Photography Tips

I have had a few fellow moms asking me about cameras, photoshop (not that I'm an expert by any stretch!!), etc lately...and I have come across a few resources to pass along:

Live view DSLRs. My DSLR doesn't have live view, but man! the photography monster sure would love it. If you're thinking about upgrading to DSLR, one of these might be your best bet. Having image stabilizer would help, too (another thing I lack). Click HERE for the article about them.

Tips from a photographer I admire, Nichole Van. Click HERE to read her blog post.

And my favorite blogger, Pioneer Woman, just enhanced her site with a photography section. I LOVE the way she explains things so that amateurs like me can understand. Click HERE for her website.

Coming up to Breathe

I know I'm WAY behind on posting. Chalk it up to life with three kids.

For Easter we went to Austin, and saw lots of loved ones. We spent Saturday at Chuck's parents' house, and had a steady stream of visitors. It was so fun! Then Charlie & Chance spent the night at Nana & Big Daddy's, and went to the Villareal family party. We went to church that morning then joined them at the party later. Unfortunately I didn't get there in time for the big egg hunt, so my photos aren't very "Easter-y" (yes, I made up a word.).

A few of Saturday's visitors:

(Big Daddy)


(Aunt Meme)


(Great Grandma Thier)

One thing I've noticed is how much the little ones of our family have grown.

Remember sweet Liliana? I know I've shown her picture here a few times.

(In August of last year)


(now)

And I'm sure you know Elijah by now:

(May of last year)


(now)

And then there's Kaleb, who's birthday happens to be the start date for my last pregnancy. Coincidence? I think not. ;)


(June of last year)


(now)

And then there's this guy:

(3 weeks ago)


(now, he's up to 10.5 pounds!)

Ok, so on to Easter pics...

[Chance's eyes look green, I love it! This is the only pic I got of him on Easter.]


[And here's the only one I got of Charlie, on the way home.]

There ya have it, proof that having 3 kids means less pictures. I'm trying to fight it, but it's just inevitable. Things like blogging and photography are becoming extraneous to things like feeding and bathing the kids...and sleeping. In fact there were 2 days this week that I didn't take a.single.photo! I wish I'd known more about photography when I only had one kid (and had owned the equipment), when I truly had time to take photos!

But I did manage a few photos yesterday:

Happy (Late) Easter

My Aunt sent me this video, I just had to share. Definitely worth 5 minutes...



Happy Resurrection Day!

Congratulations Craftons!

One thing I've tried to do on my blog is avoid talking about others. But when we had Chandler a few blogging friends actually blogged about it, and it was SO sweet. So I'm inspired to do the same. Check out this precious-ness:

Congratulations, Stacia & Stefan! They welcomed their third child, first daughter, "Channing Elizabeth" into the world on Wednesday. Channing had a perfect (dare I say, effortless?) delivery, and she is gorgeous! Thanks for letting me come visit and hold her!

Oh, and while I was up at the hospital visiting, I stopped by the NICU to thank the nurses and doctors. The doctor was there that handled Chandler's xrays of his pneumothorax, and he actually showed me the before and after xrays! He described it as "astounding" that the bubble went away so fast. He said the pneumothorax occurs in about 1/1000 babies, and usually they're not that large. Chandler's chest was actually full of air around his lungs. It all just caused me to marvel at God's healing power and grace to us.

Tidbits

So, we're slowly adjusting to life as a family of 5. Here are the tidbits.

Yesterday Chandler experienced his first bath. The boys thought it was the funniest thing. Chance kept bringing me parts from the breast pump, thinking that they were baby bath toys. Charlie thought the baby brush was for scrubbing, and wanted to scrub his little body clean. And afterwards, as I wrapped Chandler up in the towel, he promptly spit up, peed, and pooped! Ah, the joys of motherhood...

The boys are adjusting well to having a baby around. Chance doesn't even mind that I hold him. But Chance has now become "scared" when we put him to bed at night, and wants one of us to lay with him. I think it may be because he thinks the baby gets to sleep with us (which is partly true). And Chance has become more physically aggressive. He's been biting, pinching, etc... something Charlie never did when Chance was born.

