Ten years ago today I was sitting in a sterile hospital room holding a beautiful bundle of pink. She was so petite and had such small features that everyone kept saying that she looked like a doll. Getting to that moment had involved riding a roller coaster of emotion. About halfway through my pregnancy with her I found out that she had a prenatal heart condition. I was heavily monitored throughout the rest of the pregnancy, ready at any moment to go into an emergency c-section if the condition grew worse or began to threaten her life. I spent months going from the doctors office to our little apartment with a 2 & 1/2 year old clinging to my knees and a fragile baby in my belly. At 38 weeks, my doctor decided that it was safe to induce labor. All of our doctors believed that the heart condition would likely heal itself outside of the stress she was under in the womb. At 5am on June 22 we went to the hospital to have a baby. Several hours later, after a hard labor, I was holding a screaming pink little girl, though she was quickly taken away and I didn't see her again for several hours. Not only was she tested for heart abnormalities but she was also competing for attention with 22 other babies who were all born on that day in the same hospital. I remember that number because it seemed like such a crazy coincidence with the date. Finally, near midnight, just when I thought anxiety was going to overtake me, a nurse brought a tightly bundled baby in a pink and blue cap to my arms to nurse. I didn't care what they told me next. All I knew was that she was absolutely perfect. My doctor came in and told us that she had a slight heart murmur, but that it wasn't anything that should slow her down in any way. And he was absolutely right.
Today, she is a bundle of energy and fun. She is creative and kind. She is learning to sew and loves making art out of leftover scraps of fabric and paint. She loves to dance and perform. She loves ice cream with her cake. She loves all shades of blue but she also loves black. She is sensitive yet not afraid to tell you how she feels. She wears her heart on her sleeve and bracelets from her wrist almost to her elbows. She is just beginning to define her style and that usually involves a peace sign. She is a loyal friend and a loving sister. She is delicate and yet strong. She is dramatic and compassionate. Above all she is beautiful inside and out.
I love this girl. I've had the privilege of watching her grow over the past decade. I can't wait to see who she becomes in the next decade. I have no doubt that there will be some bumps along the way, but I also have no doubt that she will pick herself after she falls and shine on. She's a fighter. She has been since she was born.
No comments:
Post a Comment