Sept 17, 2010 - Please VOTE!

(From Mommy's Facebook Page)

Please go vote and help us save these babes!!!! 

Sept 16, 2010 - Jayden's Memorial Tribute Video

(From Grandma's Facebook Page)

For those who missed the link earlier Jayden's memorial tribute video is up. 

Before you view it we suggest you get Kleenex & after please give your kids hugs (if you have them) & tell them you love them. 

We hope it does honor to Jayden's life & why we feel so passionate about helping CHERUBS.

Jayden's CDH Story 2/19/10 - 3/14/10

Sept 15, 2010 - 6 Months in Heaven...

 (From CaringBridge Page)

Tuesday was six months since Jayden grew his wings. We went up to visit & again were blessed with good weather. We were concerned his pinwheel might be down or broken & grandma has been looking for them but apparently they are seasonal & we can't fine one anywhere. Luckily it was still up & in decent shape & he and the wind were just twirling it away!

We were talking about how he'd likely have been an Oregon Duck fan (GO DUCKS!) & had been thinking of ways we could do a photo for the CHERUBS fundraisers & incorporate the Ducks in. What you see in the photos is what we came up with. The original picture is clearer; the CaringBridge upload kind of did a number on it. For those on Facebook it looks a little better there.

We also took a half dozen balloons up, 2 blue, 2 pink & 2 yellow of CHERUBS colors for a balloon release. Alicia wrote a note for Jayden & attached it to one of the blue ones & then released them all. The balloons are to honor Jayden & all the other CDH'ers, both angels & survivors.

Wednesday also would have been Jayden's Grandpa Scott's 46th birthday so we hope they were having a fun party together in Heaven. You might have noticed in the picture there is still no headstone. We are only at the halfway point so now we are thinking it will likely be tax refund next year probably around his birthday before we make our goal. It will get done, its just taking a bit longer than we hoped.

This last month presented a new stress for Alicia as baby Finely was born in the exact same room Jayden was & cared for in the exact same spot in the NICU Jayden was in, but after almost 3 long weeks fighting & avoiding ECMO she made it to surgery & is completely off all breathing support & learning to feed. This is what it is all about. This was the first baby (that we knew of) locally to go down our road & Alicia was very nervous as to how she was going to handle it if things turned bad, thankfully it did not. We hope it is a very long time before another baby has to go there again. We are keeping baby Finley in our prayers & look forward to when we can meet her & her amazing family.

August was the last month of the APX contest trying to win CHERUBS $100,000 for much needed funding. Alicia jumped in full speed trying to help win the grand prize. Although they took second place in the nation & won $30,000 against a very well organized group for a different medical condition it showed how strong this community is & she is proud to be a part of it. We are putting together Made in Oregon gift baskets to send to South Carolina be part of a fundraiser in October and another family here has contacted us about possibly doing a local fundraiser in the next 12-24 months. It will be SO awesome if it comes to pass. Another great way to honor Jayden’s memory.
A few months ago Grandma Shelly put together a video for Jayden of his CDH journey but it took quite a while for Alicia to be ready to let it go public. During the final push for APX she decided it was time. It is now up for all to see. Before you view it we suggest you get Kleenex & after please give your kids hugs & tell them you love them. Life is too short not to let them know.

Here is the link:
Jayden's CDH Story 2/19/10 - 3/14/10
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fKsAsMS_ZA

The CHERUBS group is now in the running to possibly win more then $300,000 in additional grants & this time friends & family don't have to be on Facebook to vote as they can use a simple email address & password to log in & vote or can also text in their votes. Please vote in honor of Jayden & K. It cost you nothing except a few minutes every day & helps so many. Just this week 3 babies died that we know of and a teenager who re-herniated almost died a couple of weeks ago. This can be a lifelong condition that can strike any family. Please support all those who are affected by CDH. Visit www.voteforcdh.org to find out how help raise funds for research & support in the Pepsi Refreshes contest.

To all those who have supported Alicia & continue to encourage her, please know how touched & thankful she is for each & every one of you. We still don’t know why Jayden had to go as Alicia would MUCH rather have him here before anything else, but if she has to wait to see him until it is her time then your love & support have made her time apart from him just a little more bearable. WE LOVE YOU!

Sept 14, 2010 - It's Not Fair!!!

(From Mommy's Facebook Page)

6 months ago today my Son went back to God.
WHY DID HE HAVE TO GO????????
WHY NOT ME??????
HE WAS JUST A BABY.
ITS NOT FAIR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sept 8, 2010 - I feel like my heart is dead...

(From Mommy's Facebook Page)

When will I stop wishing God took ME and not my son? I feel like my heart is dead. When will I know why he had to go?

