A Little Fun for the Fourth

If you have to spend your first holiday in the hospital you have to make the most of it. Thanks to grandma (my mom is seriously the best mom and grandma ever) Quinn and Harper were both pretty decked out!

Grandma bought a whole pack of boy blankets just so we could use the star one for our picture! I'm not sure Quinn was super impressed:) 

Harper got to enjoy the 4th of July parade with grandma and grandpa before we headed to a barbecue later- she had two different 4th of July outfits- also courtesy of grandma! And- I took her to get her nails done the night before- she is starting to love manis and pedis!

And, we got a picture of the girls together- sort of!

Harper loved her first year of fireworks at City Park and she was worried that they might scare baby Quinn. But, she reminded me that the doctors and nurses were there with her to keep her safe. What a sweet girl and a great big sister she is!

We also brought some 4th of July treats for the NICU nurses and staff. They have been SO wonderful to us and there seems to be no way to show our appreciation- a snack when you have to work a holiday was the least we could do. Aunt Carly made sure we brought some for the day shift AND the night shift- she says that the nignt nurses always get shorted!

It's still hard to to leave Harper at home, and it is still hard to leave Quinn in the evenings. I can't wait to have both of my girls home together. My friend Rianne, who had a baby that spent time in the NICU and has been SO SUPPORTIVE, gave me some great advice. I'm trying to remember that Quinn is still supposed to be in me- I'm not supposed to be able to hold her and feed her just yet...I'm trying to think of this NICU stay as another part of my pregnancy. AND, I still can't wait until we are home. Getting closer.

With that said, if ANY of you reading this EVER know someone whose baby has to spend time in the NICU, please feel FREE to give them my phone number, email, whatever- I will support other parents who have to go through this in any way that I can. I am still so blown away by all the love and kindness that has been shown to Quinn and our whole family. Thank you all so very much!