I feel like I'm in a whirlwind right now. Actually, let me rephrase that. I always feel that way about my life, but right now it's on major crazy tornadic whirlwind mode. Home, work, husband, kids, dog. You know the drill. But now that March For Babies is in full swing, things have really heated up...
I am part of the Family Teams Committee for the Dallas event and we have been having some conference calls and plans are underway to make this year's March the most successful ever. I was then asked if I could be the guest blogger on BOTH the Dallas March For Babies blog AND the Texas March For Babies blog. I've already done my first one for the state. Check it out HERE.
In addition, my friend Vi (infant daughter Taryn died in 2009 of an undiagnoed heart defect) and I went to the Capital in Austin a couple weeks ago with March of Dimes to ask Senators and Representatives for support of various bills that would be coming across their desks in the upcoming months. One such bill, HB 740, is trying to change a statute in order to ensure that babies can be screened for CCHD, Critical Congenital Heart Disease. This is obviously an issue that is near and dear to our family. If the bill passes, all babies born in Texas will not be able to leave the hospital without doing a pulse oximetry reading (the little clamp they put on your finger to check oxygen levels).
By doing this, the doctors can detect CCHD before a baby shows signs of
the condition, allowing for the proper treatment to be given to prevent
disability or death. Now Texas must add this screening to ensure
the safety of our babies.
A couple days ago, we got an email saying HB 740 is being pushed ahead and is going to be discussed in the next couple weeks. They are asking us both to come back to Austin to testify during the hearings regarding this bill. Can you believe it? We're just a few moms. Two ladies that met by a common bond... the deaths of our little babies from undiagnosed heart defects. I am so blown away that our voices are about to be heard. For Nash, for Taryn, and for all other babies that left this earth much too soon.
I'll keep you posted on what's going on. Say some prayers for us to get through to the legislators, so that HB 740 will pass with flying colors. Let's save some babies!!!
Love to y'all,
Tracy
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Friday, February 22, 2013
Oh Knox!
Okay, first off, I should formally apologize to my little Knox, for consistently writing things on here that he will, undoubtedly be embarrassed about when he is old enough to read this himself. But, he's so stinking funny that I cannot help myself.
I swear I don't know where he gets these things from. I can assure you, it's NOT from his mama... not that I'm pointing any fingers...
Yesterday, my mom and Knox had the following conversation after a trip to the potty (in which he insisted on standing while he peed... without a stool... so his "stuff" was resting on the seat... ew...so he used his entire hand to wipe off any stray drips... double ew).
Grandma: Knox, you need to wash your hands.
Knox: No, I don't.
Grandma: Yes, you do. You touched your peepee when you went potty.
Knox: I don't have to wash them.
Grandma: Yes you do.
Knox: No... I don't have to wash my hands when I touch my peepee. GIRLS have to wash THEIR hands when they touch my peepee!
What the heck?
Love to y'all,
Tracy
I swear I don't know where he gets these things from. I can assure you, it's NOT from his mama... not that I'm pointing any fingers...
Yesterday, my mom and Knox had the following conversation after a trip to the potty (in which he insisted on standing while he peed... without a stool... so his "stuff" was resting on the seat... ew...so he used his entire hand to wipe off any stray drips... double ew).
Grandma: Knox, you need to wash your hands.
Knox: No, I don't.
Grandma: Yes, you do. You touched your peepee when you went potty.
Knox: I don't have to wash them.
Grandma: Yes you do.
Knox: No... I don't have to wash my hands when I touch my peepee. GIRLS have to wash THEIR hands when they touch my peepee!
What the heck?
Love to y'all,
Tracy
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Let's Do This!!!
This is a post that some of you have seen year
after year, while for others, it may be the first time… I’m writing
today to ask for your help. Every winter, our family begins our
campaign to raise money for an organization that is
near and dear to our hearts: the March of Dimes. In April, our team,
Heart’s Content, will walk five miles in the March For Babies event held
in Dallas. The goal of March of Dimes is that someday all babies will
be born and stay healthy.
We got involved with this charity in 2009, less
than one year after we lost our five month old son, Nash, due to an
undiagnosed heart defect. We walk each year in memory of our little boy
who touched so many people in such a brief amount
of time. This is our way of trying to save other families from the
heartbreak of losing a child.
Over the past four years, our team has raised close
to $30,000 for this organization. Last year our team was one of the
top ten teams in the entire state of Texas, raising just shy of
$10,000. Brad and I have been honored two years in
a row for getting third place in the Dallas Family Teams Division (of
over 400 teams!). And this year, I was given a Top Walker Award,
because I ended up in fourth place of all individual walkers in Dallas
(over 30,000 people). We want to keep our streak
alive and raise even more money for this amazing cause.
