Count Your Blessings

What a difference a year makes?

This time last year, Lily had been home from the hospital for a little over 2 months. We were so excited to finally have her home and get to share Christmas with our little miracle baby!! We couldn't wait to open presents or to take pictures of her by the tree. Of course she was too young to know what was going on at all but it still made us feel great! This was my favorite picture from Christmas. We were saying she was the best present ever and put the bow on her head. She was the cutest little present EVER!!! :) At this time of year especially, I make sure I always count my blessings and I am so blessed to have this beautiful little girl in my life!

Xmas 2009- It was so hard to find a outfit that was small enough for her. She was only about 8lbs here at 4 months old. 

Xmas 2010- I can't believe how much she has grown!! Weighing in at 21lbs!!

Miracle Lily Bee

Prematurity Campaign

• 543,000 babies, or 1 in 8, are born prematurely each year.
• Premature birth is the number 1 killer of newborns.
• Premature babies cost ten times more than healthy babies.                

Why is the problem of prematurity so important?

Prematurity is the leading killer of America's newborns. Those who survive often have lifelong health problems, including cerebral palsy, mental retardation, chronic lung disease, blindness and hearing loss.

What are the goals of the March of Dimes Prematurity Campaign?

The goals of the Prematurity Campaign are to reduce the rate of premature birth, and to raise public awareness about the seriousness of the problem.

How does the Campaign work            to achieve its goals?

The campaign funds research to find the causes of premature birth, and to identify and test promising interventions; educates health care providers and women about risk-reduction strategies; advocates to expand access to health care coverage to improve maternity care and infant health outcomes; provides information and emotional support to families affected by prematurity; and generates concern and action around the problem.

Help me reach my goal!Sponsor Me at March for Babies!

Miracle Lily Bee

             

Miracle Lily Bee

Let me start by introducing myself I am Shannon and I am the mother of a 16 month old named Lily Madeline. She is smart, hilarious, beautiful, strong like an ox, creative, and is a cuddler. What I would also like you to know is that I was a NICU mother who had a child at just shy of 28 weeks, weighing only 2lbs. 11 oz, 16 1/8 inches long, and who spent 61 days at Englewood Hospital in N.J. Lily Madeline has gone through everything imaginable to be here such as spinal taps, A-lines into her skull, countless IV changes on an hourly basis, being fed through a tube for 2 months, living in an incubator for almost 2 months, machines to help her breathe on her own, and at the mere age of 2 months old having bilateral hernia surgery. All of these things are not typical for the average baby or parent to have to go through but as a NICU mother it is all you know. 

My niece and nephew(adorable twins) Casey and Ryan were born on June 26, 2006 at 32 week weighing 3 lbs. 8 oz. and 3lbs. 13 oz. Ryan spent 1 1/2 months in the hospital, Casey spent 1 month there. They also have had there share of problems digestively and Ryan even to have to come home on a monitor. Today they are energetic, creative, smart, funny, and adorable four year olds. 

Sometimes even with the best medical staff and hope, God gives us angels. They leave this life too soon and even though it doesn't make any sense it unfortunately happens. Quadruplets - Alyssa, Ryan, Kayla, and Jonathan were born November 2, 2004 at only 21 weeks left this life too soon. I lost 2 nieces and 2 nephews that day and my brother and sister- in -law lost four children. These experiences I have come to learn are like millions of others parents & families out there who have either had a child born prematurely or in the most heart-wrenching cases suffer the loss of a child. We are walking for our babies and we hope others will join as well. If you would like to just donate see the link on my side bar.

Info for walk:
When: May 1st 2011
Where: Brookdale Park Bloomfield, NJ 07003
Time: 8am check-in, 9am walk starts