About Baby Steps

The Nicholas and Hodge families founded and continue to organize the Baby Steps Memorial Run each year to support The Amelia Center at Children’s Hospital of Alabama.  As two grieving families, our mission is to assist in the healing process for families who have lost children and raise money for The Amelia Center. All contributions from our event allow The Amelia Center to continue to offer services and support to grieving families to let them know that they are not alone on their journey.  The Baby Steps Memorial Run allows us the opportunity to bring many families together and set aside a day to remember and honor our loved ones.  Although our children are no longer with us, the impact of their short lives has been exhibited throughout the race. We have built new relationships with many grieving families and are there to support each other when we need it the most.

The Nicholas Family

Cary and Abby Nicholas were high school sweethearts who got married in 1998.  Several years into our marriage we decided to start a family.  Weeks, months and years passed with no pregnancy.  We got the best news of our lives on December 11, 2007!  Our first in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle was successful and we were going to be parents!  Our first ultrasound confirmed that we were having twins which later revealed they were identical. Although we were very nervous about having twins we thanked the Lord everyday for these precious gifts! Besides the daily shots and morning sickness, this pregnancy was going perfect and we would be a family of four in July!!! Each week brought hopes and dreams for our future.  Our hearts were broken when our sons were born on April 12, 2008.   Braden Lee and Brody Lee were both stillborn at 22 weeks gestation, weighing less than a pound.  God blessed our family by giving us the opportunity to see our twins and allow us to hold them. From their cute little nose to the tips of their toes, each one was perfect! I will never forget it! Although we do not have a lifetime of memories of our boys growing up, we do have my lifetime of love for them!

God chose this new path for our lives.  We have to trust in Him and he will give us directions. As a grieving mother, I have found what helps me though my loss is reaching out to others who are on this road with me.  As a way to honor my boys I have become involved in many organizations within the community relating to child loss and neonatal care!  I have reached out to many mothers who have had a loss and do my best to help them along their new journey. I have met many wonderful families throughout the past several years.   I am encouraged by the growth of each mother throughout her journey.  The Amelia Center has connected me with other grieving mothers who can provide comfort and direction to each other. The key is to remember you are not alone!

The Nicholas family is expecting the arrival of a baby boy, Bryant in May, 2012.

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” Psalm 147:3

The Hodge Family

Justin and Loni Hodge were married in 2007 and began to start a family just a year later. We were thrilled when we found out we were expecting our first child who was due on May 6, 2009. This pregnancy didn’t go as planned, at 20 weeks we were told that our daughter, Maddox Elise, had a fatal syndrome called Triploidy. Maddox wasn’t expected to make it to term due to the rarity of her diagnosis. I (Loni) was blessed to carry Maddox Elise for 8 more weeks until she was still born on February 19, 2009. A few weeks after Maddox Elise’s death we found out about the Amelia Center and began going there for free grief counseling. With God’s love and peace and with the support of our families, friends, and The Amelia Center we have been able to turn Maddox Elise’s death into an opportunity to help others in similar situations.

God has since blessed us with our second miracle, James Hudson Hodge, born on September 21, 2010. We don’t always understand God’s plans for our lives, but His word promises that He will never leave us and He will carry us through the storms of life. It is by God’s promises that we live each day knowing that we will be reunited with Maddox Elise, as a family, one day in heaven.

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain…”  Revelation 21:4