7 MONTHS

7 months old today, and I will say it again, I cannot believe I am sitting here now, remarking on this wonderful day and how truly far we have come.  Sitting in her hospital room watching a machine breathe for her seems like a distant memory yet as if it happened yesterday.  If my being today could talk to me 5 months ago, I would tell myself not to worry, not to fret, not to shed any tears but happy tears, because you are going to be alright, you are all going to be just fine.  There is light and happiness at the end of this gloomy tunnel waiting for you, just be brave, be strong and it will all work out in the end.
A friend told me while I was in the hospital with my little girl "You are going to look back on this months from now and wonder how the hell you got through it all."  Well friend today is one of those days, how did I get through it all, how did she get throught it all, how did our family and friends get through it all?"  Strength, strength I never knew I had, bravery I never knew was inside of me.  As I look at her today rolling over on her belly, so alert, so strong I can't even beleive she is the same baby.  She went from the baby who slept 22 hours a day, to the baby that refuses to take a nap, she went from a baby who hardly ate an ounce of food to eating and drinking all the time and getting excited about it.  She was the baby that never cried and now boy does she let you know, when she's happy, hungry or just wants to have a chat.
So to all those moms and dads that are going through what my family and I have gone through, be strong, there is hope, there is light at the end of the tunnel, you just have to work really hard to get to the end of it, and on the other side waits a beautiful life with a beautiful baby who really just wants to be loved and cherished.