Marching On

We participated in the March for Babies this past Saturday.



It was a rainy day.



We did not make any new friends like we hoped we would, but, like I said, it was a cold, rainy day. Nobody wants to stand around and chat in the rain. It was still an amazing experience to be surrounded by so many people who have been touched by prematurity. I'd look at the kids bundled up in wagons and strollers and wonder which of them spent nights in the NICU. Just one? Or, as in our case, all of them? And how many babies weren't there that day? How many are still in the hospitals?



During the opening announcements, when a singer belted out the National Anthem, I lost it. I  couldn't stop crying for the rest of the speeches. My tears blended with the fine mist of rain as I held Poppy's hands and helped her toddle around near the Chariot. The announcers standing on the dry stage were talking about the sheer number of walkers that day, in the past, in our local area, and everywhere. So many babies. Rosemary and Poppy are two success stories. But, as the yellow "In Memory" signs we saw at the end of the march pointed out, not all babies are so lucky. I am so very thankful.


My beautiful family.

Senpai mentioned places we could go eat lunch after the 3.1 mile walk. His most poignant idea was to go to the shopping center next to the hospital Rosemary and Poppy were delivered at, where many a lunch had been eaten before. It was a lovely idea, but I was cold, wet, and cranky. All I wanted to do was go home and curl up under blankets while nursing Poppy to sleep. My emotions were already fried; another punch to my heart would have sent me over the edge. So we went home. We stripped off rain-soaked clothes, I cuddled Poppy close under the covers, and we both drifted off to sleep together, counting our blessings.


We will do this again next year, hopefully in nicer weather.

Listen to the March

"We can't all, and some of us don't. That's all there is to it." -Eeyore

My piece did not make it into the inaugural St. Louis Listen to Your Mother show.

Yes, I am bummed.

I was really hoping to be a voice for preemie mothers this year, especially since I don't think LTYM has featured a story about preemies yet. There are a high concentration of Neonatal Intensive Care Units in this area. St. Luke's Hospital, the sponsor and venue of the STL LTYM, even has one. If not me, I hope the producers took the opportunity to cast another preemie mother for this show. We need a voice.


No, Eeyore, we can't all. But I personally will not be one who doesn't. So I took my sad feelings, turned them around, and focused (R's new favorite word) them into something productive. I will walk in the March of Dimes.

When I entered my information into the March of Dimes website, I was automatically signed up for an event on May 11th, the day of the LTYM show. That made me smile. I had told myself before I even knew if St. Louis would have a show that, either speaking on stage or sitting in the audience, I would be there. So I accepted my sign from the universe that I was doing the right thing and clicked the link to find a different event. On May 11th, the day after Poppy's first birthday-- the anniversary of when I became a preemie mom for the second time-- I will sit in the audience and support my fellow STL moms.


On April 27th, Senpai, Rosemary, Poppy, and I will walk with other preemie families, and find our voices.


I hope you can find a dime or two to donate and help us reach our goal. Love and thank you!