Nicholas Update

Addy & John Michael came to visit again yesterday. They loved the moving bed! You can see, John Michael couldn't keep his eye off the button that moves the bed!

Nicholas is doing MUCH better today! THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone who has been praying. As soon as we posted the blog post and texted friends/family to be praying we began seeing an improvement. I believe, with all my heart, that the Lord has been with him both comforting him and strengthening him during this time.

Finally, this morning, he was weaned off of his oxygen "hood." He hasn't been able to eat orally since they had him on the oxygen because they were concerned he asperate (sp?). But, this morning at 9:00 we were able to give him a bottle of expressed milk! He had another one at noon and he'll get another at 3:00. Then I finally get to nurse him again! :) But, since I do most of the feedings I thought it would be nice for Johnny to give him his first bottle.... which, by the way, he chugged!

Here's Nicholas pouting that he can't be held yet!

Here he is, in all his glory...spiky hair, yellow body and arms upward.

Our precious "little" man. Please pray that his retracting dies down, there is no bacteria in his blood and that his jaundice isn't alarmingly high! Thanks guys - we're *hoping* to bring him home tomorrow evening but even Thursday morning would be fine too. Home is the goal either way!

Pictures

This is another guest blogger, Tara : )

Here is little Nicholas a few hours after he was born. This is one of the only pictures she has with his eyes open, right now he does not seem to like the light.



Check out all the thick dark hair. 9 lbs 3 oz and only 19.5 inches long he definately has the short stocky Mexican blood in him.




Unfortunately Nicholas is having a hard time breating. They are monitoring him , giving him oxgyen and antibotics. We should know how he is doing in the morning.

HE is here!!!!

HI all, Michelle had a boy, little Nicholas Worthington Hamstra (don't know correct spelling), weighs 9lbs 3 ounces (???). She is still recovering! Will post pics when I get them.

- Kathy

Second Update

Hey Everyone!

I just got a text from Johnny, she is at 9 cm now!
Praise the Lord, we should see a baby soon!

Sam

First update

Hey all, Kathy here,

Just got the first update from Johnny and Michelle. She told me she is 7 cm and 80% effaced, so things are progressing well!

Come on baby Hamstra...!!!

going to the hospital!

I asked Kathy to update my blog for me while I'm there so check back for updates.

Right now I've been having contractions for a few hours at home - they're coming a bit more frequent and intense.... probably about 5 minutes apart... so i called the midwife and she recommended we come in.

Looks like this little guy/gal isn't going to have a 9/29 birthday... or lets hope not or thats one LONG labor!

More soon,
Michelle

Fall has arrived

Well, even though it was pretty warm out today we are officially welcoming fall to Northwest Indiana! The nights have been cool and we haven't had our air conditioning on in days and days... (though being this pregnant I sometimes wish we did!)

Addy is still trying to grasp the concept of seasons. Right now she thinks all the pumpkins are exclusively for Halloween. John Michael is indifferent about Halloween, though with his sweet tooth (courtesy of the Hamstra blood) I'm sure this will be a memorable holiday for him in the future.

We decided to take advantage of the last of our baby free days by going to a nearby farm stand and picking up some fall decorations.

John Michael insisted he try to pick up a pumpkin on his own:



Addy had a blast playing on the pumpkins. She loved picking up any pumpkin not to heavy for her.



Here are the kiddos cheesin' it up for the trusty ole point & shoot.



And when we got home they collected the scarecrows Mom Mom bought them a few weeks ago to put them in the hay we bought.



And finally, the finished product.



I'd still love to get some mums to put by the door but they were just too expensive at the place we went to. The kids had a blast though and I'm looking forward to the cooler days... and hopefully another little one to share them with!

my cute kiddos

Yes, I'm still pregnant. :)

My midwives had told me they would probably induce me the beginning to the middle of last week... but when I called on Monday to get more information on the timing of it all they gave me a different story! They said they didn't want to induce me after all.... Sadly, my sister had already bought a ticket to come out here to be with me... took off several days of work and ended up missing the birth altogether. I was definitely disappointed. HOWEVER, she had a great time with Addy & John Michael... but even though I told her to remind me to take pictures neither one of us thought of it! We pretty much just hung out at the house but the kids absolutely LOVED having her here.... probably because she has WAY more energy than I do these days and plays with them constantly. What a good aunt!

