Jude's first week...

Well, tonight around midnight, Jude will be one week old! He's still about as small as he was when he was born, but he's developled many new skills over the past week. They include: sucking, squeaking, pooping (A LOT!), peeing through a couple outfits per day, and this morning he managed to pee through a diaper, an outfit, and his blanket onto his parent's bed, through the sheet and into the mattress! It's quite amazing.



Oh yeah, he likes to show off his skills too, because he peed all over his daddy at his first doctor's appointment. We learned very quickly that a change of clothes for him isn't sufficient. We need them for the whole family! Somehow, though, when it's your own baby, even his pee isn't so bad!

Troy and I are thrilled to be parents. Though we're exhausted, Jude is delightful. I feel as though I am just now beginning to understand God's love for me. I can't describe the way I love this little boy, and to think that God loves him (and me) infinitely more is unimaginable. I am overwhelmed with thankfulness every day. God has answered countless prayers. We are struck by how fearfully and wonerfully He has made our little boy!

Jude Glen has arrived!!!

Eight months ago, when we told Stevi's parents that she was pregnant, Doug immediately requested that he be born on January 22nd (his father's birthday). When Stevi's water broke yesterday afternoon, it looked as if Doug may get his wish. But Jude was born 7 minutes before midnight on January 21st.

Both Stevi and Jude are doing great! He was 7 lbs. 11 oz. and 19.5 inches long, including a 5 inch long cone-head :)

For those of you wanting to see his new digs...here's some photos of his room. Yeah, those are custom drapes and custom bedding! For those of you who don't know, Stevi's mom made all of those! Don't they look sweet?!! Thanks Colleen!!!

Christmas in Kentucky

Well, it's back to work today....but it was a great vacation! Ahhh....being teachers has definite benefits. We were off work from Decemeber 21st until January 7th. We spent our break loafing around our house, getting things ready for the baby, watching the 3rd season of Lost, and eating lots of fudge!

Christmas was certainly different without family, but it was special in lots of ways. After being forbidden by the doctor to climb in our car and drive to Texas while I was 36 weeks pregnant, we settled into the idea of having a Troy & Stevi Christmas. We ate traditional Christmas meals from both sides of our family, read The Best Christmas Pageant Ever and watched Elf. Best of all, we had time to reflect, pray, and enjoy reading about the birth of our Savior. Enjoying many quiet moments allowed us to feel as though the meaning and purpose of Christmas didn't escape us this year. It was a blessed time.

We were not entirely alone...a precious elder in our church and his wife, Dr. and Mrs. Ware invited us for Christmas dinner. They hail from Spokane, originally, and Dr. Ware did his undergraduate studies at Whitworth. In a place like Kentucky, it's especially fun to be around fellow Northwesterners who understand why we are shocked that the no-smoking ban is still being implemented in HOSPITALS this year (!), why we don't think race horses need public televised funerals, and who have heard of things like huckleberries and recycling!

Another evening, we played cards with our neighbors and their family. We were the only ones present who were under 75, and we learned lots about everything from cards to politics. It was a fabulous time. I know our baby will have lots of Kentucky grandparents!

Now....we are just playing the waiting game until our baby is born.....and we promise to blog more often, especially once we have his cute little face to post (at least we're hoping he's cute....)! Three more weeks....hopefully less!