Monday, April 25, 2011

2011 March For Babies

Happy Easter everyone!!!

This past Easter weekend was a big one. It's one of the two busiest weekends at Scott's workplace so we had big services Friday night and Sunday morning. And Saturday morning, we walked as a family in the 2011 March for Babies Walk held by the March of Dimes Organization.

The night before we were so tired but I was real bummed that we hadn't made T-shirts in preparation for the walk. Scott said it was no big deal but I just knew I would regret not having at least something for Slugger. I searched our bookshelves and managed to find an old package of print it yourself Iron-on transfer paper. So, I stayed up super late and designed a little onesie for Slugger to wear during the walk. I think it turned out awesome and was worth getting just 4 hours sleep.

The walk started at Kapiolani Park so we parked at the Honolulu Zoo parking lot and walked over. Man, the pay rate for parking sure has jumped up a lot. It was incredible to see how many people were at this event. There were families unloading their vans all in matching T-shirts, kids of all ages rolling in their strollers. I have to admit, I choked up when I read parents wearing T-shirts with a preemie picture and name on it and holding the hands of strong, healthy grown kids. Amazing to see that these kids running around started off so small and sick.

Slugger had her own proud statement on the back of her onesie. [click on it to see large version with list of our wonderful sponsors]

Slugger chilling in her carseat on the way to Kapiolani Park. She didn't seem to notice that we woke her up 3 hours earlier than usual. She doesn't wear a watch so she just has to take our word for it.





Uncle John carrying Slugger as we unload in the zoo parking lot.



Here's a close-up of Slugger's onesie design with her birth statistics and a list thanking all the people who donated to her walk.


This is her first ride in a jogging stroller. We borrowed this one from Liz and Mikey. Wow, these things run so smoothly compared to a regular stroller. Yowzahs!

Here's a close-up view of the front of her onesie design. We meant to focus on the celebration of Slugger so we didn't get too sad, but we just couldn't do it without remembering our twinnies.

As we walked into Kapiolani Park, they were having a huge warm-up exercise class led by Gilad. Oh, I love him. Scott and I were in a phase where we were taping his Bodies In Motion show and exercising to it. He looks really good in person. Hubba hubba.






Crissy and Todd watched Slugger so I could run up closer to get pictures of Gilad.


Then we headed to the Kaiser tent and Slugger got to hang with one of her favorite NICU aunties, Gina. Look at Slugger beaming at Gina.




This little girl is sunblocked up. She has a UV protection hat. And that's an umbrella I brought along that I held over her whenever we didn't have shade.




We got so comfortable checking in to the Kaiser tent, Scott even made himself a plate of food and began chowing down, that we missed the start of the walk. There was a huge crowd by the start line when we looked so we didn't even budge, but it turns out that the crowd was the kiddie crowd that would walk a truncated route around the park. Um, the other members of Team Slugger thought the truncated route sounded ideal, especially John-John who couldn't find sneakers so was wearing slippers. But, unfortunately, they're with me. I felt like we told people we were doing a 5 mile walk, so we should be doing a 5 mile walk. I love our friends. So, we set off on the full 5 mile route which starts at Kapiolani Park and turns around once you hit Ala Moana Beach Park.

Since we started so late after everyone else, I seriously think we were the last ones in the whole walk. Amazingly, we ran into Davidson and Candace who go to our church and were walking with their two fraternal twin boys, G and G. So Team Slugger and Team GG united. The first half of the walk was great. The rising sun was low enough that we were continuously in the shade from the buildings. However, on the way back, it was blazing hot and the sun was beating down on us. We also ran into Hope Chapel's Women's Ministry Pastor Tami T. and her husband Mike in the walk. Tami told us that they were walking for Slugger too!!! So sweet!

Here's Team Slugger and Team GG finishing up the last half of the walk. Notice the hidden babies as we were constructing all sorts of tents to protect them from the sun.




But we finished!!!



Longs Drug was a huge sponsor of the event and there was all sorts of swag that we could stuff into our goodie bags at the end. I was real excited about my chocolate pudding cup. Yum!!



We collapsed under the Kaiser tent and rested our sore feet. And tried to take a team picture before we left.



I brought my camera and I set up the shot. Got the focus, the exposure in Manual mode all down. Here's my test shot. Crissy and Todd are such goofs=)


Then I asked a lady nearby if she could take our picture. My dSLR looks intimidating but I had it all configured from my test shot so I told her she just had to stand where I pointed, point the camera at us, and click the button.

I do not want to make fun of her. But, it just goes to show you how cameras have changed so much that they have changed the common experience. I huddled into the team slugger group and the lady held the camera up and then said "wait, where's the picture?" She was looking for a live-view picture on the LCD screen that we've all become accustomed to because of digital point and shoots. I don't have live view on my rebel so I told her "you're going to have to look through the viewfinder." She still didn't seem to understand but she started clicking away. And this is what she got.

Oh, this made me laugh when I scrolled through. She took about 10 tries and thankfully, the very last one came out. I think it's so funny that people don't know about or how to use the viewfinder anymore. We've been spoiled by these fancy cameras and camera phones.


[From left to right]Scott, me, John-John "rubbah slippahs brah," Todd, and Crissy "listened to a sports game on her earphones the whole walk and ignored us=)"



PS. We were blessed to find that we all got Kaiser shirts since we were signed up under the Kaiser Team. But I opted to wear the shirt that I was already wearing. Look, I just happened to choose the right color that morning. I fit right in.


[Click on picture below to see how much money we raised. + a pic of Slugger in her cute Easter dress]


3 comments:

  1. Whaaaat?! Come on, you know I am hard of hearing (way to pick on disabled people, Keao!) and would just be wondering how my Cubbies were doing against Scott's Dodgers, anyways. And I totally checked in on your conversation every 1/4 mile or so. ;o)

    TEAM HOPE CHAPEL KANEOHE BAY next year, baby! =)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Awww, wonderful post and so glad the day went well for you! I have several friends across the state (Kauai, Maui) who have been doing this for years and my Mom coordinated the door to door march for years when I was growing up (we would actually have cans and just ask for dimes...). What beautiful pics, I am sharing this on my fb page. Also, Scott, thank you again for making Pili and Waynes day special by allowing me to be a big part of it. I love you guys. Aunty Connie

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you everyone that came out to support our first attempt at the March for Babies! It was a marvelously successful day and we couldn't have done it without you.

    ReplyDelete