3 months

 

Already!!!

Wordless Wednesday

Rockin' out

Thankful for a big move

It's been a long road, but we are at the end of it.

We've known for a while that the house we live in now doesn't suit our family's needs.  We live in a bi-level and with Nate in a wheel chair it has been trying.  Plus, with the addition of Lucas it just seems smaller.  Nate really has nowhere to go here, is constantly bumping into furniture and we have a family room downstairs that we barely ever use.

We've been searching for months and months, considered the idea of building and have looked at several houses.  Along the way we found one we thought would be perfect for our family.  It's actually a long story, but the short version is after a few different tries the sellers accepted our offer and we put our house up for sale. 

I was really overwhelmed with the whole process because it started while I was still in the hospital after Lucas was born.  Having a new baby, showing our house, buying a new one and moving was a lot to think about.  But we knew it was the right move.

The first couple who came to look at our house ultimately bought it.  It wasn't the smoothest transaction but it's over.  We've owned our new house for 3 days now and I just can't wait to move in (moving this Saturday) and get settled.

 I really don't think this new house could be any more perfect for us.   We had very specific needs when we were looking and all the other houses didn't fit them.  Here are a few of the reasons we chose this house:

-It's a big, spacious ranch with an open layout.  Plenty of room for Nathan to get around, all on one level! (Bonus: it has a finished basement!  Someday we hope to put in a lift for easy access downstairs).

-It has a three car garage which is big enough to fit a ramp for Nate.  I am so excited at the prospect of him being able to get in and out of the house completely on his own (except for me helping him in and out of his chair).  This is not only because it will make him more independent, but also because it frees up my hands and saves me several trips (at our current house I have been making several trips up and down the stairs to load him, his chair, the baby, the diaper bag...)

-The bathrooms are large.  Like, really large.  This was a big problem in all the other houses we looked at.  We would like almost everything else about it until we got to the bathroom.  It was always too small for Nathan to get around in.  In this house, he has plenty of room.

-It's 2 miles away from where we live right now, in a nice subdivision.  Not adding any time to our commute to work and still living in the area we are in right now and love.  (Bonus: I called the other day and Nathan will still be able to attend the school he is currently at.  Although his new school is in the same district, I was afraid having to start over at a new school with new teachers and faces would be too much for him with the move.  Plus, the bus service will pick him up and drop him off at the new house!)

It's been a long journey and for a while we weren't sure it was going to work out.  I really feel that God has had his hand in all this, and although I am sad to leave the house we started our family in (I really do love this house!) and the friends we have made here (and we are talking about some awesome people!) we couldn't be more excited to be moving into a home where Nathan can grow and become more independent.  And a big, HUGE shout out to all the friends and family who have helped and supported us during this process.  Watching kids, helping pack, ripping up carpet, bringing meals, and just offering support and encouragement along the way.  We couldn't have done it without you.  SO much to be thankful for this year!!! We are so blessed!!!

Halloween

This was from Trunk or Treat at our church Friday night.  Thanks to Grandma D we were the second ones in line and didn't have to wait in line for 2 freezing hours like last year.

I had fun incorporating Nathan's chair with his costume this year.  It's amazing what you can do with some cardboard and a couple cans of spray paint. It's something I plan to do in the years to come, as long as he is using it.  I kept talking about it in the days leading up to Halloween weekend, but he didn't see it all put together until we went to trunk or treat.  I got it ready while he was still in the car and when I brought him out to show him he was really excited.  He said, "Wook!  It's my digger, like Scoop!"  I was inspired by another mom and was happy to find that there were several awesome wheelchair costumes including a spaceship, ice cream truck, Thomas train, and Batmobile (check out Caleb's Batmobile here).

This was from Nate's preschool Halloween party.  Notice the construction worker with his hands over his ears. 

Baby's first Halloween.  He's growing up too fast!

And the best part of Halloween?  Nathan actually requested to hold his little brother!

Fall fun

Guess who decided to try and eat the paint?

Mommy's pumpkin-he was so excited.  "Mommy it's glowed!"

Nathan's pumpkin

Pumpkin patch

 

 

Sometimes

I miss him in my belly

Sometimes I wish I'd had more time

but mostly, I'm just thankful

that he's ours.

Awareness

October is spina bifida awareness month.