However, Chance has his redemptive side. I have a big ugly pimple on my chin at the moment, which he says, "Bobo" and kisses for me.

Charlie is an old pro at the big brother thing. He asks to hold Chandler often. He truly delights in him.

But I guess it's just Charlie getting older that is causing other disciplinary issues. Yesterday I was so sad as Charlie told his first lie. I caught him sneaking into the cupcakes, and reminded him that he was allowed to eat one (his reward for eating well at lunch), but only one, and to stop sneaking! About an hour later I noticed that both of the cupcakes were gone. I asked him where the other cupcake went and he put his arms up in the air and said, "I dunno. Maybe they disappeared?!" It was all Chuck and I could do to hold the laughs in. Chuck asked if maybe it disappeared into his mouth, and he said, "I dunno. Maybe." I gave him a few chances to come clean, and finally he did. That's the one thing we hadn't had to deal with before, and I was just hoping that somehow he'd always be honest with us...Silly me.

And Chandler is sleeping with us sorta...I'm really struggling with how to make this work. I had resolved that with this one I would do it right, not allow him to sleep in our bed, and feed him on a schedule, in hopes that he'd sleep through the night by 3 months of age. It was easy the first 2 weeks, because he was in the NICU, so sleeping with us wasn't an option. But that was with jaundice, so I think that might've caused him sleep well between feedings. Now that he's home and healed, he doesn't sleep well. I'm starting to wonder if it's reflux, because he spits up often and when I lay him down he kicks and arches his back, like his tummy hurts. So, at night, he wakes up every 30-60 minutes uncomfortable, and nurses every 2 hours. However, if I put him in bed with me, for some reason he sleeps well between feedings, and will go 3 hours. I just don't get it. Maybe I can't figure it out because my sleep-deprived brain isn't working fully. ;) Should I let him cry it out to go to sleep in his crib? Or should I just give up and let him sleep with us, deal with the consequences later? If you have any advice on this subject, I'd greatly appreciate it!

Life in Pictures

With the hectic schedule I'm adjusting to, there's not much to say. But I am working hard to get photos daily, so that's what I have to share.

[Watching Charlie be a big brother again makes me so proud. And he's a daddy's boy these days.]




[Chance is finding brotherhood to be a giddy thing. It'll be awhile before he really takes on the big brother role.]


[But don't get me wrong, he's very excited about "baby Chanwer".]


[They're both very excited, actually.]


[I LOVE Charlie in this photo. Just melts my heart.]


[As for Chandler, he's working hard on growing (i.e. eating and sleeping constantly). I wish that was my job ;)]


[Today the boys had a bubble bath.]


[Can you tell?!]



And lastly...

[Look closely: see the lizard? The boys loved this!]

Merry Christmas, Happy Easter

For Christmas I ordered Chuck an XO laptop. What I didn't know is it wouldn't come in until March 14th! The funny thing is, that was my due date. So I can say that Chuck got his baby on that day. :)

This laptop is really cool. It's made by One Laptop Per Child, where it's designed for children in third world countries. It's super durable, has tons of interesting technology, etc. You can even pull on the cord (kinda like a lawn mower) in order to recharge the battery when you don't have electricity. Normally they only take donations, but in December they allowed the public to purchase one with each one donated. What they didn't know is that the public is huge! They had such a great demand, it took three months to get to our order! Chuck's way excited about his XO, and possibly writing programs to donate...

And yes, yesterday was the due date: Happy due date Chandler! It's so weird to think he'd just now be born. How much do you think he would've weighed by now? I'm thinking 45 pounds, 2 ounces. Just kidding. Chandler celebrated the day by getting over his jaundice, and losing the last of his umbilical cord. I really feel like we should throw a party!

