In the early spring of the next year, I give birth to a wonderful baby boy. James Henry Walker is born on April 16th and is one hundred percent healthy and happy.
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James is four-and-a-half years old when he starts attending school. And instantly I start missing having babies around the house. So I ask Leo if he would like to start trying for another baby and he says yes. It takes about 7 months but eventually we get the wonderful news that we are expecting. Walker #6 arrives 5 weeks early on December 16th, but she is strong and does not have to spend very long at the hospital. A week later we bring home Delia Rhiannon Walker.
6 months later, I begin to feel ill and although I have all the symptoms of morning sickness I do not understand how it could happen so quickly. Nonetheless, a couple days later I take a pregnancy test and sure enough, I am pregnant, again! This time I go 8 days past my due date, and on February 27th, Eliann Christina Walker is born.
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Three years after having little Ellie, Leo and I are pretty positive we are done having kids. Then, one night, we get the surprise of our lifetime. Our 19-year-old daughter is 3-months pregnant. We are extremely shocked, but we tell Avery that no matter what we will support her. 6 months later, on September 8th, Pippa Delaney Walker was born and two days later, Avery's boyfriend left her and Pippa. But Avery is strong and knows that she doesn't need him to raise Pippa.
{38} Kaya + Leo {35}
{19} Avery
w/ {0} Pippa
{13} Landon
{11} Noah / Alexis
{10} James
{4} Delia
{3} Eliann