Far to Go: One Year Old

April 15, 2011 @ 1 year old, 22 lb, 10 oz (75%ile) & 28 7/8 in (50%ile)

While I think we've told people the general story of how Kate came early, how many days she spent in the NICU, and what she had to do to break free, Blake and I largely kept to ourselves during the time that Kate was in the hospital. Between running back and forth for all the feedings we could and Blake navigating his return to work after paternity leave, it just didn't leave us a lot of time for others. That being said, I'll share one of my memories of Kate's time in the NICU that a simple tube of toothpaste triggered.

The other day we ran out of toothpaste. That's normally no big deal around here considering we're regulars at Costco. However, in the midst of the chaos that has been my returning to work, I didn't check to see what household staples we needed before I dived back into the working world (let's just say those Costco trips have become non-existent since my return to work). So, I dug into my toiletries stash and the only tube I could find was Sensodyne. Yuck.

However, that yucky tube of Sensodyne toothpaste has felt like an old friend every time I use it. How is that, you say? Here's my story...

The last 7 nights that Kate was in the NICU I spent almost 24 hrs there, staying in one of the Ronald McDonald suites the hospital provides for parents of NICU babies. I can still see that tube of Sensodyne toothpaste perched on the bathroom ledge in my make-shift hospital room. The smell of the toothpaste sends me right back to those days and nights. Those last 7 nights felt like the longest of my life as a went, bleary-eyed, back and forth between Kate's pod in the NICU and my home away from home. Towards the end, I showered in the hospital, ate all my meals there, watched tv, slept, read, and prayed that I was doing the right thing for Kate and that she would soon be strong enough to see the house she will grow up in and the nursery we so lovingly prepared for her. All my prayers were answered on Mother's Day 2010 when we got to bring Kate home. This last year she has filled my heart with more love than I could ever imagine and I can't wait to see what's in store for us this year to come!