“The doctor said, ‘Twins!’ I was told, ‘This is going to be a very high-risk pregnancy.’ We were presented with two options. I was informed, ‘This could take the lives of your girls.'”
‘In a sleepy daze, I vividly remember hearing them say, ‘We’re done, it worked. There’s one heartbeat and here’s the other. Jade, you did it!’ They are our Warrior Princesses.’
Boy grows hair to donate to kids in need: ‘What are you doing in the boy’s bathroom? You look like a GIRL!’ One parent asked, ‘Is that a boy? That is such irresponsible parenting!’ His hair was long and angelic. I never understood.’
“No matter what he wore, he was mistaken as a girl by strangers. Even in his Spider Man costume, someone said, ‘Oh she’s so cute!’ I got used to correcting people. One day, I was called into the principal’s office.”
‘I thought to myself, ‘This is crazy!’ My heart sank as the doctors rushed into the room. We were going to have ‘the talk’. I could tell by the look in their eyes.’
“The nurses told me, ‘At least he is crying! It’s a good sign.’ I thought to myself, ‘What are you talking about? This is absolutely horrible!’ I was naïve.”
‘I remember waking up and wondering why Mike and my mother were talking about something random and not the baby. What happened to the baby?’
“They told us many times that our best option was to take his breathing tube out and he would either pass in my arms or thrive.”
‘As a parent who has lost two children, it’s the question I dread the most.’
“The lady smiled as my daughter answered her question, then looked to me and said, ‘Wonderful! So the other kids must be home with dad.’ I simply nodded. Sometimes it’s just easier to stay silent.”
‘Dear NICU Mom, I see you. This moment isn’t at all how you envisioned, but you are determined to embrace it anyway.’
“I see you carefully wash your hands before you lean over that tiny plastic crib to touch your baby’s face. I see you with a special heirloom dress and milestone blocks commemorating her first month of life.”
