NICU day 2013

Hazel and I delivered our annual NICU knit/crocheted hat stash today, only a month late. This year, NICU day was a comedy of errors.  Every other year, we've taken hats ON the anniversary of her discharge from NICU, which is June 22, but this year, we had the big flood on June 21, which made the 22nd about the craziest day this family had seen in a long time.

We postponed it for the next weekend, but ended up with sick kids.  Same story the week after that. Finally, today, we got a good opportunity, but I forgot to take pictures.  Oh well.  We did have fun, it just wasn't well documented.

We took hats to the NICU nurses at our local hospital.  We don't actually get to go into NICU, but we got to peek through the window of the regular newborn nursery at some cute little squishes.  Afterward we went to Starbucks for cake pops and then stopped in the library.  Good outing.  Hazel also drew a picture to deliver with the hats this year, which was fun.  I enjoy seeing her take some ownership of this annual celebration of her homecoming!

This year's stash:




My favorites were the rainbows. Hazel said hers was the pink butterfly (bottom row, 2nd from right).  

Not our largest gifting, but it still exceeded my basic goal, which is 10 hats for Hazel's 10 days in  NICU + 2 more for Jono's 2 days.  I ran out of time to do some football beanies this year.  We'll have to make sure we get some of those in next year.

little, littler, littlest

A mama in my MOPs group unexpectedly delivered her baby boy at 26 weeks.  The thought of any family facing a long hard road in NICU sends me straight for my yarn.  It's what I do.

I made three hats for baby Benjamin.  One in a size that will fit now, one a little bigger and one even a little bigger than that.  The largest size is the size I usually  make for preemies when I do my big stash to celebrate Hazel's NICU discharge--the size for "near-termers" like she was.  The smaller ones are super tiny!  It scares me to think that I know someone with a baby small enough to wear that tiniest one!

I started with the smallest one and prayed as I stitched that he would grow, quickly, out of each size and into the next.  I hope that he thrives and is able to come home with his family very soon!

2012 NICU hats

Here are this year's preemie hats!

As a reminder, I knit or crochet a dozen preemie hats for NICU every year as my way to thank those wonderful doctors and nurses for their care of my children for a combined 12 days in NICU (10 days for Hazel, 2 days for Jono).  Every summer on the anniversary of Hazel's discharge, she and I take hats to the children's hospital together.

Because of a long road trip to Texas, I had lots of yarn time, and exceeded my goal of 12!  I may even have time to work up another couple, since NICU day is not until the 22nd, but I have some major school room reorganization and a birthday party to plan, clean for, and host between now and then.  So I'm calling this the "set" and if it grows by another, great!

The list:
three knit football hats (2 Who Dats and one regular)
four crocheted butterfly beanies (2 pink, 2 purple)
three crocheted bear ears
several random knit stripy hats, in boyish and girlish color combos

NICU hats 2011

Here they are!

I almost punted the tradition this year because of the move, but decided about a week ago that I didn't want to, and kicked it into high gear to finish. For those of you who don't know, I crochet 12 preemie hats for NICU every year in honor of the 12 days my kids spent in NICU (10 for Hazel, 2 for Jono). In the past, Hazel and I have taken the hats to her NICU at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, on the anniversary of her discharge and coming home (June 22). This year we are late because of the move, and need to find a new NICU! I assume NOLA has one, so I just need to look it up.

This year's patterns included some newsboy caps,

some football beanies,

some butterfly beanies (my current favorite hat to whip for girls--so easy and adorable!)

and some bear beanies, because every baby looks cute with bear ears. ;)

Thanks for looking!