Introducing... Micah Leonard McDaniel

Micah Leonard McDaniel

December 12, 2011

12:00PM

8 lbs. 1 oz.

21 1/2 inches long


(Micah's Birth Story)

He is finally here! Our sweet baby boy arrived on Monday, December 12th at 12:00pm. Labor pains began the Friday at work. They weren't incredibly painful, but I could tell my body was acting different than normal. On Saturday the pains progressed into contractions but they weren't very close together. They were occurring every hour or so.Roy and I walked about 5 miles on Saturday because I had a feeling I was in labor. By Saturday night I was having more painful contractions and they were closer apart. I didn't sleep that night and was writing down my contractions to keep track of how close they were.

On Sunday, I was in labor for sure! The contractions were painful, but still not close enough to go to the hospital. We told our families were pretty sure I was in labor and by Sunday night they arrived in Orlando. Sunday afternoon my contractions subsided and were almost non-existent. I was worried I wasn't in labor after all and that our family had come all this way and it might be a few more days until Micah arrive.

Boy was I wrong! Sunday night was awful. My contractions were strong and about 9-10 minutes apart for several hours. I would just lie in bed, waiting for them to get closer. Around 4AM my contractions were finally every 5-7 minutes and Roy and I were getting ready to head to Winnie Palmer Hospital. As I was breathing through a contraction my water broke and the contractions started getting VERY strong and painful and were only 2-3 minutes apart. We arrived at the hospital around 5:30AM and I labored in triage for a few hours until they could get me a room. The entire time my mind was focusing on the epidural I was going to receive once I got a room. I was 2 cm at this time and 100% effaced.

By the time I got a room I was already 7cm, around 8:00AM. I received my epidural and was waiting for it to kick it, but it never did :( I guess I am one of those rare cases where the epidural didn't take. Roy and my sister were incredible as I labored and assured me I could do this. I was praying and trusting God to give me the supernatural strength I needed and He was indeed faithful. By 10:45AM I was already 10 cm and it was time to push. They don't call it labor for nothing! At 12:00PM on the dot on 12/12/11 my sweet baby boy entered the world. Oh the joy that filled my heart! He had a rough start as the cord was wrapped pretty tightly around his neck. The doctor and nurses had to stimulate him quite a bit and it seemed like an eternity before I heard him cry.



Little did I know my epidural wouldn't work and I would be having a natural child birth.




After a few minutes I finally got to hold Micah in my arms. He was so content and has his eyes wide open. He was just lying there looking at his mommy. It was a sweet, precious moment for sure!

Micah had to spend a few hours in the transition nursery since he got a rough start, but was thankfully healthy and ready to meet his grandparents and niece shortly after.







On Wednesday afternoon we were ready to go home. Micah's jaundice levels were a little high, so he has been connected to a special light since Thursday to help bring down the Bilirubin levels. He gets another blood test tomorrow so hopefully the levels will have come down. He is eating and sleeping like a champ. He has brought so much joy to our hearts. I cannot even begin to describe it! I am so thankful to the Lord for this precious blessing that we longed for. He is here and we are again reminded of God's incredible faithfulness in all things.

We ask for your prayers during this time of transition. We pray for wisdom and strength and can already see the Lord working in our hearts as we begin this new blessed season of life.

May God bless you all during this Christmas season! Merry Christmas!

The Final Countdown

Has it really been a month and a half since my last post? Please forgive me. I think once the reality of welcoming a baby boy finally began to sunk in, I began to panic and rightly so. We are about to have a major addition to the McDaniel Family and we are beyond thrilled.

Roy and I are both filled with so many wonderful emotions at this point. We are exactly two weeks away from Micah's due date. What incredible joy fills our hearts. After a month of being showered with gifts, making final arrangements, packing our hospital bags, two hospital visits (all is well thankfully!), etc. we are finally ready to get this show on the road.

I am not making any progress yet in terms of labor, but have started walking each night to try and get this party started. I am ready to hold our little bundle of joy! Thank you, precious Lord, for this incredible gift that our hearts have been longing for. We are beyond blessed. Please join us in praying for a safe delivery, a healthy baby boy, and a smooth transition to a family of three. Praise be to God for his grace and mercy in all things! Micah will be here before we know it.





Pictured at 36 weeks and 5 days. I am 38 weeks today!

