Caleb Anthony Taylor

Wheewww! What a CHRISTmas we have had. I know many of you all know about our surpise gift of delivering Caleb almost 9 weeks early on Dec. 22. But I also know that there are many details we just have been too overwhelmed with this to share. So here goes.

This journey has been amazing. It is as if the Lord just said "I want to show you more of me. More of why so many things and people are in your lives. Remember...I am the one writing this story and I have always had something greater than you know planned." No kidding! The minute that the doctor said I was dialated to 6 we looked at each other and a flood of crying came...and came...and came. And then thru the tears Aaron's first words were..."Do you like Caleb Anthony?" Yep, we had not fully decided on his name and this was our top pic for a while we just couldn't hammer it down. Absolutely is his name= "COURAGEOUS". When the time came for the last few hours of real hard contractions this time, it was very different for me. I'd had hard labor 3 times...which went much faster...but this time the end result was scary. So, with every hard contraction I shut my eyes and prayed for him. I almost felt a sense of serenity in those moments. I was able to think on scripture and to pray specifics for my son who was coming. It was amazing. And, for those wondering if labor was much easier or less painful because he was little, it was not. I had hard contractions off and on as they tried to stop them for about 14 hours...compared to 2 the last time this was much different. So, anyway....when our sweet boy entered the room it was awesome. My first response was, wow look at that hair!! He cried instantly. It was awesome. Best sound ever! I was able to hold him briefly before he was taken to the NICU and then our room fell silent. It was amazingly intense and quiet at the same time. These past few days we have been so amazed and in awe of our Maker. We are blessed to already know 3 women who work in the NICU which has given us such a peace to know he is not only watched for 24 hours but prayed over by these women. It has amazed me to see how the knowledge I got from college course on specific needs of preemies and from many of our friends who have had them has just given me peace in moments where every 5 minutes we have a new doc/specialist coming to talk to us.

It is overwhelming. I have many moments were I miss him deeply. I was not ready to not feel him anymore inside me. I was not ready to not be pregnant....at least I thought I wasn't. The Lord has been amazing in his ways of bringing guidance, strength, encouragement, peace and rest in this. Well I can keep going. This journey will continue for some time and I will do my best to update you all. But as you know, we have 3 other munchkins who need us and the balancing act has really gone smooth so far but will continue to change as Caleb changes. Enjoy some film and sweet pictures we got today and yesterday.

This is called hand swaddling. It is wonderful for us to touch him but also with preemies rubbing them isn't good. It is really startling so putting slight pressure on their feet and head it is like being in my tummy and he really likes that!

This was yesterday. It was the first time we got to really see his nose and mouth. They had just taken off his CPAP breathing machine so he had the smaller hose and it didn't cover so much of him. AND HIS FACE! YEHHHH! We were so excited to see his whole face. This was during a "Carings" for him where we changed his diaper, took his tempurature and they gave him some of my milk through the white tube in his nose. It was so special and so sweet. He opened his eyes and was so unbelievably calm. And today we made it in to do his "Carrings" and found out we were going to be able to hold him for the first time! HOW AWESOME! We did what is called kangarooing. It's amazing for him. It can encourage so many things for him. The skin to skin helps his temp and his heartrate so much. We both held him for 30 minutes and it was sweet. He was so peaceful. For me he just sucked his pacifier which is so awesome for him to work on sucking and he slept so peacefully. His oxygen level was 100% the whole time...he was happy!