Hello World!

Hi everyone! Thank you so much for all of your congratulatory remarks. Your support has meant so much to us over the past nine months. I can't believe the pregnancy is finally over, and that in the end, we were blessed so immensely with such a beautiful baby. I look at him and want to cry sometimes because he's so perfect and so sweet. I want to keep him young forever. Travis is excited for him to start opening his eyes more, and for his personality to begin developing, but I dig my heels in the sand for anything to change. I'm so weird. I couldn't wait to get the pregnancy over, and he's only been here for three days but I'm already praying that he doesn't grow up too fast. I just know little boys don't stay little for very long. But, with that knowledge, I cherish every tiny moment I share with him in these early stages.

We ended up needing to stay an extra day in the hospital because his bilirubin was high and he's quite jaundice. He's on the bili-light, which gives him the UV rays he needs to process the bilirubin. It was a little frustrating earlier because it makes him so tired to be on that light (and the jaundice alone makes him tired and cranky), so our feedings got off pretty bad. I was also really sick on Wednesday with a HORRIBLE headache, and I was really falling behind on feeding him. I felt like such a terrible mother. I kept crying because I knew I wasn't feeding him like I should have been, but I was so sick myself I could hardly think straight. Yesterday was much much better. I explained my concerns to our lactation consultant, (who is absolutely amazing) and she got us right back on track. I took a Phenagren shot to help me sleep, and Travis was able to feed him while I rested. When I finally woke up later, I felt like a new person, and I was more than able to fall back into my mommy role.

Anyway, all that said, here are pictures of the world (or our small corner of it) meeting our sweet Josiah:
Josiah meets Grandma Sharon (Kat's mom)
Josiah and Grandma Cindy (Travis's mom)
Josiah and Grandpa Prentiss (Kat's dad)
Josiah and Grandpa Glen finally meet (I think Glen was afraid to hold him because he's so very tiny.) Travis's dad


Josiah meets two of our close friends, Randy and Kris Ann Blodgett

Nanny and Josiah (Kat's grandmother)

Aunt Annie hurt herself a few weeks before Josiah's birthday, and was stuck at home in a wheelchair, but she and Fred came up to the hospital to meet her great-great nephew anyway. (Kat's great aunt)

Uncle Thomas meets his namesake. I'm not sure he's ever held a newborn, and I know he's never held such a tiny one before, so he was a little uncomfortable with our super small bundle in his arms. (Kat's brother)

Josiah meets his VERY excited cousin Brittany, who was up at the hospital at 7 in the morning to be there when he arrived. (Kat's cousin)

Josiah and Twyla meet for the first time, and then he meets Meredith, who has been anxiously awaiting getting to hold him for months and months. (Kat's stepmother and stepsister)

Dr. Devine meets the little trouble maker who caused her to sweat so much in the operating room Monday morning.

Josiah and his pediatrician, Dr. Stripling, who was also his mama's pediatrician for 20 years.

Sorry if that was long (or boring)! I'll continue posting pictures, because we can't seem to stop taking them. We're finally going home today (thankfully). Josiah is going to have to have a home health care worker come home with us to set up the bili-light at our apartment. Yuck. I really don't think he minds it too much though, because it keeps him warm and cozy. I'll post some pictures later of him on his bili-light. He's such a sweet baby, I feel terrible when he cries just for cuddles and we can't give it to him because he needs to be on the light longer. I keep stretching out our feeding sessions longer and longer because I think mom misses the cuddling probably even more than the baby does. We're all so ready to go home and get out of here!!

Thank you for keeping up with us! I promise to continue updating with lots and lots of adorable baby pictures. Have a wonderful weekend.

God bless,
Kathleen, Travis, and Josiah