First breath

(Week1, Day 6)
  What a week this has been! My son is almost one week old and it seems like a month. Maybe two. I can't imagine me coming out of this without more gray hairs. I'm going to have to try Just For Men to see if they have my color. So far in the last 6 days Aiden was born, put on a oscillator (ventilator), put on medicine for his blood pressure, put on antibiotics, put on a sedative, given blood, given caffeine, had a test for bacteria, had several x-rays, had a head ultrasound, taken off the oscillator, taken off the blood pressure medicine, taken off the sedative, had a hole in his heart close (by itself), had an extra air pocket in his lung taken out (by the doctors), taken his first breaths on his own, forgotten to breath, remembered to breath again, fed his mother's milk for the first time and had my wedding ring around his foot. What have YOU done this week?
  Aiden breathing on his own is a huge deal. The longer premature babies are kept on an oscillator the more damage that can be done to their lungs. It's usually not permanent damage but for a baby as fragile as he is any damage is bad regardless of how long it lasts. They tried to take him off yesterday but his heart rate dropped significantly so they aborted. Today Tanisha and I were in the room with him and he handled it like a champ. It may be that he has to go back on the oscillator again to breath for him, but any time off is good time for his lungs. After they finished I was writing down a couple of milestones he's reached already. I wrote down, "Took his first breath by himself." Then I started crying. It's crazy that my son taking a breath on his own is a milestone and it hit me hard. I'm not sad, just overwhelmed. I'm so happy actually. My boy is strong. He continues to have good days and do things to surprise the doctors. They took a culture of his blood and expected bacteria to grow which would show if he had an infection. It didn't, and they were very surprised. Not me. He has defied expectations from the day he was born crying, why should he stop now?
  I got to hold him for the first time today also. That was very exciting. They turn him over every few hours to keep him from having sore spots so I got to help turn him on his belly. It was magical. 6 days into his life and I finally get to hold my son in my hands. I didn't want to let him go.
  In other news, I'm worried about my daughter. She's been staying with her cousins and having a ball, but I don't like being away from her this much and I'm worried what she thinks about us spending so much time with Aiden and not her. We've explained why he needs us here so badly, but she's 9. In her mind she needs us just as much. We've been taking time every day now to be with her but it's just not the same. I will make sure she's with me all day on father's day, however I'd bet I'm more worried about it than she is. The great thing about Staci is she is so good at adapting to her situation. It's what makes her so strong. I think Aiden picked that up from her. I'm so proud of them both, what more could a father of the year ask for?

WATCH MY LITTLE MAN BREATH ON HIS OWN: