Happy New Year...

Miracle Babies stand up...TELL YOUR STORY.. This was a discussion on a board I go to, I have tried to put in word over the last 2 years how I felt, what I believe was driving me and who I am after having had a micro-preemie. After I read many of the stories I felt lead to tell my story and I wanted to share it for Bella to have someday so she knows how much a miracles she is and how Great our God is. How he not only held her in that NICU for five months in his arms but he held me too.

I ask myself this question all the time. I ask God to give me answers as to why my baby and not someone else baby. I can't believe that I prayed anymore than another mother did for her child. Or gave anymore. I am not sure why I wish we had the answers. It is easy for me to tell how Great God is as I have my daughter but not so easy for someone who did not bring there little one home. Or who has a child with problems. I know I looked to Witt's loving parents and Grandmother Karen for inspiration during my time in the NICU. Witt was born with no hope just as Bella was and now 2 years later and even with all his problems they still give the glory to God. Even with all that they have been through they still continue to praise God for the gift Witt. It is people like that that are a true testimony to God, they believe that everything is God's will and all gift are from God just in how we look at it.

I know I prayed for Bella allot before she was born when Doctor after doctor came in and told me all the reason's not to put her on the vent all the things that would be wrong with her. All the times they said she was not a viable baby. And at 23 weeks 4 days when they could no longer keep my BP down and fluid began to fill on my lungs I had never been so scared. And I believe it was an angle on earth sent from God to calm me and remind me of how I had given this all to God just days before how that calmness and fear had been taken away by God.
Bella is a gift from God and she is a miracle. She spent 5 month in the NICU everyday I layed my hands on her and I asked God to give all my faith to her and to hold her in his arms until he was ready to send her home. I believed he could do all this, I believed he could heal her, I never once questioned or gave into fear of the worse or unknown, I never doubt I would bring my daughter home. I always told God I would accept his will as it was his great plan, I also said if his will was not mine believe I would be angry at him but I would accept it.
I held to bible verses that said

Matthew 8:26 "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

Matthew 21:21 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you say to this mountain, Go, throw yourself in the sea and it will be done."

Mark 11:22 "Have faith in God" Jesus Answers.
Mark 11:23 "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this moutain, Go, throw yourself into the sea and does not dougt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him"

I was told I would never hold her a live that if I wanted to I should not put her on the machines. At 23 weeks 4 days I had Bella by C-section she weighted 15 oz and was 10 inches long. My daughter spent 5 months in the NICU, She has CLD and shows no signs of it now; was on all the vents possible. She came off of all IV's and medications a week after she was born, she had only a PDA surgery at 7 days old. She came home on O2 and stayed on till she was 11 months old. She had nothing else on the list of things that they said would go wrong. She has no eye problems, no hearing problems, no bleeding on the brain, no feeding issues, no major development delays. She gets therapy once a month and qualified only because of her birth weight and gestational age.

I don't know if you believe in Miracles or God but for me this was proof God does perform miracles. I don't have the reason why I just know because he gave me this gift he also gave me this cross to bear. Before Bella I had faith, I believed that Jesus died for my sin, I believed Jesus was the son of God, I had faith that God was watching over me. But I did not read bible verse and I was not at church ever Sunday. I actually didn't put a lot of credit and support in the bible as this was mans idea of what Jesus had said and a man telling me what this bible verse meant. Since having Bella I still don't go to church that has not changed for me, but I do spend more time trying to find bible verses for how I am feeling and what I am praying and when I need directions. I think God does everything for a purpose even if we don't' know what that purpose is. I hope someday when I am with our Father in Heaven I will know and see all that his purpose is and understand why things are what they are.
For now I just know I have this gift and everyday with her is a gift from God. I lived my life now as today is the only day I have and that is enough for me. This verse below is how I live my life now.

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness, let the whole world know what he has done. Sing to him, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his miracles~I Chronicles 16:8-9

Couldn't resist..

