Life with the Pipers: mother's day

After some ups and downs this weekend, Hope and Gracie decided to ring in their first Mother's Day by being extra special mellow for Jeni (and I). Hope had no alarms, and has gradually increased her feedings throughout the day. Grace, too, has increased her feedings. Jeni and I visited the girls twice- once in the morning and once in the evening. In the morning we discovered that the NICU nurses had made cards from the girls for their mommy. I took pics and uploaded them here, as the cards are just too cute (and also contain the only pictures we have of the girls without any sort of head gear since birth). God bless the NICU nurses for their kindness here. Those cards and pictures are such a special gift that we will always cherish.

To top it off tonight, Jeni and I each got to kangaroo with the girls for over an hour and a half. Hope burrowed into Jeni like a mole and Gracie girl got to kangaroo with her dad for the first time. Her little arms reached out to hug me, and I fell asleep in the chair feeling her soft chest going up and down as she breathed. She was so good kangarooing that her doctor chose to leave her on the nasal cannula instead of putting her back on the CPAP. Jeni and I simply looked at each other as we left St. Joe's tonight, with a mutual twinkle in our eyes and smirk on our lips. Gracie today, acted like Gracie- jumping ahead of the game, eager to do something new with reckless abandon. Hope acted like Hope- slow, steady, wide-eyed and gentle. Jeni acted like a mom- taking pride in her children and cherishing them, the greatest Mother's Day gift of them all.