The Miracle of Isaac
Sitting here today watching my two year old play happily in the bathtub making quacking noises to his duck is something most people take for granted. Isaac may be a bit short for his age and doesn’t talk but with 4 kids that is a blessing. It wasn’t always like this though. It seems like an eternity ago in December ’08 we discovered we would be having another baby. God had blessed us with easy pregnancies and a couple long labors so it wasn’t anything to worry about.
At 13 weeks it all turned into a nightmare. I was miscarrying and as I laid in bed trying to rest I was furious, confused, hurt and determined. I cried and prayed. I prayed that my God, who had blessed us in so many other ways, would bless me again and save my baby. I prayed He would use this pregnancy and this child in his ministry to reach others. That night seemed to go on forever. To our surprise at the Doctors office there was a heartbeat and a sono revealed a clot on the placenta where they believe a second sac holding a twin was attached. We all agreed that I needed to take it easy the rest of the pregnancy.
At 24 weeks (April 28th) Isaac Xavier was born with the tiniest little cry 1lb 4oz and 11 ¾ “ long. Smaller than a baby doll and about the size of a T bone steak. They wrapped him in a warming blanket and rushed him away as soon as he was freed from the water sac, it happened so fast it’s a blurr. They allowed me to go to the NICU on my way to a regular room. He looked so small and fragile in the incubator/pod. His skin was transparent and I could see his spider web like veins. His little fists were smaller than a quarter but he was real and alive. I felt helpless and had so many questions but all I could do was watch and pray. It was going to be a long, hard road.
At 24 hours he was jaundice and they were trying to put off a blood transfusion. At 48 the respiratory therapist was amazed at his lung strength for his age and weight. It was a roller coaster of good and bad and all we could do was live day to day. The hole in his heart wasn’t closing on its own, and medication wasn’t helping so this meant surgery. In the first week there was so much bad but the greatest news was that he did not have bleeding in his brain. Days 8-11 are a blurr I got to feed him his milk but they were worried about infection from the lines inserting into his belly button they needed consent to do surgery to place a picc line. Isaac’s heart mess was getting worse reopening and blood pressure all over the place so more meds and another surgery to close that hole. How do they do a surgery on a baby that tiny and a heart the size of a pecan? The surgeries went very well with the exception of nicking the vocal cord nerve which apparently drops down from the neck and around the heart. The next day I show up at the hospital and freak out my poor baby has ivs in both hands and a tube going in his head and no one had called me to let me know any of this was happening. The broviac line that had been placed during the heart surgery wasn’t working correctly so they had to go in and move it meaning another surgery. His immune system was nonexistent and I was very worried he would get an infection from all these procedures not to mention the communication between hospital staff was bad so no one knew what was going on and couldn’t tell me either. Back and forth he went on breathing machines a couple good days and then a week of bad days, and so many blood transfusions, but slowly my little man was growing and gaining weight.
May 20th Daddy finally gets to come back and see Isaac. All tests came back negative and he was off all meds. They were going to start milk feeds again and he was being weaned off the ventilators again.
May 25th, almost a month old and I got to hold my baby for the first time. It was heavenly till he stretched and moved his breathing tube. It all went downhill from there and he had to go back to bed.
Between steroids and me holding him almost daily he improved immensely. He was growing and being a stinker terrorizing the nurses. We got a friend to take pictures and Isaac continued to do well into June. On the 18th I held him for 2 ½ hours and they upped his feedings. He continues to do well breathing and Isaac is now 2lbs 15oz. July 14th Isaac is off the respirators and only has a hiflo nasal canula to give him a little oxygen. They also moved him from the pod to a real crib. Late in the month he had a busy day and between eye exams and physical therapy, breathing treatments and trying bottle feeds he got worn out and they had to put him back on a respirator. Isaac’s continues to grow he is now 3lbs 9oz. We had several bad days the end of July with temp nurses but he catches back up and grows to 5lbs in August and we are released to take him home on August 28th.
Isaac is now doing very well. With ear tubes he hears very well as far as tests can tell. His vocal chords have some nodules but are not paralyzed as speculated. He signs over 25 signs and says about 5 words when he wants to. He is a little below the curve for his height and weight but he eats just fine. There are no surgeries in his future at this time and he is happy just being himself.
"Like" to Support Other Little Miracles with Pampers!
For every click of the "I support" button on the Miracles Facebook app, Pampers will donate one diaper, one pack of wipes, and one dollar to Direct Relief International ® to help those in affected areas. For every story shared on the Miracles Facebook app, we will donate an additional two diapers, two packs of wipes, and two dollars to Direct Relief International ®.

My name is Jessica Finch and I am a busy mom of 4. We love the outdoors and we raise a lot of our own food as well as bake our own bread. I am currently going to school to be an Herbalist. I am also a photographer and a seamstress, and I enjoy art and playing piano when I have time.
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Friday, July 29, 2011 |
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iPad Apps for the Curious Minds!
Here are three different iPad apps that are suitable for a variety of ages. They aim to educate and entertain!
Human Body Detectives: Battle with the Bugs
This app is definitely a story app more than an interactive app, but that is just fine by me! Graham is absolutely fascinated with how the human body works and this story is right up his alley. I think that this would be better suited for an older crowd (elementary school aged), but Graham has an interest and I find him "reading" this often. Not only is the story fun, but it is educational about what happens when you get sick and how you should treat your body. The kids in the story actually travel inside the human body and take on a battle! You can purchase the app for only $2.99.
