April Highlights

Mommy at 35 weeks pregnant

-                Mommy begins the month 35 months pregnant feeling huge and barely able to get around.

-                Grandma Linda, Grandpa Mike, Grandma Judy and Rachel help take care of Catie and Brandon during the first days of April.  


-       Catie decides she wants to be Mater from Cars and dresses like a boy when she adopts his persona.  She tells Brandon that he is Lighting McQueen.  Many hours are spent racing around the house and backyard pretending to be race cars.

-                Connor Michael Cox and Ethan Robert Cox enter the world on April 6, 2012 at 7:27 am and 7:29 am.  They are both whisked away to the Neonatal Intensive CARE Unit (NICU) for breathing support.  Mommy recovers from her first (and last) C-section.

Connor Michael Cox, born at 7:27am, 7 lbs. 7 oz.

Ethan Robert Cox, born 7:29 am, 8lbs. 4 oz.

Connor with Auntie Courtney

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Catie (dressed as Mater) meets Connor


-There is a family Easter Brunch at Omni hotel.  Catie, Brandon, Daddy, Uncle Brad, Auntie Courtney, Carter, Grandpa Mike, Grandma Linda, Grandpa Bob and Grandma Judy attend.  Mommy, Connor and Ethan hang out at the hospital.

The whole family with the Easter Bunny

Handsome little man

Catie pets a bunny

Precious Catie and Brandon ready to hunt for eggs

-        Connor recovers from Respiratory Distress Syndrome and he comes home with Mommy on Tuesday, April 10^th.

Brandon (with his new pacifier from the hospital)

Catie (dressed as Mater) and a view of our new car arrangement

Connor (with his in utero head tilt) taking his first ride home

-                We spend most of April adapting to a life with one newborn baby at home (Connor) and one in the hospital (Ethan).

Catie decorates Connor in his Rock'n'Play

Connor strikes a tilted pose

Catie (as Mater) and Brandon spend time with Connor

Brandon finds Connor's hat and graciously returns it to him

Brian holding Connor

Connor's first bath

Park outing

Catie and Brandon giving hugs

-                Ethan moves to Children’s Medical Center in downtown Dallas.  Daddy drives his car behind the ambulance transport.  Our family is heartbroken.

Ethan on nasal cannula for breathing help

Ethan with his CPAP mask

He was not a fan of his mask:(

Ethan had to be intubated for breathing help.

Sweet Ethan dozing.

-                Daddy has a week off when the babies are born and returns to a crazy call schedule for the rest of the month.  We miss him terribly, but enjoy the time we have with him at home.

-                Mommy, Catie, Brandon and Connor take a trip to the zoo.  Catie and Brandon climb all over the animal statues and see penguins, elephants, lions and giraffes.  Everyone is disappointed that the giraffes refuse to eat the lettuce.  Brandon talks about the silly giraffes for weeks.  Connor enjoys the zoo from his stroller.

Catie and Brandon waiting to hop out of the car.

Helpful Big Brother Brandon and Big Sister Catie push Connor in stroller.

Catie riding a kangaroo.

Brandon riding an armadillo.

  -                Grandpa Bob and Grandma Judy visit and take Catie and Brandon to see Thomas the Train in Grapevine.  Grandma Judy helps Mommy take care of her four precious babies.

Grandma and Connor snuggling.

Catie (Mater) and Brandon using sidewalk chalk.

Enjoying ice cream with Grandma at Central Market.

Grandma, Catie(such a sweet big sister) and Connor.

Brandon helping Grandpa make pancakes.

Daddy having pancakes with Catie and Brandon.

-                We find out that a small portion of Ethan’s right bronchus (airway) is collapsed.  A bronchoscopy preformed by Dr. Johnson at Children’s Medical Center at Dallas makes this discovery.  The neonatologists at the hospital explain that they now know why Ethan is having trouble breathing; they just don’t know how they will fix it.  Not at all the words a mother want to hear.