Preemie Beth

Merry Christmas 2011

2011-12-24T13:00:00.000-08:00

Elliott's Team Wins State Cup!

2011-12-05T17:10:00.000-08:00

I'm feeling better. Today I learned that I do have Shingles which explains the horrible pain in my back and side. I've got a few other tests to complete. For now, enjoy this video of our son, Elliott and his team from El Dorado United Soccer Academy. The team won the Bronze division State Cup series for U10 Boys. I was well enough to go to the game so got to see his team play well and celebrate at the end. You can see Elliott's blonde mop bouncing around toward the end. He is number 13.

2011-11-16T09:07:00.000-08:00

I have been very ill so am not posting regularly. I have been struggling with back pain since July which has now descended into intoler

le nerve pain. I'm home today after three nights in the hospital where they found little cause besides two bulging disks. This cannot explain the fever, chills and stomach pain. I would appreciate prayers to help us find a doctor who will champion my case through the medical system. A cure would be wonderful. I want to play with my children.

These are the most recent photos of the kids: A trip to the pumpkin farm where I could barely hold it together to take photos. Their costumes on our front porch. I thank God for our wonderful children who give us such joy. No one will get me back to the hospital again where I am separated from them.

God bless and please send your prayers up to God to aleviate our suffering.

Beth's First Soccer Goal

2011-09-11T19:17:00.000-07:00

Beth scored her first soccer goal! It was in her first soccer game this Saturday. It was too much fun to watch her play. Daddy and I couldn't help being amazed. To think this little one stopped breathing a dozen times each day for 2 months still amazes us. Now, she is running and playing as if nothing was every wrong!

I gotta say that watching five-year-olds play soccer is a bit like watching small fish swarm around a hunk of brine shrimp. They swim around the ball in a small pack, bumping into each other and the ball until someone falls down or the ball goes into the net (or out of bounds). Beth managed to keep herself out of the melee either because she has been watching Elliott play or she has a stronger sense of survival than the other girls!

She is number 9 in the white uniform (with the short blond hair). She is also one of the smallest in the group. There are two versions of the video here: a longer 2-minute video showing some of the game before her goal, or the 50-second version showing only the amazing feat and Beth's smile of satisfaction afterward.

Nice job, Munchkin!

Inspire Christian Writers Nonfiction Award

2011-09-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, I particpated in a two-day writing conference with Inspire Christian Writers. I don't consider myself an author but I have been dabbling in the profession. I do a lot of writing as PR consultant but the purpose and format are quite different.

I've been working on the book about Beth so she would truly understand the miracles surrounding her life. My original intent was to save it just for her. But, in the course of writing, wondered if the world needed to know how God saved her life. There is no doubt in my mind that Beth is here because God intervened.

My book title is Saving Beth. (Yes, I've vacillated between The Heartbeat Within and Saving Beth.) I submitted three chapters to the writing conference and was stunned to learn that I won the nonfiction award! For the first prize, Karen Ball (writer, agent, editor extraordinaire) will read my manuscript and edit it! I am thrilled with this opportunity because of the chance to learn and hone my craft. Whether or not Saving Beth moves into the public view, it will be a treasured keepsake for Beth (and Elliott, too).

I'm letting this project move through any open doors God sets before me. It feels odd to apply my PR talents to promoting my book. Yet, if this opportunity opens yet another door, I might be in the full PR/marketing mode on my own behalf. It could be fun to promote my own project for once!

First Day of School: Kindergarten and Fourth Grade

2011-08-30T13:10:00.000-07:00

An equally "loving" teacher is our Kindergarten teacher at Theodore Judah Elementary School. Elliott had Mrs. Young and now it is Beth's turn.

These three cute girls were in Elliott's Kindergarten class and they are all in the same fourth-grade class this year. Our school has a new magnet school called the "Gateway Academy." The Academy is for gifted kids but also for kids like Elliott who sometimes don't perform up to their capabilities. We were so thrilled that he made it in even though he wasn't officially gifted. We did receive notification last week, however, that his STAR test results were good enough to push him into the gifted ranks.

Elliott decided to wear the tie. This kid has a future in PR; He realizes that first impressions are important! Mike, on the other hand, thinks Elliott was more focused on the girls' than on his teacher's impressions.

Preschool Graduate

2011-08-30T12:56:00.001-07:00

I get tired of writing profound things about Beth. Sometimes I just want to enjoy her and the wonderful we are living. These photos are of Beth's preschool graduation (back in June). As you can see, pink and black are the "stylish" colors for little girls right now. And, Beth is noticably the shortest girl in her group (guess who she got that from??).

She went to Joy of Children Preschool in Folsom (as did Elliott). The teachers at Joy are wonderful people who have loved so many children in this community. Mike often talks about how much they helped him when I had to be in the hospital. Then, they gave me a shoulder to cry on for the uncertain months while Beth was in the NICU.

We will miss all the Joy of Children teachers (but we are thankful they are a few blocks from our house so we can stop by frequently).

This Girl is Reading Already!

2011-07-13T13:53:00.001-07:00

Kindergarten is just around the corner for Beth. I am wondering if she actually needs to go. She is reading Elliott's books. In fact, she is attempting to read the first Harry Potter book now.

I wonder if any other parents of super-readers have thoughts about Kindergarten? I'd like to know if your child was bored silly or if it was just plain fun to be in Kindergarten anyway.

When I think back to the fears we had when Beth was in the NICU, it seems odd to be where we are now. Anything could have happened during those dangerous days. And yet, by the grace of God and excellent medical care (probably some good genes, too), she is smart, beautiful and healthy.

Save the date: Friends of NICU fundraiser, the Celebration of Miracles is on Saturday, November 5.

Vacation in Hawaii

2011-06-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

12 Days in Maui...it is tough to come home to California (especially since there was construction going on at home while we were away). Dust covers everything except my office which was sealed off by plastic and tape.

We had a fabulous time: first trip for Beth to the islands. We took her up to 8,000 feet elevation near the top of Haleakela. I've had altitude sickness there on previous trips so we didn't want to go to the very top. Beth was a little nauseaus at 8K and so was I. In all other ways, she seemed fine up so high. This is just one more example that her little lungs are extremely NORMAL despite the NICU interventions. At the ranger station at 8K feet, we saw two families with infants. Mike and I were nearly panic-stricken for them. I know that most babies should be able to handle the altitude without any problem but we couldn't help but be worried for them. We wouldn't have dreamed of taking Beth to such heights when she was an infant. Guess you have to witness the struggles of a baby on a respirator to worry about these things.

Beth stricking a pose on the beach.
Beth
Elliott boogieboarding on a BIG wave day (Mike sprained his ankle on a big wave when getting slammed into the beach).

Bethday 2011

2011-05-01T11:16:00.000-07:00

It has been five amazing years since Beth came home from being in the NICU for 90 days. We recognize Beth-day as the real celebration of her life since her actual birthday was a scary and difficult day. Each year, our life continues traveling down a path of normal-cy and we are so happy to be an average family doing average things. But on May 1, we have to pause and recognize the miracle of Beth's life.

We celebrated our first Beth-day without everyone together. Elliott is on a comp soccer team so he and Daddy were in Manteca all day (three games on one day!). Beth and I went shopping together and then had dinner with my nephews and their adorable girlfriends, my brother and his wife, and God-mother, Carol (who played a major role in Beth's survival and keeping me sane through the hospital ordeal).

An extra special "THANK YOU GOD!" is cheered by all for His clear hand in saving Beth.

Nothin' Competes With an ELECTRIC Guitar

2011-04-06T01:03:00.000-07:00

Today's post is about Elliott. Has been taking acoustic guitar lessons for about a year. For the most part, practice has been completed with little enthusiasm. About 2 months ago, Mike decided to buy himself an electric guitar. As soon as Elliott saw the amp come out of the box, guitar became his favorite thing (after soccer)!

He's been spending an hour a day on the guitar! In fact, I have to pull him off of it in the morning to get him to school. He is also happier about playing his acoustic.

He has taken his acoustic to school to play the theme from Titanic. Below are two videos of him "jammin" with dad. My advice for moms having trouble getting their kid to practice on a musical instrument, get something electric that makes weird and LOUD noises!

Fun Photos

2011-03-15T12:08:00.000-07:00

Beth's 5th birthday party (Princess Party!). Note the cute princess cupcake from Little Delights Cupcakes.

Beth has started Dance lessons.

Elliott was a prince at Beth's party (although he looks a little maniacal to me in this shot. Notice his rabbit-style front teeth??

WSJ Article: Avastin Effective ROP Therapy

2011-02-18T13:21:00.000-08:00

From the Wall Street Journal on Feb. 17, 2011

An inexpensive drug therapy far surpassed a conventional laser procedure in fixing a leading cause of blindness in babies born prematurely, according to a new study.

The results of the study, to be published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine, were so significant that the 15 hospitals participating in the research have stopped using lasers in favor of the drug...

Beth only had a "watch" in one eye even after being on oxygen for 2 months and intubated/CPAP on-and-off for a month. What a relief to know that there could be an effective alternative to eye surgery. See the entire article at the WSJ. This link will only be active for seven days. After that, go to WSJ and search on the article title.

Justin Sings to Beth

2011-02-14T09:35:00.000-08:00

Aunt Cathie made this cute video for Beth's 5th birthday. I haven't posted for weeks because we have been sick, really, for nearly 4 weeks! This is too cute to not share!

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-22T10:20:00.000-08:00

Playing in the Snow

2010-12-08T10:51:00.001-08:00

Just a day in the snow with the kids...

Celebration of Miracles - SUCCESS!

2010-11-17T08:39:00.001-08:00

Early details coming in...about $40,000.00 raised (yes, that is 40 THOUSAND) to help families with babies in Sacramento area NICUs. More to come.

This is a photo of me, Beth and my handsome husband, Mike. We brought Beth over for the first few hours. She enjoyed showing off her pretty dress. Where was Elliott?? At home, playing with his best buddy from next door. A nine-year-old is much more interested in video games than getting dressed up for a party!

Celebration of Miracles - November 13

2010-10-29T06:30:00.000-07:00

The Celebration of Miracles is coming up!

Join us to raise money that will go directly to help families with sick and premature babies in the neonatal intensive care units of Sacramento area hospitals. Your ticket buys a fine dinner, generous wine tasting with some stellar wineries, a silent and live auction and then dancing!

Saturday, November 13, 2010
5:00-11:00 p.m.
Lake Natoma Inn (Historic Folsom)
Tickets: $60 per person or $100 per couple

Over 200 auction items (some samples:)

Family pack of Polar Express tickets (the Sacramento Railroad Museum production - those in the know, know that these sold out of the first day!)
Yellow Tour de France "podium cap" signed in 2003 by Lance Armstrong! Yes, a REAL podium cap signed by the Man himself!
Trip to Las Vegas: airfare, lodging, dinner and two shows!
Dozens of different wine packages (magnums, cases, individual reserve bottles)
Instant Wine Cellar - 36 bottles of wines from various local wineries and a 60-bottle wine fridge!
lots of small ticket items for families
Disneyland trip
Lithograph signed by the Rolling Stones
Photography package by Dawn Roberts Photography
Car care package (Folsom Auto Center certificate, detailing, and more)
the list goes on!

