Mitchell has a little sister, Audrey Claire

Bethany was due june 3rd, but was notified on Wednesday that she may be preclamptic (sp). Our OB put her on a 24 hour test, and said that if she failed the test, a c-section would be scheduled for friday. We plan on having a few more kids, and mutliple c-sections are more dicey than attempting a VBAC. So Bethany drank castor oil and tried to get things going wednesday night to avoid a c-section. She had contractions all night, and her water broke at 5am. Audrey Claire Ehrlich was born at 2:37 pm on thursday, and weighed 6 pounds, 7 and a half ounces. She's 20 and a half inches long. We were able to come home saturday afternoon and its great to be in and out of the hospital so quickly with a healthy baby, Mitchell isn't too sure what to think, but he keeps offering Audrey his bottle.

Mitchell is 1!

Mitchell turned one last week and Bethany made a big birthday party for him, even a cake. It's hard for us to believe that a year has gone by so quickly. May 9th, the anniversary of Mitchell's surgery, came and went and we didn't even realize it was here until that evening. We're so grateful that those days are a memory and we can just enjoy having him around. Our cardiologist says his heart murmur is decreasing, showing that the vessels are growing properly. He'll keep on seeing Mitch every six months or so, and will do a more intensive study on blood flow when Mitchell gets more active (running, etc.)
In the last week or so, Mitch has started to take several steps at a time. It's amazing to see him grow up so quick. He loves our golden retriever, Rigs, and can kind of say "doggy." Bethany is pregnant again, and we're expecting our new addition June 3rd. Although, Bethany is having some contractions today, so who knows. We'll post pics of our new baby on this site when it all happens.

We gave Mitchell his first hair cut the other day. It's hard to believe, looking at him, that he had open heart surgery a few months ago. He'll be four months old in a week, and he's getting to be pretty big. He weighs about 14 pounds and is in the 95th percentile for height. He's even been sleeping through the night (8-9 hours)! We'll be seeing our cardiologist again next week, for our first check up in two months. Thanks to all of you who continue to express concern for our little buddy, and asking for more blog updates, we'll try to keep it up.

Last week thursday was Mitchell's last day of antibiotics. So the PICC line came out on friday. And finally, after the bandage was gone, he got his first bath on sunday. He has a clean bill of health and is now only on iron supplement once a day orally to help up his hemoglobin count. Otherwise, he's a normal baby, the only thing stickin out of him is what God gave him.

Back by popular demand...

We've been home now for a little over two weeks. Mitchell continues to recover well. We met with a cardiologist on thursday this week, and she was happy with how things looked. We've seen our pediatrician (Dr. T) twice since we've been home, and we'll continue to see him every week until we are at least done with the antibiotics on or around June 28th. On Mitch's first visit to Dr. T, he was in the 75th percentile for height and 25th for weight. Since then, Mitch has been putting on almost a pound a week due to fortified breastmilk. Now that he is doing well with weight gain, he's off the high calorie diet. Bittersweet, since the fortified milk at night guaranteed a few more hours of sleep.
Other than getting little sleep like every other new parent, getting back to life in general has been going well, Jon is back to work, and we've been able to go to our church regularly again. Bethany spends her time taking care of Mitchell. And we got our dog, Rigs, back. Rigs hasn't been too interested in Mitch yet, but sleeps by his crib every night. And a lot of friends here have been asking for a blog update, so here you go. We have been amazed by how many people have tuned in, and we are grateful for so many that love and care for us. Thank you again for your prayers and concerns, please continue to pray for Mitchell's health and recovery. Thanks, the Ehrlichs.

Home!

We got home yesterday afternoon and have had a blast being home with our little buddy. He slept pretty well, and is doing everything a baby should be doing. We met this morning with our Pediatrician, and he gave Mitchell a clean bill of health. This afternoon, our visiting nurse came by and gave Mitchell his meds for the day. She'll come everyday till tuesday, and then once a week to change his dressing. It's fun to spend more time with him, learn his queues, and see more of his personality everyday. We're working on a photo album of our experience, and will find some way to post it here in the days to come.

We rejoice, and we hope you do too, in a God that grants us grace to order our pain aright, and in the darkness is there to sustain. We wouldn't give up the lessons weve learned, and after all of it, we gladly say with many others that we have made no sacrifice. God has given us everything we have needed and more. "Hast thou not seen, all that is needful has been sent by His gracious ordaining."

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? -Romans 8:31,32.

Last things

Discharge papers are almost complete. The pharmacy should be here shortly to bring us the meds we'll need for the next week or so, then we'll do todays infusion and be ready to head westbound around 2 or so. PRAISE GOD! We are so excited to go home!!!!!!!!!!!!