My Sweet Boys

This picture makes me laugh! He looks like he has a neck brace on.

Aww... So Tiny!

Sleeping.....

Collin is doing great! He turned two weeks on Monday. We went for his 2 week checkup on Tuesday. He weighed 8 pounds. He is getting so big. She thought he looked great and was doing wonderfully. He is such a good baby. All he does is eat and sleep. The last few days he has been kinda gassy so hopefully we can get that under control.

Home Sweet Home....

This is the smallest of the 4 bedrooms. It will be Collin's room. Nice blue carpet huh?

This is going to be Carter's room. These are the original hard wood floors which we are going to refinish in the entire house.

This is the second bathroom. Tiny and Pink. The boys can have this one and Mommy can have the one with vanity!

I am so excited about the floors. They will be beautiful once they are sanded and stained!

The built in vanity in the large bathroom! Won't it look cute with a small chandelier above it?

This is the dining room looking into the living room.

This is the kitchen. Everything you see will be gutted and replaced.

This is the living room!

And this is the outside. I plan to paint it and add shutters.

Chris and I are so excited about our first home. It is nothing like we thought our first home would be like. We weren't even looking but God was planning this house just for us. As most of you know we are living with my in-laws right now. Next door to them is this run down old house that we have never thought twice about, that is until a couple of months ago.  The owner of the house rang the door bell and I answered. He told me that he was selling the house and wanted to know if we were interested. My head started spinning as I thought about the possibility of renovating this old house and the blessing it would to live next door to Chris' parents. So we went and walked through the house later that night. OHHH..... is all I can say. This house was in terrible shape. It was definitely unlivable. As we prayed, talked, brainstormed, and prayed some more things began to fall into place. We were able to buy the house for almost nothing and then take out a construction loan to renovate it. So we have a home. Not one we can live in right now but we have one. So work has begun.... we are so excited about our house. It was built in 1928, has 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, and is 2200 sq ft. I can't wait to transform this house into my dream cottage home. We are on target to be done in 9 months. We are hiring some of the work to be done but the majority we are doing ourselves. With the help of Grandpa (Chris' stepdad)  and all other welcomed volunteers.

For months we have called it the neighbors house. Carter is a little confused as to why it is all of a sudden our house. When people ask him where he lives he will probably say "at the neighbors house." ;) What a joy it is to know in 9 months we will be moving into OUR HOUSE! Oh how great our God is. 

Settling In

We brought our precious Collin home last Wednesday afternoon and have been settling in over the past several days. I have to start off by saying thank you so much for all the prayers and words of encouragement we have received. They have carried us through this past week. We are so blessed with amazing friends and family. Like Nana said in the previous post, God was so faithful and Collin had turned head down by the time we got to the hospital. I was able to have a VBAC which was a huge answer to prayer. Nothing could have been sweeter than those first moments they laid him on my chest. It was only for a minute or two but it was a precious time. Unfortunately the next 30 minutes of his sweet life were much harder to swallow for Chris and I. As my Dr. tried to explain to us what had happened to my baby boy, as they handed him back to me and for the first time I saw his hands my heart shattered in pieces. You never expect something to be wrong with your child. And if there is something, you expect them to find it before they are born. Those moments were not so sweet as I tried to some how comprehend what they were telling us. I instantly went into protective mode. I didn't want anyone to see or know. Not because I was embarrassed, but because I didn't want him to be gawked at. So we waited to announce his arrival to all the family and friends that had been waiting in the waiting room. And we just took a few moments to grieve for our precious baby's hands that were permanently deformed. I don't know that a heart can ever hurt as much as when it aches for your child. My heart hurt so bad that night as I thought about my baby's hands. My heart still aches and I still have my moments but God has given Chris and I a unexplainable peace. We are so thankful that Collin didn't loose any fingers or limbs from his ABS. We are hopeful for what might be able to be done to improve the function and look of his hands. We are praising God for we know that he has great plans for Collin. And we know that he will be glorified through Cupcake's life. I don't know how I feel about it today. I started to fill out his baby book and there was place for his hand prints. My eyes just filled up with tears and I shut the book. When I take pictures I catch myself covering up his hands. I just want people to see his precious face not his hands. I just take it day by day and continue to praise God for his truths. His word says that Collin is Fearfully and Wonderfully made and I will praise God for that.

