Little Miracle at Latta Park

One thing that kids have brought to my life is the awareness of the little things in life.  Part of the fun of having kids (some days the only fun) is seeing the world through their eyes and being reminded of all the things that get lost in the shuffle as you become an adult.  Just having a child is such a miracle and although thousands of kids are born every day being able to get pregnant, carry to term, and produce a healthy baby are all miraculous events.  I think we all realize that once we see that perfect little bundle in the delivery room but some parents appreciate the hugeness of that moment more than others because their road to get there was not easy.  


Luckily for me I have never had real issues while pregnant.  Although I struggled with getting pregnant for a time, I was fortunate enough to never have to deal with problems during my pregnancies.  My sister on the other hand had one of the most scary pregnancies I can imagine.  I lived the moments with her and yet still will never really know the stress, fear, uncertainty, and helplessness she felt.  I shed tears over the fragile baby boy inside her so I can only imagine the sleepless nights she faced.  In a nutshell, every appointment she had from about 14 weeks on was a nightmare filled with scary terms, uncertain predictions, and lots of unknowns.  Through a series of events she delivered via emergency c-section 7 weeks early.  She spent the morning at Target and during a routine, well as routine as it got for her, appointment she was told that the baby's heart rate was dropping and that he had to be delivered immediately.  Add to this scary situation the fact that my sister and brother-in-law were living across the country from all friends and family.  I was actually talking to my sister on the phone when the nurses rushed in and said the baby had to come right then!  When the line went dead I was a nervous wreck.  A couple hours later I was talking to my groggy sister getting the details of the little man that just graced the world.  All 3.5 pounds of him.  


What began as a precarious pregnancy turned into a touch-n-go NICU stay.  Everyday included new doctors, nurses, and scary big words.  Every night included my sister and brother-in-law going home without a baby.  Finally one day last June they nervously loaded up their baby and headed home to his little nursery.  Slowly, cautiously they began to accept the fact that he was really home, really healthy, and really theirs.  Everyday they fell more and more into the same routine of all new parents but always in the back of their minds their was a lot of gratitude.  Each milestone is a reminder that he was never supposed to make it and yet here he is.  This little man is a reminder to my whole family that life is so fragile and a new baby is something to marvel at.  Also a reminder that sometimes your worries will not come true and even doctors can't predict the future.  


This past Saturday we had an early first birthday for Nash.  My sister wanted to be able to celebrate while she was in town and we all wanted to be able to sing the birthday song to him and watch him smash cake.  I think everyone got a little choked up watching him watch us sing.  He looked around like, "for me??"  And we all looked at him thinking "So glad this is for you!"  Some babies work a little harder to get here but all of them are small miracles and thats not something that should ever be too far from our minds.

Happy Birthday Nash!  And many more...

Mommy and her little miracle!