The Pups are Here!

Well, the pups were born late Thursday night into Friday morning. Wow!! It was quite an experience. It has worn us out! Freckles had 9 puppies but as of now, only 5 have survied (second picture). About half of the litter must have been conceived later than the other half because they were premie. It's SO hard on me to loose a pup. I've felt so helpless. I hate that feeling. I understood going into all of this that usually one pup will not make it, but having four die has been so very hard. To top things off, Freckles isn't making enough milk for them and we are having to bottle feed them every 2 hours. Since we've got 5 pups we feed each for about 10-15 minutes..do the math...we only have an hour break between feedings. Last night Dustin and I swapped off so we could get a few hours of sleep and it worked, but I'm pretty sure this is going to catch up with us soon. If you think about us anytime during these next two weeks, please say a little prayer. This time of year is already stressful with traveling, Dustin's sister's wedding and then we have an added stress of keeping these puppies fed and healthy. Especially think of our littlest one, "Little One", (picture below) she needs to catch up to the rest of the litter. I'll keep pictures coming so you can see their growth. I sure love these little babies. They are so very sweet!

Loving Family!

I just love this time of year! One of the best parts is being able to spend time with family. I absolutely love my family....my parents, in-laws, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. They are all so special to me. I can't wait till Preston is here where he can enjoy family with us. I feel like our family is very unique because we are all so close. I'm so grateful that he will be able to experience true family love.
Just this past week, Dustin and I were discussing how no longer will 'we' be a 'couple' but a 'FAMILY'! Our own little family! It's so exciting to be starting a family, just like how my grandparents started their little family that is constantly growing. Enjoy your family and feel blessed to be around them this Christmas season!

This is a shot from my second photo session. I was a little over 22 weeks pregnant (5 1/2 months).

More Slaton Babies on the Way!!!

All of the excitement is at our house!! We just realized last week that our puppy (who is no longer a puppy), Freckles, is going to be having puppies in the next few weeks. They will be arriving at a very hectic time. She's due about 3-4 days before we head to Jacksonville for Dustin's sister's wedding and Christmas. These are just a few picture of her from when she was a puppy. She's was the cutest puppy I had ever seen. She's going to probably have the cutest puppies EVER!! She and the boy dog are registered Cocker Spaniels. Freckles is black and white and Tanner is orangish-tan and white. They both have a different look than most cockers because they have little 'freckles/spots' on their noses, legs and back. We are going to try to let my parents take Tanner for a few weeks to give Freckles a break. Even though it will be pretty rough toting a momma dog, puppies, and a fat pregnant lady at Christmas, it just adds to all the excitement.

Baby Slaton has a Name!!

After much thought AND I was scared Dustin and I would slip up and accidentally say his name, we decided to tell our family our little boy's name. I was really wanting to hold out till Christmas, but Thanksgiving was a good time. I made a Thanksgiving card to give them that said, "We are thankful for our little boy." Then we had our most recent sonogram pictures scattered around and at the bottom it said his name,
"PRESTON LYLE SLATON"
Lyle is Dustin's middle name and Dustin's father's middle name so he wanted to pass that along to our first born son.
At first, I was scared to go ahead and tell his name because everyone seems to like to voice their opinions. I felt like if someone told me they didn't like his name I would be upset. Dustin and I had "Preston" picked out several years ago so it's a name we were set on. I figure if someone is really rude enough to say they don't like his name, then they must not be much of a friend. Dustin's family said they were going to call him Rufus until we told them the name...so that helped urge us on a little.

He's 100%

Our last visit to the doctor on November 15th (19wks.), they did another sonogram to check out his organs and his growth. They said that he is growing just like he should and he checked out 100%. What an answer to prayer! We should never take it lightly that God is in control and is taking care of us.
It is very obvious that he has Dustin's nose and on the video we could tell that he probably has Dustin's chin and mouth, too. He's so CUTE!!!

