Lindsey Reynolds Photography: The story of Nathan and a cake smash! (March 2015)

Some of you may or may not know that I am a big sister of many! For a couple years, I was the oldest of six. But, around May of last year, my Dad and Step-Mom surprised us all! No, they were not pregnant again, they were ADOPTING! This was shocking to me, because I thought my rambunctious little brother, Luke, would be the last sibling I would welcome to the family. Little did I know, a lucky number 7 was in the cards for the Raybon's!

I met Nathan shortly after hearing my Dad & Sarah were adopting; no time for the news to sink in! :-) And let me tell you, I was smitten (No, I can't say I have really used that word before)! He was SO cute, and had the most adorable, little pouty lip I would ever see. We sometimes refer to him as grumpy cat. Not because of his demeanor though! He may have been a difficult baby when it came to sleeping and what not, but his happy little face and spunky attitude are more than awesome.

When my Dad & Sarah adopted Nathan, they were aware that he had some sort of skeletal dysplasia. They were not really aware of what his exact diagnosis was, or what the future might hold, but to me, that is what is so wonderful. I must say, it shows so much compassion, strength and character for someone to adopt another person's child, especially knowing that that child may have somewhat of a bumpy road ahead. And for that, I respect them so much more! So, I will let them tell you the story. Below is an article they wrote for Little People of America, District 10's 2015 Winter Newsletter. Enjoy!

Welcoming Home Nathan

by Ron and Sarah Raybon (Arizona)

December 2015

In early 2014 we were probably considered your not-so-typical American family. With two adult children, three teenagers and a rambunctious 2 year old, life was busy. We originally thought we were destined to be a family of 6, when our 7th child arrived unexpectedly in the spring of 2012. Our youngest Luke was already twelve years younger than his next oldest sibling, our friends and family thought we were a bit on the crazy side.

In March of 2014 we received a call from an out-of-state family friend that her brother’s girlfriend had just given birth to a baby boy. They had been working with an adoption agency and the adoptive couple had been chosen. This couple that the birth parents had selected were present for the baby’s birth. When the baby boy was born, the hospital staff informed the family that this precious six-pound newborn boy appeared to have a form of skeletal dysplasia. The adoptive parents decided at that point to terminate the agreement and left this newborn baby at the hospital. The birth parents were put into an incredibly difficult and unexpected situation.

Completely unprepared to take care of a baby, they moved in with family and began to search for a family for their little boy. That is where we came into the picture. We never would have thought that 8 weeks later we would be on a plane to go meet our lucky #7, a baby boy we would name Nathan James.

We knew that Nathan had some sort of a Skeletal Dysplasia, but the doctors in his hometown were not certain exactly of his diagnosis. We did complete genetic testing and the Geneticist we were referred to locally said that Nathan had a mutation that she was unfamiliar with. That is when we contacted UCLA Medical Center. We actually just returned from California a few days ago. We were finally given the diagnosis of Spondyloepiphyseal Dysplasia Congenita (SEDc). The care we received at UCLA Medical Center and by Dr. Deborah Krakow and her staff exceeded our expectations and we left feeling confident and thrilled that we had answers.

Before that day in March we had thought very little about adoption. So when we were presented with this opportunity, we were a little apprehensive. However just moments after holding this perfect little baby boy in our arms, any doubt disappeared. Nathan has been a perfect addition to our family. He has two adoring sisters and four fun-loving brothers. Our family has further grown to include two grandchildren, two cats, two dogs and two turtles!

As new parents to a child with a Skeletal Dysplasia, there is so much more WE have to learn. However, we are determined to continue to seek the best medical advice and most helpful answers and information. One important thing we have learned is that adoption is a wonderful gift. Words can't begin to express how grateful we are to the young couple that entrusted him to us.

If you or anyone in your family is considering adoption, I think it would be such a wonderful choice. I have heard that some may think that because an adopted child is not "blood related" that they can't love them as just as much, that is SO not true! I love Nathan just as much as all the other little boogers! ;-) He is one of the family! And I definitely enjoy being a big sister. The Raybon household is always, fun, loud and crazy, but that's what makes it awesome!

For Nathan's 1st birthday photos, we decided we should attempt a cake smash session! I was pretty excited, because when I attempted to do the same with my little lady, Emmi, it did NOT go well. She hated the sticky frosting on her and between her fingers, she cried, and climbed all over me. However, Nathan's session was COMPLETELY opposite. It was awesome...

(Tip: Viewing blog posts from different computers and phones may make these photos seem blurry. If you click on them, they will become larger and come into focus. You're welcome!)