Had to start with Christmas Past.... This was last year Bella's first Christmas. Last Christmas Eve 2009 was the first time Bella spent a whole day off her O2, she took her bottle, she took a nap and she played all day with her Uncle Joey, Aunt Misty, Cousin Graycie, Big Brother Brandon, Nana, Pop, Me and Daddy without dropping below 97% on her o2 states. We were amazed now 1 year later we are O2 free. I would like to say I miss the O2 tank and machines but I really don't. While I can find the blessing and comfort in them and I never want to forget what our lives were like and how blessed we are. I don't miss them for one second. :)

So one year later you would think I would be out buying a new Christmas dress for the little Diva. But nope not our tiny blessing. At 21 months she was able to fit into her size 6 month dress. She is bigger and it is shorter on her. But it still fit and I say if the dress fits WEAR IT! That just gave me money to spend on casual Christmas outfits. Poor naked baby she ain't got no cloths. And ladies please if you spot a blogger gift or two that you sent Miss Bella don't be shocked her nursery is filled with them. I also love to walk in and see how much all of you love our baby. The little white bible next to her basket in the dresser shot was given to me by the hospital Chaplin the day Bella was born. It was by my bed in the hospital after she was born, when Roby took my stuff home to get the house ready for me to come home from the hospital he placed it by my bed again. It never left the side of my bed until she came home then it was placed by her bed and moved with her to her room.

So without delay.. More Christmas Bell-a pictures (Stole that from Melissa at Foto Fabulous.. )

The tiny little bracelet Bella is holding is a Lulu original made just for my baby girl. Sadly my tiny handed baby still can't keep it on but her silver rubber duckie bank wears it around her neck. Wanted a picture with it and it keep falling off so she just held it. LOL

21 Months

I have been waiting for a week to share Bella's new pictures.
My wonderful friend and photographer just sent me a sneak pick at Bella's pictures we had done on the 12th.
So what to tell about Bella
She is 18lbs 2.9 oz as of her apt this month
She is walking and running
Can play peek-a-boo, waves bye and Hi & plays patty cake (thanks to Margo's hard work)
She has said:
Baby
Cracker
Night
Bath
Parker
Bye-Bye
Hi
Momma
Dada
Nana
Cold
So without any more delay here is a sneak peak at her new pictures.................


This is in our living room by our christmas Tree.

This is in Bella's nursery.

Baylor NICU

Infant hyperbaric pressure chamber used for delivery room resuscitation in the 1960's, the machine did not work.

This machine may look very familiar to some of you, Bella was on a similar machine for several months. A modern high-frequency oscillatory ventilator with the capability of delivering very small tidal breaths at up to 900 breaths per minute.

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1-2

Donation

We are currently at $630.00. Just a little information about the NICU at Baylor Dallas.

Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas has an advanced (NICU). There are 83 beds in level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Patients in the NICU vary from extremely premature infants to term infants with surgical or medical needs. Babies in the NICU have several skilled staff members to care for their medical needs, including: Neonatologists, Neonatal Nurse Practitioners, Registered Nurses, Respiratory Therapists, dietitians, pharmacists, social workers and chaplains, all dedicated to the NICU patients.

Thank you for helping us to give the families and staff something special this season. We do not plan to take the donation button down and will be taken them up to Christmas day!!

Tell everyone about his miracles~I Chronicles 16:8-9

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness, let the whole world know what he has done. Sing to him, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his miracles~I Chronicles 16:8-9

Update on the donations and wanted to say Thank you again to everyone who has given.As of today we are at .......

$443.73 in donations ...Make that 463.73 at 6pm, we are $36.27 away from $500

I had set a goal in my mind of $200 and this is way beyond my goal. I am so greatful that we are all able to give the families and the nurses something special on Christmas Day!!

Thank you...

So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver
2 Corinthians 9:7

God loves a cheerful giver

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness, let the whole world know what he has done. Sing to him, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his miracles~I Chronicles 16:8-9

I just wanted to take time to say Thank you to everyone who has given.
As of today we are at

$428.94 in donations,

this is not including pennies.

This is just paypal donations.


So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver

2 Corinthians 9:7

Pennies For Preemies

(post courtesy of Talking Trash)

The number of premature births in America are on the rise. A normal pregnancy is 40 weeks. Anything less than 37 weeks is considered preterm. 70% are delivered between 34 and 36 weeks; 12% at 32 and 33; 10% at 28 and 31; 6% at less than 28. Even at 37 weeks, there can be complications and the babies are placed in NICU. The survival rate is even more staggering....40% chance at 24 weeks increasing with each week until 90% at 28 weeks. The medical advances over the last 40 years has been phenomenal, but the numbers demonstrate why every precious day that can be bought for these babies is critical.

