Births in Ocean Springs ... June 24 to 30, 2008

June 24
Brendan Dwain Stephen, born to Brandon Lee Stephen and Summer Michelle Burk of D'Iberville.
Semaj Allen Bomani James, born to Marcus Ryan James and Myiesha Danielle Bridges of Theodore, Ala.
Ken'Yun Ladatren Isiah Brown, born to Carrie Michelle Brown of Pascagoula
Kylie Marie Jamison, born to Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Daniel Jamison (nee Kay Carol Burns) of Gautier.

June 25
Jaiden Dale Todd, born to Felicia Marie Todd of Ocean Springs.
Cole Bradford Jones, born to Mr. and Mrs. David C. Jones Jr. (Nee Nicole Diane Tirrell) of Ocean Springs.
Joshua Donavon Broadnax, born to Lakeshia Shanta Broadnax of Moss Point.

June 26
Braydon Lee Gregg, born to Mr. and Mrs. Dustin Lee Gregg (nee Brandy Louise Couley) of Moss Point.
Jada Lidia Sullivan, born to Luis Daniel Rivier and Kay Lindseey Sullivan Gibson of Gautier.
Kailei Azlynn Drewes, born to Chad Everett Drewes andKelly Jean Rowell of Ocean Springs.

June 27
Sierra Gwyn Gunter, born to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Merle Gunter (nee Christine Lynette Hart) of Hurley.
Cheyenne Tinlee Waltman, born to Mr. and Mrs. Justin Brednt Waltman (nee Tessa Dawn Gilliland of Pascagoula.
Taylor Brooke Wyatt Poole, born to Chase Nathaniel Poole and Heather Denise Wyatt of Pascagoula.
Elizabeth Ann Kennedy, born to Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Craig Kennedy (nee Isabell Rebecca Smith) of Lucedale.

June 28
John Kristopher Hempstead II, born to Mr. and Mrs. John Kristopher Hempstead (nee Emily Earline Holliman) of Lucedale

June 29
Sicilia Jean York, born to Matthew Dilon York and Alisea Camille Menna of Ocean Springs

June 30
Spencer Kane Wilson, born to Brooke Elizabeth Wilson of Gautier.

Crawl, Baby, Crawl

Dagan Keith Schorghofer

GULFPORT - Dagan Keith Schorghofer weighed 4 pounds and 7 ounces when he was born April 29, 2008, at Memorial Hospital Gulfport. He measured 16 ½ inches long.

He is the second son of Amanda Cleveland and Jonathan Schorghofer of Gulfport, whose older son is Gavin.

Reggie and Gwen Cleveland Smith of Eastbuchie, Miss., and the late Keith Cleveland of Long Beach, Miss., are maternal grandparents. Paternal grands are Peggy Schorghofer of Gulf Breeze, Fla., and Joseph Schorghofer of Pyatt, Ark.

It takes all kinds of mothers to rock the cradle and tell the story of our lives. Otherwise, we all quack up.

Happy B!rthday South M!ss!ss!pp!

One day while looking through newspaper obituaries it dawned on me that an awful lot of children were frequently listed in those columns. That was shocking to me. Especially the number of infants.

Mississippi has the highest newborn mortality rate in the United States, according to a report at CBS Evening News on June 2, 2007.

Still, and with concern from health officials, teen birth rates are up for the first time in 15 years, while child deaths from injuries is down, according to a July 2008 article by HealthDay News.

During my childhood my Aunt Elizabeth said my mother had a miscarriage and lost the son she always wanted. She grieved for him.

As a young and poor mother in a time when an out-of-wedlock child meant banning from church and shunning from most social functions, a child with a major health problem was an added burden. She cried a lot for me, my aunt said. And prayed earnestly about my heart condition.

There's so many stories to be told about that ... but, alas, this writer is alive and ... well, kicking, so to speak. ...

Mama missed the son she would never have again but she loved me.

And it's all those stories of joy about my childhood... where the birth took place .. how she got there ... my puppy ... and pet rabbit (which to my horror and grief became dinner during desperate times) .. is what life is about .. for every child.

Hence, It's Your B!rthday Bab!es!

There's also this other deep-down yearning heart-of-mine reason for this blog, but that must come later. So, for now, let's just say it distressed me to see so many death notices of infants.

Therefore, for the heart of parents grieving the loss of their babies and children up to age 25, there is MemoriesAlways.blogspot.com.

The birth of a child is a great thing, a blessing from God. Whether the child is born within the ideal relationship between both parents, or the most horrible of circumstances, the birth of another human being is a great event. It's life perpetuating itself. It's Life. Amen.

Biologically and intellectually, from the moment the two halves given by each parent become one at conception, there is a physical and spiritual human being growing, first inside then outside of the mother's body. Not perfect all the time, but a human being. The only thing that remains is to grow and live until we die.

Unfortunately, for many fathers and mothers that comes too soon.

But what joy, what anticipation, what expectation, what 10-toes wonder until then.

It's Your B!rthday Bab!ies! is about the happiness. The gift of God. The time given to enjoy, whether 8 minutes or 80 years.

It's Your B!rthday Bab!es! is also about helping parents enjoy the happiness. We hope to be funny and fun a good deal of the time.

We aim to provide relevant news, useful, and sometimes simply child-driven information that may seem useless to the rest of the world, as well as tokens of assistance to help with that happiness. 

It's Your B!rthday Bab!es is for infants and children up to age 2, and 3 years and older only on special occasions.

If parents want to keep in touch with us after that time, you're welcome.