Daniel & Candice Keller got a baby!

[scarygirl]

Anna Duggars 'shunned' brother, Daniel, and his wife, Candice, baby was born today. I think somebody mentioned previously that they were either adopting or using a surrogate for their baby. (I'm sure someone can confirm) Point being he was born 6 weeks early today. Pics on Daniels facebook.

He was 3lbs 12oz named Brighton Gabriel Keller and Daddy is very proud and delighted as is Mommy Candice!

Congratulations to them!

Sincerely wish them every happiness with their family outside of 'fundiedom'.

That is a very cute baby. :D

[chaotic life]

I thought my six pound peanuts who dropped into the five pound range before getting back up to birthweight were tiny. That baby is teeny tiny.

If he was adopted or via surrogate, then his parents are NOT fundies. Maybe if he's adopted they could be, but definitely not if they used a surrogate. Nice to think a baby is a cutie AND not feel bad that they might be raised in hatred from birth.

[Deleted07]

Info on their baby, apparently it was a private adoption:

Annie 8 Aug 2012

Cool. When did daniel and Candice start trying to adopt their baby?

Susanna Keller8 Aug 2012

It's a long story but a family member was going to abort him and they were able to talk her into letting them have him!!!!

[Peas n carrots]

Info on their baby, apparently it was a private adoption:

Oi, this gives me mixed feelings. I don't really like the fact that the first mom seems to have been coerced. I'm not the biggest fan of adoption in general (I don't think every adoption is negative or bad) and it is situations like these that continue to make me feel uneasy about it. :?

However, Brighton is here now, and he is a cute baby and it seems like C&D will love the baby. My one big hope is they are completely open with little Brighton that he is adopted and honor the first mother.

[ILoveJellybeans]

Awwwwww hes adorable :)

[Deleted07]

Oi, this gives me mixed feelings. I don't really like the fact that the first mom seems to have been coerced. I'm not the biggest fan of adoption in general (I don't think every adoption is negative or bad) and it is situations like these that continue to make me feel uneasy about it. :?

However, Brighton is here now, and he is a cute baby and it seems like C&D will love the baby. My one big hope is they are completely open with little Brighton that he is adopted and honor the first mother.

Yeah I, too, hope the woman wasn't coerced with anti-abortion, pro life religious BS. While they aren't ATI/IBLP anymore, I am guessing some of their conservative raised views would still be instilled into them since they were raised to think and feel a certain way about certain topics.

I'm not against adoption, I think its a viable option for SOME people. However, its all individual choice, no one can make that decision for another, nor talk someone into another position. I think its a very brave thing for someone to do, in either position being the woman giving up the baby or the people adopting him. . I do wish them all luck.

I would imagine it might be awkward seeing as though its a family member they adopted from, I hope they signed papers and such with exact details and provisos so there is no misunderstandings.

I do wonder how Pa Keller feels about this grandson.

[Freedom17]

adorable baby anyone think mike and mac will considered him their cousin or will josh oppose to that

[marmalade]

Yeah I, too, hope the woman wasn't coerced with anti-abortion, pro life religious BS. While they aren't ATI/IBLP anymore, I am guessing some of their conservative raised views would still be instilled into them since they were raised to think and feel a certain way about certain topics.

I'm not against adoption, I think its a viable option for SOME people. However, its all individual choice, no one can make that decision for another, nor talk someone into another position. I think its a very brave thing for someone to do, in either position being the woman giving up the baby or the people adopting him. . I do wish them all luck.

I would imagine it might be awkward seeing as though its a family member they adopted from, I hope they signed papers and such with exact details and provisos so there is no misunderstandings.

I do wonder how Pa Keller feels about this grandson.

How can it be a private adoption if D&C (how ironic) knew the woman who wanted to abort? I also wonder if said woman is related to the Keller side of the family or Candice's? I tend to think the latter, only because they are living in her neck of the woods, so to speak.

So there Anna, Christians with pro-life leanings CAN have unnatural hair colors. :mrgreen:

[IReallyAmHopewell]

Hey, at least if they counseled her not to abort, they walked their talk and are raising him. They didn't talk her out of it and leave her when he was born.

Congratulations! And, Mrs. Keller, Senior, I hope you defy your husband and have an active role in this little guy's life. You always seem so happy to be around your grandchildren.

[roddma]

I think some skip adoption because of all the legalities and costs. Some have spent thousands and no kid and the parents can change their minds about the adoption. It isn't like you can just walk in there and take them home. I would never take any kids without something stating I am the legal guardian.

IMO pro-choice is being open to ALL options. When one is givne for adoption does not not mean they were coerced. Some women can be pressured into an abortion as well. (Yes it happens ) . There are so many infertile couples willing to take babies so I think we must keep open minds. This may start with increasing awareness and clearing misunderstandings about infertility.