Speaking of party...Has anyone else noticed that next week is Easter?! Wow! Time to dye Easter eggs, and go on egg hunts. For fun, I think I'll hide Chandler in the yard and let the boys find him (kidding!!). Whew, all these big events are wearing me out...or maybe it's the marathons of feeding Chandler through the night... Sleep deprivation causes random blogging, I've heard. But I don't think I suffer from it. ;)

Is it possible to overdose on photography?!

So, I guess it was to be expected, but I think I'm gonna take about a million photos this year.



But really, who can blame me?!



He's just so cute, with his naked little (big) body!



Can you get enough? I know I can't.



Seriously, how can you not take a picture of that funny little face?!



...and that little (big) foot?



...and that little (big) hand?



Especially when those hands are in a praying position... You know you'd want to remember it always.



And when those hands are always up while he sleeps... You know that's not going to last forever.



Well, ok, maybe it would last forever.

But still, wouldn't you be glad you have it recorded?




Or is it just me?

The Play By Play - Not for the faint of heart...or stomach!

The morning started very early for me.

2 AM I woke up to use the bathroom, as I usually did 2-3 times a night, and noticed that my mom, brother, and sister had just gotten in, so I spent some time with them...then I tried to find something decent to watch on tv because I couldn't sleep. :( By 4 am, I was back asleep, unaware that I had set my alarm wrong. I was supposed to get up at 5. But thankfully my uncle called at 5:15 (thinking we'd be in the hospital), and woke us up! Can you tell it's the third kid when you oversleep the morning you are to have him?!

We still made it to the hospital by about 6 AM and by 6:45 I had an IV going and was ready to get the party started. But my doctor wasn't there yet, and they couldn't start the pitocin until she came in. So Chuck and I actually took naps until 8:30! (Once again, can you tell it was kid #3?!).

8:30 Pitocin started
9:30 Epidural started
10:30 MIRACLE #1 - My doctor (Dr Arya) was checking me before breaking my water - which was just about to happen on it's own - when she noticed that his hands were above his head. If my water broke then, we'd have to do an emergency c-section because his hands can't come first. Dr Arya did a sonogram to see that both hands were above his head, like he was in a diving position. She somehow managed to get him to pull his hands down before breaking my water. That was a scary moment where we knew God was protecting Chandler.

And about the water that broke...it amazed the doctor and nurses how much there was! They said he was in a swimming pool! So we may have a little water bug. hehe.

Oh, I was 3 cm before we broke that water, and instantly a 4-5 afterwards. My body doesn't usually dilate until the water is broken, so I'm willing to bet I was a 3 before we came in that morning.

By 2:30 PM I was fully dilated, and we noticed his heartbeat dropping with contractions, which indicated that the cord was being squeezed. Thankfully it wasn't too bad, that would've been another reason for an emergency c-section. Just before we started pushing, Dr. Arya noticed Chandler was not in the right position. He was facing up instead of down, which means lots of pushing unless he turned. So Dr. Arya got out the suction, and attempted to turn him as I pushed. Unfortunately the suction wasn't working very well, so it popped off 3 times. At that point she didn't want to use it anymore, and it was up to me to get him out. It was a good epidural - I could feel contractions and tell how to push.

By 3:23 PM he was born (less than an hour, yippee!), not facing down, but sideways, with the cord pretty tight around his neck. Dr. Arya cut the cord and handed him over to the NICU team. They were there because his heart rate had been dropping with the contractions. They immediately gave him oxygen to get him breathing, at which point he would breathe and moan instead of scream. That was a bit worrisome. Somewhere between the cutting of the cord and his first few breaths he had breathed in too much, causing a small hole in his left lung, which leaked a large pocket of air into his chest.

Chuck stayed with him as he was taken to the NICU and put on oxygen to help with the air bubble (it's called a "pneuma thorax" (sp?).

We had a wonderful crowd of family in the waiting room...in fact they were moved to a different waiting room for being too loud...makes me so proud! :) LOL That's my family!! Unfortunately, most of them didn't even get to see Chandler because he was in NICU. Chuck was able to bring the grandparents in one-by-one to see him.

