kayla aimee: only slightly neurotic

4.12.11 | Welcome Home, Scarlette

Today is April 12, 2011

On November 7, 2010 we welcomed a 1lb 9oz baby girl into the world.

Today Scarlette is 5 months and 5 days old.

Today we brought her home.

Today, when we left the hospital, for the first time ever she came with us.

Modern language lacks for the words to properly define the beauty of the way I feel today.

I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him- 1 Samuel 1:27

P.S. I'll elaborate more later, we didn't know until this afternoon that we'd be getting to come home today, we'd packed for a longer stay at the hospital! We're thrilled! (from top left: Scarlette waiting for a new feeding tube, welcome home balloons, exhausted and exhilarated mommy and daddy setting up her equipment in the house, our rosebush that had it's very first bloom of the season today, dressing her in her coming home outfit in preparation of leaving the NICU)

Scarlette at 5 months | Rapunzel, Rapunzel

Scarlette is 5 months old today. We made cupcakes for the nurses to celebrate her "birthday." We also just love any excuse for cupcakes.

Speaking of cupcakes, my friend Jody sent me this today and it was the proverbial icing on the them: After I read your last post, I announced to my kids that baby Scarlette is going to get to go home finally. Ava then said "you mean she never left the hospital yet...ever?" "No, she's been there since the day she got born- several months ago," I replied. Then without missing a beat Bella's face lit up and she said in an excited voice, "Oh! She's just like Rapunzel then-she never got to leave her castle!"

We started our discharge paperwork today and all we know so far is that we can expect to be bringing her home by Wednesday. There is much to get in order as she has a LOT (um, oh.my.goodness.) of medical needs to be met with home care (more on that later) and we have to do our overnight stay at the hospital so we're waiting to get those dates.

So stay tuned. Because Scarlette is about to leave the castle.

Love Keeps Growing More Love

I fell in love with you
and that love became something new
it added a name and it added a smile
it keeps getting bigger every further mile
love keeps growing more love
our vows they started breathing
and they took on flesh and blood
and we held them in our arms
and tasted God was good
-Caedmon's Call, Love Grows Love


On Saturdays in March and April 2011, I am featuring the companies who have generously donated to Team Scarlette as our official March For Babies 2011 sponsors. We are so very grateful for their support. If you're looking for something unique, I hope you'll consider supporting these amazing indie businesses so CLICK HERE for sponsor photos, links and exclusive coupons codes for my readers.

Moments Of Grace

Do you just love her hat? Thank you Auntie JoJo! I love how the hat and the pacifier take up her whole face! Tiny girl :)

She is fussy after I change her so I hold her, bouncing her a bit in my arms while the nurse fixes up the crib. It is almost lunchtime so I move to put her down and she she looks up at me with her big eyes and sort of nestles into me, snuggling down deeper into the crook of my arm. She wants me. She wants me and it makes me feel like a mother. Time with her is precious, scheduled in increments each day, never enough. One hundred and twenty two days and I'm still brushing tears from my cheeks each night as I leave her because it's night and I'm leaving her.

People tell new parents to treasure the moments because they pass so quickly, because they'll never be newborn again. But when you're a NICU mommy everything is limited, you never start with a full twenty four hours in a day. There are hours you miss, hours of seperation that steal from your time. And you wonder if she knows you, really knows you or if this lack of time groups you in with an ever changing rotation of nurses. It sounds trite "treasure the moments" because what else could you do when moments are all that you have? So with her hand grasping my hair and her fragile frame tucked in next to mine I sink into the recliner and hold her just to hold her. Because she wants me.

And my heart is full because she wants me and I am here, and my heart hurts because she wants me and how many times does she want for me and I am away? I see her respond to my voice each morning and I hope she does not wonder where I am when she awakens at night and I am not the one that comes. And I question how I will keep doing this, how I can go on in my weariness? I miss her in so many moments.

My grace is enough; it's all you need. 2 Corinthians 12:9

A Thank You: In less than forty eight hours we reached more than double our goal for March For Babies 2011. I am humbled at your generosity for our fundraiser and so moved by your love and support. The following sponsors are donating a portion of their proceeds to Team Scarlette so if you have a moment to visit them, that would be fabulous! Tastefully Simple, Moxie Mandie, and Pink Daffodil Designs

Team Scarlette | March For Babies 2011

Today my daughter is 4 months old and spending her 120th day in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit because she was born 15 weeks early. We were invited to participate in the March of Dimes March For Babies this coming April. The work of the March of Dimes has been life-saving for Scarlette and I am happy to be able to give back in some small way. Our hope is that sharing Scarette's story will educate women about pre-term labor as well as connect new moms of preemies that need a support system.

Currently, I am looking for team sponsors and I want to do something different.

If you have an etsy shop or indie business, I'd love to invite you to be a Team Scarlette sponsor. I love to support small businesses, so if you would like to be a team sponsor, I will be taking blog sponsors for the first time ever and I would be happy to post an image ad/link to your shop + a coupon code here, as well as in our physical team materials. That way you get exposure and we get some donations for Team Scarlette! It's a win-win. If you'd like to be a sponsor, please click HERE to learn how-it's literally as small of a donation as $10 (because indie businesses are on a budget!) 

If you don't have a shop but would just like to make a secure donation to our team, thank you. You can do so by clicking HERE or on the badge on my blog.

You can also support us by spreading the word! Feel free to post a Team Scarlette badge (choose yours HERE) on your website/blog.

You can read Scarlette's birth story HERE and feel free to share it along with a badge. This is also my first time sharing our birth story and please forgive any typos, I don't think I can read it again in order to proofread it.

We are so appreciative of your love and support for our little family. We're very excited for the opportunity to do something beautiful in Scarlette's name.