Another Josiah Photo Shoot

Mom being in town also meant that my hands are free to take some pictures of Josiah. It's like I'm in a constant battle to accurately portray his cuteness. Enjoy!

During a sneeze...I just thought it was funny.

Jonathan got a little jealous that I only take pictures of Josiah...

Just the Three of Us

My mom was in town for the day, so I seized the opportunity to get her to take some family shots of us. I really wanted to replace that one of us in the blog margin.

Three-Week Observations

Josiah is three weeks old today! It's hard to believe it's only been three weeks. We've had a lot of changes in a little bit of time. Here are a few fun facts that we've observed about Josiah.

• His hair is light brown and seems to get lighter each day.
• He has dark, dark eyes like his daddy, but when he was born they had a dark blue tint.
• He makes the cutest noise right after he sneezes. Achoo Achoo Ahhh. It still cracks us up even though we've heard it so often.
• His neck, legs and arms seem incredibly strong for a baby. He throws his head back often, and it's sometimes hard to dress and change him because his legs and arms are so strong. Hard to believe I can't overpower a baby, but he puts up quite a fight!
• He sleeps really well in his car seat, although he doesn't like the process of getting in it.
• He hates his baths so far.
  
• He loves lights. His eyes are caught by every window and overhead light. He gets a really fascinated look on his face when he sees them. "Wow..." he seems to say.
  
• He loves to hang out with his daddy. Sometimes he eats his nose, and daddy's loves to "mess with him."
• He's taken to nursing really well, but sometimes he gets confused and tries to eat his hand.
  

Tar Heel in the Making

Before we left the hospital, they take an official hospital portrait. The lady who did it has a magic touch for making infants stop crying and look at the camera. We liked this one in particular. At 23 inches at birth, we think he's already at an advantage for playing Carolina basketball. I mean I think he's already palming that ball. And holding it against his head like that is very resourceful until he can stand upright and dribble.

The one below, I like to call Josiah's first mug shot. He's awful cute in it, but hopefully it'll be his last line-up portrait.

Growing Boy

Josiah had his two-week pediatrician appointment yesterday. He had gained 9 oz. since his last appointment, which totals 11 oz. since he was born. Whoa! Praise God for this healthy boy!

Hey Handsome...

Here are some pictures of Josiah's first photo shoot. I can't decide which one I like best. What do you guys think?

Meeting More Great-Grands

Josiah met his great-grandparents on his Moseley side on Saturday. He was fussy until they arrived and then was an angel for their visit. Great Aunt Joyce made the trip up from Montgomery with them too.

Thanks Mimi!

My mom left yesterday after staying with us for a few days. She pampered us to the max by feeding us huge meals, doing laundry, cleaning and helping me go to Josiah's first pediatrician appointment. When she left, it was one of the first times I've cried after one of her visits. I think I must understand now how it feels for a mom to leave her baby. Thanks for everything, Mom!

Meeting Family

Josiah met his great-granddaddy Olive and his great Aunt Lois yesterday. Mama Jo had gotten to see him in the hospital, but she actually got to hold him this time.

Hanging with the Boys

Jonathan declared boy time on the rug yesterday, so mommy took pictures instead.
Josiah's wearing the hat because we had just tortured him with his first bath.

We Passed the Test!

We're free!

Heading home

We're so glad you're here, Josiah.

Well, I must say that Saturday night was probably the worst slumber party I've ever been to. While we were pleased to finally be spending the night with Josiah, we had more company at this sleepover party than we would have liked. We know it was all in our son's best interest, but it made the illustrious first night with baby rather complicated.

Here's our report card for that first night:

• Billirubin levels decrease or stay the same PASSED
• Allow nurses to take vitals every time you want to do a feeding PASSED
• Keep Jonathan from hitting anything or anybody PASSED (barely)
• Having Josiah gain or maintain weight PASSED
• Patience level of both parents FAILED
  
• Measure every feeding, including required supplementation, and record every diaper COMPLETED
  
• Have Josiah monitored throughout the night CHEATED (a little)
• Get Josiah's circumcision PASSED (although Josiah tried to fight against the painful procedure by peeing on the doctor)
  

But he is home with us! No more complaining, we are simply rejoicing in all the fussiness and poopy diapers right now.

