Gotta Love... Halloween

Gotta Love...

my sweet girl's smile

pumpkin families

California in October and wearing tube-top sundresses

Gotta Love...

my sweet boy's morning wild curly hair

carving a cool pumpkins

the early teen years

Since I whined in my last post...

I thought I'd lighten up and re-run of one of my favorite posts

"I never give advice but..."

Ladies, please hear this… avoid tummy tattoos before your child bearing years!

Years of experience in L&D have taught me that...

delicate rings of tiny flowers become…

Christmas wreaths!

tiny fluttering butterflies become…

hawks!

a simple little name becomes…

a billboard!

I think the look on her face says it all …

“My tats are going to be destroyed by this pregnancy!”

P.S. That tattoo of the little man mowing your... ehem... hair is funny, but you may find it a bit embarrassing when you go to have your baby!

P.P.S. I may be missing my target audience with this post ")

P.P.P.S. I actually have seen some amazing works of art, as I see a lot of "canvas" in my work ")

Please...please...let's get it over with

Is it just me?

Or are we getting bombarded with more political commercials than ever this year?

I am seriously getting exhausted with this election year.

Think I will not listen to the radio the next week. UGH!!!!

Cannot wait for election day...so I can vote and finally have a voice in my country's future.

And so that the commercials will STOP!!!!

We're in Counseling...

Is it wrong to admit...

...that during surgery, it grosses me out to watch the scalpel on the skin?

Yep, it is true. When I scrub, I focus on the skin just to the side of the scalpel, just millimeters to the side. After that initial incision I am just fine.

I know, as a nurse I am supposed to be strong and handle anything that I do and see.

Well, we nurses have our weaknesses. For some it is m-eeewww-cus, other it is vomit, some it is the ol' "code brown".

For me...yep, the skin incision.

Hey...at least I don't faint at the sight of blood! LOL :)

10/10/10 ... it's your birthday

Is it just me?

Wouldn't it be great to have 10/10/10 as your birthday?

How cool would that be?!

Yesterday at work, I met a little fella and a little gal who will hear how awesome that b-day is many, many, many times during their lives.

I am not usually a numbers geek (math...EEK!)

But I think that certain dates are fun (yep, geek)

I will only get to be numerically delighted two more times... 11/11/11 (my girl's 13th b-day by the way) and 12/12/12.

Oh, there will be other numbers...but none as beautiful as 10/10/10 (sigh)

(okay, it's just me)

A Walk to Remember 2010...was amazing

A Walk To Remember

We Walk For The Steps They Will Never Take

Our Fifth Annual "A Walk to Remember" was a huge success.

Nearly 700 parents, family, and friends came to honor their babies.

There were many tear, hugs, and much love that swept over the medical center grounds.

The service was lovely. Our honorary family spoke of their daughter with Trisomy 18, whom we supported through our palliative care program. They shared of the precious 34 hours they held and loved on her. There was not a dry eye in the auditorium.

It was a privilege to validate the lives of the many babies represented through "the reading of the names".

As the group walked around the medical center moods brightened and many stayed to share memories of their babies and enjoy refreshments.

I was touched to see that so many parents had huge walking teams who came to support them.

A Walk to Remember gives bereaved parents a chance to talk of their babies each year with family and friends.

When a baby dies, many people do not see the loss as significant.

"Well, at least you didn't know her."

"You can have another one."

From the moment a couple finds out they are pregnant, they are parents.

No matter how many weeks or months the baby was in the womb or days the baby lived, they were and always will be the mother and father of a baby who will always be precious to them.

This month, National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness, reach out to those you know have lost their baby.

Always remember...

A Walk to Remember

Each October walks are held throughout the country to honor

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month.

Sunday is my hospital's A Walk to Remember.

My bereavement colleagues and myself have been working hard for months to provide this beautiful event for our families who have suffered such a tremendous loss...the loss of a baby.

We will start with a remembering service, including a reading of the name of each baby being honored.

Then, a bag-piper will lead us in a procession to an open lawn.

There, he will start playing Amazing Grace...

and doves will be released.

A special bereaved family will lead us around the hospital for a one mile walk.

We will come back for refreshments and professional photographs.

We are expecting nearly 700 people to come and honor their precious babies.

It will be a bitter-sweet, incredibly meaningful day.

All of my friends who have lost a baby, through miscarriage, stillbirth, or newborn loss, are in my thoughts and prayers.

I remember you and your babies.