About four years ago, Paula Barton of Tolono was six months pregnant and doing well. She went in for a checkup before Christmas, and while her blood pressure was high, doctors attributed it to stress induced by a recent snowstorm and her workload teaching kindergarteners.

But soon after, she started to get really sick, and a few days after Christmas, Brad, Paula's husband, rushed her to the emergency room.

"You know it's bad when there is a chair waiting for you to take you up to labor and delivery," Barton said. "The doctors and nurses came in and said the good news was I wasn't having the baby tonight, but the bad news was I was having it tomorrow morning."

Barton had carried her daughter for 26 weeks. And little Kylie was born at 1 pound 12 ounces on Dec. 29, 2005. She was so small that Brad's wedding band could go around her wrist and up as far as her shoulder. Kylie was in the Neonatal Intensive-Care Unit for 85 days before she was released to go home.

Finding hope during that time was hard, according to Barton.

"There were moments of weakness, sadness," Barton said, noting she would spend 14- to 15-hour days just staring at her premature daughter not knowing if she would make it through.

"Our faith grew miles," though, she said, naming a moment when Kylie's condition required major heart surgery but changed the next day to where she did not need it anymore. "(You) just have to stay positive. You have to have a support system in place, whether that's your family or church. Above everything, stay faithful. For some reason, this baby was chosen for you."

The Bartons' story ended happily. Kylie is now a healthy and energetic 3-year-old, almost 4-year-old. But for many others who still have children in the NICU, times are tough and hope is hard to come by.

For that reason, a friend of the Bartons who was partially inspired by their experience decided to develop a project called Help Grow Hope.

Allyson Sanborn of Savoy, through her business Sweet Pea Photography, initiated the project in collaboration with Carle Foundation Hospital at the beginning of the summer.

Sanborn met with 12 families, taking pictures of their now healthy children, at least 2 years old, who stayed in Carle's NICU when they were born. Sanborn then donated 24- by 30-inch standout-mount prints of the children to the hospital that are now on display in the halls going into the NICU. Next to the prints are corresponding photos of the children of when they were in the NICU.

"Giving back to our community is important to me, so I approached Carle with the idea for the project as a way to benefit the NICU and the families they serve, as well as benefiting Carle Foundation Hospital overall," Sanborn said. "I have had several friends and clients whose children spent time in the NICU when they were born prematurely, and in talking with them I always got the impression that Carle's NICU staff is excellent and the families received wonderful care while they were there."

Barton, who participated in the project, said the doctors and nurses would get real close with the NICU "bed buddies" - the term Carle gives babies staying together in the NICU - and spend days and nights with them.

"They just get attached to those babies," she said. "All of the nurses and doctors were incredible. How do you come to work everyday and make life or death decisions? It gives parents hope and inspires nurses and doctors to keep doing what they're doing."

Jim and Jennifer Dunakey of Moweaqua agreed, saying they live an hour and a half away from Carle and would call the hospital everyday (on days they could not visit) to get status updates on their premature twin girls, Becka and Laynee. The nurses would assure them everything was fine and were "really comforting," according to Jennifer.

Jennifer delivered at 30 weeks on Feb. 14, 2007. Becka was 3 pounds 13 ounces. Laynee was 3 pounds 11 ounces. They were in the NICU for about a month.

Jennifer said Laynee's lungs were not fully developed; she had a heart murmur; some bleeding on the brain; and both girls were jaundice.

"It was scary," she said. "They were so little. Their diapers looked like maxi pads."

Both girls are doing well now, reaching all of their milestones. But Jennifer said another woman from her town recently had twin girls prematurely, losing one of them.

"It brings back memories all over again," she said, noting she looks at her girls now and wants to "squeeze them tighter."

"There is hope," she said. "You've either got to have faith or get faith and turn it over to God or you're not going to get through it, because it's scary."

Lindsey Osterbur of Ogden, whose daughter Grace, now 2, was born three months early, said she and her husband, Drew, knew those same fears all too well, which is why she said the Help Grow Hope project is so great.

"(Grace) was a fighter from the beginning and she did remarkably well throughout her stay," Lindsey said, noting Grace was 3 pounds 8 ounces. "It's kind of cool to see it's not all sad and bad stories."

"I would think it'd be very comforting," Jennifer Dunakey also said. "We didn't have anything like that when we were in there. It's such an honor to be a part of it. (Allyson) does what she loves and it shows. She has a God-given talent in my opinion."

"I'm incredibly proud of the project. I think it's very positive," Alison Cler, manager of the NICU, said. "I've had incredible feedback since the pictures have been up."

Cler said many of the families who still have children in the NICU have come to her to simply say "Thank you," because the photos of the now toddler NICU babies are giving them hope.

"We've never had a project like this," hospital staff member Linda Swartz said. "I thought it was neat to see the pictures of the babies. Nurses like to see it. I think it does show hope. A lot of babies have a lot of problems. The pictures will tell the story."

For more information about the project or Sweet Pea Photography, call Sanborn at 637-1657 or visit www.sweet-pea-photography.com.

"I have really enjoyed working on this project," Sanborn said. "The response from NICU families has been amazing. Many participants have said that they've always wanted to give something back to the NICU, to show their thanks for the care they received, and this is the perfect way to do so."