Alphabet Photo Machine and Learn the Animals
These two apps from 965Studios are good for the curious minded little ones. Graham is a bit advanced for both of these apps, but I am sure that Davis will get some use out of them. Alphabet Photo Machine teaches children upper and lower case letters by associating with familiar photographs. Learn the Animals has your child select the correct animal picture from a choice of 4. The narrator gives "I'm so proud of you" prompts after so many are completed correctly. I can see this being better for toddlers than preschoolers. These apps can be purchased for $1.99.
This product was provided free of charge by. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.
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Human Body Detectives: Battle with the Bugs
This app is definitely a story app more than an interactive app, but that is just fine by me! Graham is absolutely fascinated with how the human body works and this story is right up his alley. I think that this would be better suited for an older crowd (elementary school aged), but Graham has an interest and I find him "reading" this often. Not only is the story fun, but it is educational about what happens when you get sick and how you should treat your body. The kids in the story actually travel inside the human body and take on a battle! You can purchase the app for only $2.99.
Alphabet Photo Machine and Learn the Animals
These two apps from 965Studios are good for the curious minded little ones. Graham is a bit advanced for both of these apps, but I am sure that Davis will get some use out of them. Alphabet Photo Machine teaches children upper and lower case letters by associating with familiar photographs. Learn the Animals has your child select the correct animal picture from a choice of 4. The narrator gives "I'm so proud of you" prompts after so many are completed correctly. I can see this being better for toddlers than preschoolers. These apps can be purchased for $1.99.
This product was provided free of charge by. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.
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Friday, July 29, 2011 |
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The Miracle of Nicholas
My oldest son Nicholas was born at 25 weeks in May of 2003. My husband and I had only been married six months when we found out we were expecting our first child. So we were excited but a little scared also.
Everything had been going just as expected through the pregnancy. I was just starting to show and was at the mall buying maternity clothes when my water broke. I started to panic. I am so grateful that my dear friend, Felicia, (who worked at Motherhood at the time) was working that day. She drove me to the hospital where I was told that I probably had an infection and would be having the baby in the next 24 hours. At that time I was only 23 weeks so I was told that I was not far enough long for him to live outside my womb.
However, after further examination, they discovered that I did not have an infection and they weren’t sure why my water broke. My body was not laboring so I was put on bed rest on the maternal-fetal floor. I was there for 12 days. I then got an infection from the lack of amniotic fluid and I started contracting. I decided I wanted a c-section because of the risk of brain injury from a natural birth. Nicholas Roy Roberts, Jr. was born on May 22, 2003 at 5:51 am. He weighed 1 lb. 9 oz. and was 13 ½ inches long. I was told of all the things that could go wrong. I was even told that he probably wouldn’t live. But I knew in my heart that he was going to be fine. My God gave me a peace that is indescribable!
It was a long road. We went through all the ups and downs. There were great days and there were days where I didn’t think I was going to be able to take much more. He had 3 surgeries while there and endured lots of meds and machines. Prayers and the support from friends and family got us through. And after 115 days in the NICU he came home weighing 5 lbs. 13 oz. He had a couple more surgeries in the following years to fix hernias and put tubes in his ears. But I am proud to say that my miracle is 8 years old and will be starting 3rd grade this fall and is as healthy as can be! We praise God everyday for the miracle he gave us!
Exactly 4 years later on May 21, 2007 I gave birth to our second son at 36 weeks gestation. It was discovered that I had an incompetent cervix and that is why my water broke so early with Nicholas. We are so grateful for both of our boys. They are the loves of our lives and keep life interesting!
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| Nicholas with his Grandfather |
Everything had been going just as expected through the pregnancy. I was just starting to show and was at the mall buying maternity clothes when my water broke. I started to panic. I am so grateful that my dear friend, Felicia, (who worked at Motherhood at the time) was working that day. She drove me to the hospital where I was told that I probably had an infection and would be having the baby in the next 24 hours. At that time I was only 23 weeks so I was told that I was not far enough long for him to live outside my womb.
However, after further examination, they discovered that I did not have an infection and they weren’t sure why my water broke. My body was not laboring so I was put on bed rest on the maternal-fetal floor. I was there for 12 days. I then got an infection from the lack of amniotic fluid and I started contracting. I decided I wanted a c-section because of the risk of brain injury from a natural birth. Nicholas Roy Roberts, Jr. was born on May 22, 2003 at 5:51 am. He weighed 1 lb. 9 oz. and was 13 ½ inches long. I was told of all the things that could go wrong. I was even told that he probably wouldn’t live. But I knew in my heart that he was going to be fine. My God gave me a peace that is indescribable!
It was a long road. We went through all the ups and downs. There were great days and there were days where I didn’t think I was going to be able to take much more. He had 3 surgeries while there and endured lots of meds and machines. Prayers and the support from friends and family got us through. And after 115 days in the NICU he came home weighing 5 lbs. 13 oz. He had a couple more surgeries in the following years to fix hernias and put tubes in his ears. But I am proud to say that my miracle is 8 years old and will be starting 3rd grade this fall and is as healthy as can be! We praise God everyday for the miracle he gave us!
Exactly 4 years later on May 21, 2007 I gave birth to our second son at 36 weeks gestation. It was discovered that I had an incompetent cervix and that is why my water broke so early with Nicholas. We are so grateful for both of our boys. They are the loves of our lives and keep life interesting!
