Honor

What a weekend!!! Yesterday we had the March for Babies and I'm proud to say that Team Weemmax raised over $2000!!! Thank you to everyone who donated, I can't express how much it means to me :) Unfortunately the weather was crappy and everyone with kiddos bailed, but my dear friends Suzie and Tanya joined us and we walked a little more than half way. I loved being able to walk into the family tent and see Emma's story up for everyone to read. She is such an amazing girl and we really are blessed. We owe a lot to the March of Dimes and it's wonderful to be able to give back just a little bit.

Suzie, me, Tanya and Emma (btw, this is our new bike trailer and I LOVE it!! Thanks Schwaberows!)

So many of you know that I have a *slight* addiction to the internet. Actually many of you probably know me because of this said addiction. This morning I got a blogger award from one of my fellow preemie moms and I wanted to pass it on and talk a little about this community.

First off, thank you to my friend Trish for nominating me. For those of you who don't know her, Trish is also a preemie mom to an adorable little boy named Robbie. She's been an amazing support to me as we battle Emma's eating hell, and I actually feel bad complaining to her because Robbie makes Emma look like a competitive eater. If there is a silver lining to Emma being born early, it's that I now have an amazing group of friends (no, I have never met any of them in real life) that just get it. I am very lucky to have this outlet and be a part of this group of women.

This isn't actually the first time that I've received an award (yes dear readers, I am *that* loved, LOL!), but this is the first time I'm passing it on. I could talk about each and every person I know (both in real life and out) who reads this blog and what you mean to me, but I'll save that sap for another day. Today I'm just going to talk about 2 of my friends that I believe fully encompass the "good attitude and gratitude" that this award is for.

Kerry and I have know each other for a couple (?) years at this point, but have become close over the last several months as she experienced a pregnancy and NICU visit that closely mirrored mine. I have met very few people who could deal with all the shit that has been thrown at her the last few years with such grace. She and her husband are amazing to have survived what they have and because of it have been blessed with 2 of the cutest boys I have ever know! I love her more because she is always honest about her thoughts and feelings and she allowed me to be by her side as she rode the roller coaster.

Tanya and I have been friends for more years than I can count at this point (12 or something crazy like that?). We were band aids together, she was with me when I met Jamie and we've changed a lot over time. She just finished training to be a yoga instructor and I honestly can't imagine anything that she is better suited for. She embodies the word "gratitude" better than anyone I know. She is beautiful inside and out and has the most calming, peaceful, glowing presence. Anyone who knows her is a lucky person and I love her with all my heart.

I have been truly blessed in my life and I am definitely feeling it today :) Now excuse me while I go scrub peanut butter out of my child's hair :)

Reminder!!

The March for Babies is tomorrow and for anyone that is walking with us we are meeting on the corner of 13th and Broadway at 8:45am. Unless it's pouring, then we won't be there.
Hopefully we'll see you tomorrow!!

Bad blogger

Holy cow, having a toddler keeps me SO busy! Emma is such a busy body, she NEVER stops moving (which could be why she doesn't gain weight). All day long she's taking things out of cabinets and then moving on to her next project. I am so beat by the end of the day, maybe I'll stop gaining weight too!
I have weeks worth of photos to share finally :)

Trying to get a good photo of William and Emma.

This was the best one, not so hot.

Handsome Wills

Emma pushing her dolly in her stroller

chowing on a piece of asparagus

One of Emma's new favorite games is to find the nipples in the cabinet and suck on them. But she doesn't take a pacifier... weird kid.

We just got back from a trip to Monterey, CA. I had never been before and it was gorgeous!! It didn't hurt that it was artichoke season and you could buy them out of taco trucks on the side of the road. Any place that sells steamed artichokes to go is okay by me (oh, they have Trader Joe's there too, everyone knows how I feel about that store) ;) Emma did pretty well on the plane, she definitely doesn't like to sit still for that long and our plane was 3 hours delayed on the way there (AFTER we got on the plane), so that was rough, but we made it. The weather was nice and Emma was able to dip her toes in the ocean for the first time.

Our hotel room didn't have a bathtub so Emma was forced to take a shower. It made for cute photos!

Emma LOVED looking out the window on the plane

This is fun!

We went to the aquarium and the Otters were Emma's favorite

Emma and Mommy

The beach!

mmmm, fresh strawberries!! (which were amazing)

fish and chips!

Family photo

argh!

Emma's first dip in the ocean, she did NOT like it (it was freezing cold) :(

Starting her early

I think this might be the cutest thing ever!

Congratulations!!!

I just wanted to give a quick shout out to Paul and Sam. PJ *finally* put a ring on it today and we're SO happy that Sam is now going to be an official member of the Jackson family :)
We love you guys and wish that we could be celebrating with you right now!!

Just a little vent

Today we stopped by the pediatrician's office to pick up a letter for our insurance company. Turns out Emma's nutritionist appts aren't covered by our insurance and so we were getting a letter of "medical necessity". I didn't expect the letter to be a great one, obviously they are trying to make Emma appear that she needs the nutritionist appts (which is a whole different debate), but I'm not sure I can adequately explain the shock when I saw the words "diagnosed as failure to thrive" (FTT) and "malnourished". I freaking lost my shit. Seriously, in all the months and months we've been dealing with Emma's weight issues, the ONE thing that has made me feel semi-okay is that she wasn't FTT and to see it written like that with NO warning from her doctor made me absolutely sick. After a huge breakdown and lots of tears I called her doctor and it turns out they used that phrase because technically she can be FTT since she's under the 3% in weight and it makes insurance companies pay attention. She hasn't necessarily been diagnosed with FTT.
A note to doctors... DON'T PUT STUFF LIKE THAT OUT THERE FOR MOMS TO READ IF YOU AREN'T GOING TO WARN THEM FIRST!!! And I know them calling me back and explaining it should make me feel better, but it doesn't. I'm wondering if it's really worth the money we would save if our insurance will cover it to make me feel like this.

It's April!

We had a great visit with Jamie's family, Emma loved having them around to play with her. We had her 12 month appt and her stats were 14lb 6oz and 27". Her weight gain is still terrible, but we're trying our hardest to fatten her up. I have a feeling she's just going to be tall and skinny, which won't be so bad one day :)
The weather has been kind of crappy, I guess it's payback for our mild winter, but it's been a little nicer the last couple days so we've been trying to get outside before it snows again :)

Emma's carousel ride

A BRAND new mountain goat, born earlier today

One of Emma's new favorite places to play

Ondrea is helping Emma take a ride on Jasper

Sleeping so sweetly

Emma's other favorite place to play

And if there are no dishes to unload, she takes the dishwasher apart

Unwrapping a dolly that Grammy made for her birthday

Snuggling with Grammy

4 generations

Giving daddy a "kiss"