the united bloggers of the internets

Daniel age 9 weeks, 31 weeks adjusted age

November just so happens to be the month that focuses on two of my most favorite concerns: prematurity and adoption. It’s a very good thing that they are both focused on in one month since these days I am just a little too distracted. I thought the anti-depressants were supposed to help me be better focused. Note how I refuse to accept that it just might be me getting older and just a tad feeble. But the fact remains that this month is Adoption Awareness Month AND Prematurity Awareness Month.

Today I want to share with you that prematurity awareness is not just my passion, but the passion of at least 252 bloggers all united to fight for preemies.

Our objective is a simple one: Every year, 20 million babies are born too soon, too small and very sick ― half a million of them in the United States. In half the cases, we simply don’t understand what went wrong. We need to fight for answers. And, ultimately, prevention… prevention that is accessible for all. Over the nearly two decades of my practice as a neonatal intensive care nurse, many advances have taken place. We (I) have learned much about the support and care for the tiniest and frailest of babies. Babies I see born into our unit that I care for today I would have never imagined surviving when I first began my career in the NICU. Yet for a number of these preemies, surviving the NICU is no guarantee because their premature birth often remains still a life and death condition. It’s the #1 cause of death during the first month of life. And babies who survive face serious health challenges and risk lifelong physical, mental, emotional and learning disabilities. Children like my Daniel are indeed miraculous and lucky. While I won’t hesitate to celebrate just how lucky and rare he is as an ex-24 weeker, I still am very much aware that his challenges remain many. What I wouldn’t do to just snap my fingers and make them all go away for him. I can’t. But I can be here to support and guide him through as he faces them down one by one AND I can unite with the March of Dimes and other bloggers to make more people aware just how serious, scary and life threatening this can be.

This month I invite all of you to join this support and fight. Many of you are a fan of Daniel so I can tell you that you must join. Yes, you must. How?

• Learn about premature birth at marchofdimes.com/fightforpreemies
• make a little time to check out one of the 252 other united bloggers
  
• Put a badge on your blog during November, Prematurity Awareness Month®
• On November 17, blog for a baby you love and to help others

We may not wipe prematurity and all of its complications out overnight but I do know we are moving forward, and trust me, every baby step forward counts.

inspiration found,

A little self-reflection and a little focusing on those around me and just coming out and asking, I find myself a little bit inspired which means finally there is something to write about. How great, er, good, er, acceptable enough to pass a few moments out of your own life to take the time to read remains to be seen. But if you hang in there long enough you’ll get the answers to the questions you might have had. If anything you get to enjoy a picture of my incredibly cute little man. He declared that I should keep this picture forever so I will.

Sarah asked: Hi Laura! Your blog is my fave I’m also a NICU nurse and I love reading about that aspect of your life. So my question is, how’s work? Anything new or interesting going on in your unit? In mine the new thing is really working on developmental care and relationship-based care with families. It’s all very touchy-feely

Hi Sarah! I am the biggest fan of the touchy-feely aspect of nursing care in the NICU. They don’t call me the Love Nurse for nothing. But in all seriousness consistent developmental care is so very important to our tiny patients. I came to understand this so much more clearly after we took Daniel home from the NICU. From that experience I have to offer that positioning is so very, very important for our preemies especially as they grow and meet expected developmental milestones. Also be very, very mindful of all stimuli and how it affects/assaults these babies’ senses. Although Daniel is regarded by many in NICU settings to be a success, he carries still so much sensory issues related to the normal, routine care given to him. My hats off to your NICU for working to address and improve this aspect of the care we give.
In our NICU the big focus/project over this last year has been addressing and seeking ways to decrease the number of catheter associated infections. It has been a multi-disciplinary and family focused project where everyone who has any contact with our babies (nurses, doctors, respiratory therapists, radiology techs, lab techs, ward clerks, social workers, parents, siblings, other visitors) has been educated and re-educated and supported in an effort to decrease our infection rate. The results have been amazing as we have gone well over 120 days with no catheter-related infections in the unit. Of course that means we got to celebrate and you know how we nurses are, any excuse for a party especially if it is catered. Whoo-hoo!
Thanks Sarah! Great question.

Amy Saunders Hager asks:  Laura, I love photography!!! I was wondering what kind of editing software you use and how easy is it to learn? Thank you so much for your honesty on your blog! Love reading it even if a comment isn’t left. Love, Amy from Michigan

Hi Amy from Michigan! I love photography too. I wish I could take great pictures all the time. Honestly, most of my shots are just sheer luck on my part but I do accept what my dad once said and that is I have an eye for capturing the moment. The biggest compliment I received recently was when the professional wedding photgrapher at my sister in law’s wedding was following me to capture shots like this
Of course I had an advantage even to his amazing camera, lenses and other equipment that I was coveting. I knew a lot of the people there and knew them intimately. Still when I saw him hustling up behind me to catch a shot of Daniel and Holly’s boy friend, Ben, while they were dancing and playing together, I couldn’t help but be a little bit proud of my eye.
I am pretty basic with any photo editing that I do. The biggest reason is because I know so little about it. I took a PhotoShop classat a Creative Photography/Scrapbook Convention with the hopes to better understand this program but ended up being insulted because my learning curve was a little below the instructor’s expectations so I packed up my laptop and left. I’m sure that it was a clash of personalities so someday I will take some sort of PhotoShop for dummies class and hopefully be a PhotoShop freak.
Most of the photo editing I do involves a little cropping, maybe erasing a blemish or two and adjusting the lighting a little. I sometimes will adjust the color but most of the time I leave that alone because I think my subjects (my family) are pretty colorful all on their own. All of this editing that I do is very easily achieved using PhotoShop or Microsoft Digital Image Suite Editor. I use both but have to say I use the Microsoft program more only because I have had it for a few years now and feel very comfortable with it. I have to add though that the digital image suite program has been discontinued by Microsoft and no longer offer customer support for the product.
Thanks Amy, for your question. I would love to hear from you or anyone else about their favorite photo editing software or recommendations.

Baily writes: I wanna play! So, how DO you deal with it when an awkward situation comes up in real life over something you have blogged? Or does your family ever think you have blogged to much about something? (Both have happened to me, lol, just curious) Bailey TheMartinZoo.blogspot.com

Hi Baily! Great question! Well, awkward is part of the daily circus act here it seems. I guess with so many people in one family, so many different, strong personalities there is bound to be times like that. There have been occasions where one of my kids have expressed that I have gone too far writing something about them or have even gone so far as to ask me NOT to put THAT in my blog. Given that I am dealing with a young adult and teenagers and having learned my lesson a few times over I have to say that I do try to be sensitive to their wishes…and yet I post a picture of Holly’s boyfriend today on my blog! I can’t help it. He is quickly working his way into the hearts of us all.
But I have to say the worst or most awkward was when I blogged about how so very pissed I was over my husband’s mid-life crisis purchase last year. The response I got to that entry was surprising from several close friends of ours who felt I was out of line sharing something like that. The way I saw it then and still see it today is that they are entitled to their opinion but my expressing how I felt about it was justified and is all that matters. It’s my blog and I’ll write what I want to.
And the bike? A year later I still hate it but I have learned to tolerate it…but only a little bit.
Thanks for the question, Baily. I think all of us who put our thoughts out there publicly have to at one point deaal with a little awkward with family and friends. It’s always interesting to see how others deal with it.

Speaking of awkward and friends…just kidding! Kelly, my friend and my neighbor writes: I wanna know why is it that we have such rude neighbors? And I truly love all your pictures and thoughts…..

LOL, Kelly! Some of our neighbors can be such ass-hats! Thank goodness I have such an awesome neighbor and friend in you and your family! The way I see it, Kelly is #1 we were on this street first and #2 the ass-hattery that some of our neighbors seem to have perfected only serves to make you and me look that much more wonderful and awesome and ultimately, classier than any of them. Lastly, dear friend, we have to remember as rude and obnoxious as some of them can be, what comes around goes around. We have already seen karma come back to bite them in the butts a few times.