Sometimes I feel like everywhere I look there are kids and babes just to make me feel worse like I have to be punished for letting him go.

LIFE IS NOT FAIR!!!!!!

Sept 5, 2010 - One of those "bad" days...

(From Mommy's Facebook Page)

 

Having one of those "bad" days today. I can't figure out why but I can't get my Jayden off my mind and I keep thinking of the whole letting him go thing play in my head over and over and just can't seem to let myself feel like I did the right thing! 

 

I MISS MY BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Aug 30, 2010 - Please vote for all those precious little ones...

(From Grandma's Facebook Page)

Only one day left for this month's Pepsi contests then some big stuff coming up in Sept.

Please vote for all those precious little ones & their families, especially for baby Finely here in Portland, baby Mattiaus from Winnipeg & baby Savannah from Florida who all had their surgeries in the last few days & are working on recovering & vote for baby Airynn also from Winnipeg to be induced on Tues & baby Heath from Texas due to be induced Sept 7th but could go anytime.

Help these & SO MANY OTHERS!

Aug 22, 2010 - Jayden's First Video...

[Note from Grandma: Although Jayden's video had been done for a few weeks, it was not until the final weeks of the APX contest when Alicia felt ready for it to go public.]

(From Mommy's Facebook Page)

This is a video telling the story of my Son before and after birth.
If you feel ANYTHING from watching this PLEASE look into CDH and help us stop it for good.

Jayden's CDH Story 2/19/10 - 3/14/10

Aug 21, 2010 - Wings to Fly...

(From Mommy's Facebook Page)

To ALL the CDH Angels (Including my son Jayden) I feel this video says what I believe they say as they grow their wings.

(R.I.P) my Son I LOVE YOU ALWAYS.

Wings to Fly ～ 翼をください （Music Video）[HD]

