The homecoming

I know this is a grainy picture, taken without a flash, but it is such a special one and simply has to take its place in my blip record. Tonight these two little girls, my grand daughters, were finally reunited. Together in the womb where they nudged each other companionably for 26 weeks they were suddenly thrust into the big wide world on 6th August, far too small to cope on their own and weighing just around 2lb each. Since then they have been nurtured in two isolettes in NICU where they were kept apart for infection control. Each has had to fight their battle for survival alone and they continued to be separated when baby L became strong enough to go home just over a month ago, having to leave her sister behind to continue to grow with the NICU bubble supporting her efforts. Late this evening and sleepy from her journey home, R was at last side by side with her twin and I couldn't take my eyes off them as it is the first time we have been able to see them together. R, on the right, has only been off oxygen for 48 hours and so has some trendy patches on her face to hold the cannula in place should she need oxygen at any time and she has a monitor attached to her which will beep and alert her parents if her levels drop. I will try and take better pictures of them both another day - and without intrusive labelling - but I couldn't get close enough without fear of waking them and I was so eager to share and record this moment!

It is a day of double celebration as I have also reached my 1000 blip birthday. I know many, many others have said it before but this site is amazing and inspirational. I am not sure if my photography has improved but my observation of life and my surroundings certainly has, and I have learned so much from other blippers world wide whose photography and journals have inspired me. There are also the new friends I have been able to meet and those I have yet to meet but feel I know. Thank you to Jo and his team for enabling such a powerful, friendly and addictive forum.