One year ago today, I was sitting in a hospital room waiting to go home with my baby after giving birth two days earlier. And, then the day took a turn for the worse. I had delivered four weeks early because I had developed severe preeclampsia. And, my blood pressure wasn?t returning to safe levels. So, even though my discharge papers had been signed, I was dressed and ready to go home, and my husband was there ready to take me home, the doctor appeared and told me she wasn?t going to let me leave. That was a blow. A little bit later, the pediatrician came in and told me that my baby wasn?t holding her temperature properly and they were worried she might have an infection. So, even though her discharge papers had been signed and she was dressed and ready to go home (with me), they weren?t going to let her leave. Double blow. I think I cried for the next two days. And, I?m pretty sure every nurse and doctor that interacted with me over the next 48 hours thought I was seriously unstable. But, none of them realized that the birth of this baby in the midst of pregnancy complications was just the cherry on the top of a very stressful year for our family. And, not being allowed to go home as we had planned was just the straw that broke the camel?s back.
Now, I know that the problems I?m describing are minuscule compared to what could have been and to what so many others deal with. Even at the time I recognized that our blessings far outweighed our challenges. But, I was tired. So, I cried . . . a lot. I spent another five days in the hospital, and my baby was there for another two days after I was discharged. Once we were all safely home, I was so happy to be there with all my kids under one roof!
Over the last few weeks, I?ve taken the opportunity to look back on what we were dealing with exactly one year ago and where we are now as a family. 2012 has treated us well, and I?m learning to be grateful for the challenges we faced during 2011. We are definitely a stronger family because of them. And, of course, the cherry on top of a much less-stressful year was celebrating our sweet Kaylin?s first birthday. It is really hard for me to believe that a whole year has passed since she joined our family. We truly believe that she was meant for us. She brought a joy and sweetness into our home that we really needed. We are all completely gaga over her and wish she could stay little forever. She sure has come a long way from the scrawny little 5-pounder that entered our lives one year ago.
Here she is on the day she was supposed to come home, and then on the day that she actually did come home. See . . . scrawny. 
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As is usual for our family, Kaylin?s birthday was a relatively simple affair. We opened presents with her in the morning before we went to church. And, in the evening all of our family came over for cupcakes and ice cream. Kaylin was happy to show off her new talents of clapping when we clap and throwing her arms up in the air when we say, ?How big is Kaylin?? She had lots of smiles for everyone who came to celebrate her birthday, and she really enjoyed her Red Velvet cupcakes. Even though we kind of wish she could remain a baby, we are also looking forward to watching her grow and learn over the next year. We just love her to bits!
Here are a few pictures from her big day:
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Source: http://www.sweetshoppedesigns.com/index.php/2012/08/what-a-difference-a-year-makes/
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