Tuff Muffin: The Grand Opening + ONH Info-Drive

Today is a big day for the Forever & After Family!

It isn’t just my birthday. 🙂

After a lot of hard work and even more help, my own boutique, Tuff Muffin, is now OPEN!

And there are quite a few events going on around the interwebs to celebrate. (Pssst! A giveaway!)

First of all,
Go check out the Tuff Muffin goodies:
*Baby Leggings
*Bandana Bibs
*Headbands

Next, be sure to head over to my blogging mamafriend’s blog Domestic, But Not Martha for one heck of a giveaway to kick off Tuff Muffin. (thank you Crystal, for all of your help, support, and advice <3)

And right here on my blog is a little info on Optic Nerve Hypoplasia and a new page on Chazz’s Story so far.

Last week, I announced I would be opening up shop today (My Birthday!) in honor of Chazz and to raise awareness for Optic Nerve Hypoplasia.

The Tuff Muffin proceeds all go to help with Chazz’s medical expenses. One day they may even help fund a procedure to help him see better.

*Also, 10% of every sale from the Grand Opening (Jan 25th – 29th) will be donated to The Vision Center at The Children’s Hospital in LA. They are one of the leading researchers of ONH and they need our support!*

They provide a ton of information and resources to question-filled parents like us.
{Feel free to share any of the ONH information with your followers, it helps to spread awareness, and also counts as an entry to the giveaway.}

If I can cause even a little Internet ripple of information, it might reach just the mama looking for it. ❤

So, What Is ONH?
Optic Nerve Hypoplasia is when the optic nerve is underdeveloped. Millions of these tiny nerve endings form in the early weeks of pregnancy. Small optic nerves are unable to send a full picture back to the brain, making it hard to see. Some can only see shadows and light or dark, while others don’t even know they have it.

People with ONH can also have an abnormally developed brain and/or Pituitary Gland. In turn this means they don’t produce enough growth hormone (among others like testosterone and even those that control things like your body’s hydration.)

Chazz is in the 2nd %ile for growth. (BTW, he was born an 8lb 5oz stout baby in the 45%ile!)

Yep. Chazz faces a lot every day. And it is just the beginning of a long journey.

But we know nothing is going to stop our Tuff Muffin! Read more about Chazz’s Story and ONH on the new page!

*Please pass on this info so that those looking for answers might see it*

I Need Your Help To Spread The Word!

I’m not one to ask for help. I like to do it all on my own, no matter what. Or at least try!

But we all know that doesn’t always work. Or at least I am starting to figure that out.

So when I put out a call for help from all my Twitter mompreneurs, it was a hard thing to do, okay!

But wow to all of the mamas willing to share their tips and talents to help me get my own dream up and running. I’m humbled by everyone’s willingness to help.

What dream, you ask?

Oh the one I haven’t been telling you about! The one that has been floating around in my brain and leaving fabric scraps all over my house.

Yah, that one.

Well it’s time, FAB family and readers whom I love, to clue you in.

I am opening an online boutique, Tuff Muffin

Two reasons have inspired me to do this: to help offset some of Chazz’s upcoming medical expenses and to raise awareness about his visual impairment, Optic Nerve Hypoplasia.

ONH is quickly becoming the most common cause of childhood blindness, yet there is still so little information and resource available. Let alone support.

I really want to change that.

So along with launching my boutique selling bandana bibs, I have been inspired to spread awareness about the cause behind my shop. And I would love help to spread the facts!

I plan to “open” on January 25th.
{Which is also my birthday so expect a giveaway, but more on that later!}

Basically, I want to take over the blogosphere got a day and flood it with information on ONH and offer my support. {No biggie.}

Even if it only helps one mama like me not to feel so overwhelmed by such a diagnosis. Even if I could just help one parent by answering a question for them. Or even just providing a listening ear.

So….

On the big day, I will of course have the giveaway for bandana bibs from my shop posted, along with a bunch of information on ONH. Extra entries will be awarded for spreading the word through facebook or Twitter.

For those wanting to help spread the word on their own blogs, I am offering a little thank you. In exchange for sharing the post about ONH with your readers, I will display your blog or shop button on my sidebar for 1 month, on the new About ONH page FOREVER as a supporter, and entries toward the giveaway.

I really want to offer my heart and hand to others going through what we have this past year. I don’t want another mama googling about ONH until all hours of the morning, desperate for information. Desperate for answers and direction.

I want to help. I want to spread the information. And I know it is sometimes hard to ask for help, or to know where to find it.

But I think we help can change that. Help me spread the word! If you want to join in, email me foreverandafterblog at yahoo dot com, comment below with your email, or even catch me on Twitter @4EverAfterBlog.