I apologize for the delay!

Blogger was not cooperating with me and it is amazing that I got the one picture posted.  Perhaps God knew that I needed to spend my time with my snoozing baby boy and his first family instead of updating my blog.  I'm going to try to just get the timeline down a little bit here, and I'll maybe come add some details when time allows.

We got the call on Tuesday night (July 5) that the birth mom (B) was in labor and heading to the hospital.  The first flight that we could get was at 5:30 the next morning so we booked it and packed.  Neither Matt or I could sleep all night and my mom came up to stay with Lexi.  We talked to B several more times and she was definitely in active labor and in pain.  Her mother-in-law (RG) called us with updates when she could.

We made it to our layover in Atlanta (there were no direct flights unfortunately) and talked to B.  She was dilated to a 7 and she had an epidural to help with her pain.  She sounded much better than she did when we talked to her earlier.   About 15 minutes after that call, RG called to tell me that the baby was born at 9:22 am (eastern).  I cried in the middle of the airport as RG reported he had a head full of black hair and everyone was healthy.

Our flight landed in Norfolk at 12:00pm and we were at the hospital by 1:00.  When we got there, B was in the room alone, so we sat and chatted for a while.  Then she offered to call the nursery for the baby.  They wheeled the baby down the hall and I held my breath and the nurse wheeled him into the room.

We met our son for the very first time and we immediately fell in love.  He is gorgeous and I'm not just saying that because I'm his mom.  We spent the whole afternoon and evening taking care of the baby who was not yet named.  He was immediately loved by all of our friends and family who saw his gorgeous pictures through the wonder of facebook and skype.

We spent time that evening with B and played Phase 10 in her hospital room that night. It was a quiet evening that allowed us to really get to know her a bit more.

The next morning, the birthdad (R) came back to the hospital.  He had been at the birth and cut the cord, but I think his emotions got the best of him and he needed to go home.  We met more of the birth family and spent some time getting to know each other.  Before he got there, B asked us if we would consider giving the baby two middle names and we agreed that it was a great idea.  When R got to the hospital, we all agreed upon the perfect name:

Jayvan Edward Grant Dunn

Javan was the name that Matt and I had chosen and we agreed that the "y" would help people pronounce the name correctly and B happens to love "y's" in names.  Edward was Matt's grandpa's name, and everyone in our family has a family middle name.  Grant is the family name of R and we thought it only fitting that Jayvan have a family name from each of his families.

At 12:30, the social worker from The Datz Foundation came with a notary for us to sign all of the papers.  I knew this would be an emotional time, and R's family showed up just in time to distract us from the emotions.  The papers were signed and we spent the rest of Thursday getting to know R and B a little more while we shared in the care of Jayvan.

On Friday morning, we were told we would be able to leave the hospital and I was so ready to be out of there (I am not a hospital person).  We were finally able to leave in the early afternoon.  We all walked out together with the baby (hospital policy required B to carry the baby, but R actually carried him).  We gave B & R a ride to run a quick errand and then we took them home.  We spent a little time with their family and then we made it across town to our extended stay hotel.

Shortly after settling into the hotel and eating dinner, it was time to pick up Nana and Lexi at the airport.  I will count the moment that I held both of my children in my arms as one of the happiest moments in my life.

She was so enamored with her little brother.  She tells us everything that he does and what she thinks he needs.  They are adorable together.  She held him for the first time at the Norfolk airport.

Nana had her first chance to hold him when we got back to the hotel.

We spent Saturday morning getting the hang of a morning routine and then we went out the the birthfamily's home.  We went to a local park that overlooks Chesapeake Bay and let the kids run around the playground.

Today was spent doing laundry and hanging out in our hotel.

Baby Jay has a pediatrician's appointment tomorrow and we plan to have pizza with R & B tomorrow.  We never really could plan what this open adoption would look like, but we are learning as we go.