"Like" to Support Other Little Miracles with Pampers!
For every click of the "I support" button on the Miracles Facebook app, Pampers will donate one diaper, one pack of wipes, and one dollar to Direct Relief International ® to help those in affected areas. For every story shared on the Miracles Facebook app, we will donate an additional two diapers, two packs of wipes, and two dollars to Direct Relief International ®.
Jenny Roberts lives in Fletcher, NC with her husband Nick of 9 years and two wonderful boys, Nicholas and Jackson. She is a stay at home mom and helps lead the children's ministry at her church. She enjoys hiking, swimming, and cooking out with friends.
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Thursday, July 28, 2011 |
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Wednesday, July 27, 2011 |
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The Miracle of Aaron
For five and half years, my husband and I tried to get pregnant. Finally, in June of 2010, we received the good news that we were expecting a baby on February 20, 2011. The pregnancy was picture perfect and I felt great. On November 29, 2010, I started experiencing some bleeding and paid a visit to my doctor. Apparently, I was starting to show signs of labor and was immediately admitted to the hospital and was put on bed rest and instructed to be “boring” for the next 12 weeks. The doctor administered the steroid shots to assist in the baby’s lung development, just in case.
Four days later on December 3, I began having what felt like gas pains. My doctor told me to keep an eye on them and let her know if anything changed. We even put the monitor on me to check for contractions with no results, so I settled in for an evening of TV with my husband. A few hours later the pains became worse and after a quick check by a nurse, it was discovered that I was indeed in labor with no chance of stopping it. The doctors and nurses moved very quickly to prepare me for a cesarean section since we knew the baby was in a breech position. At 1:13 am on December 4, 2010, our son Aaron was delivered at a gestational age of 28 weeks and 5 days, weighing 3 pounds and 2 ounces. We were so blessed that he was able to breathe on his own and never required a ventilator. The doctors worked on him for a while in the delivery room making sure that he was stable. Two amazing things happened during that time. I heard him cry, so I knew he was a fighter and when the doctor carried him over to see me, he gripped my finger with an amazing strength for such a tiny baby. My husband and I knew we had a long road ahead of us and no idea what was going to happen.
Over the next 48 hours, we tried to quickly become very educated in Aaron’s condition and care. We asked every question and spent as much time as possible with him. It was difficult because he was hooked up to so many machines and we couldn’t even pick him up and get him out of the isolette by ourselves. My maternal instinct was to hold my baby constantly and comfort him, but I knew rest was the best thing I could give him. I treasured the moments when I could “kangaroo” with him. This involved laying him on my chest, providing skin-to-skin contact. It has been shown that a mother’s body will keep her baby warm enough and the contact provided an amazing bond. We would lay there for 1-2 hours at a time, usually at night. Nighttime in the NICU is much calmer and quieter than the day. We kangarooed every day for 7 weeks while Aaron was in the NICU. My husband and I even fought over who would get to change diapers just to have the opportunity to help him. Those first few weeks were exhausting. I was recovering from surgery and trying to provide breastmilk to this little being. We made 4-5 trips to the hospital every day to take milk and just to spend time with him. It never felt right being at home without him. The nurses and doctors encourage parents to go home and get rest, but every time I went home all I wanted to do was turn around and go right back to Aaron.
After 4 weeks, Aaron was stable enough to move out of the isolette and move into his own room where we could stay with him 24 hours a day and provide the majority of his care. We immediately moved in with him. For the next 3 weeks I lived at the hospital. I learned how to give Aaron baths and dress him and administer medicines. Our biggest hurdle was getting him to take bottles instead of relying on the feeding tube. One day, he pulled his feeding tube out and thankfully his nurse refused to put another one in. Over the next week he became very good at eating and telling us when he was hungry. Once we got over that hurdle, we were finally able to take him home on January 26, 2010. Aaron did have to have an apnea monitor for the first month at home and he was on medication for reflux. Other than that, he was extremely healthy and growing. He was around 6 pounds when we left the hospital.
Our NICU is a special place. Luckily, in our case it was a place for miracles. We had more good days than bad days. We had an amazing team of doctors and nurses and I still miss some of those nurses. They not only take wonderful care of the babies, but they take care of the parents too. Having a baby in the NICU is extremely emotional. I was happy to finally meet Aaron, but in constant concern about his health and his future. I wanted to be able to walk into his room at home and see him laying in his crib, but I had to drive 20 minutes to see him and then walk down a long hallway and ride up an elevator. I was trying to pump breastmilk, but my body was not responding. Every time the doctors increased Aaron’s feeding, I was happy for him, but concerned that I wouldn’t be able to produce enough. When he started taking bottles, it hurt because I was not at the hospital for his first bottle, a nurse gave it to him. For 4 weeks, I had to walk out of that hospital every night and leave my baby behind. On Christmas Day, my husband and I spent the entire day sitting by Aaron’s bed in the NICU. Our experience changed our lives and our priorities. Aaron is our miracle baby and we appreciate every moment we have with him.
Four days later on December 3, I began having what felt like gas pains. My doctor told me to keep an eye on them and let her know if anything changed. We even put the monitor on me to check for contractions with no results, so I settled in for an evening of TV with my husband. A few hours later the pains became worse and after a quick check by a nurse, it was discovered that I was indeed in labor with no chance of stopping it. The doctors and nurses moved very quickly to prepare me for a cesarean section since we knew the baby was in a breech position. At 1:13 am on December 4, 2010, our son Aaron was delivered at a gestational age of 28 weeks and 5 days, weighing 3 pounds and 2 ounces. We were so blessed that he was able to breathe on his own and never required a ventilator. The doctors worked on him for a while in the delivery room making sure that he was stable. Two amazing things happened during that time. I heard him cry, so I knew he was a fighter and when the doctor carried him over to see me, he gripped my finger with an amazing strength for such a tiny baby. My husband and I knew we had a long road ahead of us and no idea what was going to happen.
