When Lyla’s mom reached out, she scheduled a maternity session along with newborn photos! Then, sometime later and unexpectedly, I got a message that Lyla had already made her grand entrance before we even had a chance to meet for those maternity photos. I joined them in prayer as Lyla was strong but tiny and in NICU for a while. As you’ll see at the end of this post, her last picture is her official NICU graduation photo and I’m so grateful to have been one of the first to hold and snuggle this little love!

-Destiny

How did Mom & Dad meet?
Hunter and I met and became best friends in high school. We have really always enjoyed each other’s company, but we never explored anything beyond that. I moved to Starkville, MS to attend college in August 2018 and Hunter attended college at home. We rekindled our friendship once I moved home after graduation. Hunter will tell you, “I wasn’t going to let her get away again.” We started dating not long after July of 2020, and we have been inseparable since! We got engaged in May 2022 and tied the knot in June 2023. We found out I was expecting in late August of 2023, and we were so thrilled!

Did you find out the gender beforehand?
We did find out the gender beforehand! I was too eager to wait, so we had the genetic blood test done. I was working out of town in Southaven, MS when I received the results electronically. I was so eager to find out the gender that I facetimed Hunter and we discovered the gender on our lunch breaks. We both started crying!

Was labor and delivery what you expected?
Absolutely not, however, we are so incredibly blessed and thankful to be here today with our little Lyla. I arrived at St. Dominic’s Hospital in the morning of February 4, 2024. They admitted me to Labor & Delivery, so I could get the best maternal care possible – at this time, we had no idea what the problem was. I jokingly asked my nurse while she was placing the fetal monitor on my stomach, “This doesn’t mean I’m having the baby today, right?” She laughed and reassured me this was just a precaution they take to monitor baby. Little did we know, my blood work would come back that afternoon with frightening numbers. The words spoken by my L&D nurse, Lisa, still play through my mind and probably always will. She said, “I need you to take a deep breath. You have to have the baby today.” I had developed severe HELLP Syndrome Preeclampsia, and I had to give birth via general anesthesia cesarean section. I was only 26 weeks and 2 days pregnant. A little less than 14 weeks early. I couldn’t process it, and frankly, I didn’t until weeks later. At 4:39 PM, Lyla Marie was born at 1 pound & 3.4 ounces (550 grams) and 12 inches long. She was so tiny, yet so strong. Lyla overcame so many hurdles during her stay, but the NICU staff were so supportive and kind. She stayed in the St. D NICU for a total of 105 days, and she came home on May 18, 2024, weighing 6 pounds. Lyla is now over 10 pounds, and she is SO loved. Our experience was very difficult at times, but our girl is such a strong and mighty fighter. We wouldn’t have it any other way.

What have the first few weeks at home with baby been like?
Hectic, but so relieving. We looked forward to having her home with us all to ourselves! The last month and a half in the NICU was the hardest because of how tedious bottle feeding was for Lyla. Once we found our groove, we have been smooth sailing since. She really loves smiling and giggling at Dad now. She really is the best thing to have ever happened to us.

For Hunter and I, we felt like the newborn session was a giant milestone for Lyla. She had finally reached the finish line and her life outside of the hospital could truly begin. We could do normal things that new families got to do instead of traveling to the hospital to visit our baby. It was the first time she had seen or been around anyone since leaving St. Dominic’s.