6 Months Old! Just a Minor Observation

We are so out of tune with our surroundings. In today's iPhone and Facebook world a bear could waltz through our living room and we'd shrug it off to continue trying to figure out a way to make a "Beiber" on DrawSomething. Since Holden has joined our roster, that has changed. There are times when all that jazz takes a backseat to the most minute observations. The lights, lizards, noises that once graced our presence have returned. A rediscovery for mom and dad if you will.

I grabbed a tortilla chip out of a bag last night while holding the little guy. As the bag crumbled from my abusive handling of it, he stopped cold. Looked at the bag. Then me. Then bag again. I crumbled it again. Same reaction. I picked it up and handed it to him. ("cheega, cheega, cheega...") He attacked it, laughing as it made the crumbling noises we so often ignore. Basic cause and effect, so perfectly displayed by none other than an infant.

That is Holden at 6 months. Despite the small setbacks in his life, he's packed up the oxen and forded the river with best of them to discover anything and everything he can. While I probably would have complained about someone crumbling a chip bag in such a manner at a Subway or other high class establishment, I couldn't help but enjoy every minute of what Holden was offering me.

(“cheega...cheega...cheega”)

Trey

The Tin Man

As most of you know, Holden was born on October 11, 2011, the very Flynn friendly size of 4lbs 13oz. Shortly after, Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children came to us asking if we’d be willing to share Holden’s story with the masses. Nicole and I didn’t hesitate to say yes. We found a way to take a very tough situation and remain positive. It was important to us, and we wanted others who were in the same situation to know it is possible.

The creative mind, Jon Strong of Strong Films, recorded several hours of footage, everything from doctor’s visits to playtime. What became of it was a film unlike anything we’ve ever seen (granted, I’m a bit biased).

We know many of you have already passed this along to your family and friends. We appreciate everything each of you have done for us. If you haven't had the chance, please share it. Facebook it, Tweet, or whatever it. I can recall the hours before Holden’s first surgery in January, We stumbled across a YouTube video that someone else had put up. It was named “Anna’s Story“, and it chronicled the story a 10 year old girl who had same operations Holden would be going through over the coming months and years. We cried. Not because we were grieving over Holden’s condition, but because we were so excited to see that everything was going to be okay. It helped us so much.

Chances are, someone your friends or family might know might have just been told their child will be born with a CHD. We hope that this video has passed on the idea that there is a lot to be positive about during a tough situation. That positivity we’ve carried with us the last 10 months has been our GREATEST weapon.

http//:bit.ly/thetinman



Of course a BIG thank you to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Strong Films for their work on this project.