Duggar Family Celebrates 19th Child’s ‘Incredible’ First Birthday

A child’s first birthday is always a joyous occasion, but for Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, seeing daughter Josie reach her 12-month milestone is extra special.

Josie, who was born on December 10, 2009 via an emergency C-section, was delivered 15 weeks premature, and weighed only 1 lb., 6 oz.

Now, the infant – the 19th child for Jim Bob and Michelle — is up to nearly 16 lbs., and is thriving with her family.

“She’s waving hello and goodbye,” Michelle told People. “She’s saying da-da … Her outlook is so wonderful. It is a miracle.”

As previously reported on AccessHollywood.com, the family was able to bring Josie home from the hospital in June, after spending the first six months of her life in the hospital due to being born premature. She was so small at her birth, she was classified as a micro-premie.

The child was originally cleared to come home in April, when, at four months old, she weighed 4 lbs., 9 oz., and was able to breathe on her own without oxygen machines – however, her homecoming was delayed when 12 of her siblings had come down with chicken pox.

Now that she’s been home for several months and is adjusting to life in the Duggar house, mom Michelle said her littlest bundle of joy is doing well, although she still receives oxygen when she’s sleeping.

“We call her our little pajama girl because she has to wear a certain kind of snap pajamas for the monitor wires,” Michelle told People. “She is in 6-month-old clothes now, but we have some 9-month-old ones ready for her to grow into.”

As far as her birthday, the entire family is thrilled to celebrate with Josie.

“It is incredible,” Michelle told People of a day the family wasn’t quite sure would come. “It is a wonderful day. And it is exciting to think of the future.”

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