Bella was born a micro-preemie which is a baby born under 26 weeks and weighing less than 1 3/4 pounds. The complications that can arise for these babies are a mile long beginning with lung problems, eye surgery and the list goes on and on. These babies haven't had time to finish cooking.

Delivering these micro-preemies even by C-Section is a risk with possible brain damage as a result...through no fault of the doctor. Imagine if you will how tiny they are...then picture in your mind how tiny the lines are that are inserted into them and the risks to the lungs. It takes a skillful hand and a lot of prayer. The odds are not in their favor, but God is.

November was National Premature Awareness month and purple designated as the official color. Bella is asking y'all to help beyond a the month of November and on into December. If you visit the March of Dimes web page, you can read all the statistics, advancements, and ways to help.

For five months, we called Baylor Dallas Hospital NICU home. We traveled back and forth daily to be with her and to learn how to care for her.

Bella was blessed with God's favor. Her only major complication was a heart defect, PDA, which required surgery. She'll have the scar to remind her of how much God loves her always.

We were fortunate. We brought Bella home in August 2009 with just an oxygen tank. We say just...she had to be on oxygen all the time as well as an apnea monitor until December 24, 2010. We took her off on Christmas Eve night and from that point on for the next month she slowly began to vein off the oxygen.

We knows we have been blessed and have constantly prayed to God about what we can do to repay this blessing. He has placed this in our heart the need to help those parents who are in those NICUs. After much more praying and soul searching, we have decided to try and start a special program that we have named Pennies For Preemies. With the donations we receive, we plans on using the money to help parents who will be spending Christmas at Baylor Hospital with their premature babies this holiday season.

I can not even being to imagine how it must feel to know you will be spending your baby's first Christmas in a NICU. We were blessed we brought Bella home and only had to spend a few holidays in the NICU. Even with that it is probably one of the hardest part of the NICU stay to be around family and friends without your baby.

We have added the donation button on both blogs and our donations are growing! Thank you to everyone who has given so far.

Preemie Awareness Month

Hello Friends and Family

November is preemie awareness month.

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness, let the whole world know what he has done. Sing to him, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his miracles~I Chronicles 16:8-9

Me and my family are collecting pennies for preemies, we plan to collect them up to two weeks before Christmas. At that time we will cash them in and then go buy gifts for the preemie families who are spending Christmas in the NICU. We will be making the donation to Baylor Dallas NICU as that is where Bella was at. We are also taken any kind of donations be it preemies cloths, toys, gift cards for the parents to have a nice dinner or snack foods.

We will be at Winnie & Tulule’s Christmas open house on Friday November 26th from 5-9pm taken donations.

For those who do not know our story our daughter Bella was born March 12, 2009 at 23 weeks 5 days weight 15oz and 10 inches. We spent 5 months in the NICU.

We had a lot of support from blogger friends who did a fundraiser for us during those 5 months that we could not even beginning to repay or say Thank you enough too.

Now we would like to be able to give back to other’s who are going through a difficult time this year.

Thank you for your time. Hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday season this year.

The Banda Family

It's Offical

I got my donation button added!!! Let the donations begin. Any donation between now and the Christmas open house will be entered into a drawing to win mystery prices.

We are just starting off so our prices are nothing big like a color TV but would like to make this fundraiser a little fun for everyone with some random giveaways. No idea when things will be given away or even what will be given away.

Please don't forget that November is not only a time to be thankful for what we have but also Preemie Awareness Month, there are a lot of great preemie organizations that need help.

Thank you for your support.

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness, let the whole world know what he has done. Sing to him, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his miracles~I Chronicles 16:8-9

November is preemie awareness month

November is preemie awareness month.

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness, let the whole world know what he has done. Sing to him, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his miracles~I Chronicles 16:8-9

Remember we will be at W&T for the Christmas open house collecting your pennies for the preemies. We all have friends, family or know someone who knows someone who had a preemie born before there time. It can be the greatest, scariest and most glorious blessing of a person life.

Help us to let them know they are not alone on there NICU Journey.

Hope to we see you there.

Bella

20 months old 11/12/2010

This month:

walking like a mad women, just come see a W&T's Christmas open house

Drinks from a sippy cup

Wear size 12-24 months - Her cloths size is all over the place.

Wears size 3 shoes, I am shocked those tiny feet can hold her up.

And are you ready for this. .......

