BEST DAY EVER! (So far)

AM Check-In
Jason called in and checked on Colby this morning with Brooke and he was doing good.  His oxygen was at 50% and his rate was still at 20.  Brooke had swaddled him a bit this morning and he was liking it so far!  They had to remove his arterial line because his vein gave out and they decided to spread out his gases a little so they don't have to prick his heel as often.

Evening Visit with Mommy, Daddy, and Ainsley
-We took Ainsley to see Colby this evening and she sat next to his bed and sang him songs and told him some nursery rhymes.  It was so sweet!  That lasted for about 5-10 minutes and then she wanted to play with my phone. :) 

-Brooke was telling us that she really thought Colby was ready to try and come off the ventilator!  He is breathing over the machine a bit now and his rate has been doing well.  She was going to talk with the nurse practitioner and see what her thoughts were.  His blood gases looked good and they both agreed to try but when the nurse practitioner looked at his pressure she decided to try and lower it a bit before taking him off the ventilator.  So, that is our plan for the next few days and hopefully we will be able to try coming off the ventilator this week sometime!  PRAYER---Please pray that our little man is up for the challenge of breathing on his own and that he puts on his big boy diapers this week! :)

-Mommy was talking with Colby while Brooke was changing him (Mommy passed on trying to redeem myself tonight!).  He poo-poo'd some more after Brooke took off his diaper but she is more used to working around those wires and she did much better than mommy would have! :)

-Brooke finished up with Colby and went to do something else...then she came back with some gowns and said, "Ok, let's do this!"!  It took me a minute to figure out she meant we were going to get to hold Colby!  Of course I almost started crying but she said I wasn't going to be able to hold him if I started crying so I stopped! :)  I put on my gown while she got all his wires straightened out and got him all swaddled up for me.  I sat down while she handed him to me and Jason had to hold the oxygen tubes for me.  Ainsley got moved over in her chair and wanted to touch him everywhere!  She touched his head and then his hand.  She was so sweet with him---what a GREAT BIG SISTER!!!  She did get upset that she couldn't hold him though. :)

-Then it was Daddy's turn to hold his little boy for the first time!  I held his oxygen tubes for him and Sheila and Brooke did such a wonderful things and helped to keep Ainsley's attention so we could have a few minutes with our boy!  They were soooo sweet with her!  Brooke got her some paper and a pencil so she could draw.

Sheila mentioned on our way out that Brooke must be our favorite nurse now since she let us hold Colby for the first time.  To any of our nurses that read this---we love you all!  We are so blessed to have each of you taking care of our pumpkin.  We feel so comfortable with him in your hands and can't begin to express our appreciation for the love and attention you have shown our little man.  Our hearts are in your hands and God has placed all of you in our lives for a reason and I am forever grateful!  God Bless you for what you do each day!

This has been such a wonderful day---our God is amazing and I am humbled by the blessings He is placing on us.  PRAISES for all the fantastic news today!  I just can't say it enough!  PRAYERS--that our little man has a good week and that if they are able to try and take him off the ventilator that it goes well!!!!  It would be such a big move for him and we hope he is up for it!

Please keep praying---God hears us!
Brie