Sharin' the love!

Long time no blog!

Well, we have another computer up and running again. Thanks to Hurricane Ike and a friend of ours, we were able to score a perfectly good computer being tossed out. Unfortunately it doesn't have the capacity our other one did for all my pictures so I am trying to be very choosy about what I load up so I can show them off to the blog world.

As far as updates I don't have too many. We got our car up and running again. Luckily it was just the battery! We were convinced it was the starter because the sound it was making. Jerrod suggested we trying jumping the battery before shelling out the cash for a starter. Sure enough, the computer guru was right. He joked before that about knowing nothing about repairing cars only computers. So we only bought a new battery. Thank God!

I start work on Monday the 13th. My feelings are torn about this transition. I'm happy to be back around other adults. And doing something besides house work and laundry all day. But I'm not looking foward to it because of Daniel. Especially on days he's not feeling well. I just want him to know that I'm there to cuddle him and try to make him happy. Luckily we have decided to hire an amazing nanny. Her name is Krystyna. She came over a few times when I first brought Daniel home to help me out. She is so great with him; I can't imagine him with anyone else outside the family. Sadly she will only be here until the end of the year. She goes back to school in January. I'll hate to lose her but will cherish the time she's here.

Michael has been busy at work and will be getting even busier. In fact, he will be spending three nights of the five day week late into the night in Corsicana. He, along with the theater teacher, will be putting on the first musical in fifteen years at the high school in January. They will be performing Grease. (I always wanted to be Sandy. Who wouldn't want to kiss John Travolta?! Who was your favorite character?) They just finished the auditions and rehearsals start ASAP. Which means a lot of time away from home. All of this on top of his yearly concerts and contests. Please pray he copes with the stress okay. And pray that Daniel and I cope as well. It's going to be hard without him during the week.

Enjoy the pictures. I know they're a long time coming!

At three weeks he's too fast for the camera!

One month old on September 27th!

Michael turned 31 on September 26th!

Mr. and Mrs. Jerrod and Alecia "Lisa" Johnson
But I don't want to leave Houston yet!

Krystyna and Daniel getting some fresh air.

Six weeks old.

I have the cutest baby!

(I'm a little biased.)

One of my favorite onesies, it says "I'm not a girl".

Believe it or not, someone actually asked me if he

was a boy or a girl that day!

To top it off, the onesie is blue.

This is the most random picture of all.

How lazy do you have to be to actually use this product?!

If you have one, sorry if I offended you.

BUT SERIOUSLY!

OMG! Where has the time gone?

Sorry for the lack of updates guys. While some of the time it was just total blog neglect, this past week has been out of my hands. Our computer has decided it was done playing and took it's toys home. In other words our computer is no longer working. And it's not as simple as replacing one little part. Oh no! Michael built this computer nearly five years ago so the fact that it's lasted this long is a true testament to his skills. Sadly the piece that needs replacing is no longer sold in stores and neither is a lot of the complimentary parts. So, we basically need a whole new system minus the hard drives. Luckily, there is nothing wrong with those and my hundreds, no exaggeration, of pictures are still safe and sound. So, we are temporarily using his laptop from work to check email and such. Sorry no picture updates for a little bit.

There has been so much going on! Not only has the computer decided to quit but so has my car! Is this God's way of telling me I don't have to go back to work on the 13th? (Don't panic Candi!) My car's starter has died. We are working on getting that replaced. Keep us in your prayers as our cash flow is low right now. God always has a way of helping us out in these situations.

Also, our dear friends Jerrod and Lisa got married on Wednesday, October 1st! We are so excited for them. It was a quick trip to the JP with hugs and kisses all around. They are wanting to throw the "big" shindig sometime next year as well as possibly start a family. Lisa, by the way, is doing so much better. She really seems to back to her old self. They are still trying to figure out the right formula for all her medications. She is also trying to find a new rheumotologist (sp?) without much success. If anyone knows of a good one in Houston please let me know! Continue to keep them in your prayers.