Over the next 48 hours, we tried to quickly become very educated in Aaron’s condition and care. We asked every question and spent as much time as possible with him. It was difficult because he was hooked up to so many machines and we couldn’t even pick him up and get him out of the isolette by ourselves. My maternal instinct was to hold my baby constantly and comfort him, but I knew rest was the best thing I could give him. I treasured the moments when I could “kangaroo” with him. This involved laying him on my chest, providing skin-to-skin contact. It has been shown that a mother’s body will keep her baby warm enough and the contact provided an amazing bond. We would lay there for 1-2 hours at a time, usually at night. Nighttime in the NICU is much calmer and quieter than the day. We kangarooed every day for 7 weeks while Aaron was in the NICU. My husband and I even fought over who would get to change diapers just to have the opportunity to help him. Those first few weeks were exhausting. I was recovering from surgery and trying to provide breastmilk to this little being. We made 4-5 trips to the hospital every day to take milk and just to spend time with him. It never felt right being at home without him. The nurses and doctors encourage parents to go home and get rest, but every time I went home all I wanted to do was turn around and go right back to Aaron.
After 4 weeks, Aaron was stable enough to move out of the isolette and move into his own room where we could stay with him 24 hours a day and provide the majority of his care. We immediately moved in with him. For the next 3 weeks I lived at the hospital. I learned how to give Aaron baths and dress him and administer medicines. Our biggest hurdle was getting him to take bottles instead of relying on the feeding tube. One day, he pulled his feeding tube out and thankfully his nurse refused to put another one in. Over the next week he became very good at eating and telling us when he was hungry. Once we got over that hurdle, we were finally able to take him home on January 26, 2010. Aaron did have to have an apnea monitor for the first month at home and he was on medication for reflux. Other than that, he was extremely healthy and growing. He was around 6 pounds when we left the hospital.
Our NICU is a special place. Luckily, in our case it was a place for miracles. We had more good days than bad days. We had an amazing team of doctors and nurses and I still miss some of those nurses. They not only take wonderful care of the babies, but they take care of the parents too. Having a baby in the NICU is extremely emotional. I was happy to finally meet Aaron, but in constant concern about his health and his future. I wanted to be able to walk into his room at home and see him laying in his crib, but I had to drive 20 minutes to see him and then walk down a long hallway and ride up an elevator. I was trying to pump breastmilk, but my body was not responding. Every time the doctors increased Aaron’s feeding, I was happy for him, but concerned that I wouldn’t be able to produce enough. When he started taking bottles, it hurt because I was not at the hospital for his first bottle, a nurse gave it to him. For 4 weeks, I had to walk out of that hospital every night and leave my baby behind. On Christmas Day, my husband and I spent the entire day sitting by Aaron’s bed in the NICU. Our experience changed our lives and our priorities. Aaron is our miracle baby and we appreciate every moment we have with him.
"Like" to Support Other Little Miracles with Pampers!
For every click of the "I support" button on the Miracles Facebook app, Pampers will donate one diaper, one pack of wipes, and one dollar to Direct Relief International ® to help those in affected areas. For every story shared on the Miracles Facebook app, we will donate an additional two diapers, two packs of wipes, and two dollars to Direct Relief International ®.
Stephanie Allison lives in Fairview, NC with her best friend and husband of 10 years, Nathan. They have one son, Aaron, and two cats. She is staying busy as a full-time mom and working part-time for a real estate firm. She enjoys taking Aaron for long walks outside and reading.
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Wednesday, July 27, 2011 |
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The Miracle of Will
40 weeks and 6 days had passed to the most amazing journey, or so I thought! Austin and I had prayed for this child for months and didn't expect the road to be tread in the way it was. We lost a child on the way and when we were blessed with the opportunity of being pregnant the second time, we took that journey and decided that we were ready to be lead by our Savior every moment of every day no matter what. We never dreamed it would go the way it did, and we are to this day thankful for every moment that we were and are given.

The pregnancy was perfect, I enjoyed every moment and did everything I could to get out and be active and provide the best enviroment for our little one during the time in my belly. We did not find out what we were having and enjoyed the element of surprise. At 36 weeks our doctor noticed an enlarged portion of the brain in the ultrasound. We were referred to a high risk OB to find out that the brain was fine but that I had a mutation of a gene related to MTHFR which meant that I had not processed ANY Folic Acid during the entire pregnancy. We knew then that we already had a miracle on our hands.
At 41 weeks, I delivered a big little guy named Will at 8:28 pm on March 18, 2010. He entered with ease and blessed us with his presence from the moment I set my gaze upon him. He was healthy, large, long, and the result of a very normal delivery with a little help from Pitocin. While in the hospital, we were in awe of him, he was so cute and had such a great countenance, he was the child we prayed for daily. Two days later we left the hospital, ready to face the new role as parents, excited and terrified all the same.