So here is where you come in. There are so many
ways you can help us out… Most importantly, if you would like to donate,
please click this link
www.marchforbabies.org/SieversFamily
and go to our Team Page. It’s super easy and only takes a few
minutes. In addition, please feel free to spread the word. Put our
link up on Facebook or Twitter. Forward this email
to friends or family members you think would be willing to help. Maybe
they already know our story, maybe they have one that is similar, or
maybe you’d just like to introduce them to our baby. I am blown away
every year by who donates. I can’t tell you
how many times I have spent days tracking someone down to say
thank you, because a friend of a friend of a friend decided to donate.
It’s unbelievable to me and I am humbled by the generosity and kindness
of everyone who helps us out. No amount is
too small – every penny counts. If everyone that reads this donates
just ten dollars for every child they have, that would add up very
quickly. If you have a business that would like to receive a tax break,
look at the attachment, which explains “Family
Team Sponsorships.” Many of you try to donate to a good cause every
year, and I am asking that the March of Dimes be that cause for you.
Even if you are not able to donate, please visit
our Team Page to read our story and see Nash’s sweet face. It means so
much to us to know that people are thinking about him and remembering
his short, but very meaningful life. There is
not a moment that goes by that I don’t miss our little boy. But this
journey has taught me so much that I am grateful for. And every year at
this time, we ask that our friends and family join us to remember Nash
and help prevent other families from having
to say good-bye to their babies much, much too soon.
Some of you we have known for years and others are
new friends. Some of you we've never met, but you've stumbled upon this blog one way or another. Some of you we talk to regularly, and some it’s a FB
message here or there. Some of you we know because of our kiddos and
some of you we know because of we share the same
grief. But all of you are people who can say Nash’s name without a
second thought… you speak it clear and loud… you don’t cringe if we
bring him up… you send us a note or a message on the most difficult of
days. We could not walk this road without each of
you. Thank you all for your continued love, support, and blessings.
God Bless.
Tate, Knox, and Brady at last year's March.
With Much Appreciation,
Brad, Tracy, Tate, Knox, Brady, and always Nash
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Opposites
Oh... sweet Knox. You have yet again outdone yourself, my dear. For those of you without little boys running around your house, I apologize ahead of time for the subject of this post. But I couldn't help but share...
Yesterday afternoon when my mom picked Knox up from preschool, his teacher told her that she and the kids were talking about opposites. She said that Knox was very excited to tell the opposites of the words she would say. Then, during their discussion, Knox told her is very own opposite: "Boys have bobs and girls don't have bobs." She wasn't quite sure what he was saying, so she asked him to repeat it and he did. She asked him where his "bobs" were and he told her, "My bobs are right by my bootie." Yes, ladies and gents, Knox was referring to his boy parts that hang down below his main boy part. Brad so graciously taught him the term (you know, the one that rhymes with "halls") while giving him a bath not too long ago.
Thank God Knox's teacher thinks he's funny. And honestly, I think that's a pretty creative example of an opposite.
Love to y'all,
Tracy
Yesterday afternoon when my mom picked Knox up from preschool, his teacher told her that she and the kids were talking about opposites. She said that Knox was very excited to tell the opposites of the words she would say. Then, during their discussion, Knox told her is very own opposite: "Boys have bobs and girls don't have bobs." She wasn't quite sure what he was saying, so she asked him to repeat it and he did. She asked him where his "bobs" were and he told her, "My bobs are right by my bootie." Yes, ladies and gents, Knox was referring to his boy parts that hang down below his main boy part. Brad so graciously taught him the term (you know, the one that rhymes with "halls") while giving him a bath not too long ago.
Thank God Knox's teacher thinks he's funny. And honestly, I think that's a pretty creative example of an opposite.
Love to y'all,
Tracy
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Party of Six
This morning, I found a message in my Facebook inbox from a friend of mine that I haven't seen in probably over a year. Like me, she is a grieving mom. Her son, Patrick, died at about 18 months old after battling cancer for a long time. She's been on this journey a few years longer than I have and is always so full of encouragement and understanding. So when I saw that she'd written me, I was happy to hear from her.
