The Day Baby Got His Name

We woke up the next morning at the hospital tired (obviously) - but we were excited to see what the day was going to hold.  We were told that he would either be discharged late that night or the next day.  Typically, babies aren't discharged until after birth mom is discharged because that is when she signs papers to relinquish parental rights.  So we anticipated doing a lot of snuggling with Baby Boy (still not named at this point - well, to us he was, but no one else knew) and waited to see the doctors and social workers later that day.

Hi, Dad!

Birth mom consented to Baby Boy being circumcised before leaving the hospital.  This was a huge blessing because legally we couldn't make her agree to it, but it would have been an enormous headache doing it after being discharged.  The pediatrician we were going to use does not do that procedure in the office so we would have had to find a urologist.  This was much simpler.  And it was just another example of Baby Boy's birth mom being such an amazing mom to him for the first nine months of his life.  She just did everything in his best interest and we couldn't love her more for that.  Baby Boy was taken away for about 30 minutes while they performed the procedure and then he was with us the rest of the afternoon.  The doctor later came in and said that Baby Boy was very healthy and doing great.  He had some minor concerns that he might have club foot, but that we could see an orthopedic doctor for a consultation, but chances are he was just smooshed in his birth mom's belly.  A few weeks after coming home we went to that appointment and ortho said his foot looked perfectly fine and there was no reason to be concerned.

Mom snuggles

A few hours later the hospital social worker came in to share some really good news - the doctor approved of Baby Boy being discharged that night since he was doing so well!  We were so excited that we would be able to take him home so quickly.  Our adoption case worker would meet us at the hospital later that afternoon to sign all the paperwork and we could bring the sweet boy home.  We were thrilled.  Meanwhile the hospital provided Matt and I a celebratory dinner like they do with all new parents.  We were so excited and surprised they included us in that!  It was so nice for them to see us as new parents even though we hadn't actually had the baby.

Steak dinner!

After we had dinner together, our adoption case worker came in and we went over so much paperwork.  Normally this is done ahead of time, but Baby Boy came fast and furious.  We caught the hospital notary just before she went home.  Once all the papers were signed we started packing up.  The hospital sent us home with lots of formula and diapers so we wouldn't have to stop anywhere on the way home which was really nice.

Now there was some apprehension of bringing the baby home before birth mom was discharged because she has until she is discharged to change her mind.  So technically we brought Baby Boy home before she relinquished her rights, but she gave every indication she was going to follow through and we had very little to be concerned about.  And, of course, our case worker called us the next day to let us know that, in fact, birth mom signed her rights away so that was one hurdle we didn't have to worry about.

In the car for his ride home!  This picture cracks us up because he looks nothing like this anymore.  We always joke we brought home a different baby because he looks nothing like his hospital pictures.

The drive home was spent calling and texting friends and family to let them know Baby Boy's name.  Benjamin Archer.  Matt drove us home and I sat in the back seat with Ben telling Matt to slow down, don't follow so close, etc.  It was pretty late by the time we got home so got settled as much as we could and started life as a family of three.