Two dads officially adopted their five-month-old son during a Zoom ceremony amid the pandemic after meeting the baby in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) earlier this year.
Four months ago, Anthony Lach, 31, and Chris More, 29, from Orlando, Florida, received a phone call on New Year’s Eve about a baby that had just been born and was ready to be adopted. They immediately flew to Arizona to meet their future son, Parker Terence Lachmore, who was in the NICU.
‘They just kept telling us that he was going to be in the NICU a while because he was very sick,’ Lach told Good Morning America. ‘It was scaring us but every time we looked at him we just knew that he was our child and we figured no matter what it could possibly be, that we’d stay with him and we’d get through it.’
‘Gotcha Day’: Anthony Lach, 31, and Chris More, 29, from Orlando, Florida, finalized their son Parker Terence Lachmore’s adoption on May 14 during a Zoom call
Traumatic birth: The couple met Parker in the NICU after he was born on New Year’s Eve in Arizona with an inflamed lung and required a feeding tube
The dad explained that the nurses weren’t initially allowed to speak to them about Patrick’s health because they hadn’t signed any adoption papers yet.
The baby boy had a traumatic birth and an inflamed lung. He was on CPAP [continuous positive airway pressure] to help with his respiratory issues and had a feeding tube. Nurses predicted he would have to stay in the NICU for weeks, possibly even months.
Lach and More signed adoption papers for Parker and prepared for a lengthy stay in the NICU, but their son was ready to leave in just nine days.
‘The NICU nurses told us that once we started to hold and carry him and feed him, that he was getting himself better,’ More told GMA. ‘He decided that he was ready to come home with us.’
Amazing recovery: Lach and More signed adoption papers for Parker and prepared for a lengthy stay in the NICU, but their son was ready to leave in just nine days
Special moment: The couple posed for a photo with their son in the hospital before taking him home to Florida on January 13
The couple posed for a celebratory photo with their baby boy at Abrazo Arrowhead Hospital in Arizona on January 13 before flying home to Florida as a family of three.
Lach and More didn’t expect to be called for a potential adoption for at least several months and didn’t have any baby supplies at the time.
Friends organized a registry for them while they were away to ensure they had everything they needed when they arrived home with Parker.
The couple had planned to formally adopt Parker on April 15, but the courthouse had temporarily stopped adoptions amid the coronavirus pandemic. Earlier this month, they learned the court was now holding virtual adoptions.
Support system: Friends organized a registry for them while they were away to ensure they had everything they needed when they arrived home with Parker
Too cute: The proud dads have shared plenty of photos of their baby boy on Instagram since they brought him home earlier this year
Waiting game: The couple had planned to formally adopt Parker on April 15, but the courthouse had temporarily stopped adoptions amid the coronavirus pandemic
They officially adopted Parker on May 14 during a Zoom call with about 25 of their close family and friends. After the ceremony, they celebrated with a car parade.
Lach shared a photo of himself posing with More and their baby boy while holding gold balloons that spelled out ‘Gotcha’ on the big day.
‘Worth the wait. Today our adoption journey hit the greatest milestone possible!’ he wrote on Instagram. ‘Parker is officially a Lachmore and will forever be with his Daddies.
‘Thank you to our amazing attorney and Judge Cupp for allowing us to finalize our adoption on Zoom this morning. 5.14.2020, our baby boy’s Gotcha Day!’
Making memories: After they finalized Parker’s adoption, they celebrated with a car parade
Siblings: The couple learned earlier this year that Parker has a half-sister — a three-year-old girl (pictured) who was adopted by a family that lives less than 30 miles away
Parker’s middle name is Terrence in honor of More’s father, who passed away in England right before his grandson was born.
‘It was such an overwhelming emotion,’ More said of officially adopting Parker amid the global crisis.
‘We live in such a dark time, but there was so much light on that day,’ Lach noted. ‘It was just amazing.’
The couple learned earlier this year that Parker has a half-sister — a three-year-old girl who was adopted by a family that lives less than 30 miles away from them in Florida.
‘We’ve been in touch and it’s as if we’ve known them forever,’ Lach said. ‘It’s really great to know that Parker is able to grow up with his half-sibling.’