I almost lost my daughter today. Right before my eyes.

We were all outside. She was playing with her brother and her cousin on our driveway. I was sitting on a tire, while my husband and his friend worked on my car. She was playing with our dog and running through the tall grass beside me.

Then she went to go play with the boys, she had gone onto the little basketball court that connects to our driveway. So I sat down again.

We had music playing and I was listening the the kids laughing and playing on the scooters and bike, when I suddenly realized they were in the garage and I didnt hear the baby.

I jumped up and saw her. The sun coming off her pretty red hair and her watching the ground as she walked.

But I knew where she was heading. She was walking toward the highway. I could hear the cars coming.

I took off as fast as could! Screaming her name and telling her to stop.

She stopped for a second and smiled at me and then she started running. We play this game inside. I chase her around the house. We do this every day. I could hear her laughing over the sound of 2 cars coming closer.

I remember thinking, "I'm not gonna make it! Where is her dad?"

I've always heard that you see your life flash before your eyes before you die. But I saw hers, I saw her beautiful smile, the way she dances to music. The way she asks for her Bubba, the way she runs to me when I walk in the door after work.

The car passed, and I sighed, she hadn't made it to the road yet. But this road is always busy on the weekends. I could hear more coming. She was still laughing and I was still screaming. I grabbed her hand just as the second car was coming. I couldnt breathe.

She gave me a big hug and I didnt want to let her go. She looked at me with her big eyes and said something. I didnt know what.

I wanted to cry. I was mad. I couldnt smile at her. I just hugged her again and told her she cant do that!

Yes I should've scared her, I shouldve told her no, but shes 2. And all I could do was hold her close and try to breathe.

Shes my baby. My girl.

After we found out we were having a girl, I've always had this fear. That sits in the back of my mind and makes my heart heavy. This fear that I'm gonna lose her.

Maybe its because we had to stop labour 3 times while I was pregnant. Maybe it's that shes a girl, she seems more fragile than our boy. I dont know.

All I know is that in that split second while I was screaming and she was about to step onto the highway. Thats the thought that went through my mind. This is it. This is where I lose her.

I know shes fine. I know shes in her room sitting in her floor, reading her books she loves so much. She looks up at me and smiles.

I know shes okay.

But I'm not okay! I almost lost my baby today.