Exciting news

So I've had this blog for about two years now. I have been blessed to find encouragement in other people's blogs and I only hope I've touched some lives by writing about my journey. I don't know if there is anybody out there reading me but I thought I would announce anyway!

I LOVE to make things for my home, it is my hobby and my way to put my personal touch to it. I've been thinking about opening an Etsy shop and I finally did! 

www.etsy.com/shop/TheCOYlane

Come visit me, I would love to serve you!

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Cute Collage Boy Baby Announcements

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Ethan's birth story

My sweet Ethan Andrew is 2 months today. I know everybody says this but I can't believe how fast time goes by. Two months and I haven't had the time to write his birth story. There are other things I could should be doing right now but I want to write this before more time passes by and I forget more of the details I want to remember.

So here we go.

This time around because of our medical history my OB was amazing at caring for us. She wanted to make sure everything was going well. We were blessed with a sensitive and capable OB that genuinely cared for our well being, not only physical but emotional.

Physically it was a textbook pregnancy with no complications. Not even a little bleeding or any cramps. We were able to hear his heartbeat at 6 weeks. Emotionally it was challenging because you can't just forget your wounds and scars. I will talk about those challenges in another post now to the happy story.

At 34 weeks we had a scan in which they told us Ethan was breech. It is not important that early on but now I know God was preparing our hearts for what was coming. We had a scan at 35w and he had flipped (head down) and another one at 36 that showed he had turned again (breech). Scans were done every week from then on with no change to be seen. At 37 weeks we started talking C-section. I was pretty frustrated because that couldn't go more against what we wanted. However, I was reminded that the important thing was that at the end no matter how I was going to hold my son in my arms and all the rest would not really matter. We kept praying but by my 38w check up we had to set a date for the C-section.

My OB had scheduled me for Thursday June 27th which was a week later. We tried to change it so my in-laws could get here but it turned out they were going to get here that morning so we decided to stick with it. So just like that June 27th became my due date. 3pm was the time, we had to show up 2 hours early to get things rolling.

That morning we woke up and didn't have breakfast because I wasn't supposed to eat anything before the surgery. We left the house at 12:30pm, stopped at the bank real quick to deposit a check and headed to the hospital. Before walking in we took a quick last belly picture and in we went.

Daddy getting ready

Minutes before we met him

They took me to a temporary room and hooked me up to the monitors. His heart was beating strong and I didn't have any contractions. Two hours went by and they were ready to take me to the OR. Bruce wasn't allowed in until after I had gotten the anesthesia. They did a spinal first and apparently that didn't work so they did an epidural. That was the worst of it all. I think I prefer a natural vaginal birth than an epidural any day! I felt electroshocks go down my legs and I bawled like a big baby. The worst part was that Bruce wasn't there to hold my hand. I was already very emotional because I had never wanted a C-section to begin with. So if you combine pregnancy hormones, things not going the way I wanted (again), the pain, and Bruce not being allowed in there you get: me crying my eyes out during every second of the anesthesia process. My OB was awesome though she held my hand and let me cry on her shoulder literally till it was all over.

Anyway, when I was ready to roll they laid me on my back on this weird operating table. Then they finally called Bruce in, it was wonderful to see him. He ran to my side, kissed my forehead and told me everything was going to be ok. I love my man. His sole presence was comforting! I don't think I was out of it at least I never felt I was. Bruce says I kind f was. I remember telling him "this is so weird because I can feel them pulling and tugging  but it doesn't hurt!". Thank goodness I couldn't see what was happening on the other side of the curtain. He did and he later told me it was crazy to see me so calm when my insides were outside!

Dr. P talked to us the whole time. To hear her describe what was happening (not in detail) made the whole experience better. When she saw Ethan she said "I see him", "Oh he's so cute!", "he's almost out", "here he is!". I am so thankful for her! Once he was out Bruce ran to his side and cut his cord. Then a nurse brought him to me and when they handed him to Bruce he sat by my side and got him close enough that I could kiss his beautiful face.

Cutting the cord

Feeding him to increase his blood sugar

First time holding him

He is gorgeous!

The very first time I heard him cry I cried. After a nerve wracking pregnancy and the agony over him being breech and the doubt that lingered in the back of my mind the whole time it was glorious to hear him alive and well! Bruce kept saying "oh, he's beautiful, he's perfect babe!". I agreed.

When they wheeled me out the OR and to the recovery room I saw everyone there, my parents, Bruce's parents, Sharon, Melanie and Linda. It was beautiful to see them all and to confirm how loved we are . Ethan was born here in the States and my extended family is in Mexico City otherwise I'm sure they would all have been there to welcome our newest addition.

I still had the anesthesia effects so I wasn't allowed to hold Ethan for a while but as soon as it was ok Bruce put him on my chest while he was close just in case. By the time I made it out of the OR there was already pictures of our son all over Instagram and Facebook! His arrival was very much anticipated by many.

