The Good, the Bad, & the Funny

So first of all I want to say how excited I am for this wonderful holiday season. Having Hallie in our lives has made life all the more fun and exciting. She is now eight months old and full of spunk. Who knew someone so little could have so much personality. She is pulling herself up to things now and her newest development is turning off the TV. She gets extremely excited over the VHS player, don't know why, it's like you gave her a present almost every time she stands in front of it. She says Mama when she is sad or hurt and Dada when she is happy. Shows who the comforter is and who is the playmate :). She is almost always happy. We are pretty spoiled parents which makes me pretty nervous for the next one. (Which is not anytime soon!)
           Being a parent has had it's challenges too. Being overly tired at the beginning had it's toll on me for sure. One night around three in the morning, which was probably my third time getting up with her, I was making her a bottle with formula. A little history about the formula can I had been keeping them and scrap-booking them into storage containers for baking soda and powder. Well I was really tired and accidentally made her a bottle with baking soda instead of formula. Jade had left it on the counter right where I leave her formula and by routine I just made the bottle. Needless to say she kept making this face every time I would give it to her and I couldn't figure out why she wasn't drinking it. I felt horrible once I figured it out and she will never let me live it down when she is older but some things about parenthood should never be forgotten. No parent is perfect right? :)
             Jade is in his last semester of college and are we excited! He is doing well and loves all that he is learning about. Tomorrow we are going to start typing up his resume and hopefully will have them out in the next two weeks! I can't believe the time has finally come. Cross your fingers that we are blessed with the job meant for us.
               Here are some updated pictures of my beautiful baby girl. I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to be home with this girl everyday. Being a mother is what I was made to be and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Family Update

Five Months

I know I am really bad at keeping up my blog. It's so hard when I don't have internet at my house. I'm really excited though, we will be getting it next month in our home for the first time in 2 years!!!! Jade is currently going to school and to help cut cost we have sacrificed a few things in the the process and internet is one of them. It will be worth it cause here in December my Hubby is graduating with his Bachelors in Business. I am soooo proud of him he has worked so hard and we have done the best with what we have. It has probably been one of the most rewarding, frustrating, emotionally draining, happy, beautiful times in my life. I'm almost said for this stage to be over and honestly who knows what will happen next. We hope Jade can find a job soon after :). I am currently re-enrolling to BYU Idaho to complete my bachelors.Jade and I decided now would be the best time while we only have one kid. Ya I know one ends the other begins but I am so excited I LOVE Byui. It will take me 5 semester to be done but it will be so worth it. Other then that I have been busy doing crafts, spending time with my little Hallie Bug, and spending time with Jade. Hallie on the other hand is growing like a weed. She is 5 1/2 months old and moving all over the place but not crawling yet. I give her a week and she will be. I believe she is teething as well, she grabs everything she can reach and puts in her mouth, even her toes. She still wears her brace but she is doing really well with it. Hopefully by the end of the month she will be done with it for good. This picture below is of her and her two Cousins Bella and Jace. Hallie's face lights up every time she sees them and lucky for us we are going down to Eagar next month to visit them again. We are all excited to see who we can on Eagar Daze. My Mom, Dad, Paige, Jade, Hallie and I are all going down.

Blessing Day

Hallie Jade was eight weeks old when we blessed her. It was on the perfect day Easter Sunday. Considering it's Idaho the weather was pretty nice to us as well we were able to have our luncheon outside and it was so beautiful. We really appreciate all the family who came to share that special day with us. Jade did a wonderful job and gave her a beautiful blessing. Hallie was a good girl as well and such a sport throughout the day.

Favorite Baby Pics

Hallie three weeks old














Here are some of my favorite pictures of Hallie! I need to take some more pictures of her. She has definitely changed. She is now 8 weeks old and so fun. She is now smiling like crazy! She sleeps well at night, but does not yet sleep through the night. She is quite spoiled and loves to be held :) so much so that crying is involved when she is not. I'm working on that any ideas how to rid this habit please share.

We are going to Shriners this Tuesday to find out if we can cut her brace wearing time in half. I REALLY hope we can. We have only let her straighten her legs for 5 minutes since we put it on a week and a half ago. Even after 5 minutes she remembered how much she loved to keep her legs straight and cried so hard when we put it on. It makes me sad but it's for the best I have to remind myself.

Most of the pictures here she was around 6 weeks old. Photography done by Paige and Dave.