It's a BOY, Pictures

Here are the sonogram shots from my doctor's appointment last month when we found out we have a boy. (October 25th- 16wks.- 4 Months)

All Kicks, No Flutters

On November the 4th we were laying in bed about to go to sleep when I felt something toward to right side of my stomach. It felt like a bubble popping or a thump from the inside. Of course I wanted to believe it was the baby's first noticeable kick, but I knew I wouldn't know for sure till I felt it more. Since then I've felt random thumps a few times a day. However, yesterday, around 4:00 while I was laying on the couch trying to relax from a long day, I felt a multiple of thumps toward the middle of my stomach that made me sit up. Woohoo!!! There was no doubt about it...it was most definitely the baby. Then for the next 3-4 minutes I would feel him kick about every 30 seconds. He must have really not liked the way I was balled up on the couch. I got so excited and called Dustin, who was on his way home from seminary. When he got home we laid there for awhile hoping that Dustin could feel him kick, too. We were kind of sad because he never felt him. However, today around 4:00 I was once again laying on the couch and started to feel him kick again. Dustin rushed over and put his hand on my tummy and BOOM!! There it was, he kicked twice. Dustin's face was so cute with this questionable, surprised smile. I was so glad that he got to experience feeling him so soon after I had my 'real' experience. People say that if feels like flutters, but this little boy doesn't flutter, he kicks.

Pregnancy Pictures

I'm having a series of pregnancy pictures made by one of my relatives here in the Sherman area...Wyatt and Theresa Spurgeon. Here is a sample of my 4 1/2 month session. As I get bigger, we'll see more of a progression than just a pooch. It was a lot of fun!!

Stork Monitor

This past week a friend of mine that I work with let me borrow her professional baby heart rate monitor for my pregnancy. We've had so much fun using it. His heart rate has been between 144-154 bpm. For the most part, we've been finding him over toward my right hip, but last night we had quite a time finding him. I actually started worrying a little. Finally, we found him and he was sitting very low in the middle. I couldn't believe he could have moved so far. Dustin said that he's already learning how to play Hide-and-Go-Seek. My parents were here this weekend and they enjoyed hearing his heart beat. I'm ready for a little more action now. People at school have been asking if I've felt him kick yet, but I think I felt something on Sunday night. I guess we'll just have to see if what I felt was really him when he does start making himself known.

This afternoon my mom told me that the lady she sold 'my' baby bed to in like 1982 still has it and wants mom to have it back. She is so excited to paint it and get it ready for their house. I think that is so cool that our kids will be able to sleep in my old baby bed. What are the odds that someone keeps a baby bed from 1982?

Well, I'm seriously needing to get some more pictures on here, but it may take awhile. I've got way too many projects going on around the house. Plus, our house has lately been a place of sleeping and showering and that's it. Pray that things will slow down a little for us so that I can get some things done.

It's a BOY!!!

We are so excited!! The Slaton name will now be passed on. You can tell it's a boy by looking at the bottom picture. The picture was taken from the bottom side up. He is sitting on the left side of the picture. The doctor and sonogram tech were 100% sure...they said it was quite obvious. We've also got a video that we will try to put on here at some point. This is all so overwhelmingly exciting!! We are having so much fun!!

Boy or Girl?? I Can't Wait!

Hopefully, tomorrow afternoon we will find out if it's going to be a boy or a girl!! We plan to be out most of the evening so I might not be able to blog till Friday, but trust me, I'll post ASAP. We did a gender poll at school and it was SO close between the two, however, boy won by 1 vote. Give your vote if you have a thought. Clues: The baby's heart rate was high but my doctor said that really means nothing and I've just got a pooch so I don't really know how I'm carrying it, yet. I haven't really craved sweets or salty...I've eaten a little bit of both. I've mainly enjoyed eating grapefruit and apples. What do you think?

Howdy, Tex!