----------------------------------------------

Lyrics

~~~~~~
Want to spread my wings and fly
Away into the sky
How I dream to be so free
No more sadness no more pain
No more anger no more hate
How I dream to have those wings and fly into the sky

If now, I could grant my wish
I'd wish to have those wings
Those wings just like the birds
That fly up in the air

So high up in the air
With feathers bright and fair
No wealth nor power can make
My heart filled with such joy

Want to spread my wings and fly
Away into the sky
How I dream to be so free
No more sadness no more pain
No more anger no more hate
How I dream to have those wings and fly into the sky

Want to spread my wings and fly
Away into the sky
How I dream to be so free
No more sadness no more pain
No more anger no more hate
How I dream to have those wings and fly into the sky
I'd fly
With those wings to the sky

Aug 20, 2010 - Jayden's 6 Month Birthday

(From Mommy's Facebook Page)

My mom and I went up and saw Jayden yesterday for his 6 month birthday.

He is a strange baby........ We gave him a balloon, flowers, and a red toy car but instead of moving the balloon or flowers as always he just plays with his pinwheels so easily amused, LOL.

July 19, 2010 - Jayden at 5 Months Old...

(From Grandma's Facebook Page)

Alicia & I had a nice visit with Jayden today. Little stinker kept waiting until Grandma's back was turned to spin his pinwheels which made Alicia laugh hysterically! Also got to decorate my niece's headstone as she would have been 16 year old on the 20th (lost to SIDS). Fly high Jayden & Alex!!!

Please keep little Oz & his family in your prayers as he will be delivered tomorrow by C-Section to start his CDH battle in the outside world.

July 14, 2010 - You are always in mommy's heart...

(From Mommy's Facebook Page)

4 months ago today I had to let my Angel go back to god. I send hugs and prayers to all CDH families. 

My mom and I will be going up to see him and place flowers for him later today. Right now I'm really just NUMB.

Jayden you are always in mommy's heart.

July 12, 2010 - Vote for CHERUBS in Pepsi Refresh!

(From Mommy's Facebook Page)

I know you all know about my little man and I ask for ALL of you to vote EVERYDAY in honor of my son who fought so hard for 23 Days to stay with us. Please show him he will always be with us by remembering to vote!

Vote for CHERUBS in memory of Shane in the Pepsi Refresh contest!!

July 5, 2010 - Missing Mommy on Her Birthday

(From Grandma's Facebook Page)

Today is Mommy's birthday so we are gonna go out with her for a while to do stuff since I'm off work today.

In honor of Jayden's mommy's birthday & in Jayden’s memory I encourage everyone to vote in several contests to raise funds for several worthy CDH related charities. Every 10 minutes a baby is born with CDH of which 50% do not survive including our little Jayden.

Click on the link to learn what charities NEED YOUR HELP! 

http://cdhsupport.blogspot.com/2010/06/cdh-charity-cherubs-needs-votes-in-apx.html

June 30, 2010 - VOTE for CDH in Chase Community Giving

June 30, 2010 - (via Mommy's FB page)

Dr. Kays "Real Hope for CDH" is competing in "Chase Community Giving"

Please EVERYONE vote. 

My son was not the 1st or the last to lose the fight to CDH. We need to stop this from taking 1 more life!!!!! 

Please VOTE for CDH!

Dr. Kays' Team Has a 92% Survival Rate for CDH babies born at Shands!
http://www.realhopeforcdh.com/

June 2010 - CHERUBS is in the APX Contest!

In June 2010, Mommy & Grandma joined in supporting CHERUBS in the APX Charity Contest to try & help CHERUBS to win $100,000!

 

 

June 1, 2010 - Memorial Day 2010

June 1, 2010  - (From CaringBridge Page)

This weekend was Memorial Day weekend and Alicia, Grandma Shelly and Grandpa Daniel & Great Grandpa & Grandma Moore all made it up to see Jayden & the rest of the extended family at the cemetery. It was bittersweet in that it was the first time Great Grandpa & Grandma got to see Jayden as they were on vacation when he was here on earth, but it was good that we got to personally show them where he rested (not that it would have been hard to tell by all the decorations!) Jayden was thrilled to get new balloons but was a little naughty & kept trying to get them caught on the neighbor's flowers.

Alicia is slowly doing better physically and they have started weaning her off the blood thinners. The emotion side is tougher as just an outing to the store with a lot of babies & small children sets off a ton of emotion. A lot of that is just going to just take time to heal. She hopes to be looking for work soon. She is also hopeful to start doing more with the CDH community as there are still so many babies being lost, 3 in the last week alone.

We may not update for a while as Grandma has a medical procedure coming up & we both have some summer projects that will keep us busy but please know Alicia is so thankful for her family & freinds and all the love & support you have shown. We LOVE you all!!

May 19, 2010 - Jayden would be 3 months old...

May 19, 2010 (From CaringBridge Page)

Sorry we haven't added any entries for a while, a lot has been going on in Grandma's work & Alicia's computer is still down. Today is Jayden's 3 month birthday. Alicia wasn't able to make it up to the cemetery last Friday for his 2 month angelversary as she was ill again but we were able to go up today for a very long time.

We had a little miracle in that the weather here was horrible with heavy pounding rain & high winds breaking off trees all over the place most of the day but it was calm and only a little breezy with no rain the whole time we were up there. It's like God made the weather calm to help them have a good visit.

I am so proud of Alicia as she was incredible on Mother's Day at the family gathering. There were some sad times & tears looking at pictures & baby Jayden's castings of his feet & hands but she also laughed playing games and was silly with her cousins & their puppies. It truly seemed like a celebration of Jayden's life which is what we wanted.

Several other babies have been born with CDH since last month & unfortunately some of them not survived. We also have another family here in the Portland area expecting in a few months. Please keep all their families in your prayers.

Alicia is still hoping that after she gets a little further through the grieving process & she gets a better handle on her medical issues she really wants to reach out to other CDH parents. It is very important to her to do what she can to get the word out about this condition.

Jayden's video is finished but she is not ready to post it yet as it's too emotional still.

You can still see Jayden in the CHERUBS CDH awareness video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTChMLy2EFk.

He & another child are at 3:10 in the video. He flashes by very quickly so watch closely. Please watch the whole video & spread it around as we would like to see it go viral. CHERUBS is such a worthy cause in need of support & education is the key to saving others the pain that we have endured.

May 13, 2010 - Save The Cherubs!

(From Grandma's Facebook Page)

Changing my profile to remember my grandson Jayden who grew his cherub angel wings 2 months ago tomorrow (May 14th) from complications of his Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH).

Please pray for healing for Alicia as she works though her grief and as she continues to battle many medical problems resulting from her difficult pregnancy.

A great way to honor Jayden’s memory is to spread awareness about CDH. Every 10 minutes a baby is born with CDH resulting in a half million babies born since 2000 of which 50% do not survive including our little Jayden.

Learn more at "Save The Cherubs", Raising Awareness of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia

http://www.savethecherubs.org/

May 10, 2010 - Day After Mother's Day

(From Grandma's Facebook Page)

Pretty happy how the family gathering went yesterday at my in-laws. There were some sad times & tears looking at baby Jayden's pictures and castings of his feet & hands but some happy times too when Alicia was with playing with the puppies & playing games with family.

I wish my son didn't have to work but was good to talk to him.