How to support other NICU families

My micropreemie's first experience with snow. Not so micro anymore. :)

When Lil'C graduated from the NICU, we graduated as well.  We became the parents of an "older" preemie.  I believe it is one of those "with great power comes great responsibility" (yes, I'm a geek) kinna thing.  I have knowledge that will make someone else's NICU journey easier, so it is my responsibility to do so and pay-it-forward.  We had some who helped us in the beginning, a family who was in the Ronald McDonald house with us is the one who always pops into my head first.  They're son just happened to be Lil'C's neighbour, so they gave us all the ins-and-outs of being NICU parents early on. They let us know when a nurse let him cry (we changed nurses) and when he went down on his O2 for a bit.  They helped us learn what the various alarms were the first time we freaked out at the feeding tube finishing (you know you have done it!) and so on.
They are the reason I begain doing the NICU posts and created my NICU page.  It was all to pay-it-forward.  I still like to find other ways to help other new NICU families and celebrate with other older NICU families.
Recently I have started checking out the #NICU, #Preemie and #Micropreemie hashtags on Instagram.
I love leaving "happy comments" such as, how cute their baby (nose, hair, toes, whatever can be seen) is, especially on the micropreemies.  I honestly look for something to complement their adorable little person on.  I remember how upset it would make me to not be able to share my little guy with my family and friends in person.  When I did share him online, I hated the "how sad", "it makes me wanna cry" etc. comments. 
I remember quite vividly when our youth group took us to a local (to our NICU) concert to get us out for a bit.  Lil' C was about a month or so old, and doing great!  I, like any other mom of a newborn, was showing off his pictures.  One of the kids (a middle schooler) loudly proclaimed "I can't look!! It's just so SAD! I wanna cry!"  Honestly... I kinna wanted to smack her... I was thinking... "WHA??? this is my baby!! He is cute!"   So I make sure I do what I can to give other moms "happy comments" because we get those other ones too often.
I also leave comments in preemie mom groups and give advice.  Seriously, when my blog posts start to slack, that means I'm posting too often there :P My main one is the What to Expect: Mom's of Preemies Group. The second is Breastmilk for Preemies Facebook Page.
So, what do you do to support others?

Christmas projects

So I'm trying to get myself back on a regular posting schedule.. we will see how that works.

I figured it would be fun to post some of my Christmas projects :) I made a ton of them!  But by far my favorite was my nephew's "Fort Kit."  The idea, of course, came from pintrest.
My nephew is really into video games, obsessed would be putting it lightly. During one of his visits with me we made a fort, inspired by All for the Boys "Fort Friday".

He LOVED it.  So when I saw This Pin  I knew EXACTLY what he was getting for Christmas!  And then I ran across Ikat Bag's  Tutorial for This Bag and knew I had to make him one!
This is what I came up with...

Happy 2013

I hope everyone is having a wonderful new year.
I decided to let you in on our little family tradition.  I come from a family of pyros.  When my mother-in-law heard of our New Year's tradition she told my father-in-law that I was my hubby's "the one"  ;)
So, what do we do?  Well... we blow-up our tree.

Christmas Tree Fireball