Although it didn't go the way I wanted it to be and to this day I ask why it really doesn't matter now. Recovery wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. The first couple of days it hurt a lot and I would get exhausted just taking a few steps but one look at my healthy son makes it all worth it. I would never choose to have a C-section but now I know how it is and it is not as bad as I imagined.

So this it, our Ethan Andrew's birth story. We are so blessed to have him and beyond in love with him.

His birth announcement

Look who's here!

Being born is hard work!

Mr. Ethan Andrew Coy 

graced this world with his presence on

June 27th 2013

at 

4:28 pm

He weighed 8.6 lbs and was 20 1/2 in

He is the most perfect little boy (I might be bias). He has come to fill our life with sleepless nights, wet clothes, extra loads of laundry, and a love that we never knew before. We are beyond thankful for his life and we are enjoying every second we spend watching him in awe!

Birth story coming soon, I need to go feed him! 

Another day, another year

Today completes another year in our life. Probably the most difficult and painful as well as beautiful and precious. You see a year ago today our sweet Evan's spirit was born into the arms of our Jesus and his little body into ours.

A year ago today our God was good because he healed my son. It most certainly took me a while to be thankful for that healing but today I can honestly say my heart thanks God for delivering my baby from earthly suffering even if it meant breaking my heart.

A year ago today I met the most beautiful baby, held him and memorized his face. What a special time we spent together as a family. I would give a lot to be able to spend just a few more minutes with my precious son.

What a year it has been and today I cried nearly as much as I did that day but I wouldn't have it any other way. I am honored to be my Evan's mama. I will always love him and no one will ever take his place in my heart.

 Happy 1st Birthday my dear Son, we love you more than words can express!

Our life in years

I've heard a phrase that says "Every day is the start of a new year". When I first heard this it didn't make much sense but if you think about it for a minute it's the absolute truth.  365 days from today will be April 4th again and 365 days from tomorrow will be April 5th, a year nonetheless. Our life is changed by certain days that we celebrate or remember (depending on the case) every year and that is how we measure life. We measure our life in birthdays. We measure our education in school years. We measure our time in calendar years. We remember loved ones that are no longer with us every year on the date they passed away. We measure our marriage in anniversaries. Well you get the point.

I've been thinking about this because today is our 4 year wedding anniversary and even though at the end of 2012 I wrote a post on what we went through in that year, the "wedding anniversary measure" casts a different light on the same events. It's like a spotlight that points at a different character in the story. In the darkness of the theatre what this one light points at fills me with thankfulness, joy, humbleness, and oh so much love.

I know some men that would've probably walked this walk with as much dignity and integrity as he did, but I also know many others that would've walked away at the first sign of hardship. Not my Bruce. A couple of nights ago we were talking in bed and I thanked him for sticking by me and Evan when everything was so hard and painful he said "I cannot even fathom leaving you because our son was sick or passed away, that's something that never even crossed my mind as an option". Now I don't care how many faults this man has, this statement alone shows something far more important, it shows his heart. Bad habits can be changed, but a heart like this is worth pure gold.

This 4th year of marriage was probably one of the hardest we will ever walk through but I will always remember it as the one that showed my husband's true colors. The year that could have torn us apart but instead brought us closer together. The one God used to strengthen our love for each other and increase our admiration for each other. It wasn't an easy one but it was well worth it and I wouldn't chose anyone else to have lived it with.

Right now sitting in bed, typing these lines I am overwhelmed by love not only my Bruce's love but God's love for me that He would give me such a man for a husband... and now I look forward to what this new year will show me about him. We are writing a whole new chapter in which we live the role of parents of our sweet boy here on earth. I can't wait to fall even deeper in love with the father of my children as I see him interact, teach, and love our son as only he can. What an adventure and what good company I am in! Bring it on!

My gorgeous anniversary flowers!

Life as of late

I've been MIA since the end of February when I wrote my last post. I'm not sure if it's just me or life seems to go by a lot faster lately. It seems like I wake up do a couple of things and it's night again! Anyway, I'm trying to make the best out of these last months before Baby Ethan makes his arrival.

My mom was in town for a couple of weeks, which was a great treat! She cooked authentic Mexican food for me, took me shopping for all things baby and shared in the whole pregnancy experience which is hard them being so far away.

 As I mentioned in my last post I started organizing our house some time ago. I thought I was done or close anyway but then all things baby started invading the house and I realized there's still more to do. Last week I cleaned and organized our closet, it took almost all day and all of my energy for the day. Now I'm working on the kitchen but I'm not too inspired for that one. The space is limited so I'm doing my best to maximize it but I'm not sure I'm doing it right, we'll see how that turns out. Trying to keep only what you truly need is easier said than done for sure!

I've been also working on several projects around the house I will post at least one of them soon, maybe tomorrow. Right now I'll try to get myself out of bed and finish the kitchen.