Dress up in your finery, have fun and support a good cause! Order tickets at www.FriendsOfNICU.org or call 916-276-0373. Or, leave comments here or with the "contact me" form.

Only 50 tickets left!

NICU Reunion

2010-10-08T21:35:00.000-07:00

This is a photo of two of the Respiratory Therapists from our NICU. I took this at the reunion we had a few weeks ago. I hadn't looked at it closely until now. I didn't realize what an amazing photo it was. These guys saved Beth's life on more than one ocassion. Seeing this just takes the words right out of me...something that doesn't often happen.

Elliott the “Veterinarian”

2010-09-24T09:21:00.000-07:00

We make a joke in our house about food: Elliott is happy with vegetables while Beth prefers red meat. Between the two of them, we quip, our kids eat a square meal.

Lately, Elliott has expressed interest in eating only vegetables. I have explained that it is nice that he eats tofu but in order to be a vegetarian, he will need to learn to eat beans and other legumes (at this point he scrunches his face up in mock disgust).

Daddy and I have often tried to explain that sometimes, the decision to be a vegetarian is a philosophical one. Some people chose not to eat meat because they love animals or feel it is unfair that we "animals" eat other animals lower on the food chain when there are equally healthy alternatives. Daddy and I are quite happy being omnivores but we respect and actually admire vegetarians for their commitment to health or their personal convictions.

Throughout all this, Beth seems happy to be a carnivore and is totally oblivious to how the food chain operates (or so we think). We have to nearly force-feed her with vegetables, fruit and other fiber — for obvious reasons.

Beth, who wants to keep up with the rapid-fire conversation and the big words being bounced around concerning this important topic, is having trouble saying “veg-i-tar-ian”. Know what slips out of her mouth instead? Veterinarian.

No need to explain the animal welfare benefits of an anti-meat diet to that girl! Somehow, I think she already gets it.

Beth Sings "Yes, Jesus Loves Me!" at Calvin Crest Family Camp

2010-09-10T17:11:00.000-07:00

We spend the Labor Day weekend at Calvin Crest for our Journey Church family camp. Both kids sang in their small groups on the last day (See Elliott's song below). Beth and the other 4-5 year olds were too cute for words. Notice how Beth came running towards Daddy and I afterwards...talk about warming my heart!

Elliott Singing at Calvin Crest Family Camp

2010-09-10T17:10:00.001-07:00

Enjoy this 40 second video of Elliott singing at Family Camp. He was so proud of himself (as were we!)

Quoted in NY Times Article about Kindergarten

2010-08-23T10:41:00.001-07:00

I had the chance to talk with a New York Times writer about holding back kids for kindergarten. She quoted my reasons for keeping our son, Elliott, out until he was almost six. Now that he is a third grader, we realize we made a perspicacious decision four years ago. For the first time, he is not having too much trouble sitting through class. He is making good decision about his behavior and self-regulating when necessary.

Here is the link to the article. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/22/fashion/22Cultural.html

Elliott's First Day of School

2010-08-09T12:03:00.000-07:00

Notice the buzzed hair cut on Elliott? I hated to see his beautiful blonde hair cascade down onto the ground but he wanted to try something new. With his goofy teeth falling out all over the place and the crooked ones coming in, he has taken on an entirely different look! Ah, but he is cute anyway.

Summer and the Weather is Fine

2010-07-28T10:07:00.000-07:00

This is turning out to be a wonderful cool summer in Nor Cal. There is nothing new to report about Beth except that she is finally weaning away from her afternoon naps. Now if I could just wean her off the pull-up at night! Does anyone else have tips for getting a four-year-old to stop peeing all night long? Restricted fluid intake at night makes no difference. She keeps telling me she will stop sucking her thumb and using a pull-up when she turns five. Perhaps I should start a chart with incentives along the way to keep her to her word. I'm not really sure how reliable a 4-year-old can be with these types of predictions. I have heard of other kids making snap decisions like this but will Beth hold to her promise?

Five Stiches!

2010-06-24T20:31:00.000-07:00

I have always felt that the tile floor in the Aquatic Center bathroom was an accident waiting to happen (what were they thinking when they designed that place??)...I can't tell you how many times I have slipped on that floor. It is always wet and kids run to and fro in flipflops and bare feet.

Yesterday, the floor claimed Beth.

She was with our nanny who had taken Elliott and Beth to the pool. Beth got scared when someone turned on the hand dryer and when she ran away from the sound, she slipped. After getting her off the floor, Alyssa found that she had a nasty gash on her chin.

Beth was certainly a trooper for the shots to deaden the area before cleaning and then the five stitches it took to get it closed. She was amazingly poised for a four-year-old especially since I have seen her go bananas over minor cuts and scrapes. Beth didn't move a muscle throughout the entire procedure.

I managed to hold it together, too. I'm not squeamish. Heaven knows I have seen horses crash into fences and have horrific injuries so I know that I'm not a wimp. However, when it comes to Beth...well, I just can't handle it.

Perhaps there was a little PTSD running through my veins. I had a few flashbacks in the half-hour she laid on that table with medical personnel in scrubs hovered over her. Lord, I am thankful that she is alright. I mean really alright. I wonder if I'll ever be alright; I mean really alright?

Beth in Disneyland

2010-06-14T07:36:00.000-07:00

Beth had her first visit to Disneyland this month. The trip was a reward for her "food incentive chart." Since Beth STILL is not a good eater, we tried a new tactic for getting her to eat. Alyssa created a cute princess poster festooned with a castle and a walkway to Disneyland. Beth earned a princess sticker for trying a new food or for simply eating a good meal. Her reward was this trip to Disneyland.

The photo slide show is on the way but for now, here a cute video highlight of her first Disney ride (the Tea Cups, of course) and meeting with the fairies at Pixie Hollow.

Happy 20th Anniversary to Us!

2010-05-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

We were married 20 years ago! It was a rainy May weekend and we managed to slip in between the clouds to have our wedding, outside, on the balcony overlooking my parent's horse farm. It is hard to believe that we are in our mid-40s and have two young children in the home. Days are a little hectic but it has been a good, good life. We feel very blessed!

Enjoy this little trip down our memory lane!

p.s. I love you, Mike!

Ice Cream on Beth Day

2010-05-05T13:20:00.001-07:00

(l to r) Elliott, Daddy, Beth, Mommy, Uncle Mark, Aunt Kathie eating ice cream at Mel's Diner. Ah, ice cream!

(Notice Elliott is cast-free! Now we can really play baseball. In fact, we had just come from his game and pizza party to have this special celebration.

Beth-day Tomorrow

2010-04-30T08:37:00.000-07:00

May 1st marks four years since Beth has been home from the hospital. Wow! What an amazing ride this has been. It felt great to pull out this photo to remember the day we brought her home. We had been thinking it would be the end of the week before she was released when suddenly, Dr. Getman walked in and said, "How would you like to take her home today!?"

I nearly fell onto the floor!

After the nurse picked me up, I started to cry and shake like a giddy schoolgirl. I should have been nervous but was so thrilled to hear those words that I plum forgot how afraid we would be to have her be our responsibility without the benefit of machines and talented nurses watching her every move.

Four years later, she is about as normal as one can be (in this family).

This is the photo of Mike and I just before we took her home. We hadn't been prepared so Mike had ridden his Vespa to work that day. He still has his backpack and helmet hair from a wild ride back to the hospital when I called him to relay the news. Doesn't he look delighted? I drove her home in my car while he trailed behind on the scooter looking like the volunteer police.

Beth's Excuses for Eating (or NOT Eating)

2010-04-22T19:29:00.000-07:00

Baseball, Eggs and Kitty

2010-04-19T14:10:00.000-07:00

General commentary: Elliott can't play baseball yet but he is a pretty good bat boy. Slugger gets the cast off on the 26th. We hope he can handle the concussion of a bat-ball contact.

Charlotte (AKA "Rover") is gaining weight faster than Beth. Last count: Charlotte 11.6 pounds. Beth: 29.4 pounds.

All kids love Easter eggs and the Easter Bunny (thanks My Gym).

Beth's hair is NOT growing back at her bald spot. Gramma suggests Rogaine but we're not sure it is that desperate yet. If the added hair would translate to added weight, I might be tempted...Oh, well. She is awfully cute even with the bald spot!

Beth's Bald Spot

2010-04-03T17:32:00.000-07:00

This is Beth's head.
This is the bald spot on Beth's head.
This is the hair that used to be on Beth's head...
before, instead
she yanked a lock of it while in bed.

I wonder if it can be said
that Beth's hair will retread!

Elliott's Invention

2010-03-27T14:57:00.000-07:00

As I drove into the garage on Monday, Elliott was being helped home by the cute little girl down the street. She held him tenderly by the arm while he cradled his other arm. He had fallen out of the tree while swinging from his "invention". From what I can tell, the invention involved a large piece of rope and a tree limb.

Being the sympathetic mother that I am, I sat him down with a bag of ice and helped him wipe his tears. It swelled up a bit but I figured he was fine.

A few hours later, Elliott was still complaining that it hurt so I gave him Motrin, wrapped it with an ace bandage and sent him to bed.

...you can guess where this is going...

He awoke that morning to mild swelling and an odd bruise forming at the end of his wrist. He said to me "Mom, if it was really hurting me, you know I wouldn't fake it, right?"

Well, I decided he might actually be hurting. Four hours later, we found out that is was in fact broken. A "buckle fracture" in fact, all the way across the ulna in his left arm.

So much for baseball and guitar lessons, eh?

Am I a crummy mom or what??

Beth's 4th Birthday Party

2010-02-04T10:04:00.001-08:00

Beth's birthday party was at My Gym with about 10 friends and a few siblings. We all had a wonderful time and the staff at My Gym did such a nice job of making her feel special. She got tossed into the air with the parachute, disappeared and a then re-appeared driving a cool car. She played "Mr. Fox, What Time is It?" and got to ride the zip line.

What a neat day for all of us...so very blessed and lucky to have her here.

Winter Photos

2010-01-07T11:25:00.000-08:00

Whew! The holiday break was a whirlwind of activity. We had two ski days, 1 playday in the snow, rock climbing (Granite Arch ROCKS!), 1 knocked-out tooth (Elliott's--thankfully a baby tooth), 1 cracked tooth leading to a root canal and crown (mine), many Easy Bake Oven cookies (not so great), lots of bouncehouse days (Thanks to Alyssa because Mom just can't stand another day there!), Beth's first real movie (Princess and the Frog), a visit with Athena, 1 potato gun (turned out to be the best gift of all)...and lots more I can't remember.

A few photos to enjoy.

Our Merry Christmas Card

2009-12-28T10:20:00.000-08:00

Our Merry Christmas wishes to friends and family.

By the way, this is the coolest new tool! I used to make my slide shows using DVD SlideShow from Arcsoft but Animoto is fabulous! Check it out!

Will the Cat Weigh More than Beth?

2009-12-04T13:36:00.001-08:00

Apparently it is NOT possible to crest 30 pounds. In fact, Beth hasn't even reached 29 pounds. When we weighed her for her flu shot, Beth stomped onto the scale and posted an not-so-impressive 28.4 pounds (clothes, shoes and all)!

