Our Little Gymnist!

On Sunday we attended Ava's gymnastic show. It was a chance for them to show off all of their skills that they have been learning. Ava had fun and all of the children were awarded with their very own medal.

Poop on the Potty!

Elizabeth is showing the early sign of potty readiness. She has gone on the potty twice, once by chance and the second time she asked to go and went! She will sit every day or so and knows that she get candy if there is any success. Hurray Elizabeth!

Thank You!!!

Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!
Once again our March of Dimes Team Elizabeth Grace was a great success. We had about 100 walkers decked out in purple shirts and raised $3400 and counting (last year $1500 was turned in day of, so I am sure our total will go up). Thank you to all of you who donated to our important cause, I surpassed my goal and raised $1156! Rain was a threat in the forecast for a good portion of the week; but the day could not have been more beautiful. There were thousands of people all walking for a common goal-to save babies. The girls both had a great time and I enjoyed seeing so many people we knew- friends, NICU staff, FAB friends, other NICU grads, and of course lots of church friends who were walking on Team Elizabeth Grace. The walk itself took forever mostly due to the long stays at the check-points. We started the walk near the front and ended up at the end!

Ava and Daddy

Marching for Babies- Elizabeth with Grandpa Eldon & Aunt Sarah

A Small Part of the team crossing the "Rainbow Bridge"

Elizabeth's sign along the walk.

Finish Line

Happy 2nd Birthday Elizabeth!

Our tiny little girl is starting to become a "big girl"! Two years ago today Elizabeth entered the world without a sound or a breath. We were told there was only a 20% chance that she would live; she would probably not survive the week. So far today; she has climbed onto the window sill, watched the dogs and ducks out the window, danced, read 3 books over and over and over, watched Sesame Street, eaten 4 pieces of cheese and 3 apple slices, and spoke in sentences. (she has been up since 5:30, gives her lots of time to get stuff done!) I wonder what she will surprise us with tomorrow?!

April 2007

April 2008

April 2009

March for Babies

On April 26 we will walk again in the March of Dimes March for Babies. The March of Dimes' mission is to give every baby a healthy start- in raising prematurity awareness, and in funding research aimed at prevention and treatment for babies born too soon or those with birth defects. Without advances made by the March of Dimes, Elizabeth would not have survived. Her lungs were simply too premature to work without the surfactant therapy the MofD helped to develop.

I walk so that someday no more babies will endure what she has. Elizabeth has scars all over her body- a PDA ligation scar on her back, little scars up and down her arms and legs from all the IVs she had, her heels are covered in tiny scars from the hundreds of heel sticks that were required, she has a large scar on the back of her leg, we think it is from a collapsed vein from a PICC line or when her umbilical IV was removed. What internal scars are there that we can't see? This should not happen to anybody's baby.

Elizabeth is a miracle. I now have the honor and call to help more babies. Please help sponsor me as I walk. I would really appreciate any donation, no matter how small and I would love it if you signed up to walk the us; wherever you may be you can walk there! You can donate or sign up to walk by clicking on the March of Dimes link on the right.

Just in case you need to see why we walk. . .

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Back to the ER

Well it was a good run. Elizabeth has been healthy enough to stay out of the ER since November. On Wednesday we got sent back. Elizabeth has had a cold and cough for a while, I had her checked out once and she was fine. The cough was getting worse so I brought her in to the doctors' office and she was sating 92, that is an automatic trip to the ER, especially for someone with Elizabeth's history. Elizabeth and I spent most of the afternoon there and were sent home with sats bouncing between 94-97. I really can't believe that we were not admitted. Her chest x-ray was clear and she was such a busy little girl she didn't seem sick; so the ER doctor called Elizabeth's pulmonary specialist and they said send her home. She is now on a round of steroids, which make her carzy, and breathing treatments every 4 hours. They say she is having ashtma problems, whatever it is lets hope this clears up soon!

Disney on Ice

Ava's aunts, Anna and Christina, gave Ava Disney on Ice tickets for her birthday. Ava and I went a few weeks ago and she loved it!!! The show featured 4 different Disney stories and Ava yelled with excitement when each one began, she sat and watched in awe the whole time. Ava wore one of her princess dresses and was able to see Cinderella and Belle in the "princess pre-show". It was a long day and you can see by the last picture she was exhausted by the time we made it home!






Thanks Anna and Christina!!! It was a super special day!