100 days stronger

Today was day 100 in the NICU.

What a glow up! 

This is a journey we never saw coming, nor did we ever wish for. It's been taxing, exhausting...filled with hope and heartache (sometimes only hours apart). 

We have watched families wrap up their babies and go home and other families mourn.

We truly never imagined we would be here this long. 

For 100 days we have been isolated from family and friends, away from home and Duke, navigating parenthood for the first time. Navigating parenthood of a medical fragile child. 

While here, we have recieved traumatic, life-changing news; we have been forced to make big medical decisions for our girl and for our lives moving forward. We have spent all of Gracie's first major holidays just the three of us in her hospital room: Daddy's birthday, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years... 

Suddenly, we have been thrown into real life and huge adulthood moments (with the signed consent forms to prove it). This journey has been anything but easy to say the least. 

I don't write this to get the sympathy vote, it's just our reality- the only reality we've know as parents. 

We, like most NICU parents, are forever changed by this experience. I thank God everyday Nikko and I have eachother. I would not be standing if he wasn't here with Gracie and me. 

Our little miracle baby is truly a fighter. She has been through so much in her short little life and we could not love her more. We just know, she will move mountains.

We can't wait to get you home baby girl! 

 ❤