My real fear is that our cat, Charlotte, is going to end up weighing more than Beth. You laugh...this darn cat is a MONSTER and gaining weight like you can't believe!

The redheaded boy is one of Beth's admirers from preschool. He turned 4 recently and towed Beth around his entire birthday party.

Celebration of Miracles Success!

2009-11-18T13:18:00.000-08:00

Our event was Saturday night and it was...pure magic! We had a packed house and the mood was amazing. So far we have counted $30,000 in donations and proceeds from the silent auction, live auction and donations. I don't think I'll ever forget the experience.

Link to slide show and Celebration of Miracles

This is a link to a slide show that was created by one of the committee members. As you would expect, there wasn't a dry eye in the house. Mike and I were particularly moved not only for seeing Beth's photos on a huge screen with beautiful music, but we remembered Julianne. Only a few people in the room knew about our loss. While we did happily celebrate the beauty of Beth's life and the other babies who have made it, we can never forget that tiny Julianne never had a chance.

I have been passionately committed to seeing this be a successful event. Others asked why I spent so much time on the effort. I didn't always give them the full answer because I don't like to talk about our loss. I was driven not only because I wanted to help other families deal with the NICU experience, but because I wanted to validate Julianne's existence. In putting more of my life into something worthwhile, I give her ...life.

This was for you my sweet...

Buried in Yellow Fabric

2009-11-02T10:56:00.000-08:00

It has taken weeks to dig out from under the yards of Yellow fabric that littered my dining room. For some reason, I insist on making costumes. I do love making them but at some point during the middle of each project, I curse myself. In the end, the effort was worth it!

Meet Chloe

2009-10-26T12:36:00.000-07:00

She was too cute to pass up!

This little kitten weighed just 15 ounces when we got her. She had taken residence in someone's yard with 4 other kittens and a wild mom. She seemed too small to take from her mommy but the women who had her was clearly ready to get them out the door. I couldn't risk losing her (and besides, I know how to bottle-feed kittens now).

Charlotte is a little too aggressive with her (Charlotte is going to be the world's biggest cat...just wait and see) so we can't let them stay together without supervision.

We have named her Chloe. Now both kids have a kitten to play with and they do seem to mimic each kid: Charlotte is a Tasmanian devil (Elliott's buddy) and Chloe is sweet and tiny but we sense a mischievous streak (just like Beth)!

2010 Simpler Times Calendar Benefits Friends of NICU

2009-10-14T15:39:00.001-07:00

My friend Robert David Bretz is donating proceeds from his 2010 calendar to the Friends of NICU. I know all I do is write about the NICU event and foundation these days but I can't help it.

If you have need of a calendar, please consider buying one of these. I will be buying them as year-end thank-you gifts for my clients. Perhaps your company would like to do so as well??

See the calendar and more of Bob's fabulous fine art at PaintAllNightStudios.com

Entertainment Books for Sale

2009-10-12T12:26:00.000-07:00

If you are looking to buy an Entertainment Book for 2010, please consider doing so at this site. This is a fund-raiser for Beth's preschool.

Elliott Turns 8!

2009-10-08T13:42:00.000-07:00

Elliott is a big kid now! I notice that the shape of his face is changing, becoming more angular, more knowing, more grown-up. Yes, I am melancholy thinking that my children will grown up and one day not need Mike and me. In the meantime, we are going to enjoy every minute!

Elliott's birthday was a lot of well-deserved fun. The week before was filled with professional and personal... set-backs... but none of them compared to the call we received a scant 5 days before the party...AdventureLand closed its doors and we had to find a new party venue!

All told, I am grateful that AdventureLand had the courtesy to call me ahead of time to not only refund our deposit but to let us know their doors would be locked on Friday. Can you imagine 20 kids showing up on a Friday afternoon with the doors locked and a giant OUT OF BUSINESS! sign in the window? I spent the entire five days scrambling to find a new location (Sunrise Fun Center) and contact his schoolmates and best buddies.

Sunrise Fun Center came through with flying colors! We had the party corral in the middle of the park, set the kids up with miniature golf, car races and the water-balloon wars. It was a beautiful afternoon and even I managed to relax and chat with friends (thanks to my mom, Mike's mom, Grandpa Ron and my brother, Mark for all their help).

Mike had the "exhausting" task of being co-pilot to the kids under 52 inches. I'm not sure who had more fun, Mike or Elliott? Notice how Mike intentionally tried to look cool in this photo? Was he trying to impress his bride or try to keep from crashing the car?

Happy Birthday, Elliott! I hope you had a day as magical as you are!

Celebration of Miracles

2009-09-22T16:08:00.000-07:00

I am helping promote an event that will raise money for families who have babies in the NICU. It is called Celebration of Miracles and it takes place on Saturday, November 14 in Historic Folsom at the Lake Natoma Inn. We will have a nice dinner and be entertained with dancing and wine tasting. We will also have a silent auction with some amazing gifts!

Our title sponsor is Mike's employer, ECO:LOGIC Engineering. We have many other sponsors including nearly $6,000 in advertising space in Gold Country Media newspapers (six ads in The Folsom Telegraph, El Dorado Hills Telegraph, Granite Bay View and the Roseville-Press Tribune). This is giving us prime space to promote our sponsors so please let me know if you'd like to be a part of this as a donor.

Tickets are $45 per person or $80 per couple if purchased in advance (buy them now because they are selling at a brisk pace!). You may purchase tickets from me or at the Celebration of Miracles website where you can also see our sponsors and donors to the silent auction.

This event raises money for Friends of NICU which operates under the auspices of the Mercy Foundation. That means that 100 percent of our contributions go directly to the families in the form of meal vouchers, hotel stays, gas cards and other necessities for the babies and their families. There is such a critical need for this. I remember seeing families who had to drive 2, 3 even 4 hours or more just to visit their babies in the Mercy San Juan NICU. Many families had little extra money to pay for hotel stays. It broke my heart to see siblings waiting outside the locked NICU doors while mom and dad tag-teamed just so they could have some time with their babies.

The social worker tells us that there is government assistance to help families but what is missing is the helping hand--the reaching out by someone who says "Here, take this. It came from a family who loves babies, too." The look in their eyes is pure gratitude. They have one less thing to worry about that night when you hand them a gas card and a voucher to buy dinner in the cafeteria.

If you can dig into your pockets to sponsor or join us on November 14, please email me here: jennifer(at) jharrisonpr.com (no link to protect myself from web-crawlers) or make a donation and ticket purchase at the website. God Bless!

a few thank you's:
Thank you Bob Bretz (www.paintallnightstudios.com) for designing the logo, providing help with graphics and for donating proceeds of your calendar sale.

Thank you Gold Country Media and our ad person, Nina for such enthusisam and generous sponsorship!

Thank you ECO:LOGIC and Dave and all the other folks for helping with this event and all that happened in that terrible winter.

Thank you Elanie and Tim for starting this foundation so that people like me could give back.

Beth Singing at Family Camp

2009-09-09T12:12:00.000-07:00

Elliott Singing at Family Camp

2009-09-09T12:09:00.000-07:00

Family Camp at Calvin Crest

2009-09-09T11:38:00.000-07:00

We spent Labor Day Weekend at a family camp with our church. We are very tired (still). Beth didn't have a single potty accident all weekend! Elliott climbed a very big climbing wall and swung down on the ropes course. I launched myself off the 90 foot Flume slide into a somewhat green lake. Mike and Elliott hiked to Fresno Dome to watch the moonlight and stars. Beth sang an adorable song with her 3-year-old friends.

Settling Into Preschool

2009-08-27T10:25:00.000-07:00

The first day of preschool didn't go so well if you count potty accidents--two of them! On the second day of preschool she had one accident. Over the weekend, Beth took a giant step backwards in the potty world and I promptly called Miss Elaine to say "I have to stop taking her to preschool!" Well, Miss Elaine called me on Monday to calm me down and promised that the teachers would give Beth a few extra trips to the bathroom during the day.

Now, I have to admit that I am actually looking for a reason to give in and keep her home. To deny my unwillingness to let her grow up would be remiss. I have been a goofy wreck all off last week. Can you guess how Beth did on her third day at preschool? Yep. Not one accident the entire day! Today is day four and we'll see how she does.

One thing is sure. She loves preschool. I have been taking her to school in the bike trailer. The entire time she is back there asking when we will get to the "the heart house." (The school has little hearts cut into the shutters). In fact, while I struggled to get Beth out of the trailer fast enough, other moms were carrying crying children into school. Beth walked up the walkway waving "Bye, mom!" and a grin that stretched from ear to ear. Other kids clung to mommy's legs. Beth opened the door and darn near shut it in my face!

Guess who is and who isn't growing up...

My Friend Bob

2009-08-20T12:37:00.000-07:00

I just can't resist it any longer...I had the good fortune to meet a talented artist many years ago while I consulted for a Austin, Texas based book publisher. Bob Bretz was the head of graphic design for the company. Over the years, I got to know him very well because as the PR person, I had constantly ask him and his team to produce images or send them to magazines when a story was hitting.

In this time period, I learned that he is also a Fine Artist -- and I say that with all reverence...A trained fine artist with excellent educational credentials to boot. Through the last 7 years, I have watched his work blossom and he recently left the corporate world so that he (and his equally talented wife) could paint full time.

This image is from his Simpler Times series and I am thoroughly in love with the optimism and colors in the entire series. I purchase a few of the images as notecards so that I can share them with friends. I also purchased two paintings (one from Bob and one from Marie) that are now proudly displayed in my home. As you would expect knowing our history with Beth, many of his paintings move me to tears. When I have enough strength one day, there is one in particular I would like to purchase...

But back to the fun stuff...
Bob is also donating his time in creating the graphics for an upcoming NICU fundraising event (more on that later). Anyway, I want to help promote Bob's work in anyway I can thus my reason for showing one of his works and his URL here. www.paintallnightstudios.com Bob's site links directly to a nifty art site called ETSY where artists promote and sell their works. It is a great way to support artists and have the chance to see wonderful talent.

First Day at Preschool

2009-08-19T14:14:00.000-07:00

Okay! I admit it. I am NOT okay with Beth going to preschool! There is so much wrapped up in this that I would rather avoid. Sure, she is cute in her blue backpack. Sure, she is ready--begging for more interaction with friends. Sure, she needs someone to challenge her and get her on the road to an early education. But what about me??

I'm not ready to see my baby go off to school! I'm not ready to give up my precious two days per week of time with her. I'm not sure I can handle that someday she will be driving a car!

It isn't really this normal things that are hardest. Seeing Beth at preschool, especially this preschool is too much for me. These are the wonderful folks who kept it all together for Elliott when all hell broke loose three years ago. He kept going to this same school while I and then Beth, fought our ways through nearly six months of hospitalization. The teachers comforted Mike and my mother who valiantly kept stability in place for our young, lovable son.

Elliott sat on that very seat and cried with me when I was finally strong enough to take him to school. He was so afraid I would leave him again that he couldn't let go once I finally had returned home from the hospital. The teachers cried with me on the first day they saw Beth, healthy and happily snuggled in my arms.

So many memories, such wonderful people. One of the school teachers, Ms. Alicia, called me yesterday to say she cried when she saw Beth in class with all the kids. In her Texas twang, she told me, "We'll be EXTRA careful with your little girl!" I told her it isn't Beth who needs the extra care...it's me. Our little girl is going to be just fine.

