as many of you know, natalie couldn't wait to get here. i went in for my 32 week appointment feeling a little tired but good. the doc said i looked good and natalie looked great. she suggested i do some blood work just for fun. two hours later she called me to say my blood work was bad. my liver enzymes were skyrocketed and my blood platelets were crashed. BUT I FEEL FINE i told her. she said to come check in to the hospital. i couldn't process it. i think i sat there and worked another half hour or so before packing up my things, calling mike, and driving to the hospital. i was so scared for my little chick. i remember texting my smart, wonderful friend kerri who works in a NICU to ask if at 32weeks natalie would be okay. she will be great, she assured me. she said she saw 32 week babies all the time. i don't think she can ever know how much peace she gave me with a few button pushes on a phone.
and she WAS great! tiny, just under four pounds, but healthy.
oh we hated those tubes! natalie and her mom and dad. and then one day, about 5 weeks later...they came out!
and we got to hold her tube free. well, still with oxygen meter and lots of check ins from nurses. but we felt more and more like "real parents." another week or two later...we got to take her home!
this has been an amazing year. i have been more tired than i have ever been. more happy than i have ever been. more scared. more proud. i didn't know you could love someone as much as i love her. there have never been bluer eyes. a sweeter smile. a cuter laugh. there has never been a fuzzy head of hair that smells as sweet.
we got to celebrate her day early with some family. nothing like a homemade grandma cake, right?
i wasn't sure how she'd react to the cake.....she's more of a veggie / fruit girl.
she liked the cake...
the icing..... not so much.
here is a video her uncle jacob made of her first year. i get a lump in my throat every time i watch it---- you've been warned!
Yup, that video is adorable (because of the star, of course) and certainly teared me up! Happy Birthday to the CUTEST little lady around! And congrats to your first year of parenting :) Love you guys!
ReplyDeleteWhat a precious video!! Love it!
ReplyDeleteWow! I can't believe it's been a year already. I'm so happy that you guys have such a cute, happy, healthy, one-year-old Natalie! You guys have done an amazing job with her. Just reading this post made me tear up at the office... so I'm gonna save the video for later, when I'm home alone. ;) But that last picture with the bow - melts.my.heart. Happy 1st Birthday, Natalie Claire!!!
ReplyDeletePS: LOVE the icing face! And that cake is amazing!!
ReplyDeleteCrying at my desk.
ReplyDeleteShe is so beautiful and I have never been happier for three people than I am for the 3 of you. So so so much love. All of it. :)
Geez...im crying here too! Leah you are an AMAZING mother. I love how much you love your child. Happy Birthday to Natalie! The world is a brighter place because she is here!!!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat...its not even 7:30 and I cried when I saw the first pic of you and Nat...so precious. They grow up way too fast!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to your little miracle!! My fabulous Aunt Mary told me about your blog!! I just started a blog for our baby girl and she sent me to check yours out :-). I am a follower now for sure!! Please check my blog out...I'd love to have you follow!! Congrats again on such a beautiful family!
ReplyDeleteXO,
Jenny
I am so happy for all of you. You went through some super tough stuff and this is your payoff. You have a beautiful little girl and I wish your family nothing but enormous blessings in the coming year! Keep those posts coming. Lord knows, I have some catching up to do :)
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