They keep coming!

One more tooth for Noah, on the bottom. That makes three total on the bottom and two on top. Today was also the first time I actually heard Noah crunch something with his teeth - a cheerio. It was so cute to hear coming from him! (Of course in my book, everything - well almost everything- i so cute!)

I head back to work next week. I can't believe it is time already! Tomorrow I will be bringing Noah to Ruby's house, his new day care, so he can start getting used to it. I think he will enjoy being around other kids, but I am still a little nervous to leave him. He is getting to be a little mama's boy, and I don't want him to miss me too badly (a little would be good for my ego though!). And of course, after his rough start in this world, I can't help but worry a little extra about him. I know he will be in good hands though, and I am sure it will be harder on me than it is on him!

And for those of you doing some back-to-school shopping, check out the great deals:

Tops!

Noah got two, top front teeth this past weekend, bringing him to a grand total of four. So cute!




Finally Firsts!

A short post about two new milestones that we have been waiting for very impatiently ;)

This weekend, while staying at Grammy Shorty's, Noah finally starting feeding himself little finger foods, like cheerios and puffs. He has been feeding himself big things, like crackers, for a long time. And he has been picking up and inspecting little finger foods like cheerios for a long time too, but he just wouldn't put them in his mouth. Now he has put it all together and is eating them like a champ!

He has also started to wave bye-bye! He did it once this weekend, but we weren't sure if he was actually waving or just trying to bat at the person he was supposed to be waving at. Today we know for sure because he waved to two different people - his memere, and even more importantly, his speech therapist (Jane). She and I were both sooooo excited. Yayyyyy, Noah!!!

Makes You Wonder

If Noah had made it to his due date, he would be one year old today. Hard to believe, isn't it? Especially when you consider the results of his 15 month check up on Monday. He weighs 23 lbs, 12 oz., and he is 32 inches long. That makes him heavier than 45% of other 15 month old babies and taller than 75% of them! His head is in the 97th percentile. That means really big brains, right? ;) It makes you wonder what he would be like today if he hadn't been 15 weeks premature. It is easy to assume that he would be even bigger, but you never know. I've always kind of thought in the back of my mind, that as crazy as it sounds, maybe Noah needed to be born early. If I hadn't gone in to labor on April 8th, maybe things wouldn't have turned out as perfectly as they seem now. That's the thing with "what if's" - you just never know. The one thing I do know is that Noah is a happy, healthy, thriving, soon-to-be toddler, and I could not be more grateful for that.

Noah's second tooth has finally come in as well. And just like with the first one, he was crankier the two days following its appearance than he ever was before it arrived. He seems to be over the worst of the pain though, and is back to his darling self. We have yet to get a good shot of either of his teeth; he refuses to show off for the camera. Instead, we have another beach picture. They were both taken by Auntie Amber, who also visited us at the beach. Thanks Auntie!

Where is the summer going?

Summer is flying right by, despite the fact that the weather has rarely been worthy of the summer.

We just returned from our first vacation on the beach. We rented a cottage on Hills Beach in Biddeford Pool with Memere and Pepere, just in time for the sun to arrive. Everyone back home claims it continued to rain, but where we were - it was pure fun in the sun. Thank goodness!

Other than a slight disruption to his normally generous sleep schedule, Noah had a fantastic time. He loved the cottage - no gates to stop his exploring! He especially loved the kitchen where he would bang on the oven's drawer and look at his own reflection on the oven door. (Don't worry, never when there was any cooking going on!) He was a little angel on the beach, never budging from his beach blanket under the cabana (he didn't even mind being slathered in sun screen. He is his father's ghostly pale son, after all!). He loved having his feet dipped in the ocean - he didn't even mind the freezing temperature! He wasn't crazy about the feel of the sand, but overall, his beach experience was a success. He had a visit from Auntie Jaime and Rylee on Wednesday and got to spend two and a half days with his NC cousins - Rachel and Derrick. He especially liked watching Derrick play the Wii. And of course, having Memere and Pepere around to love for a whole week was the icing on the cake!

We have tons of cute pics, you can check them out soon on our shutterfly page (check the link on the side of the page), but here is one of my favorites in the meantime!

New Smile!

Noah woke up this morning with his first tooth peeking out of his gums, and we were soooooo excited! It is his front, right, bottom tooth, and pictures will be coming soon I hope.

He just keeps getting cuter by the day, and such a little smarty pants - he obviously gets it from me! ;) Just kidding Honey! He just got his first pull toy today, and he already knows that if it is too far away, he can pull on the string and then the toy comes within reach. And if anything is on his blanket that he can't reach, he knows to yank the blanket, and he will get what he wants. What a little problem solver!

Tomorrow he sees his first parade, and then off to Memere's and Pepere's for a cookout! Can't wait!

Here we come marching!

So the March of Dimes is this Sunday! I have met my personal goal of $500 - thank you to my most recent donors - Uncle Paul & Aunt Sue, Jaime & Rylee, Donny, Tia, Audrey, Sue, Shelley, Amy, and several workers at the state! It looks my team is also going to reach its goal of $2000. So exciting!!