Elliott's Girlfriends

2009-08-14T11:50:00.000-07:00

This is a photo of Elliott lined up for his first day of second grade. Imagine how happy he was to see his two favorite girls in the same class! One of this young ladies has already told her father that she is going to date Elliott when he is 16.

We have to wish his teacher good luck because she has a doozy of a class. There are just 22 students but that group contains six crazy boys! In fact, there was a general understanding with Elliott's first grade teacher that Elliott should not be sharing second grade with one of his best friends. Well, budget cuts made it impossible to avoid placing Elliott and his buddy together. Perhaps now that his two girlfriends are in class, he might exhibit better behavior? ...probably not.

Wish us luck!

We did it!

2009-07-22T11:23:00.000-07:00

Beth has finally crossed the barrier into being potty trained! I was reluctant to say it before now fearing that I would jinx the process. In addition, she is sleeping in her big girl bed! I know these are pedestrian tidbits but it is fun to report such normal rites of passage. This also happens to be the week I fill out paperwork for her preschool. This part has suddenly taken on much more meaning than I thought it would. Now that the day is here when she is taking a step from baby-dom to kid-dom, I'm getting cold feet.

This photo shows the two of them sharing a hide-a-bed while on our vacation (Beth is naked, of course). The trip pushed her over the edge into reliable potty use. It happened sometime after my 20th sprint across SeaWorld to get her to a bathroom. After missing the opportunity for the 19th time, Beth finally got the picture that we needed a little more notice between saying "Potty!!" and actually releasing.

Moving the big girl bed happened because we just simply removed the crib from her room on the day we got home from vacation. Then I made her stay up all day so that she would be to tired to complain when being put to bed that night. She gave us some grief and said she didn't LIKE her big-girl bed but in the end she succumbed and slept soundly.

Whew.

On a more meaningful note, I am providing some help the Friends of the NICU. We are planning a fund-raising dinner on Saturday, November 14 at the Lake Natoma Inn in Folsom. Mark you calendar! More information to follow.

Meet Charlotte

2009-06-28T16:44:00.000-07:00

This is Charlotte. Charlotte found us on Thursday morning while Elliott, Beth and I were on a walk. I was pushing Beth in the stroller while trying to keep Elliott from crashing into a bike on the trail when I heard a distinct MEOW. Suddenly, she came bounding out of the rocks and through the poison oak as if we were the saviors she had been waiting for. Apparently, we were.

I scooped her up and looked about for any other kittens or mama. It seemed as if she was the only one so rather than leave her there for the coyotes or hawks, I tucked her in my shirt, fleas and all, and maneuvered the stroller with one hand nearly 1 mile back home.

As you can see, her face is a little scuffed up. My guess is since we were along part of the bike trail where the road goes alongside, someone tossed her out rather than do their obligation to take care of her or find her a home. Turns out she is about 4 weeks old. She weighs about 1 pound and is as cute as the day is long.

The vet checked her out, killed the fleas (marvelous stuff the meds they have these days) and checked out her split lip. In a day, she has migrated from being bottle fed to lapping up kitten formula and kitten kibble. She has also maneuvered herself safely into our hearts.

Being that Thursday -- the day she came bounding out of the bushes towards us -- would have been my brother Barry's 51st birthday, she has a little special meaning for us. ...Gosh, there are a lot of things that have special meaning for us.

Welcome home, Charlotte. We love you already!

Rounding the Corner -- Potty-wise

2009-06-15T14:59:00.000-07:00

Oh, thank Heavens! We are finally getting somewhere! It all started like this (which the parenting experts will most certainly admonish me for)...

On Thursday afternoon, I put Beth in underwear after her nap and spent the next 1 hour diligently asking her to sit on the potty. In fact, I put her on the potty three times. On the third time, she complained and said "no potty" with such vigor that I let her get up. She walked 10 feet over to the sliding glass door, turned and looked at me (right in the middle of my hands being dug into hamburger meat) and started to pee on the floor.

My first inclination was to throw raw hamburger meat at her but instead I ranted and stomped my feet while I washed the goo from my hands, then I ran over and grabbed her while the 2 cups of urine spilled onto a 10 foot swath between the door and the potty. Then I got mad.

Now, I know they tell you not to get mad a kid learning to potty but this was IT. Not only was she peeing on the floor but she was laughing about it. I went over to her potty jar (which is collecting coins for successful pottys so she can buy an adorable Elmo toy) and snatched a quarter out of it. "This is mine!" I said and dropped it into my pocket with great flourish. Then I took her out to the deck and hosed her off with the water from the faucet (which if it were me would have ticked me off but she thought that part was pretty fun).

I must have made an impression because she has asked to use the potty nearly every time since that little incident. Whew! At first I thought I had damaged her forever but now I think she got the point. And, if you know the women in my family...well, subtlety doesn't always cut it.

Potty Training In My Dreams...

2009-06-08T07:46:00.000-07:00

You know you are obsessing over something when it pops up in your dreams. Let me set the scene...

We have two prolific cherry trees and I have been trying (now the third time) to get sweet cherry jam to jell so that I can preserve some of nature's bounty. Elliott, Mike and I have picked probably 3 lugs of cherries off our two trees. Well, that might be an exaggeration but they really are loaded!

With my third batch last night, I boiled the darn thing for 30 minutes, got it to the 220 degree stage, added more pectin, sterilized more jars (like I have time for THIS!). The darn stuff hasn't "set" yet again.

Anyway, somehow that combined with potty training "stewed" its way into my dreams last night. I can't recall all of it but somehow I was helping out in Elliott's first grade class by filing little vials with...can you guess what? PEE! The problem was that I had wet my pants and I couldn't fine enough of it so I think I was in the basement wringing out my shorts and trying to fill little tiny vials with...

Boy, am I messed up or what?

No, Five Things!

2009-05-15T15:04:00.000-07:00

While getting into the car the other day, both kids were nit picking at me and at each other about Heaven-knows-what. Beth was asking for a toy while I was trying to buckle her in without pinching her skin. Elliott was poking her and rattling on about something. In general, it was a nicely chaotic moment trying to get somewhere by some specific time.

Beth kept saying, "Mommy, Mommy, get my toy!" I replied something like "Hold your horses, my hands can only do ONE thing right now!" Wonder what her reply was?

"No Mommy. FIVE things!"

arrggg! ...can you see the little exasperation mark above my comic-character face...Good thing she is cute and comes with a get-out-of-jail-FREE-for-the-rest-of-your-life card!

Spring Photos: Easter, Bubbles, more

2009-05-10T21:04:00.000-07:00

Yes, they really do get along this well. I cannot imagine it is possible to have a better big brother than Elliott. His patience is herculean(he often chides me for my IMpatience). He shares everything and is adept at helping Beth put on shoes, sit on the potty and wash her hands.

Speaking of potty...This has been the longest potty training program I've ever encountered! Beth seems to be doing well for a few days and then, wham! A day like today hits. It is 9:00 at night and I am washing 4 sets of underpants and various clothes that have been soaked with more urine that one would expect a 26 pound child could produce!

My mother keeps reminding me that she won't go to Kindergarten in diapers so just take it easy. Elliott eventually figured it out in his third year but I don't recall such a long time between "awareness" and successfully staying dry. Beth still has yet to ask to use the potty. Only the power of suggestion (sitting her on the potty) gets the intended results.

No matter...We'll get there sometime in 2009 (please??)

Happy Mother's day to all our special family and friends. I just received a call from a young lady who used to babysit for us. She wanted to wish me Happy Mother's day. It reminded me that Motherhood comes in many forms and there are wonderful ways to nurther a child. What an honor to contribute to the happiness and development of the little ones around us.

Beth Playing in the Sun

2009-04-02T14:50:00.000-07:00

Just a cute photo of Beth playing with Elliott's cars and one of Elliott...

Baseball season has started right as the weather has turned glorious. Beth is no closer to being potty trained but it is tough to be put-out by this. We are having too much fun learning about her assertive nature (although she looks angelic here). Trust me, she has the attitude of a badger.

Not Much Progress -- Potty-wise

2009-03-19T07:16:00.000-07:00

I realize it has been a while since I last posted something. Truth is that I love this little video so much that I have been reluctant to post something ahead of it. And, there has been little progress on the potty front.

We get sporadic cooperation when it comes to the potty but mostly we encounter real objection. Given Beth's contrarian nature, we aren't pushing it. Daddy managed to get a "number 2" from her last weekend (to my complete amazement).

Her argument against the big-girl, small-girl thing has gotten more sophisticated. It tends to go something like this:

MOM: "Don't you want to be a BIG girl and use the potty?"
BETH: "No, I'm small. Elliott is BIG "(her emphasis)
MOM: "Don't you want a dry diaper. Wet diapers are icky."
BETH: "No, I like wet diaper. It's warm..."

Okay experts. How do I deal with that logic?

I'm Smaaall!!

2009-02-20T12:27:00.000-08:00

If you can't see this 54 second video below, click on the link above to go directly to YouTube.

I swear I don't know where she got this excuse! When she said this to me the first time, I couldn't believe my ears. I ran to grab the video camera before the moment was lost....mannerisms, tone of voice, the way she held her hands just so to indicate how tiny she is. What a crack up.

Snow Day

2009-02-15T18:24:00.000-08:00

We took last Monday off since there was new snow on the ground and Elliott was home from school. Here are a few photos of Beth and Elliott.

A funny little comment from Elliott a few days ago...I was driving him to school since it had been raining. The two of them were wound up and Elliott had Beth screaming and laughing in hysterics in the back seat. I tried vainly to get them to quiet down. "Elliott," I pleaded, "are you trying to be troublesome?" "No," he replied, matter of factly. "I'm trying to be E-vil!"

I had to ask...

Beth Turned Three!

2009-02-06T22:28:00.000-08:00

Beth turned Three on Saturday! We had a fun little birthday party with 3 of her friends. For some reason I decided that decorating cookies would be a good idea for a group of 2-3 year olds. It was a nice low-key party and the kids enjoyed themselves immensely. I would venture to say that the parents enjoyed themselves, too.

As you can see, Beth nearly busted her buttons with delight when it was time to sing Happy Birthday and unveil the Elmo cupcakes. Mike and I were so proud of her and of Elliott who was a sweet older brother. He helped the little ones decorate cookies and generally dotted upon Beth then entire time.

Elliott also earned a special honor last week by losing his first tooth. We seem to be a slow family when it comes to getting and losing teeth. He is now well over 7 years of age and the last of his friends to flash a fleshy grin. I wasn't there when the tooth popped out because he was in class. However, hearing him tell the story was almost as good as being there. This kid is becoming a good story-teller...a sure bet to being the life of dorm parties and the office water cooler.

Some stats about Beth: She reached the magic 24 pound spot at her check up on Tuesday. In fact, she weighed in at 24 pounds and 8 ounces and 34.5 inches tall. She is not anywhere close to the bottom of the growth curve but she has instead chosen her own route (for those who know her well, we suspect this is indicative of her future path through life...). She is healthy and happy.

Ear Infection. Boy am I glad to be home!