[Terrie]

As far as names go, at least it won't be like my middle school class. ~100 kids (girls AND boys) and 8 Sara(h)s.

[Deleted07]

Video that Candice uploaded:

AEbtBUyxLcM

Not overly happy with the anti abortion sentiments, saying:

"Adoption made our dreams come true. Thank You to every birthmom who chose not to take the easy way out".

and going on to say; over 1.5 Million couples want to adopt, while 1.6 Million pregnancies are being terminated.

:? While they are not under the Gothard/ATI/IBLP cult, they clearly still subscribed to some of the conservative values, which I guess is to be expected considering how they were raised. However, I just hope they realize there are good reasons for some people to abort, and that it certainly isn't an "easy way out". :|

[Peas n carrots]

Video that Candice uploaded:

AEbtBUyxLcM

Not overly happy with the anti abortion sentiments, saying:

"Adoption made our dreams come true. Thank You to every birthmom who chose not to take the easy way out".

and going on to say; over 1.5 Million couples want to adopt, while 1.6 Million pregnancies are being terminated.

:? While they are not under the Gothard/ATI/IBLP cult, they clearly still subscribed to some of the conservative values, which I guess is to be expected considering how they were raised. However, I just hope they realize there are good reasons for some people to abort, and that it certainly isn't an "easy way out". :|

I dislike how some conservatives expect people women to go through an emotionally and physically difficult medical condition to fulfill someone else's dreams. A lot of the first mothers struggle with the choice to surrender their child, just as much as some regret abortion. It's not a full proof win win situation for all.

If there are 1.5M people wanting to adopt, then why arent there more people willing to foster or adopt children in the system that could use loving homes? How many of those waiting to adopt do you think are waiting for a white newborn baby?

[wendy-sparkles]

Is it just me, or are some of the things they said in that video sort of strange? I didn't finish the whole thing, but saying that he wasn't just a 'wimpy white boy' seemed really odd, and the bit about kissing his toes forever just had me imagining grown up Brighton with his parents still kissing his toes... :(

[Pretzel]

I like the video, it's cute. They are new parents, their "parental hormones" take the roller coaster on a daily basis. So eventually they'll probably rethink kissing 43-year-old Brighton's feet. They'll probably rethink kissing his feet from when he's old enough to stumble through damp backyards and dirty sandboxes. ;)

Yeah, the "taking the easy way out" part is douchey. They probably are over-whelmed by how smoothly their own adoption went and they forget or just ignore that it's often just not like that and that for most women an adoption is NOT an easy way out. At least they propose adoption instead of going all "wimmenz must raise tha bebehs". Their pro-life stance may have nothing to do with Daniel's fundie upbringing. I have seen lots of couples desperately trying to conceive and adopt and once they are so exhausted and nothing works, they transfer their anger onto people who "take the easy way out", "get pregnant on demand" etc. They come up with "logic". "If just all the pregnant women gave their babies up for adoption then we could already have..." or "We tried so long and hard and there are still women aborting babies like it's their birth control". Actually, I can understand the couples' desperation but shaming other people for their decision is just not the right path to walk on.

Anyway, what I wanted to point out is that Daniel's and Candice's little pro-life, pro-adaption video probably reflects the point of view they have taken during their time of TTC and not necessarily the fundie upbringing.

[Markie]

I saw Daniel's sister, Rebeka, in the pics. I hope that his parents will visit and establish some sort of relationship with Daniel adn Candice.

I am not surprised by the anti-choice sentiments in this video. They were raised that way. Millions of people share their views; not just fundies. I hope that as they live in the world and encounter different ideas, that they will not be so exteme in their views. Probably not, though. My BIL is liberal in his views about many things, but not abortion.

I hope little Brighton does well. He is here and he is loved. I also hope his birth mother, while considering abortion, keeping the child and adoption, chose the latter from her own free will and was not pressured into it by numerous relatives.

[Deleted07]

If there are 1.5M people wanting to adopt, then why arent there more people willing to foster or adopt children in the system that could use loving homes? How many of those waiting to adopt do you think are waiting for a white newborn baby?

That was my thoughts, with all the children even in just America in foster homes and orphanages etc. Why not adopt them? So many people, as you said, specifically want a white newborn baby, and fact is those are just very hard to come by!

[Palimpsest]

That is one adorable baby and I am happy for Daniel and Candice. I think they are overall quite nice people, and expect they will parent little Brighton well. Unlike some of the Fundie adopters out there.

That said, the facile adoption versus abortion video annoyed me for reasons others have pointed out. Also, adoption is not that f'ing simple, a large percent of the 1.6 million are holding out for the perfect little white baby, there are plenty of older, special needs and biracial kids out there in the system waiting for adoptive parents, and so on . . .