I hadn't seen anything in the local papers about the March, so over vacation I emailed the KJ and the Advertiser about covering the March, and they actually responded by interviewing me and running stories on Noah, our family, and the March. Noah is a star! :o) You can read the KJ article here - http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/6256252.html (unfortunately the online article doesn't have the picture they ran in the paper). The advertiser isn't online though, so you will need a hard copy to see that article.

They mis-quoted me in a few places, mainly having to do with medical procedure jargon. But overall they were really great pieces, and more importantly, the brought attention to this great cause!!

Keep your fingers crossed for good marching weather!

Brief Update

So Noah's first birthday flew by - he had two fantastic family parties and one quiet "real" birthday night with just Darren and I. He has some new favorite toys and some new adorable outfits and we have many new memories to make us more thankful than ever!

I know that I am terrible about posting pics on here, and that is partly because I don't really know how to post more than one at a time (also partly because I am just a slacker). But I have uploaded a bunch of photos to our shutterfly family page, so you can always check them out there. The link is http://noahourlittlepumpkin.shutterfly.com/ (it is also listed in our blogroll on the right side of this page.)

And I hate to be a pest, except that it is for such an amazing cause - PLEASE help us with the March for Babies on May 3rd. You can join our team or donate anything you have to spare. My team's goal is $2000 and we are currently at $1250. My personal goal was $500 and I am up to $260 (if you count pledges made specifically to me and the ones friends of mine made to the team overall. I am taking credit for anything I can ;) !). That means if I can just find 7 other people to donate $20, I will have made my goal, and they will have helped future babies to be born healthy! You can pledge at http://www.marchforbabies.org/michelleybelle or if you would like to walk with us you can sign up here http://www.marchforbabies.org/teams/640050

A very special thanks to my friends Sarah Jamison, Abby Ellingwood McPheters, Jesse Fish, Susan Strout, Melanie Hickey, and Robin Miller for their generous donations!! Darren, Noah, and I (and all the babies out there) thank you!
*edit* Let's add Uncle Tom to the list of donors we are so thankful for too!

Happy First Birthday Pumpkin!

Today is Noah's first birthday. One whole year since the school bus dropped me off on the side of the road, I walked myself into Maine General in Waterville, and I found out that no, I was not having Braxton-Hicks contractions, I was going to have my baby boy much, much too early.

I was so excited last night and this morning, thinking about the post I would get to write, wishing Noah a happy birthday. It was going to include all of my most vivid memories - from the absolute terror we had wdonering if he was going to make it through those first days, to the excitement of seeing him breathe on his own for the first time, the pure joy we had when we finally took him home, and of course all of the giggles, frustrations, and milestones we have experienced since. Instead, I am sitting here sobbing as I write this, having just found out that the beautiful 17 month old daughter of another preemie mom blogger passed away last night. I never met Heather or her gorgeous daughter Maddy, but following her blog and Maddy's exploits always left me feeling more excited than ever about my family's futute with Noah. Unfortunately, like many preemies, Maddy's lungs were just not as healthy as she needed them to be, and she passed away last night, soon after being admitted to the hospital.

So instead of being able to enjoy this moment for what it should be, a momentous milestone, and the first of many more to come for my beautiful baby boy, I am reminded again of just how terrifying the ride is for a preemie and his family. I know that Noah doesn't have the same lung issues Maddy had (thank GOD), but I am reminded of how excruciatingly fast life can take away what matters most to you. At the same time, Maddy's passing also reminds me of just how lucky I am to have my baby.

More than ever, I wish I could do something to help all of the Maddys and the Noahs to be born healthy and to stay healthy. As some of you may know, my family is planning on walking in the March of Dimes March for Babies this year for the first time. I have been meaning to send out letters, asking friends and family to donate or walk with us, just like I have been meaning to find some students at school interested in getting involved too. Unfortunately, meaning without action doesn't accomplish much. And so today, in honor of all 365 days Noah has been with us so far, and the thousands and thousands of days he will continue to be with us, I am turning my intentions into action and I am asking you to please help babies everywhere and support the March of Dimes.

http://www.marchforbabies.org/michelleybelle

Walk with us, cheer us on, donate, or just forward this message along - whatever works for you! And when you do, know that you are helping another Noah, Maddy, etc. spend one more day with their loved ones.

Love,
Michelle

One more week!

One more week and Noah will turn the big 0-1! ;)

Spring is moving right along, now that it is finally here. We are looking forward to both of his birthday parties, and we are so thankful to have made it through cold and flu season relatively unscathed (croup last fall and a nasty chest cold following February vacation - and YES, I am knocking on wood as I type this).

The funny thing is that the college visit field trip that I was chaperoning last year when I went into labor with Noah is happening again this year - the day before Noah's birthday. Nothing like a big reminder, huh?

Not much more to say tonight, I'm hoping to make it to bed early, but I wanted to get at least a little update in. I especially wanted to finally get a picture posted. Try not to be overcome with the cuteness! ;)