Mother's Day Weekend!

This post is a day late because I had major phone issues, therefore not being able to upload the awesomeness that is my photos for this post!

Also, I did a friend a favor and babysat her little girl today so getting a post written while D napped was so not happening! We had fun though and it was a glimpse into life with 2 kids! Not too sure about all of that!

Friday afternoon I had the honor of being a "Special Friend" at this little lady's school. I used to nanny for Ashley until I had D. We are still very close and I was so glad I could be her 'special friend' and hang out with her for a few hours!

Friday we hit up LACMA and Jazz Night for some free jazz, wine, cheese, some beautiful LA weather and family time!

D was more interested in pushing his car around for 2 hours vs sitting still for a few minutes, eating and listening to the music BUT he is only 15 months so what are you gonna do!

Saturday we hung out at home in the morning and headed to a birthday party for a friends 2 kids later in the afternoon.

Again, D was more interested in pushing around a toy car then the actual party but again..WHAT CAN YOU DO?!?!

He did tolerate the swing for all of 2 minutes and smile while doing so!

He also played for all of 5 minutes with his little friend, Roxy, and then he was on to the next thing!

Sunday was Mother's Day and I got to sleep in for a bit and then we all headed to breakfast at Jack N' Jill's. I love this place!!

I splurged and got Cinnamon Croissant French Toast and it was to die for. So good!

We all napped and hung out at home for the rest of the day playing with trucks and cars and the Ipad. He's already an addict.

I also got to sneak off for a much needed mani/pedi! It was heaven!

B and D made me a homemade Mother's Day card that I am sure will be the first of many. I love it and want to frame it! It is precious and so special.

Later that evening after the wee one went to bed we had an amazing Shrimp Scampi dinner and watched The Killing! You guys, this show is AMAZING! You must watch. If you watched Harper's Island it is similar to that but on steroids! So good!!

All in all it was a wonderful weekend with my two boys!

This day is so special and reminds me just how truly blessed I am to be able to say I am a mom. And a mom to an amazing, rad kid at that!

Hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day and got to spend it doing exactly what you wanted!

I missed my mom and wished I could have spent the day with her. She is truly the epitome of what a super mom is! She is amazing in every sense of the word and I can only hope that I am half of the mom to D that she is to me. If I can be that much then I am doing ok.

xoxo

Imma Proud Mama!

Someone gave D an Etch a Sketch for his birthday and despite the fact that he couldn't really grasp the concept of it, I left it out for him to play with. We would show him how to scribble, erase, stamp, etc. No interest at all.

Yesterday that all changed! After a few tries with the Etch A Sketch D got it down!

He went to town scribbling on the board and then looked at me with such joy in his face as if to say "Mom, check it! I can scribble!"

Presenting the first scribble....

After the scribble, the praise, the clapping of the hands, the smiles, and the general over all "this is awesome!' he grabbed the Etch A Sketch, chucked it across the room, and went on his way.

Boys will be boys will be boys!

March For Babies Weekend.

Saturday I woke up bright and early to a gorgeous morning full of sunshine and cool temperatures to take part in the March of Dimes March for Babies walk in Los Angeles.

There have been so many people in the blog world taking part in this walk/race and I have loved reading everyone's stories on v how inspiring the day was. I agree 500%! The day was so inspiring and all I was hoping for when I signed up to race.

I did not have a premature baby. No one in our family was born prematurely. In fact, we all have huge babies! However, I am friends with many who weren't so lucky and had babies born way before their due date. They are all thriving, beautiful children now and are so lucky to be here. I chose these friends who were truly blessed with a miracle baby to honor and walk for.

The day was full of joy and love for people that I didn't even know. Such pride was seen in so many people's faces when they loaded their premature baby into the stroller and took their place at the starting line. Their shirts proudly displaying their child's name, birth weight, and the gestation week they were born. To read the back of a shirt and not have a lump in your throat immediately was impossible. Many displayed pictures of a tiny, almost unrecognizable, baby hooked up to tubes and IV's. Immediately you invision this baby fighting for his or her life, and a family at the time not knowing if they will make it. Many don't and there were a lot of people there walking for their "angels." Their faces were brave and they smiled as they saw others with children who had made it but your heart couldn't help but ache for them and their loss.

As I looked at Baby D, I realized how lucky I was to have a healthy baby who was born 3 days after his due date. So many mothers and families can't say that. This fact breaks my heart and makes me realize how lucky I truly am. Yes, children can be difficult and I would be lying if I didn't say that D can be a handful and there are times when I think "this sucks!" It is a reality though. I would take a million bad days over one of the days those people live without their child. I can't even imagine the pain of a loss like that.

We finished the race in 45 minutes and D was a total trooper! The energy of the walkers was contagious. Balloons filled the air, sun shone down on everyone, people raised their banners and flags all for one common goal, to raise money and awareness for the March of Dimes. Too celebrate the babies that were there in person and in spirit.

After the race we walked around and checked out some of the booths, listened to some music, and celebrated the day!