Three hours after walking into our house, Will began shaking from head to toe, so much so that at times he could not eat. This came and went over the next few hours while we attempted to reach our doctor. After talking to the doctor and describing the symptoms, we were told to go to the ER immediately, that what we described sounded like seizures. With tears streaming down my face, I sat in the back of the car with him, watching him seize, I stroked his face and repeatedly whispered to him "It will be okay buddy, it will be okay."
We arrived at University Hospital's ER and were later transferred two blocks to the Medical College of Georgia's Children's Medical Center PICU where it was determined, Will had a bleed in the left lateral ventricle of his brain. We were told it did not look good, they may not be able to stop the bleed. For hours, I sat and stared at my tiny child laying in the Bili tank with tubes and wires coming out of every limb of his body. I could not hold him, I could not feed him, I could only touch him through the holes in the tank. In the beginning I didn't want to touch him, I was removed, terrified that if I got attached, it would be harder to say goodbye. By God's grace and my mom's persistence and encourage words, I put my hand in the tank and talked to Will, sang to him, and sang to myself that we were being led all the way by a loving Savior that gives us "grace for every trial." As days went by we continued to pray for our little miracle. Thankfully, we were not resting on the hope of the doctors, we were resting in the arms of our Savior who stopped the bleed. Three days later, we were able to take Will home and administer his phenobarbital each night at home. Will was a fighter from day one, and he is our little miracle, a healthy baby boy with absolutely no damage, functioning normally and living life with a smile on his face. On his third day of life we wondered if he would live to see the fourth, today he is living and breathing proof that miracles still happen!
"All the way my Savior Leads me, whom have I to ask beside, how can I doubt his tender mercy, who through life has been my guide!"
Our little big miracle of life: littlebigmiracleoflife.blogspot.com
"Like" to Support Other Little Miracles with Pampers!
For every click of the "I support" button on the Miracles Facebook app, Pampers will donate one diaper, one pack of wipes, and one dollar to Direct Relief International ® to help those in affected areas. For every story shared on the Miracles Facebook app, we will donate an additional two diapers, two packs of wipes, and two dollars to Direct Relief International ®.

Austin and Taylor Bell are blessed to be parents of Will (16 months) and thankful that he shares the house with our two dogs and loves them! Austin and I have been married for 7 and 1/2 years and met at Covenant College during our Freshman year. Austin is a golf professional and I am a school psychologist in the public school system. Will entered our world in March of 2010 and we couldn't be happier. We have enjoyed the last 16 months of pure joy and a new understanding of love!
Visit Taylor's personal blog: Miracle of Life.
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Tuesday, July 26, 2011 |
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Peach Mango Salsa {recipe}
A recent trip to Georgia left us with a bucket full of ripe peaches! I used most of them to create Peach Ice Pops for the boys and baby food for Davis. But, I was itching to try a new type of salsa I'd been hearing about that involved peaches. Here is one that is great and healthy! If you love chunky salsa this is the recipe for you.
Peach Mango Salsa
Ingredients:
1 ripe peach, diced
1 mango, diced
1 tomato, diced (I leave out the seeds)
1/3 cup of onion, diced
1/3 cup of your favorite pepper, diced (bell is probably the best bet). We used "Fooled You" Peppers! They look like Jalapenos but they are not hot.
Fresh cilantro, chopped fine
1 lime
Preparation:
Making salsa is so easy! Just add all of the ingredients together and squeeze 1/2 of the lime over top. You can eat this right away, but I have found that it tastes better once the ingredients have had time to settle. What nice compliment to some of your fish recipes this summer.
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Peach Mango Salsa
Ingredients:
1 ripe peach, diced
1 mango, diced
1 tomato, diced (I leave out the seeds)
1/3 cup of onion, diced
1/3 cup of your favorite pepper, diced (bell is probably the best bet). We used "Fooled You" Peppers! They look like Jalapenos but they are not hot.
Fresh cilantro, chopped fine
1 lime
Preparation:
Making salsa is so easy! Just add all of the ingredients together and squeeze 1/2 of the lime over top. You can eat this right away, but I have found that it tastes better once the ingredients have had time to settle. What nice compliment to some of your fish recipes this summer.
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Tuesday, July 26, 2011 |
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Fire Power Water Shooter Named Toy of the Year
When it comes to outdoors and water fights, Graham is in! Are all little boys like that? They must be because my husband is the primary one waging the wars! With that said, you are going to want to check out this extra special water shooter that has become Graham's best outdoor buddy. The Fire Power Water Shooter by Aeromax was also just recently named Toy of the Year in Outdoor Play by Creative Child Toy Awards. I can tell you that the honor was definitely deserved!
The Fire Power Water Shooter works by filling the top nozzle full of water. A small hose attaches from the pack to the squirting piece. There are adjustable straps on the back pack so that even the little guys can get in on the fun! Graham loves to pretend to be a fire fighter as he puts out the fires. Although, I must have some dangers all around me because it generally ends up being pointed in my direction! The water shooter shots water up to 35 feet so watch out! No one can run. No one can hide.
Here's the part you are going to love... it only costs $12.95! I don't really think you could go wrong with that price especially with the insane amount of summer birthday parties we are invited to. Don't you know that this will be the favorite gift?!
This product was provided free of charge by Aeromax. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.
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The Fire Power Water Shooter works by filling the top nozzle full of water. A small hose attaches from the pack to the squirting piece. There are adjustable straps on the back pack so that even the little guys can get in on the fun! Graham loves to pretend to be a fire fighter as he puts out the fires. Although, I must have some dangers all around me because it generally ends up being pointed in my direction! The water shooter shots water up to 35 feet so watch out! No one can run. No one can hide.