Our wonderful pediatrician, Dr. Reese, got Collin into Scottish Rites Hospital on June 9. This is such a blessing considering we didn't even know if we would be accepted and if we were, when. I look forward to hearing what the hand specialist has to say. ABS is such a rare condition that no one has really been able to give us much insight.

In spite of all of that we have had a wonderful week at home. Carter is doing great and is loving having his Daddy home everyday. He doesn't show too much interest in Collin but he loves him to pieces. He likes to bring him his toys and give him lots of kisses. I am loving having another newborn in my arms. This is one of the sweetest times in life to me. I just try to soak in every moment because it goes by so fast.

My mom was able to make it in on Friday night to see Collin. She had been in Canada with my grandmother when I went into labor. Collin and Cupcake were glad to see their Mimi. It was wonderful to have her here and I look forward to her coming back this weekend. She will be here for a week to help me once Chris goes back to work.

So we are keeping our head up and trying to get lots of rest. Our family has grown and our hearts have, too. Cupcake is precious and we are praising God that he is here.

Collin has arrived!

Okay, Nana went to Best Buy tonight and bought the necessary cord to add pictures.  I apologize now for the pictures being added - - since I'm posting from my camera, I just have the baby, the baby's parents/brother and me.  Natalie will be home soon and no doubt post thousands more.

Cupcake has arrived!

This posting is submitted by Nana...

Collin made his debut Monday, May 11, 2009 at 8:13 pm. He weighs 7 pounds

2 ounces and is 20-3/4 inches long (a full pound bigger than Carter was).

I think he looks a lot like Carter, but his mommy thinks he looks a lot like Collin. Natalie was able to have him naturally which really pleased her. They weren't sure up to the very last moment if this would be possible as Collin kept turning and turning and turning.

I have a ton of pictures on my camera, but, unfortunately I can't find the cord to transfer them to the computer. Argh. Should have something up tomorrow (which means I'm buying a cord tonight).

My newest grandbaby is perfect...Well, perfect in his Maker's eyes. Collin was born with Amniotic Band Syndrome (wait to "Google" it until I'm finished) affecting both his hands.

Here's a description I found of what Cupcake suffers from:

The ABS occurs due to a partial rupture of the amniotic sac. This rupture involves only the amnion; the chorion remains intact. Fibrous bands of the ruptured amnion float in the amniotic fluid and can encircle and trap some part of the fetus. Later, as the fetus grows but the bands do not, the bands become constricting. This constriction reduces blood circulation, hence causes congenital abnormalities. In some cases a complete "natural" amputation of a digit(s) or limb may occur before birth or the digit(s) or limbs may be necrotic (dead) and require surgical amputation following birth.

In plain English, two of Collin's fingers (one on each hand) didn't fully develop due to this syndrome. The doctors have assured Chris and Natalie that Collin will be able to do everything just like Carter and Collin won't ever know the difference. Dr. Madden even dropped by to speak with them (he had this same syndrome which affected one hand and one foot) and had many encouraging words. Dr. Reese said she would file a referral to the Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas - a world renowned facility for hand/feet indifferences.

As a grandparent I grieve for those missing parts, I grieve knowing some little kid will one day make fun of him, I grieve for all the "well meaning" responses/stares he'll receive, I grieve for the thought that Collin would have to struggle for one second, and as a grandparent, it breaks my heart.

As a believer, though, I know that God doesn't make one single mistake. He made Collin exactly how He wanted Collin to be made. And I praise Him for this! I know that many lessons will be learned and many hearts changed because of Collin. Ironically, Psalm 139:14 is painted over Collin's crib "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made." Natalie picked this scripture for this sweet baby, not knowing what was in store for him - - God knew... and now each time he is placed in his crib, ALL will be reminded that Collin is fearfully and wonderfully made.

Thank you all for your prayers and please continue to keep my sweet babies in them.

Love,

Nana (aka Granna)

Breech Baby!

I had another Dr.'s appointment this past Tuesday and I was shockingly informed that Collin has turned again. This time he has made his landing in the Breech position. So we are praying he will continue to turn and land head down, but if he doesn't we have a c-section scheduled for May 19. So that may or may not be Collin's birthday. If he does turn then we will be back to "Plan A" and just wait until I go into labor on my own. I have another Dr.'s appointment this coming Tuesday, so I will know more then. But either way we are getting close. I told Chris this morning, can you believe we could possibly be having this baby in a week and a half? It has come so fast, but we are ready. Bags are packed and the car seat is loaded.