Day 3

Sweet baby Benjamin is doing well this morning and his daddy is off to be with him for a little one on one before the NICU closes at 6:00 a.m. Benjamin has already come to love "I am Jesus Little Lamb" and it seems to be a great way to comfort him before we leave and when we get back to him. It is amazing how the time flies when you are just sitting next to his little hospital bed staring at him. I know they don't hold anything back at Children's and shoot straight with you on the condition of your child so I am going to believe them when they say he is doing really well...even though as a mom you can't imagine how that can be so. With his little feeding tube on his scalp and all the tape and wires it just feels so overwhelming. Our hope is that they will continue to help sedate him enough so that he can rest comfortable and not be in a great deal of pain from the surgery but still start waking up enough that they can begin removing his breathing tube and progressing his treatment. He cannot be held right now but that doesn't stop us from doing lots of rubbing and kissing on his head and singing and talking to him. He is the hit of the NICU and is getting spoiled by all the sweet nurses.

Barrett is doing well hanging out with his grandmama and granddaddy but is definitely a little anxious with us popping in and out so much. Thanks to our amazing community group and other friends and family Barrett is also on his way to being spoiled with all the entertainment and "big brother" happies they have brought him. We are going to work on a drawing a sign for Benjamin's bed this morning with Barrett and have a good family breakfast here before we go back to the hospital. Barrett has never kissed me so hard (and he offers the occasional lick on my face thanks to the influence of the Lion King). Please pray that Barrett will be peaceful and stay healthy so he can hopefully come visit Benjamin once some of the wires and tubes are not being used.

Today please pray for Benjamin's vitals to stay strong and stable and that in the next few days the tests to see if there are any leaks in his new esophagus will be favorable. Also please pray for the nurses and doctors to continue to have wisdom as we move forward in the process of getting ready to introduce food/breast milk and hopefully move in a week or so to the step-down NICU nursery and then eventually a private room. It will be a long process (or so they say) even without any bumps along the way. Our nurse told me last night "I'm glad you don't have too scary of a situation..." which I'm beginning to understand what she means after being surrounded by such sick babies for the past few days. There are several babies near Benjamin who have been there for months (or even almost a year) and have a laundry list of problems that seem even more overwhelming than I can imagine. And on top of that many of those parents have an hour or more to drive each day to be with their babies...when they ask where we live I feel guilty giving our location (20 blocks away). God is so merciful to have let us settle in our new home and be ready for this special baby. It is amazing what mercy looks like right now...you could have never told me this is where we would be...but here we are...