Want to read more? Check out my post today over at ModMoms Club where I reflect on the sun shining in my heart. Also be sure to stop over at Kim’s Emrgiblog where I am participating in the Patients for a Moment Carnival.

BEWB Fest ‘09

I have been told that #4 is pretty hawt. It’s all because of the shredding, baby! Go vote for them.

Yes, my kids are mortified. My day is made.

never underestimate the power of a mommy(blogging community)

LA Times article about our response to Madeline Spohr’s passing.

Maddie’s March of Dimes Team

support seeking Shredder

Day 19 of the Shred and with only one more day left of level 2 I am hurting. I’m hurting bad. The only good thing is I am hurting in new places, places that weren’t hurting so much a week ago… my abs (especially my obliques), my quads, my shoulders and my boobs. Maybe the boobs hurting isn’t such a good thing.

Now here is where I acknowledge that my Dad secretly reads my blog even if he won’t cop to it. Dad, I swear to God if you say anything to me ever about this post I will never speak to you again. Why? Well the last time (and only time) you said something about my boobs it was sobering and then awkward with a capital “A”. Seriously, Dad, if you love me, you will click away NOW!

Now, Dad!

A couple of days ago I came across this great blogger who had me nodding my head, laughing a little and saying “yes” out loud. Like her, before kids, I was a member of the IBTC. I was quite happy with my  barely A-cup  “lot in life”. So what if I couldn’t rock the low-cut, cleavage baring tops. I could go bra-less, if I chose to, anytime I wanted to. I was quite content with what I lacked. Then I started having the babies and was breastfeeding the babies. The girls met the challenge and then some and although they  weren’t HUGE, they were substantially bigger. I loved the cleavage and the attention…for about 8 hours or so. Then the baby making and baby feeding days were past me and I still had the bigger girls.

Why?

Who knows!

Happy?

Oh hell no!

So now I am trying not to throw up when I am shredding and the biggest challenge besides not “gargling my heart”? Seriously, not putting my eye out with the girls bouncing this way and that way.

Jillian has the same issue and honestly, Jillian, you are killing me. I can’t take your girls and mine bouncing, especially when they get that weird, sister~boob~sync going. It is wrong. Almost as wrong as my Dad making some drunken comment comparing my boobs to his ex-mother-in-law’s. Dad, seriously, I told you to click away!

So this week, as I begin level 3  (whoo-hoo) I am making it my mission to get me a better athletic bra. I’m looking for something that can keep those C-cup girls in their place and not bouncing up into my throat like Jillian’s do.

as a matter of fact I am Jillian’s bitch

Well, at least I am one of Jillian’s bitches! Encouraged by Lindsey of Suburban Turmoil, I checked out Kristen’s call to get shredded. I had already started the program last week; but today, day 9 for me, I officially joined the Shredheads. Checking out Kristen’s blog and twittering, I find that I am in the very best of company in this thirty day shredding adventure in super sweaty fitness goodneess with that crazy, super fit bitch herself, Jillian Michaels.

Whew!

Sorry about that crazy-long sentence but I wanted to link up as many blogging Shredheads as I could. I am pretty certain that I am the oldest Shredhead (47 this Sunday) and the only grandmother. I started this in order to kick start my fitness plan and goal whiuch includes not only dropping thirty pounds by July but also regaining better overall physical and mental health. I am well on my way as I have already dropped nine pounds since starting my own personal fitness program the beginning of February. I’ll post updates here from time to time as well as twittering and frequent updates on my Flickr set, Shredhead. Be warned before you click over there, there is a lot of pasty-white, flabbiness but hopefully not for long.

from one March baby to another

I got this sweet gift from Sunshine yesterday

Checking out the list of March baby bloggers I find that I am in very good company too.

come out, come out, wherever you are…

By way of one of my blogging idols, Kelly, it has come to my attention that we are in the midst of (Inter)National Delurking Week here in the Land of Blogs. So in my very best Glinda the Good Witch of the North voice I am calling:

Come out, come out wherever you are…

Come out and say hello. Where are you from? What brought you here to the Big Top?

