Our Baby is ONE MONTH OLD!!

I can hardly believe our precious son is ONE MONTH OLD! (Actually one month and 2 days) Jake is such a good baby. More often than not he lets us get in some good rest at night. He is such a happy and STRONG boy. He is already holding his head up with ease and looking around. If you stand him up he will straighten his knees and push himself up. He loves his swing and usually sleeps in it for at least one nap a day. He is starting to smile and talk more and more each day. He loves it when I put him in the stroller and we go for a walk. He is usually asleep before we reach the end of the drive way. I'm going to be sad when the really cold days get here because we won't be taking those walks quite as often.
Jake loves it when Daddy gets home from work. He just watches him and Daddy often gets a grin. G is such an AMAZING Daddy! He really helps out around the house and he is on diaper duty in the middle of the night. I feed and he changes, and at times when baby J decides he wants to be awake, G will stay up with him and let Mommy get some much needed rest. We have been SO EXTREMELY BLESSED by our friends and family this first month. Tonight is the first night we are on our own for dinner. That's right, we have had a meal brought to us every night!! I'm not sure how I have managed to lose any baby weight with all the good grub coming in :o) I think Jake already has more friends than we do.. but we don't mind. On the health front Jake is oblivious that anything is going on with his precious little body. For those who haven't heard the doctors found a "long QT" on an E.K.G. we had done as a follow up from the hospital. Basically what that means is that it takes longer than normal for Jake's heart to relax a then contract again. It's not a heart problem, his heart is strong and healthy, it's a problem with the electrical impulses that control how and when his heart beats. His numbers weren't awful, but they were high enough to cause concern with the cardiologist. He had to be put on a 24 hr. halter monitor (which I think bothered Mommy and Daddy more than it did him) and has been put on Beta blockers to help with the long Q.T. He got blood drawn this week to get some genetic testing done to determine why he has this long Q.T. and to see if it needs to be treated in a way other than the meds he is on now. It's a pretty confusing issue to have. Nothing about the tests or treatment is 100%, of course that is why we are just trusting Jake in the hands of our Lord. We have known from the beginning that Jake is going to do big things for our God, and this is just the enemy trying to thwart those plans... hahaha, he has another thing coming. Jake and this family are fighters!! Let me tell you, we have already learned so much in this one month. For one we are reminded that our faith is in our Lord, Jesus Christ and not in our circumstances. Our faith is in the ONE who can do ultimate healing, and not the doctors. Yes, we know there is a place for doctors and we will heed all they tell us, we just aren't trusting them to "heal" Jake, we are looking to our All Powerful God!! I know that as parents Gerald and I will be challenged, but if it means drawing us and Jake into a closer walk with God, then so be it! We want Jake to be so much more than we will ever be. We want him to know, understand and have a personal relationship with God before we did. We want him to understand the importance of a close relationship with God before we did. We want him to understand that it's not enough to make Christ #1 on your priority list in life, He has to BE your life! That means He is involved in every aspect of your daily living. It's my prayer that as a stay at home mom I can set an example for Jake. I want him to see the Lord in my everyday life. I want him to see that you can praise the Lord while doing house work or read the word while eating breakfast, or you can even watch sermons while folding laundry. I want him to see Christ as the highlight of my day. "Lord help me to be the best example I can for my precious son." Lastly I want Jake to understand that Mommy and Daddy are not perfect. I want him to understand that there will be times we will mess up. There will be times when we make mistakes. There will be times when we may disappoint him. But if he trust in his Heavenly Father, HE will never disappoint, he will never mess up, and he will never make mistakes, HE is perfect!!
So I guess all in all, I think this journey that we are on with his long Q.T. is only the beginning of us seeing how BIG our God is and how He is going to use Jake and his life in BIG ways!! God has entrusted us with such a precious, precious gift! Speaking of that precious gift, he is waking up from his nap, so I'm going to go get me some loving!! Will keep you updated as I can!

A Good Morning Song...

So Jake told me that he wanted to sing a song for everyone this morning. We hope you enjoy!!

Week 2...ish

Sorry for delay on the post. Jake met his Nuzum cousins last week it they had a blast. Jake is so cool! G got to take Sat morning and just sit in bed while Wendy got ready for the day. Jake is such a big talker. Enjoy the video below of Jake's friends and family...oh and by the way pics of Jake.

Jake's 1st Week

Jake's first shout-out to all his peeps.
Can't believe Jake's been here almost a week! Wendy has been amazing to watch and learn from. His eyes have been open most of the day and he's been trying to figure us out. What a great week! Enjoy below...

Jake arrived last night at 9:09. He was 9 lbs 1 oz and was 20 inches long. He had to spend the night in the nursery to monitor oxygen levels. We got him at 10:15 this morning.
Below are some initial pics.
http://picasaweb.google.com/geraldwmiller/JakePics?feat=email

Jake has arrived

So it's 1:30 in the morning and we're going to try to get some sleep. Jake arrived at 9:09pm. Wendy did great! Jake weighed 9 lbs 1 oz and was 20 in long. My phone died about 15 mins prior to the delivery, so I couldn't send any updates to anyone, nice. Thank you to everyone for your love and prayers. The staff was so helpful. We'll start posting pics tomorrow. I'll also try to post Amber's summary of the day's events. Peace.

jake's comin

just got to hospital. about to get epidural. sweeeeeet nectar. will post after arrival.

The final countdown...

