Sick Baby :(
Boys Everywhere!
This past weekend Daryl invited two coworkers and their families over for a cookout. With all of the kids it turned out to be 8 boys, the ages were 6, 4, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1, and 0. It was pretty funny to see them running around and that there were no girls. Nathan freaked out a little in the beginning when they started touching HIS stuff, but he was fine after a few minutes.
Counting...
Nathan is doing better with talking. We are really starting to try and make him talk instead of whine for everything. The whining really drives Daryl and me crazy. He can now count to 10. He loves to tell us the time and point out letters on signs and in the store.
Almost There
Jacob is not crawling yet, but he is really wanting to get up on his knees. If I help him he can get up for a little bit. He can rotate around in a circle pretty well. He has 4 teeth now and his hair is getting pretty long. It is so blonde which is pretty interesting. He goes back to the doctor in 2 weeks, so that will be good to see how much he weighs now. He is a skinny-minny.
My Dad (Dan Hunter)
Some of you may know, my Dad went into the Hospital last Sunday with chest pains and an irregular heartbeat. He's been there ever since getting a lot of tests and procedures done.
Turns out, that he was pretty close to two bad things - stroke and heart attack.
When his heart started freaking out, it was causing blood to not circulate properly through the heart and that could easily lead to stroke. So, they did all sorts of fun complicated medial stuff, and got that working again. During the process, they found out he's diabetic, so now he gets the joys of a new diet and lifestyle.
When his heart got back in rhythm, they had scheduled a heart cath to see if there was anything to be worried about. When they did THAT procedure, they saw he was over 90% blocked in one area of the heart and had to put a stint in. Wow. 90%. So, that was a heart-attack ready to happen. They put in two stints and he had to lay flat on his back last night.
But, the GREAT NEWS is that I just talked with him and he gets to go home tonight. Praise God!
Anyway, please pray for my Dad, Dan. He's doing well, but I know this was a small shake up.
Please pray for my mom, Delores, too as she deals with an aging... no.. old... no... MORE EXPERIENCED Hubby... yeah... that's it. More experienced is a better word.
--DW
Random Stuff
Here is cute photo I took a few days ago of the boys...
6 YEARSAnother year to create
precious memories together.
Another year to discover new things
to enjoy about each other.
Another year to build a life
rich in love and laughter.
Another year to strengthen a marriage
that defines "forever."
-I love you Daryl!
Long Time No Post
Sorry to not update the blog in so long! In an effort to fix this, I have created some new posts and dated them in the past so that it doesn't get too confusing. You'll have to go through and read some of the older entries to get caught up.
Nathan vs. The Dentist
We just got back from the dentist for Nathan's first appointment. It went okay overall, but we basically had to hold him down. He didn't think it was a very good idea to look at his teeth. All looked well to the dentist except for the fact that he does have an underbite. We'll see how things go when his adult teeth come in. If it continues at that point, we'll have to go to an orthodontist to see what to do to get that corrected.
Family Visit
I was able to see both of my brothers this past weekend. We hadn't been all together for a few years, so it was great to see them! My oldest brother lives in California with his wife. She was not able to make the trip unfortunately. My other brother lives in Alabama with his wife and almost 2 year old son. He and Nathan got to play together and have a good-old-time in the sprinkler and on the slide. They are starting to get to the age where they are actually starting to play together. Here are some pictures from our time together...
Hunter Family Reunion '07
Well, we just returned from Southern Illinois to visit with Daryl's side of the family. We had a great time. There were 18 of us total. With 10 grandchildren in the family, Nathan and Jacob have a lot of other kids to play with. We stayed in a cabin with Daryl's parents. It was a nice place and they had a lot of farm animals to look at. We got to eat, swim, play snakes, go to church, see my nephew get baptised, have a bonfire, visit, and eat some more. Jacob went swimming for the first time and we found out he is a fish! We are going to try to do this each year around the 4th of July. Here are some pictures...
Wiiiiiiiii
Our new Wii just arrived and we are enjoying it. There is bowling, pool, golf and many other games. Daryl is much better than me on the games, but it is still fun. It is fun to play with friends and actually requires you to move around unlike most video game systems. It is pretty cool so far.
Quick YMCA Update
I got my TB test done and my background check came back so I am good to go. On Monday I go in to fill out some paperwork and then I start officially next Wednesday.
Jacob Update
Today I took Jacob in for his 7 month weight check. He is doing well and gained 3 ounces since he was 6 months. That's not very much, so the doctor asked me to add a few feedings to his schedule to make sure he is getting what he needs.
Another exciting event in his life is the emergence of a tooth. It is his front bottom left tooth. That should explain the massive drools!
YMCA
I finally heard back from the Y and they offered me the position from 8-10 each day in the 4-5 year old room. I went yesterday to get the first part of my TB test and go back tomorrow for the follow-up. When that gets done and my background check comes back, I can start. I think it will be neat and low stress.
Caffeine Free!
