Happy Monday....

.....And happy it has been! We have finally been able to hold our little man today :-) I can't even begin to describe what an awesome feeling it is to FINALLY be able to hold the precious baby we've only been able to look at and touch for over a week.

With such a rough night with withdrawls and shallow breathing, Rich and I were reluctant to leave Braden last night. Much to our surprise, when we got to the hospital this morning, they had already removed his three chest tubes and catheter (sp?). Removing the chest tubes and continuing some breathing treatments have really helped Braden's lungs open up. We even heard him cry today.....something I never knew I'd wish and pray to hear. They will hopefully be able to start feeding him today. Unfortunately, the feeding part isn't as easy as it sounds. Since Braden has had the breathing tube in and has had constant suctioning, he relates anything in his mouth as negative stimuli. They will start the feeding through a tube in his nose and then they will begin certain techniques to help him associate oral stimuli with fullness in his belly.

I want to comment on Rich's blog last night when he mentioned our strength through all of this. I actually owe much of my strength to him. He reassures me that everything that's going on is "typical" with the recovery process; he's my navigator when walking through the hospital (it's like a city within a building); he has been my brain when I can no longer think; he has dried my tears and washed away my fears. I am so blessed to have Rich by my side through all of this.

I want to continue to thank all of you for your continued support, love, and prayers. We are blown away with the amount of prayers that God has been receiving in the name of Braden and his recovery. As much as you love our updates, we look forward to reading the comments and our e-mails. They continue to bring us joy each day.

Please keep us in your prayers.
Love to all of you,
Steph, Rich, and Braden