Josiah-The Lord Saves

Apparently there is a Haitian Proverb that says something along the lines of "when your child is old enough to bend over and look between their legs, it's time for the next child!" Well Eventz has been doing this for months now and every time I say "look Nick, Eventz is asking for a sibling again!" 

Nick and I have been wanting to add to our family for a long time, but have been waiting for the right timing. We didn't want to just adopt any child but instead wanted to wait until we met a child that we instantly knew was ours. We also had a few things we were looking for, for example, we really wanted a newborn since Eventz was 9 months old when we got him. Now the time frame that we have been waiting for may be a little bit different for each of us, but for me, I have been keeping my eye out for nearly a year now! 

Last Tuesday, Nick received a call that there was a 28 day old baby at the hospital that would be coming to our care and was for adoption. We learned the very basics of the child's story, which is very limited. We both knew almost instantly that this was our child. We had no idea if the baby was a boy or a girl, what the babies health status was, or anything, but we knew that he or she was ours! We were excited when we heard the report later that day that the baby was a healthy little 2.5 lb boy! 

We talked and prayed about him for about a day and a half and then that Thursday we called our staff in the States to see if we could adopt him. They asked to think about it. We were worried what this would mean, but decided to go see him for the first time anyways! My heart melted instantly and it was definitely love at first sight. I couldn't quit kissing this tiny little body. I just wanted to take him home right then and there and shower him with love. But I couldn't because I wasn't even approved to adopt him yet. 

On Friday afternoon we discussed it again with our staff and received the official approval to add this baby to our family! Both Nick and I were extremely excited for this news! We decided to name him Josiah, which means the Lord saves. We thought this was pretty good since the Lord definitely saved this little guy! Over the course of the next eight days, we went and visited him everyday. Our trips were never very long as we would always go during Eventz and Wedly's nap time, which means we had to hurry back before they woke up. Each time I left my baby there it was incredibly difficult. I so desperately wanted to stay with him, but theres no where in the NICU for parents, so my only option would have been to sleep outside on the hard wooden benches with the other new moms. Although I'm normally up for an adventure, this wasn't really something that was realistic. Plus I have two other kids at home that I have to care for in addition to all my other responsibilities here. 

For 8 days we went and visited our baby boy. We held him each time, we kissed him, sang to him, and told him all about his big brother and how he had to get fattened up quick cause Eventz would want to wrestle with him! Even though he was 5 weeks old, he was still be low his birth weight and not gaining any. We requested that they change his formula to a higher calorie one. After a few days they did that. Then we asked that they change from feeding him every 3 hours to every 2 hours. Sometimes this happened, sometimes it didn't. After 8 days I couldn't take it any more. Josiah was perfectly healthy and the only reason he was in the hospital was because he was to tiny. He weighed 1.2 kg and they said he had to weigh 1.5 to come home, but he just wasn't gaining. There was nothing being done for him at the hospital that we couldn't do for him at home. We have cared for a lot of premies in our time here, a few of which were even smaller then him. We knew what we were doing and really wanted our baby home with us. 

Finally on Saturday I decided it was time. I went to the hospital early in morning and waited all day to talk to the doctor. Thankfully we had gotten to know each other quite well these past few days. After discussing it (which was incredibly difficult because she's cuban and although she knows a little Creole, when she speaks, she often forgets what language she's supposed to be using and switches back and forth constantly) we both agreed it was probably in Josiah's best interest for him to come home! 

So now I'm laying on my bed, baby boy on my chest, and writing all about him! We announced it to our family Saturday night after he came home. They were all able to Skype with him and see just how cute he is! Eventz wasn't sure what to think of his little brother at first, but is really starting to come around!   He calls him either baby or Siah which we think is really cute.  At first he just ignored him, but he is now giving him kisses often and constantly saying baby! He is obsessed with touching Josiah's toes and saying "toes" in the cutest little voice ever!  Who couldn't be obsessed with those toes!  I don't think he fully understands what having a brother means since we have so many kids that come and go from our house so often, but he'll get it. 

Please contine to pray for Josiah. If he was in the States, he would still be in an incubator for quite a while. Thats not an option here. His tiny 2.5 lbs body is incredibly fragile right now and any little disease will be a huge deal for him. Please pray that he gains weight quickly and that he develops well and doesn't have any medical needs. Please pray for Eventz and Wedly as they are adjusting to having a little brother in the house.  And please pray for Nick and I as we are going to be up every 2 hours with him for quite a while!

Holding Josiah for the very first time!

Daddy holding Josiah for the first time!

Josiah's "crib" aka changing table, at the hospital!

His leg is the length of my finger!

Tiny Toes!

Tiny fingers!

Being weighed at the hospital to see if he could come home!

Josiah right after he got home, drinking from a bottle for the first time!

First ever Family picture!

Josiah's first ever bath, he was NOT a fan!

Snuggle time!

Brotherly lovin!

Eventz giving his brother kisses!

Even premie clothes are huge on him!

I'm loving the camo shorts!