Slumber Party at the Hospital

Woohoo! Everything looks like it is on track for us to bring Josiah home tomorrow. Tonight we get to spend the night with him, all by ourselves, in a family room at the hospital. A nurse will come in every four hours to take his vitals, but other that we're pretty much on our own with him. The only thing that would really prevent us from coming home tomorrow is if his billirubin levels go up tomorrow or if something should change with his vitals - pray none of this happens!

I got to breastfeed him today, and he took to it like a champ. It was kind of unbelievable - I'm definitely attributing this to all your prayers! Of course the lactation consultant was right there coaching us, so I'm sure every feeding won't be quite this easy, but it was still a very encouraging start.

The blog posts will probably slow down from here as we enter this "real world" parenting. Thanks for all your prayers and support!

More Pictures from the NICU

Yesterday was such an exciting day. Josiah's tubes came out, he received his first bottle, and he got transferred to crib and big boy clothes. These are from the afternoon visit when he was really alert and fun.

They just took out my feeding tube through my nose, and it hurt!

His first bottle

Praise Report!!

Jonathan and I went to go visit Josiah this morning, and the nurse had great news for us. His breathing has finally stabilized, and while we were there this morning, she gave him his first bottle, which is essentially his first feeding by mouth. After a regulated time of bottle feeding, he can move on the breast, all of this while he's in the NICU.

If everything holds steady (and please pray that it does), we should be able to bring him home on Sunday! If I could do a back flip, I would have done one in the hospital today. They moved him from an isolette to a crib and out from under the heating lamp he was under. Hopefully they'll also be able to take the feeding tube out soon. Pray also that my milk will come in (and out) soon so that we can give him that instead of formula. He's also a little jaundiced, so pray that would clear up quickly as well. Fortunately, he's already in NICU, so it's quickly treatable.

Praise, praise, praise the Lord. He is the only one who could heal sweet Josiah and bring Him home to us. We are filled with great joy and very grateful for this blessing.

More Birth Day Pictures

With Daddy

Me watching him get his first bath

Close up

Me with Parker - we weren't sad, just sentimental

With Granddaddy Moseley

Grandmother Moseley getting a good whiff of him

Aunt Anna (although she doesn't want to use the aunt)

My family - Granddaddy Page was flying in and got to see him for a minute in the NICU that night

Learning the hard way

Thanks to everyone for your encouragement and for sharing your own experiences.

It seems that a lot of people have NICU stories of their own. And lots more people have been through surgeries and hospitalizations with their kids. This week definitely isn't the storybook start to Josiah's life that I envisioned, so it's very helpful to hear that things usually turn out well in the end.

We were so miserable the first 24 hrs or so when the bad news was hitting us. Now, thanks to everyone's prayers, we're finally starting to gain a bit of perspective. We're learning about patience and reliance on God's timing. Josiah's future is for God to decide and not for us. And there's another good take-home message for me: it really stinks to be stuck in a hospital.

Your emails and comments are a big encouragement to us. Thanks again!

Pictures from the NICU

Here are some pictures of Josiah in the NICU. The tube in his mouth looks dramatic, but it really just dumps food directly into his stomach, since one of the main concerns with his quick breathing is the possibility of him aspirating when he eats by mouth.

Nurse Jane holding him up to burp him.

With Josiah being in intensive care, we've been celebrating the "little things." For example, I got to change his diaper for the first time yesterday. During the same visit the nurse suggested that give him a finger to suck. He went crazy on it, and it made me so happy I made Jonathan take a picture. Last night was sweet too because he was awake, but not crying, just looking at us with these beautiful dark eyes and making these adorable sounds.

His white board at the NICU.

NICU update

Thanks for all your prayers so far - keep them coming! He's not out of the NICU yet. His breathing rate is still in the 60-70 range, and it has to stay at below 60 for 12-24 hours. After that there is a feeding process he has to go through, and then we can take him home.

We're so grateful for all your prayers and what the Lord has already done for Josiah so far. He really is so strong and healthy. All we have to do is look across the hall at the NICU at the baby that weighs less than two pounds and realize how blessed we are. It didn't make leaving the hospital today without him any easier, or our desire to have him with us any less, but it just makes us remember to be thankful.