While I do have tons of pictures of Daniel I can't figure out how to post them without putting them on Michael's laptop. So be patient. If you wait, they will come. He went to see the doctor on Sept. 29th. (I was told incorrectly by a nurse that he needed to be seen at one month.) Oh well. That gave us a chance to meet his new doctor that we just love and I'm glad we went. He of course is growing like a weed and weighing in at 10.5 pounds! The doctor is a wonderful woman that had my very fussy and hungry baby hypnotized for about 15 minutes. She reassured me that he is growing beautifully and to come back for his two month appointment where we will discuss and administer immunizations. This is where I'm on shaky ground. While I know that these shots are vital, I'm concerned about the amount and timing of the shots. Why so many at one time? Can't they be spread out more? I guess these are questions we will discuss at his next appointment. What are your thoughts on the immunization debate?

As for me, I'm doing great. I had my six week post-partum today, one week early. The doctor's wife makes personalized burp rags for his patients as a congratulatory gift. It's so cute. My doctor is just great. I think I'll continue seeing him even if he's an hour away. Good doctors are so hard to find! He even said he's looking forward to seeing baby number two. Everything appears to be great and I'm down to my pre-pregnancy weight. Can you believe it?! Sadly I still have lots of toning to do. Will my stomach ever be the same? It looks like a deflated balloon! TMI? Well, luckily I was wanting to lose some weight before I got pregnant so now I'm back to my starting point. It can only go down from here. Right?!?! Just pray that I don't get discouraged and that my "new mom" schedule will keep me busy and distracted enough to do just that.

Well, I guess that's all for the updates. I will figure out some way to get some pictures posted ASAP for you. There are some cute ones!

Update on prayer request

We got a call from Jerrod saying that the blood clot that was found in Lisa's brain is no longer there! Thank you God!!

She does still have the original blood clot that is located in the area of her shoulder. I can't remember where exactly he said. But the doctors feel like she is well enough to leave the hospital. Jerrod and Lisa will be staying in Detroit for the remainder of the week to allow her newest medications to "marinate". Once they feel she is able to safely travel they will return to Texas. Their current plan is to return on Sunday. Please continue to pray for them during this time of healing.

God is such an awesome God!

Prayer Requests

Please take a minute to read and pray over the prayer requests we have listed in the margin. The list seems to grow everyday and they are really on our hearts.

One request that I would really like to point out is our dear friends from Houston, Jerrod and Lisa. I don't normally like to mention other peoples' names but I feel we really need to this time. Lisa has a very severe case of Lupus that sometimes causes her to be hospitalized. Well, this weekend was no different.

While in Detroit for a friend's wedding Lisa had another relapse. She has been in the hospital in Detroit where the doctors have found a blood clot. The clot is in her brain and can be fatal if it moves. Right now they have her on blood thinners hoping to clear it up.

Please pray for the doctors' wisdom to get her through this and back home to Texas. Also pray for Jerrod while he is by her bedside.

Look what I can do...

I go back to work in about four weeks and thought I should start to prepare myself and Daniel for that transition. So, I decided to see how Daniel would do on a bottle. I was able to pump a little and after nursing him for a little bit I handed him over to Daddy for a bottle trial. I have to admit that I'm a little hurt how well he took to it. I guess there was a small part of me that was hoping he'd put up a little fight. But he didn't. Is this the beginning of not needing just his mommy? But you can't be attached to Mom forever, right? I don't think I'm ready for that. This means I have to let other people help me even more! (YIKES! Control freak panic attack!)

"What's the big deal? It's food! I'll take it however I can get it."

Pictures

Here's pictures for those of you who don't come here to read.

I know you're out there!

ENJOY! :0)

Guess who's in charge of refreshments!

I like lots of lotion Daddy!

Getting by with some help from my friends...

Hey mom, look at me and Krystyna!

This man looks a little familiar...
tired eyes, blue scrubs, needs a shave...

