Santa Baby

Merry Christmas again!

Marggie and Collin

My sister, best friend and confidante

I was going through some of our old family photos the other day and found some gems of my big sister. I Love her so much. We had our differences as kids, but now that we're grown-ups we have found that we are the best of friends. I don't know what I would do without her and I know that she feels the same way about me. It's hard to live so far away from your best friend and I am conforted that she is only one phone call away. Rachel, I love and miss you so much..... oh, and here are some of my favorite pictures of you. Enjoy.

The "blue" ghost.

The eternal optimist (hahaha)

I love you Rachel!

Marggie and Collin

Happy Holidays

Collin was singing along with the Christmas carols that we were singing at a "holiday" party we went to for a group we are part of at the childrens health center. He was so fun! He loved Santa and all the military volunteers thought he was adorable. I got a chance to talk to a few of the other parents and it was wonderful to hear that alot of the babies in our group are getting alot healthier. I love to hear success stories because they give me hope for the future. We have another visit with the nephrologist today and I hope to hear good news about Collin's kidney health. The last update we received stated that his kidney function is improving but not yet where they would like it to be. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed and praying for his health.

Love you all,

Marggie and Collin

Sippy Cup and Solid Foods

We finally got the approval from the doctors to have solid foods! Collin has high potassium levels so we can only pick from a smaller list, but at least he's eating the food. So far, he really enjoys peaches, green beans and applesauce. The nutritionist at the WIC office also said it would be smart to start him on a sippy cup. I got one that is similar to a bottle to start out and he seems to like it better than a bottle. I snapped a few shots of him today while feeding (which is much harder than I thought!) and he just loved it! Collin really is such a ham and totally knows what is going on when he sees a camera.

Check out the peaches

Sitting up in his bouncer. What a smarty pants :)

Collin

I know I need to update this blog more often, but I tend to forget or am too busy to do so. So, here are a few pictures of Collin from the past few weeks........ and yes, he is the happiest baby in the world.

Collin's First Hair Cut

Today Grandpa Benny and I took Collin to get his hair cut. He was such a good kid and didn't cry at all. He basically sat there and let the nice lady do her job. I know that this will probably be the only time he does that but I was so proud of him. I took a few pictures at the salon and at home. He looks so grown up!

My son, the look alike

So, a friend of mine was looking at a few of my pictures on my Facebook page. He thinks my son looks kinda like Chris Farley.... here's the comparison.

How funny!

Margaret and Collin

The Hair

So, I really need to get my sons hair cut. He's adorable and everyone stops me in stores and says, "WOW! Look at all that hair!" or "Your daughter has amazing hair" or even "Look how beautiful your little girl is". I love him and never mind the attention he gets. I mean, he's the cutest baby ever, but the comments about him being a girl are really starting to irritate me. I know that my sister Rachel is probably thinking to herself, "well, he's a beautiful baby and it's ok that people think he's a girl sometimes". But I beg to differ. Honestly, I'm not one to get angry and freak out. I just smile and somehow get in the word "son" in the conversation I have with the random people that stop me at Walmart. I thought I'd share some before and after pictures of my favorite little guy.

Loves,

Margaret and Collin

Feeding tube

Collin had surgery on September 1st to have a feeding tube placed in his tummy. It's called a G-tube or gastric feeding tube. He was such a trooper at the hospital. He loved the nurses that looked after him and even smiled at the phlebotomist after she drew his blood. I'm so glad everything went well and that Collin is getting more nutrition. He gets fed through the tube the entire night and does normal feedings the rest of the day. I know we're lucky because during the class for caring for the tube another family was there and their daughter has continuous feedings 24-7 with her tube. We are so blessed that Collin is thriving and such a happy baby.

Love you all,

Marggie and Collin

The Heat Wave

Well, the past few days have been super duper hot here in Washington. I thought that by moving up here I could escape the heat and get a little rain during the summer, but I was sure wrong. Yesterday we had record breaking heat! It was 110 in Tacoma at 3pm. Can you believe it?! It doesn't even get that hot in Utah. Well, it's really been taking a toll on my little guy. He doesn't seem to be eating all that much and is pretty cranky. I did catch a super cute picture of him hanging out with Grandma Becky in her room the other morning. I love that Collin looks like a little man all the time. He's so stinkin' adorable! I just hope that it starts to cool down enough for him to get his appetite back soon.

Love ya,

Marggie and Collin

My Baby

Collin is my favorite person in the whole world and I can't even imagine my life without him. He is learning to do so many things. I love it when he coos at me or attempts to laugh. He is super strong and is continually trying to sit up or kick to stand. He is such a sweet baby. My sister keeps nagging me to put more pictures on here every time I talk to her. So, Rachel, here you go. I'm giving you three today.

Love you all,

Marggie and Collin

Bath Time

So, Collin really enjoys taking baths. He kicks the water around and doesn't even mind getting water in his eyes. I love watching him grow and learn. He's starting to giggle and is recognizing faces and voices. He really loves his grandma and her silly baby talk.

More to come later.

Loves,

Marggie and Collin

Cool Dude

Collin is doing much better now that he's at home. He's eating on his own (with a little help from the feeding tube) and is enjoying life.

Love ya,

Marggie and Collin

Update

So, I'm back in a room at the hospital. They thought that Collin was doing really well last week, but he has had a set back. These past 4 days have been pretty rough for him. Collin is having a hard time eating and is now being fed through a feeding tube that is down his nose. He seems to be taking his feedings this way much better. They told me that his electrolite imbalance may be causing his issues with eating. We're taking everything one day at time, hoping that he will start getting better soon. We don't know when he'll be coming home, but his getting excellent care from the nurses and doctors here at the hospital. I'm so thankful for all the prayers that are being sent our way. Please keep them coming.