She has pee pee in the potty twice, potty was bought on Sunday November 14th and on Monday November 15th she went potty and again on Wednesday November 17th.

We are so proud, I will not share the picture of the pee pee but yes we took one for her scarp book.

What can I say I am nuts, you know my mom does this suprise you.

Happy FaBOOlous Halloween

My little family.. by Foto Fabulous
Hope everyone had a safe and happy Halloween. Bella was a busy busy girl this weekend. We got up early Saturday and head to the pumpkin patch to have family pictures made by a really talented photographer. She is so great with kids, Brandon was so relaxed and well Bella is CRAZY walking so it was hard to keep her still long enough to take pictures of her. I just knew we would end up with picture of just the three or two or one of us but none of Bella. And Melissa being a FA-BOO-lous photographer sent me the most wonderful pictures. Could not ask for a better treat for Halloween than to have pictures of my little family.

Bella Last year.......

This year.. I got this shirt idea took it to have the Fa-lous! put on and added the BOO. I think she was adorable in her Fa-BOO-lous outfit.

Not to brag but I love this picture I think she is just gorgeous in this picture.
My boys aren't they handsome. This will be going on our wall at home.

15 and couting

WOW what a change in just a year.
Brandon and Bella at his birthday Party on Sunday with his friends.

He is such a good big brother.

Brandon and all his friends!

They grow up way to fast, our little guy turned 15 yesterday. Took him to Cheesecake Factory, which seems to be our choice for birthday's this year. We went in August for Roby's and October for mine and now again in October for Brandon's. Had a good time. Brandon is such a great kid I met Roby when Brandon was 4 and celebrated his birthday for the first time when he was 5. I can still tell you what I got him for his birthday. A pair of doc martin boots, Pole Jeans and a Pole shirt. I didn't know back then that kids don't really want cloths for there birthday but trust me I have learned over the years. He has become one of my favorite people to buy for even thought he is hard as hell to buy for. And has zero emotion so if you get some out of him you know that you have hit a home run.. This make him all that more fun to buy for. Only other way to get him to smile put his dad in front of him or Bella. Those two make him light up like a Christmas tree. :)

Did someone say CAKE!

Yesterday was my birthday, I can't believe I am 35 I am only 5 years away from 40 that just seems CRAZY! This month is a busy birthday month for us. Brandon will be 15 on the 20th. It is our PARTY month. He is going to be able to drive(with an one of us in the car) in a month. That does not seem possible at all.

Started my birthday fun on Monday with Roby. We have not been to the movies in over a year. So we both took off work and took Bella to daycare and off to the movies we went. We saw It's Kind of a Funny Story, cute movie. Then we headed next door for lunch at Cheese Cake Factory. I took one look at this chocolate cake, Reese peanut butter cup cheese cake and thought SALAD! Had to make sure I had room for it. So I had a nice side salad and a small fried cheese appetizer to save room and still had to take some home with me. Roby had his usually meatloaf (lunch size) and banana cream cheese cake with a cup of coffee. It was a nice stress free relaxing day with no diaper bag. LOL


Bella and I spent the day with Nana going to lunch and then shopping. After that we went to watch Miss Graycie perform her Halloween Rock Show at school. Bella was busy trying to play with the 6th grade girls like a big girl. I think she enjoyed her day but was exhausted when we got home and only wanted her momma.


Yesterday 10/12/2010 Bella turned 19 months. This time last year we had regular monthly doctor visits, machines and O2 attached to us and breathing treatments and medicine twice a day. WOW allot has changed in a year. Now at 19 months we are free of all machines and meds. Bella went to the doctor last month and does not go back again till Dec. We had very little contact with the outside world last year and now she gets to be around family and friends providing they are not sick. :)


Let's see what can she do since last month:
She can walk, she has to take a break but she would rather walk than crawl. 10/12/2010 she said Parker of course her first word other than momma and Dada would be PARKER, she loves that dog.
She has cut two more teeth one on each side in the on top in the back. These caused a bit more crankiness than the first 6 teeth but still she cut them with very little issues. She amazes me everyday at just how happy a baby she is.
She has become a bit clingy to mommy the last few weeks.
She got her first bump on her head but we survived. I say we cause I think mom and dad were more upset than she was. Once she saw Brother everything was good. Lucky her bangs cover it up.

