He's Here!

Braden Wayne Bunger arrived on February 28, 2005 at 6:17 a.m. He weighs 1 pound 7 ounces and is 12 1/4 inches long. He has blond hair and really long legs!

My sister, Annie, and her husband, Steve, are absolutely thrilled to have the blessing of their first child. Annie endured an extremely difficult pregnancy. She was hospitalized for 4 days in early February because of complications. She was released and given bed rest. Unfortunately, she suffered further complications that were much more severe. She was rushed in an ambulance to Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas on Feb. 21. Her week long stay there was uncomfortable, but Annie did a great job!

Annie started having contractions and the doctors had no choice but to deliver Braden at just 24 weeks. He and Annie made it through the delivery like professionals! He required no resuscitation and is not on life support. He is in an incubator with a bright light shining on him all day. He is on a ventilator and is being fed through a tube in his belly button. Right now we do not know of any major health problems, but as he continues to develop he will be tested for a variety of things. We are just praying that he will continue to develop into a big, healthy boy.

Of course, he is tiny right now. His entire hand -from fingertip to wrist- is about the size of a nickel. He may be small but he's absolutely beautiful! If all goes well, we should finally be able to touch him at the end of March. Annie and Steve just can't wait to hold him!

Braden is in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Baylor. We don't know how long his stay will be, but we are expecting it to be at least a couple of months. I thank you for your kind words and especially your prayers during that very difficult month. And I humbly ask for your continued positive thoughts and prayers for my sister, her husband, and their son.

Please check back here for updates on Braden's progress!