Although at the beginning of your NICU stay you may think you'll want to forget the entire thing ever happened, there will be things you do want to hang onto. Like just how tiny your little peanut was. And the moments in which you finally had that "AHA!" ray of light- "I AM a mother, and my baby knows me!" And how incredibly good the Lord was to you and your baby, the many ways He used His children to bless you. Yes, you will definitely want to remember these things! Here are some helpful ways that I've found to document my daughter's NICU stay:
-Photos. We took lots and lots of pictures! One of my favorite things we did was to take weekly shots of S next to a baby doll. . At first she and the doll were close to the same size. Now at nearly five months (two adjusted age) it fits right in her arms!
-Journaling. Within the week after my daughter's birth. my dear Pastor's wife gave me a beautiful journal that I felt was perfect for me and S. A lovely picture of a mother holding her daughter graced the cover. In it I began a journal to S, detailing the events surrounding her birth, and her time in the hospital. Since she has been home I've updated it from time to time with her milestones. I can't wait to give it to her someday :).
-Memento Box. Throughout S's hospital stay I collected various keepsakes; an xs preemie diaper, her stamped footprints from the day she was born, first hat, billy light goggles, and a tiny pacifier, among other things. Right now I just have them all in a wicker basket (as well as cards people gave us around the time of her birth), but someday soon I hope to get a pretty box to keep them in. I'll add her little preemie clothes too, and when she is a big girl and wants to know her story I will pull out the box and show her.
Because the truth is someday I will forget how tiny she really was, and I will want to see these things again and to remember the great faithfulness of the Lord, and just how precious my little girl was.
