Merry Christmas

Not only did Hunter celebrate his first Christmas this year, he also survived his first cold. Last week, we made two trips to the pediatrician. On Monday, we were told he just had a cold and to give him saline drops and elevate him at night. By late Wednesday afternoon, he developed this horrible barking cough, so we scheduled another doctor appointment for him the next morning. Hunter had developed a mild case of croup, the beginning of an ear infection, and goopy eyes. The doctor gave us drops for his eyes, an oral steroid for the cough, and Amoxicillin for the ear infection. As soon as we began administering his medication, we immediately noticed a change. Hunter is still congested, and has a little cough, but he is pretty much back to his normal self. This week, Hunter has really taken a liking to standing and squealing. He has been very fun to watch and play with this week.

Practicing sitting up

Daddy & Hunter on Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve

Back to work

This week I started back to work, while Kevin stayed home with Hunter. I am happy to report that all three of us survived! Although I missed Hunter while I was away, I think it was great for Kevin and Hunter to have two days of father and son time. Plus, Kevin was able to see first hand what I had been doing for the last eight weeks. During their time together, Kevin took Hunter to Gander Mountain, which I'm sure willl be his first of many trips. I have a feeling when Hunter stays home with Kevin on his off Fridays there will be many trips to Gander Mountain, Bass Pro Shop, and Academy in his future.

Yesterday, we took Hunter for his two month checkup. He now weights 12 lbs. 5 oz. and is 24 inches long. This puts him in the 75th percentile for weight, and 90th percentile for height. Our baby boy is getting so big! Hunter also got two shots and an oral vaccine yesterday. Of course he cried when given the shots, but we were able to calm him down and then he was fine for the rest of the day. We are very fortunate to be blessed with such a happy baby. It seems like everyday we notice changes in him. He continues to become more alert with each day that passes, and he now likes to suck on his hand and drools a lot. Luckily, he hasn't found his thumb yet! He also loves to sit up. He is not able to sit up on his own yet, but he is constantly trying to and so we have to help out, otherwise he becomes frustrated.

This week will be a big week for Hunter. Tomorrow he will make his first long car ride to Vidor to meet his Great Grandpa C.H., and on Saturday he will make another one to Lufkin to see Lolli, Pops, and one of his two Uncle Kyles. (Yes, he has two Uncle Kyles which we will still have to nickname). Hopefully it will all go well.

Tree Lighting at Market Street

Hunter & Mason watching football

Holding his first toy...a football rattle

Holding up his head at 6 weeks

Fall Fun

It's been awhile since I've written a post, so a few things have happened since our last posting. Hunter is more alert everyday, so I'm finding it is much harder to find time to get on the computer. Hunter is now able to hold up his head, smiles, coos, and last Tuesday he rolled over for the first time from tummy to back!!! We are so proud of our little man!!! The other weekend, Hunter went to his first Halloween party and was dressed up as a skeleton. He pretty much slept through the entire party though. We also took a trip to the pumpkin patch and took a few family pictures. Every week, Hunter and I, meet with a few other new moms and their baby boys. So far, all the boys have done is sleep when we get together, so they have no clue one another exists. All of us moms enjoy it though, because it lets us get of the house, trade advice, and provide moral support to one another. We look forward to when the boys are older and will actually start to play and acknowledge one another. Here are several pictures from the last couple of weeks...

Mason and Hunter at their night out on the town!

Pumpkin Patch

Halloween Party

Smiling at his mommy!

Not happy to be hanging out with Mr. Bear

1 Month Checkup

Yesterday was Hunter's one month checkup with Dr. Parkerson. He now weighs 10 lbs. 4.6 oz and is 23 1/4 inches long. These measurements place him in the 75th percentile for weight and 95th percentile for height. Our little boy is getting so big :) She also told us again that we need to watch him carefully, because of his great muscle tone, he will be rolling over soon and doing physical things before we expect it. She's definitely right on this! Every day we do tummy time, and Hunter hasn't rolled from his stomach to his back yet, but he has gotten close a couple of times. This week we also moved Hunter from the bassinet in our bedroom to the crib in his nursery. So far so good! He has slept in his crib for the last two nights, and the first night we had a four hour stretch between feedings, and last night we had a six hour stretch. Kevin and I were very excited for those extra hours of sleep! Tonight we plan on taking out the wedge that he sleeps in, because every time we go in to check on him, he has wiggled out and is down at the bottom of the crib. It should be interesting to see where he moves to tonight without it! Here are some of the latest pictures of Hunter...

