New Pictures

Canon is doing great! He is becoming a great sleeper, and has always been a great eater. Nursing is going well and this is a huge answer to prayer. He is adjusting quite well to our little family. The girls are having fun with Nana here and it has been a HUGE help for me. They like to look at Canon and take his things, but that is about it for now. Here are some recent pictures from this past week.

Atley and Avery about to go on a walk with Nana. They are collecting pine cones for our Christmas decorations.


Cool Cat Atley

Phillip promised the girls a bubble bath the other night. Once the bubbles were in the tub, they didn't want anything to do with them. They scooted to the end of the tub and were trying to wipe away the bubbles. Needless to say, he drained the whole tub and started over, NO bubbles this time :)

Here is Canon in the hospital, about to get his clothes on to come home! Our discharge went really easy that day because I had all my papers signed and ready by 5am. I don't think I slept at all in the hospital with my nurse, the baby's nurse, the PCA, the Pediatrician, the Anesthesiologist, my OB, and just about anyone else constantly checking on me and charting my every up and down. So what else do you do at 5am? Why not work on getting out of the hospital a day early?

There is nothing like college football in a hospital room :)

Nana and Atley, Grammie and Avery.

Yeah! Let's go home! Don't you just want to kiss those cheeks!

Sleeping in his "burrito" as Leah calls it :)


This was his second outfit on this day. I had some preemie diapers left over from the girls and thought I would try to use them up. Well, after 5 minutes in it his clothes were soaking wet! He's moving on to size 1!

Mommy and Canon


Daddy and Canon

His first Mohawk!
The end. Love to all!

Canon is Huge!

Hey Everyone. Well the past 16 hours have been long and exciting. Everything Angie said is true. Shelly worked so hard. She was dilated to a 3 when we got to the hospital at 1:00am and by 3:00am she was already at a 9. Shelly so wanted to do this without a epidural but was so tired and in so much pain that we decided to take it. And I am so glad we did. She pushed for 3 hours and was having contractions every 1 to 2 minutes. After three hours of hard work, they told Shelly what she didn't want to hear. They began to prep her for a c-section. She was exhausted and frustrated but was still amazing. I was so impressed with Shelly and she really was incredible and gave it all she had. They took her in and the surgery went great. Afterwards, Shelly was sewn up and allowed to spend some time with Canon. Canon latched right on to Shelly and the nursing is going great so far. Keep praying for Shelly in this because we really want this to go well. Please also be praying for Shelly's healing. She is pretty beat up from 3 hard hours of pushing and having her stomach cut back open.

I think the doctors said he was the best looking baby they have ever seen in the history of the hospital. Here are a few of the first pictures.

I was trying to get Shelly fired up of what might be happening when she would have to start pushing.

Canon is a big boy. This is him being weighed at 9lbs. 3ounces.

This is our first family picture with Canon. Mommy couldn't really strike a pose because they were still sewing her together on the other side of the sheet.

Canon with Grandpa and Grammie Hunter
Canon with Pops and Nana Ruth
Canon checking the room out while he is with his mommy.
The girls were so excited to see Shelly. They couldn't quite understand why mommy was laying in the hospital bed but they just wanted to be with her and love on her.

Canon Phillip Hunter is Here!!!

Canon Phillip Hunter was born at 9:13am, this Morning, October 23rd, on his due date! He weighs 9lb 3oz and has brown curly hair, he was 21 inches long, and his head was 13 and 1/4 inch. He's absolutely perfect! Praise the Lord!

Shelly's water broke at midnight last night and her labor progressed quickly after that. She began pushing and seemed to push for a long time before her doctor came in and found that Canon was transverse, his head was turned and blocking his exit. The doctor thinks that since Shelly progressed so quickly, that he just moved down so fast and got stuck. They tried to move his head, but he wasn't going to move, so the doctor decided that a c-section would be best. Shelly is doing great now, she's just really tired. She and Phillip have both been up for at least 36 hours. When I talked to her Canon was napping on Phillip's chest and Shelly was about to take a long awaited nap!