Here's her message:
Hi. I just wanted to tell you that I saw a pic you were tagged in today. It was a pic of you, Brad and the kids. Just the 5 of you and I thought (without thinking) "what a weird picture, there's only three kids in that picture. Why would they take a holiday picture like that without one of the kids?" Then my brain kicked in and I realized that, of course, there can only be three kids in the picture. Until today, even I didn't know how strong my mental picture of the Sievers is as a family of 6. I thought you might like knowing just how deeply that is ingrained in me. Sievers, party of 6. ;) hope you are all well. xo
She made my day. She made my week. Knowing that she sees us this way means so much more than I can write. Sievers, party of six. Thank you, sweet friend.
Love to y'all,
Tracy
Here's her message:
Hi. I just wanted to tell you that I saw a pic you were tagged in today. It was a pic of you, Brad and the kids. Just the 5 of you and I thought (without thinking) "what a weird picture, there's only three kids in that picture. Why would they take a holiday picture like that without one of the kids?" Then my brain kicked in and I realized that, of course, there can only be three kids in the picture. Until today, even I didn't know how strong my mental picture of the Sievers is as a family of 6. I thought you might like knowing just how deeply that is ingrained in me. Sievers, party of 6. ;) hope you are all well. xo
She made my day. She made my week. Knowing that she sees us this way means so much more than I can write. Sievers, party of six. Thank you, sweet friend.
Love to y'all,
Tracy
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Worst. Mom. Ever.
This evening was one of those nights when everything seems to cave in around you, you try to keep it all together, and then you just lose it. Dinner time always seems to be a bit tricky in this house. After all, three picky eaters is a hard thing to navigate even on a good day. But when everyone is tired, including the mama, things don't seem to bode well for anyone.
To make a really long story short, after calling everyone five times to sit at the table, constant complaints about what I made, and the boys picking on each other, Knox ended up totally refusing to eat one teeny, tiny bite of chicken and was told if he didn't eat his ONE "no thank you bite" (thanks Aunt Jill), he would have to go to bed. All he had to do was eat that dang bite and I would've given him a bowl of cereal. (That's been the protocol around here for a long time - if they won't eat what's for dinner, they can take a few bites and then have a bowl of cereal - but that's it until morning). So we waited and waited. I even put it in his mouth for him, telling him not to spit it out. But he did. Soooo... into the bath he went and I tucked him in at 6:30.
I don't know who was more upset about it. I've heard it a million times before... "If you don't eat your dinner, you're waiting till breakfast." But this is the first time I've had to actually follow through with it. The threats are usually enough to make them take the few bits we're asking for. But not tonight.
I feel like a crappy mom. My baby went to bed with no dinner. Nothing in his little tummy. What kind of mom does that? If it's supposed to make him realize that I mean what I say, I hope it's worth it. Cause I don't like how it makes me feel.
This is hard week for me... Nash's fifth birthday would be on Tuesday, the 15th. And all I could think about tonight amidst the threats and raised voices and crying kids was that I am a terrible mommy for not just letting it slide. When do you stick to your guns and when do you not? All I want is for my kids to be happy. What I wouldn't give to have Nash at our table, making it FOUR picky kids, whining about what I made.
Putting Knox in bed tonight, my heart was so heavy. As a mom, I know I need to teach my kids to respect authority and follow directions. But tonight, it was so much more difficult than it is most days. All I wanted to do was scoop him up and hold him and make him his dang mac'n'cheese. But I didn't. Instead, I scooped him up and held him and tucked him in his bed.
I love these babies more than I could possibly explain. I know I did the right thing tonight... I think. But my heart is hurting. I often have this dilemma between being the grieving mom - who just wants her kids to be happy, and the responsible mom - who tries to teach her kids the right way to be. Usually, the responsible mom comes out on top, with only minimal fight. But tonight was a real battle. And although the responsible mom won, the grieving mom is taking it pretty hard.
Love to y'all,
Tracy
To make a really long story short, after calling everyone five times to sit at the table, constant complaints about what I made, and the boys picking on each other, Knox ended up totally refusing to eat one teeny, tiny bite of chicken and was told if he didn't eat his ONE "no thank you bite" (thanks Aunt Jill), he would have to go to bed. All he had to do was eat that dang bite and I would've given him a bowl of cereal. (That's been the protocol around here for a long time - if they won't eat what's for dinner, they can take a few bites and then have a bowl of cereal - but that's it until morning). So we waited and waited. I even put it in his mouth for him, telling him not to spit it out. But he did. Soooo... into the bath he went and I tucked him in at 6:30.
I don't know who was more upset about it. I've heard it a million times before... "If you don't eat your dinner, you're waiting till breakfast." But this is the first time I've had to actually follow through with it. The threats are usually enough to make them take the few bits we're asking for. But not tonight.
