Search for what?

2012 was amazing.
I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl:

Blessed Beginnings, photo

She was diagnosed with dwarfism, and we became a part of a wonderful organization we consider extended family:

LPA

And I began this blog with all of you amazing readers and followers!
And so, as I recap my year’s stats, I look to the search terms and I am SO excited to see many of them. Many people landed on my site searching for charts, medical information and generally looking for A is For Adelaide. I am so proud that people came to my page when looking for milestone and growth charts- it’s why I made a page specifically for these things. I want people to get the basic information they need, quick. As a parent, when we received Addie’s diagnosis, I wanted information, and I wanted it in an easy fashion. While I hope that parents come back and read my blog, I want them to get the answers and info they need without having to read about Addie to get it.

While that’s all heart-felt and just what every blogger wants (readers who come to their page just for what they’re looking for), we too, rely on accidental traffic. Hoping people stop by accidentally and stay on purpose. I know this happened from a few readers who have contacted me to say they their family member was diagnosed, and they searched random things until they came across Addie’s page. Now- they’re hooked on her. I love hearing how other parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents and friends are watching Addie grow up and using her medical information and daily life to navigate their own.

Twenty-three people came to this blog searching for these terms: beautiful people with dwarfism, beautiful people with achondroplasia, miracles with achondroplasia, cute baby with dwarfism and cute people with dwarfism. I have to say that Addie is, indeed, all of these things.

Then, there are those terms that make you go… WHAAAAAAAT? As in, what did you mean to search for with these terms? Things like tall beauty big breast belly tattoo, cute tattoo’s on there’s your hand, and baby hands out of shirt. I just scratch my head. These three terms led to four hits on the site. Hmmmmm…

I was elated when I saw that there were numerous people searching for craft projects that also come to AisForAdelaide! I have a broader reach- hoorah! I was also puzzled when I saw lots of hits for Adelaide and different foods. Then I got it… people were searching for food stores in Adelaide, Australia. HA! I hope to take Addie there one day… and if I ever need frozen cranberries in Adelaide, I will not search on this blog!

Lastly, the top 7 strangest search terms, in no particular order, bringing in a total of 20 total hits:
1. sexy sweat
2. sweat
3. my sexy mom
4. sweat sexy
5. exiled mothers
6. sexy mom
7. sexy mom runner

I couldn’t make these up if I tried. But, I’ll take the last one as my own description, please 🙂

I hope 2013 brings more searches for the good stuff, the “meat”, as I like to call my more-medical information. But I also hope that people come looking to learn about Addie. To see that a child with dwarfism is just like their child in many ways, and not in other ways, too. I hope people come looking for a new crock-pot recipe, what movie moved me to tears, if there is a new toy that their child needs to have, or to see if I’ve gotten my butt in-shape for another half-marathon. I hope family across this country keeps coming to see this little beauty grow up. I hope friends keep coming to share the experience of parenthood with me. I hope, most of all, to keep educating through my experiences, about dwarfism.

Lastly, I hope when you search for true love, happily ever after, or miracle you see AisForAdelaide at the top of your search.

Bellies and oatmeal and pears, OH MY!

Addie tried oatmeal! We wanted to mix it up a bit, because baby oatmeal is bland, so we mixed it in with squash and milk, and YUM!

I love watching Addie learn every week how to get the food in her mouth and how she enjoys each new food we introduce. This week was supposed to just be oatmeal (mixed with squash or milk, etc.), but her belly started to hurt. We used oatmeal, not rice, because rice is so binding, but oatmeal can be, too. I talked to the pediatrician, and she said a little pear juice would be great to avoid any issues, so we mixed oatmeal with pear juice and she loved it! …and feels much better.

Inadvertently, we introduced pears, but she loves the juice with the oatmeal and so- pear juice it is!

Everyday is an adventure… the food adventure part is one of my favorites! All of her new I’m enjoying this mom, thanks sounds, and her sheer frustration at not getting more sooner makes me laugh every time. I adore this little girl who still loves to nurse, but has these grown up moments in her day where she envelopes her whole self in food. Tasting new things, trying new textures, taking a few moments to wonder and contemplate, then demand more- being a big kid, and not my infant.

Holding her close to my body, watching her breathe in and out, and she snuggles and sleeps, I know I have to cherish each moment of her being a baby, but getting excited about each new thing that leads her to growing up is the most awesome experience- I have the most awesome experience of my life, everyday!

The BEST Mall Experience, ever.

So, I know what you’re expecting. Some sarcastic story about how terrible service was at some mall. BUT, let me surprise you: I had the best mall experience ever, today.

Addie and I joined our friends at Extravaganza Kids for our regular Monday meeting with RI New Moms group, when I looked down and my fun faded. Am I being dramatic? Yes. But the charm my husband had gotten me to symbolize mother and baby girl, was missing a pink stone.

Fast forward 90 mi9nutes, and Addie and I are on our way to the Warwick Mall! (cue super hero music) I was convinced I would need the receipt, credit card or, at least, the purchaser of the charm, but I wanted to give  it a go and see if they would replace it for me.  I threw a burp cloth over my shoulder and carried Addie into the mall. As I entered Kay Jewelers, a young man looked up at me, gave me a welcoming smile and asked how he could help. I told him how I noticed my charm missing a stone today and that I had nothing with me to prove its purchase, but I know my husband used his Kay Jewelers’ credit card (of which I do not have… what a danger that would be!).

Nathan, the sales associate, gave me another smile as he walked over to a computer and asked for Dave’s information.  After he pulled it up, he printed out a copy of the sale and went to work on a return/resale transaction. Many employees offered their help as the charm was purchased a few months back and at another location. No problem; Nathan made the call necessary to override whatever issues he had. He went the extra step to make the exchange as simple as possible. Then he went a step further.  The charm that was being replaced also happened to be, of course, the one all the way on the inside of my bracelet. Nathan took all of my charms off in the same order as I had them, replaced the mother/child charm, and then all of the other ones, before placing the bracelet back around my wrist and securing the clasp. The whole process was slightly time consuming, during which Addie started to lose her cool- as she gets rather hot- but so pleasant, regardless of the temperature. (No one mentioned Addie being a bit of a grump, in fact- they still thought she was cute!) Customer service, friendly and empathetic associates and a pretty new charm! Really and truly, a wonderful experience!

A wonderful experience that, during which, I looked over my shoulder, reaching for the cloth, to wipe Addie’s hands and noticed: NO BURP CLOTH. I was so frustrated… and my shoulder was soaked. I knew that I must have dropped it, but as I left Kay’s with my beautiful charm bracelet and all its charms intact (THANK YOU NATHAN!!!), I didn’t see it on the floor as I retraced my steps to the parking lot.

As I walked up to my car, there it was. A bright pink burp cloth in the handle of my car!  As I had walked into the mall a young couple was just reaching their car with their child in a stroller. They must have seen me drop the cloth and put it on my car for me. Just when you think the whole world is out to get you, someone surprises you!
Thank you Kay Jewelers! Thank you Warwick Mall! Thank you to the nice couple that saved Addie’s burp cloth from the parking lot abyss!