Breathing Easy

I'm still reminiscing over this time 3 years ago.

January 13, 2005, though my son was already 4 days old, marks the first time I ever held my baby boy. Outside the womb, that is.

That day he went from this...

On a ventilator.

To this...

...which looks completely horrific but is "better" than the vent. It's called CPAP and luckily he wasn't on it long. He made some funny noises on that thing, allowing Jason and I to laugh despite the situation.

Anyway, would you believe we have no pictures from the first time I held Baby Easton? We went up to visit and had our camera stashed elsewhere in the hospital. When they offered me the chance to hold my tiny son there was no way I was gonna pass it up to go get my camera. So no pictures. And sadly the memories have faded somewhat with time. But they're still there a little. I remember how teeny tiny he felt. How teeny tiny he was. I remember that I got to put him skin to skin on my chest. And that the teenage dad at the incubator next to us wanted to come check out our baby and Jason let him...despite the whole me being naked. And I didn't care...but I remember. I thought it was funny. I was just glad to finally have that artificially warm little pile of bones, tubes, and wires in my arms.

Given the choice I would've waited another 2 months to avoid what we went through...but no one asked me. If I had it to do again I'd have brought the camera. :)