March for Babies

It is that time of year again.  It is the season of charity walks in Chicagoland which means it was time to for us to walk for premature babies everywhere.  As a family of five we walked a 5K and raised $650 for research to help future mothers have healthy, full-term pregnancies.  The March of Dimes is working on research regarding prematurity as well as the overall health of newborns.  The money raised will help with research regarding:

Brain: Premature birth - baby’s brain needs at least 39 weeks to fully develop

Smile: They have identified a gene responsible for oral cleft and are working on preventions.

Spine:  Folic acid education means fewer babies are born with neural tube defects

Eyes: They are developing treatments to cure vision defects  
 
Lungs: Surfactant and nitric oxide therapies save the lives of many premature babies


I thank the March of Dimes for the research that they have done over the past 60+ years.  Their hard work has given us three healthy baby girls!

We lucked out with the weather today.  The temperature wasn't too warm but it wasn't raining.  We walked at Potawatomi Park in St. Charles.  As when we walked before, the mood at this walk is an overall happy mood but there is some sadness.  You know that there are families that are walking in memory of their little angels instead of walking in honor of them.

We saw a family that had three little kids that they were pushing in strollers on the walk but wore shirts that said 'In Memory' of their little guy.  I can only imagine the pain that they feel walking knowing that one of their babies is not there.  After the walk I saw the husband holding the wife as she cried.  Images like that stay with me as I realize how easily that could have been me.

For those of you who see me on a regular basis, you know that images like that are not with me all the time.  I lose my patients with Charlie more often than I should.  Yell at her more often that I should.  Get frustrated with her more often than I should.  I will try to keep that image of that grieving mother with me more so I remember how lucky I am my little girl is here.

Charlie is starting to realize that the main reason that we do the March for Babies is because she was born early.  As she gets older it will more rewarding to do this with the girls since there is a personal reason why.

Gwyneth, Lillian, Charlie, and me

The group before we started the walk

Our little preemie all grown up.  They had some muffins before the walk started so you know Charlie had to have a couple!

Lillian liked being pushed in the stroller but wanted to stretch out her legs when we were done.

Gwyneth was happy to get out of the stroller too!

For all of you that donated to the March for Babies, we thank you.  Your contribution will help families welcome healthy, full-term babies into this world.


Just a fun little note...Owen and I joke that we are the freak show when we go out in public with all three girls.  With the amount of twins in the world people still seem to be intrigued by them.  Today we saw a lot of multiples but it didn't seem too overwhelming.  As we were walking we saw another family that takes the cake on 'freak show'.  I know they get tons of looks all of the time so I didn't ask to take a picture but this is what their stroller looked like.  Please say a little prayer for the "Freak Show Family of Four" tonight.  They need all the strength, wisdom, and patience that they can get!