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!

Count Down to Father's Day - Sunday

Going to share some pics of some Men who I think are GREAT father's, dad's and daddy's over the next few days.

Of course Cat Daddy - He may not be the perfect dad but no question without words we know everyday he loves us & is there for us -well unless a really good auctions is happen and well he may be a bit late. ;).

Next my brother aka the oldest Melon Head, so I am just a bit bias when it comes to my brother; but I have ever reason to be he is really a great father, brother and Uncle. Even if sometimes we don't see eye to eye on everything, we do agree our children are the best things that every happen to us. You know how some people are just born to be a parent well this is my brother. He was born to be a dad.

Don't worry I didn't forget one I am just saving the best for last.. After all he is the Bella Daddy, stay tuned more to come..

Did you Miss the Show

Well your loss.. You missed a great show but you know I am kind of bias.. :) Don't worry you can make a trip to W&T in Athens to see what is left over..

Don't miss another show Mindy will be hosting a Dress Up Party at Primitiques. It is this Saturday, June 19 from 10-3. Would hate for you to miss another great show from another great dealer at W&T. Bring your mason jar and dress to impress.. As Nana always says there is no such things as to many accessories.. Don't have a thing to dress up in don't worry Mindy has you covered get over and check her out.

Did You Make Your Way to the Big Show Today