Nathan to English Dictionary
bobby --> mommy
dookah --> diaper
boap --> boat
hoo hoo --> train
dy dy --> bye bye
dahdoo --> doggie
boo --> cow
Makes perfect sense, right?
Job for Me?
There is a possibility for me to get a part-time job at the YMCA. (Cue the Village People now.) It is a position in the childwatch area which is their daycare part. It is in the 4/5 year old room and would be 8-10 each morning. Nathan and Jacob could come with me and they would go in the childcare area for kids of parents working out. I think it might be a good chance to get out of the house, give the kids some playtime and earn a few extra bucks. I would also get a membership. I am supposed to hear back from the director at the end of this week or start of next week. I'll keep you informed.
Cincinnati Visit
This past Saturday we went to Cincinnati to visit our friend Jamie. While there we went to the Children's Museum, toured where Daryl used to live, toured Jamie's church, saw her apartment and her future rent house. We had a good time, but it was a long day. Here are some pictures... 
Diplomas
Daryl got his Southwestern diploma a few days ago. We got it framed and ready to hang in his office next to his Purdue one. Here is what those look like...
Lawn Work
We (mostly Daryl, to be honest) have been doing a lot of work outside at the house. The former owner was into gardening and such, but it was all overgrown and junglesque. We have removed 3 trees, lots of shrubs, pruned back other shrubs, and lots of other work. We put in a garden that includes zucchini, cucumber, yellow squash, green peppers, 8 regular tomato plants, one cherry tomato plant, and a Roma tomato plant. We should be well stocked in tomatoes! Already here was a grapevine, a plum tree and some blackberry bushes. I already harvested the whopping 15 strawberries we got from them. Ha!
Jacob's 6 Month Check-up
We went this morning for Jacob's 6 month well child check. Things looked good, but he didn't gain as much weight as they would like. He had only gained 6 ounces in the last 2 months. So, we have to go back in in a month to get that checked out. We are going to start doing solids more regularly now since he is 6 months, so that should help a lot. They also suggested I drink more water and take Fenugreek for a couple days. That is an herb used to increase milk supply. So here are his stats...
Height - 26.5"
Weight - 16 lbs, 7 oz
Nathan went for his 6 month check-up a week late, but here were his stats then...
Height - 27"
Weight - 18 lbs, 1 oz
Sleeping Arrangements
A week ago we decided to take the plunge and have the boys sleep in the same room. Well, it has worked out great and they are roomies now. Nathan likes to make noise before he falls asleep and it doesn't seem to bother Jacob, thankfully.
Graduation
Daryl's party went well this past weekend. We surprised him really well with a new TV. It is a flat panel and is really nice. Hey, I also get the benefit of it! We also got him his tassel and hood to have as a memento. He should receive his diploma in a few weeks.
Company Picnic
Today we went up to Huber Farm in Starlight, Indiana, for my dad's company picnic. Nathan got to ride a horse, go down a really long slide, jump in a bounce house, eat, shoot some corn cobs from a canon, launch some balls from a slingshot into a lake, take a hayride, feed some goats, and a few other things. We had a good time!
Half Birthday
Today is Jacob's half birthday! We got a picture of him like we had of Nathan. Here are those two next to each other. I have also posted some new pictures in our online gallery. You can see those by clicking on the link above and to the right.
It is finished!
This week I will be an official graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, or SWBTS as they call it.
I started Seminary in August of 2002, so this has been a process consisting of:
* 67 graduate hours of studies
* 500+ pages of written term papers/homework
* Countless hours reading material which frankly, at times, is boring
* 5 school years
* 3 states - Texas (twice), Oklahoma, Kentucky
* 2 apartments
* 3 houses
* 2 children
* and 1 wife :)
I turned in my last paper on Monday. I had my last debrief conversation with my professor on Tuesday. The graduation (we will not attend) is on Friday. And they should send my diploma to me in the next couple weeks.
I completed the MACE - Master of Arts in Christian Education program which is roughly 1/3 theology and 2/3 educational fundamentals, foundation, and administration.
What next in the world of education for me? Nothing to speak of. I'm confident that I'm in a good place in life. I enjoy being a "Jesus Geek" and am serving at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky. I am currently serving as a Technical Services Manager where I lead a team of 5 other IT Professionals (Desktop Support/Help Desk and Network Administrators). It's a fun place and fits my gifts and talents well. I've always heard "if at first you don't succeed, go back for another degree..." but I think I'm done.... for now! ha!
Anyway, I don't think I've ever posted on the Hunterfam blog, so I thought I'd give it ago and share some happy news from the Hunter Family.
Much Love, --DW & Family
Happy Derby Day!
It isn't the best weather today for the 133rd Derby... pretty rainy and dreary. I went last night to Kroger and saw them making the garland of roses. It is really pretty. Some interesting facts...
Nathan Update
Nathan is getting more and more words each day. It is really neat to see and hear. A lot of the words only we can recognize at this point, but they are coming. Here is a video of a few of them...