I'll admit, I've slacked this month (yes, I do realize this is the very last day of October).  But I've been at a loss for words about what I want to say about awareness.  I know that awareness has saved lives.  Literally.  I know of several cases where a mother decided not to abort because of a blog, video or group she found.  I know awareness helped me to find an incredible group of moms who encourage and support each other and their children every step of the way. One of those moms wrote up a little something that was everything I wanted to say but couldn't think of.  Thanks, Joanna.

You should be aware that having a child with SB may cause increased motivation to help others, a new-found perspective in times of trial, a desire to enjoy the little things and commitment to change the way the world defines "disability". Studies show that raising a child with SB will induce strong feelings of gratitude for even the simplest of milestones and produce a willingness to do anything, talk to anyone, try any method necessary to make life better for your child. Side effects include feelings of worry, fear, uncertainty, and anger but are tempered with love, faith, determination and hope. Having a child with SB is not easy...but loving one is.

I think that says it all.  

6 weeks

and cute as a button.

Cousins

Our family has really been growing.  At the beginning of this year, Nathan had 3 cousins.  Now he has 6!  Had to do a post about all these cuties!

My sister's baby, Zachary, is 7 months already and smiles all the time.  He is too adorable and has the chubbiest cheeks! I can't get enough of him!  Nathan has been more interested in "playing" with him lately, too, now that Zach is sitting up and starting to play with toys.

Look closely-you can see his first little tooth!

Recently we got together with my cousin Erin and her 2 kids, Fernando Jr. and Millie.  Nathan was just used to being the only kid at Gramma's house but that day there were 5!  It was the first time we were all together with the addition of Lucas.  It was a busy but fun day.

This is the best I could get with 4 kids under 3! (Lucas sat this one out)

Beautiful Millie

Junior (look at those curls!)

And then there is Ryan's sister who was due 4 weeks before me, but had her baby boy, Dylan, 3 weeks after Lucas was born.  He was 10 lbs 4 oz!!!!  Crazy how things work out sometimes.  We were excited to finally meet him last week.

Jake holding Lucas

Hailee holding Lucas

Hailee holding Lucas and Jake holding Dylan

Baby cousins- Dylan at 2 weeks and Lucas at 5

Can't wait for the holiday season-with all these little ones, it's sure to be a fun time!

That's right

Nathan is thrilled to be holding his baby brother.

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday (a day late)

Being a little brother

is hard work.

Early arrival

Today is my due date.

Today, my baby is 5 weeks 2 days old.

I find it humorous (and a little ironic) that I am finally getting around to blogging again on my original due date.  I also find it humorous that I remember saying to Ryan just days before he was born that "I really want him to have an October birthday" to which Ryan replied, "Of course he'll have an October birthday, why wouldn't he?"  And the one I keep replaying in my head was my response when people would ask how I was feeling, "I'm anxious to get this show on the road."

I didn't mean it literally.

So now, finally, I am getting around to formally blogging about the birth of our second baby,

Lucas Ryan Burnett

September 6, 2011

6 lbs 9 ounces

Although his birth did not go the way I planned and he spent 18 days in the NICU, although I anticipated him being as big as or bigger than his brother and he barely has any clothes the fit him, although I thought I had at least a few more weeks to prepare, he is perfect.

I won't lie, those weeks he spent in the hospital were excruciating.  I was so angry that I had to go through the agony of not being able to hold him or take him home right away. So angry in fact that I couldn't even blog or write about it.  I was torn between being there for my big boy who needed me because he didn't understand what was going on and being at the hospital for my baby who was trying to get better.  All the while feeling helpless and sorry for myself because I couldn't take care of either of them the way I wanted or needed to.

But, praise God, Lucas is home and looking back it all just seems like a bad dream now. 

 

 Now, everything is as it should be.

I have my two beautiful boys,

 

And I couldn't feel more blessed.

A very special thank you to my family who took time off of work and spent time away from their homes to help us.  We could have never gotten through those few weeks without you.  Also to my neighbors who so unselfishly offered to help in any way they could.  Just the offer, and knowing you were thinking of us helped more than you could possibly know.  And to all my prayer warriors-I truly believe it was through power of prayer that Lucas continued to improve as quickly as he did.  The outpouring of love and support from everyone was humbling and helped us to get through some very difficult days.  Thank you all so, so much.