Our family was established 08/2010, Josh and I (Brittney) honeymooned in Cancun and returned home to rent a small 900sq ft house from my dad. I worked for my cousin at her in-home daycare and Josh installs heating and AC units for a small family owned local company. October 2010 we found out we were expecting a sweet little family member, Josh and I both were overwhelmed with joy! All I had ever wanted to be was a mommy, and my dream was soon to come true, so I thought. Just 6weeks pregnant we decided to share our exciting news with our families, and the very next day my worst fear came true. I miscarried the tiny bundle I’d quickly become attached to. It was a tough next few weeks, but we named little baby Sydney and keeping the baby forever in our memory we moved on. No more than 4 weeks later did it happen again, a + sign appeared and overwhelming emotions came over me! I told Josh but we chose to keep the news to ourselves until I was a little further along this time around. Our sweet perfect Austyn Jayne arrived at 8:35pm on 7/12, after umpteen hours of labor, no progress, having her heart rate drop multiple times, finally to the point she flatlined I was rushed out to an emergency C-section. I will never forget that day, it was one of the worst days of my life, but also one of the best. I did not get to hold my baby right away, I barely got a look at her face before they moved her to recovery and began stitching me up. Josh informed me that it was a girl (we didn’t find out prior to having her), and he went to tell our families everything went good and both mommy and baby were safe. It was not the experience I had dreamed about. It is hard to explain the fear and emotional roller coaster that day brought upon me for the next few weeks, I had vowed to never have a cesarian and I struggled with the knowledge that I in fact had one and that the doctor who preformed it said I would never be able to deliver a baby the way most women do. After about a month I came to grips with it, accepted it and moved forward.
Austyn Jayne was my pride and joy! She was glued to my hip, she went every where with me, I was such a proud little mommy and she was a huge mammas girl. My life felt complete, I had my baby, my husband, a cute little house, and we were so happy. I wanted to pause the moments, and I felt like a little kid again playing house, just with a real life baby this time. Does it get any better than this? It does :).
Already pregnancy number 3?! How was it possible? Austyn Jayne was only 10 months old! I was not prepared, or ready to let her give up this “only child” status she held, and also we were in the process of buying a home. Added stress wasn’t what I wanted, but I showed Josh yet another + and after just a few days I was overjoyed and happy about our news. Still to play it safe we chose to wait until the 8week mark to announce. We did not make it, at just 7 weeks I had my second miscarriage. I was down on myself, maybe if I had been overjoyed when I first found out? No, God had a plan, and now I have two sweet babies up in heaven looking down and keeping a watchful eye on their little siblings.
In June 2011 we signed the papers and bought my childhood home! It was exciting, surreal, and a huge blessing! A few weeks later Austyn Jayne had her first birthday and we went on our traditional family vacation, life was feeling quite amazing!
Mid August another surprise?! My cousin/boss/best fried was expecting a baby, and so was I!! We found out we were due just a few weeks apart. Ecstatic! Our babies would be best little friend cousins, but I tried not to get my hopes two high, I told Josh and again we decided to hold off on telling people. I was only 3.5 weeks along for goodness sakes. the next 4.5 weeks took forever, but finally it arrived and we spread the good news! Baby Smith was due to arrive in April. I did my research, selected a willing doctor and planned on doing the “impossible” I was going to try to deliver this baby naturally! All around a smooth pregnancy, everything was going well, I was preparing to quit my current job to open an in home daycare of my own as to spend as much time home with my soon to be 2 children as possible! Everything was set into place, and after a visit to L and D on Wednesday afternoon and Thursday night “true” labor kicked in and back we went at 3am Friday morning! Everything proceeded well, smooth, no complications, no drop in baby Smiths heart rate, and at 7:45pm I was informed I had made it all the way and would soon be naturally delivering this baby. At 9:25pm our baby came, Josh excitedly announced we had another girl and the doctor placed her in my arms. This was truly the happiest moment of my life, and she was perfect. A head full of dark hair, tongue sticking out, instantly snuggling, I was proud, amazed and head over heals!
This was the greatest feeling I had ever experienced. We named her Colbey Raye Smith and she is still one of the greatest gifts I’ve ever reviewed. He’s big sister Austyn Jayne was instantly inlove as well. She was her little second mommy and wanted to help out with her baby in every way possible. Very protective, caring, sweet and loving towards her, still to this day, she is her big watchful sister. Colbey Raye has taught me so much and she can make anyone smile in the worst of situations. This is not the end of our story but the beginning, and Colbey Raye’s story explains what happened after we brought her home, and how she changed our lives forever. Read “Colbey Raye’s story” to learn about her struggles, her strength, and her sweet smile.
Colbey Raye's journey and life's new "normal" 