Scrapin' for the NICU - giving a little something back!

Tuesday night at our Mother's of Twins Club we created scrapbook pages that will be presented to the parents of children who are at the Good Sam NICU. 
We adopted this project as a way to reach out to the community and give back some support and cheer to those who need it most.  Plus it was a great way to get to know a few of the newer mom's to the club, always an added bonus of more people to lean on it when I need it most!

Having a baby in the NICU is on of the hardest things a parent will ever go through.  For many of those babies may not see the outside of those walls ever.  For some it is merely a stop and a few eating lessons before getting to join the rest of their family.  No matter what the circumstances are I know that those who have to leave their children everyday in the care of someone else is extremely hard. 

I also know that the care those children receive while in the NICU is absolutely amazing and those nurses and doctors are the best.  They take care of these itty bitty babies who need so much help and guidance in getting their lives started.  The nurses are the ones who are always there when the parents are there visiting, they are the ones giving the progress reports on what your child has been doing each day.  They are the ones who are saying the encouraging words when it comes time for you to go home to your other responsibilities and giving the reassurance that your child will be in great hands.  They are the ones who take your phone call at 3AM because you want to know is he awake, is he doing okay, you want to know something because you can't sleep because you little one isn't home with you.  They are your connection to your child when you can't be there.

Our scrapbook pages will be a way for these parents to share with their children the start of their lives and later to share with their child the story of how their life began.  Sadly for some parents that scrapbook page will hold the only photos of their child.   Either way, we hope that our pages, which were created with love from moms, some who have been in their shoes, will bring a little joy to the lives of those who need it. 

I remember that dreadful day, December 2, 2007, when I had to leave the hospital after having Caden and Maggie and I had to leave my baby boy behind.  I had encouraging words from my favorite nurse, my sister Nicole, who said that he is in the best care and he will be home shortly.  She told me that there was to be no worries, I could call when I needed to and visit when I needed to and that she would check on him for me after her shift with progress reports included.  We were lucky, our wimpy white boy only stayed a total of 9 days, and he is now a happy and healthy almost 3 year old. 

That is what I am grateful for today, that my baby is here, happy and healthy! 

That cold and rainy day in December when I had to leave him seems so long gone and is impossible to believe it was real.

I am thankful that I did not have to got to bring both Mallory and Cale home with me - no NICU stops the second time around!

I am also grateful that our mom's group could pass along a little something to support the many parents who have children in the NICU. 

I am hoping their holidays are a little brighter because of our pages.

Here is Caden's scrapbook of his NICU pass through!

Getting a little breathing help at 4lbs. 10oz.

Needing less help breathing but still needing feeding support

Mommy visiting with Caden 3 days before he came home - s
till getting the feeding support but breathing on his own GREAT!



Ready to go home with my sissy!



home and getting comfy, he was so little

 

Now a healthy and happy almost 3 year old! 
He is a wonderful addition to our lives!