well I’ve never!…but then again, I have sometimes

Taken from Kelly over at Byzantium Shores. The bold statements I have done. Right about now my circus clowns are either shocked, mortified, amazed or completely bored over what I have and haven’t done. I’m thinking it’s a mix of boredom and embarrassment for them.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelos David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt – well I helped…sort of, kind of. My Great Grandma Austa said that she couldn’t have done it without me!
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby – a few…
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day
101.Bought everyone in the bar a drink
102. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
103. Been inside the Great Pyramid
104. Held a tarantula
105. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
106. Said “I love you” and meant it
107. Hugged a tree
108. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
109. Seen the Northern Lights
110. Gone to a huge sports game Does the Super Bowl count?
111. Touched an iceberg
112. Changed a baby’s diaper
113. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
114. Gotten drunk on champagne
115. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
116. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
117. Had a food fight
118. Bet on a winning horse
119. Asked out a stranger
120. Had a snowball fight
121. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
122. Ridden a roller coaster
123. Danced like a fool and didn’t care who was looking
124. Adopted an accent for an entire day
125. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
126. Had two hard drives for your computer
127. Visited all 50 states
128. Taken care of someone who was drunk
129. Had amazing friends
130. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
131. Stolen a sign
132. Backpacked in Europe
133. Taken a road-trip
134. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
135. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
136. Visited Japan
137. Alphabetized your CDs
138. Pretended to be a superhero
139. Lounged around in bed all day Not all day… but until 12 or 1pm.
140. Played touch football
141. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
142. Toured ancient sites
143. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
144. Gotten married
145. Crashed a party
146. Gotten divorced
147. Gone without food for 5 days
148. Made cookies from scratch
149. Won first prize in a costume contest
150. Gotten a tattoo
151. Rafted the Snake River (No, but I’ve kayaked the Youghiogheny.)
152. Been on a television news program as an “expert”
153. Performed on stage
154. Been to Las Vegas
155. Recorded music
156. Eaten shark
157. Kissed on the first date
158. Gone to Thailand
159. Bought a house
160. Been in a combat zone
161. Buried one/both of your parents- step-dad
162. Been on a cruise ship
163. Spoken more than one language fluently
164. Performed in Rocky Horror
165. Raised children
166. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
167. Passed out cold (Not one of my finer moments)
168. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
169. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
170. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
171. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
172. Had plastic surgery- well my Dad considers my recent surgery to be along those lines
173. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived
174. Wrote articles for a large publication
175. Lost over 100 pounds
176. Held someone while they were having a flashback
177. Piloted an airplane
178. Touched a stingray
179. Broken someone’s heart
180. Helped an animal give birth
181. Won money on a TV game show
182. Gone on a photo safari
183. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears
184. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
185. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
186. Ridden a horse
187. Had major surgery
188. Had a snake as a pet
189. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
190. Slept for 30 hours in a 48 hour period
191. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. States
192. Visited all 7 continents
193. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
194. Eaten kangaroo meat
195. Eaten sushi
196. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
197. Gone back to school
198. Parasailed
199. Touched a cockroach
200. Eaten fried green tomatoes
201. Read The Iliad and The Odyssey
202. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read
203. Skipped all your school reunions
204. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
205. Been elected to public office
206. Written your own computer language
207. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
208. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
209. Built your own PC from parts
210. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
211. Had a booth at a street fair
212. Dyed your hair
213. Been a DJ
214. Shaved your head
215. Caused a car accident

today thankful for…

Aimee at Greeblemonkey inspired me with the theme “Grateful”  for her Greeblepix contest this month. With my entry for this month I left this comment:

there is so much to be thankful for always. but i find that it is best to always remember the simplest of things because they often bring me the most joy.

Aimee answered back:

Laura, I totally agree! I will just be driving home and enjoying the window open and a song – and it hits me the most. Or, of course, playing with my son or laughing with my husband. This is why I so love Thanksgiving!!! Oh, and the FOOD!

And from there came the inspiration. Counting down the days until Thanksgiving, I will share something that I am thankful for…something simple, because from simplicity comes gratitude and joy which is exactly what we all could use more of. I invite anyone else to join in.

Today I am thankful for

Mmmmm….black and white chili!