Another exciting milestone for today is that he went poo poo in the potty! Well, I heard him grunting so I ran him over to the potty and he went in it. I'm not sure how much he understands of it all, but it is a start!
Balloon Chasing
This past Saturday was The Great Balloon Race which is part of the Derby Festival. We got up really early and drove to where we could see them pass overhead. It was really neat and Nathan liked seeing them. We left a little late and only saw a few of the balloons though.
Jacob Update
Jacob is doing well. He is very smiley and content most of the time. We got him on a pretty good routine now. He wakes up around 7ish and then goes to be around 8. Nathan and Jacob both nap at 1, so it is nice to have some quiet time! A few nights ago he rolled from his back to his belly, but he has yet to do it since then. Here are some recent pictures of him...
Louisville Zoo
We went to visit the zoo this past weekend and had a good time. It was a really nice day, we all got a little pink from the sun. There is a new baby elephant there that was so cute. Here is a picture...
Jacob is 5 Months
A few days ago Jacob rolled from his belly to his back for the first time. I think it was an accident though because he hasn't done it since. For Jacob's 5 month birthday I gave him some bananas to try. He liked them a lot and he did a good job at eating. I'll probably wait a little while longer though to introduce solids for good. Here is a picture of our little monkey...
Nathan's Such a Big Boy!
We decided it was time to put Nathan in the big boy bed. He got a bed rail for his birthday and slept in it for the first time last Friday night. We set up a web camera in there so we can watch him in case he does something he shouldn't. He does really well now. Here is a picture of him tonight before bedtime...
Nathan is 2!!!
Well, it has been a while since I have written. Sorry about that! Nathan had a doctor's appointment today for his 2 year old well child check up. He weighed 35.5 pounds and was 35 inches tall. He didn't get any shots but did get a finger prick for a few tests. He did really well with that. He goes back next when he is 3 and doesn't need shots again until he is 4!
Nathan had his birthday party this past Saturday. There were so many grandmas and grandpas there he didn't know what to think! Since he is so into trains right now, that was the theme of the cake:
You can see more images here. For Nathan's birthday I took the kids to get portraits made. They turned out pretty cute. You can view the whole collection here.
Speaking of images, I have changed the way that I am putting our photos up online now. Hopefully it will be easier to navigate and for me to upload to. The full album is online at http://www.hunterfam.net/gallery.
Maryland!
Weather!
Well, the weather has been great for the past few days and Nathan has enjoyed being able to get outside and run around and play on his slide. Apparently something else he missed doing was eating sticks...
Today Nathan, Jacob and I all went out to run a few errands. After we were done at Target, it started to rain VERY hard. So you can picture me pushing the cart with Nathan in the front, Jacob in his carseat in the basket and all of us getting soaked. It was not very fun at all. Nathan thought it was funny though.
Here is a picture of my mom from this past week with her three grandsons...
Jacob is getting a lot stronger now. Here is a picture of him practicing sitting up.
Moved In!
Well, we are in and getting used to our new place. There are still a few boxes left to unpack, but we are mostly there. Today I ordered new window treatments for the house. JCPenney is having a good sale online if you need any. There is a free shipping code out there as well. Let me know if you need it.
Jacob is doing well. He slept last night from 7:30 to 7:30! We'll see how tonight goes. Nathan is really babbly. I think he is going to start talking any day now. I have learned his favorite show is Wheel of Fortune. He loves to hear and see the letters.
Here are a few pictures from the last few days...
Jacob's Appointment
I just got back from Jacob's urologist appointment. All went well and we got him fixed up. He is sleeping now. He didn't cry too much and only bled a little bit. I am glad we have that taken care of. If you aren't sure what I am talking about, check out this past posting.
House Painting
We are coming along on the painting. Most all of the house has at least a coat of new paint, most of the room have two. It is looking good and will be nice to have most of the painting done before we move in. Thanks to my mom and step-dad for all of their hard work!
Daryl Update
Daryl returns this evening. He has been gone since Monday to Dallas. He was visiting Fellowship Church in Grapevine. They developed a software program that Daryl uses at Southeast so he went there to get a better handle of the product.
House
Well, we closed on our house this past Friday. There was some paperwork that didn't make it in time, but we still got possession. My mom, step-dad, and Daryl spent the whole weekend painting. They painted all of the ceilings, all of the trim, and the living room, kitchen, dining room, utility room and living room. Those rooms were all a tan color. It looks really good. We have the paint for the other rooms as well and we will try and get as much of that done as we can before we move in on Saturday. Thankfully it is supposed to be warmer. Hopefully the rain will hold off for us. It will be nice to get all of our stuff back and be in our own place again.
Comparison
Ice Fishing
Great News!
My dad went in this week to get an update about his cancer and to find out the results of his chemo treatment. The good news is that the treatment was successful and he is in remission! The treatment for the future will probably be for him to go in every 3 months or so and have some chemo to prolong the remission. Thank you so much for all those that have been praying for him. I appreciate it and I know he does as well.
