A family in Yorktown Heights got the best holiday present this year. They were finally able to take their premature baby home.

"She's our under-the-tree present. We're pretty excited," says Mariia Konoreva, Dorothea's mother.

Dorothea Krembs, also known affectionately as “Dot,” came home last week.

Her parents weren't sure if they would be able to take their newborn baby home in time for the holidays.

"No one wanted to tell like what if we're not going to have her for Christmas? No one wanted to say it out loud," says Konoreva.

Dot was born about a month early on Dec. 3.

"We were expecting her Jan. 1 - sometime between Jan. 1 and Jan. 5,” says Konoreva.

She was born early because Konoreva's life was at risk due to severe pre-eclampsia.

Konoreva was rushed to Northern Westchester Hospital where she spent 30 hours in labor. She says her symptoms started with high blood pressure.

“I kept thinking that it’s going to go away. I didn’t really pay much attention" says Konoreva. "I felt pretty bad for a couple of weeks before that. My face was super swelled."

Doctors say pre-eclampsia can be extremely dangerous to a mother during pregnancy.

“It can progress to seizures and even brain injuries," says Dr. Rick Stafford, chief of neonatology at NWH.

He says the only treatment is delivering the baby.

Dot spent 16 days in the NICU after she was born.

“Her respiratory condition was a little out of the ordinary, but we were able to manage everything," says Stafford.

For Dot’s parents, it was hard to see their baby receiving specialized treatments for over two weeks, especially while Konoreva was recovering as well.

“She was definitely in better spirits by the time she got to have her first night with Dot,” says Josiah Krembs, Dot's father.

Dot is now about 3 weeks old and she is completely healthy.

Her parents couldn’t be more grateful to the doctors and nurses who helped save both of their lives.

“This is the best. Fire, some cocoa, classic Christmas movie….you cuddle up on the couch and I got all my girls here," says Krembs.