She had a cold this month but started medicine and got it all cleared up fast before it turned into something worse. So just a few days down and then she was back to her normal self.

Got some musical instruments this month, her own drum and drum sticks that are small for her hands. She loves music, her favorite show to watch is dancing with the star when they are doing fast numbers. She goes crazy and tries to dance around.

Can sign more, milk and ball. Really understands ball. Will sign it and go get the ball. I was really excited about this one since she doesn't really mean more when she does it. She really means done. LOL.

18 Months and Stepping

So hard to believe but Brandon is the one smiling in the picture and not Bella. And on another note our little man will be turning 15 next month. :0 He will be starting driver's ed that is right people we will have one walking and one driving.

Bella has been a busy girl the last few weeks. She started at an at home daycare with two other kids. She is doing great loving it and adjusting to the changes well. Since August 16th she has put on 1 lbs as of 9/18/2010 now weight in at 18lbs 2.9 oz. She had her development apt 9/8/201 with Dr. Suterwala, MD (her NICU Doctor) he said she is first of just beautiful and she is doing great. She is range between a 12-16 month so right on track and a little a head with her corrected age in some areas. He looks for her to be caught up by her second birthday. :0 His only concern not walking but she took care of that before the end of the week. She will be starting speech therapy finished with her OT they felt she was on a good track and didn't need it anymore. I asked for Speech Therapy just to give us suggestions on ways to help her because she falls under 18 months on the development range they said she still gets services from ECI for some kind of therapy and at this point as well as she is doing it is more of what we would want help with than what she really needs help in. I felt help with speech is an area that can't hurt.

She can:
Stand from a sitting position on the floor
Stand for long periods of time with no support
Pull to a stand
Eats lots more solid foods and still a jar of fruit a day.
Said Dogie but only once.
Took 7 steps on 9/9/2010
Took 12 steps on 9/12/2010 - 18 months that day.
Loves to play the drums, brother shared one of his drums and a set of sticks. Will be needing to do a Dear Santa Pop for a set of Pink Drums for Christmas. ;)
6 teeth
Cloths are around 12-18 months but can still fight in some of the 6 months and a few 24 months.
Loves to play "where she go" with her blanket and anything else she can put over her head and cover her face with.
She had her first McD's Nuggets, I know I said I wouldn't do it but she really like them, not giving in to the fries just yet still holding my ground on that one. she gets a nugget happy meal with apples and Carmel sauce that she thinks is a real treat for her. She has tried a PB&J with the crust cut off as well this month.
We tried crayons and well she is not sure what to do with them. They don't do anything that makes sound so why bother, she just picked it up and looked at it then gave it back to me like OK mom bored now. LOL

Bella also figured out how to get under a cabinet I painted for her room; it was in the kitchen before it made its way back to her room and while on daddy's watch she found her way under it. Of course he had to take a picture before helping her out from under it.

We head to Zapp on Saturday to see all our Blogger friends at Sweet T's Blog party with Nana and Cat Daddy.

testing....

testing the new phone before we leave for zapp on saturday.

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Pool Side

Can some please get this hat off my head.

Bella loves to take a bath, but not so sure she loves the pool. The jury is still out on that one.

Just thought I would share some newer pictures of her. But she does wear her sunglasses but only in the pool she won't wear them in the car.

She now has five teeth, is standing on her own, has not decided to take that big first step just yet she is a girl who likes to take her time. Next month she has development apt with her NICU Pedi, her OT 6 month check, her first dentist apt (not sure people realise but preemies sometimes have issues with there teeth coming in from the gums being tough) and her 18 months check up. That right I said 18 months I have been blogging about my little miss for 18 months can you believe it.

School starts next week our big kid will be heading to High School. WOW can't believe when Roby and I started dating Brandon was not even in school. 18 years seemed like forever and now we are just four years away from Graduation. I have had the pleasure of seeing him graduate from pre-school, kindergarten, elementary school and well you know when it is middle school no big hoopla and now he will be a freshman. Sounds crazy I forget sometimes he is not 4 years old playing with action figures. Although I do have to say Bella's beach balls do keep ending up in his room; I don't think he is as grown up as he thinks he is. Lucky for him she will keep him young a little bit longer. He is such a blessing to have for a step-son. I really do need to scan some pictures of him when he was younger so you can all see what a doll baby he was just like his little sister. You just wanted to put him on a shelf he was so darn cute.