See it in Action:
Here's the part you are going to love... it only costs $12.95! I don't really think you could go wrong with that price especially with the insane amount of summer birthday parties we are invited to. Don't you know that this will be the favorite gift?!
This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to Rebekah!
This product was provided free of charge by Aeromax. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.
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Tuesday, July 26, 2011 |
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The Miracle of Maggie
Last September I saw the two pink lines that changed my world forever- we were pregnant with our second child. With a 16 month old boy already, I knew that my world was going to be very hectic, but I was extremely excited for James to have a little brother or sister. The pregnancy went well. I was extremely sick for the first few months. We found out at our 20 week ultrasound that we were having a baby girl. My heart was overjoyed. I have always wanted a little boy and a little girl and I knew that she was such a miracle baby already.
The Day Things Changed
Because I have asthma, I am on a special protocol with my OB doctors at Grace OB. Starting at 32 weeks, I have weekly visits and weekly NST's (non-stress tests). I also get to have some late pregnancy ultrasounds. At our 32 week ultrasound, the technician said that our baby's legs were measuring a few weeks short. The doctor assured us that it was probably not a big deal and that she would probably catch up in a few weeks. We honestly did not think anything of it. I got another ultrasound at 36 weeks. At this appointment, her femur bones were measuring 5 weeks short. The doctor told us that she wanted to schedule a high-risk ultrasound at another doctor's office to try to find out more of what was going on. We started getting a little nervous and worried, but trusted that the Lord was in control of the situation.
The Waiting Game
At the high-risk ultrasound, they had me on the table for over an hour, measuring every single organ and major bone. Turns out that all of the long bones in both her arms and her legs were measuring 5-6 weeks short. The doctor came in and told us the possibilities. They told us that Maggie could have anything from skeletal displaysia to Down's Syndrome and that we would just have to wait and see what her diagnosis would be after birth. I asked if we should do an amniocentesis but they said that since I was so far along in the pregnancy, we should just wait until she was born. Boy, were those a LONG three weeks!
We immediately went to our knees in prayer for our little girl and asked everyone around us to join us. It was definitely a time of sadness and anxiousness, but I have never felt the presence of the Lord so much in my life. My husband and I prayed together more than we ever have. I dove into the Scripture daily and I pleaded to my Lord to heal my little girl. Each morning I read Psalm 139 out loud to my son during breakfast, explaining to him that Maggie was "fearfully and wonderfully made" and that God "knit her together in my womb" and that "His works are wonderful". The Word gave me so much encouragement. We felt the prayers of our friends and family in an almost tangible way. It was indescribable.
Maggie is Born!
Finally, May 24th arrived and we got to the hospital at 5:30am for my 7:30am C-section. After getting checked in, poked and prodded, had an IV started, and prayed with my doctor, I was escorted to the OR. I got my spinal put in (by a student, no less) and laid down on the table. My heart was anxious, excited, scared, overjoyed, etc. The emotions were truly indescribable. They pulled Maggie out and quickly took her over to the NICU team which had been waiting. Her initial APGAR score was an 8, but by the 5 minute mark, it had dropped down to a 2 and they were having to do chest compressions. It was a very scary few minutes. Miraculously, her score went right back up to an 8 a few minutes later (the power of prayer!).
Because she was 4 days early and had been born via c-section, she had fluid in her lungs and had to be taken right away to the NICU at Mission Hospital. My husband was allowed to stay right by her side the entire time. He told me that once they arrived to the NICU wing, they quickly hooked Maggie up to some monitors and the nurses were extremely thorough in explaining everything they were doing to Mark. I had to go straight to the recovery room for an hour or two before they wheeled me up to the NICU floor so I could see my little girl. She was so beautiful. I knew from the moment I laid my eyes on her that she was my miracle baby. They allowed me to stay in the NICU for a few minutes and pushed my bed right up next to her bed. I held her little hand and prayed over her. They also allowed my parents to accompany me to the NICU so they could meet their new granddaughter. It was a special, but hard time.
I then went to my room and got settled. We kept getting updates from the NICU about her progress and miraculously enough, Maggie was able to be discharged from the NICU seven hours after her birth. I will never forget the first time that I got to hold her. She was 6lbs, 9oz at birth and my son was a whopping 9lbs, 5 oz at birth. Needless to say, she felt like a little baby doll. While in the hospital, we were able to meet with a neonatologist, a geneticist, and our pediatrician. They did blood work for genetic testing on Maggie and told us that we should expect the results back within a few weeks. We were able to keep Maggie in the room with us for the remainder of our stay in the hospital and got discharged 3 days later.
Once we got home, we were so happy to be a family of 4. Maggie ate well, slept well, and was a real joy to be around. Our son, James, loved having a new sister. He adjusted so well. He helps me change her diaper, brings me burp cloths, and smothers her in kisses. It warms my heart.
The Results
Four weeks after her birth, we got a phone call from Dr. Boyd, Maggie's geneticist, saying that they had received the test results back from the blood work and that she wanted to see us the following week at her office. We were nervous as we waited in the waiting room, not knowing what they were going to tell us. We found out that Maggie has a SHOX deletion in her X chromosome. Basically, it means that she will have a shorter stature than most girls her age, but that there were no significant health concerns. What a relief. They also put our mind to ease, telling us that Maggie did not have Down's Syndrome, which we assumed, but was still nice to have the confirmation. They want to see her again when she is 2 years old, unless major problems arise in her development between now and then. What a blessing.
