.the first holidays.

{The first holidays and all of those after.}

The first holidays are the hardest, but in all reality - every holiday, event, special occasion, they are al hard without a loved one, especially a child that should be there who is not. 

Below are some tips or ideas on how to include your babies in those moments. To remind us - that the bonding experience doesn't have to end just because they are no longer with us. 


  • Include them in photos with either their urn, photo or keepsake (i.e. teddy bear, pillow, etc)
  • Put a stocking out for them - add something to it every year
  • If you buy ornaments for the family, include one for them. Get one with their name or picture
  • Buy them an outfit. If it was supposed to be baby's 1st Christmas, get that onesie and make that memory. 
  • Include their name in the holiday card. 
  • Write your child a letter. 
  • Express your feelings to those in your support group. Don't feel like you can't talk about how you are feeling.


The holidays are are very emotional time and the added grief of losing a child can make them feel overwhelming - to a point where you may think you can't handle them. Remember to breathe and take a moment. Take a moment to just think about your child - take a moment to include them. Remember you are strong and that your child is always with you. 

.tristan edward.

{this is the story of a baby boy who passed away due to NEC}

Written by his mother, Heather



'When I was a little more than 25 weeks Pregnant with my son I was beyond excited to know I made it past that point of “Viability” I went to the doctor and my blood pressure was through the roof. They immediately sent me to the hospital telling me I was being admitted and would probably stay there until I had Tristan. I wasn't scared in fact after just a few days I was begging the doctor to allow me to go home and be on home bed rest.

But then after a week on Tuesday August 19th my blood pressure spiked again, and then blood work showed my liver was failing I was taken to L&D that night thinking it was just to monitor me as they had done before then the house physician came in to tell me we would be doing an emergency C-section the next morning, I was scared but calm, I cried for only a few moments and then realized I had to stay calm so I made the calls to my family and to my dear boyfriend to come and be with me, the next morning before I knew it I was being prepared to have my son due to medical issues the doctors decided I had to be put under full anesthesia when I woke up I was in so much pain and I was totally out of it. I then was moved to ICU my boyfriend had met our son and showed me pictures but I wasn't allowed to leave ICU so I didn't meet him that day but Tristan Edward B. was born on 8/20/14 838 am he was only 1 pound 8 Ounces he was ventilated less than 30 mins and then he was moved to cpap because he was trying so hard to breath on his own. The next day I woke up and all I wanted was to see my son, I wanted to run over anyone who was trying to stop me from seeing him. So much so that my boyfriend went searching the hospital for my doctor to get her to release me to see Tristan, and then I finally did. I was scared to death my first time in that NICU I don’t think I breathed for the first 5 minutes but Tristan was beautiful he was strong and he daily shocked the nurses and doctors… Tristan was never ill he was so strong and was such a fighter. Then after 25 days I got a call it was the day after my baby shower they said Tristan was sick he needed to be put on the Vent they needed permission to run tests. We immediately got up threw on clothes and got to the hospital, the baby I saw that day no longer looked like my beautiful boy, he was swollen his coloring was different and my world crashed. We stayed at the hospital that night, the next morning Tristan went in for major surgery moments later the doctors came in heads low and informed us he wouldn't make it… Necrotizing Entercolitis, NEC took my son and no one can tell me why. I went back to that NICU and I held my son I sang to him and then I told them to turn on the vent and let him go I rocked him and sang to him he was with me and he was so loved he was wrapped in his mothers and fathers love when he went to heaven on September 15 2014 at around 1230pm 

Tristan's story will be told as long as his daddy and I are on this earth.'


R.I.P. Sweet Tristan