We praise the Lord for a healthy baby boy!!! Phillip will send pictures later this evening, so check back tonight or tomorrow to see pictures of Canon Phillip Hunter :)

(This was updated by Angie, Shelly's sister. They wanted you guys to know their exciting news!!!)

No baby yet...but soon!

I went to the doctor today and I am 3-4cm dilated, but nothing else has really changed, so she seemed pretty confident about me coming in on Friday. I will go in early Friday morning and we are praying that after they break my water things will progress fairly quickly. Please be praying for us on Friday, and for Canon's safe arrival! I will try to have Phillip, or even possibly my sister, update my blog to keep you all in the know. Thank you again for all your prayers and support these past 8 months as we've had lots of ups and downs. We are SO excited to meet this little man finally!


Happy Early Birthday Atley and Avery! My parents bought this for the girls for their birthday and we have been waiting to put it up until Canon arrives. Since we know he is coming this week, Phillip put it up last weekend and the girls have had a BLAST playing on it. It's quite a big addition to our basement, but actually fits perfectly and still leaves them some room to run around. Thanks Nana and Pops!

Here is my most recent Pregnancy picture. 39 wks 5 days! I have THREE shirts that still fit! wow...it's about time to have this baby!

Yesterday I was once again in my "nesting" phase and was going through all of the girls summer clothes and replacing them with their new Winter clothes and rearranging their closet, etc. I heard them in the kitchen but figured there was nothing they could get into and just kept working and thinking I'd go in there in JUST a minute more.... Well, I guess I forgot to put the lock on the trash door and this is what I found....
If you look closely, you'll see that Atley is putting a chip with 2 day old meat on it, in her mouth and holding Jet Dry. Avery was actually the one who took all of this out of the trash and was giving it to her sister. She had just thrown down the egg shells she had put in her mouth. It was totally my fault, but they do know better than to get into the trash. I had to take a picture really quick and then they both got spankings :)

Thank you again for your prayers for Friday!

He's coming soon!

Today I went to the doctor and I was 3cm dilated. I will go back next Tuesday to get checked again and then if I haven't gone into labor by that Friday, the 24th, I will get to be "pseudo" induced. I really had to talk my Dr. into doing this, and thank goodness she was willing :) I will go into the hospital that Friday to be admitted and they will break my water and then see if labor progresses on its own. If for some reason I do not progress, I will have a C-section some time that day. And, if labor progresses I'll get to have a vaginal delivery that day! So either way, we'll get to meet little Canon in the next 10 days! We are still hoping I go into labor on my own this week. We'll keep you all updated!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

On Thursday, October 9th, Phillip turned 33 years old. It was a perfect day because Thursdays are his semi day off. I made him waffles and eggs and the girls gave him their presents.

Here are Avery and Atley giving Daddy his ZOO puzzle.


They also gave him a "Daddy and Me" book by Karen Katz....their favorite author.


We then went to the Zoo, and it was a PERFECT day. Great weather and not crowded at all. The girls had a great time seeing all the different animals and were so fun! Here they are with the giraffe's.


Avery, Daddy and Atley with a Rhino....hiding behind Atley's head.


This was my favorite part! They have Hippos swimming underwater and they come right up to the glass. The girls loved it....at first. And of course once one of them gets scared, the other gets scared too. You can see Avery watching the super close Hippo, and if you look closely you'll see Atley's body in the right side of the stroller. She was hiding her face to the side...staring intently into her stroller, like if she just doesn't look, it will go away :) so cute!


All 3 of the Hippos came up at one time right by me! Then two started playing/fighting and this really scared Avery. But it was so fun!


On Saturday we all dressed up in our MIZZOU best (Phillip changed later because he was actually going to the game, while the girls and I stayed home). It was (as always) so hard to get them both to smile for the camera...so here are our best efforts. Don't they look so big and toddlerish in their outfits?!


Me and my 3 kids....well kind of. The dot on my stomach is from them kissing Canon...so sweet :)


Atley hugging Avery


Atley


Avery


Since Phillip was at the game in Columbia, we had a "girls night" and they took their first bubble bath, in our bathtub. They were really studying the bubbles and not too sure about them at first. In fact, when I put Avery in the tub she started screaming. So she sat to the side while Atley got in and played first.

Here Avery is wathching from the side.


