Lately

I figured I should do a general update kind of post since I haven't done one in awhile. This month has been another whirlwind at work - I've had a ton of shows. We literally had an event every single day at the theatre this month. It was/is insane. I've decided to reduce my hours at work for the next 6 months or so and take some time to breathe. It is definitely needed and it marks a new chapter in my life. I'm excited.

Rhone turned 6 months old on the 5th. We got him 1/2 a cake that we ate. He was allowed to look but not touch.

He is getting so big. He is sitting by himself and rolling all around and just started picking his butt up and trying to scoot so I think crawling might be a reality in our near future. He also cut a tooth and I think another one is trying to pop up next to it. He is a generally happy baby (when he's not sick! Round two of RSV, although this time I'm not a freaked out) and he loves to laugh and babble and grab your face and give you wet, sloppy kisses. He is also (mostly) sleeping through the night in his crib in his own room, which was a huge milestone for all of us. He also loves to eat and munches down his fruits and veggies and even the recent addition of meats. (He LOVES chicken!) He is a beautiful little man and I love him so much. As I said, he is sick again so I've had to spend the last few nights getting up with him because of his congestion and coughing. I am exhausted but it is sort of nice to just hold him and sing to him and kiss his head while he sleeps in my arms. Sometimes I cry when I hold him because it will bring back memories of the last time I held Naya after she had already passed away. It's hard to wrap my head around sometimes that he is real and hopefully not going to leave me.

Along with Rhone being sick (Again! Damn cold and flu season needs to be OVER), I had to have a bit of work done on my foot. I can't remember if a wrote about it when Rhone was born but I did a very dumb thing the day they induced me. I was trying to step over our gate that keeps the dogs out of my office and I kicked the wall while doing so. My toenail cracked and started bleeding everywhere. It was actually kind of amusing - I went in to give birth limping and with bandages on my gnarled toe. The epidural was a god send not only for the labor pains but also for the aching and throbbing in my toe. Anyway, I ended up losing my toenail a few weeks later and due to the miracle of prenatal vitamins, the toenail started growing back immediately. Unfortunately, it started growing back into my toe and was causing me a lot of pain so I had to go to a podiatrist and get it taken care of. It got infected last week and then I had to get it done again. I am hoping I am finally better because I signed up for a 1/2 marathon in 3 weeks and have the March of Dimes walk in 6.

And that's another round of exciting news. The March of Dimes walk. We are doing it again but this time we are walking in Vacaville, CA. Last year, our team raised the most money in Northern California and we are very excited to be walking again and hope to raise even more. This year is even more special because we will be walking with more family and friends, specifically two other baby loss mommas that have become some of my closest friends in honor of all of our children. We will also be walking for Naya with our Sunshine (Ty) beside us and our rainbow (Rhone) in a stroller. I am sure it will be an emotional event but I am so looking forward to it. Dan and I were able to attend the kick-off luncheon earlier in the month and we were asked to become their Mission family for next year. It was quite an honor and we are very much looking forward to it. It has also gotten me thinking and spurred another goal for me in the next coming year. I want to start reaching out and speaking within the medical community about our experience, in hope that people can learn something and prevent our tragedy from happening to anybody else. I think we owe it to Naya to do so.

If you are interested in supporting or joining our March for Babies team, please click on this link: http://www.marchforbabies.org/team/nayaspapayas

We will also be selling bracelets again this year as well as holding contests to raise money and various other events. I will post them as I know more details.