Shriners-1st Visit

Last Tuesday I went to Hallie's first Shriners appointment. She had another ultrasound that informed us that her hips were close to correct but the hip socket was still a little shallow. To be safe they placed her in a brace that she has to wear 23 hours a day. Which may I say she doesn't like at all. My baby never liked the fetal position from the moment she was born. If she could have her legs straight that is how she had them. Unfortunately, this brace has taught Hallie to cry before she just whimpered and complained. Now she cries occasionally but is still a pretty content baby. Next Tuesday I will go back for her two week checkup to watch her progress if everything is going well she will only have to wear the brace for 12 hours a day for the next 4 weeks. It was a pretty emotional day for me to watch her frustration with her brace and the discomfort it cause but she is doing well and we have both gotten use to it. I love this little girl to death and am so blessed that she has adjusted as well as she has to the change.

Hip Dysplasia

So at Hallie's two week check up my doctor informed me that because Hallie was breach for the most part of the pregnancy she had a high chance of having Hip Dysplasia.

Hip Dysplasia- is a congenital or acquired deformation or misalignment of the hip joint.

On March 2nd I took Hallie into a radiology center in Idaho Falls where they did an ultrasound of both of her hips. It appears that her hips are a little shallow so my pediatrician is referring me to Shriners Hospital in Salt Lake. Tomorrow I will find out if my little girl has to wear a brace and for how long.

This is what the brace will look like if she has to wear it. From what my pediatrician said it sounds like she will I just don't know how long. I'll post more information when I get back.

Hallie Jade Huntsman

On January 27th I went in for my 37 week checkup. To mine and my doctors surprise we found that Hallie's head was not where we thought it was. After an ultrasound to confirm we found that her head was resting above my belly button and she was literally sitting on my bladder. The doctor told me that if she doesn't turn we will have to do a c-section at 39 1/2 weeks.Well because she was breached I thought it was not possible for me to go into labor and boy was I wrong. On January 29th at approximately 4:00 am my water started drizzling (it doesn't always break like they show in the movies). Well honestly Jade and I just thought I couldn't control my bladder. Not till the contractions started did we think I was actually in labor. After two hours of contemplating if we should go in or not, did I finally call the hospital and they told me to come in to check if my water actually broke or not.
So Jade and I grab my hospital bag, and headed out the door. The contractions were getting stronger and stronger. Luckily Jade thought of the fastest way to the hospital... NOT! He took the longest route possible. I think he was to excited to really think about the best route at the time :) We got to the hospital around 7:00 am and after my doctor did yet another ultrasound to verify she was still breach I was admitted into the OR. Luckily, my cousin Lindsay is a surgical technician and was on call that night and came in to help with my surgery. It was so nice to have her there. Hallie was born at 8:28 weighing 6 pounds 1 ounce and 19 1/2 inches long. Dr. Isbell did a fantastic job. Jade did a really good job as well. I thought for sure he would have a hard time and pass out. Ha Ha no he video taped what he could and was there for me when I needed him most.
After she was born I spent 4 days in the hospital and I literally changed one diaper Jade changed all the rest. I was stuck in bed and couldn't get around to well. It was so nice to have Jade with me the whole time and I really appreciate all my family and friends for coming by to visit. We are so excited to have this beautiful little girl in our lives.

Pregnancy Pics

Paige and Dave were sweet and took some pregnancy pictures for me. I am around 35 weeks here and feeling big :) I have loved being pregnant! Jade and I are so excited for our little Hallie Jade to come into our home. I have definitely experienced the "nesting" syndrome. Ask my poor husband. My house can never be organized or clean enough. I am getting so big it's not so easy to do anymore. Jade and I have spent our last couple of saturdays at a birthing class, reorganizing our bedroom for her bed, washing her clothes, and packing my hospital bag. It's been so fun. We are now getting nervous, excited, anxious, and as prepared as we can for whenever she decides to come.

Baby Shower

During thanksgiving week my sisters and mom put together my baby shower for me. I was so excited to celebrate the coming of my baby girl. I appreciate all that my family did to make that day as special as it was. It could not have been any better. We had the shower earlier in the morning and made Belgian waffles with different types of fruit syrups. We played a few games and I received some advice from the other mothers. I had a great time and was excited to see everyone there.Around 27 weeks

Sister-n- Laws Cassie and Janie