And she finally got in :)

around the house

A sweet friend gave me these the other day...aren't they cute!

Today Avery got into the kleenex box while she was supposed to be sleeping....needless to say ALL the klennex's were out of the box and her lamb was stuffed down in there :)

This is the "room" my mom, Phillip and I made in the unfinished part of our basement. The walls are curtains and there is plenty of space for visitors. My mom is making curtains for those windows as well. We love our new little "guest suite".
Phillip and Atley asleep on the new chair. Atley had gotten her leg stuck in the railing of her crib and it was really hard to get it out...so after that big ordeal she got to take her nap in her daddies arms.
ALL the candy we got at the homecoming parade last week. We are taking it to the Fall Festival at church for Halloween because we have SO much! Maybe it is because Phillip had a poster board with a target drawn on it and a trash bag attached to the back. The poster read "Throw Candy Here!" and the kids went crazy trying to make it in the hole. :)
This is our living room "revised"! We got a new rug because we put the old one in the basement guest room, and then got a new chair and ottomon last weekend. We love our new space!

The play house finally got moved. We put it in the girl's room and they love having another place to go play.


It may be a little crowded, but they are little people. They think it is great!

That's all for now. Phillip's birthday is tomorrow and we are going to the Zoo!~
Happy Wednesday!
Shelly

Grant's Farm

Today we went to Grant's Farm with the girls and had a great time! We are trying to do as many things as possible before Canon gets here, and since we didn't get to go many places this summer with me on the couch, we are trying to make up for it. It was a great experience and the girls had a good time, despite being 21 months old and a little too young for most of the fun. They did enjoy the tram ride that takes you to and from the animals, and would really LOOK at all the animals with great detail and even clap for some of them.

Here is Avery and Daddy looking at the Clydesdale horses. Avery really liked this one and I ALMOST caught her smiling (a hard thing to do on Camera these days...)

Avery and Atley in their stroller. Atley wore these beads all day. She got them yesterday at the homecoming parade and once she has her "toy" for the day, she doesn't let it go.

At one point Phillip even said, "we need to put a gate around you, the way people are staring" we just laughed, because literally everyone was staring at us. Ok, mainly me and my BIG belly walking around with twins. I wouldn't have worn such a tight fitting shirt, but it is one of like 4 shirts that actually are long enough to cover me right now! I haven't bought one maternity top or bottoms this entire pregnancy. I've graciously had 3 different people lend me clothes, and now that I only have max 3 weeks left, I'm not going to go buy any now :)

You can buy milk bottles for $1 and go in and feed the goats, but we just decided to watch this year. The goats were trying to eat Phillip's shorts through the gate :)

Here we are by the Clydesdales again. Atley liked them at first but then the horse got a little too close for comfort and she clung to me the entire time after that.

I didn't even have to hold her. She was holding on so tight, and basically sitting on my belly...it was hilarious. I did have to hold her really tight after we took this picture just so she would know I wasn't going to let the horsie get her :)

Here is Avery sitting like such a big girl, watching the Animal Show. The show was 20 minutes, and we got there 15 min. early. The girls were GREAT and I was surprised at their attention span for something intended for much older kids.


Atley clapped after every animal "performance"
Do you remember the "rodents of unusual size" from the movie Princess Bride? Well, they actually had them here! These really are the largest rodents in the world. So gross! They were just sleeping in piles of mud!

Daddy and his girls, leaving the unusually large rodents.

The girls were so good in their stroller. We didn't even have to strap them in. They would lean forward to see the animals, but would never climb out, or even ask to get out.

After Grant's Farm we went to a furniture store and bought a new chair for our living room. We then came home and rearranged some furniture/play house/the girl's room. I'll take pictures of that soon. This morning I went to a Cotton Babies sale with my friend Leah, then of course to Grant's Farm, the furniture store, Silky's for Ice Cream, and home to rearrange, we also went to a birthday party for our God Daughter, Kaily, who is turning 14! Now Phillip is in the basement with a bunch of boys watching the Mizzou vs. Nebraska game on the big screen. At least he went and got me a Starbucks before the game started so that I could leisurely relax upstairs after a very fun and active day.