Diego or Joseph?

 
We found out the gender of our new baby months ago during an ultrasound. On the drive home that afternoon, Nathan and I told our children that they'd have a baby brother. I asked them if they had any suggestions for a good name.


Sarah piped up with glee, "Diego Sarsparilla Kingsley!"


We all laughed at the absurdity of this name and thought no more about it that day. Nathan and I couldn't decide on a name we liked. As the days passed, we didn't want to refer to our unborn child as an "It", so we called him "Diego" while we continued looking for the 'right' name.


Days turned into weeks and we all called him Diego. Matthew would ask if he could 'kiss' Diego goodnight, then he'd kiss my growing belly and tenderly say 'Sleep tight!'. Sarah would ask if she could feel Diego kick inside of me. Daniel would sing Diego Primary songs while resting his head on my torso.

The name Diego came very naturally to us now. Even extended family and friends began refering to him as Diego. We even received a package from family in Alaska for "Diego S. Kingsley".


After months of thinking, I finally found a 'real' first name that I loved: Joseph. One of my dearest heroes is Joseph Smith. I love reading his words and studying his life. I wanted my son named after this amazing man. So Joseph it was going to be.


Nathan and I seriously began to consider naming him Diego on the birth certificate, as a middle name. It was going to be either Diego or Aaron. I liked them both and couldn't decide. We delayed filling out the birth certificate until the very last minute, and I waffled back and forth every moment on what to write down. 


I had put so much thought and care into selecting meaningful names for my other children. For example, Sarah's name is Sarah Esther, which is Hebrew for "Princess of the Stars". I wanted her to always remember that she is literally a princess from heaven. I didn't want to explain to this child that his name was only a joke that stuck around.


His legal name is Joseph Aaron Kingsley, but we call him Diego for short.

Birth Story

Our new baby boy was born June 29th!

 

I had been so worried about his birth. Our new house is an hour's drive away from our hospital. I had nightmares of me delivering my baby in a pasture in the country. I had experienced early labor so my doctor recommended a week of bed-rest.


I tried to be obedient, really. My bed rest lasted a whole 3 hours. I couldn't handle staying in bed all day when there's so  much work to be done and boxes to unpack.


Since we are so far from our doctor, I decided to schedule an induction for the following week.

Our children spent the night in the home of a dear friend. This allowed Nathan and I to enjoy one last date night together before the big day.


I slept a total of 3 hours that night. The excitement, anticipation, and nervousness for what lay ahead prevented rest.


I was very nervous when the anesthesiologist walked into my room in the hospital. He didn't look professional at all. He looked like a scruffy college student. I prayed very hard that his hands would be steady and all would go well. The Lord was very good to me and we had no complications with the epidural.


The labor progressed nicely and the delivery itself was very positive. Joseph was delivered and promptly placed on my stomach. He didn't cry or whine at all...he just looked at everyone attentively. The nurses were worried since he was so quiet, so they rushed him away for his inspection. They thought he must have a lung problem. It turns out he is just very laid back. His Apgar score was a 9 and he was healthy. He seems to have a very mild temperament.


We were so excited to hold him in our arms and finally meet our son face-to-face. We've looked forward to his arrival for so long. It seemed surreal to finally have him here.  I kept him in my arms instead of putting him in the bassinet for almost the entire 3-day hospital stay. I couldn't bear to put him down or let the hospital staff ever take him away to the nursery. I feel so blessed and so happy!

Adoration

Blissfully content when I kiss his dark, velvety hair.
Love fills my soul as I gaze into his innocent eyes.
His fingers: impossibly small, yet grip my hand so tightly.
I love to kiss his soft, tender cheeks.

He laughs and grins in his sleep. I am delighted.
His sweet smell is intoxicating. I crave it.
The world can pass in its frenzied pace. I don't care for it.
I am perfectly happy to rock my baby for hours.

I adore him.