Priceless Memories: Butterfly Fly Away (Happy Birthday Savannah)

Some of you may be wondering if I took a two week vacation. Not at all, but coming home from vacation completely overwhelmed me. I came home to an extremely hectic week (and I'm still going strong.) I want to share some details about our vacation but my first post has to be about something more important. My baby girl is three turns three tomorrow...three. It just doesn't seem possible because I'm sure it wasn't that long ago that I brought her home.

Three years ago today I was being discharged from the hospital - yes you heard that right! After almost a week in the hospital trying to get early labor stopped the doctor gave me a final thumbs up and said that my contractions had finally stopped and I could go home. This was my third time being admitted, but this stay was the longest. I was so ready to go home - even though bed rest would be strict. I was 33 weeks pregnant. You may recall that this was the week in my first pregnancy when Landon was born. After being home for just a couple of hours I felt the contractions start again and become extremely regular. I dreaded going back to the hospital knowing that once again the doctors would begin the fight against what my body wanted to do...this meant some nasty drugs and labor that did not result in a baby. However, this was the last time I was have to endure it because Savannah was determined to beat her big brother's entrance. She came just two days earlier than he had.

I got to the hospital around 11:00 p.m. and although the doctors and nurses did their best to stop her, Savannah Mackenzie entered the world at 8:04 a.m. weighing 4 lbs and 3 oz. I remember feeling so elated that I got to hold her for a few minutes right before they took her to the NICU! Her stay in the NICU at Children's Hospital here in Knoxville lasted for 21 days. The nurses took such good care of her and I was there as much as possible just as I had been with Landon!

Savannah's journey home was a longer than Landon's because she had a few bumps in the road, and came home with a heart monitor. I am so thankful for the health of my children after the rough starts they had! I love the picture below...I thought Savannah looked mischievous right from the start (...I was right!)

My baby girl finally came home on April 11th and completed our little family perfectly. She was the sweetest baby and to this day brings so much joy to our home!

I sang to Savannah in the hospital too. I decided she should have her own song and began singing the one that I still sing to her at bedtime every night.