Mark and I know that the power of prayer works. We are confident that God healed our little girl. She is thriving and growing wonderfully. She truly is "fearfully and wonderfully made".
Subscribe to Go Graham Go! by Email as well as follow us on Twitter!
The Day Things Changed
Because I have asthma, I am on a special protocol with my OB doctors at Grace OB. Starting at 32 weeks, I have weekly visits and weekly NST's (non-stress tests). I also get to have some late pregnancy ultrasounds. At our 32 week ultrasound, the technician said that our baby's legs were measuring a few weeks short. The doctor assured us that it was probably not a big deal and that she would probably catch up in a few weeks. We honestly did not think anything of it. I got another ultrasound at 36 weeks. At this appointment, her femur bones were measuring 5 weeks short. The doctor told us that she wanted to schedule a high-risk ultrasound at another doctor's office to try to find out more of what was going on. We started getting a little nervous and worried, but trusted that the Lord was in control of the situation.
The Waiting Game
At the high-risk ultrasound, they had me on the table for over an hour, measuring every single organ and major bone. Turns out that all of the long bones in both her arms and her legs were measuring 5-6 weeks short. The doctor came in and told us the possibilities. They told us that Maggie could have anything from skeletal displaysia to Down's Syndrome and that we would just have to wait and see what her diagnosis would be after birth. I asked if we should do an amniocentesis but they said that since I was so far along in the pregnancy, we should just wait until she was born. Boy, were those a LONG three weeks!
We immediately went to our knees in prayer for our little girl and asked everyone around us to join us. It was definitely a time of sadness and anxiousness, but I have never felt the presence of the Lord so much in my life. My husband and I prayed together more than we ever have. I dove into the Scripture daily and I pleaded to my Lord to heal my little girl. Each morning I read Psalm 139 out loud to my son during breakfast, explaining to him that Maggie was "fearfully and wonderfully made" and that God "knit her together in my womb" and that "His works are wonderful". The Word gave me so much encouragement. We felt the prayers of our friends and family in an almost tangible way. It was indescribable.
Maggie is Born!
Finally, May 24th arrived and we got to the hospital at 5:30am for my 7:30am C-section. After getting checked in, poked and prodded, had an IV started, and prayed with my doctor, I was escorted to the OR. I got my spinal put in (by a student, no less) and laid down on the table. My heart was anxious, excited, scared, overjoyed, etc. The emotions were truly indescribable. They pulled Maggie out and quickly took her over to the NICU team which had been waiting. Her initial APGAR score was an 8, but by the 5 minute mark, it had dropped down to a 2 and they were having to do chest compressions. It was a very scary few minutes. Miraculously, her score went right back up to an 8 a few minutes later (the power of prayer!).
Because she was 4 days early and had been born via c-section, she had fluid in her lungs and had to be taken right away to the NICU at Mission Hospital. My husband was allowed to stay right by her side the entire time. He told me that once they arrived to the NICU wing, they quickly hooked Maggie up to some monitors and the nurses were extremely thorough in explaining everything they were doing to Mark. I had to go straight to the recovery room for an hour or two before they wheeled me up to the NICU floor so I could see my little girl. She was so beautiful. I knew from the moment I laid my eyes on her that she was my miracle baby. They allowed me to stay in the NICU for a few minutes and pushed my bed right up next to her bed. I held her little hand and prayed over her. They also allowed my parents to accompany me to the NICU so they could meet their new granddaughter. It was a special, but hard time.
I then went to my room and got settled. We kept getting updates from the NICU about her progress and miraculously enough, Maggie was able to be discharged from the NICU seven hours after her birth. I will never forget the first time that I got to hold her. She was 6lbs, 9oz at birth and my son was a whopping 9lbs, 5 oz at birth. Needless to say, she felt like a little baby doll. While in the hospital, we were able to meet with a neonatologist, a geneticist, and our pediatrician. They did blood work for genetic testing on Maggie and told us that we should expect the results back within a few weeks. We were able to keep Maggie in the room with us for the remainder of our stay in the hospital and got discharged 3 days later.
Once we got home, we were so happy to be a family of 4. Maggie ate well, slept well, and was a real joy to be around. Our son, James, loved having a new sister. He adjusted so well. He helps me change her diaper, brings me burp cloths, and smothers her in kisses. It warms my heart.
The Results
Four weeks after her birth, we got a phone call from Dr. Boyd, Maggie's geneticist, saying that they had received the test results back from the blood work and that she wanted to see us the following week at her office. We were nervous as we waited in the waiting room, not knowing what they were going to tell us. We found out that Maggie has a SHOX deletion in her X chromosome. Basically, it means that she will have a shorter stature than most girls her age, but that there were no significant health concerns. What a relief. They also put our mind to ease, telling us that Maggie did not have Down's Syndrome, which we assumed, but was still nice to have the confirmation. They want to see her again when she is 2 years old, unless major problems arise in her development between now and then. What a blessing.
Mark and I know that the power of prayer works. We are confident that God healed our little girl. She is thriving and growing wonderfully. She truly is "fearfully and wonderfully made".
"Like" to Support Other Little Miracles with Pampers!
For every click of the "I support" button on the Miracles Facebook app, Pampers will donate one diaper, one pack of wipes, and one dollar to Direct Relief International ® to help those in affected areas. For every story shared on the Miracles Facebook app, we will donate an additional two diapers, two packs of wipes, and two dollars to Direct Relief International ®.
