Updates with a Smile

In my September 14 post I talked about being a part of the NICU club. What I didn't realize was that the club continues to exist well past the NICU experience. And I'm glad that it does. Below are some of Ira's CDH friends. Okay, I'll admit it, I call them Ira's girlfriends.
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Alix is the youngest of the crew...and the healthiest. She eats well. She breathes well. And that's all that matters! Her parents kept us in stitches as they relayed stories of getting in trouble by the head nurse of the NICU. Alix's dad and I are eerily similiar in our tastes. Go Duke!


Alix
Originally uploaded by joechays.

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Lily is the oldest of the crew. She was born five weeks before Ira and left the hospital about five weeks before Ira. Her journey was very similar to Ira's journey. Lily's mom used to say that when we parents went home at night, the babies got out of the cribs and played. It was nice to have that image in my head as I attempted to sleep at night.


Lily
Originally uploaded by joechays.

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Ava was born two days after Ira. Because Ava and Ira were new to the NICU we parents often compared notes. Ava's mom and Laura shared pumping woes with each other while dad and I talked baseball. We shared in each other's exhaustion. We didn't have to say much to each other to know exactly how the other was feeling.


Ava
Originally uploaded by joechays.

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With the exception of Alix who is doing wonderfully, all our children still have issues. You can see that Lily is still in need of oxygen and Ava is fighting feeding issues. But no matter what the case, we are all overwhelmed by the examples of strength our children have provided us.

Families of Alix, Lily and Ava, may your holiday season be filled with joy as you spend it with Ira's girlfri...I mean, your precious, precious girls.