So hope you all enjoy the tax free weekend. Good luck with the school supplies and school cloths shopping.

Home Sweet Home

Bella has been home with us for 1 year as of yesterday. I can't believe how fast the year has gone by. It has been the best year we have had so much fun being parents to our little miss. She is such a little helper we just moved a few weeks ago into a new house so we have been busy unpacking and Bella decided to give me a hand on Friday.

We both just look at her all the time and can't believe how blessed we are. She really is such a good baby. She loves to spend hours playing with her toys and is so happy.

So lets get some updates on Bella. Our little 15 oz baby is probably around 19lbs now at least. She is wearing 13 month cloths. We went to the doctor at 15 months and she does not go back till her 18 month apt. She cut 2 teeth months ago and I thought she would never get anymore. But nope last week I noticed a little something white on top and she had cut a top tooth. Was so excited then the next day I realized she was actually in the process of cutting four teeth on top. :0 (This is just an example of how easy a baby she is) She is not cranky nothing we didn't even know she had cut the teeth. At this point I began crying just at how much she has done and realize how different our lives would have been had we done what the doctors wanted. How she has continues to grow and develope just in God perfect time. Everything the doctors said she would never do.


She is still not walking but has started letting go and standing for about a minute with no help. Specially if she is excited about something.


She is eatting more and more solid food. I know once the four teeth completly come in she will really want more solid foods. And after about 12 sippy cups we have finally found one she likes. She likes a straw and does really well drinking out of one. I don't know about anyone else but the sippy cup selection overwhelem me. So glad we found one she likes.
No new words just allot of babble.

After working hard on Friday helping me unpack we need some time to relax and unwind in the pool.


Hope all are having a great summer, kids will be straiting school in a few weeks. Our big kid will be heading to HIGH SCHOOL!!! WISH US LUCK! LOL

Little Miss

Bella's first weekend home - she still sleeps with this bear. Little Miss will hit her 1 year homecoming August 8th. I can't believe she has been home with us this long. I can't believe she is 16 months. She amazes me everyday. We both just look at her in amazement. She is the happiest little girl. No matter if she feels bad she is still able to work up a smile. And of course we think she is the cutest little girl too. :)


So I am looking for help that anyone can provided me with. Now that life is starting to get normal again. And we have a good routine. I am back at work on a routine and Bella is doing great. I want to give back to other preemie mom's it is something I have thought about since before I had her; three weeks in the hospital on bed rest gave me lots of time to think about what changes I wanted to make in my life after all this.

And I have thought long and hard about it. I decided that I want to figure out how to start some kind of NICU organization. They have the March of Dimes that is great and I plan to do the walk in 2011 and lot of other great organizations for pre-term labor & preemies research. But I want to give back to the preemie moms/dads/grandparents/foster parents who are in the NICU. Nothing about having a NICU baby is normal.

Is it the best thing that could of ever happen to me? YES.

Would I have changed things? I can't say. I think God knew what he was doing when he gave me Bella.

Would I love to have more children? Sure I would, I love being a mom. I know people say that but I really do mean it when I say it I love everything about being a mom. I get frustrated and need a break of course I am not super mom. But I love the good and the bad.

So with that said.
Any suggestions or help on how to make this dream a reality please let me know.

I want to figure out a way to take donations to then donate to the parents at the NICU, to buy preemie cloths for the baby's in the NICU, to buy chairs(which are in high demand - or take donations) and mobiles(plastic ones are best - lots of fluids to get cloth ones dirty). These are all the things I had in the NICU that made going each day more tolerable. I want to do gift baskets for new moms that are filled with the things you can have in the NICU; like camera w/flash, notebook, pens & literature for the new parents. You would be surprise at the fact that a lot of hospitals don't have books on preemie baby's for new moms to read. Space is limited for that. And in the first few days they are so focused on all the medical issues they forget to tell you about how your baby will look. They spend so much time telling you statics they don't think about telling you the baby's skin won't look normal or they may not open there eyes for a while. And even that a girl may not look like a girl. Everyone knows that was the hardest thing for me. But after about a month I went to a book and got a book on preemies. I skipped the chapter on grieving. And read the first few pages. Those first few chapters would have helped so much to understand the appearance of the baby.

