My uncle and aunt make some cute babies.  If you have been following me at all you already know this.  Last December Joe and Alicia delivered their third baby boy, Donovan.  Donovan came out swinging and strong like a fighter, strengths he needed when diagnosed with Pierre Robin Syndrome and Cleft Palate. The beginning of his life was filled with surgeries, doctors appointments, and month long stays in specialty hospitals.  Joe and Alicia were exhausted, as they rightfully should be.  There were many weeks of no sleep, tears, frustration, but they never gave up or lost their faith.  I never once felt like they didn’t have it in control, even if inside they were drowning in fear.  In early spring, they found out they were pregnant again and were SHOCKED.  Not that they didn’t have enough going on, they discovered that the pregnancy could be complicated due to the Mirena IUD being dislodged inside Alicia, making it impossible for them to retrieve it.  This caused the pregnancy to be high risk and more doctors appointments.  But, they kept chugging along and stood together as a team for their family.  I was secretly praying for a little girl, since their last three kids have been boys, my other aunt’s last kid is a boy, and my MOM’s last kid is a boy… but nope another boy.  We have a lot of rough housing and yelling at family get togethers obviously.  Still, we were all excited about another baby boy coming into the group and we all debated whether the new one would be an “Alicia” or a “Joe.”

It was around 4am on Saturday, November 21 when I got a phone call from Joe.  Of course.  I didn’t wake up until I got about TEN phone calls from my mom.  I answered half-asleep only to hear, ” THE BABY IS COMING GET TO THE HOSPITAL!”  Since there has been a lot of babies born in the last few years, I instantly jumped out of bed, grabbed random clothes on the floor, threw my hair into a bun, grabbed my camera bag and ran to the car.  We won’t talk about the fact that I had a “where are my keys” crisis.  When I arrived, Alicia looked in mild discomfort but was still smiling and chatting with the nurse staff.  Joe of course was rambling and pacing.  🙂  This was so different from the last one, Donovan came out SO quick that it was a whirlwind of emotion and tears, especially when he was taken to the NICU right away.  Alicia was a champ as always and Joe was a true trooper especially since he had to work as Nursing Supervisor starting at 7am.  King of Multi-tasking right there!

 

Meet Gabriel Reeves Conrad.  Gabriel is the Hebrew meaning of “God is my strength” and Reeves is the name of the doctor who saved his big brothers life.  Oh Gabriel you are so loved!