IT'S DR. FORD!
(Who brings a camera to their OB/GYN appointment?!?!)

Two weeks and another miracle!

Don't worry folks. I won't bore you with weekly posts of every little thing Daniel has been doing. But, I'm on maternity leave! What time do you think it is when I do a post? So bear with me. Trust me, once I start back to work, you'll think I disappeared!

I will tell you that he's doing great. He seems to have discovered his hands. It's so funny to watch him discover the world around him. Now if I could just get up the courage to clip his little finger nails before he scratches himself. I'm still trying to learn his cries. Right now the "checklist" method is working for us. Hungry? Check. Gas? Check. Want cuddle time? BINGO! Surprisingly, he doesn't cry when he has a dirty diaper. (Just like a boy. Doesn't mind being dirty!) We did have our first official bath this week! It started out a little rough. He pooped within minutes of being in the tub. So we moved him to the sink. At least he let me finish bathing him before peeing! Needless to say, we will schedule bath time a little better next time. We didn't get any still pictures but were able to get some of it on video.

I went to see my OB/GYN today for my two week post-partum. The doctor admitted that he probably figured the due date incorrectly. We both laughed and said oh well! Something else for me to smile about is that I'm just four pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight!! I couldn't believe it. Now if I can just lose an additional ten to twenty pounds. I don't think that's too big a goal. Do you? LOL (I'm praying for a miracle.)

In other news, a couple in our small group had their second baby last night. That was my original due date! Even crazier is that they went to the weekly meeting and left some time after nine. The baby was born at 11! (I wonder, what's her secret?) Pray for lots of rest and recovery for mom. Her labor progressed so quickly she wasn't able to receive any pain medication.

Addelyn Kate Allen was born 9-9-08 at 11 P.M.

She weighed in at 7 lbs 12 oz.

And will be joining big sister Avery.

Congratulations Ryan and Leah!

Another of God's miracles has arrived!

There has been another bundle of joy welcomed into this world.

Mason Reece was born this morning at 3:25 at a whopping 9 lbs. 14 oz.

Congratulations Brad and Kammy!!

Too soon for a montage? Oh well. Enjoy!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

One whole week!

I can't believe it's already been a week. My beautiful boy has been such a blessing in our lives already that I can't even put into words. I still stare at him sometimes and think "Wow, I really get to keep him?" I was telling someone the other day I keep waiting for someone to walk in my door and say, "I'm here to pick up my son. Thanks for watching him." But no one has come yet, he's still here. And he's all mine!! (I know I'm weird.)

We had our first doctor appointment today. Although he lost quite a bit of weight by the time we left the hospital we may have cracked the code on nursing because he's gaining it back! He weighed in at 7 lbs. 9 oz. He also seems to be getting longer by the minute. Although I'm not real confident in the accuracy because he was so squirmy, he is now at 21.5" long. And to top it all off, literally, his pumpkin head measured in at 14.5". (Obviously taking after his father!) The doctor didn't give me the percentages that most people quote and I didn't think to ask. So maybe next time. He did so good today. He barely fussed at all while being tossed around by the doctor. He even did really good when getting his second PKU. I also wanted the doctor's opinion in regards to the heart murmur. She checked and double checked and said that she doesn't hear anything remotely related to a murmur. PRAISE GOD! I'm glad I went with my instinct and didn't let the hospital pedi scare me. (Never be afraid to ask for a second opinion!) I was very impressed with my little man! Of course it doesn't take much these days. If he burps for me after a feeding I'm happy.

We've had so many visitors in the past week I've almost lost count. It's amazing how loved my little man is. My mother has been a tremendous help. She's been coming by everyday to do something as simple as laundry or fixing me breakfast or lunch. She of course takes advantage of the opportunity to spend time with Daniel. Who can blame her?! Besides, if I can get a few more hours of sleep while she loves on the baby I won't turn her away. Our Sunday school class and "Small Group" at church have also been generous enough to bring us dinner each day. That alone has also been a great help. Another wonderful surprise is that my parents have "surprised" us with the travel system that Michael and I registered for. It's the car seat/stroller combo. We couldn't be more excited. My mother and I are going to pick it up tomorrow morning. (Please don't think we've been traveling without one. I was able to get one from a friend until we could get the one we wanted.) We just can't believe the generosity of everyone. It really means the world to us.

Continue keeping us in your prayers! Michael started back to work on Tuesday and I'm trying hard to make sure at least one of us gets some sleep right now. Also pray for my continuing recovery. Although I do have to say I've been feeling pretty good. As for Daniel, pray that we get this nursing thing figured out. Some days are better than others. As I'm sure some of you moms know.

I will post pictures soon. I have tons to show.

He's 24!

Hours that is!! I can't believe I've been blessed with such a beautiful little boy. (Sorry, I mean handsome.)

Right now he's sleeping and allowing me a few moments to post real quick. Thank you so much to everyone for your prayers and thoughts. We weren't expecting to post news for a couple more weeks. But we couldn't be more grateful that he's here and healthy. The pediatrician said he looks great and the only concern they have right now is a heart murmur. Lots of babies are born with heart murmurs and don't have any problems. He is scheduled for an echocardiogram today so continue to keep us in your prayers until we are out of here and in our own beds. We will keep you all posted as usual. The hospital and staff have been great. The nurses here are exceptional and probably don't get as much credit as they deserve.

Daddy and me giving Mommy some much needed rest!!

REALLY close up shot of me!!!

Not so close up but still cute as a button!!

Mommy took this while Daddy was snoring!! She's so talented!!

PICTURES!!!!

Before delivery, all smiles!!!

Still all smiles!! Even after an intense delivery!!

That's my boy!! (And me too!)

Our little miracle!!

WOOHOO!!!

August 27th 2008, 6:48 AM, God's newest miracle graced us with his presence. Tipping the scales at 8 lbs. 3 oz, and 20.5 inches long, James Daniel Huffstetler has got to be the most awesome thing I've seen!! I'm about as proud as I can be of both him and Elizabeth for enduring what can only be described as probably the most painful thing ever.

What cracked me up was he was crying (obviously) even when they gave him to Elizabeth. I grabbed him up and he stopped. That made me feel outstanding to say the least.

He looks just like me too. Hopefully he'll grow out of that and look more like his momma down the line. They just brought him back all cleaned up and good to go. Nana and Aunt Debbie are here visiting and just in awe. Good stuff all around.

Thank God for this miracle. If it wasn't for His presence through all this, I don't think I'd be typing this right now. We have truly been blessed.

Until next time!!

Michael, from here on out, known as Daniel's dad.

Hurry up and wait

Here we sit, in Labor and Delivery at the hospital, waiting on Daniel to finally get here. Libby's on a Pitocin drip and just chilling waiting on the inevitable. It's making her contractions a little more apparent and more often. She's not in a whole lot of pain, (from what I can tell) and is progressing surprisingly smoothly.


Hopefully, we'll be seeing him before the night's out. Which will be awesome because Aug. 26th is exactly one month before my birthday. Not like I would forget his birthday anyway, but if it's easier, it's all good.

I'll do my best to keep everybody updated as we progress, but I'm on the hospital's public network, so being able to access certain things is a bit of a hassle.


So, until then.


Michael

Week 38: Stuck in a holding pattern

Baby's development in pregnancy week 38: As you know, you've arrived at the final leg of your pregnancy journey, and if you're still carrying your little love around, they've just about reached their birth weight (somewhere between 6 to 8 pounds is average depending on whether they're a boy or girl). There really isn't a lot to report on baby this week, so lets do a quick recount of where we're at: all internal organ systems are pretty much ready for the outside world, they've got their meconium stockpile building up (their first black baby poo), lots of healthy baby fat, a rapidly developing brain (that'll keep growing with them for years to come), and they've more or less reached official baby status-- all they need to do is "head out" and say hello to the rest of the world and especially their ready-to-pop momma.

Week 37: And we're ready for take off!

Baby's development in pregnancy week 37: It’s the calm before the storm. Changes in your baby's weight have leveled off with only a few ounces of fat added this week. At this point your baby should weigh in at around 7 lbs and 20 inches (with boys somewhat heavier and longer than girls). Happily, as far as internal organs go, they are now developed enough to function in the outside world although the oh-so-important immune system is still developing and will continue to do so after birth. With a large boost of antibodies provided by breast milk when nursing begins. Fighting infection and staying healthy should be well within their physical capacity when your little fighter is born.

And how's mom doing? Your health care provider will assess the likelihood of where you are relative to your upcoming birthing process—seeing as you’ve now arrived at that waiting phase that could turn into labor at any time. Various charming indicators such as loose stools, expelling your mucus plus (along with the bloody show – see week 35), a dilated cervix and increased Braxton-Hicks contractions are all signs that labor is only a few days away. The infamous water breaking may or may not be your first true indicator that labor has commenced. However, water breaks for only 15% of mothers and despite what Hollywood would have us believe, is more frequently just a slow leak rather than a large gush.

Be patient: if labor doesn’t start this week, or even next, keep in mind that only 4-5% of women actual deliver on their predicted due date. What’s more if this is your first pregnancy, you can expect to be anywhere from two days to two weeks late. You can distract yourself by keeping track of fetal movements, mostly to reassure yourself that all is well with your little miracle. In the off chance that movements do start to decrease substantially, try not to freak out and instead, call your doctor of midwife and discuss it with them.

If you still haven’t decided whether to breastfeed or not, here’s a good reason: some experts estimate that mothers excrete between 400-700 calories a day while breastfeeding, and to compensate, you should be eating roughly 500 extra calories a day (mmm that’s like one spoonful of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream).

Much needed catching up!

Well, I have kicked Michael off the computer tonight so that I can attempt to catch up on blogging!

Michael and I have been so blessed these past nine months that we don't know how to properly thank everyone. We have received so many wonderful gifts for Daniel. This baby is so loved and he's not even here yet! We have had two showers that have provided a lot of our baby needs. If for any reason God saw fit to have him arrive tomorrow, we'd be set. The only big item we're missing right now is the travel set (stroller/car seat combo). It's the most important, we realize. But still it's the last important thing to get. How lucky are we? This baby is set for clothes up to nearly twelve months of age. We have tons of diapers, but we're still working on gathering more. You can never have too much of that! :o)

Michael and I also had some maternity portraits done last weekend after our shower. I'm hoping my feet aren't showing too much because they were so swollen! What was I thinking trying to do so much in one day? I'm an over achiever I guess trying to squeeze in everything before he gets here. But I had such a great time. For you "Friends" fans out there, I'm Chandler when it comes to having my picture taken. I don't do well at all! LOL If anyone is looking for a photographer her name is Natalie Busch and she was just great. She made me feel so at ease and have a good time. We've already started discussing Daniel's first photo session. (You may see pictures of my sister and her husband on her site.)

The nursery is basically done. My dad and "second mom" Lisa got us the changing table we had registered for. (It converts into a desk later!) Sadly, it's not put together yet. It was an online only item that had to be shipped. When it arrived the box was in horrible shape and one of the legs was split down the middle. Making it unfit to put together. So Michael immediately inspected everything else and made sure we at least had all the pieces before calling them. They told him we would have the replacement by Monday or Tuesday this week but we haven't received it yet. The email confirmation did say to give them 3 -14 days. So we'll give them a few more days to get it here. I'm just really anxious to get it done! Besides the table all I have left to do is purchase a slip cover for the couch in the nursery. Yes, I said couch. This is a very large room. I can't wait to post up pictures. But I'm waiting until it's all done. I can't post pictures of an incomplete room! :o)

My last appointment last week went fine and uneventful. After my appointment I did get a tour of the labor and delivery floor where we'll be. I made the mistake of doing this without Michael because the nervous excitement of it all took over on my way home. It all became very real! This baby is almost here and there's not turning back. My next appointment is on August 21st and Michael will be attending that one. I think he's just using the appointment to get out of orientation! :o) But we're going to tour L&D that day too so he can know where to go and such.

People keep asking me if I'm getting nervous and if I'm "done" being pregnant. I have to say that I have been blessed all around with this pregnancy. The fact that we got pregnant is a blessing. The fact that we're having the boy we've always wanted is a blessing. The fact that I've not had any problems at all with this pregnancy has been a blessing. I can say I've truly enjoyed being pregnant. I will admit that if I had my choice I wouldn't want to do it during the summer again. But it wasn't my choice, was it? Up until the past couple of weeks I've been pretty comfortable. But now the heat is getting to me and the lack of sleep isn't any better. All in preparation, I know!

Most of all, I can't wait to meet him!! I can't wait to see his face and all his fingers and toes. Who is he going to look like? How big is he going to be. Is he going to be a singer like his daddy? Is he going to have my temper? (I hope not!) I just can't wait to hold him and tell him how much I love him and see him in his daddy's arms! This is what we've been waiting for and it's just around the corner!

Thank you dear Lord for all of the blessings you've deemed us worthy to receive. I pray that we raise him to be the boy You want him to be. I pray that he grows up to love and worship you as his father and I do. Lord, I pray that our son understands one day just how much he was loved before he was even conceived. And not just by his parents, but by You Lord. I pray you guide Michael and me as we raise this boy to live for You and not of this world. Thank you dear God for everything. We love you and thank you!

Showers of Blessings

There were so many pictures to catch you up on I thought it would just be easier to do slide shows. If you slide your mouse over the pictures it will show the captions. Hope you enjoy!




Work Shower:

Family Shower:

Week 36: Wee fingers o' steel

Baby's development in pregnancy week 36: The countdown continues… and in baby developments: most of the bones (soft skull aside) in their little body are now completely hardened, providing a solid structure from which they can now make their grand debut into the world. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we are structurally ready for a secure launch. In physical fitness news: their muscle tone has also improved over these past few weeks, and you’ll definitely be impressed by their steel-like Ulnar grasp (a newborn reflex that occurs if you lay your finger in their palm). And in genital development: if you’re having a girl, her labia are now fully developed. Finally, in the fluids/excretion department: the amniotic fluid-to-baby ratio has fallen over these past weeks, although they’re still swallowing fluid (building up even more meconium for that historic first poop), and some vernix caseosa. They will be more than ready to swallow and digest milk after birth. Just in case you didn’t get it quite yet: you’ve got yourself an adorable and hungry 6.5 lbs 20 inch baby—are you ready?

How your life's changing: Now that your baby is taking up so much room, you may have trouble eating a normal-size meal. Smaller, more frequent meals are often easier to handle at this point. On the other hand, you may have less heartburn and have an easier time breathing when your baby starts to "drop" down into your pelvis. This process — called lightening — often happens a few weeks before labor if this is your first baby. (If you've given birth before, it probably won't happen before labor starts.) If your baby drops, you may also feel increased pressure in your lower abdomen, which may make walking increasingly uncomfortable, and you'll probably find that you have to pee even more frequently. If your baby is very low, you may feel lots of vaginal pressure and discomfort as well. Some women say it feels as though they're carrying a bowling ball between their legs!You might also notice that your Braxton Hicks contractions are more frequent now. Be sure to review the signs of labor with your practitioner and find out when she wants to hear from you. As a general rule, if you're full-term, your pregnancy is uncomplicated, and your water hasn't broken, she'll probably have you wait to come in until you've been having contractions that last for about a minute each, coming every five minutes for an hour. Of course, you'll want to call right away if you notice a decrease in your baby's activity or think you're leaking amniotic fluid, or if you have any vaginal bleeding, fever, a severe or persistent headache, constant abdominal pain, or vision changes.