Awesome - Parents Surprise 10-Year-Old Son With A New Baby Sister, And His Reaction Has Us In Tears
Like most kids', Owynn Lindsay's Christmas list was pretty complicated and needed a lot of context. He didn't want new clothes or a special gadget; there were no video games, smartphones, or sugar plums. What Owynn did want, however, was a little out of Santa's jurisdiction — and the aftermath would bring us to tears.
Special Request
Owynn had a special request for Santa. This 10-year-old was tired of being an only child and wanted to be a big brother. He added it to his Christmas list, showing how serious he was about adding another kid to the family.
Only Child Downsides
We can't say we blame him, especially considering the stats: A 2017 study showed that sibling-less children score lower on rates of agreeableness than children with siblings. Their parents may give them too much attention, causing selfishness and social floundering.
More Experiences
There are definitely upsides to being an only child, like spending more quality time with your parents. Having fewer children means parents may have more time and money to expend on their one child. After a while, though, this single-child life started to get boring to Owynn.
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Socializing With Siblings
He thought that having a sibling or two would make things way more interesting, and he's not wrong. Having siblings around helps kids develop their social skills and learn how to share and interact with others. Owynn's mom knew this better than anyone!
That’s A Big Family
Stacey Lindsay understood the benefits of a big family. The Peosta, Iowa, resident was one of 15 siblings herself! When you have that many siblings, it’s difficult to feel lonely...not that being one of 15 is a walk in the park.
Too Much Work
She may have grown up in a massive family, but Stacey didn’t want to have her own army of children. Having fifteen kids would take a huge toll on her body, and would be way too chaotic. No, Stacey had a different idea.
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Smaller Goal
Stacey and her husband, Adam, knew they wanted a couple of kids, so they happily welcomed Owynn in 2007. As Owynn grew, they all wanted to hear the pitter-patter of little feet again, but their journey to child #2 would be rockier than they thought.
Heart-wrenching Attempts
Stacey and Adam spent seven years trying for another biological baby, but to no avail. The couple suffered through five miscarriages and two unsuccessful rounds of in vitro fertilization (IVF). By this point, they were feeling desperate.
It’s Not Cheap
IVF is extremely pricy. A single round will cost at least $10,000 and that doesn’t include the required medication. These pills will set you back $1,500-$3,000. If the treatment doesn’t work, you have the option of spending even more to try another round.
Another Option
IVF was financially and emotionally draining, so the couple decided to look into foster care. But as they researched the realities of foster care, they realized that the emotional toll of the work was just too much to bear. They had one option left.
High Cost
The couple decided that they were open to adoption, which is another difficult, expensive process. Working with an adoption attorney may cost $10,000, and some are known to charge $40,000. This wasn't a choice for Stacey and Adam to make lightly.
Finding Kendra
Luckily for the couple, they met Kendra, a pregnant woman who wanted to put her baby up for adoption. Stacey and Adam desperately wanted Kendra to choose them as her baby's adoptive parents, but as their anticipation grew, they made a controversial decision about Owynn.
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Things Could Change
“We kept the whole situation from our 10-year-old son," Stacey explained. “We already knew his feelings on becoming a sibling, and we knew we couldn’t get his hopes up again just to crush his heart.” So as Kendra's pregnancy progressed, Owynn was none the wiser.
Good News
Thankfully, Kendra did decide to go with the Lindsay's for adoption. “We knew it was a one in a million chance she would pick us, but our prayers were answered,” Stacey said. Even then, they refrained from telling Owynn...until they couldn't put it off any longer.
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A Baby Girl
The family had endured so many disappointments in the past that it was hard to believe that Kendra's baby would soon be theirs. But sure enough, in December of 2017, Stacey stood right by Kendra's side as she welcomed a little girl into the world.
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Father Meeting Daughter
Stacey clearly remembers her husband’s first time seeing his adopted daughter. “When Adam came in to meet Naylee for the first time I saw his eyes light up, something I had only saw one other time — when Owynn was born,” Stacey said.
Let’s Surprise Him
Now that Naylee safely entered the world, it was finally time for Owynn to learn this long-kept secret. Stacey and Adam thought the best way to introduce him to his little sister was with a cute surprise.
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Officially A Big Brother
The pair, along with Kendra, wrapped up Naylee in a fuzzy blanket underneath their Christmas tree. When Owynn came home, his parents led him to the little napping present waiting for him under the tree, and his reaction was priceless.
Best Christmas Ever!
It took a few moments for the shocked 10-year-old to process what exactly was going on, but as soon as he saw the baby, he lit right up. When he found out the baby beneath the tree was his new little sister, he immediately wanted to hold her.
Wonderful Ending
Once Stacey explained Naylee’s adoption to Owynn, he was ecstatic — and a little choked up. "It's a little sister!" he said when he saw the baby. This adoption story had a happy ending for the whole family, but for most adoption-seekers, it's a long road...
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