It is hard to not bring home your baby. And the stay is long. I treated Bella's space like it was her home. I never started a nurse I am so thankful for that because I don't think I could have came home everyday to a empty nurse. I created her nurse there.

All these things make the time a little easier.

Happy July 4th

Hope everyone had a great July 4th. Bella saw her first fireworks last night. Not sure exactly what she thought of them. She didn't hate them but she didn't love them either. We were just happy she didn't cry. We had a great view in our back yard. Tonight we went to a BBQ at a friend's house. She played and ate homemade mac & cheese. Fell asleep before the firework show and woke up just as it was over. Our girl can sleep through anything.
She is 12 months corrected today.

Bella Updates - 15 months ..

So I have not posted much on Bella thought I might get up to date on what is going on in the land of Bella.

Well she is 15 months (11 Months corrected) and will be 12 months corrected on Sunday July 4th..

She is growing like a little weed. She hit 15 months on the 12th of June and since then she has gone from wearing 6 months to 9 months and this weekend I bought her some new cloths thinking she would get some wear out of them by getting 12 months and guess what THEY FIT!!! I can't believe my baby is wearing 12 months.

She has two teeth allot of teething but no sign of a tooth coming in just yet.

She is crawling like a speed demo. Pulling up and standing on everything that will stay still including the dogs, we had to get a baby gate to keep her and the dog separated. Had to take care of Parker too. :) She is furniture walking around the house. And this weekend she decided she wanted to do some climb up on her toys. She has climb up on a box and sat down on top of it so far and her play table has a bench that she is suppose to sit but she prefers to stand on it.

She is saying dada and mama more. And I think we might of heard a Nana a few weeks ago and a Brother this weekend. Of course I heard mama once and then it took her two months to say it again.

She is doing this little head title to the side when she wants to let you know she is to cute to get on to. And shows me her teeth's and growls when I tell her NO. And yes believe it or not I can tell her NO.

She is 17 lbs 4 oz and 26 1/2 inches long as of her last apt a few weeks ago.

And are you ready for this. She is officially medication FREE!!!!! He took her off her inhaler. We still have it but she does not have to get a puffy once a day. Unless she needs it and so far she has not needed it. And to be honest I kind of stop using it a few weeks ago. Shh.. Don't tell the doctor.. Actually Doc Mark is the best and that I could try going a few days without at her last apt and see how she did. and he officially wrote in her chart AS NEEDED ONLY!!!!!

She got her 15 month shots and is not due back.......

Wait for it.... Wait for it....

Wait for it...

18 MONTHS!!!

Her NICU Doctor.. Won't even try to spell his name lets just say Dr. S will see her next month for a development check, no issues just something he likes to do once the micro preemies hit 12 months corrected can be done anytime. just to see how they are coming along. He specialise in Micro Preemies and does his grant work on them. He is such a good doctor one of the reason we went with his clinic because he really loves what he does and is a great doctor. And talks to you like you have not had 8 year of medical school. He has a clue you have no clue what all the medical terminology means. I loved that in the NICU with him.

So that is about all for the Bella Girl..
I have been busy working on her July 4th Tutu, I actually just took her white tutu and red tutu and combine them to make one. I was starting to make a collection and TUTU's in her closet and thinking what am I going to do with all these Tutu's.. :0 So why not recycle them into new ones for her.. Save money and SPACE..

This is my Daddy ----

So father's day my mommy and daddy spent the day at the hospital with my Pop and they didn't' have time to let me get on to tell you about my daddy for father's day. Mommy told you about her daddy and brother but what about my turn it is my blog right!!! :)

This is our Daddy.. His name is Robert James but mommy calls him Roby.. I call him dadada..

He is the one person who can get me and Brother to both smile. He was the first person I smiled at, squealed at when he comes in the room and laughed for.

This was Father's Day last year.. Look how I have grown and my hair I got way more now and daddy has less.

He changes my dirty diapers; don't tell him but I save the poop ones just for him. I think he likes them.
He picks me up from grandma's house then take me home and gives me a yummy dinner at with extra Cheerios. Then after dinner he lets me sit by his side and watch batman cartoons; I love BATMAN Cartoons.
He loves me so much he put this mask on just so he could hold me when he was sick.

When I first came home from the NICU across his chest was my favorite place to sleep.

He is the best daddy a girl could ask for and I think I will keep him.

Hope everyone had a great father's day. And BTW my Pop is back home and doing GREAT!