It’s been a few weeks since I last updated, so I guess I’ll bring you up to speed in the land of the toddler. Aubrie had her 18 month appointment and was 24 lbs, 14 oz (70%) and 32 inches (80%). She got the last of her shots, no more immunizations until preschool—which she will be happy with! The pediatrician told me she had an advanced vocabulary for her age and was also a very advanced crayon holder (yay—my little genius colorer!). Apparently she holds it like a 3 yr old and the fact that she switches back and forth between hands is more than an 18 month old should do. Cool….maybe she’ll be the next Van Gogh :)
Since it’s been nicer we’ve been able to take a few walks to the elementary school playground a few blocks away. I really wish we had a swingset in our backyard, Aubrie loves to swing….but it’s nice to get out of the house and take a little walk. Aubrie is getting braver by the minute—the girl has no fear (except of the blender, and the vacuum, and the silly little stuffed monkey I brought her from Vegas). She was putting on her “big girl cape” and climbing up the stairs, then sliding down all by her 18 month old self! Oh boy….she’ll be bungee jumping by age 5. She has such a blast doing things on her own. Little Miss Independent these days.
My mom (Nana) came to visit us last weekend for the March of Dimes walk, which also happened to be Mother’s Day Weekend. It was very nice to be able to spend more than a day with her, and to watch the interaction between her and Aubrie. Even though we live the closest of all the grandchildren, it never works out that we have the same stretch of days off in a row. So it was very nice to have her come down and stay with us! I know Aubrie had a good time with her…when she woke up Monday morning she kept asking for Nana, holding her hands up and asking “ga-ga-ga go?”—which I can only assume means “where did she go?” She missed her Nana! 
We partook in the March of Dimes walk on Saturday, and it was a gorgeous day for it—clear skies, sunny and warm! For those of you who don’t know what March of Dimes is, basically it’s a walk that is meant to raise awareness and money for premature, ill, and angel babies. There was a sponsor family (who was also a 2x NICU family), and anyone could form a team and collect donations and team members to walk with them. Mom and I walked with the Mercy NICU team, as well as for Braden and Jacob’s team. The walk was 2.5 miles long, and along the way there were posters with pictures and information that families made about their babies. Some of them were extremely heartbreaking—especially the little angel baby posters.
Check out the huge Mercy NICU team!!
The whole March of Dimes experience was surreal, especially seeing former NICU grads that I’d taken care of, listening to stories that others told about their experiences, and reading about families and babies as well. I cannot say this enough, but I am truly honored to have the job I have. I believe I found my niche, the job I was supposed to have for the rest of my life. I have learned SO MUCH in my job, through the various diseases, syndromes, complications, etc that preemies and ill babies have, as well as from the families and the babies themselves. It is incredibly rewarding to see a baby born barely halfway through the pregnancy go out the door with their family after a few months stay in the NICU. I really do love the job I do. I love that I’m a part of making a family whole, that I get to know the parents and babies, and that I’m making such a huge difference in the lives of countless families. And who doesn’t love to snuggle cute little babies???
While mom was here visiting we got a lot of shopping done, including the purchase of a wagon I’d been eyeing for little Miss. Probably the best gift Aubrie has ever gotten in her young and adventurous life—she loves it! Any chance she gets she is trying to climb into that wagon for a ride!! We had a few hot n steamy days Monday and Tuesday, so we took some early morning, right after breakfast, still in our jammies walks. As well as before lunch, after nap, and late afternoon walks!
We busted out the pool on those hot summer-like days too. We had our neighbor Zach come over (he hated the pool!), and Cameron came over to play too! Aubrie was a little hesitant at first, but after mommy sat in the pool and played she warmed up to the idea pretty quickly. Of course, it was pretty warm water so I’m not sure how she’ll like a normal pool when we go later this summer!
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