Update Overload

It's been a while since I've blogged! A lot has been going on around our house. Luke has been unemployed for about the past 9 weeks , so the house has been full and busy and messy and un-structured and messy. He's finally back, and I actually have time to sit and write!
The March of Dimes was a success! We always have so many friends reach out and donate to this cause. They understand how much it means to us and how much the preemie world means to us. We had plenty of friends buy T-shirts, and we had some friends and family come walk with us! I'll dump some pictures now :

There was a special area in the family area call the Path of Hope. Families could donate $25 towards the walk & get a sign with their child(ren)'s name and picture and birth details. Some were in memory, some were in honor of the child itself, and some were pictures of their children in honor of family who had been in the NICU. It was a neat addition this year! Lucy and Landon loved to see Lucy's picture. We should have added Landon & Ella to it also, but it slipped our mind to even donate until after the deadline. We were able to still be included though =)

We got there early to help set up the family area, so we got to enjoy all the games before anyone really got there! No lines and a lot of fun!

She ran so fast to Elsa and Ana!

Princess crown, of course!

Our Team Lucy Loo picture ( minus 3). One day I hope that we can be one of the large teams! I think being able to see all the families, kids and babies, shirts in memory of babies, and people supporting others is AMAZING! I feel like crying the whole time we are there.

Landon & Jay. Their daddies played college baseball together and they have moved back from St Louis! They've actually been back a year but are moving SUPER CLOSE next weekend!

We loved the new location this year! We still have (all 3 years) ended up in the VERY BACK. It's way too crowded with all the people up front. Plus we walk and talk and take our time....and we had a lot of kids walking.

Lucy's friend Lexi ( and her mom and sister ) came too!

Landon said he was TIRED OUT!

Lucy passed out within minutes of getting into the car.

 

My individual goal for the walk was $325. Thanks to all our wonderful friends and family, we hit $453! Somehow the team goal was set at $600. Team Lucy Loo ended up raising $703!

We ended up doing 1 fundraiser with Funky Munky shaved ice.........and it was about 53 degrees that day! We were at a college campus in the middle of thousands of teens. So as soon as the truck pulled up , they wanted to spend their money. We are planning on teaming with them every year at the same event, hopefully next year it'll be in the 70's! We also had a big donation from a food truck here in Nashville-- Hoss' Loaded Burgers ! Check them out when you get a chance!

 

This year the MOD had a campaign called 'be your best for babies'. The family who had the greatest % increase from their best year is going to be featured on the MOD Christmas card. Team Lucy Loo did increase by 36%! Thank you for that. I don't think we will ever be a top fundraiser team, as you can see below the top team here has raised $53,115!!!!

 

Maybe next year I can have a little better success with business donations and sponsorships! And our goal will be to have at least 20 walkers come out and enjoy the day with us! The goal I sent in on our paper was 14 walkers, and we had 15 people out to support the March of Dimes.

If you know of a company that might be interested next year, let me know!

 

February 3rd

Just 3 years ago, after 53 days in the NICU, we brought Lucy home from the hospital. I try to remember that day each year. I think it is important to remember all that we've been blessed with and how far Lucy has come. We haven't faced too many obstacles along with way, but if you would have talked to me while my baby was living at Baptist Hospital, my fears were all over the place. Would she have issues learning? Would she be able to walk? Will the holes in her heart close up? Will she ever make it a day without forgetting to breathe? What therapies will she need? Will she have brain issues from oxygen? Will she have vision issues from oxygen? Will she know I'm her mommy? What disabilities will she have? Will she ever be able to breastfeed? Will she have a g tube? What If she gets RSV? Will her ultrasounds come back showing a brain bleed? Will she hate me when she gets older if she gets made fun of for her disabilities? Will she wear a helmet? Any fear you can think someone will have about their baby, I thought it. If you know Lucy now, you know she is amazing........and she tries my patience every day especially since she is 16 3 now. I remember every prayer I said over this baby in the hospital and at home--mostly about all those fears running through my head. I'm so proud of her !

Looking back at my baby:

 

Lucy's half of the room while we roomed in the night before we brought her home, and Luke fixing our 'bed'. Lucy slept the night away, I pumped, worried, and did not sleep =)

 

 After 53 days at the hospital, & 19 days before her due date she was ready to go home!

 

Last time through those doors!

Home together!

 

First day at home, slept the day away just like in the hospital! She slept the majority of the next few weeks.

 

1 year later! If you can't eat cake on your birthday, you celebrate on the day you came home!

2 years later =)

All grown up, walking, running, talking, eating, counting, singing, dancing,laughing, acting 16, and sledding for the first time! 3 years after discharge.

 

 



Team Lucy Loo

The March for Babies walk was great! The weather felt wonderful, we had friends and family walk with us, we met our personal goal ( though it was small), we exceeded our team goal, we had PRETTY t-shirts,  the kids had a blast, and we all got a little sun!

 

We like to play around with the new computer. These actually pop up on our heads while we're taking the pictures. She loves it.

 

 

Last year was hard, being 9 weeks pregnant, and not knowing what to expect out of the pregnancy. We were praying for a safe delivery and a healthy baby.

I still am glad I can wear sunglasses as I walk past the incubator they have sitting out by the Vandy ambulance. I can't look at that thing without tearing up. I chose not to walk into the ambulance they had sitting out last year, as did Luke.  Maybe some people are stronger. Some things I'd just not like to relive, and some things I don't want to imagine.

I will have more pictures later on. I had my camera ready. I had the battery ready. But we left the battery in the car, and I didn't want to go back and get it. My Iphone won't take any more pictures. I really need to save them all to the computer and print them, but I just haven't made time to do that yet. So I used my sister's camera. One of my former students ( whom is a freshman now) walked with us, took some phone pics, and facebook messaged them to me ;)

 

The toddler size shirts didn't come in the same color as ours, so they had baby pink. And of course, you can't read it on here ;) And I promise her little skirt looked better in person. I had planned on making a pettiskirt--a SUPER full one. Then I got scared. Then I planned on ordering one. Then I ran out of time. So I just ruffled/gathered some glitter tulle ( OH MY GOODNESS. GLITTER EVERYWHERE), then sewed it onto an old skirt she had. I folded each row over to make it fuller. You just can't really tell here.

Princesses at the walk! Yes, I also tried to give her some neon pink tights to throw in the neon pink to her outfit. Then I had to make her a bow with the baby pink, neon pink, and purple. And her new neon shoes went with it all.  Ha

Can you tell it was a long day? She stayed up until after midnight waiting on her aunt the night before ,and woke up at 7 AM on Sunday morning. This was after 4 pm on the way home from the park.

Thanks again for all of the donations towards the walk. This is something so very important to me. It feels good to know there are people who understand that and are supportive! I wish I could be one of the top walking teams raising thousands of dollars and recruiting 20+ walkers to wear our team Lucy Loo shirts. We are so thankful for this baby. We are so happy to have her with us. Maybe one year.....

 

These were the team t-shirts. The front said "And though she be but little, she is fierce", and the back had the team name and Lucy's footprints. I used some of her actual footprints from the NICU ( they are blown up of course), and loved it! The shirts matched my new sunglasses, which I will need to take with me tomorrow. To the beach. With no kids.

I'll go cry now because I'll miss my sweet little baby Ella. First time to be away from her for more than about 2 hours. oh my...