A long stare fest with a firetruck for D and Chick-Fil-A for mama was the topper to an already amazing day.

I walked 3 miles and burned some major calories only to add them back and then some I am sure, BUT it was worth it!

This was a day I will never forget and I am already rallying the friends together for a team next year!

The weekend fun continued into Sunday, as well.

We hit up the beach and pier in Santa Monica for an early morning stroll and coffee. The weather and beach were gorgeous!

The rest of the afternoon was spent watching a marathon of The Killing while D slept! I am addicted to this show!! Once awake we played with some trucks, Skyped with family, listened to music and I got to sneak away for an hour long massage! It was heaven!

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend with your family and friends!

This weekend was just what I needed. You know when you have one of those that opens your eyes to so many wonderful things in your life that you were kinda skipping over? This weekend was one of those for me and I am so thankful for that.

xoxo

Handmade Journal Winner!!

The winner of the Handmade Journal by Tricia from Pretty and Personal Papers is ......

Lucky #7!

Natalie, @natablogs!

Congrats, Natalie!!

Comment below with your email address so I can get some info from you!!

Thanks to everyone who entered.

On Saturday, I Will Be Marching.

This Saturday Baby D and I are Marching for Babies for The March of Dimes!

We are so excited to take part in the fundraiser and I know a lot of bloggy moms are doing the same.

My goal was to raise $200 and I raised that plus $200 more and I trying to hit a new goal of $500! I am so grateful for all the love and support I have gotten from friends and family. It warms my heart to know that people are so willing to help others during this time of economic struggle.

I can't express how important this walk is for me. Not only to show support for those that I don't know, but to show support for someone that is a friend of mine. My friend, Kerri, had a baby born prematurely and thanks to the March of Dimes and their help and continuous effort to help families and babies in need, Ava is a thriving almost 4 year old full of energy, love, laughter and most of all a heart to keep on living!

The birth story of Ava, from my friend Kerri.

I went to my 24-week check-up on July 23^rd, 2007. It was supposed to be a quick visit: check my blood pressure, urine test (joy!) listen to baby’s heart, check-up on my overall health and baby’s. I knew something was not quite right when they took my normal urine test…it was far from normal from what it had previously been the other 8 times I had taken this test. The stick was all white…not a good sign, but I thought maybe it was something very minor and proceeded out to the area where the nurse was waiting to take my blood pressure. Things went off the track even further then. Nurse took my blood pressure 3 times and then took me to one of the rooms and went to go get the doctor. I wasn’t even supposed to see my doctor that day. My OB came in and she took my blood pressure two more times. She then proceeded to tell my husband and I that I would not be going home, but would instead be going across the street to the hospital and would be checked in. We weren’t exactly sure what was happening and why, but we were both scared as hell.

Turns out I had severe pre-eclampsia. My blood pressure was extremely high (190/110!) and I had a large amount of protein in my urine. Neither good for me or my baby. On the 24^th, I was transferred to a hospital with a Level III NICU. The original intent was to keep me in the hospital on bed rest till my baby was 28 weeks. However, my pre-eclampsia was determined to be so severe that I had to be transferred immediately and that I would have an emergency c-section either that day or the next. I was on the verge of a stroke, so the sooner they could get the baby out, the better for both of us. They loaded me up with steroids and decided to wait till the 25^th so that the steroids would have a better shot at working on my baby’s lungs.

Ava Marie was born at 10:00 a.m. on July 25^th, 2007. She weighed 1 lb 4 oz. It is hard to fathom a BABY that size and that this baby was alive and screaming with all her little might when she came out into the world. To put her size in perspective, she could wear my husband’s wedding ring as a bracelet. Yes, a ring as a bracelet on her very tiny little wrist.

Ava stayed in the NICU for 101 days. We were very lucky in the regard that she never had many “issues” that seem to plague little ones in the NICU such as brain bleeds, eye problems, cerebral palsy, debilitating illness, reflux, staph infections, etc. Not to say her journey was easy, not by any means, but she was a fighter from day one. The nurses and doctors were amazed at her spunk and perseverance.

I remember the first week that I was home from the hospital. I woke up one night about 3:00 a.m. and went to go watch TV as I couldn’t fall back asleep. As I sat there watching mindless reruns, a commercial came on for the March of Dimes. Seeing that commercial made me realize I wasn’t alone and that there were services out there for families like mine. I remember immediately opening my laptop and going to the March of Dimes website. They had a plethora of information and a whole online community for NICU families. Being able to read stories from other parents in the same situation was such a blessing.

Ava will be four years old this July. Looking at this special kid, you would never know that she started her life in such a fragile state. She has amazed us with her capacity for life from day one. She is full of energy and we never have a dull moment!

I have met little Ava and she is an amazing little lady and her mama is a one of a kind with a heart full of gold. I will forever be grateful that I met Kerri through a friend. She and Ava are a constant inspiration and a true example of a fighter.

If you would like to donate to the March of Dimes, please click the badge to the right on my sidebar.

Thank you!