March of Dimes Walk and 24 hours with Sam's Glasses!

Today we did the March of Dimes "March for Babies" walk. It was SO inspiring. We walked wearing t-shirts with Sam's picture on them, and we walked with one of Brian's co-workers who had her daughter at 32 weeks. Some of Brian's other co-workers and our friends from the NICU walked with us.

During the opening, a lady spoke that just lost her baby, at 17 mos. old, from complications due to prematurity. Her daughter just died three weeks ago, and she had the composure to stand in front of this crowd of hundreds and tell her story. She really focused on the 17 amazing months she got to have with her daughter and not on the loss. And, one thing that really hit home - when she was talking about bringing her baby home from the NICU on a breathing machine and with oxygen treatments, she said, "those just seemed like little obstacles on her way to conquer the world." What an incredible outlook! So, that's how I'm going to look at Sam's regional center services . . . little obstacles on her way to conquer the world!!!

Today also marked the first 24 hours with Sam's glasses. She obviously is loving her new outlook on the world -- she's even more smiley than her previous self, and she's playing with toys like never before! When she reached for things before, she was so timid about it, now she just reaches out and takes what she wants. We are feeling so excited!!!

And, we had to say "no" and put the glasses back on only about once per hour today which is WAY less than yesterday! I read that at 6 mos, babies can understand "no" but we've never had to tell her no before!!! But with these glasses, I think she's going to learn "no" pretty quickly.

Sam and I also hit up a warehouse sale for designer strollers. I got caught up in the moment and ALMOST dropped $400 on a $900 stroller, but I called Brian, and he talked me out of it. I decided after walking out w/o a new stroller, that I should come home and transfer what I would have spent on that stroller into Sam's college fund!!!!

This blog is going to be great for me - I can't wait to share all my magical mommy moments, and all my scary ones. I decided that if I can keep this blog up, and post regularly, I'm going to print all my posts periodically and make a book of them for Sam someday. I imagine one day, when (perhaps) she's a mom, she will read them and love thinking of her own mom -- young and just trying to figure out the mommy thing!