Good Day

Today was very productive. I only had to work a half day because of traveling Monday and Tuesday. So at noon I met Craig at the grocery store to do our weekly shopping trip. We have been very unimpressed with our grocery store lately since numerous items are constantly out of stock. Once home I was able to spend an hour with Craig – most time I have seen him this week so I was very happy about that. After Craig went to work, I went to another grocery store to buy the items that I can’t get at our normal grocery store and did some other shopping. Once I got back home I vacuumed the first floor then it was time to pick up Gillian. Gillian was excited when she got home to find there was a donut waiting for her for dessert. Not quite sure why I buy her donuts because she eats the icing off and that is done with them. Lol She enjoys them and I think the mess she makes is cute.

I got two surprises today that deserve some congratulations. I got the mail and received an announcement that our friends Tim and Haley (their daughter Aynsley was in the NICU with Gillian) had a son Carson on December 29th. Then I got on Facebook and found out our friends Jenna and Jarrod (their son Cian was in the NICU with Gillian) found out today that they are expecting a girl due in June. Everyone is healthy which is fabulous!

Most people know that I read a blog about a family that lost their daughter last April to a common cold due to her lungs being damaged from her prematurity. She was 16 months old. The name of the blog is The Sphors are Multiplying and yesterday Heather wrote a post that has a picture that just makes me giggle. I’m not sure why. She takes some amazing pictures and I think this one is pretty incredible. It is hard to believe that she is not quite yet full term. Click here to see it. Enjoy

Lucky lotto number for the players out there - 644

Ferry Trips

Today I had to make a last minute trip to Burlington, VT for a dermatologist appointment. Sometimes I look forward to a trip alone; this was one of those days. I was looking forward to my trip across the lake on the ferry and the 30 minute drive down to Burlington and parking in the parking garage at the hospital and sadly I feel like I can find my way around the hospital quite well now. So I managed to make it to my appointment right on time.

The time alone gave me time to think about all the trips that I made across on that ferry. My daughter was at Fletcher Allen for 93 days, 6 days of that I was in Fletcher Allen; out of the 86 remaining days only 1 day did I not make the trip to see her and sent her father to visit with her so I made the trip to Burlington via Ferry 172 times in those 3 months. Most of those trips I spent reading about preemies, preparing for my visit on the way to Burlington, dealing with my visit on the way home depending on the day and sometimes changing in my vehicle to go to work. I didn’t just relax and look out the window. I actually saw the Ferry as somewhat of an inconvenience because my daughter was that much farther away. Looking back it was probably a savior for giving me more time to just take everything in so I didn’t explode. I grew up with the Ferry so it is never really been that exciting. Although I can see how people would enjoy it. I enjoyed it today. The way there I thought about the past trips across and on the way back I looked out the window and wondered about future trips.

NICU Grad Party

My Mom and I took Gillian to the NICU Grad party at Shelburne Farms in Vermont. Craig had to work and I wasn’t sure if I would be able to do it alone. It’s Gillian’s day so I wanted to make sure she made it there. We went shopping before because it is time to start looking for fall and winter clothes so all day we discussed the ferry aka big boat and going to the farm. I had explained to Gillian that we were going to the farm for a party in her honor so doctors and nurses that took care of her when she was sick could see she was big and healthy now. Gillian understands when I talk about her being sick from pictures she has seen of herself when she was a baby. Gillian had a blast at the party, she left her hand print which they were making a poster for outside the NICU, she played in corn, she enjoyed the petting zoo.

It was much different this time than the last time we went to the Grad party two years ago. There were less kids, only 1 nurse we knew, none of the other kids were there that had been in the NICU with Gillian…I found that kind of sad (I had been hoping for a reunion). I was happy to see more healthy kids, last time it seemed there were so many kids with disabilities but two years later there were very few….that I was very happy about. It was different, I kind of felt like we didn’t fit in anymore. I know we will always be part of the NICU family but my little preemie is growing up.

This picture was taken during the petting zoo; I wish I had waited 2 seconds because the sheep decided to find out if Gillian’s hair was appetizing.