Happy 3rd birthday!

Today, 3 years ago, our lives changed forever!

At exactly 10:12 am our little girl was born.  A day and a moment that will stay with me forever.
I still remember the day before, when we went for a normal checkup, to be told that I need to be admitted immediately.  I was diagnosed with polyhydramnios and was to be admitted immediately to be monitored over nigh and had to get cortisone injections over the next 24 hours to ensure that Hayley's lungs were fully developed.
Al tough I kept saying, throughout my entire pregnancy, that Hayley would be born on 3/3/11 I was still shocked with the diagnoses.

I remember lying in the hospital bed that night and feeling Hayley kick, I remember how I thought to myself that I need to take these kicks in and store them in my memory as it would probably be the last time I feel her kick, and I can still picture myself lying there taking in every little movement she made that night.
I still remember when my parents arrived the next day.  We were on our way to the theater when they got to the hospital, I remember the excitement and pride on their faces.  I remember the sparkle in my husbands eyes and how sexy he looked in his scrubs.  I also remember how cold I felt lying there, waiting for them to take me into the theater.  I still remember how the theater staff and doctors spoke about the guy being attacked by an alligator on his own alligator farm while they were working on me and the next moment I heard my baby's cry for the first time! It was such an overwhelming moment, I started crying, then stopped because I felt silly and it felt so weird not having any control over my emotions.  They lifted her up so that we can see her, before taking her away to get her checked and then brought her over to me and hubby.  She was so curious, with her big eyes trying to focus on her new world and the people around her.  I still remember hubby saying that she has his dad's ears :-)  the most random comment of the entire day, and the pediatrician and gynecologist commenting on how awake and alert she was.  It was the best moments in my life, something I will never, ever forget, something that I hope I remember till the end of my days.

I will never forget the days spent in hospital.  They went so fast, but it was so special to bond with that little person.  I could not stop holding her, hugging her and kissing her.  I could not stop myself staring at her.  Pure perfection, and she was all ours.  I remember how they brought her to me at night, to feed, and how I could not stop looking at her after feeding her, although I was so tired, I was on such a high on life that I just wanted to sit there the entire night and feel that little person, our person, against me!  It was so special.

Today, 3 years later, I still find myself in awe over this little person.  Our person.  I still go to her bed every night to watch her sleep and to imprint memories of her sleeping beauty into my memory.  I am in awe of how she learns, the things she says, her wittiness, her kindness and how she finds it important to do good so that we can praise her.  She is my pride and joy and I love her with all my heart!

I hope that she has a very special day and that the year to come is blessed and full of new life adventures.

I will do a post with pictures later during the week about her Minnie Mouse party.