Growing and growing....

The boys are doing well (other than getting over some kind of icky tummy bug). They are both advancing by leaps and bounds right before my eyes. Jerome loves to watch the turkey and deer in the back yard and Elliot just likes to watch Jerome. Elliot has such a calm and patient demeanor. While Jerome was sick, Elliot seemed to know that Jerome needed most of Mommas attention and he was a sweet and happy boy. Elliot reaches for and grabs onto things to bring them closer to him and he's getting very close to rolling over. He gets so excited about his attempts to role over that it often keeps him from sleeping during his naps.

The weather is slowly but surely getting warmer and the snow is slowly melting with each sun shiny day. I fear that we will not be snow free by Easter Sunday, though. This will be a first for me. Not a welcome first, I must say. It just doesn't seem right to have snow on the ground on Easter Sunday - what about the flowy and flowery spring dresses with pure white sandals, and the egg hunts in the warm spring breeze? Well, as a friend just said the other day, "It's Easter no matter what weather it is outside and we WILL have an Easter Egg Hunt!"

Enough about all of that, on to the pics:






Sweet Elliot and sweet Dadda













Jerome helping Aunt Shelly with laundry












You just can't help but smile for this one!

















Elliot and Aunt Shelly - I love this pic of him!















The Boys in Blue















Sweet Elliot














Just playin'











It's melting......





This is a video of Elliot and Mamma playing. It's hard to see because it was dark, but the audio is adorable of Elliot.

March for Babies!!!

What a sweet surprise and an honor we received a few weeks ago when my cousin Amanda Davis called and asked if Jerome would be the Ambassador Child for her nursing school's team for the March for Babies walk, sponsored by the March of Dimes. Amanda is the team captain for the Texas Tech School of Nursing team that will walk in the April 26th walk in Lubbock, TX. She has a special place in her heart for premature babies and babies with birth defects, and she plans to follow that passion and work in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). I'll say right now, we would have loved to have had a nurse like Amanda on the staff that cared for Jerome.

I was nearly in tears when Amanda called and explained to me that she was so inspired by Jerome's story that she thought he was the perfect candidate to be their Ambassador Child, which makes our family the Ambassador Family. Jerome will be like their little mascot. Amanda has used photos of Jerome when he was in the hospital to help promote their walk and try to raise as much money as possible to donate to the March of Dimes.

The mission of March of Dimes is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality. Every year, half a million babies in the U.S. are born prematurely. Premature birth is the leading cause of newborn death and many life long disabilities. The funds raised in March for Babies support research that saves babies' lives.

If you are so inspired, Amanda's web page for taking donations towards her goal of $1,000 for this years walk is: http://www.marchforbabies.org/blueyes2716
From her page, you can click on the link to the Team Page and see the progress of the team that Jerome is a little mascot for. They walk for the littlest reasons!

Closing In

Well, the scales and tape measurer at the doctor's office today proved that Elliot is closing in on his big brother. The boys had their 4 month and 18 month check ups this morning and we found that Elliot weighs 15 pounds and is 26 inches tall. Jerome weighs 20 pounds and is 31 inches tall. I have a feeling it won't be long before they're neck and neck.

The boys are both as healthy and happy as little clams and Dr. Mary says that we can even start some solids with Elliot. I'm a little sad about that simply because it is yet another step towards that constant letting go process that I seem to try to defy. Bittersweet steps that my baby takes to growing up.