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        New Message Board Archives >> 2006 General Board Posts >> Valentine's Day with my Babies!! :)
        
(Message started by: Lizzie2 on Feb 15^th, 2006, 9:54am)

Title: Valentine's Day with my Babies!! :)
Post by Lizzie2 on Feb 15^th, 2006, 9:54am

Thought this was cool, so I wanted to share!

This week, I'm working night shift in the neonatal intensive care nursery. So - one of the hardest things about any holiday (even a holiday like this one!) is that parents often feel an even greater sense of sadness about not being able to have their baby home with them. It doesn't matter what the social situation is of each individual family - we all know that no person on this earth is immune from emotional pain...and having a baby in the neonatal unit (especially the preemies that are there for months) often takes a huge emotional toll on families.

So - from the nurses and other staff, we try to give back and do what we can to ease the stress of having a baby in the NICU. For Christmas, Santa came around and had his photo taken with each of the babies - and all the pics came out really good!!

For Valentine's Day, we had a pink card with hearts on it that said Happy Valentine's Day, and each baby's name was on the card. Then, whoever was taking care of the baby over the weekend or on Monday completed this little project by taking the ink stamps for baby footprints and stamped both the baby's feet onto the card. Baby feet look like little hearts, too!

I got to stamp one of my little guy's feet on Monday night! Well...he had an IV in one foot, so I could only stamp the one, but it was cool - and felt great to do something "cute" that didn't relate to giving meds, suctioning, positioning, bathing, feeding, and all the day in and day out stuff we do on the unit. :)

I'm a new member of the parenting committee, and one of our committee jobs is to come up with little gifts from the babies to their parents on the holidays. Lots of times, it has to do with footprints, like this project. Also the Santa thing at Christmas time. I just became a member of the committee, and it seems like everyone was involved in the one this time around because all it required was a stamp on the pre-made card, but normally the committee will decide on the project, and each committee member is responsible for making the project for 3 babies.

Just wanted to share a little snapshot of some of the fun things I get to do at work, too! I worked last night from 7pm-7am, and I wore red scrubs in honor of Valentine's Day. Even though it's a tough job, it's very rewarding - and I got to share my love with some tiny little ones who need it more than ever!! :)

Happy belated Valentine's Day from one very tired nurse! hehe Tonight, Joe and I are going out to dinner since I had to work yesterday and today also marks 2 months since we've been together. :)

Hugz,
Carrie :)

Title: Re: Valentine's Day with my Babies!! :)
Post by JenniferD on Feb 15^th, 2006, 10:04am

Carrie, do you know that you have a glowing, golden, heart-shaped halo above you? Can you see it?

Cuz we all can :)

Jen

Title: Re: Valentine's Day with my Babies!! :)
Post by sandie99 on Feb 15^th, 2006, 1:49pm

I agree with Jennifer! :)

Now, Carrie, I hope that you & Joe will have one wonderful dinner tonight. Have a great time!!! :)

You deseve lots of things to smile about. :)

Best wishes,
Sanna

Title: Re: Valentine's Day with my Babies!! :)
Post by Lizzie2 on Feb 15^th, 2006, 5:06pm

Thanks Jen and Sanna :)

I did get to do one other fun project for the first time the other day, too... We always make a printed sign for the baby's bedside with their name typed on it...just big letters done in WordPad. Then, we can decorate them with stickers or what have you. I bought about 4 little packs of stickers at Hallmark a couple of weeks ago, so I made my first name sign on Friday. I'd typed the names on the signs before, but I never had stickers with me to make it complete. It's the little things... hehe

Looking forward to tonight but I've only slept about an hour today, so I'm exhausted... Should be a nice dinner though!

Hugz,
Carrie :)

Title: Re: Valentine's Day with my Babies!! :)
Post by sandie99 on Feb 15^th, 2006, 5:09pm

Little things often matter the most... :)

I think that it's wonderful that you do those things. Absolutely a wonderful idea. :)

Best wishes,
Sanna

Title: Re: Valentine's Day with my Babies!! :)
Post by zwibbs/Scott on Feb 15^th, 2006, 5:43pm

Hey Carrie---Great Stuff --Love it !!!!

Title: Re: Valentine's Day with my Babies!! :)
Post by Jasmyn on Feb 15^th, 2006, 5:59pm

You know you are the guardian angel for those little miracles :)

Title: Re: Valentine's Day with my Babies!! :)
Post by Guiseppi on Feb 15^th, 2006, 6:44pm

Lizzie you make an old man cry. There are special people God makes for special jobs.

Guiseppi