In the two years before I got pregnant with Ellie, I went through many tests and surgeries because of cervical cancer. We were so excited when we found out I was pregnant again! My pregnancy was rough from the very beginning - morning sickness, weakness - nothing like my first pregnancy with my older daughter. My feet and legs started swelling, and by 20 weeks, I looked like I was already at full-term. My doctor ran some tests and discovered my liver enzymes were elevated. At 25 weeks, I looked and felt so miserable. The swelling had gotten worse, and I had developed stomach pains. When my stomach pains were extremely severe one night, I had Kevin drive me to the emergency room. Later that night, I was admitted and things escalated. My blood pressure was rising, and the baby’s heart rate was dropping. Doctors told me they needed to deliver the baby immediately then transfer her to St. Mary’s because she was so premature. I remember being so scared. I didn’t know anything about premature babies or what Ellie’s chance of survival would be. Early the next morning, Ellie Grace was born by emergency C-section. She weighed 1 lb., 8 oz. and was just 13 inches long. Seeing Ellie for the first time took my breath away. She was so tiny, and her skin looked so thin. I was able to touch her little arm through the window of the incubator and blow her a kiss, then she was off. While I was recovering from the C-section, I wasn’t able to go see Ellie at St. Mary’s. For the next three days, my mom and Kevin stayed with Ellie and sent me photos and videos all day and night. Finally, I was able to go visit my daughter. She was so small but so mighty! Ellie spent 110 days in the NICU. Every day she was there, I left my house at 7 a.m. to go spend the day with Ellie while my oldest daughter was at school. We lived about an hour and half away from St. Mary’s, so the few hours we spent together each day were precious to me. We spent a lot of our time doing skin-to-skin contact, or kangaroo care, when Ellie would find comfort by laying on my chest. While in the NICU, Ellie overcame feeding issues, learned to bottle feed and gained weight. Doctors were closely monitoring a brain bleed that she was born with, and we were told she may develop cerebral palsy as she got a little older. When we finally brought Ellie home, we were so excited, but also so nervous. Her reflux had gotten worse, and she became colic. She experienced separation anxiety with me, and most days wasn’t content with anyone but me. When she was 18 months old, we received the cerebral palsy diagnosis. Her muscles are super tight on the right side of her body which causes her to toe walk, and as she grows, her bones are getting longer but her muscles are so tight that eventually they will start tearing. To correct her walking, Ellie wears braces. She receives physical therapy and occupational therapy weekly. She will need surgery on her right leg to lengthen her tendon. Cerebral palsy is a lasting effect of Ellie’s premature birth, but if you’ve met her, you’d never know all that she went through. She’s an amazing little girl and our miracle, fighter and hero! We are so thankful for all the research and interventions supported by March of Dimes that have helped our little girl.