Faces of Spina Bifida: Meet Ethan and Gwen!

Meet Ethan

"I wish I knew that this entire adventure would not be nearly as bad as the prenatal Dr’s (all of them) were telling me. I also wish I knew then what a wonderful second family I would meet, and the knowledge I would gain about Spina Bifida and all the other fun things that come along with it. I wish I knew then how strong my son would be and all that he would accomplish instead of being told he never would."

Blog:  The Adventures of E Man

Meet Gwen

(2 years old)

"My husband and I frequently reminisce about "what we wish we had known back then." In all honestly, it's all the little things.

We were told while pregnant that Gwendolyn would probably never walk and in all likelihood would be severely impaired cognitively. I guess doctors have to give you the worst-case scenario just in case but back then, we thought it was more of a solid diagnosis instead of an extreme end-of-the-spectrum possibility.

But as for what I wish I specifically knew...

-I wish I knew how gosh darn CUTE she would be!

-I wish I knew that when she was a baby in the NICU even the nurses could tell she was a sweet and gentle spirit. But a fighter!!

-I wish I knew how many individuals her little life would touch.

-I wish I knew how incredibly amazing she would be.

-I wish I knew what it would sound like to hear her say Mama!

-I wish I knew that her twin sister would be so loving and caring to her. And feel the need to find her "Gi-Gi" (Gwen) in the crib next to her before doing anything else every morning.

-I wish I could have felt her big squeezes around my neck and her sloppy kisses that melt my heart.

-I wish I could have already seen her smile and heard her say "hey" when I enter her nursery each morning.

-I wish I would have known the joy she exuded when she took her first steps in her walker.

-I wish I knew how incredibly precious it would be when she finds a toy she's been looking for and exclaims "there it is" with an excited shrill.

-Most of all, I wish I knew back then that I really COULD do this.

Spina Bifida doesn't define our lives as much as we once thought it would. It is a part of our lives yes. But definitely not the most important part. We have Braelyn and Gwendolyn who fill that spot."

Blog:  Our Twins

(don't forget to email me if you want your child featured!  cassie.mclelland@gmaildotcom)