Ready for his walk around the neighborhood.

Watching his first of many Aggie football games!!!

Put me in coach...I'm ready to play!!!

Just relaxing...

First Doctor Appointment

Hunter had his first appointment with Dr. Parkerson yesterday. He now weighs 9 lbs. 4.7 oz. and is 23 inches long! He did really well at the appointment, and only cried when the nurse did his PKU test. Kevin and I have been blessed with a laid back baby that doesn't cry much, so it broke our hearts to see him cry at the top of his lungs during the test. Dr. Parkerson told us that Hunter was very alert and had a great temperament. She also told us that because of his great muscle tone that he would probably be one of those babies that rolls off the changing table, because he'll probably start doing things before we expect him to be able to. On one hand that's great to hear that he may be early on developing his gross motor skills, but on the other hand a little scary. We will definitely need to keep a close eye on him! Here are a couple pictures of Hunter's first visit to the doctor.

Better late than never...

Hunter Scott Williams was born September 28, 2009 at 10:43 pm. It was a very long day, but worth it! We checked ino the hospital at 7:30 that morning so I could be induced, since Hunter was 6 days past his due date. Around 8:30 they started me on Pitocin and broke my water. Throughout the day, I slowly progressed, but stalled out at 7 cm. At that point, every time they would up my Pitocin, Hunter"s heart rate would go all over the place. They then put me on oxygen, which helped level out Hunter"s heart rate. By this point I had been in labor for 15 hours (thank God for epidurals), and developed an infection with a 102 temperature. At that time it was about 10:15 pm, and Dr. Richter told me it was time to get the baby out and that I would need a c-section. Approximately 30 minutes later, we had our baby boy! He weighed 9 lbs. and was 21 inches long!

Since we left the hospital, Kevin and I have been adjusting to life with a newborn. Luckily, God has blessed us with a very easy, laid back baby. We couldn't be more happy!!!

Tummy time!

Hanging out with Daddy!

When we left the hospital, Hunter hads dropped to 8 lbs. 9 oz. Two days later, Hunter was back up to his birth weight.

Still waiting...

Yesterday we had our last doctor appointment. I am now dilated to 1 cm., so Dr. Richter stripped my membrane. Unfortunately she said she couldn't do it well, so she didn't sound like it would work. She was right! I am at work today, so Hunter obviously has not arrived yet. I've decided he is definitely a momma's boy and does not want to leave me! If he doesn't decide to come on his own, we are scheduled for an induction on Monday morning. We're praying he'll come before then!

Waiting on Hunter

Someone asked me the other day if we needed anything, to which I replied, "Yes...Hunter!" We are to the point that we have everything that we need and the nursery is pretty much complete. All we need now is our baby boy. While I sit here and wait for him to decide to come out into the world, I thought I would post some pictures of Hunter's completed nursery. The only thing we have left to do is put some decorations on the wall. We are in the process of ordering painted letters to spell his name and having maternity pictures developed, some of which will go in his room. Anyways, hope you enjoy the pictures of his room.

I absolutely love our Aggie rocking chair! Whoop!

Hope he's a sports fan!!!

Hunter Scott Williams - Class of '32

Still waiting

Dr. Richter wasn't able to strip my membrane as planned. Evidently I hadn't progressed like she thought I would by now. Our next appointment is the 21st, the day before Hunter is due. Hopefully he'll decide to come on his own before then!

Sooner than Later

Yesterday I had my weekly appointment with Dr. Richter, and although I have not dilated any further, she did say that Hunter appears to be dropping. With that and the fact that I am pretty thinned out, she asked me to come back next Friday, and she plans to strip my membrane and get things stirred up a bit. Dr. Richter has done this same thing with two of my friends, and each one had their baby the next day! So Hunter may be making his world debut sometime next weekend!!!

3 weeks to go!!!

