PICKTURETHIS.BLOGSPOT.COM

cleanwhitefamily.blogspot.com

These Are The Days: Hearts, Eyes, and Preschool

http://cleanwhitefamily.blogspot.com/2012/01/hearts-eyes-and-preschool.html

These Are The Days. Sunday, January 22, 2012. Hearts, Eyes, and Preschool. We are heading back to the cardiologist this week. Both girls will be seen. Lenay will have an echocardiogram. I double checked with the doctor, and she doesn't need to be sedated this time. We will be looking at her heart to see if it has grown. To see if there is more space for blood flow. We are praying that it has and there is. A question I am asked constantly is "How can the doctor tell she is farsighted? And her PT thinks th...

cleanwhitefamily.blogspot.com

These Are The Days: December 2011

http://cleanwhitefamily.blogspot.com/2011_12_01_archive.html

These Are The Days. Friday, December 2, 2011. There is a song that we sing in church that gets me every time we sing it. Its a beautiful song. Maybe you've heard it. Its called "Great I Am". And one lyric in particular just pierces my heart. Every single time. In a good way. Its a line that, had I not lost my dad, would probably not have much meaning. And honestly those who have not experienced a loss like that, might even find those words grotesque. But they bring me great comfort. Links to this post.

cleanwhitefamily.blogspot.com

These Are The Days: Walking For Our Babies

http://cleanwhitefamily.blogspot.com/2011/10/walking-for-our-babies.html

These Are The Days. Sunday, October 2, 2011. Walking For Our Babies. Its that time of year again. October. Time for pumpkins. Hoodies. Bonfires. And the Small Wonders Miracle Walk :). Its the annual fundraiser for the neonatal intensive care unit at the Children's Hospital of Illinois. It was started 5 years ago by a group of NICU parents who wanted to give back to the NICU. It is a connection that will always be there. The Children's Hospital of Illinois NICU is a Level 3. That's the highest level.

cleanwhitefamily.blogspot.com

These Are The Days: 1000 Grams of Hope

http://cleanwhitefamily.blogspot.com/2011/01/1000-grams-of-hope.html

These Are The Days. Friday, January 21, 2011. 1000 Grams of Hope. Okay So where do we go from here? The whole thing seemed surreal. Dr. R, the perinatologist, calmly explained that she would do two things for me. 1) I will arrange a NICU tour. Take a look around. Get acquainted. You can see what a 2 lb, 28 week gestation baby looks like. 2) I will arrange a neonatologist consult. The doctor will come to your room and will be able to address any questions or concerns you may have. But now it was different.

cleanwhitefamily.blogspot.com

These Are The Days: Pay it Forward

http://cleanwhitefamily.blogspot.com/2011/02/pay-it-forward.html

These Are The Days. Sunday, February 13, 2011. What an inspiration that family has been to us over the last year. If they only knew. If they only knew. Well, in October we participated in the Small Wonders Miracle Walk, a fundraiser for the NICU at the Children's Hospital of Illinois, held at the Riverplex in Peoria. But anyway amidst the craziness, Eric comes up to me and says,. A year has gone by. The girls are bigger. But no mistake. Its them. I am instantly drawn to them. I want to talk to them.

cleanwhitefamily.blogspot.com

These Are The Days: Just When You Think You Are Out Of The Woods

http://cleanwhitefamily.blogspot.com/2011/06/just-when-you-think-you-are-out-of.html

These Are The Days. Wednesday, June 15, 2011. Just When You Think You Are Out Of The Woods. Campbell saw her gastroenterologist yesterday. She had lost about half a pound since last month. She has been sick with a cold and ear infection, so I wasn't surprised that she hadn't gained weight. But I was surprised that she had lost that much. He then told me that he would schedule an appointment with the pediatric surgery team so they could discuss a g tube placement for her. I stared in disbelief. And her en...

cleanwhitefamily.blogspot.com

These Are The Days: Aneurysm

http://cleanwhitefamily.blogspot.com/2011/07/aneurysm.html

These Are The Days. Sunday, July 24, 2011. That's a scary word. And its become all too familiar a topic of conversation in our house here in recent times. In the last four years, four of my family members have had aneurysms. Three of which were cerebral, one aortic. All from my mom's side of the family. The first one was a shock. My uncle, 4 years ago. The second seemed all too familiar. My aunt, 2 years ago. The third happened right after the second. My other uncle, 2 years ago. Kind of morbid, I realize.

cleanwhitefamily.blogspot.com

These Are The Days: Floaters

http://cleanwhitefamily.blogspot.com/2011/09/floaters.html

These Are The Days. Sunday, September 18, 2011. A few months ago, we were out to dinner with friends. You know, having some adult time. And yet, being the parents of small children as we all are, the conversation of course went south quickly. To the oh so appetizing topic of pooping in the tub. So everyone gets the idea that pooping in the tub is not cool. As they were telling this story, I was laughing hysterically. I mean, who ever heard of this? It was something we had never encountered before. What's...

cleanwhitefamily.blogspot.com

These Are The Days: Van Nostalgia

http://cleanwhitefamily.blogspot.com/2012/02/van-nostalgia.html

These Are The Days. Sunday, February 5, 2012. So we got a new van this week. Our old van was out of warranty and having some problems, so it was time to trade. But I can't help but feel a little sad. Its kind of like moving out of your old house into your new house. Its exciting to move, but its also sad to leave the memories behind. Which of course is silly, because you get to take your memories with you too. But still, its easy to slip into the nostalgia. Craziness. I don't know how we ever did that.

cleanwhitefamily.blogspot.com

These Are The Days: Friends from (before) the Beginning

http://cleanwhitefamily.blogspot.com/2011/06/friends-from-before-beginning.html

These Are The Days. Thursday, June 2, 2011. Friends from (before) the Beginning. Lenay and Campbell have known their friend Ella since they were born. Literally. Ella made her grand entrance into this world prematurely as well. She shared a room in the NICU with Lenay and Campbell. I wish we had a picture of the three of them in the NICU together. Ella's mom and dad and I have also known each other since we were born (it seems anyway! We've had to lean on each other in times when no one else could relate.