So much for Taco Salad for dinner

March 23rd started out as any other day for me and our family. I got up at 4:20 a.m. to get a couple of things done like chop lettuce and grate cheese for taco salad for dinner. Cliff would be up in a about 20 minutes and we would start our usual routine of getting our selves fed and ready for work and getting an almost 2 year old ready for daycare routine.

Over the last month or two I had been going to the dr's office twice a week for fetal non-stress tests. March 23rd I had one of these as well as a routine dr's appointment scheduled. The fetal non-stress test was great but the rest of the appointment was concerning. The ultrasound showed that the amniotic fluid had dropped below a safe point and that we needed to get the baby out sooner than later or he would eventually become stressed. That sooner was that very day. 1 week before our scheduled c-section and 2 weeks before my due date.

The c-section got started and soon enough they had our baby boy out and assessing him. He was not well. He had a lung full of fluid and he screamed for the first 2 hours of his life on the outside non-stop. Eventually they had to sedate him to be able to figure out what was going on with him and help him rest and get the care that he needed. He was sedated I think for the first 3 days could have been only 2 days. At some point he didn't need the sedation with the medication that they were giving him and the support his body was being able to get better. Things seemingly got worse before they got better. They didn't stay worse for long though and we are very glad for that. He started to make very measurable strides at a certain point and didn't have any back slides after that. Once he was ready he started to be hungry and it doesn't seem like he's taken a break since.





























We spent 1 week total in the NICU. We have been home for almost 2 weeks now and are happy that Drake is growing and is thriving well so far and acting like a newborn should.



















Cecilia has been really good with him so far and is always ready to pass us something that she thinks we need. Her cute little "here go mom/dad" is just too cute. She hasn't got too close to him yet but she will with time and its probably better for her to go at her own pace.



















Here are the stats of our little boy.

Drake Toshihide Kano
9lbs 8oz, 20.5 inches
March 23, 2009















We had so much help from family and friends by way of dinners, child care, prayers, hospital staff support. We feel very lucky to have such a great network and hope that we have told each and every one of you how much your concern and well wishes have meant to us. It really helped us make it through this very rough week we had. Thank you all again from all of us.