One Week Old and Doing Great

Anna Marie was one week old yesterday and is doing better everyday. We thank God everyday for trusting us with one of His little angels. Amber and I both acknowledge that with out God's divine help, Anna would not be doing as well as she is doing. I am confident that God healed Anna just the other night. I was sitting with her, just thanking God for trusting us to care for her, when I could see something changed about her. I can not pinpoint exactly what changed, but I was just staring at her and she changed and I am confident that it was God healing her little body. She has not taken a step back since and continues to improve daily. Amber and I are so excited to see her everyday, due to fact that everyday we see her she improves and is getting closer to going home. Here are some pics and a video. Anna is off of the ventilator and CPAP and is doing the work herself. They still have some oxygen going to her, but that is just to keep a little air flowing. She is getting better and better with her feedings and is even sucking on the feeding tube just a little bit. She has still got to put on some more weight and learn to suck, swallow, and breathe at the same time, then we can take her home!

Update

Anna is now 2 days and 22 mins old!! Anna was born at 3lbs, dropped down to 2lbs 15oz, and is now up to 3lbs 1oz. She has been taken completely off the ventilator and on a CPAP. She is doing most of the work herself and it taken breast milk well. Amber and I are so proud of her! We just went and changed her diaper and she has been having bowel movements. We actually heard her cry for the first time tonight!! We are really looking forward to holding her! She is progressing great! Here are a couple more pic......

Mommy and Anna feel each others touch for the first time!

Beautiful Mommy and Beautiful Anna

Our LITTLE Anna resting

Daddy changing Anna for the first time!

Happy Birthday Anna Marie

Anna Marie was born last night at 9:08pm to the most brave mother and the most excited father in all the world. The doctor broke her water at around 3:00pm and Amber did absolutely AMAZING!!!! It was like she had been taking classes on how to manage contractions. The doctor's first guess was that we would be parents around 9pm, but changed his assessment at 7:45 when she was only 4cm dilated to around midnight. That's right only 4cm at 7:45 and within an hour and fifteen minutes, Anna Marie was ready to meet everyone. The nurse ordered the epidural around 7pm, but there are things that must be done first before it is inserted. By the time we were ready, the epidural staff was in surgery and were told it would be 30-45 mins. Which at the time, we thought we had a little bit to wait. When the nurse checked the cervix the last time, she was ready and there was no epidural. Amber labored for about 7 hours and had her LITTLE bundle of joy naturally(what an experience)! It was not voluntary by no means, but Amber is so happy that it worked out as well as it did. I hope Amber knows how proud everyone is of her and how thankful we ALL are to her for carrying and delivering the most beautiful baby in the world. It is hard to express the emotions that went through the delivery room last night, but if it is any indication on what kind of experience it was, our wonderful nurse was actually tearing up with joy with us all. Here is a picture of our LITTLE Anna Marie, which they have already started weaning off the ventilator.