This past week, we enjoyed going to the Texas State Fair with my mom, dad, mamaw, and my uncle. Dustin had NEVER been to the state fair so this was a great opportunity to take him. We all THREE had a great time. I didn't get sick, thank goodness. I actually felt really good and had quite a bit of energy. I enjoyed eating a Fletcher's Corny Dog, Fried Pickles, Funnel Cake and Cotton Candy...yum!! (Don't worry, I didn't eat all of that myself. The last three we shared as a family.)

This weekend, we celebrated Dustin's birthday. His parents and sister came over and spent the night. It was fun. It makes me want to live closer, especially when the baby comes. We just don't get to see them as much as we want.

Well, I go back to the doctor next week to hopefully find out if it's a boy or girl. Yeah!! My big feat this week was deciding to go ahead and wear a few maternity clothes. My summerish tops are fitted so just getting a little pooch seems dramatic and most of my pants I wear to size so just gaining a few pounds in my tummy makes them too tight. I still have a few pants that are loose enough to wear. If this weather would get cooler, I have some cute sweaters that I could wear at least till Christmas. (I'm assuming).
SOAP BOX: I've already had people commenting that I shouldn't be showing yet since this is my first pregnancy. I wish people would keep their comments to themselves because it makes me think they are flat-out saying I'm getting fat. Dustin is always commenting on how I'm NOT eating as much as I normally do. It seems like I just fill up faster. I've only gained 3 pounds, so far. Anyway, when will people learn to not make comments like that to an emotional pregnant woman??!!

Broken Record

Okay, so I've been told by almost everyone that once you've past your first trimester, the morning sickness most likely goes away. Well, considering I never got sick during my first trimester, I assumed I was home free. YEAH!!! My first pregnance and NO morning sickness!!!! I was so proud of myself....until Thursday!!! Dustin and I were on our way to work and my breakfast didn't seem to be setting well. He looked over at me and said he was going to pull over and I told him I'd be fine. Well, within about a minute I was asking him to get over, FAST. And there it all started...my record broken. The rest of the day I felt weak, but made it through. Then on Friday, just before classes started, that aweful-"Oh God, please, no!" feeling came back and I lost it all again. Good news is that Saturday and Sunday mornings have treated me well. Let's just pray that was the end of the gut-wrenching sickness.

The Week of Doctor Visits

Well, this past week has to have been the busiest week I've had in a long time.
I went to the Endocrinologist on Tuesday. The doctor's report was WONDERFUL news!! She said that I just had a 'bizarre' case because it appears that any trace of hyperthyroidism is completely gone and I do not need to return to her office. I wouldn't really say it was 'bizarre' because we had really been praying...it was a GOD THING!!
On Thursday, I went to the baby doctor for my 12 week check-up. Everything looked good. We got to hear the little (FAST) baby heart beat. God is so amazing to have created such a miracle as birth. My doctor said that when I go back in 4 weeks, we will check to see if it's a boy/girl, YEAH!!! This week things have changed a little with me because I can tell that when I'm hungry, I AM HUNGRY and I NEED TO EAT right then!! I even woke up at 3 a.m. just starving to death on Saturday night and ate half a cup of yogurt. Well, this is all a new experience and I look forward to what changes lie ahead.

Our Little Surprise!!

Dustin and I are excited to announce that we are going to be parents on April 9th..

This was such a surprise because I have been having a few health problems and the last thing we were expecting was a baby, but God has definitely had a huge part in it all. I am starting on my 12th week with 28 more to go. We finally got around to telling all of our family this past weekend so now we can make our announcement public.


Thankfully, I have not had any morning sickness, even though certain pasta and salad dressings make my stomach churn. I am, however, loving fruit, fruit juice and milk. I just keep praying that I continue to feel good. If you have ANY advice on books to read and things to prepare for, PLEASE email me. I'll try to keep everyone informed when I get news. This week, I'll be going to the endocrinologist and my baby doctor, so I'm sure I'll be writing again.