Ethan Charles Johnson!

Hi, friends! My nephew, Ethan Charles Johnson, was born on Friday, December 19. He weighed 7lbs. 2oz. and was 20in. long. Though his measurements don't indicate it, the doctors consider him a preemie because he was born 4 weeks early.
Here's a picture of the happy family shortly after his birth:

Evie and Big Daddy (or B'addy, as she likes to call him) watch the nurses tend to Ethan:

While in the nursery, the nurses noticed that Ethan had to work a little too hard to breathe. He made a slight moaning sound with every breath. This noise was a result of his throat muscles working hard to push air into his lungs. The pediatrician decided to put him in the NICU and assist his breathing with a c-pap machine (like the one worn by people with sleep apnea).

Ethan has been in the NICU since that first night. As typical for families with a child in the NICU, we have been on an emotional roller coaster. The good news is that the doctor has not needed to incubate Ethan. He has gone from the c-pap to a vent/hood type contraption to granular tubes that assist with his breathing. They started feeding him yesterday and Cristi was able to hold and feed him last night! Please continue to pray for baby Ethan and our entire family. We are hoping that we will be able to bring him home for Christmas!
Here are a few more pics for your enjoyment: