NEW POST FROM SOPHIE!!!

Thank you to all of our friends, family, and good people who are following the blog, that may not know us in person but who think of us and have prayed for our sweet Emma. We thank God every day for the prayers you have all made and for our baby's life. I won't be updating the blog as often as I did while in the hospital, but promise to keep you posted every now and then, and of course when Emma goes back to the hospital to have her skull put in, or if anything happens before then. In the meantime, I just want to share with you that I finally got around to re-reading all of the cards, letters, children's wishes and prayers that were sent to us throughout this nightmare. I was so touched that so many people care for our Emma and wish her well. I have put all of these letters and cards away in a special bag to keep forever, for Emma to see how much she is loved. Thank you so much for your prayers and thoughts.

I also wanted to ask for your help. The Ronald McDonald House was our 'home away from home' while we lived at the hospital for 43 days. Before our stay, I had always heard of the 'Ronald McDonald House Charities', but never knew what it was, or what they did. To me, Ronald McDonald was the yellow, white and red clown guy that made burgers! Well what the RMH really does is offer a home, a place of comfort, a place where everyone understands what you are going through and lifts you up any way possible. It's not just a room to sleep in, a shower, food... it's so much more. The people who volunteer at the house are amazing - everywhere you turn, someone is smiling, understanding your pain, offering you what they can to make you feel better. I will always be greatful for RMH and what they offered us when we were in such pain.

The RMH is always in need of donations - the smallest things you wouldn't even think of are always appreciated. Unopened toys, travel size shampoo, conditioner, body wash, toothpaste, toiletries, laundry detergent, Bounce sheets, leftover party supplies, plastic cutlery, socks, snacks, canned foods, frozen foods, paper plates, paper towels, and so much more...

If you have any 'extras' you would like to donate, I would be happy to collect them from you and bring it over to the house, or you can bring them directly there. Monetary donations are welcome as well. Here is their website: www.RMHCSD.org

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving... we will definitely be enjoying ours with our little Emma home to eat turkey with us!

Love,
Sophie and Tyler

NEW TUPPERWARE FUNDRAISER by Rachel Kite Windle!!

Tupperware - Emma Crew Fundraiser!
Nov. 16th - Dec 5th. 40% of your purchase goes to The Emma Crew Fund.

http://order.tupperware.com/pls/htprod_www/!tw$shop.p_category?pv_ic_code=efund15
(Copy and paste link to your browser to view I am having trouble getting the link to work) - Kristina

Upcoming Events to Benefit The Emma Crew Fund!! COME JOIN IF YOU CAN!!!

ENCINITAS ROUNDTABLE PIZZA PARTY FUNDRAISER
When: Tuesday, November 17th - 5:30-9pm
Where: Roundtable Encinitas - 1321 Encinitas Blvd, Encinitas - (760) 753-8303
15% of the evening's proceeds will go to the Emma Crew fund, so bring your appetite & enjoy some yummy RT pizza while helping the Crew Family! They'll be a silent auction with tons of great items from Etnies, Reef, Soupplantation, Infantino, Smith Sunglasses, Surfshot.com, and much more. Silent Auction will start at 6pm & will close at 8pm. Please print out this page & give to the cashier when ordering (so they can track the Emma Fund donations).

PUMPITUP FUNdraiser When: Wednesday, Dec. 9th - 4pm - 7:30pm Where: PUMPITUP Murrietta - 41785 Elm St Suite 203, Murrieta, CA 92562-9275 - (951) 600-9663 There will be two sessions for you to choose from, 4-6pm or 5:30-7:30. For $10.00 a child they get unlimited play in both arenas, pizza and drinks. Call and Reserve your space! Limited spaces, 1st come, 1st served. Prepaid reservations required! 951-600-9663

THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THE CREW FAMILY!!!

Baby Emma & Crew Family Update : ) 11.9.09

Thanks to baby Emma's Mom, Sophie for providing us with one last update on how baby Emma's doing since she's been home. It is so nice to think that the Crew family is getting back to normal life & that we all won't have to be rushing to our computers for updates on how baby Emma is doing every second of the day. Praise God for everything he has done for this family : )

I'll continue to post mini updates every now and then if I get word of something exciting like a first crawl, word, etc. & will also be sure to post about any upcoming fundraising events for "The Emma Crew Fund". Stay tuned for ways you can continue to help the Crew family & please continue to keep baby Emma in your prayers....that she continues to march proudly & safely down the road to full recovery. The road ahead is sure to be a long & windy one, but what a beautiful one it will be!

Home Sweet Home...
It has been a little over a week that our sweet Emma has come home. Discharge papers signed, Tyler and I couldn't get out of the hospital fast enough - the moment we pushed through those hospital doors and out to the parking lot, I felt a ray of sunshine pour over me and gave me a sense of warm, giddy happiness... We were finally bringing our baby home!
The drive from the hospital reminded me of the day we brought her home when she was born, just over a year ago..."Honey, easy on the brakes... Honey, watch that turn... Honey, is she comfortable? Honey I should sit in the back seat with her".
Her first moments at home were spent quietly assessing her surroundings... we greeted 'Pumba', Miller Dog, Socksie Kitty, her abundance of Elmo toys in the family room, the rocking chair where I would rock her at night, the grass in the back yard where she would play. She didn't say much, but it was all coming back to her little by little. Gramps was there to greet her too, and Uncle Gav couldn't miss his niece's homecoming either. She took it all in quietly and calmly.
Her first night was a bit difficult - sleeping on and off in 2-3 hour increments. Ty and I took turns comforting her through the night. Although she had a rough night, I think she was comforted by being in her own bed again, with all of her familiar smells, sounds, and familiarity. Emmy still needs her melatonin every night as she still wakes, and her naps are pretty irregular. I am hoping that this disturbance in melatonin production will eventually regulate itself.
The past week has been tremendous in Emma's rehabilitation. Being home has been doing wonders for her. She remembers her home, her toys, her sister... she wants more than anything to be able to play like she used to, and she tries, but gets frustrated because she realizes she can't get there by herself anymore. She can't pull herself up, roll over, sit up, crawl, or do anyting on her own. However, if we prop her in a standing position and hold her hands, she will take steps, so that is huge! She can stay in a standing position as long as we hold her hand! We have to be by her side at all times though, holding her, assisting, watching her and guiding her right arm movement. She is easily frustrated with her inability to be indipendant, but I remind myself of how lucky we are that she even has the desire and drive to play and move around... we are so blessed to have her.
There are two picture frames on our entry way console table. Both have been empty since my good friend Leanne, brought the pictures they housed to me in the hospital, to put up in Emma's room. I put the pictures back in their frames today... 'EmmaBabyLegs.jpg' and 'CrewFamily.jpg' are back where they should be. CrewFamily.jpg is back where it should be... home.

Love,
Sophie and Tyler

Baby Emma - 11.6.09 - Mini Update : )

Haven't received a full blog update from Emma's Mom, Sophie in the last week, but we have received lil tidbits of wonderful facebook postings & emails saying how happy the Crew family is to be together again at home!! So for now, we'll all trust that Emma, the Crew family's MIRACLE baby...is continuing to make amazing steps forward in her recovery & that the Crew family is busy enjoying life again : )

Prayers & good thoughts still going strong for you baby girl...XoXo!!