Welcoming Ember Home

We’ve recently welcomed Ember Mae to our family! 🥳

After two surgeries, 7 weeks in the NICU, and then some acclimating at home, I wanted to take some time to share a few photos.

It was many months from learning about Ember’s Spina Bifida to her leaving the NICU. That said, I’m only sharing a few snapshots of our life over that time.

Let’s start at the beginning: the first major milestone was Ember’s surgery to close the opening in her spine while she was still in Sara (my wife). This procedure, performed before birth, was nothing short of mind-blowing. The first photo shows Sara pre-op, and the second captures her post-op, recovering with some Pokémon: Indigo League to keep her spirits up.

Let’s be honest, it was more so to keep my spirits up.

As part of Sara’s post-op care, we were instructed to relocate to Houston—about six hours from home—two months before Ember’s due date. We made the move, and on our first weekend there, July 6th, we took our son to Galveston to enjoy the ocean.

That weekend, though, a different kind of storm loomed. Hurricane Beryl was on its way and made landfall on July 8th. The storm left us without power or Internet and introduced a series of challenges:

• Difficulty in finding gas while needing to drive 20–30 minutes each way to the hospital.
• Spoiled groceries after days without electricity.
• Handwritten hospital notes due to downed phone lines.
• Sweltering nights without A/C.

And then, on July 8th, amidst the chaos, Sara’s water broke. Whether it was stress, the storm’s pressure changes, or just Ember deciding it was time, we’ll never know.

Ember was born on July 10th, weighing just 4 lbs. She went directly to the NICU, where she stayed for seven weeks. During that time, she underwent another surgery to place a shunt to relieve pressure on her brain.

One of the earliest photos we have is of her patch shortly after birth. While it looked tough, the doctors assured us it was healing well. After a few weeks, we were finally able to hold Ember under specific conditions—a moment we’ll never forget.

Seven weeks later, we brought our little fighter home. Ember’s journey with Spina Bifida isn’t over, but we’re incredibly grateful for how well she’s doing now. She retains the use of her legs and, for now, doesn’t require catheterization.

Though the future holds uncertainties, we’re cherishing every moment with our healthy, strong little girl.