Love you all,

Marggie and Collin

Update

So, Collin is doing so much better! His acid levels are starting to equal out and his liquid intake has almost doubled. From what the doctors have said, it looks like we're going home this Saturday. We are being sent home with a scale to weigh him daily to make sure that he maintains his weight and stays healthy. I'm so glad that the end is finally in sight. I've known the whole time that things would work out, but it's good to see the end. Please keep praying for my boy, I know that it has helped him so much.

Love you all,

Marggie and Collin

Collin Update

Hello world! This past week has been super crazy! There have been setbacks and happy news. Today Collin had a procedure to check his kidney and bladder for any changes. His kidney no longer has cysts and his bladder is functioning just fine now. He still has a chemical imbalance which means that basically he doesn't have enough acid in his system. We've been on two medications for it and the second med seems to be working better than the first. (Plus it doesn't taste gross!) Things are going much better and I can finally see a light at the end of the tunnel. Keep praying for my little boy!

Love you all,

Marggie and Collin

Baby Collin has arrived!

WOW! The past week has been super crazy and I'm still not seeing an end to all the excitement. On Sunday, May 10th, 2009 I finally gave birth to my beautiful son Collin. He weighed in at 7lbs 11oz. He's 19 inches long and only has one kidney. I was told from the beginning that things might be rough once he was born, but I never thought it would be like this.

I've been in the hospital since Friday the 8th at around 2:30 pm not knowing I was going to be induced that day. It was a very long labor, 34 1/2 hours to be exact. I spent most of my labor walking the hospital and watching the clock. I honestly thought it would never happen. Thing started getting intense late saturday evening and was finally given an epidural later that evening. I slept through the night and then it all started to happen. Early Sunday morning I started having back labor due to Collin turning during the night and was given more epidural to help ease the pain. A few hours later, with the assistance of a vacuum, Collin was finally born. I was so relieved!

On day two of Collin's life he was taken in for tests to check his kidney function and to make sure all of his other vital organs were performing properly. We found out that he had a concentrated amount of acid in his system and is taking medication for that along with an iv for extra fluids. It was also announced today that he has a bladder infection and is now on two antibiotics to balance that out as well. If all tests come back positive, we may finally be able to leave the hospital on Sunday or Monday. I don't know how long they'll have a room for me, but I'm hoping against all hopes that I will be able to stay with Collin during his time in the ICN (Intermediate Care Nursery). Here are a few pictures.

Love ya,

Marggie and Collin

First Day of Spring

As we all know, the seasons in western Washington kind of fade from one to the next. Yesterday was one of those beautiful, sunny days that hardly ever happen. Days such as this get almost everyone out of their houses and down to the water. Yesterday was no exception for me and my family. We walked the waterfront in Tacoma and decided to finally take a few pictures of my pregnant self. So, here are the pictures everyone has been waiting for. At this point in my pregnancy, I have just less than 4 weeks remaining and am quite the sight to see, especially taking a stroll down the boardwalk. I had quite a few people ask me how many days I have left, if I'm past my due date or wow, that must be uncomfortable. In all actuality, the walk felt wonderful and I love being outside, just not in the rain.

Happy Monday to you all!

Loves

Collin Bowen Lee

Last Thursday I finally had my ultrasound! It was amazing to see my little guy for the first time. And yes, I am having a boy. My dad and sister Stephanie both came with me for some extra moral support and were equally excited about seeing my little one. I was worried that because I was having the ultrasound so late in the game that we wouldn't be able to determine the sex of the baby. Things are starting to get really cramped inside my belly, but that was the first thing we saw. The technician had some trouble getting good pictures of Collins profile and some of his internal organs, but said that everything is growing at a normal rate and that my due date may be a little later than planned. I'm not too worried though. 4 days isn't too much of a difference. I'll be scanning the picture they gave me of the ultrasound soon and I finally took some pictures of my belly to post as well. Those should be coming within the week.

Loves.

Doctor's Appointment

So, I went to the doctor on Wednesday and everything is going great. I think the most exciting part about all of this is that I have only gained 9 pounds since November. It seems like I've been growing in more ways than one and I am extremely happy that I haven't put on too much weight thus far. I have another appointment in two weeks but the most important thing is that I have my ultrasound next Thursday. My mom was with me at the appointment and she asked my nurse when we could have an ultrasound to find out the sex of the baby. The nurse didn't like that too much and went on to explain what the ultrasound was really for, but I really don't think my mom cared all that much. For some reason it seems like knowing the gender of my baby is more important to her than making sure everything is growing at a normal rate and that there aren't any birth defects. Well, I certainly thought that was funny. I am really looking forward to seeing my baby and making sure everything is in order. And as always, there is more to come.

Loves.

Firsts

Well, I figured I had this blog and I should probably use it to keep those who love me posted. For those who don't know, I am expecting a baby in early May. It's been exciting, overwhelming and crazy all bundled up in a sweet little package. I'm very excited for the prospect of being a mommy and all the adventures that will come with it. I haven't taken any pregnant pictures yet, but I figured this would be the perfect place to post them when I do. Also, I don't know what gender the baby is yet and am very excited to find out very soon. I'll keep everyone posted. No worries.

Loves, Marggie