Dancing Through the Tulips: April 2010

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Oh My Aching Heart

I just heard the news about sweet Carly. A special life taken far too early. My heart just aches for her family. I can't even begin to imagine their pain. I have been reading the various blogs, tears streaming down my face, trying to find an answer. Earlier this week my cousin lost his first child, a beautiful son, born at 28- weeks. It's so hard to understand sometimes why these things happen. My heart aches for them too.

As I have been reading tonight the common theme I hear is the fragility of our special babes with Ds. I cried as I read about and thought about how fragile their little lives can be. But then my chest grows tight, my eyes dry up, the hair raises on the back of my neck and I think to myself, NO! Chloe is NOT fragile. I cannot think of HER as fragile. Maybe she is, in the scheme of things, but I can't think of her that way. She is my fighter. She is my strength. If SHE's fragile, what does that make me? I have already crept in her room tonight and whispered a special good night. I will worry about every cough, every sniffle, every little thing that doesn't look right, just like I always do. But I refuse to look at her and see her as fragile. I just can't.

HUGS to all my blog friends out there who are reeling in pain and their own fears with the loss of one of our own. LOVE and thoughts and prayers to Carly's family and friends. And special thanks to all of you out there who provide me and Chloe with the strength we need each and every day.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

AMAZING BREAK-THROUGH!!!!

So, yesterday Chloe took 26 ounces of her toddler formula by bottle!!!!! Her daily goal is 27 ounces so she was only 1 ounce short and got to skip the whole day AND NIGHT of tube feeds!!!!! This is the first time since she was only a few weeks old that she got to go a whole day without tube feeds! Today she took 19 ounces! I'm so proud of my big girl. She's also starting to cruise around furniture. You go girl! I will post pictures soon - camera is broken so I'm using my old one and the hook up is ALL THE WAY downstairs ;) I know, I should stop being so lazy. haa haa

On another note, we closed on a new house this past Thursday. It's an amazing AMAZING opportunity for me and my family. We bought this beautiful old house in this adorably quaint little New England town with my mother. It has a cute little cottage for my mom and a nice big main house that we can share space in, including a roomy guest suite for my family and friends to come and visit - that's you blog friends!!! (and a place for my brothers to "come home to" from graduate school). I feel so lucky. We need my mom and since losing her husband I think she really needs us too. We can be there for each other and that is wonderful. It's a BIG renovation project, so we won't likely be in for 3 or so months! I'll post pictures soon.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

A Special Tribute

Today is a difficult day. For it is the anniversary of the birth of my step-father, who died suddenly 6 months ago. I thought it was the perfect day to honor him. He was a very special man and who always had my and his other children's best interests at heart. Big Sam, also known as Bah-Pah and Grandpa, was a man who loved his wife, his children and his grandchildren VERY much. He spent countless hours with my own kids establishing a bond with them that will carry with them throughout their lives. He was a generous caring man with a wonderful sense of humor. He always loved to make us laugh. I know many MANY lives were touched by him and were effected by his loss. My thoughts are with everyone who feels the pain of his absense, today especially, on his birthday. I love you and miss you big guy and celebrate your memory.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Happy Easter!!!

Aside from my husband cutting off the tip of the bone in his finger, we've had a very nice weekend! Visits from cousins and some nice weather made for a great time. Here are some pics! :

Zach here from North Dakota