Prematurity Awareness Month-We Are The Faces of Prematurity

In case you didnt know...

Isaac was born July 29, 2008 at 28 weeks gestation.  He weighed 2lb 14oz and was 13inches long.  He spent 63 days in NICU.  Today he is a ornrey Kinderartener.

Exactly three years later I was admitted to the hospital.  James was born August 1, 2011 at 25 weeks gestation.  He weighed 2lb2oz and was 13 inches long.  He spent 77 days in NICU.  Today he is a rambunctious 2 year old.

A little shy of 2 years later we added Thomas to our family on July 22, 2013.  Thanks to medical research and advancements he was born at 37 weeks.   He weighed 7lb 11oz and was 21 1/2 inches long.  He came home with us and stayed in room with us the whole time at hospital.   Hes my "huge"  3 month old.

We are the faces of prematurity.
Its real.  It happens to good normal people who get prenatal care.
It can happen more than once.
It isn't the end.

Prematurity Awareness Month-Preemie Daddies

November is Prematurity Awareness Month.  To mark this I'd like to do some blog posting on  my thoughts, experiences, and random healing ramblings.  I'm going to be all ambitious and think I will get out all these thoughts in my head in several coherent well written blog posts...however I'm certain reality will hit and the dryer will buzz, my 3 month old will wake up, or I will remember it is bus stop time.....or something similar...

I was cleaning house and re-organizing pictures and came across this gem...back when we just became a family of 4 (and I am behind in blogging but we are now a family of 5...:-) )

That then got me to thinking...preemie Dad's are often forgotten.  We talk about how strong preemie mama's are...and Proud Preemie Mom and such things...but what about the Daddies?   The Daddies who are sitting alone in a waiting room because they are far from home and things happened too fast for anyone to get there...the love of his life is whisked away to an emergency c-section...and he sits..alone..texting and calling family..being the strong one..while his whole life hangs in the balance.  Daddies are tough ya know...they dont tear up, they dont act afraid.  They just take care of business...

Then baby is born...where does Daddy go?  What does he do?  Take pics?  Stay with his beloved wife?  Go meet his new son and pray that he is ok?  Mama wants to know how baby is?  What does he say?  Does he tell her how he is struggling?  Or just keep that fear to himself to bear alone and tell her how beautiful he is and how he has her nose?

Daddies are often the ones charged with all the driving on the trips to the hospital.  Ones in charge of camera while mama gets snuggles because her hear and breasts ache for the baby the most.  The one who is faced with the choice of being with the family or working and whatever the case is responsible for making sure the juggling act of paying bills actual works out. 

Daddies are the ones who usually have to hold a crying wife and mother after she has reached her limit of exhaustion from waking up during the night to pump that precious milk and make the phone calls to the NICU to just make sure everything is still ok.  Daddies have to be strong...

Daddies are the ones who wont let themselves break down but instead silently wonder if that little 2lb bundle in the isolette will ever be able to join him in the deer woods or build huge Lego creations. 

Daddies are special too.  And oh, so important.  I'm so thankful that I was given the perfect one to be my partner in this journey.   I pray that he knows how much I do appreciate him.