That Smith

Early this morning Kaden decided that after 35 weeks of waiting, he was ready to come out.

Laura and I went to the hospital around 6pm last night because her contractions were becoming stronger. The doctors planned to do what they could do to stop the labor, but gave in around 9pm. She was fully dilated around midnight and delivered an early, healthy baby after 20 minutes of actual labor at 1:18am, Monday, March 24th, 2008.

Kaden arrived 5 weeks before his expected due date, but is still a good size for a pre-term baby. He was 4 lbs 15.2 oz and 16 3/4 inches long on arrival.

He gets to spend a few days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, but is doing just fine and should be coming home sometime over the next few days.

Kaden a few minutes old.

Kaden in the NICU

Kaden talking to his dad (a few minutes after a bath).

He does have several cords attached to monitor his vitals, but they have been steady the entire time and are nothing to worry about. The hose in his nose was inserted this afternoon in case he needed to be tube fed, but it has since been removed as well because he is drinking from a bottle just fine.

Laura just sent me this picture of his first feeding, and he looks very happy.