We’ve had a busy week in Beckham’s world—another orthopedic appointment, his first physical therapy session through First Steps, and our very first Spina Bifida Clinic appointment. Some of the updates were encouraging. Some were honestly kind of funny. And some were much harder for me to process. So, here’s the latest on our sweet boy. Orthopedics: Cast #2 On August 27th, Beckham had his first cast removed and his second cast applied. And Beckham did amazing. He never shed a

One day recently, I told my husband, Julian, that Beckham reminds me of Nemo. He’s our own little Nemo with his lucky “fin”… I mean, foot 💙 His left foot may look a little different, and it may need some extra help along the way, but just like Nemo’s lucky fin, it’s simply one of the many things that make Beckham special. And after weeks of wondering what exactly was going on with his foot and whether there was anything we should be doing to help it, we finally got some answ

This update comes with some really encouraging news. Beckham is doing so well overall, and we recently received wonderful feedback from both neurosurgery and his First Steps developmental evaluation. At the same time, the day-to-day reality of his care continues to be a lot, and with my maternity leave ending soon, we’re trying to figure out what the next chapter will look like for our family. An Encouraging MRI & Neurosurgery Update Beckham recently had a repeat MRI of his b

Since having Beckham, our family has been surrounded by an incredible amount of love and support. We have so many amazing people in our lives who continually reach out to check on us, ask how Beckham is doing, and follow along with his journey. And as incredibly grateful as I am for the village surrounding us, I’ve also realized that it can sometimes feel overwhelming trying to keep so many people updated—especially when there are frequent appointments, new test results, chan

I love being Beckham’s mom. That is undeniable. My love for him, and for Jaxson, is one of the most unwavering, steady, and irrefutable parts of my life. I love waking up to his smile. I love hearing him coo back at me when I talk to him. I love nursing him, holding him, comforting him, and being the person he searches for when he needs to feel safe. I love that I am his mom. And I wouldn’t trade this life for the one I had before him. But lately, I’ve realized something else

What Is Spina Bifida? Spina bifida is a type of neural tube defect (NTD). The term spina bifida literally means “split spine.” Very early in pregnancy, a structure called the neural tube forms and eventually develops into the baby’s brain and spinal cord. Normally, this tube closes completely. With spina bifida, part of the neural tube does not develop or close as expected, leaving an opening somewhere along the spine. This happens incredibly early—usually within the first 28

When I found out about Beckham’s diagnosis, there were a million fears running through my mind. But one of them had nothing to do with Beckham himself. I was scared about what it would mean for my older son, Jaxson. I knew Beckham’s medical needs would inevitably require a significant amount of our time and attention—especially during infancy, but also beyond it, too. And I worried about what that would mean for Jaxson. Would he feel forgotten? Would he feel like he wasn’t as

For a long time, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to share this part of my story. It’s messy. It’s vulnerable. And honestly, it’s not the version of pregnancy we’re often shown—the glowing, joyful, picture-perfect journey we’re expected to have. But I think there is value in telling the parts of our stories that are harder to say out loud. Because the truth is, you can desperately love your baby and still struggle. You can be incredibly grateful for a pregnancy while simultaneously

When I was pregnant with Beckham, I heard the words "neurogenic bladder" countless times as we met with different specialists. As a neonatal nurse practitioner, I understood the medical definition and what typically took place during a NICU stay (which I’ll help explain below). What I didn’t fully understand was everything that happens after the NICU—and just how important your child’s pediatric urologist becomes. Long after you leave the hospital, your baby’s urologist will