Happy Birthday, Maggie!

My baby turned 2 on April 27.  How can she already be 2? When Maggie came into the world over two years ago, I did not know what to expect.  Would everything be ok? Would she only have one kidney that worked properly? Would she have other health conditions that we weren't prepared for? These were just a few of the concerns I had on the morning of April 27, 2011.  I wound up starting to have contractions the entire week prior to Maggie's arrival due to dehydration from the stomach flu a week before I was scheduled to have Maggie. The stomach flu + being pregnat sucks big time. I know, I had the stomach flu when pregant with each child, but having the stomach flu + beign 1 week away from your due date? That sucks 100 times more.
I woke up around 1:00am the  morning I was scheduled for my csection.  Contractions were coming around every 5-7 minutes. We went in to the hospital at 5 am and got ready for the surgery at 7am.  Maggie was born at
and the first thing she did was start peeing the minute my doctor pulled her out.  She showed all of us she had at least one good kidney!

Our miracle is here!

The next few weeks passed by in a whirl of nursing, sleepless nights, and countless diaper changes.  While the other two were in school (first grade for Noah and preschool for cc), I just stared and held this baby close.  Something was different this time around. I was much more relaxed-not just with the day to day routines, but also with just enjoying each and every moment that I could get with my precious Maggie.  I remember not caring that she was napping in my arms, I cherished it.  I would look at her flawless skin and soak in her baby smell.  I would hold her so close and was mesmerized by her eyelashes.

The day came a few weeks later when we were to go back to the hospital and get a renal ultrasound completed to check on her questionable multicystic kidney.  The tech completed the ultrasound, and I remember thinking the entire time I saw cysts on the screen. I had convinced myself that everything would be fine and we would deal with anything that would come our way.  A few hours later I was sitting on the driveway holding Maggie visiting with my friend, Shannon. Craig came home from work and said he received a call from the doctor about Maggie's ultrasound.  He said that they could not find anything wrong with her kidney on the u/s. We couldn't believe the news. Life doesn't get much better than that moment.

Now, our gal is 2 and completely amazes me each day.  She is so fun and sweet and worships the ground that her big sister walks on.  She loves playing gymnastics and dancing. She loves to color and play with her babies.  She really loves to play outside. She gives kisses, high-fives, and requests to "hug me!" She still loves Dougie and her "buddies" in her bed that she sleeps with each night.  She loves fruit and basically all food you put in front of her.  She talks all the time and still prefers Barney over any other tv show.  She loves playing on the IPAD and still sleeps like a champ.  She is a our perfect Maggie. I love her with all my heart, and I can't wait to see what God has in store for the little one he saved.