Outfits & bracelets & babies, oh my

Toby, Eleanor and Callista received a package in the mail this week with a return address that read “Aunt Pinky.”

I knew immediately that their e-Auntie Tameka, a woman obsessed with all things pink, had sent them a little snail-mail love. I was shocked to see three seriously adorbs outfits inside!

I have to admit, dear readers, that I’ve been too chicken-shit to dress the babies in full outfits. We rock the sleep-and-play footed numbers around this house, partly because Callista spits up constantly (and Eleanor isn’t much better), partly because it isn’t only boys who like to pee on their clothes while getting a diaper change and partly because I need to be lazy with some things sometimes.

But I was inspired by Tameka’s generosity and by how freaking cute the outfits were, so when we headed out for the babies’ monthly RSV vaccination yesterday, we headed out in style.

Toby, Eleanor and Callista – 13w4d old

All three babies are decked out in fancy onesies (“#01 with the ladies,” “just be you” and “mommy’s cutie”) and stylish yet functional hoodies. Not part of Tameka’s package, but something I’ve been dying to see on my trio are Trumpette socks. I’m not spendy enough to buy them brand new, but baby socks on consignment are the bomb diggity, so all three are wearing the cutest socks known to baby.

(p.s. The RSV shot requires weights! Toby is up to 7 lb. 9 oz., Eleanor weighed in at 6 lb. 12 oz., and Callista now weighs 7 lb. 8 oz. They’ve all TRIPLED their birth weights! zOMG!)

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Another package the mail lady dropped my way this week contained my very own PB&J bracelet.

My good friend Crystal wanted to help raise money in our trio’s name for this year’s March For Babies and decided to make a bracelet in their honor to sell through her Etsy shop, FunkyPineapple Designs. She is donating $10 from each sale to our team and has already raised more than $100 for March of Dimes.

Inspired by the trio’s in-utero nickname, the bracelet is PB&J-colored! The purple color is gorgeous in the sun, and the bracelet goes with a lot of different colors, so it’s easy to wear with all your outfits – or lounge clothes, in my case.

If you like bracelets, if you like babies, if you want to contribute and have something to remind you of your awesome donation, go order one! We can be bracelet buddies!

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Speaking of March for Babies, our family team has raised more than any family team in the history of Charlotte’s participation in the event. This, folks, is BAD ASS. I’ve already gushed about how important March of Dimes is to our family, but it never hurts to remind readers that our trio are here today, healthy and home without any medical support, thanks to the work March of Dimes has done over the years.

Having premature babies is hard, heartbreaking work. Being in the NICU for 67 days was difficult and tested me in ways I never imagined.

I left the hospital with empty arms for 67 days. It was painful.

That pain can never compare to the pain so many mothers feel when their too-early or too-ill baby doesn’t have the same happy ending we did.

We’d love for you to help continue decreasing the number of mommies with empty arms and to keep increasing the number of happy endings. March of Dimes is continually working toward their goal of bringing healthy babies into this world. Help them help babies like Toby, Eleanor and Callista!

Donate directly to or join our March for Babies team. Order a bracelet. Whatever you can do, if you skip that Starbucks stop this week, you’ll be helping some future baby have a fighting chance at life.