2009-01-29T07:30:00.000-08:00

Beth has an ear infection. This is such a minor blip in the road that it amazes me. Our doctor took one look on Tuesday and confirmed that the bulging eardrum needed extra care.

What stuck me as ironic is that he had to flip way back through Beth's chart to find out when she had the last one. We had to go back to last summer to find her last dose of antibiotics. A wry knowing smile crossed both our faces. Elliott had ear infections every 4-6 weeks and he was a robust full-termer! Seems Miss Beth got an extra dose of good antibodies from the numerous transfusions she received...(not really but a nice thought).

I'm back from my business trip to Florida. More migraines on the trip and a crummy hotel room. Thank goodness I am home. Now I am preparing to have 5 three-year-olds in the house on Saturday for Beth's third birthday party. In the midst of this, the floors are being replaced and don't look to be finished today as promised.

...I feel another migraine coming on...

Christmas photos

2009-01-08T20:50:00.000-08:00

There were many happy moments this Christmas but there are a few notable snapshots here we would like to share.

First off, it is interesting that of all the presents Beth and Elliott received, this box filled with pink popcorn provided the most entertainment and caused the biggest mess.

Second, we never noticed how much Beth looked like Cindy Lu Who until we watched the Grinch Who Stole Christmas on our entirely too large television (just so you know, I bought this against my better judgement. We've decided to try keeping the economy going). Notice how she is naked lying on the play table. She strips down every evening just when it reaches the coldest part of the day.

Third, we are very grateful that Elliott has not outgrown his ski helmet because he has outgrown everything else meaning that getting him equipped to go skiing will further support our economy.

Fourth, Elliott has taken on a new shape to his face giving testament to the fact that he has grown an awful lot in the past year. Beth, thankfully, has decided she likes eating and for the past month has packed on a few pounds. My guess is she will hit 26 pounds by the time of her three-year check up. When I picked her up yesterday, I could honestly say that she felt like a substantial child in my arms. Still not he size of a typical three-year-old but actually feeling like she wouldn't blow away with the next gust of wind.

Fifth and most important, we feel like the luckiest people in the world. We will make no predictions about the economy or world peace or health for 2009. We will just be happy and thankful to God for each good moment we have.

A Week of Firsts

2008-12-28T18:35:00.000-08:00

This has been a week of "firsts" for us. Miss Beth took her first train ride on "James" (actually the Light Rail which looks nothing like James or any other steam engine). She also went ice skating with me today.

The train trip was a bit of revelation for us. It was my hare-brained idea to take the train down to McDonald's for lunch. My thought was that we could let the kids play in the indoor playland, get lunch and then take the 3 mile train ride back to the historic district. It is a short walk from the light rail station to our home. What could go wrong?

We managed to get down there without too much trouble. It was the trip home that was difficult. To be more specific, it was the process of getting from McDonald's, out the door and to the light rail station that was the most troublesome. In the span of ten minutes, Beth threw a stupendous fit on the McDonald's floor earning giggles from every other mother who had been there but at the same time, mortifying Mike. I was about to lose my cool as well. Elliott thought the whole thing was hysterical.

We don't really know why Beth suddenly decided to counter anything she is offered or asked to do. She just hit the point where nothing in God's green earth met her approval be they chocolate chip cookies, Mommy, Daddy, play, no play, eat, no eat...you get the picture.

We carried her out into the cold without shoes, gloves or a jacket because we couldn't get anything on her. In the process of walking out the door and down the street to get to the train, Mike announced that there was no way in H^&* that he was going to get on a plane with Beth to go visit his mother.

I admit that his prediction that we might not actually make it down to Arizona without grounding the airplane is probably correct. The latest decision is to send Mike and Elliott down there without Beth and me. ...I wonder who is getting the better end of this deal?

Oh, the other first? This is the first time that I admitted Mike was absolutely, 100 percent correct.

Beth does NOT like Santa!

2008-12-08T15:05:00.000-08:00

http://studiokyk.smugmug.com/Events/santa/My-Gym-Santa-Photos-2008/IMG0532/426216675_ApFuC-M.jpg

We met Santa a few weeks ago. Poor Beth had other things on her mind besides sitting on the lap of a strange man with a beard! You might enjoy taking a peek by clicking on the link above. Copyright prevents me from taking an illegal screen shot or scanning the photo so that I can post it here. Besides, I'd like to credit Katchinyakandid Photography for capturing such a hysterical moment!

Here is a happier moment captured last weekend as we stood in front of our Christmas tree. I had intended on capturing a nice family moment at the tree farm but Beth had other things in mind (or OUT of her mind).

Here is the story...she had a major meltdown at the Christmas Tree farm. Beth wanted to carry back the saw we had used to cut down said tree and despite her ministrations, I refused. She resorted to kicking and rolling about in the bright red dirt while I held the coveted saw and limb loppers from her grasping hands. Daddy and Elliott were lugging the 8-foot tree (more like a 10-footer if you asked Mike) up and down two small valleys to the car. I couldn't pick up Beth with the pruning implements in my hand and yet I had no help in sight.

Three families wandered by with knowing smiles on their faces. When I finally did manage to get her back to the car, she tried running "back to the forest" when only 10 minutes before she was yelling "back to the car."

While Daddy tried to tie on the tree, I tried to tie Beth into the car seat...another thing she did not want to do that afternoon. We struggled long enough for the family next to us in the parking lot (one of the same who saw Beth's tantrum on the forest floor) to skip back to the car, drop their tree into the truck bed, load up the kid and drive off. Ten minutes later while we were still trying to get Beth in the car seat and the flippin' tree onto the roof, this same family drove back into the parking lot. I don't know why... I don't know how long they were away...

Some time later (actually it was at some point in the middle of the forest), I ditched the idea of taking a pleasant family photo of us at the glorious tree farm at Apple Hill. Our Christmas card proudly shows the four of us smiling in front of the tree in our living room.

...Only those who read our blog will know the true story.

Fundraiser for Friends of NICU

2008-12-05T15:37:00.000-08:00

The Friends of the NICU (http://www.friendsofnicu.com/) will be holding a fundraiser at Strings Italian restaurants on December 11. A portion of all meal sales will support this worthy group.

The Friends of NICU provides items directly to the families who have babies at Mercy San Juan and Mercy Sacramento. We were fortunate that I did not have to work while Beth was in the hospital for her 90-day stay. Not every family is so fortunate. With the economy taking such a hard hit, families may have an even harder time coping with the financial and emotional stress.

You can go to either restaurant between 4:00 and 9:00 on Thursday, December 11 knowing that your dinner out will help other families. This day has special significance to us because this is the day I entered the hospital. Beth was born--by the grace of God--almost 8 weeks later and came home on May 1.

Strings in Folsom (by Kohl's)
1013 Riley Street., #100
Folsom, CA 95630
Phone: (916) 983-9556

Strings at Country Club Plaza
2380 Watt Ave. Ste 150
Sacramento, CA 95825
Phone: (916) 487-7877

She Eats But Can She Wear Clothes?

2008-11-26T16:06:00.000-08:00

Beth has discovered eating (as long as the television is on or she has her Leappad to play with)! What a joy to have her consume an entire "am-booger" without major protest. Now we have just two problems to work through: getting her to wear clothes and using the potty! Funny how when we finally enter the winter season, she has begun to demand living "au naturale."

Each night, she gets a bath and we calmly dress her in cute pajamas. She sits on the potty (usually unsuccessfully), she brushes her teeth, I read stories and then she climbs into bed. Beth asks for a drink of water, we give her a kiss and then she says..."naked?" Off they go.

Guess there won't be much energy conservation in our house this winter.

Still Tiny

2008-11-14T11:35:00.000-08:00

Can this girl grow!? We took a trip to our doctor for Elliott's annual check up and flu shots. Despite the fact that Beth was not there for a check up, just a shot, our pediatrician wanted to take a look at her. He checked her heart and ears. One can never be too sure when a child has heart heart surgery (the PDA ligation 4 days after her birth). All seems well except for her size - a mere 23 pounds!

We have taken her off of the Periactin because about three weeks into the med cycle, she stayed awake for two nights straight. We figured the only thing that might have caused her to do this would be developing some new response to the medication. Since taking her off, her appetite has decreased dramatically but we are using new tricks to get her to eat. The best one seems to be playing a television program of interest while surreptitiously stuffing food in her mouth. Puzzles and the LeapFrog LeapPad seem to work as good diversions, too.

On another topic...
One of my clients has put my work on hold through the rest of 2008 leaving me a big chunk of time. I have alluded to a little project I've been working on before but here is the real admission: I am writing a book. I am writing about the journey to get pregnant and the unbelievable journey to keep Beth alive during the midst of losing her sister. I spent almost 8 weeks in the hospital between the 18th and 26th week of my pregnancy. My time ended when Beth was born at 26 weeks and 0 days. Her journey is written in great detail in the early posts of this blog but the hospital time BEFORE she was born...well, that was a source of pain, fear and wrenching loss.

I had started writing while she was in the hospital as a way to work through my grief and fear for her survival. In that process, I discovered some things that I think others should be able to read like the ability of one's mind to overcome extreme adversity. What I am reluctant to share is the personal nature of our struggle. Since I have more time on my hands with one less client, I am turning the 60,000-word jumble of chapters and essays into a book that may or may not have commercial appeal. I just don't know. Writing about here just makes it a little more "real" and helps keep me committed.

I may publish excerpts here since the topic of our lives is so normal now--one might find recent posts about our lives to be boring. It may be more interesting to have something new to read (for those who follow our story.) I'll be interested in hearing feedback which will hopefully encourage me to keep going.

Halloween Photos

2008-11-02T16:47:00.001-08:00

It is a little difficult for me to write a post since my father's death. I almost don't want to put another post up here because it will go above my tribute to Dad and I won't get to see his photo show up on my monitor every day. At some point I am supposed to move on and in reality, life has been moving along regardless of my desire to stop time. So here are some photos of Beth and Elliott in their costumes.

My Father's Passing

2008-10-13T13:43:00.001-07:00

My dad passed away on Saturday night. He suffered (and my mother right along with him) for over 10 years with Alzheimer's Disease. Even as his brain grew increasingly foggy, Dad noticed Mom. He would smile and call her name and when language escaped him, his eyes would twinkle as she entered the room or he heard her voice.

A family friend emailed me to say "Who didn't like Lowell." He was that kind of man. He still had an infectious laugh even through this year. A good joke (or even a bad joke) brought gales of full-body laughter. Never have I met a grown man who's laugh would gather up everyone else in its pure joy. He would scrunch up his eyes, jiggle his tummy, and slap his knee if he truly wanted to show delight.

Dad was keenly smart, something that frustrated me and my siblings while we were growing up. He often fell asleep with a dictionary on his chest. He filled our vocabulary with words like unctuous, myrmidon, and verisimilitude. "Look it up" he would say to our great consternation. He taught us to handle checkbooks at an early age. He worked like a plough horse among the fancy warm-bloods and pedigreed horses in our barns, fixing fences, stringing hot-wire and shoveling horse poop from their paddocks. Then he would work at his consulting business while classical music sang in his office.

