2015 March of Dimes Walk for Babies

After Owen was born, Paul and I felt compelled to do the March of Dimes Walk for Babies.  We wanted to do it as a way to show our gratitude in our own small way.  The first year, it was SO cold, we practically had to run around the lake to get done as quickly as we could.  Each year since, the weather has cooperated and we've been so honored to be a part of these great events.  They truly leave us feeling blessed beyond belief that Owen not only lived, but that he has flourished and thrives.  Seeing so many families walking in memory of their babies that didn't live, really is a reminder that things could have gone so differently for our family.  Thank God that they didn't!

This was Hattie's first Walk for Babies and she was very excited to get her first Team Go Lily T-shirt.

 Back of the Go Lily 2015 Kids T-shirts

 Back of the 2015 grown-up T-shirts

 This shot shows some of the teams in the Rotunda. Sooo many people out walking for babies!

 The Mordorski Family waking for babies

The March of Dimes always does a nice job of making the walk family-friendly.  Along the way, we saw minions....

 and bears...

 Ninja Turtles...

 and Dora, Boots and Diego!

 Watching the Log Chute ride

 Checking out the Backyardigans

 After the walk, we visited the Lego store with this Lego Maniac

 HEAVEN!!!

 Daddy and Owen building a house

 Hattie patiently playing with her doll and enjoying some banana puffs

 The finished house!

 After the walk, I took Owen to the Woodbury Expo.  Our friend Chris was MC'ing the event, so we went to visit with our friend Gloria.  At the Expo, Owen got to sit in a bunch of fun vehicles.

Loving someone whose Heart is Perfectly Imperfect

Most days, it is pretty easy to be in denial about Hattie's heart defect.  She is happy and healthy, she is growing well and her oxygen levels look good.  As it gets closer to the fall, we celebrate that she will reach her first birthday, but we dread that we'll be handing over our baby to a team of surgeons for her open heart surgery.

We truly believe that God is in control and 

we have faith that Hattie will come through surgery just fine.  But that said, it is human nature to worry and think about the 'what-ifs.'

I treasure the nights that I put Hattie to bed.  As I rock her, she touches my face and slowly falls asleep in my arms.  She is (usually!) so peaceful and beautiful.  It's those times though that I sometimes feel panic about her surgery.  Oddly enough, I feel completely trusting of her surgery team.  It is the equipment that worries me.  They will have to shut down her heart and a machine will deliver the blood to her body during the surgery.  What if the machines malfunction or what if it doesn't get cleaned properly and she gets a blood disease from it? Both are far-fetched, but those thoughts and fears creep into my mind and don't let me sleep some nights.

This is the equipment that will keep her blood circulating during her surgery. There is a lot of equipment there!  These pictures are from a website of another little boy that had open heart surgery.  I'm thankful that his mom captured so many images of the room, his surgery, his scar, but most of all, his happy, smiling face a few days after the surgery. They help me to feel better prepared.

Most days I can pray and regain my peace of mind.  Here are a few psalms that have helped get me through thus far.  I'm sure I'll rely on them heavily over the next few months.  If you have any other quotes, pictures, psalms, etc that you think may be helpful to us as we mentally prepare for Hattie's surgery, we'd love to see them!

Week of the Young Child

Last week at the kids' school, they celebrated Week of the Young child.  Each day there were fun events, from a magician, to tropical day, to read with your 5th grade buddy day!  On Thursday night, there was a fun art fair that both kids had art displayed at. 

Red and blue day

 Owen's art display

 Hattie's art display on the far right

 Hattie and Miss Sara on tropical day

7 Month Old Hattie

I'm a few weeks late in posting this, but Happy 7 months Hattie girl!  At 7 months, you sit on your own, you woke up with two teeth popping through on your 7 month birthday, and you LOVE to giggle and smile.  You love your toys - your favorites are your dolls, your bear and Sophie the Giraffe.

You eat about 6 ounces of formula every 3 hours and eat baby food 2-3 times a day.  Lately though, you refuse the baby food.  You seem to want to go straight to solids, as you love puffs, Baby Mm-Mm biscuits, and wagon wheels. We've given you strawberries and mangoes in your little net pacifier and you loved them both.  We gave you cooked carrots and mandarin oranges the other night and you seemed to love them too.

You don't sit still for long - you are always on the move.  You roll around and are starting to scoot while sitting on your bottom.  When you don't want to fall asleep, you tap your head with your hand over and over again.  You sleep on your sides most of the time and went through a phase where you'd scream out many times in the night when you rolled over onto your tummy.

You have found your voice this week.  You typically "sing" through church, but now this week, you started to screech!  You also are starting to show more emotions.  When your best friend Maxwell gets picked up and his mom takes him away from you, you've crumpled your face and started to cry several times.  You also love to grab mommy's earrings and my hair.

Here are a few cute pictures of Hattie Jo that we've taken over the last few weeks.

Enjoying kisses from her big brother

 Love this beautiful girl!

 Whatcha doing Owen?  I want to see!

 Hattie's first bath in the big tub - she loved it!

Such a big girl now

 Hattie's first time swimming.  She loved her swimming lessons. :)