On November 22 at around 8:00pm, I began feeling contractions again. I had just reached 25 weeks the day before, so I knew this was probably going to be it. I was scared, yet I was calm and very sure that everything would be Ok. Haley was in the head down position, so I was allowed to have a vaginal delivery. As the contractions got worse, we made plans for an epidural. My doctor was going to infuse some saline into my uterus to facilitate an easier birth since I had basically no amniotic fluid left. He checked me for dialtion and I was at 4. Maybe half an hour later, he went to go infuse the fluids, and proclaimed, "I see a head, everyone get in here!" You wouldn't believe the amount of people that can be fit into one little labor and delivery room, and in a hurry! There were at least 20 people present for haley's entrance into the world.

At 2:08am, Haley was born weighing 1 pound 11 ounces and measuring 13 inches. I got one good glance at her when she came out, and I felt her little leg kick mine. Funny, out of the whole process of the labor and birth of my 1 pound daughter, the thing I remember most was feeling her tiny leg kick mine as she entered the world. It was as if she was telling me, "I am going to be Ok, mom. I am a fighter." She was then taken to be rescusitated. She was intubated (had a tube placed down her throat to breathe for her)and had CPR performed on her. As soon as she was stable enough, shewas placed in a mobile isolette and whisked away to the Nicu (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). She had apgars of 1, 3, and 6 at birth, 5 and 10 minutes.

We sat there after Haley was gone, waiting to be told we could go and see our daughter in this scary place we had heard so much about called the 'NICU' (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). Finally, 3 hours later we were told we could go and meet our daughter. As I was wheeled down the hallway, I couldn't imagine what she would look like. I knew she was 1 pound, but couldn't imagine what a 1 pound baby would look like. I entered the NICU and scrubbed my hands. I saw her name card on the closest warmer to me. I went over to her, and I couldn't believe my eyes. There were more tubes and wires than baby. Was my baby really under there somewhere? She had an IV in her head and patches over her eyes. I longed to touch her, but all I could do was cry instead. After a few moments, Haley's alarms were going crazy and we were asked to leave so they could work on her. I left with a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. I just wanted to be with her. Instead, this would be the beginning of a 3 months and 3 days stay in the NICU for sweet little Haley.

* During the period right after Haley was born, I heard them say "we can't find a heartbeat" and I saw them doing CPR, but I had the most overwhelming feeling of peace that I have ever felt in my life. I really feel that God was holding my hand that day and taking away my pain because He knew that I wasn't strong enough to handle that at that point in time. Yet another example of how I got through this with the help of my Lord and saviour, Jesus Christ.

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