Blastball!

Yesterday we started a new adventure...the twins started playing Blastball.

So here's the basics - a tee, ball, bat and one base. Two teams of 5 each. Everyone bats everytime. No one keeps score and there are no outs. When someone finally knocks the ball off the tee, they run to the single base. Someone from the "outfield" team can run and grab the ball, hold it over their head and yell "BLAST!". Then they start over with the next batter.

So. Much. Fun.

And most importantly, the rain stayed away and started just when the game ended.

 

Ready for Summer

Be silly

Take funny pictures

Practice your big girl smile

Wear pink everyday because it's your favorite color

Be brave

Practice using your words so mom can help you

Take deep breaths

Wear your shades

Go to parades

Run for candy

Smile at clowns

Dance in the street

Go to the park

Run to see how fast you can go

Roll in the grass

Run just to run

Laugh

Play hard

Get dirty

Get hot and sweaty

Make mud pies

Have a trike wash

Get some sun

Eat ice cream before dinner

As it should be...

Omaha Gives - Your PSA

Omaha Gives is TOMORROW!!! For 24 hours, midnight to midnight, go to their site, help local nonprofits compete for prizes, and most of all, this gives you a chance to help nonprofits raise funds to do amazing work.

So go now to H  E  R  E

Check out the list of nonprofits participating H  E  R  E


I know everyone has their favorite charities or causes. If for some reason you need help in choosing which charity to give to, the twins and I can make some recommendations of groups/places that have meant the world to us.

HAPPY GIVING!!!

Parker...you're room is waiting

Remember last summer when we did this for the 4th time??? Well, this Friday Parker will be going in for his next EGD (#5) Friday morning to check his EOE. We'll also be checking on his fundoplication, since he's been complaining of some pain in his chest. So, we'll be checking in to Boys Town early. We'll follow up with both allergy and the GI doctors in a few weeks and see what final results are and where we go from here. I'm hoping for a quick day, some decent coffee and maybe a nap in the afternoon. If you've got extra happy thoughts or prayers and want to direct them for any of those things, we'd happily take them. An update to follow soon!

Play ball!

Last night after school, we had another night out with our friends from respite care to see the Storm Chasers play some baseball. A beautiful evening, hot dogs and friends...not too much better than that.

We sat with a bunch of our friends from respite, including some of their best friends. I am in LOVE with this pack and it made the night even better that we all got to hang out together. 

(Below, Payton, Elaina, Mya and Parker)

Graduation Day

Payton spent 6 weeks on a ventilator. She had pneumonia once wile still in the NICU, and 2 staph infections. She came home from the NICU on oxygen for 6 months. She was hospitalized for 5 days with bronchiolitis when she was 1 and came home on oxygen for another month. She was hospitalized another time with RSV. She's had pneumonia 6 more times since she came home from the hospital. I've lost track of the number of times she's been to the ER with respiratory problems. She had 2 winters of getting monthly Synagis shots hoping to keep RSV away. We spent 3 winters in lockdown at doctors recommendation.

Tuesday morning she had a follow-up with pulmonology. When the doctor asked if I had any concerns...I couldn't think of any. When Dr. Toni asked how the winter was...I didn't have anything to say. We'd gone all winter without any major illnesses, she's hasn't been to the ER, been on antibiotics or steroids. Payton had a wonderful winter.

Dr. Toni looked at me, teared up, and said she's graduated. We can call or go back if we need to, but otherwise, she's discharged. There were big hugs, a few tears and high-fives all around.

4 years and all that history later...she graduated.

P.S. - She weighed in at 41.5 pounds for her appointment. Exactly 40 pounds heavier than her smallest ever weight. :) Unbelievable.

On love and grief

Friendships between preemie moms is an unusual thing. We are brought together by one of the hardest, worst times in our life. Most of us have never met, but have been connected through our computers, with the hope one day to take some sort of wonderful vacation where we all meet, sit on a beach and drink fancy drinks out of a pineapple brought to us by a cabana boy (hey, a girl can dream). We know details about each other and our kids, we cheer on, pray, get angry, share advice, love and at times grieve. It is a strong bond.

Last weekend we grieved. Sheena, one of our moms, lost her little girl Laiken. After more than a 3 year battle, done with more grace and strength than I've ever seen, Sheena, along with her husband and other daughter, said good-bye to Laiken. I'm not sure how a little girl who's only 3 touches so many people, but she did.

While so many of us wanted to be at the funeral, distance doesn't always make that possible. After Laiken's service on Thursday, Sheena and her family did a balloon release of pink and purple balloons. So, that's what the rest of us did too. Where ever we were on Thursday, we call grabbed our little ones and pink and purple balloons and did the same.

The twins and I headed to one of the highest spots in town after dinner and let our balloons go.

Fly high Laiken!

If you want to know more about Laiken and her amazing family, go here - https://www.facebook.com/LoveForLaiken

If you want to see pictures from people releasing their balloons from all over for Laiken, go here - https://www.facebook.com/events/733817389971667/735094923177247/?notif_t=like