Tonda cared for our son during his first week of life, which was spent in the NICU. Although his diagnosis was minor compared to other patients the NICU sees, it was a place I never imagined we would spend our first week as a family of three. This experience brought its own emotional challenges and stressors, but having Tonda as our nurse helped alleviate any worries about our son's care. As a nurse myself, I could see how knowledgeable Tonda was; every suggestion or task she performed aimed to bring us one step closer to home. Learning to eat independently was his goal, while exclusively breastfeeding was my goal for both of us. Tonda fully supported this and served as an excellent resource for any questions or concerns I had when lactation support was unavailable. I also believe that she appropriately expedited our discharge process. Tonda advocated for us to the provider team regarding the official start of the breastfeeding algorithm, as she noticed our son beginning to feed longer at the breast. Allowing us to initiate this feeding algorithm enabled him to follow his hunger cues and transition off his NG feeds. It also informed the providers of the progress he was making, indicating that we were nearing the point of going home. The nurse is the true source of updated patient information to the doctor, and Tonda exemplified this for our son, thereby accelerating his plan of care and ensuring everyone was on the same page. Tonda was there to give advice, deliver exceptional nursing care and judgment, listen to my fears as a new mom, encourage us while our new baby learned to eat and stay awake, and advocate for our care while diligently working to get our son home. We are incredibly thankful for her and all that she did to make our NICU stay feel a little bit easier!