Child's Birth Year
2014

State/Province/Territory
Texas

NICU Hospital for my journey
Acension Seton Medical Center Austin

My NICU Graduate's Journey
Lyla was born by c-section when pre-eclampsia set in. Her parents weren't ready, and she didn't even have a name for a few days. She was small, but strong, and was able to go home after 3 1/2 weeks. Her first few years she was smaller and not as quick with her milestones as her peers, but by preschool she was caught up and thriving. She has weathered a number of difficult times - the permanent closing of her first elementary school, pandemic shut down, the big freeze that hit Austin in 2021. Those big events taught her how to face challenges with courage, grace, and her natural ferocity. Now she is about to finish with elementary school and start a new adventure in middle school. She's looking forward to studying math, science, and animals, and wants to join the school's archery team. We can't wait to see how this next chapter unfolds for her.

What makes you proud of you NICU graduate?
The lovely person she is becoming as she grows up: Her strength of character, her willingness to take on a challenge, her love of learning, her kindness towards others, her natural leadership, her ability to easily make friends, and the fierceness with which she approaches life in general.

Weight at Birth (lbs. or Grams)
3.5 pounds

Weeks Gestation
32 Weeks

Time spent in the NICU (Specify Number of Days, Months, or Years)
25 Days