8 months old, 6 months adjusted

I had just welcomed home my husband from field training, we were expecting our first baby...I had ten weeks to go. The next day I called labor and delivery saying I was experiencing pain and followed up with a call to my husband asking him to come get me and take me in. An hour later I was being transferred to a different hospital after the discovery that I was almost 4cm dilated. After spending two weeks in and out of hospitals my labor kept persisting until at 32 weeks, I was laying in yet another hospital bed being told I was too far dilated to stop the labor. Doctors and nurses rushing in and out, on the phone with the NICU located 90 miles away to get them prepared to come take my girl. All I could think was I was spending my last hours with my girl  safe inside me, where I knew she should be, where I knew she could continue to develop...the way it should be. 15 hours later, it was time for Claire Elizabeth to join us in the world...she came out screaming! It was such a relief...after being told to prepare for the worst, after being told that they would probably have to attach her to oxygen to help her breathe, she didn't need it! It was such an answer to prayers. That beautiful, perfect moment in time, life stood still. My husband asked, "you want to see her?" as he brought her over to me and I held my little angel for the first time. The doctors took her away to monitor her, we waited for updates on how she was doing...her pediatrician came in telling us our daughter was doing great, that she was a rock star. I begged to be with my daughter and when the hesitant nurse finally agreed, I went to see my little girl. She had the cutest little hat on, her chest lifted and lowered with each breath, she was covered in stickers connecting her to the monitors. I offered her my finger and we waited together until we heard the 'ding' of someone at the L&D doors. No one had to tell me who it was, I knew the NICU nurses had arrived to take her away. I tried my best to answer their questions and watched as they put her in this clear box with more monitors and stickers and wires. I returned to my room and waited, maybe not so patiently, to be released so that I could be with my newborn.