When E was two weeks old, we were in the cardiac intensive care unit waiting for the infection in her bloodstream to clear. It wasn't clearing. To say we were worried is an understatement. During this time, I started to notice her crying a lot more, looking around and acting bored almost. She would actually look at you as you read her books at this age and it was mind blowing to me (I don't know, maybe that's normal). She seemed antsy, just like myself.

One day I came in to the unit and her nurse had been changed. This was a nurse I had only briefly met in the past, and as I walked up to Emaline's crib I saw something that may seem so simple to anyone else. But to me... it meant the world. 

What I saw was an old school, colorful mobile hanging above her, along with one of those crib attachments on the side with music and mirrors. 

In that instant, I was speechless. 

You see, for 9 months I had prepared to take my baby home with me. I had no idea that something would be wrong with her. At home, her nursery sat untouched. She was due on Christmas day that year, and I made sure that it was done and ready for her, everything in its place by the first week of December.

Now, here we were in the middle of January, and I could barely walk in to her room at home without feeling devastated. Would she ever come home? Was my baby going to make it out of this grey building? Will she ever get to breathe the air outside? All things that constantly filled my head. 

So to me, when I saw what the nurse had done... it felt like a little piece of home. Sure, the blanket she had her wrapped in was old and covered in cartoons, and the toys weren't new and fancy but none of that mattered. What mattered was that for the first time in weeks, I felt like my baby girl could be a baby girl for a moment. 

For just a moment, she wasn't this medical patient lying in a hospital crib, covered in tubes and IV's. She was just a baby girl, looking at a mobile. 

To read Emaline's story, click here. 

This weekend, my friend Loren and I are hosting another event at Kendra Scott in Buckhead. This time, they are giving 20% of ALL proceeds to the Cardiac Unit at Children's Healthcare of ATL which is amazing! This money goes to ensure that all of the babies and kids in that unit get the quality of life they deserve. Mobiles, mamaroos, rockers, books, toys, even food for the families who can't afford to eat at the cafeteria day in and day out. 

If you aren't local to Atlanta and would like to show support, Kendra Scott store will be taking phone orders starting Thursday. (404) 900-5362 

If you're not sure what to order, Loren and I have designed a special Holiday Emmie collection in honor of Emaline. If you'd like to order these, call the number above and ask for the Holiday Emmie earrings or ring. 

The original Emmie collection will also be available (pictured below) - this is what I designed over the Summer with Kendra Scott. If you didn't snag an Emmie necklace last time, now you can! I've also added stud earrings and a ring that match.