The Arrival of Elliot David

Elliot's Birth

Elliot's due date was August 22nd.  It was Sunday, August 24th before I felt any type of contractions. At 2am we called the doctor and went to the hospital because I was having contractions.  When we got to the hospital, however, the contractions stopped.  We sat in the parking lot for a while trying to decide if we should turn around and go home.  We thought it was a false alarm.  

We finally called the doctor as she instructed us to do when we got to the hospital.  She lives just 5 minutes away.  We explained that we thought maybe it was a false alarm, but she said to go in anyway.  That they were waiting for us inside.  

When the doctor arrived, she hooked up a machine to measure the contractions and Elliot's heart rate. She confirmed what I thought.  I was not in labor.  I expected her to send us home and felt a little silly for waking her up in the middle of the night.  She came back in the room, however, and surprised us when she said she'd like for us to stay the night.  

When she hooked up the machine, she discovered Elliot's heart rate was alarmingly low, and thought it would be best for us to stay.  

Around 7am, the doctor returned.  She wanted to do an ultrasound before sending us home or making any decisions about how to proceed.  In the ultrasound, they discovered the umbilical cord wrapped pretty snuggly around Elliot's neck.  And, because we were past our due date, the amniotic fluid was diminishing.  It would be safe to induce labor with the umbilical cord in this way, and it wasn't a good idea to wait since the fluid was so low.  

The doctor scheduled a C-Section for that afternoon, and Elliot was born around 3pm, strong and healthy.  We praise God that everything happened the way it did.  We also thank God for the doctors we had, for their care, wisdom and the fact that they were seeking wisdom from God through it all.  The anesthesiologist even prayed over us right there on the operating table before they started the surgery!  I really felt peace, and that God was with us through it all.  

An extra special bonus was that Brenda Land, one of the pastors of the church we are attending, came to be with us in the hospital.  She arrived before the surgery and stayed until we had Elliot with us afterwards.  What a blessing!!

It was a little scary there for a while, and things were happening pretty quickly.  It was great to have her there.  She had had two children by C-Section and was able to prep us a bit before surgery.  It was just great in general to have a friend around.

Here are a few pictures of us in the hospital.

Before surgery.  Nervous and excited to meet our baby.

Elliot David making his grand entrance!

Praise God for a healthy baby boy!

Meeting Elliot for the first time!  

Holding Elliot for the first time after surgery.

Dad talking to his son.

Elliot catching some ZZZZZsss and making funny faces.

Meeting Grandma

Meeting Grandpa

Meeting Grandma Amarili

Meeting Grandma Cecilia

Meeting our friend Jessica.

We are also thankful for the way God provided financially for us through a good and generous friend.   We were able to deliver in a good hospital with quality doctors and pediatricians.  We are very thankful for that.  

Though I could have gone to the US to deliver Elliot, as just about everyone advised me to do, I thought it was more important for all of us to be together.  We are still waiting for Joselo's VISA and are praying that we can all come to the US in December and January.  

Elliot has been declared and has his Dominican birth certificate.  We are now working on the paperwork and preparing to go to the Embassy, so that Elliot will also have American citizenship and his US passport.  

Thanks again for your prayers, gifts and words of encouragement.  We love you, and can't wait to personally introduce you to Elliot when we get back to the US.  God bless!