The Duggars Spend Christmas Near Hospitalized Newborn Daughter

The Duggars will be spending Christmas together, but the stars of TLC's "18 Kids and Counting" won't be spending it at home in Tontitown, Arkansas.

On Thursday, Jim Bob, the patriarch of the Duggar family announced that his brood would be spending the holidays near newborn daughter Josie Brooklyn, who remains in the hospital following her birth on December 10. Josie was just 1 lb., 6 oz., when Michelle Duggar delivered her via c-section at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Hospital.

"Josie is two-weeks-old today. We continue to take things day by day – she remains in the NICU where doctors are tracking her progress," Jim said in a statement to Access Hollywood. "Our entire family is planning to relocate to Little Rock temporarily to be close to Josie. In the meantime, we're grateful that a close friend in Little Rock has opened up their home to us for the holidays. The older children recently returned from a mission in El Salvador so the whole family will be together and close to Josie for Christmas."

Jim said he and wife Michelle appreciated the outpouring of support for their family in recent weeks.

"We're so thankful for everyone's thoughts and prayers," his statement concluded.

In September, Michelle and husband Jim Bob announced they were pregnant with their 19th child. Access Hollywood previously confirmed TLC is planning to change the name of the family's series to "19 Kids and Counting."


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