I have great memories of Dad sitting in the living room with some fabulous piece of music playing on the giant 3 foot speakers we hoisted up the tall redwood lined walls. He would close his eyes and direct an imaginary symphony, enraptured by the complex genius that created such beauty. His gifted mind could truly appreciate the intricate musical score -- a talent he passed on to my sister, Nicole.

When I was very young, he would rough-house with the four of us. We would sit behind him and pull his hair while he pretended it didn't hurt. "Pull harder", "ah, refreshing." We could never hurt him. Our family constantly ribbed him for his gargantuan hands and the generous circumference of his head. Mom loves to tell of a trip to Mexico where every street vendor in town rushed to find a hat for the Gringo with the "grande cabezza."

We had fabulous opportunities because of my dad. We had crazy times too but the strength of our family's connection never wavered. Dad could be counted on. Mom could be counted on. Together they balanced our lives like the giant oaks that grew on our farm. From their co-joined trunk sprouted many, many branches. They shot out in different directions, some went one way and then jutted back another seeking brighter sunshine. All of them thrived and dropped acorns that spawned new trees.

That amazing tree has lost half its truck, damaged by the slow choking of Alzheimer's disease. Yet, like those incredible trees that still manage to harbor abundant life when half their trunk is gone, our branches continue to grow, feeding on the remaining cambium, protected by the bark and still feeling life and love from our mother and the memories of our father.

May your memories all be together now, Dad, and may the music you hear be even more brilliant than you ever thought possible.

Elliott's Seventh Birthday and Other Photos

2008-10-09T07:09:00.000-07:00

Beth continues to do well and is eating more now that she has been on Perictin (Antihistamine Stimulates Appetite ). I have been experimenting to see if she avoids eating when not on the meds. Sure enough, if it has been over 4 hours since her last dose, she will fight me when I ask her to eat lunch/dinner. We feel a huge relief when she sits in her high chair without argument and actually consumes something more than dried blueberries and cocoa bumpers.

Elliott turned 7 last week. We had a wild party at the local Bouncy place, Bounceopolis. I could not take many photos because it was absolute chaos for 90 minutes. There were 26 kids launching themselves into the air, crashing into each other and generally beating the heck out of each other. I had to shadow Beth everywhere to keep her from getting squished. There was no way to keep her in the "kiddie" room where she would have been safer. Noooo. It is 4 days past the party and my arms still ache.

This photo shows Elliott at home with his birthday cake that I made (can't you tell it is a bear??). The pig is part of a reading program conceived by his teacher. He and 5 other animals circulate around the classroom with related books. The kids get to take one animal home and read all the books overnight. Then they record their day in a journal. We are lucky the pig didn't get chocolate frosting all over him.

The two photos of Beth were taken by my sister-in-law, Cathie. Again, her amazing photographic talent shines through. I'm so envious of her skill but appreciate that she captures these priceless images.

On the sad side, my father who has suffered with Alzheimer's Disease for over 10 years is having a very difficult time. These photos by Cathie were taken at an Alzheimer's fundraising walk last Saturday. Thousands of people rallied at the Capitol and raised funds for research and caregiver support. My father's health seemed to take a step backwards with every stride we made in his honor. He is still with us but we fear it will not be for long.

3rd NICU Reunion

2008-09-24T15:41:00.001-07:00

Last Saturday was our third NICU reunion. I can't describe how important it is to go to these reunions. I can never adequately thank the talented, dedicated doctors and nurses who worked with Beth every day for those three months. We developed many special relationships with people whom we would never have met under normal circumstances. Despite the difficulty of the first 45 days in the NICU, Mike and I consider it a gift to have met these wonderful people.

These pictures show just a few of the dozens who helped Beth. The two Mercy hospitals in Sacramento see about 500 babies each year; the staff are exceptionally busy. I don't know how they remember us but that is testament to how committed they are to their vocation.

Joan (green shirt) was Beth's primary nurse. The Mercy San Juan NICU assigns a primary nurse to oversee all care. When Beth was in 1:1 care, Joan was the person who sat by her side for an entire 12-hour shift. She watched Mike and I cry giant crocodile tears for hours on end. She has attended Beth's birthday parties and become a special friend. She was the first person I called when Beth ended up back in the hospital just a few weeks after being discharged. She is a quiet, unassuming genius at her job. Mike and I would trust her with our lives. She certainly saved Beth's!

Bree (pink shirt) is another one of the special nurses. She was also assigned to Beth on many of those early days. She is the one who made me hold Beth at 11 days of age when she was still intubated. I was scared to death and not all of the nurses are comfortable making this happen with such a tiny, fragile baby. Bree knew how important it was to get over this hump and she had the glowing confidence to make me know it would be alright. She is generally considered the IV/PIC line specialist. I have seen her place PIC lines and IV's in other babies after other nurses had tried and tried. Bree is the only nurse who could get an IV started in Beth when we were re-admitted that first May. Joan calls Bree a genius but I think they think that of each other...

This is Kathy, the developmental specialist. Kathy saved Beth from developing an oral aversion. She was our champion when trying to get her discharged on breast feeding. She spent hours softly caressing her and teaching us how to hold her arms and legs in the "midline" and mimic the comfort of the womb. Not all babies like to be stroked and Kathy taught us how to see signs of stress, reading Beth's cues for what she needed at any particular time. I am sure that her keen insight and unexplainable "feelings" prevented many of the sensory processing disorders we seemed destined to have.

This is Lori. She was Beth's nurse on the last two days when we were doing our "feeding trial." It was an odd time for them because they don't usually discharge babies who breastfeed. Beth wasn't taking the bottle but she would nurse. It took a lot of commitment to make this happen but Lori really took charge so we could bring our girl home!

These last two guys are respiratory therapists. Randy (with the beard) was the nurse who intubated Beth in the delivery room while chaos reigned. I was bleeding profusely and their was much confusion about how to get me under, get blood, and who knows what else. He stayed cool, did his job and paid attention to Beth. She needed all sorts of things immediately and he did a fabulous job (not that I saw any of it. I just heard about it much later).

The other guy is Simon. He had a twinkle in his eye for Beth from day one. He would tell me that Beth was the poster child for what a 26-weeker should do in the NICU. She did all those scary things that a seasoned pro like he expected and he never wavered, never panicked. He was a rock and I was always certain that Beth would be given delicate, perfect care for her oxygen needs (which for a preemie can mean the difference between vision problems and the perfect vision she seems to have). Joan would tell me that Simon had soft spot for Beth. Too bad she can't remember that! All respiratory therapists will tell you the babies don't like them because they are always being fiddled with in their face. We know the RTs save our babies' lives. Thank you!

Antihistamine Stimulates Appetite

2008-09-19T16:06:00.000-07:00

We (maybe I) finally got pushed too far with respect to Beth's abysmal food consumption. Last week I secured a prescription for her to boost her appetite. The drug is actually an antihistamine called Periactin http://www.drugs.com/mtm/periactin.html. We have discussed this option with Beth's pediatrician many times and each time we have put it off as a "wait and see" approach.

I had to take Elliott to the doctor because he had a bad case of poison oak which was steadily descending down the trunk of his body to more...sensitive parts. I thought it best to nip the thing in the bud before poor Elliott experienced insane itching in his privates. While talking to the doctor, I mentioned that Beth was now 33 inches tall and just 22 pounds. He decided that it was probably time to start the drug.

"Now be careful with her," he told me. "She might be a little sleepy."

...Okay Moms. Do any of you think being "a little sleepy" in a toddler is a bad thing? Do any of you know my toddlers? Heck, sign me up!!

It has been a week and I am only giving her two of the three doses she could have each day. There has been a noticeable improvement in her eating and her willingness to try some other foods. I am hoping that this will help her understand what a hungry tummy means and that sitting in the high chair means that it is time for food, a pleasurable experience rather than the pleading and begging time it has been in the past.

What about her sleepiness? Sadly, I cannot detect any change in her behavior or sleeping pattern (actually I am glad to see no change). Beth has always been a good sleeper and there is no difference in the duration, frequency or degree of her sleep. She was a light sleeper and easily awakened before the Periactin and she is still a light sleeper and easily awakened.

Overall we consider this a good thing. Elliott's poison oak is gone and Beth is actually sitting down and eating food while asking for more. She still gets in a mood where she doesn't want anything but I estimate she is eating 50 percent more than she did before the drug. Yippee!!

Is Elliott Smarter than His Parents?

2008-08-29T13:11:00.000-07:00

Our drama these days is centered around Beth's eating habits (thank Heaven our problems are as minor as this!) As you know, Mike and I struggle to get Beth to eat. There seems to be no pattern nor rhyme/reason to her eating. We've tried all kinds of tricks and cajoling.

We make sure no one says the word C-O-O-K-I-E around her prior to or during a meal because she will instantly stop eating and fixate on a cookie. She then steadfastly refuses to eat anything else until said cookie is produced. I, however, have decided we will try training her to eat by sticking to our guns and only producing said cookie after she has finished at least some of her meager meal. (...don't ask me how this silly lesson is going...)

Anyway, a few days ago Elliott started coaxing Beth into eating by telling her that everything on her plate was C-A-N-D-Y! I'll be an ostrich-with-my-head-in-the-sand, but Beth started eating whatever he put in front of her.

...sometimes you just gotta stop thinking so hard.

Summer Vacation Photos 2

2008-08-22T12:59:00.001-07:00

Mike and I took about 7 rides together during out two week vacation (thanks Mom and Athena for babysitting). One of those rides was up a 7 mile climb along Barker Pass. Towards the top we came around the corner to find beautiful wildflowers. Later on, we brought mom and the kids up to 8,000 feet where the flowers were stunning.

Just a handsome shot of Elliott. He does look like a grown up boy here. I must say I am happy to have Beth around (for obvious reasons) because I don't feel like the 40+ mother that I am when holding a toddler in my arms.
This other photo shows Elliott and Beth sleeping together in our room at Tahoe. Because Beth won't sleep in the port-crib anymore, we had to be creative with sleeping arrangements. It took a few days but eventually got Beth to settle into bed with Elliott (on most nights). She managed to crawl up into our bed numerous times over the two weeks we were away but overall, they enjoyed sharing a bed.
The young lady on the left is my niece, Nicole. She and her friend, Maddie, came up for the first weekend. Beth enjoyed their attention and teenage giggles. By the way, Elliott was not lost on their good looks either. He is a flirt and the more girls around him (especially pretty girls), the better. We foresee trouble ahead!

Summer Vacation Photos

2008-08-18T16:11:00.001-07:00

Eat Something, Darn-it!!

2008-08-13T14:37:00.000-07:00

Beth is on an eating strike again. Sure, she loved beef four weeks ago but now won't have anything to do with it. In fact, she won't have anything to do with anything that isn't spelled C-O-O-K-I-E. By my estimate, she brings in 400 calories a day and most of that is from milk. Here is how today has gone so far:

Up at 6:00 and won't eat. At 7:30 she consumes 2 bites of raisin toast, 8 pieces of Golden Grahams and 4 ounces of milk.
After dropping off Elliott, I take her to McDonald's to see if she will eat pancakes with copious amounts of syrup. No dice. She won't even eat the bacon or sip the O.J.
at 9:00, I take her to My Gym. In the course of an hour she finishes the other 6 ounces of milk. At CostCo, she eats a few dried blueberries.
At lunch, I offer her part of my sandwich. She takes it apart and eats 1/4 of the "bun" which is the wheat bread holding the salami. She pines for a cookie and I tell her she has to eat her sandwich.
She awakes from her nap asking for a cookie. I won't give her one without eating. I pick up Elliott and she asks for juice. I give her juice and offer the sandwich. She eats two chips and half a pickle but no sandwich.

