Amanda Troche

Our March of Dimes baby has already shown us what true strength looks like. 💜 

Born at just 33 weeks, weighing 4 pounds 5.8 ounces and measuring 17.5 inches long, our little one entered the world earlier than expected, and our journey began in the NICU. Those first days were filled with uncertainty, but also with incredible hope. For 2.5 weeks, the NICU became our home—a place we never imagined we’d spend the holidays, yet a place that gave our baby exactly what he needed.

We spent Christmas surrounded not by the traditions we knew, but by monitors, gentle hands, and the unwavering care of nurses and doctors who treated our baby like their own. Through it all, the love and support of our family carried us, reminding us we were never alone even in the hardest moments.

In what could have felt like a scary and overwhelming place, the NICU became something else entirely—a safe space, filled with compassion, expertise, and quiet miracles happening every single day.

And then, the best New Year’s gift we could have ever received: bringing our baby home on New Year’s Eve. A moment we will never forget, marking not just the end of a challenging chapter, but the beginning of a beautiful new one.

We are forever grateful to the NICU team who carried us through those early days. To anyone walking a similar path—know this: the NICU is a place of healing, of hope, and of incredible people who are there for you and your baby every step of the way. Even when it feels hard, things will look up. 💫

Our little fighter is proof of that. 

We love you Teddy 💜