We made a trip to Seattle this week to get Josiah's first passport! With the new rules, they require both parents to be present or a signed form if they can't. So after mailing things back and forth to Ariel (via friends that are there) we were ready. We went first into Portland to get a copy of his birth certificate, then to get the cutest passport photos EVER! We had an appt for Tuesday at 10 am, so my dad suggested we just head up Monday night and be there so that we didn't have to drive so early on Tuesday morning. It was perfect! We didn't get into the hotel until around midnight, and after feeding and showering, got to sleep around 1:30 a.m., but it was so nice not to have to drive early morning!
We dropped off the passport papers then had to wait about 4 hours, so my mom and I walked around the mall and parts of Seattle. I had a fantastic mix of sore throat, cough, laryngitis, and pink eye, so I was a good travel companion! We made it through the day though and walked around nice and bundled up. 
So we are officially ready for travel to the Dominican Republic!! It is the cutest little passport and we are so thankful to have it and be one step closer to being together again with Ariel!!
So I'm giving Josiah the "least photographed baby" award. It's just that he's pretty stinking cute and I'm constantly wanting to photograph it and send them all to Ariel to see! I send pictures daily so he gets to see his little man. It is going to be the most joyful day when we walk off that airplane into Ariel's arms. This has been such a challenge to be so far apart, but again, we trust that this was the best plan all along, that God has chosen this for us, and try to do our best with pictures and videos. But believe me, we are desperately looking forward to the 28th of December when we will finally be the parents that we dreamed of being together!
So of all the moms in the world, I got the best! It has been so fantastic to be staying with my parents in this time. They have spoiled me and supported me and loved me through it all. My mom stayed awake with me in the hospital through every contraction, and didn't leave my side for the c-section (except to take some photos of the new one!). She makes sure I'm getting my naps and brings me snacks while I breastfeed.
I love breastfeeding, don't get me wrong, but when the kid is eating every 2-3 hours for 30-40 minutes each time, that it a lot of sitting time. It's good because it forces me to slow down and I get to sit there and stare at him and pray over him and think through a lot of things. But it can also get boring sometimes and my mom is great at sitting and talking with me and waiting for him to get done! It's also amazing to have extra hands and great advice. About 1,000 times a day I'm asking if this or that is normal and how to do something. She could be making it up for all I know, but it is also so nice to have answers! So in the list of things I'm thankful for...my mom is way up there!
We had multiple photo shoots of Mr. Josiah and it's so fun to have the photos. Who knew how much work it is to photograph a newborn! They have to be sound asleep so you can move them and position them. But that means eating before photos and then getting rocked soundly...it's a time-consuming process.
We also had a LOT of space heaters, plus the house heater going for his little naked shots. There was no way he would have slept so well without it! 
The love is stronger each and every day (is that possible??!!) for little Josiah. He has started smiling in his sleep with is awesome...but means I often just sit and watch him sleep when I ought to be doing something else (sleeping?). Visitors continue to meet Josiah and it is great to see everyone love on him.
Josiah also got his first snow! Don't worry, he was outside for probably a whole minute to take this picture, and actually was happy about it. He was so bundled up...he's wrapped in a blanket beneath that snow suit! He's taken a loving to his bouncy chair and loves to sit in that and stare at us!
Josiah had a great first week. Loads of friends and family came to visit and meet Josiah for the first time. He continues to do well at eating and sleeping and filling diapers! He went to the pediatrician for the first time and gained 4 ounces from his hospital discharge weight, so we were happy about that (minimum was 2 ounces).
I still believe that God has given us the most perfect baby. I never knew I could love SO much, it's incredible. I can stare at this little man the whole day long. My heart aches when I think of just how special he is. What a blessing it is to have a baby!
So I went on Thursday to the regular doctor appointment and they did a few extra tests since I was past my due date. When they did the ultrasound, they found the baby had very little amniotic fluid around him and sent me to Labor and Delivery to start the baby-having process. I was so excited to really be going, although apprehensive about all that was ahead of me!
When I was put on the monitor, they found I was already contracting quite a bit. They decided to do an non-medicine induction, but will spare the details for now. Within a few minutes of the induction, I was feeling "good" contractions. They were strong and every few minutes, and some of them doubling and tripling up to make for 6-7 minute contractions. We went through the night that way...walking, rocking chair, jacuzzi. My water broke around 4 am and then they took out the induction-starter around 6. Within and hour, our little man decided the contractions weren't for him and had a drop in his heart rate. He recovered, but his mama hardly did! He did it again a few hours later and the doctors came in to talk about our plan of action. They offered to start pitocin or other induction methods as the baby had recovered from his heart rate drops. They also suggested a c-section as an option. As I was only 1 cm dilated and the baby still high, I opted for the c-section. I knew at that point my baby was safe and well and although he had recovered twice from the heart rate drops, I didn't want to wait for a third...especially being so far from delivery. So we decided to go forward with a c-section delivery when we could do it calmly and I could be awake, rather than an emergency one when I may have to be put to sleep and miss it.
The c-section was fast and smooth. Within minutes I got my first glance at little Josiah. When they pulled him out we found that he had meconium fluid, so at some point he had been a little stressed inside. I was so relieved to see him, to hear him, to touch him. My fears melted away as I knew my little boy was fine, and finally here! He was born at 11:22 a.m. on Friday, November 12th.
He weighed 8 lbs and 5 ounces and measured in at 19 inches of perfection. He was alert beyond belief and wanted to be looking around at everything. He got to stay with me the whole time which I loved, no heading off to the nursery for his checks or anything. I watched him as I recovered and got feeling back in my body and waited for the shakes to pass. How great, how very great it was to hold him, to know he was well and safe and with me. 
