Beads of Courage

Other babies may get to go home after a few days in the hospital. But they don't get cool stuff like the ones in the NICU. 

The other day I saw the nurse grab her birth stats card and walk off with it and I briefly wondered what for. Then it slipped my mind until we came back that evening and found this taped to her incubator. We've seen little blankets and things pop up in her bed before as well, all volunteer stuff. 

And then there's this. It's called Beads of Courage.

Every few days they go down the list and check off things she has been through or accomplished and she earns beads for each thing. Each item has it's own kind of bead that represents it so once assembled, we'll have a necklace that tells her story about her stay in the NICU. I'm going to have to start assembling this during our visits.

This one wasn't on the checklist, but it has a great message.

As you can see there are also letter beads for her name. Our favorite nurse Cassidi got the bag started for her and apologized that they were out of girly bags when she did, hence the Spiderman motif. But she said this one had the red chevron print on the inside, so she simply turned it inside out. We don't mind. :) I'm excited to get started on this, especially since it gives me something crafty to do. Cassidi also told us how she had heard about NICU children, now older, taking their necklace to show and tell at school. Maybe someday our little girl will too. Thank you to whoever started this. It's something so simple, but it means a lot.