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Laura's Posts

Laura and Steve were newly married and enjoying their picture perfect romance until Laura was diagnosed with cancer nine months later. She was given a 40% chance of survival. It was a dark, frightening time in their lives. After undergoing numerous procedures and a year of treatment, Laura was given a second chance at life. She and Steve dreamed of starting a family and shortly thereafter were pregnant with their daughter, Atia. Parenthood had its typical challenges, but every day felt like a gift and they were thrilled. Things really seemed to be going their way until tragedy struck...

Atia was diagnosed with cancer at 17 months old.

This series chronicles the journey their lives have taken. It's full of twists, turns, victories and disappointments. Through all of it, Steve and Laura's bond has grown ever stronger. They've even added baby brother Asher to the mix.

  1. Where It All Began... 
  2. And Then There Were Three
  3. The ER. I Wish It Was Just A Great Show
  4. She Has What?!? This Can't Be Happening
  5. Like Sands Through the Hourglass, So Are the Hairs On the Pillow
  6. Friday April 29, 2009: Tough and Terrifying Day! 
  7. Life as We'd Know it had Changed 
  8. GUEST ENTRY: My Mom's Experience 
  9. In the Meantime, I'm Pregnant
  10. Comer Children's Hospital The University of Chicago 
  11. Wychlist: A New Shopping List iPhone App
  12. The Phases of Chemo
  13. Delayed Intensification
  14.  Back in the Hospital
  15. SQUISHED! I was SO squished
  16.  An Ultrasound, a Hospital Tour and a Spinal Tap
  17. But It's Not Time Yet 
  18. Preterm and in the NICU 
  19. Two Weeks in the NICU
  20. All the Single Ladies, Put Your Hands Up
  21. Random Acts of Kindness: The San Diego Rock 'N Roll Marathon
  22.  It All Caved In on Me: Postpartum Depression
  23.  Postpartum Depression: Part 2 
  24. GUEST ENTRY: Midsummer: A Latvian Tradition
  25. GUEST ENTRY: A Lesson From My Father: The Three Cs
  26. GUEST ENTRY: From Filofax to iPhone: One Mom's Journey Back into the World of Dating
  27. Exclusive Premier Event: The Rally for Kids with Cancer Scavenger Cup
  28. "The Qualifiers" Celebrity Draft Party
  29. The "Start Your Engines" Brunch
  30. The Rally Scavenger Hunt
  31. Let Them Decorate Cake: Celebrity PHOTOS at The Rally Scavenger Cup
  32. CELEBRITY PHOTOS: "The Winners Circle" Gala Dinner
  33. Back to Reality: The Trifecta
  34. DINA MANZO'S INTERVIEW PODCAST: The Real Housewives of New Jersey
  35. GUEST ENTRY: A Backyard Full of Luck
  36. GUEST ENTRY: The Corporate Travelers' Wife
  37. Looks Can Be Deceiving
  38. She Has to Take What?!?
  39. Through Her Hair, I Saw Survival
  40. Project Ladybug in Atia's Name and Oprah!
  41. Popular Chicago Blogger and Reality TV Star Team Up to Raise Awareness for Childhood Cancer
  42. Spunk and Pizzazz
  43. The Tides Changed: From Health to Hospital
  44. In Isolation: No Visitors Allowed
  45. The Pendulum Swings
  46. Giuliana Rancic from E! News on Ay, Mama!'s Radio Show
  47. Adults Only Weekend
  48. Florida! Here We Come!
  49. Atia and Songs of Love on WGN-TV
  50. March Madness
  51. Eggs, Ice Cream and Family Traditions
  52. GUEST ENTRY: Girls' Night Every Night
  53. GUEST ENTRY: Caution: Contents Under Pressure
  54. Ay, Mama! We're Famous!
  55. Yep, I'm Thankful for That
  56. Holy Cow! I'm Published!
  57. One Year Since Diagnosis
  58. And Dreams Do Come True
  59. Behind the Scenes
  60. Thank You for the Music
  61. Can You Say Chimpanzee? This is a Big Word!
  62. The Craigslist Babysitter
  63. Poopy Cramps
  64. Let's Go Fly A Kite
  65. When Mother's Day Became MY Day
  66. Big Milestones All Around
  67. Grandpa's Second Chance, Courtesy of His Little Angel
  68. Playing with Others: Smiles and Giggles
  69. Call Me Crazy
  70. Asher's Ukrainian Orthodox Christening
  71. Chicago's First Ladybug Bash: Treads and Threads
  72. Back to the Shedd
  73. GUEST ENTRY: Childhood Tooth Decay
  74. GUEST ENTRY: Trilogy of Teenage Life
  75. Dina Manzo Thanks Chicago for an Amazing First Ladybug Bash
  76. Security  Check: TSA's 3-1-1- Rule Broken
  77. The Chicago Children's Museum & Pump It Up
  78. GUEST ENTRY: How To Build a Lifelong Passion for Fine Arts and a Real Art Collection for Your Children
  79. Make-A-Wish: Atlantis Resorts in the Bahamas
  80. Our Atlantis Wish Trip: Part 1
  81. Our Atlantis Wish Trip: Part 2
  82. GUEST ENTRY: Honor Flight - A Tribute to Our Veterans
  83. GUEST ENTRY: Honor Flight - A Tribute to Our Veterans: Part 2
  84. I'm Proud To Be An American
  85. Who's On My Watch
  86. Atia's Celebration of Life Party
  87. Atia's Final Spinal Tap
  88. The Wiggles and the 4th of July
  89. I Don't Have to Take Chemo Anymore
  90. PHOTOS: Atia's Celebration of Life Party
  91. You're Going to Michigan? Me Too!
  92. The Picnic and Flashes of Hope
  93. How Do You Know Dina Manzo?
  94. Holy Hell! She's Possessed!
  95. How Michael Jackson Slipped Through Her Fingers
  96. GM Our Town, Our Heroes: Escalade Hybrid, the Lap of Luxury
  97. Honored at Wrigley Field: Home of the Chicago Cubs
  98. Childhood Vacation Memories
  99. The Perfect PINKALICIOUS Tea Party
  100. September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
  101. Pass It Forward
  102. Pee-Pee, Poopy and Thomas the Train
  103. Mystery of the Big Girl Bed!
  104. I Had To Let Her Go... To School
  105. It's My Party and I'll Cry If I Want To
  106. A Day in the Life of a Hospital Birthday Celebration
  107. Port Problems
  108. I Was Atia's Bubble
  109. Ladybug Love for the Holidays | A Toy Drive
  110. Chemo Resumed and a 1st Birthday Celebrated
  111. Yo Gabba Gabba LIVE
  112. Halloween Shmalloween! Who Cares?
  113. New Year's Eve - Budding STARS! 
  114. Ladybug Love for the Holidays Delivers 1,200 Toys!
  115. I'm Cured!
  116. A Gymnastics Party
  117. A December to Remember
  118. More Anesthesia STAT!
  119. Valentine's Day: Giving in the Name of Love
  120. My Child Has Cancer And Now There's A Drug Shortage?!?
  121. Encore: Through Her Hair I Saw Survival
  122. X-rays Can Be Scary Too
  123. The Magic Place: Where Nail Clipping Victims Go
  124. New IL Legislation | HB 4211 | The Childhood Cancer Research Fund
  125. Friends Help Friends. And Mommy, You’re the BEST Friend
  126. Fear, Age and the Ripple Effect
  127. I Do It While She's Sleeping
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