Saturday, March 27, 2010

9 Weeks

We didn't really know anyone who had a premature baby before we had Baby Girl. We had no idea what they were able to do in the NICU, that a baby born at 28 weeks would even be able to live.

Just the other day I was talking about her birth, and how she was 5 days old before I could even hold her. It was the day I was leaving the hospital, and when Dr. Dad and I came into the NICU to say good-bye, the nurse there asked if I had the chance to hold her yet. When I said no, she said she would help me do that before I had to leave. The nurse had to take her, the tubes and wires, bundle everything up and somehow get her over to me without moving her CPAP which was allowing her to breathe. I was terrified and thrilled. Then, when I handed her back to the nurse, we somehow dislodged an I.V. connection and she bled all over my shirt. I left the NICU just devastated, and even though she wasn't harmed, I couldn't believe that would be the memory I would have of the first time I held my daughter. I still have that shirt. I am wearing it in this picture. It's the picture I have of that day.

Six years later, immediately after the birth of Baby Boy, they wrapped him up and handed him to me. I had a c-section, but even as they wheeled me into recovery, I still held him. He was considered full term even at 37 weeks. No tubes, no wires, no CPAP. He was all ours, and we didn't have to ask the nurses to help us hold him, didn't have to hand him back when they felt he had enough.

That is the difference 9 weeks can make.

This is the sixth year we will be walking for the March of Dimes.

We started the walk right after we moved from the Big City and Baby Girl was just 2 years old.

We wanted to do something to raise awareness (and money) for prematurity, and this seemed like the perfect thing to do.

If you would like to help us reach our goal of $1000, you can click on the link in the sidebar. Any donation is appreciated.

Or, you can go directly to our March of Dimes page by clicking here.

Our wish is that every baby gets our happy, lucky, ending.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

20 Months

Baby Boy.

As I type this, you are standing on our kitchen chair. You have managed to get on the chair, even though I have carefully pushed all the chairs in toward the table to prevent you from doing this.

Your new nickname has become Danger Boy.

The lovely weather we have been having gets us outside more and more these days, and you are showing us your amazing Danger abilities all the time.

There is not a piece of playground equipment anywhere that is immune to your powers.

Six foot drop offs?

Big slides?

Open rung ladders?

No problem.

You climb all over the furniture, you climb up and down stairs, you throw and kick and launch yourself with wild abandon.

Of course, you are still retaining the powers of your alter ego: Captain Cutie. It is very hard to yell at you and tell you no when you flash your powerful Cutie Grin.

Your vocabulary is growing by the day. You are still singing and counting. You are almost always a happy little guy.

Except when we are stopping you from being Danger Boy. But it's only because we love you.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Friday Night at the Comedy Club

We were driving home after getting some ice cream this evening. Baby Girl was in the mood for some jokes.

She loves to tell knock-knock jokes and wants us to tell jokes all the time. We are really bad at coming up with them...but she is a natural.

These were the ones she came up with tonight.

(Please note...after you read each joke, you have to yell "Get it? Do you get it?" Do ya?")

What does a Vampire say when he is surfing?
Fang Ten!

What does a mountain wear on it's head?
A hatmosphere!

Why did the cookie go to the doctor?
He was feeling crumby!

Why did the banana leave the movie?
He didn't find it a-peel-ing!

What kind of monster carries money?
A Bank-enstein!

Thank you! Thank you very much! We're here all week!

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Wearing O' The Green

We took advantage of this unusually warm St. Patrick's Day to snap a few pictures outside.

Baby Girl was a little disappointed there wasn't an actual Pot O' Gold waiting for her.

Baby Boy was up to more tricks than a Leprechaun.

Don't be fooled...that smile is pure "up to something" cuteness.

This Irish Mama is feeling pretty Lucky to have her Irish (Italian/Slovak) cuties.

Hope you had a Lucky Day!

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Alphabet Monkey

We are not taking credit for Baby Boy's alphabet skills.

He may have picked it up from his sister.

Or, maybe, the endless hours of Nick Jr. and Sesame Street.

But here he is, in all his alphabet glory*.

*Please note, he knows how the alphabet ends...but he would rather throw in his animal noise skills as a bonus. We like our kids to be well rounded, you know?