It was exactly one year ago today (New Year’s Eve,) I was life flighted to Primary hospital due to accute respiratory failure. Ten days later, I was on life support. There were whispers around the nurse’s station that doctors were not hopeful. Mama and Daddy were heartbroken and preparing for the worst. Prayers were said, a priesthood blessing was administered and a winter blizzard was raging outside my hospital wall while family members were arriving to see me alive for, perhaps, the last time. Very dramatic. I have just one thing to say about this:

Happy New Year! It’s been 365 days of living life to the fullest with so many firsts!

Notice anything different? Yes, grandma bought a new couch. But no, no more feeding tube down my nose. Milk now travels discreetly into my tummy via a “G-tube.” Hassle free for me. No need for the middle “milk” man …Mama will do just fine. She has two shoulders and two arms. She can carry my milk bag, pole, pump, oxygen apparatus, diaper bag, binky, toys and Me!

“Celebrated” my First Birthday in the hospital

Was the First Luckiest Baby honoree on St. Patrick’s Day

First Spa Days

First “Therapy” Days

First Family Vacation

“Pretty in Pink” Firsts

First Embarrassing Moments

Radically Cool Firsts

Survived First Halloween

First Silent Treatments Practiced

“Anything you can do I can do and Better” firsts

I don’t have pictures of it, but I am now quite the talker. Some of my first words are DaDa and Mama (of course). I said Dada first to make him feel better. He sometimes feels left out of our special Mama and Me Girl Time. I also have my first 2 Teeth–on top. I don’t know where my bottom teeth are. My brothers are going to soon learn what it means when I say “No!”

First time I realized I have competition

Ellie is the 2024 Tooele Benefit Fund Recipient Award. I was last year’s recipient. I want to say, “she really is adorable.” We “adorables” have to stick together. My New Year’s Resolution is to Spread the Message: every baby born is worth everything we have and then some.

From My Beating Heart and Air Filled Lungs to yours: Let’s all have A Good and a Well New Year!