Please Pass It On!

If you have read my blog for a while now then you know Ii run a clothing drive for preemie clothing for the NICU where Carly lived the 4 months of her life. This 1st drive we collected over 2,000 articles of clothing! We have been able to donate throughout all of 2009. Many, many, many families and babies have been blessed throughout the year because of every one's help. Please take the time to help me to get the word out. I need you to post this on your blogs and all the boards or forums you frequent. Let everyone know about what we are doing and lead them to our Preemie Clothing Drive blog. We need your help to be successfull again!

http://preemieonesiedrive.blogspot.com/

Thanks for your help!! :)

Butterfly Release 2009

Today was the Butterfly Release at Frazier Park in Downtown Charlotte. It was held by the Levine Children's Hospital. It's a place for parents and loved ones to come together who have lost a child in the NICU. We went last year for the 1st time. Last year I spoke and I was still pregnant. This year was a lot easier for me emotionally. The had a choir there who sung a couple of songs. They sounded amazing! Dr Herman, on of the neonatologist help to lead the celebration of life with Cindy, one of the neonatal nurse practitioner. They had a dedication of bricks to several families. A couple of parents stood up to say some nice heart felt things about their children. Towards the end everyone formed a circle and went around and said the name of their child(ren). Then, a prayer was said and we released our butterflies. It was beautiful to watch them fly around. Some flew away while others stuck around and we just beautiful to look at in the flowers and trees. After the service was over we got to take some time to talk to others there. Bree, my friend from the NICU was there. We sat together and talked about how it use to be. Bree's little girl DeAnna was Carly's neighbor and passed away when she was 2 months old. She also had a heart defect. Another friend of mine there was Shannon. Shannon also had babies in the NICU. He actually had twins there. They lost one twin from twin to twin transfusion syndrome. I also got to meet a lady who I've been talking to on Charlottemommies. He name is Vicky. Adam and Aimme were also there. I'm sure most of you know them, baby Kayleigh's parents. Dr. Chu was there. She was Carly's Dr. She was always super sweet and talked to you like you were a friend. She had a special way of making you feel at home in a not so homie place. It was suppose to rain today but thank God it didn't. It turned out to be a beautiful day. I didn't take many pics but I did get a few.

This is Dr. Herman and Cindy (NNP). They both cared for Carly during her NICU stay.


This was a lady sharing her story of loss and healing.


Some butterflies as they flew off.




Bree and I.


Ryan and Bree


Ryan and I


And lastly Dr. Chu and myself.




NOW, for some new information. In my last post I told everyone that we would be TTC again in December. Plans have changed and we will actually start TTC again in 3 weeks! I'm so excited yet so nervous. Here's hoping for a surprise mid November!

We Need Your Help Again!

Here is my last post from my Preemie Onesie Drive blog. Please tell everyone you know so 2010 can be a huge success as well.
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We are starting now in October collecting again for 2010. Last year when I started this drive I had a goal of 200 items. As the weeks went by I realized that I was getting close to my goal. Soon, I was counting over 200 and close to 500. I was amazed. By time March 9th came around we had over 2,000 items! I was shocked but BEYOND happy. I couldn't believe how well this drive had gone. We were able to make a HUGE 1st donation to Levine Children's Hospital and still have enough clothing to donate to LCH every 3 months for the rest of 2009. We were also able to donate to several other local NICU's in North Carolina. This was all made possible because of YOU! Thank you all so much.

So it's time again and I need your help once more. Please tell everyone you know to check out this blog and help. If you can't help by donating clothing or monetary donation, you can help by passing along this blog to everyone you know!


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Recap on my 1st post for those of you who have never read my blog before.
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This is the first annual preemie onesie drive being held by me (Rachel) and Ryan. We are collecting preemie onesies to donate to the babies that are staying in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit). Ryan and I had our first daughter Carly in the NICU for 4 months before passing away from a heart defect. I know as well as other preemie parents of children in the NICU know that it's hard for your child to be there. It's hard in many ways. It's hard as far as gas is concerned because of the many daily trips to the hospital. A lot of times one of the parents (usually the moms) quit working to be at the hospital with their child as much as possible. This makes funds tight. Paying bills can become a struggle. And it makes it hard to buy your new little one the cute outfits that moms want to see their child in. So this is why I'm having this preemie onesie drive. To help parents enjoy seeing their little boy or girl dressed in a cute outfit. Carly got a cute outfit while she was in the NICU as a anonymous donation. It made me feel completely blessed. It was nice for someone to do this for her. Being in the NICU is a very stressful time. Some are only there for days while others are there for months and even over a year. Simple acts of kindness fills peoples hearts with happiness. I'm doing this donation in memory of Carly who passed away on 3/9/08. I will deliver the donated onesies on 3/9/09. And plan to do this as an annual thing.

So please lets come together and help me to gather the needed onesies to donate to the NICU that my sweet Carly was at (Levine Children's Hospital). We will be having collections at my church and other local churches. Allstate is also helping with this donation(the employees not the company in itself). I will be posting a PO Box address to mail donated onesies to. And also if you would rather donate money you can. And the funds received will go toward the purchase of preemie onesies. The NICU houses nearly 100 babies. This fluctuates from time to time. Also they have an NPCN (neonatal progressive care nursery). And this unit holds about 60 babies maybe more. I hope to raise enough to donate to both the NICU and NPCN. So tell everyone you know to help me reach my goal by 3/9/09.

I have gotten in touch with some local companies and some out of state companies to help with this project. I've also contacted some local news stations to help. My ultimate goal is to raise more than enough onesies needed and gather enough monetary donations that could go straight to the NICU to purchase new equipment and supplies needed.

Ways you can become involved.....

1. You can mail donated preemie onesies

2. You can donate money to go toward the purchase of new preemie onesies. Just click on the donate button at the top of this blog.

3. You can place a flyer in your church, staff break room at your job, or local businesses with a box to help gather donations and mail them to the PO Box. (If you gather a large donation I will gladly pay for shipping).


**I will make a flyer and send it to your email to print if you would like to help in that way.


I will keep updated post on onesies received. At the time of donation I will have several pictures to post on that special day.
If you have any questions please feel free to ask. You can reach me at either carlynicoleelliotte@gmail.com or at carlynhannah@yahoo.com

Thanks for your help and participation,
Rachel and Ryan