April 2011

Where does the time go? I think April has just flown by.

Our big highlight of April was Julian's spring break and we went to SC for the week. It was a much needed trip away from PA. The weather here hasn't been the best, and it has been an extremely long winter. The weather couldn't have been nicer while we were there. We first stopped in Lexington to see some close friends. It really made me miss living there. We didn't want to leave. I cried when Chris told me we were moving there, and funny it is the place we have most enjoyed since we've been married. It's like our "married" home we always call home.

Julian had a blast with my best friend's kids Madison and Wyatt. They played so hard that day that he crashed that night like he hasn't done in a long time. Julian has know them since they were all babies, and I hope their friendship can last through the distance. They are great friends of ours.
Uncle Mike's house was like a playground for the babies and Julian. We really didn't need to go many places because his house was enough to entertain everyone. Alex is in love with tractors, so he was in heaven as he sat in this big one. Then there was the huge camper they explored, the horse, cow, and chickens to look at for my animal lovers, and also the trampoline to jump on. I also forgot they pool that they played in. It was much too cold for my blood but Julian braved it and had so much fun.

While in Lexington, we also made it to the Columbia Zoo, and had lunch in the park with 4 other girlfriends I used to work in L&D with and their kids. We had a great time.

The babies enjoying their bath time.

We then made it to Charleston for the rest of the week to enjoy at the beach. The kids always have so much fun down at the beach. I don't know if it's the freedom or just a relaxing feel that they love, but they do have Chris and I's love of the ocean.

Yes, the babies decided at the beach they didn't want to wear their clothes and wanted to wade in the water. I think they were meant to live in the South.

Seabrook, had a great event planned for the kids the day before Easter. They had bouncy castles and slides, face painting, egg hunts, and many activities for kids to do. Julian had a blast, and got his face painted. He is suppose to be a snapping turtle. Just like julian style to pick an uncommon animal and not easterish.

Happy alex, running in puddles.
Where one is the other quickly follows.
Julian on stage helping the band play the drums. So much fun, watching your kids smile and have fun.
Dee Dee and Alex. Great to see my momma boy warm up to my mom.

Lilly and Julian finding eggs hidden in the yard.


The Easter bunny brought beach buckets full of candy and a special treat for each of them.

Right before we left for our trip, Julian needed a hair cut. Usually this is my job and Mommy gets what she wants for him to look like. he has such pretty hair, that I love it longer. He has really wanted it shorter for the summer, so daddy took him. I couldn't do it. He came home very excited about his new look.. He looks so much older. He's growing up too fast.
Alex playing peek a boo, and Lilly wanting to be like big brother with her back pack on.

March for Babies- why we walk

13 days until our 2nd March for Babies walk. This is why we have decided to do it. Our beautiful babies born 8 weeks too early.
The first time I held our babies at the same time
Alex- on his way to the NICU. As you can see his color isn't very good and muscle tone very low. He was about to begin his rough days in the NICU. Was on a ventilator minutes after this picture was taken, and had many nurses, and doctors worried if he would make it the weekend.

Lilly- right after birth. The reason for the delivery was my very fiesty, little girl. She fared a little better than her big brother but still had some long days ahead of her. This is also before all the IV's, feeding tubes, and breathing tubes were put on this little 2 lb girl.

On their 2 year old birthday. Most of my worries about what would come of them sitting in the NICU are gone. They have proven to be very strong, and have developed appropriately. I dreamed of days like this sitting and only being able to look at my babies. Not being able to hold my babies that I tried so hard to get, was so difficult. Now, they are happy and healthy and make our life complete.

Last year Chris and I walked for the first time for March for Babies. This is such a wonderful fund raising opportunity sponsored by the March of Dimes. It's sad that it took Chris and I to participate until our life was directly affected by our children's premature births. We learned that many people that walk for March for Babies all have a personal story as to why this is such an important event.

Our story began with years of infertility, that resulted in us getting pregnant with twins. We were so thrilled that we were finally going to be able to add to our family. About halfway through our pregnancy we learned there was a problem with Lillian's placenta, and she was not growing as she should. Luckily, we found wonderful doctors that monitored her growth and progress closely to ensure her the chance to get close to term. At 32 weeks, 8 weeks too early, the doctors said there could be no more good by staying pregnant and Lilly's best chance for survival was to be born so that the doctors could manage her care on the outside. Being a twin pregnancy, this meant that our healthy, thriving, little boy must also be born. They were born on March 20, 2009. Alex and Lilly were both very small and both had their own set of challenges ahead of them. We endured 49 long days with 2 babies in the NICU. It was the hardest thing as parents we could do was to watch our little babies struggle and go through things that no baby should have to endure. They did continue to get bigger and stronger everyday, and now they are almost 2 and healthy, growing toddlers.

We are so incredibly thankful that we were blessed with supportive family that was there with us on a daily basis to look after our twins with us. We are also so thankful that my husband works for such a great company that provided us with wonderful insurance that allowed us to focus all of our attention to the welfare of our babies, and not worry about how we were going to pay for their costly NICU bill. We are also so incredibly thankful to the wonderful NICU doctors and nurses that took such great care of our precious babies. They were there for them every minute of the day and filled in as parents when we were not able to be there 24 hours a day.

Contributing to March for Babies gives families of babies born too early, like ours, hope for their survival and well being. The money raised supports programs in communities to help moms have healthy, full-term pregnancies. and it also funds research to find answers to the serious problems that threaten our babies.

We will continue to make this our families cause that we feel passionate about. Our family will walk again this April 17th to show our gratitude and hope that no other family will family will have to experience what we went through having children born too early and too sick.

We would greatly appreciate any support you could give or commitment to walk along side us.

Our secure webpage through March for Babies is http://www.marchforbabies.org//team/t1515512

Thank you
The Stanford's