At 8:30 PM I finally got to see Chandler in the NICU. I was told that he couldn't nurse until the air bubble was gone...and he may even have to have a feeding tube until then :( The doctors were thinking it'd take a week.

At midnight they xrayed him, seeing that the air bubble was large, but thankfully not enough to collapse his left lung.

MIRACLE #2 - At 4 AM I went to see him, and afterwards pumped for the first time...and got a large amount of colostrum. So I brought it back to the NICU, and the doctor was nearby when Chandler started fussing, so he told the nurse to try dropping the colostrum in his mouth by drops. Chandler drank the whole thing down, then passed right out. So the doctor looked at me and said, "Why don't you come back in 3 hours and we'll try nursing."

8 AM he nursed for the first time, and did great! The nurse said that it was amazing that the bubble didn't seem to interfere with his breathing. What I loved about it was that I got to hold him for the first time!

11:30 Another feeding, and this time Chuck was allowed to hold him as well.

MIRACLE #3 - Noon - they re-xrayed him, and amazingly: NO MORE AIR BUBBLE!!

10 PM They xray again just to confirm that the bubble is gone...then allow him to join us in our room! Out of the NICU, woohoo!

The next day, Monday, we had lots of family visit, and the boys got to hold Chandler for the first time. It was definitely a moment I'll treasure forever.

Tuesday, 4 AM he was tested for jaundice...and it was high, so he went back into the NICU to go under the lights. And there he stayed until 6 PM Wednesday, at which point we were allowed to go back home.

Wednesday- Friday we were at home and Charlie and Chance were in Austin.

Thursday we retested his jaundice - it had come up 2 points.

Friday we retested again - it had come up 2 more points, to 17.4 - so it was back to the NICU.
He was under lights from Friday afternoon - Sunday morning. He left the NICU with a level of 9.6.

We were so excited to return home and finally have all 3 boys under one roof! :) And I have to brag on Chuck here. This time has been very draining on him, yet he's never complained, and has stuck by my side. The futon in the hospital was not very comfortable, and I often offered that he could sleep at home, but he always stayed with me. And there was no internet in the hospital, so he spent a lot of time in complete boredom. He's my rock, that's for sure.

Anyhow, since we've been home, we retested the jaundice Tuesday, it was 13.6
We retested Wednesday, it was down to 11.
We retested today, but haven't heard yet what the results are.

So there ya have it, "the rest of the story." Things definitely could've been much worse, and I SO appreciate the many friends and family who've let us know they're praying for us. As you can see, we've needed and seen God's healing hand at work in Chandler's precious life!

Pregnancy Chronicles, Trimester Three

Before I post a play-by-play of the birth, I felt it's appropriate to wrap up the pregnancy. And if you're wondering, this record of my pregnancy is really here to remind me of why I don't want to be pregnant again. I've been warned that I'll get the "baby bug" again, and regret shutting the factory down...in which case I'll look back at this! Ha!

While trimester one was a bit easier than normal, and the second was oddly filled with nesting, the third trimester was rougher than usual. When we spent a week in New Hampshire (kidless), I realized that it was more the fact that I was trying to chase 2 little boys around, than the idea that pregnancy was tough. I'm so over being pregnant while taking care of kids, basically. So for those of you who haven't been pregnant, I'm sorry if I've scared you into thinking it's a horrible thing. It's just very rough on your body when you have kids already. My week without kids in New Hampshire made me see how this pregnancy wasn't all that bad. When I could get adequate rest and food, life was really kinda fun! :)

So, here are the details:

1. I had heart-racing issues. That's a new one for me. Sometimes, even while sitting, I'd feel my heart pound like it was at Delta Downs. My doctor said it was probably the weather (atmospheric pressure). It happened much more often in New Hampshire, although it may be that I just noticed it more there.

2. Fatigue / feeling like a beached whale. I really lack tolerance when it comes to being huge. All of the muscle aches from trying to flip over in bed, and not being able to tie my shoes or help the boys, getting winded just from walking upstairs, and even having to sit in front of my washer and dryer in order to load it...everything just irritated me. I also had a hormone spike around 35 weeks where I was just anxious to get the pregnancy over with! God convicted me that I wasn't trusting His will for my life and I learned to settle down. But being too tired to run simple errands, or play with the boys, really became a drain. The freedom to move around is one that I am learning to value.