Wow.. it's been awhile since my last post. I wish I could rattle off this long list of "to do's" that I've been getting done, but really I can't say I have much to show for these last few weeks. Well,except a few more inches around my mid-section. It's crazy how tiring just being can be. Sleep eludes me, comfort... what's that? Anyone seen my toes lately? Note to self.. don't sit and recline in recliner when home alone; may remain there for the duration of the day. A full meal? Not in this tummy.. 5 bites will do me just fine... though I will need to be fed again in about 30 min.
So here I am 37 weeks and 4 days along.. SO VERY READY!! I can't believe the doctors were preparing me to deliver at 35wks and here I sit 17 days away from my due date. Don't get me wrong, I am thrilled to death to have made it this far. I want Jake to be as healthy as he can be and I know that means baking as long as he can. My concern is his size. Most people just laugh at me when they take one good look and hear that I'm suppose to go until Oct. 12th. Looks like Jake will be a big boy. On the medical side of things all is well. I FINALLY got away from having to be monitored every other day. That was getting quite tiresome. I did enjoy hearing his heartbeat and listening to him move around, but every other day at a doctors office is not my idea of a fun day. I'm now just on my regular weekly checks with my OB. At this point I'm 2cm dilated and about 70% effaced. Still having contractions, but nothing any stronger than I have had. Our bags are packed, the car seat is in the car and we are ready to go when the time arrives. It's crazy to think each morning that this could be my last morning w/o Jake being here. I have been told by many Mommy's to enjoy this peace and quiet while it's here because craziness is about to ensue. I do my best to take each morning as a chance to do just that. Yes, I try and get some form of housework done each day, but I also do my best to get in time to read, and just enjoy the new day the Lord has given me. I find myself daydreaming about what Jake will look like. What his personality will be like, how I can't wait to hold him in my arms. Then I spend a lot of time just watching my belly jump around. I do think that is the part of being pregnant that I will miss... the rest... not so much.
I guess it's about that time to do another belly picture update. I'll try and get G to help me out with that this weekend. Speaking of G... well I can't even go there w/o getting all emotional. Let's just say he is so ready to be a Daddy and so ready to meet his son!! I can't wait!!
Well, it's about time for lunch #2 so I had better go find some grub. Guess this was a lot of rambling, so maybe next time I'll try to write something with a little substance. :o) Either way, hope you enjoyed the update and hope to update with actual pictures of Jake soon. (I know sister.. not until Oct. 1st. I'm doing my best to hold on)

Mommy and Daddy Differences...

So here we are 35 wks and 2 days pregnant. Had a doctors appointment today and I'm 1 cm dilated and 50% effaced. Crazy times!! I remember while we were going through our 4 1/2 year journey to get pregnant (really just waiting on God's perfect timing) I tried to stay positive by saying each day was a day closer to the day we would find out we were going to be parents. It's crazy now to think that each new day is one day closer to the day we will get to hold our precious miracle in our arms... wow.. I can't believe it's so close... yet can feel so far away. Anyway, that isn't even why I decided to post... but decided I should give an update. So.. on to Mommy and Daddy differences. I have to laugh at the different points of view that G and I have. I've asked him several times if he is at all anxious about the labor/delivery etc. His reply... "no, it will be good. I'm excited." Yet the things that I find he is concerned about crack me up. Here are a few of our differences...
Mommy concern: I hope I'm able to nurse/ I hope nursing goes well.
Daddy concern: When Jake is older and he gets up from the dinner table, but then comes back to ask for more.. do we give him more b/c he already said he was done and got up from the table...??
Mommy concern: I hope we have the car seat in good enough.
Daddy concern: I think when Jake is 10 years old we'll buy an old beat up car/truck and spend the next 6 years restoring it together so when he turns 16 he will have a car/truck that he takes pride in.
Mommy concern: Hope I can enjoy every moment b/c I know Jake will grow up so fast.
Daddy concern: So do you think we would put one of those devices in his car that shows when he's gone over 70mph, or how many hard brakes he's had??
Mommy concern: I hope his circumcision heals okay.. they look so painful.
Daddy concern: How will we teach Jake to honor and respect women when they are plastered for everyone to see on TV, magazines, and billboards?

So there are just a few of our "differences". G just makes me laugh all the time when he starts talking about things years down the road when Jake isn't even here yet. Hey, I can't fault the man for being a planner and wanting to be prepared. No matter if he's thinking of the here and now or years down the road I could not ask for a better husband through this entire journey. He has been there for me every step of the way. He's never asked why the house isn't cleaned, or the laundry isn't done. He's never complained when I'm sleeping in until 9 on Sat. and he is out mowing the lawn, cleaning out the garage or putting away the dishes in the dishwasher at 7 on Sat. He has been my rock to stand on and my shoulder to cry on. I know that he is just going to be the greatest Daddy ever!! I can't wait for that moment when I get to see him hold our precious Jake for the first time. Boy is he going to be in trouble :o) I don't think that G, or even myself, have any idea how our worlds are about to change. I can't wait!! We are already crazy in love with our son and we haven't even met him yet.. how is that even possible? Then I ask how can I love him more??... Though I know I have no idea the emotions and love that are going to overtake me the first time I lay eyes on precious Jake. What a little miracle. He will be here before we know it. I can't wait to be able to sit at this computer and post pics and tell stories of our journey as parents. Thanks for going on this journey with us.

They're baaaack....

So our caterpillar friends are back for another season of eating the passion vine, making cocoons and hatching into beautiful butterflies!! If you live in Lubbock and want to come take a few dozen caterpillars home or know a teacher or someone who might want some just let me know. It's a fun project for kids to see them make their cocoon and then emerge as butterflies. We have PLENTY to spare.