Happy Easter and Day Four of 30 Days of Project Sweet Peas!

As I have written about so many times before, one of the things that I do to remember and honor my son is donate care packages to families that have a baby in the NICU. I am able to do this through the help and support of Project Sweet Peas, which is a group of families just like mine, who have been in the NICU and know how hard it is. There are twelve local project spread out across the country that deliver these care packages. I am honored to be a part of this organization. And we need your help!!!

We have applied for a grant through the Pepsi Refresh Project, and have been selected as a finalist to win a $25,000 grant!! So here is how you can help us: vote once a day, every day for Project Sweet Peas to win. We need to be in the top ten at the end of the month to win. And to entice you to help us out and vote every day, I am doing a 30 Days of Project Sweet Peas giveaway! Everyday in the month of April I will be writing about the amazing things going on in Project Sweet Peas. And if you leave a comment that you voted each day, I will randomly pick one of these comments to win an Awareness Braceletof your choice! I make awareness bracelets of all colors, and I have a Pregnancy and Infant Loss Charm Bracelet featured right now. 

And the winner from Day Three Giveaway is . . . . . Jill from Footprint On Our Hearts  Jill, please send me an email at megan@projectsweetpeas.com and let me know which Awareness Bracelet that you would like. Check out Bracelets for Awareness for idea, you can pick any bracelet with any amount of charms! Please note that you must leave a comment EVERY DAY in order to qualify for the giveaway. Basically, each day starts new.

Welcome to Day Four of 30 Days of Project Sweet Peas! Today I am so happy announce that WE ARE INTERNATIONAL!! I want to welcome Melissa as our newest Local Project Leader to Project Sweet Peas!! Melissa will be donating gift bags to a hospital in Canada. Today I will be highlighting Shannon's Stars, our local project that donates gift bags to Magee-Women's Hospital NICU  and Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh NICU. For more information on Shannon's Stars, please contact Kate at kate@projectsweetpeas.com  Here is Shannon's story:

Steve and Kate Crawford were expecting their first daughter, when they were told at their 18 week ultrasound that the baby had a life threatening birth defect known as Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia.Only half of babies born with this defect will live. After many ultrasounds, echocardiograms and fetl monitoring, the baby's outcome looked hopeful. Shannon Elizabeth Crawford was born January 16, 2007 at Magee-Women's Hospital and was transferred that same day to Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. On January 17th, 2007, the couple found out their daughter also had a heart defect known as Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. The combination was deadly and Shannon was given a 1% chance of surviving. On Janury 19th, 2007, it was decided that Shannon would not make it through any surgery, and prolonging life was not an option. Steve and Kate let their daughter pass quietly in their arms that night.

In June of 2007 the couple found out they were expecting again, only to miscarry their "Peanut Shelbe" in September. The couple was exhausted and felt hopeless at trying. To their amazement, they found out they were expecting once again in January of 2008, shortly after what would have been Shannon's first birthday. At the first ultrasound, the couple received the shock of their life - twins. In August of 2008, Kate delivered the twins girl 6 weeks premature. Grace Kathleen and Lily Anne spent two weeks in the NICU at Magee-Women's Hospital. Grace needed no extra support, she was monitored until her weight of 5lbs was met and she was released. Lily needed CPAP. She remained on a heart monitor after her arrival home for one month. Kate and Steve decided to add one more in May of 2009. At 7 weeks of pregnancy, Kate was put on bedrest for bleeding. She later found out she had two conditions, Placenta Previa and Placenta Increta. Kate gave birth to her son in  early December of 2009, 7 weeks early. Stephen was intubated, suffered from jaundice, reflex and dropping heart rate. Stephen spent 19 days in the NICU and was realased right before Christmas. He joins his twins sisters at home, where they are all growing happy and healthy.
Kate knows what it is like to sit in a NICU and have nothing to do but stare. She was been through the best outcome and the worst. For her, the small things she was able to hold on to in the NICU continues to bring her much comfort. She always wished she had more to remember Shannon by and loves to be able to provide these items to parents. Project Sweet Pea holds a special place in her heart.