Happy First Birthday Anna Grace

So on Tuesday, December 28 at excactly 3:48 am Anna Grace will officially be one year old. I really can't believe it has been a year since she was born and then in the same breath I can honestly say that it feels like Anna Grace has always been with us. Doesn't make sense I know, but that's how I feel.

She made her way into the world weighing 8 pounds and 3 ounces at MUSC in Charleston, SC. She was born, not by c-section as was planned, but vaginally in what I would consider nothing short of a miracle on it's own (but that's a story for another day). I delivered her in the OR... just in case an emergency c-section was needed... with probably 20 doctors standing by observing. As soon as she was born she was wisked away with my having just a glance at her before she was taken from the room to be attended to by her own team of specialists who were running umbilical lines and starting life saving medicine. It was surreal. She was then taken to the PCICU and I was taken to the delivery floor with barely a glimpse of my baby. It wasn't until later that morning that I was able to see her and touch her little baby hand and cheek. I had to be taken by wheel chair to the floor where she was at. It was a happy time because my baby girl was born... and it was also a time of great uncertainty. We had no idea what journey the Lord had in store for our little girl.

At seven days old she had her first open heart surgery. The morning of her first surgery was the first time that Brian and I were able to hold her.... she was seven days old before she was ever held by her parents. She was 6 weeks old when she came home from the hospital for the first time.

At 6 months old she had her second open heart surgery. She developed and overcame Chylothorax for the second time after this surgery.

Today... one year after her birth she is growing and thriving. She is crawling and even taking 4 or 5 steps on her own. She has 6 teeth and "asks" for Ritz crackers whenever she is in her high chair. She loves to splash in the bath tub and calls every animal she sees "dog". The little Christmas singing stuffed animals are her FAVORITE toys and whenever they "sing" she does the baby bounce dance. She loves to climb the stairs and loves it even more when we chase her up the stairs saying "get you, get you" - it just makes her squeal with excitement and giggle and crawl as fast as her little legs will carry her. She has her Daddy's blue eyes and unbelievabably she has auburn hair. She weighs 21 pounds now (courtesy of Ritz crackers) and will be moving out of her infant car seat in the next couple of weeks (because I can hardly carry her in it anymore). She likes to look at books and loves her little green "soothie" pacifiers. She also loves her soft pink blankie and sleeps with it at every nap and every night. She can't say the word "no", but she shakes her head from side to side when she want to say no (which is usually when she doesn't want Gerber Baby Food Green Beans). She is finally on a schedule... she get up about 6:30 am.....one morning nap... one afternoon nap and then bedtime at 7:45 pm. She is happy most of the time and loves to play in her brother's room.

My dear sweet and so very precious Anna Grace,
You are so loved. It has been quite a year, your first year of life. We are proud to be your parents. We are thankful for the gift that you are. You are special and we wish you a very happy first birthday!
Love your Mommy & Daddy

With tears of great joy I say thank you Jesus for our daughter....