HAPPY BIRTHDAY MORGAN!

Dear, sweet Morgan, HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY to my beautiful little girl. You are such a wonderful part of our family, we love you, Happy Birthday!!!!!

DDS Empowerment Auction

As most of you know, Jack is one of the poster kids for Developmental and Disability Services of Lebanon County this year.

Tonight we will be attending the annual Empowerment Auction! If you're interested in checking out the items up for bid come on out to the Quality Inn in Lebanon. We will be there at 6:00 pm tonight!

A piece of Jack's art work is up for auction -- he's quite the little philanthropist, isn't' he?

LIVE & SILENT AUCTION

Doors Open At 4 p.m. for Preview & Food Sales

Auction Begins at 5 p.m.

QUALITY INN

625 Quentin Rd.

Lebanon, PA 17042

Hope to see you there!

GOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!

Wow, just overnight we've SURPASSED our fundraising goal!!!!!!

A sincere thank you to everyone. We're ready to MARCH FOR BABIES!!!

Almost to our Team Goal!!

We are NEARLY there!! $935 of our $1000 team goal has been met!!!

Let's have a little fun. For everyone who donates online from now until walk day I will send you an "Original Jack Riley" piece of art!! I know you want one! lol...

Here is the link to our TEAM PAGE!

Lots of love to all of you!

The Young@Heart Chorus

"It is possible to age gracefully.
It is possible to grow old without growing boring."

http://www.youngatheartchorus.com

I am inspired and truly hope to one day see them perform! To see more videos go to youtube and type in young@heart chorus...they have many great covers. I love this song by Cold Play...

Possibility Place Videos...

A few short clips from the playground!

Walk Day is Near!!

It's not too late to join our March for Babies team!

Event Information
Sunday 4/27/2008
12:00 PM Met-Ed Building
600 South Fifth Avenue
Lebanon, PA

Our team goal this year is $1000!! We're getting there with a total of $735 so far! I am so grateful and humbled by all of your generous donations. I want to say thank you to everyone who donated, and thank you in advance to those who will!!

Jack, born at 25 weeks spent 3 months in the NICU...

The "R Word" Campain...

The “R” Word

Some people have mental retardation. While mental retardation is not a bad word, when used to describe someone or something you think is bad it becomes another thoughtless hurtful word. People with mental retardation are not bad, their condition is not bad, the prejudice and discrimination to people with mental retardation is BAD…and WRONG! Please stop using the word ‘retard’, it hurts people with disabilities.

http://therword.org/

Possibility Place...

My friend Kris and her daughter Alicia came to stay with us last weekend! We had an amazing time. They live about two hours away and we plan at least two visits a year where we visit them or they come visit us. Kris's daughter Alicia is also a former 25 week preemie, now 6 years old. Alicia is diagnosed with CP too. She walks with DAFO's and is just the sweetest, cutest, smartest little girl!!

I dreamed of the day they would visit and we would take the kids to possibility place playground. It was all I imagined and MORE! Jack was able to use his walker all over the place. The ground is made of a very soft material (from recycled tires I believe) and they have ramps for walkers/wheelchairs on everything! The sandbox is raised, they have play areas and stations accessible to EVERYONE! They have a sensory wall and imaginative play is everywhere! Without further introduction, check out the pics...

I hope to go back to the playground this weekend. It's about 45 minutes from our house -- but I can't WAIT to show Jason how awesome it is to watch Jack RUN, yes, RUN around on his own, able to explore and just be a kid. Simply priceless...

I encourage all of you to find an accessible playground in your area. If you don't have one, start contacting people and get the idea out there!!!

WOW!

Every day she's getting closer to that first step! PS -- how CUTE is she?? lol, a bit biased, I know!!

Newborn Screening in PA

Here's How You Can Help:

Email Senate Appropriations Chair Gibson Armstrong at garmstrong@pasen.gov

Dear Senator Armstrong: Please move House Bill 883, fully funded, to a successful passage in the Senate. Pennsylvania's babies need this protection. Thank you.

Go to http://www.legis.state.pa.us/.

Enter your zipcode to find your PA Senator's email address. Email your Senator the following message:

Dear Senator: Please send a letter to Senate Appropriations Chair Armstrong requesting funding for, and passage of, House Bill 883. Newborn screening saves babies lives. Thank you.

Please share this request with all interested parties within your circle of influence. Pennsylvania's newborns need the safeguard this legislation will provide. Thank you!

Please copy kjadams@marchofdimes.com, so we may track all contacts.

PENNSYLVANIA ADVOCACY PRIORITY
PLEASE TAKE ACTION NOW!

Time is critical -- we need your help to secure passage of newborn screening legislation.
March of Dimes is working hard to expand Pennsylvania's Newborn Screening Program to include the 29 "core" treatable conditions recommended by American College of Medical Genetics and endorsed by the March of Dimes and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Failure to screen and treat for these metabolic conditions leaves newborns at risk for life-altering consequences including brain damage, coma, and even death.

Senator Jane Orie and Representative George Kenney introduced companion legislation in the House and Senate to expand the state's program and to appropriate $2 million, which will cover the Department of Health costs to administer the program including funding regional treatment centers throughout the state. House Bill #883 unanimously passed the PA House and awaits consideration in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Be Careful!

I received a call from an unknown name/number this morning with a fast talking guy on the other end...quickly said his name as "Douglas Fir" and in my head I was giggling thinking "your name is a tree"...anyway he was campaigning for Obama and asked if I could contribute money. $300 was the "top level" gift for the senator...I was able to get a quick word in and said "No thank you I am still deciding who to support." and promptly ended the call.

It got me thinking if it was really someone from Obama's campaign...what's to stop scam artists from calling and asking for money? If I had no morals maybe I could make a quick buck this way? lol, j/k...anyway my suggestion would be to go through chains you know are legit (official websites, phone numbers or campaign headquarters).

Who knows, this may or may not have been on the up and up...but I wasn't taking the chance and thought I would share my thoughts with you guys!

Take care!

Miss Morgan got a special gift from the Easter Bunny...THREE NEW TEETH!!! She now has three on the bottom and two on top...and is darn adorable.

She said her first real word "cat" which also happened to be Jack's first word too...I have a video and will share it as soon as I get it online.

Morgan also stood for several seconds all on her own! Once she realized what she was doing she dropped to her tush and laughed...I can't believe how much she's growing and changing! She's eating stage 3 foods and diced table food. She loves green beans of all things (I have photo evidence for when she's older, like Jack, and refuses to touch anything green...lol)

Jack is really growing up too. He had his 5 year well child visit this morning and is a whopping 38 lbs and a long 42.5 inches! He's 40% for weight and 50% for height!!!!!! Can you believe it???? He's ON THE CHART and not just by the skin of his teeth anymore!!!

Jack's language is really taking off. He's using so many new words and combining 2 and 3 together regularly. We started outpatient speech therapy at our local hospital and I am excited about our sessions! We go every Friday -- and Morgan gets to visit with Grandma seeing as she lives just steps away from GSH. Jack has always had a problem with ending his words...for example Bah for Ball, Geh for Get, etc. Well he's trying soooooo hard and has started really thinking about what he is saying and the result is some awesome crystal clear words!! I am in awe of my man every single day.

Now that it's warmer outside we've been taking his walker out and about on daily errands. This morning he fell into the mud, face first...but only asked for help, and went right back to walking. I'll tell you, if I fell like that I would ball my eyes out!! He's my strong, brave, AMAZING kiddo!

I just wanted to give a quick update -- the bus will be here any minute!! Happy spring everyone!!!!