Thanks by the Letters: H

Hot showers!!!!!

These kept me sane and alive during those 123 days in the NICU! I would come leave the hospital, pick up the kids, have dinner, spend time playing or enjoying a movie with the family and then we'd put the kids to bed. Once they were down I escaped to the shower! I would stand their under the scalding hot water, usually as hot as I could get it and just decompress. Sometimes I'd cry, sometimes I'd make my mental list of what was ahead the next day, but as that water trickled down over me... I just let the whole, painful, stressful day wash away.

Hand-me-downs:

Who had time to buy baby clothes?! When Max was born, almost 4 months early, I didn't even have his room painted, let alone clothes. Thank goodness for my friend Morgan and her friend Stephanie, both fellow former NICU moms. They sent preemie boy outfits right away. It was MONTHS before Max could wear clothes anyway, but once he was ready for hats, blankets, jammies, etc... we had them. They're still keeping my stocked, along with my friend Tara and her wonderful sister Keely. Max (and Alex for that matter) have their drawers stocked full and crates full of the next sizes in our basement. (Ella also gets wonderful hand-me-downs from Kate, we love the Emma and Mary cast-offs!!!)