If you have read my blog for some time, you know that I went…um…crazy…when I went past my due date and was still pregnant. I was 41 weeks along when I was induced. Now that I’m two years removed from my hormonal haze, I realize how unbelievably blessed I was to be pregnant that long. Charlotte came out round, screaming, and squishy like all babies should. Full-term.

November 2, 2010. The day I became a mama.

Since I started working with the March of Dimes as a member of their Board of Directors Eastern North Carolina Division I have learned so much about their mission to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality. Of the 16,000 babies born too soon each year in my home state, North Carolina, half of the cases happen for unknown reasons. That means it could have been me. My water could have broken early and I could have delivered my baby too soon even with proper prenatal care. Doctors are still searching for answers as to why healthy women go into labor too soon. Check out more stats here.

I’m sure you all know someone who was, or has had a preemie. My dear friend Nicole did everything right. She got all the proper care. It happened to her. She has two little 2 1/2 year-old angels named Avery and Raegan.  Their picture is above. When I say these kids are miracles, I mean they are miracles. The twins were born at about 25 weeks and had extensive stays in the NICU. Avery has endured multiple surgeries to put a stint in his brain. He now has hearing aids and a special wheelchair. He is a little fighter and doctors continue to be amazed at his progress! Raegan is Little Miss Personality and it’s a joy to see her run around with Charlotte.

Nicole and Avery on Halloween

Nicole’s husband, Keith and Raegan

Saturday is World Prematurity Day. The March of Dimes is working to get enough signatures to light the White House purple for one night for prematurity awareness. That’s where you come in, readers! Get pumped! Please sign the petition. Sign it for Avery. Sign it for Raegan. Sign it for any preemie you’ve ever known. Sign it for the full-term, fat 10-pounders you know. Sign it with thanksgiving for your healthy children. Sign it with the hope that all babies will be born strong and healthy. Sign it and then tell me who you’re signing it for in the comments below. It’s super easy, I promise!  Here’s the link.  Let’s light the White House purple!

Hello my dear readers!  I’ve missed you this week!  Please excuse my absence.  This has been the single busiest week I’ve had since starting my new job.  Things are busy, but good.  I have not even had time to eat, let alone blog or Tweet.  I appreciate your understanding.

I want to share this little nugget I’ve been enjoying lately.  When I catch it on TV I can’t stop smiling and giggling.  Everything about this reminds me of Charlotte and her epic, beautiful bed head.  I hope she, and all these baby girls feel this pretty their whole lives.  Enjoy!

http://remember911tribute.blogspot.com

I didn’t get the chance to visit the World Trade Center Memorial when I was in New York for BlogHer ’12 last month. My new friends Diana and Rebecca did. I sat in the airport waiting for my flight and saw Diana send out a picture like this one on Instagram.

My stomach flipped and my heart dropped. Why hadn’t I heard about the pregnant women with “and her unborn child” written alongside their names?

Last year on the 10th anniversary of that terrible day I watched the memorial opening on television with the rest of the nation. I believe it’s important to grieve and remember each year. We have to.

This year I will be thinking of all of the victims, but especially the 11 mothers’ names etched into the stone where those incredible buildings once stood. 10 known expectant mothers were killed 09/11/01. (An eleventh died in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and is also part of the memorial.) 10 of those babies were due in late 2001 or early 2002. They would be 10 1/2 now, probably 5th graders. 5th graders who love Justin Bieber and study fractions. They would have mothers. They would have families who couldn’t imagine the horrors of that day. We would be living in a country with less stringent airport regulations and less fear.

Today I mourn those children. I mourn with their families. I mourn our nation that will never be the same.