Jessica Harrison lives in Asheville, NC with her wonderful husband of seven years and two beautiful children, James and Maggie. She is a stay at home mom but keeps busy tutoring Spanish in her free time. She enjoys singing, cooking, and spending time with her family.
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Monday, July 25, 2011 |
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Habaland Play Blocks and Crab Calino by HABA
You guys already know that we adore HABA products, so I am excited to share with you a few of their new items that you and your kids are going to love!
Habaland Play Blocks- $70
Please do not let that price tag scare you! These wooden blocks are quality. Granted, I have only owned them for about 2 weeks, but we have other HABA toys and they have not faded, been broken or scratched. Besides that, they have wonderful little details that a lot of other play blocks do not. These have honestly been some of Davis's favorite toys lately. He is only 10 months old, but he loves to hold the blocks in his hands, clap them together, try to piece them together and shake the ones that jingle and shine. I also love that as he grows older, this toy will grow with him. He will be able to build a little city and different structures soon. This set even comes with a car and passenger! So, the $70 should really be broken down monthly over a span of about 5 years which equals about $15.21 per year. How many toys do you buy your kids that break for that amount over the span of 6 months? What an excellent first birthday gift idea!
Pulling Figure Crab Calino- $30
This guy is adorable! Not only does Davis love him, but Graham loves him. There is just something contagious about his movements when he is pulled across the floor. Davis is not walking yet, but he loves to pull him as he crawls along. Toddlers are attracted to his movements and sounds as he clickety-clacks across the floor. He is made from beech wood and offers the same standard of quality that you would expect from HABA. Again, this would make an excellent first birthday gift.
This product was provided free of charge by HABA. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.
Subscribe to Go Graham Go! by Email as well as follow us on Twitter!
Habaland Play Blocks- $70
Please do not let that price tag scare you! These wooden blocks are quality. Granted, I have only owned them for about 2 weeks, but we have other HABA toys and they have not faded, been broken or scratched. Besides that, they have wonderful little details that a lot of other play blocks do not. These have honestly been some of Davis's favorite toys lately. He is only 10 months old, but he loves to hold the blocks in his hands, clap them together, try to piece them together and shake the ones that jingle and shine. I also love that as he grows older, this toy will grow with him. He will be able to build a little city and different structures soon. This set even comes with a car and passenger! So, the $70 should really be broken down monthly over a span of about 5 years which equals about $15.21 per year. How many toys do you buy your kids that break for that amount over the span of 6 months? What an excellent first birthday gift idea!
Pulling Figure Crab Calino- $30
This guy is adorable! Not only does Davis love him, but Graham loves him. There is just something contagious about his movements when he is pulled across the floor. Davis is not walking yet, but he loves to pull him as he crawls along. Toddlers are attracted to his movements and sounds as he clickety-clacks across the floor. He is made from beech wood and offers the same standard of quality that you would expect from HABA. Again, this would make an excellent first birthday gift.
See them in action:
This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to Lori Sifuentes!
This product was provided free of charge by HABA. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.
Subscribe to Go Graham Go! by Email as well as follow us on Twitter!
Monday, July 25, 2011 |
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Our Pampers Miracle Mission
Wow! I had the wonderful opportunity to team up with a local charity, the Tye Blanton Foundation, in order to help out with my own little Pampers Miracle Mission. I am so excited to share with you guys what we were able to do! What an exciting week I have planned for you guys as well. Make sure you join me daily to see real life Miracle Baby Stories from friends and family members. I encourage you to comment and share your own experiences. I know that it would mean a lot to the families who are opening up so much of their hearts to you.
I met with Nichole and Michaela from the Tye Blanton Foundation last week in order to purchase items for their Parent Bags. The Tye Blanton Foundation was formed in honor of Michaela's son who spent 4 1/2 months in the NICU until he passed away. Now, Michaela and her team are taking this tragedy and turning it into a great service to families in our local NICU. They will often provide the parent bags, gift certificates, baby gear and many other needed items to patients as well as the NICU floor itself. What they provide depends upon the need. You can follow them on Facebook to keep up to date.
We nearly wiped out our local Walmart gathering enough supplies to fill 60 Parent Bags. What an exciting time to know how many families lives these bags are going to touch. We were also able to pick up several gift certificates in order to give families a meal option while they spend time with their babies in the NICU.
Our local hospital currently has space for about 51 babies. At the moment there are about 47 babies taking up residence in this wonderful facility. I am so proud of what the NICU staff does for each and everyone of these sweet babies every day. I am also proud of what the Tye Blanton Foundation is doing to reach out to parents in need.
A BIG thank you goes out to Pampers for providing the opportunity for this local Miracle Mission. I know that many other lives will say "thank you" as well!
"Like" to Support Other Little Miracles with Pampers!
For every click of the "I support" button on the Miracles Facebook app, Pampers will donate one diaper, one pack of wipes, and one dollar to Direct Relief International ® to help those in affected areas. For every story shared on the Miracles Facebook app, we will donate an additional two diapers, two packs of wipes, and two dollars to Direct Relief International ®.
I was not compensated for this post. Pampers generously provided a gift card that we used to fill the need of the Tye Blanton Foundation. I am on the Pampers Baby Board. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.
Subscribe to Go Graham Go! by Email as well as follow us on Twitter!
Sunday, July 24, 2011 |
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