Happy B-Day, Memory Lane & My First College Campus Tour

Each time I post an update, please share my story by updating your social networks, e-mailing all of your contacts, and talking to your friends/co-workers.  And to all my girlfriends out there, tell your Ob/GYN about my story and maybe they'll routinely start offering SMA testing.  If we can help save a few of my future friends and their mommy, daddy, and loved ones from SMA, then my life, while cut short in time, will be beyond fulfilling in stature.

Yesterday was my 5 month birthday and to celebrate, my mommy & daddy took me on a road trip to where they first met and fell in love.  Oh and I was able to take my first college campus tour at mommy & daddy's Alma mater, Texas State University.  My daddy kept saying "back when I graduated, it was Southwest Texas State University.  In fact I was part of the last graduating class of Southwest Texas State University."  OK daddy, we get it, the name changed, you're getting old, let it go.  Thankfully he stopped short of embarrassing me by stopping any students and saying, "you know when I went here..."

Oh and so I don't forget, before I go any further about my day yesterday, I want to say thank you to everyone who is commenting on my blog, as well as reposting my story on Facebook, Twitter, and via e-Mail!  Also, a special thank you to the following writers/bloggers for helping me tell my story and spread awareness about SMA:

My Aunt Stefanie Robledo - http://thestefanie.com/averys-bucket-list/

My Aunt Amanda McCroy Jackson - http://jacksonjabber.com/

LynDee Walker (www.examiner.com) - http://www.examiner.com/elementary-years-parenting-in-richmond/avery-s-bucket-list-puts-spotlight-on-rare-genetic-disorder-amazing-family

With all of your help, my bucket list has received 69,958 page views since my first post less than 67 hours ago.  That's a little over 1,000 page views an hour.  My mommy & daddy have also already been contacted by local Houston news networks (FOX 26, NBC, and CBS), as well as multiple radio shows.  They all want to share my story and help me spread awareness so parents know about SMA, the medical & insurance industries include SMA carrier testing of parents prior to conception, or at the very least make it mandatory during newborn pre-screening tests.  And then hopefully by my next lifetime find a cure for SMA so babies like me can live to write on walls, throw tantrums in the mall, spill juice on the carpet, walk to school, tell mommy and daddy I love them, tell mommy and daddy under our breath "stop it, you're embarrassing me", and overall just do what all children were born to do...not worry about anything, because mommy & daddy have it all figured out so we can all just be kids.

This was my yesterday:

First, my mommy, daddy, Nana Sandi, and G-Pa all packed into my daddy's Tahoe and left New Braunfels, TX in route to San Marcos, TX on our way back home to Houston.  Daddy tells mommy he bought his Tahoe shortly after he found out I was on the way because, "we're going to need more room once Avery gets here." - but he confided in me that he really just wanted a new car and he used me as an excuse so mommy didn't ask for one too!  But don't feel bad for mommy, because she convinced daddy to buy a big enough house before I was even conceived so we could fit me and my 3 future brothers or sisters under one roof together.  Mommy-1; Daddy-0.

Ummm daddy, I don't think there's room for me back here.

Yes, hi G-Pa...now watch your head!

Once we arrived in San Marcos, the first thing we had to do was go to Colloquium because mommy & daddy forgot my Bobcat gear back in Houston.  So like any good parents, they took 2 seconds to debate which one forgot the outfit and then daddy bought me a new one...Mommy-2, Daddy-0.

Old school!  Daddy insisted we take this picture.

I joined the cheer team.  Beat ba ba ba beat go Bobcats!

Where My Mommy & Daddy Met & Fell In Love:

My mommy & daddy met back in the summer of 2003 when my daddy lived at Bishop's Square Apartments in San Marcos, TX and my mommy came in for a job interview.  Daddy knew the entire staff so when he saw mommy interviewing he apparently walked into her interview and interrupted the entire thing, apologizing to the manager conducting the interview of course.  According to mommy, he introduced himself, shook her right hand, and then grabbed her left hand (looking for a wedding ring) and he said, "Good.  It's nice to meet you, congratulations on your new job (because daddy told the manager she had no choice but to hire mommy) and I look forward to seeing you more often."

Then my daddy did what any man in love would have done.  He stalked mommy for the entire summer until she agreed to go out with him.

Daddy's version of the story: "Stalked?  I mean I wouldn't say stalked.  I had to pay rent once a month, the next day I had to make sure my rent was received, the following day I had to make sure it processed accurately, I wasn't sure of their pet policy and needed to get a good grasp on all the wording in the contract, and even though the apartments were only 1 year old at the time, I'll be darned if something didn't breakdown in my apartment everyday mommy worked that summer.  Lots of service requests for apartment 1008 that year and I sincerely hope they've been resolved since your daddy moved out."

Mommy's version of the story: "Your daddy stalked me."

For those of you counting with me, that's Mommy-3; Daddy-0.  Daddy's got a lot of catching up to do, but I've been told by mommy it will never happen.

I had to end my trip in San Marcos because I started to develop a small fever and had a few breathing difficulties, but before I did my Aunt Ashley came to see me (pictured above).  Hopefully I can go back and meet Frisbee Dan, hang out at the river, eat at Grins, go to this Italian Garden place my G-Pa keeps going on and on about, and be an honorary sorority sister for a day (thank you to the individuals who offered that...I didn't see it until I got home last night).

On our way home, my daddy wanted to stop by his district office and say hi to my Grandma Lori, Grandpa Ricky, Aunt Sherri, and Aunt Amber.  Just a quick pit stop to capture a few more smiles on my way to 1,000+.  Little did I know, when I got home there was a package at my door with a note that read "HAPPY 5 MONTH BIRTHDAY AVERY!!!!  WE LOVE YOU!!!  GRANDPA RICK & GRANDMA LORI."

Items I Can Scratch Off My Bucket List:

1. Reach my 5-month birthday.
2. Go on a road trip.
3. Take a college campus tour (Texas State University in San Marcos)
4. Be a cheerleader
5. See where mommy & daddy met and learn how they fell in love.
6. Get a present in the mail.

Up Next:
Whatever I bring to life, because I don't have time to sit back and wait for life to bring anything to me.

Don't forget to share my story by following & forwarding my blog, following me on Twitter  (AveryBucketList) and Like Me on Facebook (Averys Bucket List)!  While it may or may not help me in my lifetime, the more people who are aware of SMA, the less likely future children will be born with SMA, and the more likely there will one day be a cure for children who already have SMA!

http://www.facebook.com/AverysBucketList

https://twitter.com/#!/AveryBucketList

If you feel comfortable making monetary donations directly to a registered non-profit organization, mommy & daddy strongly encourage you to please do so in my name to the following organization:

Fight SMA (www.fightsma.org)

Cure SMA (www.curesma.org)

Sophia's Cure (www.sophiascure.org)

Thank you!