March for Babies 2012

The March for Babies this year was another awesome day!  I just love how laid back the event in our area is and an "it is what you make of it" kind of thing.  (This year for me that meant that I felt the need to make shirts for everyone and put it off until the last minute and then caught a cold... oh well.)  For us it is a fun day together as a family, a way to give back, and something definitive to celebrate Noah.  (We celebrate him every day, but it is still fun to have an actual event once in a while.)
I know looking at Noah today it is easier to put to the side things like March of Dimes and all that "medical stuff" because there is just no way to tell by looking at him that those things were such a significant part of his early life.  But the truth is many stories don't go like Noah's has.  I was reminded and saddened by that at the march this year as I realized how many families walk in memory of a baby instead of in celebration of.  There is always an "ambassador family" at the March for Babies events and the family this year was one who had a preemie in the NICU, got to bring her home, and then lost her a few months later to SIDS.  And many of the babies started out bigger and healthier than Noah did.  He really is an amazing little guy and preemie success story and we are just so, so thankful.
And now for some pictures. :)

Team Noah!

 Display at the march of families' stories.

 

We had fun.

 

Noah LOVED the bouncy house.  Thankfully his cousin (well, technically cousin once removed, but that is just too much of a mouthful for a 2 year old!) Ruth was there to go with him.  She was the best bouncy house buddy ever!

You think he likes her just a little?

 

 Noah and Great-Grandpa, who he calls "Great Grandpa Tractor." (Tractors are one of Noah's very favorite things in case you didn't know.  He has quite the collection.)  He even got a new tractor this time. :)

 It was a super nice day so Noah had to show off his four wheeling skills. 

Those footprints on his shirt are a stencil of his actual footprints from when he was about a month old.  A little more perspective: I was curious and measured Noah's inseam.  It is 14 1/2 inches.  He was 13 long inches when he was born.  This is why we March.