So thankful for my preemies!

Very thankful for my very healthy preemie today on

World prematurity awareness day!  

One of his former NICU nurses asked if they

could put up a little display of him in their NICU 

Hall of encouragement.  That's what I like to call it.

When Lincoln was in the NICU I would stop in this hallway, 

on my way to pump, and read each of the babies stories

and find encouragement in all of them.  They were all doing

so well now and had come such a long way.  

When she asked if Lincoln could be put up there I cried.

I cried because he is one of those that is doing well 

and has come such a long way.  I'm so blessed 

and happy.  So many times, things could've gone SO, SO wrong

for both he and I, but it didn't.  It wasn't time for either of us 

to go.  And I'm so thankful I have the chance to be his mommy. 

Here is the display that's hung in the hallway: 

and since the writing is super small here is what it says:

"After Lincoln's mom experienced her water breaking at 24 weeks in her pregnancy, everyone prepared for him to make his entrance into this world far too early.  When labor symptoms never appeared, doctors took extra precautions not to introduce infection and his mom was ordered bed rest here at the hospital until delivery.  Although her water had broken, a mother's body still continues to produce amniotic fluid, and amazingly, Lincoln always had just enough near his mouth so he was able to continue to develop his lungs.  He waited another 7 weeks before her body decided it was time.  She had come down with pre-eclampsia and later, HELLP syndrome.  Lincoln was born via emergency c-section at 31 weeks 5 days. He weighed 3lbs 6oz and was 15 3/4 in. long.  Everyone expected his lungs to be severely underdeveloped but he shocked everyone when he didn't need oxygen and was breathing on his own.  After 6 weeks in the NICU, struggling to learn how to eat and a hernia surgery, he was released to go home!

Lincoln is now a very energetic, curious and tender-hearted 3 year old who definitely keeps his parents on their toes!"  

I love BOTH of my preemies! :)