This is typical for her. She either stuffs her face or refuses any sustenance. I am really getting concerned and frustrated! I could operate a grocery store with the food we have tried for her. Two nights ago I made a chocolate milkshake with banana in it. She drank about 3 ounces. ...just a little whining on my part and a fair bit of concern. Any feeding advice would be happily received.

21.1 Pounds!

2008-08-07T15:39:00.000-07:00

How do I maintain my cool when Beth is tipping the scales at a mere 21.1 pounds! I took her to Maternal Expressions on Monday after our return from vacation because the sight of her tiny legs is scaring me. I was not pleased by what the scale revealed. Beth has gained over a pound since January so I suppose that is acceptable but I just keep hoping she will surprise me and hit 22 pounds.

I keep getting reassurance from all sources. The kind lady at the maternity store where I weighed her remarked about how tall she seemed and that her skin, hair and eyes are healthy. Two moms at My Gym told me stories of their tiny kids (one 4 year old only weighs 33 pounds). All my friends remind me that at 5 feet tall, I’m not exactly a giant myself.

I think the issue – well two issues, really – is that she is a lousy eater except when she decides to go on a BEEF BINGE. The other is that we mothers of preemies never get over the panic of seeing such tiny babies fighting for their lives. I have read of Holocaust survivors who have eating disorders all their lives. I’m not saying that our ordeal was as horrific as the Holocaust but I can attest to the long-term scars wrought by extremely stressful situations. And when they go on for a long time like a 90-day NICU stay preceded by the horrors we experienced, it is sometimes difficult to find where normal lies.

Each day this week, I have threatened to call our doctor to get his opinion on Beth’s growth. I keep saying to myself that if she eats well today, I won’t call him. Guess what? Beth is eating very well this week so Dr. Arab has been spared my paranoia.

Let’s see what she weighs in two weeks, eh?

Next up... vacation photos from Tahoe. What fun we had!

Proof Positive

2008-07-18T12:57:00.000-07:00

Remember my post a few weeks ago about Beth the Carnivore? Well, here is proof positive. This is even funnier to us because she has been on an eating strike the last week. I doubt she is consuming 400 calories a day. Thankfully she likes milk because that is where the bulk of her calories come from.

Anyway, fun photos of Beth and can I gush about Elliott? Dang, he is one cute kid. When he smiles, those dimples melt your heart. He is getting a few freckles on his nose to make him even cuter.

One hysterical point to add about these ribs. Guess what Elliott was eating while Beth noshed on pork ribs?...tofu.

The Yin and Yang

2008-07-14T20:44:00.000-07:00

Each day I watch Beth grow but what amazes me the most is how her personality matures. Isn’t it amazing that toddlers show their own sense of humor and traits that will make up their adult personas? Mike and I often reminisce about how Beth is different from Elliott. Ah ha! What a fun exercise for our blog.

Beth loves to sleep. Elliott hates to sleep.
Beth sucks her thumb and uses a blankie. Elliott has never used such comfort devices DESPITE my pitiful pleas for mercy!
Elliott climbs into the high chair. Beth climbs into the crib.
Beth BEGS for books. Elliott BEGS for TV.
Elliott eats tofu. Beth eats BEEF!
Elliott eats vegetables. Beth won't touch them with a 10-foot pole.
Elliott can’t stand to get water on his face. Beth giggles and laughs and gurgles the water as it runs over her forehead.
Beth smiles as she is laid down to sleep. Elliott required 20 minutes of rocking or dancing to get him to sleep and he still finds a way to delay sleep as long as possible.
Elliott used to go on hour-long walks with the stroller. Beth has a hissy-fit and can’t even make it the 15 minutes it takes to walk Elliott to school.
Elliott was born with hair and grew loads of beautiful blonde curls by 12 months. Beth was born with hair (but that doesn’t count), lost her hair and still has roughly 200 pieces on her head!
Elliott could sleep through a rock concert. Beth wakes up when the door squeaks open.

How are they similar? They are loved more than we ever thought it possible.

Beth the Carnivore

2008-06-24T20:24:00.000-07:00

I have been remiss in past weeks for writing about Miss Beth. I am far too overworked with a new client and preparation tasks for an upcoming conference. The end is in sight, however and I am looking forward to relaying some humorous stories again. Despite my lack of time, I could not pass up this little gem...

Having a open afternoon and the inability to go outside with Beth and Elliott due to the smoke in the air, I decided to take a trip to the grocery store to stock up the pantry and fridge before my trip to Texas. Elliott is always happy to go to "play care" at the store where he can play with other children and watch a movie without me pestering him to turn off the T.V.

Beth is not at all interested in going to play care. She cries mournfully and wraps herself so tightly around my neck and arm that it is nearly impossible to pry her away. I have lately ushered her through the aisles as fast as I can while feeding her various treats to keep her seated in the shopping cart (never thought I'd do that - she must be out of danger, eh!). It is very difficult to make it through our neighborhood Raley's quickly because we have become friends with many of the employees. Furthermore, the pharmacy staff are all fans of Beth's and want to admire her when we visit the store (they know of her scary start and complicated first year with the hundred or so prescriptions we have filled there).

Every time I go to Raleys, I race up and down the aisles hoping I can get the shopping done before it becomes impossible to keep Beth in the cart. Today was especially difficult so I detoured to the bakery counter a little earlier than usual to get her a cookie. We waited patiently for the baker to bring us a cookie while Beth admired sprinkled donuts and various treats. Since the baker was occupied, the deli person came over to give her a cookie and take my order for roast beef. While she handed Beth her sprinkle cookie, I asked for a half-pound of roast beef.

Now, who in their right mind would expect my diminutive little girl to prefer meat to a cookie, right? I mean, it is a little hard to picture her devouring a chicken leg with strings of meat hanging from her delicate mouth like a she-lion ripping flesh from a wildebeast. Well, Beth proved me wrong; as soon as she heard me say "roast beef," her ears perked up and she looked me straight in the eye, dropped her cookie and said "MEAT!"

I thought the deli-girl was going to drop that 10 pound hunk of prime rib right on the floor! She did manage to gather herself and then promptly presented Beth with a giant piece of the reddest, prime roast beef I have ever seen. Beth's response was a most endearing smile and a rapid stuffing of said protein and cholesterol into her gaping mouth.

I made it home with scarcely more than a quarter pound of roast beef but the rest of the shopping trip went a whole lot smoother. Yes, my girl is a carnivore. She never did touch the cookie. Elliott ate it on the way home. Beth was curiously thirsty, however...

Summer Begins

2008-06-07T20:56:00.000-07:00

Elliott has graduated from Kindergarten. T-ball season is over. Beth has entered a new level of consciousness. As if she wasn't trouble enough, now Beth is learning to assert herself. Two nights ago, I spent over an hour with her screaming and pounding on the door because she did not want to go to bed. Beth is usually a great sleeper, happily plopping herself down in the crib for naps and her 8 p.m. bedtime. Lately, she has decided bedtime happens AFTER she has had her fill of books.

Everyone who has spent more than 10 minutes with her knows that her fill of books is not what the average mommy/daddy/gramma/nanny/friend/uncle can handle at one sitting. Beth can sit for an hour while any available adult reads to her. On Thursday night she was in that mood and nothing Daddy and I could do would fulfill her need for literature.

Daddy (who was up at 4:30 a.m.) and I were pooped and looking forward the 8 p.m. quiet. Beth wasn't amused. She ranted and raved. She kicked and screamed. She refused to be held until a book was clearly in view for reading. I fed her. I played with her. Nothing worked. I was so concerned about her in the crib that I took her out and sat on the rocking chair inside her room while she screamed and pounded on the door. I finally distracted her with some tinker toys (thank you Mattel!) to quiet her down. At 9:15 I looked her in the eye (which were drooping considerably by this time) and told her we could get a nice warm blankie from the dryer and then she was going to bed.

Thankfully she complied and dropped to sleep the instant she was in bed. The last two nights have gone down without complication but I suspect we may be hitting a new developmental milestone for her and she won't be so easily placated in the future.

Elliott's Graduation

Elliott has finished Kindergarten and said goodbye to his wonderful teacher Mrs. Young. You can just read LOVE in her eyes. It is sad to move on but we are happy to have him at home for some summer fun.

He was a very good boy in school. His overly friendly nature (...wonder where he got that trait??) got him into trouble a few times but his intentions are always sweet. We were pleased to see high marks on his report card.

I often question the rigor we subject our young children to these days. I represent many K-12 education companies including Holt McDougal, one of three top publishers in the country. My job as a public relations professional requires being knowledgeable about policy and public sentiment. While I support the need for learning standards, standardized assessments and the high rigor we expect of our children, I do feel sorry that Kindergarten is not the blissful, low-pressure time of old. I commend teachers like Mrs. Young who still manage to combine fun and colorful learning with the requirement of "popcorn" words, phonics, basic number sense and penmanship. It is the mark of highly skilled and dedicated individual when she can bring 24 students through the year with a good foundation for first grade and do so in 4.5 hours a day.

Once again, special, special people have been a part of our lives. I feel Shepards and Angels all around us.

Snoozing and Mom Falling Down on the Job

2008-05-28T18:43:00.001-07:00

Try as I might to plan this better, I cannot seem to keep Beth awake during a bike ride while she is in the trailer. Today I left at 9:30 a.m. thinking that since she had just woken up two hours earlier, she would stay awake. No such luck. Within 30 minutes her talking stopped. Then she stopped reading books (look at her feet for discarded works). Soon, her head started to nod and then, BAM! She was out like a light.

I've never seen her sleep with her mouth open, catching flies like Gramma used to do on long car rides. She didn't even hold on to her ever-present blankie. The result of my snickering at her rapturous repose is that she didn't nap this afternoon -- just punishment for me!

I suppose this is payback for my transgression on Monday. I found a dead bumblebee on the ground and thought Beth would enjoy touching it since she would never get the chance with a live bee. I considered the option that the bee was not TOTALLY dead but apparently...I didn't consider that possibility strongly enough to muster the necessary caution. Instead, Beth snatched him from my hand and was promptly stung by the stunned, possum-playing bee.

Lord have mercy! She didn't even get a stinger in her finger but she let me know about it for about an hour afterwards! I realize it really did hurt and I felt very low after my failure to protect her but she made a fuss for a loooong time.

After we were sure she wouldn't swell up or go into shock, Mike and I had a few good jokes about it. I reminded him of the time he left Elliott alone in the stroller at the top of our very steep driveway and he plummeted down 40 feet of a 15% slope into the fence across the way. Or, the time he didn't connect the tag-along to my bicycle properly and Elliott dropped to the pavement going 10 miles an hour!

We have had some failures and minor transgressions in our parenting but thankfully both children are in good shape. Now if I could just get Beth to go to bed tonight...