I thought I'd post these pictures I took of Addy & John Michael a few weeks ago. They were all taken in about 15-20 minutes total since my kids don't exactly LOVE to be photographed. Who does though, right? But even though a couple of these turned out blurry I absolutely love them. I think they will always be precious to me because they really capture their personalities (especially John Michael's pictures!).

I hope to do some more mini sessions with them. I can't believe how I've slacked in taking pictures of my own kids. Sometimes the thought of editing is so daunting that I quit before I even start! But, these pictures hardly needed any editing at all - just a little color/contrast boost and I was good to go!

I couldn't, however, narrow it down from color to black & white... so I'm just posting both. Hope its not too terribly annoying to load! Enjoy:










Those of you who know my children in person probably think this best resembles my little man... its the face he makes most often. :)

















and one of him and Johnny that didn't turn out too well but I love it all the same. :)

My new Dream....

Pregnant with John Michael

Here is that picture of me pregnant with John Michael at 38 weeks. I was probably a little over a week later in the post below. :)

I definitely think this baby might be smaller!

Ergo Carrier + Diaper Bag + "Birth Date"

http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifFirst.. a picture. :)

Here I am at church this morning with my dear friend, Elizabeth who is due about the same time as me! We're kind of thinking we might have babies on the same day this week... More on that when we find out!





And here are our daughters being girly girls at church today.







It reminds me *again* that I should be more proactive about "play dates" for my kiddies. Currently they have zero regular play dates and very few spontaneous ones!


And here is a picture of me with my friend Adam. When I was pregnant with John Michael we took the same picture... but for the life of me I can't find it! But if I do I'll post them together. :)



And finally, one of me at 38 weeks with John Michael: http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3992/1480/1600/IMG_1099.jpg

I think I was bigger then but I can't be sure. Maybe that means this baby won't be as big!

I have a couple quesions for my blog friends.

1. Besides Elizabeth does anyone have an Ergo baby carrier? I'd really, really like to get one but they are SO expensive and I'd like to hear some more feedback before spending the money.

This one is currently my favorite. And for those of you who do have one - do you recommend the infant insert?

Also, I'm in the market for a new diaper bag... anyone have one they love?

More soon!

Did I mention I'm having a boy?

Did I mention I'm having a boy?

Probably not, because truthfully, we have no idea what we're having. We chose not to find out at either of the ultrasounds we had.. but I am more than convinced that its a boy! Its so funny to me that I feel so strongly about it though! I've never felt so sure in either of the other pregnancies. When I was pregnant with Addy I flip flopped. In the beginning I thought I was having a girl but in the end everyone else convinced me I was having a boy! With John Michael I was pretty sure I was having another girl until we found out that he was a boy! So, my odds of being right are pretty slim - especially according to my track record.... However, I will say that with both of the other pregnancies I never claimed to *know* like I do this time. :)

One of the reasons that I feel so strongly about it is because this pregnancy is VERY similar to John Michael's. The way I gained weight and the amount of weight I gained were nearly identical. I also craved green things and chemical things during my pregnancy with John Michael... the same as during this one.

But, I thought I'd go ahead and make the public statement... I haven't gone as far as to washing all of my boy clothes yet but I'll be honest - I'm tempted! It'd be nice to have that done and ready for when the baby is born... but then the thought of doing all that work, hanging up all the clothes, etc... only to come home with my tail between my legs, pack it all up again and get out the pink stuff has me holding off.... that and the other million things I'm trying to get done before the baby is born!

Enough for now - no pictures, sorry. I might take a "9 months pregnant" picture tomorrow if I have a good hair day... which for me just means at least washing it. :) :)