Brush With Stardom

Being in the news industry has its moments. On one hand, we work crazy hours (hello 2am wake up call!) and holidays don’t exist. On the other hand, we get rare opportunities to do really fun projects. Last month, I spent a day on the set of “Chicago Fire”.  It’s filmed in a warehouse district in Chicago. So no, this “brush with stardom” as my blog title reads, doesn’t have anything to do with Princess Peyton. Although, I’m still waiting for the Today show to call to feature her miracle story….the phone line has been very quiet!
The main reason of my trip was to see a local dog get his 15 minutes of fame. Crazy, I know, but this is a great story! Smokey is a firehouse dog in my TV market and won a national contest to make a cameo on the hit NBC show. He was pulled from a fire as a puppy and brought back to life. He now lives at the Jacksonville firehouse and teaches elementary school kids how to stop, drop and roll. So, my photographer and I were invited to do a couple of stories. What a fun day! I’ve been on Hollywood sets before, but it’s been years. The actors were all so nice and hilarious and they sure do have fun working together.  It was a nice change of pace, since I am mainly at the anchor desk, not in the field reporting.  Check out my Facebook page in the coming days, I’ll post the videos there. Check out some behind the scenes pictures below. I’m now a huge fan of the show (and ladies, there are some very attractive/adorable actors!!).
 

Now an update on Miss P. It’s Nurses Appreciation week and we wanted to let the Nicu nurses know how much we adore them. They were a big part of our journey and I know that they will be part of our lives forever. So yesterday, Mr. Skry, Peyton and I brought a cake to St. John’s Children’s Hospital. It’s always a highlight of our week when we can visit Peyton’s nurses.
They share a special bond with P and love to see how quickly she is growing.  Next week will be emotional for me as I share with the public more of my journey. I recently returned to the Nicu, not as a parent, but a journalist. On Monday and Tuesday (6am and 5pm news), I have a special report on life in the Nicu. I interviewed Nicu parents and the doctors and nurses who cared for my children. I even share some of the most private moments of my journey that we filmed before Parker passed away. The second story focuses on the miracle workers…the doctors and nurses who help these tiny children thrive.  So grab a tissue and get ready for some heartwarming stories. I’ll make sure to post the videos next week on my blog.
The eating adventure continues with Peyton and those hilarious Kodak moments do not disappoint! We’re onto sweet potatoes, which she decided to wear, instead of eat. She still isn’t a huge fan of foods, but we know it just takes time. It’s so funny to see her face squish up like she is eating a lemon at the taste of something new!

I’ll leave you with a few precious pictures taken by our amazing nanny/caretaker, Peyton’s BFF! Leda is not only amazing with Peyton, she is also a great photographer. Everyday, she texts me pictures of Miss P and it always brings a huge smile to my face. What a happy little girl! Have a wonderful Mother’s Day. My parents are flying in from San Diego for the weekend. I’m so excited to spend my first Mother’s Day with my family.