Got EBB?

When Elizabeth was just months old she would hum herself to sleep at naptime. I would turn on the baby monitor and listen everyday as I would put her down for her lovely little nap. Her favorite song to hum herself to sleep, none other than “Fabulous” by Sharpay Evans from the movie, High School Musical. That’s right, I kid you not, at six months old Elizabeth was humming Fabulous to sleep. How did she know at 6 months of age how “humming” fabulous she truly was? I knew she was “humming” fabulous from the minute she was born. In fact, I knew from the minute she was conceived. And honest to God, I loved every minute of being pregnant with her, even if I did gain 50lbs and my shoes didn’t fit. But, when she was born I loved her even more. I loved giving her baths. I loved rocking her. I loved feeding her. I loved holding her. I loved kissing her. I loved every single sweetalicious thing and moment with her. She never was the baby that cried. Only smiles and giggles and giggles and smiles. But even if she did cry, I would have loved that, too. Everyday. Every minute. She never, ever fussed, never complained. She was sweetness inside and out. She was so independent and content with anything and everything. I have always known how “humming” lucky I am for the life that I have. I did not think I could fall anymore in love with this child, because as a mother your heart is always full of love for your children. But when you lay in a hospital bed day after day with your five year old daughter who is fighting for her life, something about that love explodes. It magnifies a million times and then a million times more. When you have no choice but to sit and watch “humming” poison enter into her little bitty body that clearly is marked TOXIC, it makes a mommy sick. It makes a mommy weak at the knees. It makes this mommy cry because in order to make her better now we have to use “humming” poison. That poison may save her life now, but may cause other cancers down the road. She is “humming” fabulous and does not deserve any of this. Why does this happen to children? No one knows and especially not the “humming” American Cancer Society, which by the way donates less than 1% towards childhood cancer. So if you are looking to donate and make a difference for childhood cancer, The American Cancer Society would most definitely NOT BE THE PLACE TO DONATE! It’s “humming” buttcracks like Andrew “humming” Becker that childhood cancer is not funded enough, not researched enough and definitely not aware to people enough. The night sweats have started again and my dreams at night are much less than magical. And this nightmare, which I keep praying I will wake up from, continues to get more and more “humming” real. The reality is, we are home from the hospital and will return on Monday for more “humming” poison. Elizabeth has one more treatment in Phase 3 and then we move into the 4th and final phase before Elizabeth’s two year maintenance therapy begins. We are estimating another two months. I’m really scared and have moments of panic, but Elizabeth can do this. She can do this more than anyone I know because she’s “humming” faaabulouuuus. We have been warned, the final phase, they “hit” them extremely hard and will probably be the “humming” ugliest. Absolutely, no doubts, she can do it. Not that she should have to but she has no choice because guess why? Cancer DOES NOT play favorites. I am here to tell you that this “humming” childhood cancer can happen to anyone’s child. If it happened to us it can happen to anyone. Cancer is anything but rainbows and sparkles. Cancer is definitely not what I ever dreamed for my beautiful five year old daughter. No one does. Although we paint rainbows everyday, cancer is far from it. It is our way of helping Elizabeth deal with such horror and hell. I will do anything I possibly can for my little rainbowlicious to not think about cancer. She knows kids die from cancer. She knows she has cancer. She is five and super duper smart! Rainbows and sparkles help but they don’t erase the pain and suffering that Elizabeth has and continues to experience mentally and physically and no doubt will never, ever forget. Her memories from five should be letter people and music class in kindergarten, NOT “HUMMING” CANCER! Elizabeth is extraordinary and she is going to do so many good things with all of this. She already “humming” is! Did everyone see Miss Elizabeth Hollywood on her Fox 10 interview? Well, doing an interview on Fox 10 about how much she loves Barbie was not enough for Elizabeth. She wanted to support the Beautiful and Bald Barbie Movement in a much much bigger way. And so she did, with an amazing mini movie webcast. If you have not seen it, you should. And you should forward it to everyone you know, so they can see how beauty truly does come from the heart. Go to http://www.gotebb.com or http://www.youtube.com search Beautiful And Bald Barbie Elizabeth. We love watching it around here and think she will only continue to make more of a difference in the world of childhood cancer. You know who else is making a big difference in the lives of children with childhood cancer and blood disorders, Miss Arizona, Jennifer Sedler. Yes, that’s right, Elizabeth’s friend Miss Arizona has chosen hemotology/oncology not only as her major in college, but also her platform for her year reining as Miss Arizona! She just competed in the Miss America pageant in Las Vegas this past Saturday. And can I just say, I thought for sure she was the winner and quite frankly, she is the winner in my book, choosing a platform as great as childhood cancer. We need more celebrity voices speaking out about childhood cancer. Maybe we can get “humming” people to hear that children are dying everyday from this “humming” awful awful disease. Making the Beautiful and Bald Barbie should not have to be a movement, it should just be. But instead, we must beg and plea for it to happen. Jennifer Sedler, you are amazing and Elizabeth and I thank you for not looking the other way to childhood cancer. So anyways, if you watched the Miss America Pageant Saturday, you would know that Miss Arizona did our state very “humming” proud and was 3rd runner up! Elizabeth was so excited about meeting her at the local trunk show about a month ago, that she wanted to have a party the night of the pageant. A party she wants, a party she gets! We invited Elizabeth’s friends McKindree, Hattie and their mom Aimee over for the party. We had a “humming” great time. We met Aimee, McKindree and Hattie at the Hope Kids Event when we met Miss Jenilicous. They are a beautiful family and we love spending time with them! And of course, Kate, Elizabeth and I sent the boys away for the night so only us girls could sparkle posters, model sashes, and act crazy in our crowns. We crunched on candy, cupcakes and pizza and not to mention SCREAMED a lot, especially when Miss Arizona continued to advance! Actually the EBB in me wanted to take a last minute road trip to Las Vegas to see the show in person, however, by the time it crossed my mind we would have come up an hour too short. It was a “humming” blast! Speaking of a blast, Elizabeth said to me on Sunday as Bryce was at his airsoft gun shooting party, “I bet Bryce is having a blast at his birthday party. Get it mom, (a blast).” As she motioned with her fingers like she was quoting someone. “Hum” I wonder where she gets that from? But, we all know that’s my Elizabeth still cracking jokes. So it was one party to the next this weekend with Bryce’s birthday. My big boy is 9 years old and I left all the birthday plans up to Brooke this year. -BIG PAUSE- It was Bryce’s best birthday ever. Crazy I know! I’m like the “humming” ultimate party planner. And as Brooke and I layed in bed the night before the party he said, I didn’t get a cake yet oh and by the way should I feed the boys lunch? I laughed and went to sleep, however, I then awoke a short time later from night sweats. I’m pretty sure I know why and it’s not because of a birthday cake ya’ll. Moral of this short little story, let go and don’t sweat the small stuff. And yes, EBB was right, Bryce had a “humming” blast! I have so many other things that have happened that I want to share with you, but I am going to “humming” bed for the night.