Thursday, March 28, 2013

Happy Birthday Hannah

14 Years ago....
Our little Hannah was born!

What a blessing she was to our family.

She was a ray of sunshine, always smiling and happy.

She was planned like her sister and also had a story about how she was conceived.

Mike and I had wanted another child and it had been almost four years since we had Sara.  So we decided that it was a great time to try...but just like with Sara, we almost lost Hannah.

At 6 weeks I began to have symptoms of having a miscarriage just like I did before Sara.  I knew that I couldn't give in, so I began to pray with all my might!  

One night as I was reading the Bible about Hannah wanting to have a son so bad that she was willing to give him up at a certain age to the church, I knew my baby's name would be Hannah.  I wanted her so badly and I knew how Hannah must have felt in the Bible.


For the length of my pregnancy, I stayed dilated 3 cm.  But I wouldn't give up and when we had her, she was rated almost a 10 on the birth scale other than her breathing.  What was supposed to be a happy day quickly became one of my worst nightmares.  The Dr and nurse quickly whisked Hannah away from me, taking her to NICU.  They told me that there was basically no hope.  I remember looking at Mike with fear in my eyes and seeing that same fear in his.  
But I wouldn't give in!
They kept me in the hospital as long as they possibly could so I could be near my baby, being able to visit every second I could.  But then they sent me home.
I spent one week on very few hours of sleep traveling back and forth to the hospital at all hours making sure she was able to have my breast milk.  For those who have breastfed, you know every three hours in the beginning for feeding is normal.  So you see just how much rest I was getting.

But then she began to do something that they all thought was impossible...she began to get better, gain weight and breath on her own!

On Easter day, they let us take her home.  What an Easter present that was for  her Dad, sister and I. 

She was a miracle just like her sister....our children were definitely gifts from God!


She was sent home on a breathing monitor and we were told that she would at least be on it for one year.
NOT!!!
Three months later and she was taken off, said to be perfectly normal and never had RSV.  Something preemies have quite often.  See, she had been born almost 2 months early, only weighed a little over 4 pounds and couldn't breath on her own.  
See how God blessed us?!

Now she is celebrating her 14th birthday...and what a precious day it is looking back on what we went through to have her.

She was always ready to play and her Daddy was just the perfect playmate!


She was my little buddy after sissy went off to school.  We played together, took naps, ate goodies and waited for sissy and Daddy to come home.

Someone for her big sister to play tricks on....

Tall and slender, always smiling and if I do say so myself...absolutely beautiful!
So Happy Birthday dear sweet Hannah!  
Our family was complete the day you came into our lives!

I love you, 
                  Mommy

5 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday Hannah!
    What a beautiful story of Love to you from your Mom!
    Weren't you blessed to be born into such a caring and loving family! You are a beautiful girl!
    Jil

    ReplyDelete
  2. Happy Happy Birthday to your sweet Hannah! You are a beautiful family. You look like you could be a sister to your daughters. I love Dad's smile! xo Diana

    ReplyDelete
  3. Your daughter is so beautiful! And she looks exactly like you! I hope Hannah has the best birthday ever!!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Melanie,
    What a beautiful story. I love this post. Your family is so sweet and precious. Beautiful girls just like Mommy. What a wonderful Easter memory to have each year. Happy Birthday to Hannah. Happy Easter.
    Kris

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ah, you made me cry! How precious is this story and what a priceless ending! Both of your daughters are SO beautiful, just like their Mommy! I know the fear you guys felt, as my daughter unexpectedly had our grand daughter, Ava Grace, a little less than 2 months early! She stayed in NICU for 2 weeks after Jennifer went home, because her lungs were not fully developed when she was born, but she did weigh 5lbs. when she was born. Then after she came home Jennifer had to keep her home bound for 6 weeks. But, she is three years old now and healthy and funny and is our precious sunshine girl! Such precious treasures we have been blessed with! <3 Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow! <3 Judy aka JudyBug

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for stopping in...I love hearing from you! Hugs, Melanie