1. Hospitals aren't always bad. We went to the hospital one day to pick up Ben who had been visiting Jovie in the NICU. When the boys found out they weren't going inside the waiting room, they burst into tears. "Hospital!!! I wanna go hospital!" From the myriad of puzzles and books in the waiting room, to the fun lights and beeps in the NICU, to my hospital room that overlooked a construction site (tractors, and dozers, and dirt, oh my!), the boys rarely complained about entering the hospital.
(The boys enjoying the train set at the Ronald McDonald House outside of Fairfax Hospital)
2. Mommies have sad days too. I prided myself on keeping my cool through this whole ordeal. But the week before Jovie came home, I started unraveling and getting sick to my stomach every time I would call the NICU to check on Jovie for fear that she would have a setback lengthening her stay. The boys saw me crying quite a lot that week and on the verge of falling apart. As much as I wish I could have shielded them from that, I think they learned a practical lesson: Sometimes life is hard--even for Mommys and Daddys.
(I find it hard to believe how far Jovie has come in the last 3 months--this picture seems like a lifetime ago!)
3. Breast milk is best. Until recently, I was pumping seven times a day because Jovie was still having some trouble mastering nursing after mostly being fed with a feeding tube and bottle while in the NICU. So, Hudson and Corbin became very well acquainted with The Pump. From them walking around with the cups on their chest to coming up to me while pumping and saying, "Come on milk. Don't be shy," all thoughts of modesty have been thrown out the window. One afternoon we received a package in the mail, and I excitedly told the boys, "Let's open it and see what's inside!" When I tore open the box, I realized it was my new pump and thought the boys would be sorely disappointed. Instantly they knew what it was, and Corbin screamed, "Oh boy! Making milk!" They then proceeded to spend the next 10 minutes putting all of the parts together. Inappropriate--possibly. Funny--definitely.
(Holy milk! A freezerful of milk is one of the few benefits of having a baby that starts off drinking less than an ounce of milk a day.)
4. Babies are fun. Correction: Playing with babies' toys is fun; actual babies do little more than a battery operated stuffed animal. Other than giving Jovie a good morning and a good night kiss, or getting a little irritated if I'm feeding Jovie when they NEED attention, the boys basically ignore her. However, they have gotten much joy out of turning her swing on full power, wrestling under her playmat, and climbing in her crib.
(This Kodak moment lasted all of two seconds before poor Jovie had to be pulled to safety.)
(Jovie and Hudson bonding while watching "Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood")
Hudson and Corbin have had a non-traditional education these last few months. I am hoping that this ordeal has shaped my two-year-olds somehow for the better. Although, I do think Ben and I will strongly deter them from a career in lactation consulting.
