11/10/2007 Update on Baby Cate

Well, I have to be honest with yall, I never thought my couch would feel so good. Ali was discharged today and with heavy, but trustfilled hearts, we came home without our little girl, for now. She is doing great though, she is now eating from a bottle, she eats one ounce every three hours. The nurses say that she sucksem down. As if they had to tell me that, she is a cantrell, when Dude our second child came out of the womb he will literally looking to nurse. Our kids don't shy from food and so we are not really concerned for Baby Cate in that regard. She still has her feeding tube in because she can get tired out from eating and so that give her the rest through the feeding tube if necessary. Yesterday they did another Echocardiogram on her and everything remains the same, which is what Baby Cate's Cardiologist had expected and hoped for, nothing new going on in her little heart! Her Neonatologist came in yesterday afternoon just to talk and update us on her status. She continues to improve, she lost a little weight and is weighing in at 6lbs 13oz. We got to hold her ALOT yesterday and it was awesome, I found myself just wondering down that way at any chance I got just to sit in her little presence, often just falling asleep in her chair. I truly felt that God wanted us to Baptize her now, not because I was afraid she was going to die, but because of the healing power those holy waters contain. I talked to Ali, and called Fr. Mike Delcambre, he came to the ICU after lunch and we prayed and he let the water flow over Baby Cates head and our newest little Christian entered the world. Father Mike headed out, we stayed and held our little girl for a while longer and then it was time to go, my wifes feet had swollen to the size of two nice size Cantelope, so I told her it was time to go. With teary eyes and heavy hearts we went back to the room to load everything up. I have to be honest, it is good to be home! Do we wish Baby Cate were here, yes, but we know she is in the loving, gentle care of the Doctors and Nurses in the NICU. I am putting some more pictures up on this account and my flickr account, www.flickr.com/photos/cantrellkids if you would like to check them out. Again, thank you for all the love, support, and affection that is constantly spilled over on to us. We are grateful for every single word uttered to the Father on our little girls behalf, I told her today, I said, "Baby Cate, your pretty famous, I don't know if you knew that" Until the next update We love you all for you relentless love of our little girl.