I feel like a crappy mom. My baby went to bed with no dinner. Nothing in his little tummy. What kind of mom does that? If it's supposed to make him realize that I mean what I say, I hope it's worth it. Cause I don't like how it makes me feel.
This is hard week for me... Nash's fifth birthday would be on Tuesday, the 15th. And all I could think about tonight amidst the threats and raised voices and crying kids was that I am a terrible mommy for not just letting it slide. When do you stick to your guns and when do you not? All I want is for my kids to be happy. What I wouldn't give to have Nash at our table, making it FOUR picky kids, whining about what I made.
Putting Knox in bed tonight, my heart was so heavy. As a mom, I know I need to teach my kids to respect authority and follow directions. But tonight, it was so much more difficult than it is most days. All I wanted to do was scoop him up and hold him and make him his dang mac'n'cheese. But I didn't. Instead, I scooped him up and held him and tucked him in his bed.
I love these babies more than I could possibly explain. I know I did the right thing tonight... I think. But my heart is hurting. I often have this dilemma between being the grieving mom - who just wants her kids to be happy, and the responsible mom - who tries to teach her kids the right way to be. Usually, the responsible mom comes out on top, with only minimal fight. But tonight was a real battle. And although the responsible mom won, the grieving mom is taking it pretty hard.
Love to y'all,
Tracy
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Growing Up
With the start of a new year, I'm proud to say that each of my three kids has come up with resolutions of their very own... well, sort of.
Brady officially had her very last bottle last night before bed. She's been down to one bottle for months now, and hasn't ever needed it to go to sleep. But thinking about my very last child with their very last bottle made me a little sad. So I was putting it off. I was glad that she let me hold her a little bit while she drank it, but it made me sad too. She's growing up way too fast.
My sweet Knox has hit a big milestone over the past few weeks: he's been asking me to use the potty many times throughout the day. I haven't even brought up the subject of potty training, but I guess it's inevitable when he's banging on the bathroom door, yelling, "Let me in! I gotta go potty!" And then minutes later, emerges to tell his grandma, "That was a HOOOOOOGE turd!" So we officially started a couple days ago and he's only had one accident. The biggest problem he's having is that he doesn't like the feeling of underwear (keeps saying, "These feel CRAZY.") and he only goes like twice a day. But we're working on it.
And last but not least, my big Tater. There's not a lot of things that Tate doesn't pick up easily. He's just always been really coordinated and lucky in that way. But there is one thing that he has not been able to figure out until literally a few days ago... ready for this? I'm proud to announce that Tate can now blow his nose!!! Okay, okay, so it seems silly, I know. But seriously, y'all, I was about to sign him up for some nose blowing tutoring sessions or something. It was comical to watch him concentrate so hard, take a deep breath, and then blow the air out of his mouth over and over again. We've been working on this for like four years. Switch hitting, riding a two wheeler, or tying his shoes are pieces of cake compared to his biggest arch nemesis... the kleenex.
Happy New Year to y'all,
Tracy
Brady officially had her very last bottle last night before bed. She's been down to one bottle for months now, and hasn't ever needed it to go to sleep. But thinking about my very last child with their very last bottle made me a little sad. So I was putting it off. I was glad that she let me hold her a little bit while she drank it, but it made me sad too. She's growing up way too fast.
My sweet Knox has hit a big milestone over the past few weeks: he's been asking me to use the potty many times throughout the day. I haven't even brought up the subject of potty training, but I guess it's inevitable when he's banging on the bathroom door, yelling, "Let me in! I gotta go potty!" And then minutes later, emerges to tell his grandma, "That was a HOOOOOOGE turd!" So we officially started a couple days ago and he's only had one accident. The biggest problem he's having is that he doesn't like the feeling of underwear (keeps saying, "These feel CRAZY.") and he only goes like twice a day. But we're working on it.
And last but not least, my big Tater. There's not a lot of things that Tate doesn't pick up easily. He's just always been really coordinated and lucky in that way. But there is one thing that he has not been able to figure out until literally a few days ago... ready for this? I'm proud to announce that Tate can now blow his nose!!! Okay, okay, so it seems silly, I know. But seriously, y'all, I was about to sign him up for some nose blowing tutoring sessions or something. It was comical to watch him concentrate so hard, take a deep breath, and then blow the air out of his mouth over and over again. We've been working on this for like four years. Switch hitting, riding a two wheeler, or tying his shoes are pieces of cake compared to his biggest arch nemesis... the kleenex.
Happy New Year to y'all,
Tracy
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