3. Cravings: Still pizza and chocolate, but add to the list: Coke! Not my usual Dr. Pepper, I wanted COKE! And Coke floats, too. And a new one for me was yogurt with granola. I had never eaten that much, but I binged on it in this trimester! I'll be curious to see if these cravings match Chandler's appetite.

4. We finally picked a name. And then it all seemed more real. And now as I hold him in my arms, and get his Social Security card in the mail, it just seems so cool that God entrusted us with this precious child, and he'll be called by the name we gave him (until Heaven, when we all get new names from God!). I just hope he'll forgive us that he'll always be tied to Chandler Bing on the show "Friends." Hehe.

5. Charlie slowly accepted the fact that it's a boy. Everytime I had a doctor's appointment, he'd remind me that he wanted a girl, like maybe the doctor could fix it. LOL. Since Chandler's been born, he hasn't mentioned once that he wanted a sister. He's just so in love, it's the coolest thing to watch. But once we got home and reunited with the boys, Charlie innocently asked me: "Why did you bring the baby home from the hospital, Mommy?" LOL.

6. Another odd thing about this trimester was that I didn't nest. The bigger I got, the less I cared if anything got done. Chuck got off easy, really, in having to put up with me. Although I think it was a trade off: instead of pushing him to do projects, he had to listen to me gripe about how uncomfortable I was.

7. Speaking of how uncomfortable...I gained the same amount - 40 pounds - with this guy as I did with the other two. Just don't ask me how, because I ate constantly (although it was always a small meal due to major heartburn), and ate whatever I wanted. And I still had swelling in the last few weeks.

Yet, it's amazing how I just had Chandler 12 days ago, and I can barely remember what pregnancy was like. I also marvel at him, and can't comprehend how he had fit inside. He likes to be swaddled tightly, and I think it's because he didn't have much room! But all in all, I'm so relieved and thankful that this phase is over with and we have a beautiful new life in our home as a result. To borrow a quote from Chuck, "It was worth it, but I don't want to do it again." ;)

Trimester One

Trimester Two

The Worst is Over, I Think

Who's happy to be home?

Chandler is! :)

[The left is what he really looked like, the right is what it would've been like if the light was white instead of blue.]

So, his biliruben levels dropped continually (down to 9.6), and by noon today we were back home. Soon we'll be joined by our other boys and Nana, and finally be a reunited family! We go back for another test tomorrow, so I can't rule out having more troubles, but the idea is once it starts dropping on it's own (which it was doing this morning), it should continue. I can't believe he's already a week old and we're just now getting settled at home. It's been a roller coaster week, but the end result is a great blessing, and we're looking forward to many happy days ahead.

One verse that has been ringing in my head is what Mary said when the angel told her she would be with child. I know my son is not the Messiah, but I feel the same way she did:

"My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!" (Luke 1:46).

Thank you all so much for your love, prayers, and sweet words this week! They all mean so much. And if you were wanting to visit...we're ready now!

Playing the Waiting Game

So we're still in the NICU, but out of the danger zone and things are looking good for being able to go home tomorrow sometime.

A lot of people have asked about this jaundice, why it's such a big deal. Don't all babies get jaundice? Yes, and that was my thought at first: aren't the doctors taking this too seriously?! But I've learned a bit about it while I'm here, and I understand better why all this is necessary. It makes it bearable, for sure.