The "little white boy" thing is pretty weird too.

Note: Daniel and Candice also point out they are super-special. They wanted to adopt him even though they were warned that he might have special needs and should slow down. Yes, after persuading the relative to go through with the pregnancy, they could have rejected him. What then?

Is the adoption even final yet? I'm not sure of the time frame here. If it isn't, they could still fall out of love with him if his "problems" are too much for them. Or the First Mother could change her mind.

[Terrie]

Like everyone else, the adoption vs. abortion thing bugs me. Adoption should have finding families for children who need them, not the other way around.

[chaotic life]

It's pretty rare for states to have an extended period of time where the birthmother can change her mind. Despite the sensationalized stories over the years, the rare instances where lengthy and uly custody battles have ensured were all private adoptions where the birthparents DID change their minds in the grace period and the adoptive parents fought instead of returning the child, as is ethically appropriate.

Adoption is NOT the answer to abortion. I know the pro-life movement believes it is so. However, the reality is that abortion is generally associated with poverty and lack of birth control options. Most in that situation do NOT choose adoption if they don't abort, they raise their children in poverty. Most birthmothers, despite the constant stereotype, are middle class women who generally never considered abortion in the first place.

It's tiring to hear the argument over and over again to choose adoption versus abortion when they are borne of two different dynamics entirely. However, it's not at all surprising that someone who has battled infertility and just be blessed by adopting the holy grail of a fairly healthy white newborn is going to toute that line of thinking.

[Austin]

Info on their baby, apparently it was a private adoption:

"Talk her into letting them have him" after the woman intended to abort bugs me. I don't know if "talk into" means coercion in this case (and neither does anyone else here), but the way she phrased it is troubling.

Happy they got their baby and all and he is darling, but the end doesn't justify the means, if that's what happened.

[Coconut Flan]

Is it just me, or are some of the things they said in that video sort of strange? I didn't finish the whole thing, but saying that he wasn't just a 'wimpy white boy' seemed really odd, and the bit about kissing his toes forever just had me imagining grown up Brighton with his parents still kissing his toes... :(

"Wimpy white boy" is an exceedingly common NICU saying. White males tend to have the worst odds in the NICU.

[lilwriter85]

I saw Daniel's sister, Rebeka, in the pics. I hope that his parents will visit and establish some sort of relationship with Daniel adn Candice.

I am not surprised by the anti-choice sentiments in this video. They were raised that way. Millions of people share their views; not just fundies. I hope that as they live in the world and encounter different ideas, that they will not be so exteme in their views. Probably not, though. My BIL is liberal in his views about many things, but not abortion.

I hope little Brighton does well. He is here and he is loved. I also hope his birth mother, while considering abortion, keeping the child and adoption, chose the latter from her own free will and was not pressured into it by numerous relatives.

I also wasn't surprised either. I don't see Daniel and Candice ever changing their views regarding abortion. I also know a lot of people who liberal about a long of things except abortion and they probably will never change their views. One of the people is a friend who was adopted at birth and she occasionally posts pro-life essays and campaigns on FB. She is also apart of FB group called, "Adoptees Against Abortion" or something like that.

[IReallyAmHopewell]

If there are 1.5M people wanting to adopt, then why arent there more people willing to foster or adopt children in the system that could use loving homes?

I adopted older children and wouldn't give them back for anything, but it is VERY, VERY HARD. And, it's only natural to want to "start at the beginning" with a baby. It's hard enough being an adopted family and having idiotic questions like "are they REALLY brother and sister" without it being all the more obvious by suddenly being a parent to a 12 year old. I know many families who have done what I did and adopted older kids, but I never fault anyone for wanting to adopt an infant.

[xReems]

Their stance on abortion doesn't surprise me. I have a few mainstream Christian friends who have fairly liberal views but are against abortions unless if it involves rape or puts baby and mother at risk. Then again, Candice and Daniel have been married since 2008--the frustration of not having a child must have gotten to them as time as gone by. When they see couples who can conceive a child and then abort it, to them, they might feel some anger on why a couple who wants to abort can conceive but a couple who desperately want children cannot conceive.

What I'm hoping is that they didn't guilt her into keeping the baby. It's one thing if they went to her, telling her about their situation and allowing her to have time to think it over;it's another thing if they guilted her into keeping the baby by throwing Bible verses at her. If they did that, they're no better than fundies who throw Bible verses at those who are living a "sinful" life.

I'm glad that they were able to adopt and can finally start a family. I hope Pa and Ma Keller have a part in that and enjoy spending time with their new grandson instead of giving them a cold shoulder for deviating away from the ATI mindset.