Dear Colton…

Dear Colton,
What a crazy 2 weeks it has been since you were born. I had so much anxiety of your arrival, were there going to be other complications besides the cleft lip and palate? how bad was it going to be? I was overwhelmed with emotions that you literally took my breath away and gave daddy and the doctors a scare, but I was so relieved that you were here and you were a healthy boy. From the moment I held you, I knew that you and I were going to get through anything together.
A week after your were born, we made the trip to Boston to meet the best Cleft team at Boston Children Hospital. We established a plan of multiple surgeries to correct both the lip and palate before your first birthday, starting April 1st to implant a mold into your gums to bring the gum line back together and then 6 weeks after that you will have your first surgery to correct your nose and to bring the lip together.
We have been struggling to keep your weight up, but you will soon learn that your Mom and Dad will tackle any complication or issue head on and will fight for you.
This year will be the hardest year of your and my life, but I know that we can do this! We will use the strength of your dad, the laughter of your brother, and the brute force of Oakley, your Mastiff buddy, to get us through this year.
Love,
Mama Bear