NICU Reunion

I am really, really behind on my blog! So, I'm going to attempt to get all caught up by the end of July! The main reason I am behind, is because we moved! That is another story for later in the blog. So, for now, I will start where I left off--back in the month of May!

On May 21, 2011, we attended the Newborn Intensive Care Unit Reunion. It was a circus/carnival themed party held at a park in Provo. All babies that were in the NICU are invited until they are three years old.

When we arrived, we received some tickets for different items. They had pizza, ice cream, games, and Cosmo the Cougar was there. We were asked to bring a recent picture of Kendrick to put on a poster to thank the NICU staff. We took a quick snapshot of Kendrick and printed a color copy of it. It was cute! We attached it to the very large poster (lots of babies that have been in the NICU) and wrote a small message thanking all of the staff for all that they had done for Kendrick.

A lot of the NICU nurses were there, so it was fun to see them and talk to them. It was a lot less stressful to see them now. Here are a few of the ones that we talked to and took pictures with:

Kristy Peck, Kendrick, and Karen Ekins

I knew Kristy Peck from before. Her husband, Stan Peck, works at Payson High and I am on the Payson Community Theater board with both of them. So, it was always a little big more reassuring to have Kristy as our nurse, just because I already knew her!

Kendrick and Launa

Kendrick and another one of the nurses, who wasn't really one of his nurse, but she always talked to us. She had worked with Scott's mom and she was also the nurse that had the rocking chair that had been donated in Verlee's name brought up to the NICU by Kendrick's bed.

Kendrick, getting a prize at one of the games.

Playing the ring toss game with dad.

Kendrick and dad at the fish pond.

Kendrick playing with one of his toys from the fish pond.

Kendrick looking for toys in the sawdust.

Still looking!

He found some!

Kendrick, with Charlene Pelton

Charlene was just coming to the NICU reunion as we were leaving because she had been at work. Charlene and her family had lived in Levan at one time. Her husband, Steve, was a Utah Highway Patrolman. She wasn't ever Kendrick's own nurse, but she was there and always made sure we felt like everything was going ok. She now teaches a lot of classes for the nurses at the NICU. She also worked with Scott's mom when she was alive and a nurse at the NICU.

We really enjoyed going to the NICU Reunion. I wasn't really sure about it when we got the invitation. But, we decided to go and see what it was all about. It was a lot of fun and we had a good time. We also saw a few of the parents and babies that were in the NICU at the same time as Kendrick. It was good to see the babies growing up and doing good. I also saw Ashley Dunn Hone, who was a former Paysetter. She had twins that were in the NICU. They lost the baby boy, but the baby girl was ok.

We plan on going to the NICU Reunion again next year--as long as it is on a Saturday that we don't have any other plans! :)