She's here!!!

Bonnie Brown Helms (a.k.a. Baby Bee) was born today via C-section at 11:24 a.m.  She weighs 7 pounds 1/2 ounce and is 21 inches long. (The surgeon was super excited that I didn't have any problems with adhesions from my previous C-section and removal of a fibroid.  Toward the end, he peeked over the curtain and said, "This C-section is going *great*. We are *winning*." Cracked me up.)  She came out pink and crying before they whisked her off to be stabilized.
While I was being stitched up, Jonathan got to go back to the stabilization room to see her a little more and even got to hold her sweet little hand.

 
In this picture, she's intubated (breathing tube) and has another tube in her mouth to suction out all the air and gunk from her stomach and intestines.  This is to give her more room in her chest so her lungs can expand and hopefully start to function.

Jonathan and I then went back to the recovery room, and after about 45 minutes they wheeled Bonnie back to us in her isolette for me to have another peek.  The neonatologist said that she's on "moderate" settings on the ventilator and that her first blood gas showed that her CO2 level was a bit too high.  She said that she might need to go on the oscillator (another type of ventilator) to help with that, but that they would try to hold off on that if she'll tolerate it.  Neonatologist also said that Bonnie's a feisty little girl, which made me quite happy :)  She needs to be a fighter to beat this.

So that's where we are.  Waiting on word from the NICU that Jonathan can come up to visit and talk with the docs to see what they're thinking about Bonnie.  I'm feeling really good considering my major abdominal surgery about 4 hours ago, but I'm pretty sure they won't deem me mobile enough to zip around the hospital for  a few more hours.

We're both so grateful that Bonnie looked so good at birth.  I know there's a "honeymoon" period when CDH babies are first born, but we're just really encouraged right now.  Please keep praying that she does well in the coming hours, days, and weeks.  Thanks y'all.