Jaundice is what you call the overload of biliruben in the blood. Biliruben is an element in the blood that the body tries to get rid of, through the liver, which isn't fully developed yet, and through excretions (poopies). If there's too much of it that the body can't get rid of fast enough, it begins to try to escape thru the skin...thus the orange skin tone. That's what most babies deal with. But if it builds up too much, it crosses into the brain and can cause a form of brain damage that will impair motor skills and coordination. For instance, most babies biliruben levels will rise from birth until about their 7th day of life, usually up to a level of 10, then begin to drop off as the liver develops. Chandler's level on Tuesday was 13.8 when he went under the lights (more about the lights later). When he came off the lights 24 hours later, he was down to 11.7. While this was high, it was still in the safe range, so the doctors let us go home with some at home treatment (the biliblanket). But once the levels reach 18, it becomes worrisome, and once it hits 25, there's probably damage being done. On Thursday, his level was up to 15.7, and by Friday morning it was 17.8. That's when we returned to the NICU to go under the lights again.

So, it's been discovered that sunlight helps the body in the fight. Obviously we can't get him in direct sunlight 24 hours a day, because it's not out that long, and he'd be sunburned. So we have these lamps that give just UV light, which is what he needs, and doesn't burn him. And it's working. The NICU lights are much stronger than the biliblanket. The NICU has him laying on a biliblanket, and has not one but two lamps on him. This is extreme phototherapy. By 2 am today, after about 12 hours under the lights, he was down to 12.7, and by another 12 hours later (2 pm today) he was down to 10.7. The doctor said this is proof not only that the lights are working, but that his liver may be working as well. Our goal is to get him down to at least 6 before we can go home.

One reason he's had such a hard time is because in delivery he had suction attached to his head, which popped off three times, leaving a bruise. As the body breaks down (heals) that bruise, the waste turns into biliruben. The amazing thing is, Charlie also had suction pop off three times, and his bruise was way worse...yet he didn't get jaundice!! I'm now even more aware of what a miracle it was.

One miracle in Chandler's case is that he's eating well. Usually jaundiced babies are lethargic and don't want to eat, which not only slows the process (no food, no poop), but also can cause other problems due to dehydration. Yet Chandler has been alert often and has been eating and pooping like a champ! Only a mother can say that, huh? ;)

So there you have it, the full story. I know I was going to post the delivery details...and I'm still hoping to get to that. I'll warn you in the title so you don't have to read it if you've got a weak stomach. ;)

If you are a friend or family who's waiting to see this guy, thank you so much for your patience. We are definitely looking forward to getting home and reunited with all three of our boys! Thank You, Nana and Big Daddy for caring for Charlie and Chance - and keeping them distracted - while we go thru all this.

I have more pics, of course, but no way to upload yet. I'm looking forward to nipping this jaundice in the bud, and getting settled in at home- and taking pictures!! It's hard enough to not be able to hold him...and how many pictures can you take of him under those (blue) lights?! Hehe...we have fun times ahead.

Back to the NICU :(

Chandler's biliruben test didn't go well this morning, so we had to take him back to the NICU to sit under the lights for the next 24 hours. It shouldn't be anything to worry about, just a bit nerve racking, and tiring for Angie as she has to be up there for feedings. I'm sure Angie will post more details soon.

Finally Settling In

Later today I plan on posting a play by play of his birth, but until then...the latest update:

This morning we took him to the dr and to a lab to be retested. His biliruben rose again, but it's still in a safe range, so we're just sticking to using the biliblanket. The blanket is great because he can just have it under his clothes and still be wrapped tight. This boy does not like to be loose! Under the lamps for 24 hours was torture because he couldn't be held or wrapped tight...so this is way better. He's sleeping constantly, and eating well, so we are confident the biliruben will improve by this weekend. We go to retest again tomorrow.

I did want to remember that he seems to think 2 AM is the best time to be awake. For the last few nights, he's had a feeding around that time and wanted to look around for awhile afterwards. We may have days and nights messed up, which will be fun once he's awake more. Last night I set up the mobile and he studied it for a long time.


And I posted some photos to compare Charlie, Chance, and Chandler. So many have asked who he favors...I'll leave it up to you. I see a little bit of both in him, plus his own look. It's a marvelous thing! Here are a few of the set:

Charlie


Chance


Chandler

Ahhh, there's no place like home!

Oh yes, that's right! We're home! Woohoo! Thank You, Lord!

