Sanford Zoo (on the Canon)

   I'm going try to update this super quick before bed since I work again tomorrow, but today we were able to take Emma to the zoo for the first time! We were invited to the event by one of Emma's Nurse Practitioners from Winnie Palmer who told us about a non-profit called Matthew's Gift that was hosting the event at the zoo and we could go for free! I was so happy that I was able to get the day off from work. We had a great time and it was really nice getting to meet Matthew's dad, Matt. Matthew had a trach and ventilator too, but unfortunately passed away about three years ago and his parents started the non-profit to help other families with similar issues, as well as letting the families enjoy time with their kids and take them to places they might not normally get to go. While we were there we got to see a handful of NICU friends who helped take care of Emma for many months including Gary, Karyn, Cori, Jenna, Christy, and Barb (respiratory therapist/ nurses/ nurse practitioners/ transport).
    Fun notes ~ today was Emma's first time using the stroller like a big girl and sitting up on a blanket instead of being in her car seat bucket. There were times while walking around Michael left her unbuckled since he kept getting her out to hold her, and she would do her push up/ sit up exercises, which were amusing to all of us. She would laugh each time she leaned back again, then sit up straight and lean forward until her hands landed on the ventilator battery by her feet. And the weather was so great today, 72-75 degrees. One of our first Fall days so far this year!
   Here are my favorite pictures from today: Please note how few of them I am in. I need to be more aggressive about asking Michael to take pictures of me holding her. Or hire a cheap, but excellent photographer to follow us around when we take her to new places! #momlife

 Apparently she was amazed by the otter swimming around and doing flips underwater!

 Sitting up to see one of the employees talk about the certain type of cat we were all watching.

   We got lunch with our free entry as well and when we walked in, there was a video playing of Matthew's parents playing on the big screen, talking about Matthew's story. I wish we had gotten there sooner to hear the everything, but the part I did hear almost had me in tears. When I hear other people's stories it is so hard not to think about being in their shoes and how we would completely break if Emma was taken to Heaven at such a young age. We are so lucky to have her already for these 2 years and 5 months, since we had been told many times by many doctors that she wouldn't make it. I am very glad they are wrong. Science and medicine is very helpful, but prayers sure are powerful too!!
   I have so many more updates to post from the past few months, (including more favorite zoo photos from today that were taken on my phone), but sometimes writing all of this and going through and editing the hundreds of pictures I take of this beautiful girl seems like a lot of work and I already have a full time paid job and a Mommy job the rest of the time. But I'll see what I can crank out next week! ;)