A Christian James Story

Our baby boy is home!!! I feel like we stole him or won the lottery or something. Like somehow it all isn’t quite real yet. Probably because people keep doing ridiculously generous things for us. Somebody pinch me. No, don’t. This is treasured experience, and we want to pour out the gratitude and praise.

Christian James, this is your story.
October 3, 2012 your big brother whispered there was a baby in my tummy non chalantly as he was coloring a picture. Exsqueeze me? Impossible. (where does this come from??  This was never a family discussion.)
October 6, 2012, 3 days after a regularly scheduled appearance failed to show, I decided maybe I should find out if this was in fact true. Big brother was right, miracles do happen. He knew right away you were a boy. Like right away. He was adamant. And so you are.
You kept me sick for the first couple months, but nothing unbearable. Knowing God had given us you out weighed the scary moments. At your 20 week check up they discovered you had SUA single umbilical artery. Makes for smaller babies. God had all the details worked out . You are healthy as far as we know, so that is a miracle in itself.
Fast forward:
Doctors decided to induce mama at 34 weeks and change. LONGEST. LABOR. EVER. I impatiently patiently waited for you while my cervix was lazy at a 4. In the 27th hour, she finally got with the program.  I thought with you being so early it a) would not hurt b) you would come flying out. This was not true. It hurt so bad and you were a tight fit buddy.
You were born 5/14/13 @ 3:13 am 5lbs 14 oz 18″ long.
The Nicu team took you right away and kept you for 5 days with some of the nicest nurses ever. Seriously patient.
As for you-you are perfect. You have daddy’s toes. You have your own look. I won’t promise to keep comparing you, but you definitely are the most handsome baby. You are the most loved and touched baby. EVER. You have 3 siblings who love you and wait in line to hold you. Sorry nicu nurses. I do make everyone wash hands 47 times a day.
You smile a lot and have your mamas baby blues. You tire out easily, so breastfeeding is not quite your thing yet. That is ok, I promise to be patient. 4th time around and they aren’t as excited and I am sure the milk comes out like a firehose. Your cries are like a puppy, so sweet and peaceful. You are just this precious end to a really painful year. God has just poured His grace over our little family time and time again. And then again! We are so undeserving, yet deeply thankful. I don’t know much, but I do know this; God wanted you here. That was very clear. He even threw in obstacles to show amidst trials, poor odds, a beat mama, He is charge, and was going to protect you. And He did. He taught mama to “lean not on her OWN understanding, that HE would make my paths straight.” (for the hundreth time) We named you what we did because our hope for you is that you will personify God’s love and you will become a follower of Christ yourself at a very young age. We hope you will know and serve our Savior better than us, sooner than us. You already own our hearts sweet boy. We love you more than you will ever understand, and I am just so overjoyed to be your mom.