NICU reunion

Our girls spent their first 26 days in the NICU.  At the time, it felt like those days would never end, but the fantastic nurses taught us so many great techniques and tricks to take care of our tiny babies.  Each year the hospital hosts a NICU reunion so that they can see all the great success stories and growing kiddos.  It is so nice to see the nurses and doctors that took such great care of our girls in their first days.  This year's theme was pirates and princesses.  The girls dressed up as Belle, high heels and all.

Camryn and Kristin

Making their new crowns - a girl can always use another crown!

Kristin's crown

Camryn's crown

Playing with balloons

It was super windy so the balloons were going crazy

Camryn

Kristin

NICU Reunion

Each year there is a NICU reunion for all the kids who "graduated".  We were able to go again this year and the girls had fun as always.  The hospital staff has all different kinds of stations for the kids to enjoy.  The nurses and doctors come and go as their schedules allow - and we were lucky enough to run into one of our favorite nurses and the girls' neonatologist as well.

I know it appears as if they are getting their blood pressure taken, but really they are getting fake tatoos.  Camryn left, Kristin right.

Camryn's bear tatoo

Looking out over the hospital

NICU Reunion 2010

2010 marked our 3rd year to trek back to the hospital where it all began. Being in the NICU is not the ideal situation for anyone, but looking back on the 26 days that the girls spent there, I have almost exclusively fond memories. We learned so much about taking care of our babies - how to adjust feeding methods to make sure they ate enough, how to rub their back just right to get a great burp, how to hold a slippery tiny baby while bathing. Once we were home I didn't worry if the girls were still breathing because they had been hooked up to monitors 24-7 for the first month of their life and had never stopped breathing. As hard as that first month of their life was, I can't help but be so thankful to all the sweet nurses who made our stay in the NICU bearable - and even taught us a thing or two (or fifty) about taking care of our new babies.

So here is a big thank you to all the NICU nurses who helped us out along the way.

Walt and Camryn

Me and Kristin

Plucking ducks from the water

Getting ready to go bowling

Aim for the pins, then roll the ball!

Checking out the fountain on the way out