Welcome Blaine!!!!!

As most of you know, I celebrated by birthday yesterday by welcoming baby Blaine Asa Woods into the world!  I couldn't have ever asked for a better birthday present.  My water broke around 3:45 AM and started the labor process.  We waited until 7:00 to get Ava up and take her to the babysitter so we could head to the hospital.  After arriving at the hospital around 8:00, labor progressed much quicker than it did with Ava!  No gradual, all-night labor like the last time!  Blaine then entered the world at 11:32 AM, weighing 9# 2 oz and 21 1/4 in long.

We were doing well throughout the afternoon, but the nurses then determined that he was having a bit of respiratory distress due to the grunting sounds and nostril flaring that we were seeing.  So Blaine ended up going to the NICU for additional testing and monitoring. He progressed well throughout the night and we were hoping to bring him back this morning.  However, some of his bloodwork this morning indicated a possible infection.  Therefore, he was started on IV antibiotics and will remain in the NICU on IV antibiotics until at least Monday morning when the final blood cultures come back.  All of his vital signs remain good and he is nursing well, so hopefully these are good signs.  Please pray for him that the antibiotics clear any infection that may be present and he recovers soon.  I am thankful for the care and attention that he is getting here at St. Elizabeth - the nurses and staff are wonderful and caring.  And after seeing all of the other tiny, critical babies in the NICU, I am thankful that I am not in that situation.

Anyway, here are some promised pictures of our new arrival!

 Just born!

 He didn't like his first bath all that well.

 The proud papa!

Ava is a VERY loving big sister!  She didn't want to let Blaine out of her sight when she visited.  She was rather concerned when the nurses were checking him out and working with him.  She had to have John hold her so that she could see him in the warmer and had to be close to him.  She then got rather upset when the nurses decided to take "her baby" away to the NICU!  She does love him a lot and I am sure that she will be a wonderful big sister!!