Natalie Grace...Our Little Sugar Bear!

Derek and I had planned to start our family a little early in our marriage...we wanted kids and we wanted them right away!  After trying for about two and a half years we decided to see a fertility specialist.  We went to the classes and even received all the medications in the mail and all I had to do was wait until I started my period before I could begin the fertility treatments...it never came because I was already pregnant!  Derek and I were so happy, shocked, and totally excited to become parents! 

The beginning of the pregnancy was very difficult...Derek's Dad passed away in April from prostate cancer and metastases of the bones.  He had been sick since we were married but the progression was very fast.  We were comforted knowing that first, he was going to be with the Lord and second, he knew we were having a baby and he was so happy.  We are sad that Dad never got to meet Natalie but we know that he is watching over her everyday.

On July 30th (Derek's Birthday) we found out the results from our sonogram and were told that our baby's measurements were unusual and that we would need to see a specialist to find out why.  After meeting with the specialists we were told that our little girl either had OI (Osteogenisis Imperfecta or better known as Brittle Bone Disease) or Achondroplasia.  I know a good amount about OI because our Godson Matthew was born with OI only months earlier, but I did not know anything about Achondroplasia.  The doctors did not find any broken bones in the sonograms so they believed she might have Achondroplasia.  Derek and I were devastated at first...knowing that your child will be different and may have health issues just broke our hearts.  We knew that God had given us Natalie for a reason, after all the waiting and praying to have her we were going to love her no matter the circumstance.  We began to watch Little People, Big World immediately and tried to learn as much as we could about Dwarfism.  I probably saw more doctors while carrying Natalie then I will the rest of my lifetime...it was a SHOW!  I had a sonogram about every two weeks and about five weeks before she was due, I was put on complete bed rest.  That's right folks...I had pre-eclampsia!  Every time the doctors checked my blood pressure they were ready to admit me to the labor & delivery wing.  I was admitted twice and given steroids to help Natalie's lungs develop faster in case they needed to deliver her early.  My due date was October 27th (which is also my Godson Matthew's Birthday)...but the doctors wanted to do a C-section because they were worried about Natalie's chest size...which to this day I don't understand. 

Natalie Grace was born on October 16, 2009...she shares her Birthday with Matthew's Mommy, Mary (that's a tongue twister) She was 7lbs, 6oz and 18in long.  She was perfectly healthy!!!  She came out breathing just fine (which shocked everyone) and she was born with a full head of hair! 

Natalie has Achondroplasia, which is a type of dwarfism.  She will be small her whole life...but all you ladies know...some of the best things come in small packages! :)  She is now almost 20 months old and has only had to have one minor surgery...she had tubes put in her ears in February.  Since then, she is hearing better, and she isn't sick as often!  She has had some major difficulities with eating, but I'm proud to say that I think those issues are behind us.  She has almost all her teeth now and she's finally starting to enjoy her food!  Here are a few pictures of Natalie over the past 19 months.  She is growing up too fast!