Our friend's rainbow baby

I have this friend from our local bereaved parents support group.  Her daughter was stillborn just over a year ago, from a cord accident at 36 weeks.  They have no living children.  My friend has MS, and her neurologist didn't totally support her putting her body through pregnancy at all, let alone multiple times, but you know how strongly we need to get pregnant again after a loss.  My friend and I both got pregnant with our rainbow babies last April, just a month after we had met.  So wonderfully happy-sad and glad to be in it together.  Then I had the miscarriage.  But, you know, if my friend had had a miscarriage at that point it might have been the end of the pregnancy road for her, given her health issues.  Better me than her at that point.  I was free to try again.  She's had a normal pregnancy.  I saw her last week after her 32 week appointment and everything was looking great.

Then she suddenly went into labor on Thursday.  Her little boy was in a funny breach position, so the doctors did a c-section.  He was born at 33w1d.  Considering all of that, he's doing really well.  Over 5 lbs, breathing with just oxygen assist in his nose (not on the ventilator).  He'll be in the NICU for a while.  We got to meet him last night - strange to be back in the NICU where Elizabeth lived for the first three weeks of her life.  We spent some time visiting with my friend and her husband, too.  They are in shock.  We were so upbeat for them, to counteract their stunned family, amazed that something had "gone wrong" yet again  -  we said:

CONGRATULATIONS!  It's so exciting.  He's doing so well!  What a big boy!  What a beautiful baby!  He's alive!

Because we know the "He's Alive!" part is the whole point. 
Please send healing/growing thoughts to this precious little baby boy.