This weekend Kevin and I attended the Prepared Childbirth class at the hospital. We had heard that it was a bit granola, so we weren't too sure if we would like it or not. It actually turned out to be a great class. All the couples there asked a lot of questions about receiving an epidural, so the nurse figured out real quick she wasn't going to get anywhere with the advocating natural birth. We really didn't hear much new stuff, but it was reassuring to hear the nurse answer some questions and take the tour of the maternity ward. Kevin was also selected to wear the empathy belly for about 30 minutes during class. I wish we had done this sooner! I believe this is something every husband should do while his wife is pregnant. First, the nurse placed a tight strap around his chest to simulate shortness of breath. She then had him put on the belly complete with boobs and a heating pad to make his temperature rise. She then added a weight that went under the belly and pressed against his bladder so he felt the urge to use the restroom. Lastly, she placed two weighted balls inside the belly that also rolled around to simulate the baby moving. In all, I think the belly weighed about 27 pounds. Although Kevin has been very understanding and supportive during this pregnancy, I believe this experience gave him a much better understanding of what the last nine months have been like for me. One of the other couples in the class took pictures of Kevin and his belly, so as soon as I get them I will be sure to post them :)

We also had an ultrasound this week to see approximately how big Hunter is and what position he is in. He is in the head down position and facing my back, so he is already for the big day. Dr. Richter took his measurements and estimates that at 37 weeks he is currently 7 lbs. 6 oz., and guesses that he will be at least 8 lbs. at birth. She did state that this measurement could be a little off, but that could mean either bigger or smaller. She did also report that he is pretty cramped in there, so I'm wondering how long he will be. Dr. Richter also checked me to see if anything had changed since my last appointment, but no such luck. With Monday being a holiday, I actually go back to see her this Friday to see if anything has changed. I should also get the results of my Strep B test that day too.

36 weeks

We are now 26 days away from Hunter's due date, and Kevin and I are full of various emotions. One minute we're excited, while another minute we're scared and nervous. Regardless of our current state of emotion, I know I am definitely ready to not be pregnant anymore! Although I love feeling Hunter move around, I am looking forward to being able to breathe, find a comfortable position to lay in at night, and see my feet again instead of these puffy swollen ones I've had lately. Yesterday I went to see Dr. Richter and had my strep test done. She also checked me for the first time and said that I was 80% effaced and 1/2 cm dilated. We go back Monday for our ultrasound where she will be able to tell us how big he is and if he is head down yet. I can't wait!!! I'm really hoping she will tell me that he is a big baby, so I can feel much better about the weight I've really started to pack on the last couple weeks. Kevin and I have been busy lately with several baby showers, and finishing up Hunter's nursery. We truly appreciate all of the gifts, advice, and prayers our friends and family have given us. It means more to us than you will ever know. I'm including a few pictures that we have taken lately. We took my monthly belly picture, and a couple of Kevin practicing how to change a diaper. I've also included a short clip from our small group baby shower last night, where Kevin had to change a dirty diaper on a baby doll. It only took him 8 wipes and 2 diapers!!!

Doctor Appointment

Today I had my regular two-week appointment with Dr. Richter. Kevin was not able to make it, since he was busy building a fence, trying to bring home some extra money before Hunter comes. I am so lucky to have a husband that works so hard to provide for Hunter and me :) Once again, Hunter was stubborn and it took a few tries before Dr. Richter was able to find his heartbeat. She also measured my fundal height, and again he was right on target with 32 cm. I have one more two-week appointment on August 17th, and then I start my weekly appointments. We’re getting close!!! On my way out of the office, I scheduled the rest of my appointments with my last one being the day before Hunter is due. It would be nice if Dr. Richter told me at that appointment to head on over to the hospital! We shall see!!!

32 Weeks...Getting Closer

Yesterday Kevin took my picture at 32 weeks, and as you can see Hunter is definitely growing!!! Even though I am not completely uncomfortable yet, I am definitely ready for him to be here!!!

Sneak Peek

Kevin and I had a very exciting day yesterday! We started off with our regular appointment with Dr. Richter. This one was pretty uneventful. She just measured my fundal height, which was 30 1/2 cm. Again, Hunter is still right on target for being 30 weeks 3 days. Dr. Richter also listened for his heartbeat, which for the first time she had a difficult time finding. Kevin had a very worried look on his face, but I had felt Hunter moving all morning, so I wasn't concerned. Dr. Richter even said he was moving a lot, and that was the reason she had a difficult time finding the hearbeat. At one point, he actually kicked her heart monitor! After awhile of searching, she finally found it and his heart was beating at a healthy 158 bpm. After our appointment, Kevin and I then headed over to the hospital to finish up registering for Hunter's big arrival! We are all set to go on that end, so now its just a waiting game! The last thing on our baby to do list yesterday was to have our 3D/4D ultrasound!!! Our parents were able to come also, and it was the first time the grandparents have been able to hear Hunter's heartbeat and see his ultrasound live. It was very exciting to see Hunter's face and watch him move around. It was a little difficult to get some really good pictures of his face, because he kept his left hand up by it the entire time. I started to worry if he even had a right arm, so the sonographer looked for it and found it down by his private. So, he is definitely already acting like a boy, and I'm afraid I'm going to have a plenty of crazy times ahead of me with this one :) He also kept opening and closing his mouth a lot and stuck his tongue out a few times. One time it actually looked like he was crying or yelling!!! So everyone is thinking we are also going to have a loud, outgoing baby!!! I just can't wait to meet him and see if any of our predictions are right!!!

Here are a couple pictures from the ultrasound...

28 weeks

Kevin and I went to another doctor appointment today. Hunter seems to be doing well. Dr. Richter measured my fundal height, which is at 28 cm so Hunter is growing right on schedule. He also has a healthy heartbeat. Dr. Richter went over the results of my glucose screening and said that I did awesome! My level was at 63, and she explained they are not concerned until it gets near 140. Also they reported my blood pressure was 100/67. She also gave me the good news that I'm now done with blood tests from here on out....YEAH!!! We go back for our next appointment on July 17th, which is also the same day we have an appointment at Peek-A-Baby for our 3D/4D ultrasound :)

Kevin and I also took my monthly belly picture this week, and as you can see, Hunter is definitely growing! I've included the first belly picture that we took at 9 weeks 1 day so you can see the dramatic difference.

No News Is Good News

Yeah!!! I never got a call from Dr. Richter's office, so that means I passed the glucose screening test!!! Originally, I wasn't worried about the screening, but after the bad reaction I had to the drink in the doctor office, I was a bit worried I would have to go back in to take the three hour tolerance test. Luckily, that is all behind us now :)

Last Monthly Appointment

Last Friday, Kevin and I had our last monthly doctor appointment with Dr.Richter. She gave us the results of Hunter's stomach/bowel ultrasound, and everything was normal. It was such a relief to hear her say that! I guess the tech had quicker hands than I thought, and was actually able to get a good picture of Hunter even though he was moving constantly during the ultrasound. I also did the glucose screening, which was actually worse than I thought. Everyone kept telling me how horrible the drink tasted (which wasn't my favorite, but wasn't as bad as I imagined). No one told me that some women feel nausea and want to pass out from it!!! Kevin was really great though, and fanned me with a magazine and held on to me while I tried to not pass out while waiting for Dr. Richter to come in our room. Of course, I was being my stubborn self and wouldn't let him go get the nurse. After a few minutes I felt better though, and Dr. Richter explained that some women have that reaction, so it was nothing to worry about. I will only hear from her office if there is a problem, so hopefully I won't hear anything the next few days. Dr. Richter then talked to us about classes we could take at the hospital to prepare for Hunter and finding a pediatrician. So now that I am off for summer break, I guess I will start calling around and setting up meet and greets with pediatricians. Not that I know what makes one pediatrician more qualified than the other. Luckily I have recommendations from friends, so I'll probably start there first. Now for the next two months, we will start seeing Dr. Richter every two weeks, so we go back for our next appointment on July 1st. It won't be too long before Hunter is here!!!

First Blog Post Ever

Since I have absolutely nothing to do at work, and for once everything is not blocked by our web filter, I thought I would jump on the bandwagon and start a blog. I also thought this would be a good way for our friends and family to keep up with what is going on with Hunter. Kevin and I have our last monthly appointment with Dr. Richter this Friday, and then we will start seeing her every two weeks. At this appointment, I will do the glucose screening test, which I hear taste terrible so I'm really looking forward to it :) Dr. Richter will also talk to us about classes we should take, picking a pediatrician, etc. We will also find out the results of our follow-up ultrasound of Hunter's stomach and bowels. Hunter was pretty active (as usual) during that ultrasound, so I doubt the radiologist had any better pictures to look at. Dr. Richter didn't seem concern with his previous ultrasound, so hopefully everything is fine. I'm sure if there had been a problem, she wouldn't have let us wait seven weeks to do the follow-up. But still, I can't wait to hear that everything is normal!