Happy Bird-day to Gwamma

2008-05-19T14:54:00.000-07:00

Mom turns 75 today! It is hard to believe but all too true. To show off her boundless enthusisam and good health, she is travelling in Italy with her other not-so-young friend. We miss you mom! Here is a cheerful rendition of Happy Birthday from Beth.

Mother's Day 2008

2008-05-11T20:19:00.001-07:00

Beautiful children. Lucky me.

Sometimes I drift off and think of what we have lost. But, then I get to hug these two and I am profoundly thankful for what we have. Lucky, lucky me.

Friends You Could Count On

2008-05-06T21:43:00.000-07:00

I grew up on a horse farm in the middle of suburban Sacramento. We had a great little spread with 10 acres, pastures, barns and FABULOUS neighbors. We have remained friends with nearly everyone who lived on Mason Lane. Our next-door neighbors from those happy days were the Goldbergs and their eldest daughter (whom I used to baby-sit!!) has an adorable 3-year-old. Well, little Ginger had a birthday party last weekend and their Grandmother (our old neighbors who still live in the same house from years ago) brought horses to the party for the children to ride.

I have not sat on a horse for over 20 years so here I am atop Ann's old polo pony holding Beth who was not too happy about the situation. Elliott rode his stead like a young cowboy but Beth raised quite a ruckus.

It was a treat to sit astride a horse and for a brief moment, I yearned for the good old days when I would spend hours in the barn washing horses, cleaning tack and riding. There were many stalls to muck and more hard work than I care to recall but the rewards of having horses were many. More importantly, perhaps, the friendships we developed when horses were sick, accidents occurred or emergency floods ripped through the barns taught us how to respect our neighbors and rely on their aide. When our world fell apart two years ago, many of these same folks visited us in the hospital, said prayers for us and kept us distracted with phone calls and cards.

Haven't we been lucky...

Happy Beth-Day

2008-05-01T21:19:00.000-07:00

We are nearly speechless with joy and amazement. Beth's presence never ceases to amaze us. A little over two years ago, we never imagined we would have celebrations like this. We were so full of fear, unsure we could even get her to the point of survival. And then when we got there, we feared she would not live through her days in the NICU let alone become a beautiful, vivacious little girl. Bless you Beth for having such spunk!

Can She Really Count?

2008-04-23T07:11:00.000-07:00

I am a little freaked out here. Maybe other mothers of girls will roll their eyes at me but Elliott could never do the things Beth is doing at her age. Yesterday I sat down next to her while she was playing and listened to her talking. She was counting the sections on one of her toys! She went all the way up to 13 (although she missed number five). Do girls typically do this at 26 months (she is actually only 23 months)? She also knows most of her letters. I think she is just very verbal and likes to talk -- not that I want to reinforce stereotypes...

Now she is uttering Japanese, Spanish and French from her Baby Einstein DVDs. I know she hasn't actually learned those words but she is mimicking the voices on the DVD. I am sure she will follow Mommy's footsteps into some career like public relations. ;-)

T-Ball Season

2008-04-18T15:15:00.000-07:00

No, Beth isn't playing T-Ball yet but she is certainly making her presence known on the field! Daddy coaches Elliott's team, I am team-Mom and Beth is the team mascot/clown. We only talk T-ball in this house! I hope you enjoy these photos of Elliott, Daddy (with our tiniest player) and Beth. We are the red team, the Phillies!

Yesterday I went to see my OB-GYN, Dr. Cragun. He is a dear man whom we credit for saving Beth's life. I almost miss seeing him these days. Each day of our hospital stay, we relied on his confidence to see us through every day of our hospital stay. We just can't say enough great things about him. Thank Heaven he entered our life at just the right time. I am absolutely sure that Beth made it because of him.

On May 1st, we will celebrate "Beth Day"! Two years ago on May 1, 2006, Beth came home from the hospital. Her real due date was May 9 (rather than January 31) so we designated May 1 as her "Beth Day." It is a time to celebrate her life and the miracle of her coming home. It was an amazing day for us and I'll never forget hearing Dr. Getman ask us "How would you like to take Beth home today?" So May 1 commemorates this special day and we smile ALL DAY LONG!

Spring Thoughts

2008-04-15T09:46:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't it be nice to sleep so soundly? Looks like Beth just dropped into her crib and feel instantly asleep. Thankfully, she does sleep easily (unlike her brother) because her energy level during the day is the stuff legends are made of. She seems to be rivaling her brother.

"Beth Day" is coming up on May 1. We get to celebrate two years of her being home. Despite the completely typical life we lead with her now, Mike and I still shake our heads in disbelief.

No amazing news except that she now knows almost every letter of the alphabet and can discern small letters, too. She weathered through another cold without complication and even though she is now weaned so no extra immunity support from me!

Easter 2008

2008-03-24T07:13:00.000-07:00

Reading the stories of other micro-preemies reminds me of how lucky we are. Knowing that Beth is in good health is a wonderful gift and it allows us to enjoy nice times like this. These photos are of an Easter Egg Hunt and party at my good friend's, the Rozzanos. Food and good cheer were abundant. The kid's had a fabulous time. I can write now only because Beth is still sleeping at 7:00 a.m. this morning (12 hours straight!)

Beth's 2nd Birthday Party Photos

2008-02-20T21:26:00.000-08:00

Two Year Old Doctor Check Up

2008-02-12T13:19:00.000-08:00

Seems we can't buy any weight gain for Beth. I thought surely she was over 20 pounds at her 2 year old birthday but today's doctor check up disputed that. I made them check her on two scales and each one showed a mere 19 pounds and 1o ounces. DAMN! She is healthy and again Dr. Arab has no concern about her weight gain. In fact, he was more interested in telling me how he faced down a pharmacy sales rep and her boss to complain about the rising cost of vaccinations. I tell you, this is the type of doctor you want on your side.

He gave her a thorough check up (when she wasn't strangling my neck trying to get away from him!) and declared her healthy as a horse. She is 32 inches tall and has just eeked into the sub-5th percentile in height. Her weight...don't ask. She is about as far below the zero-point as the scale is wide. Our only consolation is that she is gaining in a steady but slow curve.

Beth has thoroughly enjoyed her birthday. She has a cute way of saying "hippy da'-day" and insists on punching her singing-Elmo birthday balloon 10-15 times per day. Yesterday she was uttering something cute while Elliott played with her in the backyard. I finally figured out that she was copying him as he said "upsie daisy" while he helped her climb the rocks. Beth says something like "juppy daaadie". I'll see if I can record these because they are just too cute.

Life is good. They are both healthy and we are thanking God each day.

Genius or Genus?

2008-01-21T06:51:00.000-08:00

What mother hasn't fallen for this one...

Elliott taught Beth to say "yellow" which comes out not as adults say it but more like "lellow". I thought that was pretty good for an almost 2-year-old* (the asterisk is my way of not having to explain the whole story of how old she really is). We naturally started to point out yellow things -- book pages being the most frequently viewed items in our house.

One morning I started to point out "black" and "blue" and "red". I even ventured into "pink". Some time later while I was rushing about between the washing machine and food preparation, I found her holding a small book with those colored book-plates on the back where you can see if the colors are aligned well. Miss Beth was pointing to the black circle and clearly saying "black." Wow! Could she point out blue? I asked "where's blue?" Bingo. She pointed to blue. "Where's yellow?" Score again. "Where's black?" Another score.

Man what a smart girl, I thought. She picked up her colors in one little session and she remembers them!! Elliott didn't get his colors until...sometime between 3 and 4 years old but you know boys.

I proudly relayed my story to a mom at My Gym who was most impressed especially since Beth looks to be about 14 months old. Here I was beaming at our special girl. She's so advanced. We mom's -- despite our best intentions -- tend to find ways to show off our children's skills. I admit it. I enjoy it when Beth and Elliott succeed yet I try not to dwell on every little thing my children do. It can get tiresome to hear.

Anyway, next Miss Beth and I bounced on the trampoline that is surrounded by GIANT mats of the primary colors. "Beth," I said. "What color is this? (pointing to the blue square). "Lellow" she said.

Well, at least she got the genus correct.

Beth's First Day in the Snow

2008-01-08T15:41:00.000-08:00

Beth saw snow for the first time on New Year's Day! She was very excited to get out of the car however her enthusiasm diminished once she actually TOUCHED it. Thankfully it was a sunny day so she could go without her gloves (it is impossible to keep them on a toddler anyway). Notice how large this snow suit is. It is a 2T which is the smallest size we could find from Land's End and I wanted it a bit large to accommodate a few layers underneath. Beth is just a little wisp of a thing!

Elliott enjoyed sledding with his friends. He left a little cheek skin on the snow but emerged smiling despite wrenching his knee and banging various other things on his way down the hill.

These days we spend an inordinate amount of time reading stories. I never thought I would complain about this but even Gramma as well as Nana and Grandpa Ron (who just came from Arizona for a 3-day visit) found her insatiable appetite a little tiring. Now you know what we mean!!

Yet each moment is a blessing and yes, I do dwell on her amazing existence. I think I will every day of my life and if it gets tiring to others, that is even more wonderful to me because it means we are that much further from when it all happened. The pain is lessened but the amazement is still...amazing.

Christmas 2007

2007-12-28T14:29:00.000-08:00

Christmas with two little ones in the house was as we expected -- chaos! Beth and Elliott had a marvelous time opening presents and enjoying each other's toys. Poor Beth had a cough and runny nose (and still does). Elliott, too, has a cough but that hasn't dampened his enthusiasm.

Beth has three new teeth in the last two weeks. She has a few phrases including:
" 'scuze me' (when she burbs)
"pick that up" (when something is out of order)
"MINE" (for the presents Elliott steals)
"nooo" (with a cute lilt at the end)
"baby" (among her favorite toys)
"boooooookkkk!" (which she utters much to often)

Yes, I never thought I would tire of book reading. Beth has an insatiable appetite for reading. I'm not sure if she loves sitting on your lap or loves reading but in any event, she is insistent and persistent. Thank you to all our friends and family who contributed books to these two. We need all the variety we can get!

Both are amazing, healthy children. Beth continues to grow slowly. Our greatest gift of all time is her survival and excellent health.

Christmas Picture

2007-12-13T07:59:00.000-08:00

Asherman's Syndrome Article

2007-12-10T23:00:00.000-08:00

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/features/article3025016.ece

This is a link to a news article in The Times (UK) about Asherman's Syndrome (AS). This is the first major news story to break about AS which is the condition I developed after delivering Elliott in 2001. It took over a year to get my doctor to take me seriously when I said something was wrong and another 6 months to get a definitive diagnosis. If you have time to read this article, you'll understand more about the process of diagnosis.

The short story is that insurance companies typically don't cover the cost to correct a condition like AS, assuming it can be reversed. And, finding a qualified doctor is very difficult, too. Fortunately there are 2 qualified doctors in California and one of the best was located in Los Gatos. Mike and I made 5 trips there for surgery and I made countless drives to follow-up appointments. After running out of patience and dipping seriously into our savings, I elected to have a final surgery by an excellent doctor at the Northern California Fertility Center - Dr. Gilliland. He did a great job in the final steps and ultimately we did conceive despite one completely blocked fallopian tube. You know the rest of the story...

The full story of getting pregnant is too long to write here. Perhaps I will resurrect that book...