"Pod A. First Baby on the Right."

We took Britton to the NICU Reunion yesterday ... such a great, great time showing off our little miracle, and catching up with Britton's doctors, nurses, and former roommates! We got to see babies Abram, Payton and Malcolm ... who, like Britton, aren't such babies anymore. They are all doing so great! Abram & Payton were micropreemies (born around 27 weeks) and it was really great to see them big & healthy & crawling around. Payton has several pounds on Britton, and Abram is about the same weight as Britton. Considering these babies started out at about 1 to 2 pounds, they have made HUGE strides.

We had a chance to visit with the doctors and a few nurses. Only one of the nurses that had spent a lot of time with Britton was there, but everyone remembered him b/c of the critical circumstances of his birth. They remembered him instantly, recalling the location of his isolette, saying, "Oh yes, Pod A, first baby on the right." Yes, that was Britton. That little space in the NICU will forever be etched in our minds and hearts ... a (major) part of our history. The NICU docs could not believe how good he was doing. Of all the babies they see each week/month/year, they remembered his name, the circumstances of his birth, where his isolette was in the NICU, and they both reminded us, "he was a sick, sick baby."


Yes, he was. And now he is well. Praise be to God.


Two handsome boys -- Britton & Abram!


Proud NICU Mamas with their babies -- Me and Britton with Tanya and Abram.


Britton & Nurse Pam. Click here for the last pic they took together. Pam was in the room when Britton was born, and took great care of him that first day. Before I had even laid eyes on him, Pam was faithful to call up to my room to give me reports on my little boy.


Loving on Nurse Pam.


Nurse Practitioner Kim's mouth dropped open when she saw him yesterday. And Britton sure loved her name badge.


Pod A babies in the house! Nurse Pam's arms are full with Britton, Abram & Payton. They were fighting over her name badge. Many tears were shed (over the name badge). Hard to believe that these 3 babes once fought for their lives ... just feet apart from each other ... and here they are now fighting over Pam's name badge! It's a sweet sight.


Malcolm & Britton. They were born a day apart. Those of you who visited Britton in the NICU, remember the tiny baby in the isolette next to Britton? That was this little guy. He was all of 3 or 4 pounds and could move, like he was crawling, all over that isolette. It was pretty amazing.

It was a fun time. We loved catching up with friends ... especially Abram's parents, who were in the NICU the entire time we were. We had not been able to see them the day we left, so we missed getting their contact information, but have thought about them often and prayed for their little boy. It is a special connection.

One of the nurses was telling us how interesting it is to see young couples/families in the NICU dealing with such difficult circumstances and sometimes, tragedy, and how, often, it is the first time in their lives to ever really experience a bump in the road. The NICU is definitely a place where many tears are shed. But, at the NICU Reunion, there was lots and lots of joy and laughter, smiles and baby squeals. Lots of miracles were in that room yesterday ... and we were so blessed and grateful to be among them.