The Countdown to Christmas!!

Remember those paper chains you used to make in grade school to countdown to Christmas?  I think I may need one this year!  This year Christmas has extra special meaning -- on 12.24 the babes will be 30 weeks old!  In case you were wondering (or shopping or planning parties) Christmas Eve is 52 days away.  Yes, maybe I have too much time on my hands that I've got that figured out, but that is my goal.  Today we're 22 weeks and 4 days (I never knew every day could have so much meaning).  At 24 weeks the babies are considered viable, meaning they could possibly survive outside the womb.  But weeks 24 and 25 are a bit of a gray area because babes can have significant neurological and respiratory complications.  By 26 weeks most babies survive and many do very well.  For us, 26 weeks is the day after Thanksgiving.  The holidays will have special meanings this year!  By 30 weeks the babes would still need a month or more in the hospital but all of their vital organs would be fairly well developed.  I don't know if it's a blessing or a curse at this point to be a pediatric nurse ... On our unit we work with many kids who have medical issues related to prematurity which makes it  scary as a parent.  But for now, it's just one day at a time.  Trying to stay positive and have faith ... "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for ..." - Hebrews 11:1