The biliruben levels are still slightly concerning so Chandler is wrapped in a biliblanket tonight, and will be retested tomorrow. Technically we could end up at the hospital again, with him under the lamps again. But we're hoping not :)

We are acutely aware of how blessed we are, not only to have a healthy baby, but so many friends and family who care. We couldn't have survived without all the help and encouragement. Thank you again for everything.

Oh, and I have a few more pictures up - shocker, I know...

He sleeps with his mouth open a lot (something Charlie also did).


I LOVE this blanket, thanks Jill!!


He was under the lamps for jaundice for 24 hours.


Afterwards, I kept him in the sun to also help clear up the jaundice. Doesn't he look so relaxed?!


Long and skinny - that sums up a lot of him, but especially his feet, toes, and fingers.


He's quite the sleeper...and eater. Temperament so far seems pretty laid back, although he turns red when he gets mad - if someone disturbs him from sleeping or eating. Ha!

I still have so much more to catch you up on...but I gotta go feed the boy and catch some zzz's. This is life for now :)

Just gotta be patient

That's what I keep telling myself. I can't say I've been very good at it the last few days. I am getting just a small taste of what parents go thru who have NICU babies, and my heart truly hurts for those parents. As I pass them sitting with their precious little ones, I just can't imagine the agony. You just want you baby to be ok, to hurry up and heal so you can go home and get about life as a family.

Chandler is thankfully out of any danger, but his jaundice flared up, as they saw in a test at 5 am this morning. So they decided to put him under a lamp for 24 hours. I'm glad they want to be cautious, I know it's the right thing to do. It's just so hard to be patient. I already miss him so much because we were having a great time bonding in our room together... now I'm back to only visiting him for feedings every 3 hours, and other than feeding, I can't hold him much because he needs to be under that lamp. They'll test again tomorrow morning, and hopefully by 10 AM we'll be reunited...and going home!

Thank you again to all who have sent such sweet and warm thoughts. It really means more than I can explain and gives me something to smile about! Of course there are many stories to tell, which I can hopefully get going once we get home...

If you think of us tonight, please keep praying. So many have been, and I can really feel it. God's always been in control, but I think He has special pleasure from seeing His people petition Him on behalf of someone. Maybe it gives Him something to smile about, too!

On a lighter note: Can you believe there was an almost 9 pound baby in there?!!! I know I was big, but seriously!?! No wonder people thought it was twins! And it is nice to be able to see my toes again, ha!

Finally! Pictures! Internet!

So we finally (sigh) found internet...

Thank God for Schlotzky's, the only restaurant around with wifi (and Schlotzky's was founded in Austin...I'm so not surprised. It's like an oasis! ha!)

...And I've uploaded 50 pictures for your viewing pleasure! :) Just click here to see the set. 3 days, 210 "keeper" pictures...A photographer's dream, ha! Here are a few of my faves so far...







Of course, we're still on limited time, so I'll blog more later. Other than a little jaundice and a pending circumcision, Chandler's ready to go home. Hopefully by this evening...

And I'm literally tearing up as I'm reading all of the sweet comments and emails. You guys are the greatest!! I can't wait to print them all and put them in his baby book to show how much he's loved.

Oh, and guess winners!

Weight: Scott got it dead on! Way to go, even the dr and I were surprised!

Height: Melony (Scott came in second)

Time: Anna was closest with 2:45...he was born at 3:23 PM.

Update on Chandler

We have a very short time of internet, but wanted to let you know, Chandler's doing better. "Amazingly" his air bubble in his chest dissipated in the first 24 hours of his life! He was able to leave the NICU Sunday night to join us in our room. He's eating very well, hasn't lost an ounce of weight, and is just beautiful (of course!). We're hoping that the hospital will release us tomorrow (Tuesday) sometime. I have tons of pics, surprise, surprise...but not good enough connection yet to upload'em, so stay tuned. As soon as we're home, we'll have lots to share ;) (I feel like I'm suffocating without internet, isn't that sad?!!)

Thanks again for your pr