31 weeks!

Pregnancy Highlights

How far along: 31 weeks 4 days

Size of baby: Probably around 16 inches and 3.25 lbs.

Gender: It's a boy! Micah Leonard McDaniel

Movement: Micah is incredibly active. I can feel very strong movements and wish I knew what I was feeling. He is usually most active at night. Even though this can make falling asleep difficult most nights, it never gets old to feel my baby boy moving around in my tummy.

Sleep: Sleeping these days is pretty much hit or miss. Acid re-flux making an unwanted appearance each night and I am usually incredibly queasy right before bed. I feel huge and rolling over is a chore. It takes me three movements just to roll over! I could sleep for hours and hours once I finally get comfortable, which I wish could happen :) I still get up a few times a night to go to the bathroom, which I guess is preparing me for late night feedings.

What miss: I miss lots of things. I miss not feeling huge! I miss feeling well. I am tired of headaches, queasiness, back aches, heartburn, sleepiness, sore feet, etc. It is always something. I really miss being active! I am already ready to train for another half-marathon :) I miss having the energy to be the Becky that I used to be. I just want to curl up on the couch and rest every little chance I get.

Cravings: I really haven't had any unusual cravings throughout this pregnancy.

Symptoms: I am tired. My feet and back hurt like you wouldn't believe. No matter what I eat I get acid re-flux and feel queasy afterwards. I am getting incredibly anxious about labor and becoming a mom. It is a constant wave of emotions and I cry at the drop of a hat... especially all of these mushy commercials on TV. If I see a baby or a family together I start weeping! Geez, come on people!

Best moment this week: Roy and I celebrated our 3rd anniversary this week. Some sweet friends of ours let us use their hotel points to spend the weekend in Jacksonville where we ate out, went to the movies, and enjoyed time together. It was a special treat and our last little getaway before we welcome our sweet baby boy!

The Swamp!

Some friends of ours treated us to tickets to the Florida/Bama game yesterday. Sadly, we have a house divided, but what a wonderful treat for us to be able to attend one of the biggest games of the season. I had never been to a Florida game at night and it has been 4 years since I was at the Swamp. We spent the afternoon tailgating and walking around campus (reminder: I am 7 months prego!) and my feet are paying for it today. Thankfully, the weather was PERFECT and even a little chilly by the 8:00PM kickoff. Florida didn't do as well as I had hoped, but I just love my Gators and the Swamp! I had a great time... and of course, Roy did too.

I didn't like when people would give Roy a hard time :) He might have poor taste in football teams, but I still love him! He was the best dressed Bama fan at the game by far!

It was great to get to catch up with our friend David from Troy. Yet another classy FL fan!

Greg and Roy tailgating

My sweet friend Christie!

I passed by Joakim Noah (all of 6'11) while heading to another tailgating spot. I had to get a picture for Baby Micah's baby book :)

The sun was setting at The Swamp. It was beautiful at night!

Our seats in the south end zone. Thankfully we were at the very top so I could lean my poor back up against the wall.

The American Holocaust

My sister shared this documentary with me and I want to pass it on. The American Holocaust is taking place as millions of precious babies are being killed in the womb by abortion. With my sweet baby boy my in tummy at 29 weeks, this really hits home. Please watch this documentary! I pray we would value every life and deem it as precious. The Lord is the Giver of Life and each life is indeed a blessing.

* Be advised there is very graphic content at some points within the documentary (footage from the Holocaust*

Preparing... I Guess

About two weeks ago it hit me like a ton of bricks: I am going to be a mom! A wave of emotions flooded through me and I realized that time was winding down. In a rage of panic, I began looking for books about newborns and how to best prepare myself (if that is even possible) for what to expect. I took some suggestions from friends and here is what I have been reading so far. Please feel free to comment if you have any other good reads to add!

I found this at Goodwill for .99 cents. It has been pretty good so far... a little "earthy" if you will. The author is trying to teach parents to learn to distinguish their baby's different cries since crying is their means of communication. Seems a bit impossible to me! :)

This book has come highly recommended, even though we probably won't reference the book for a few years. I have been reading it to become familiar with it and will definitely pick it up again in the future. It is a guide to biblical parenting and discipline.

I will share that chapter 3 of the book talks about the heart and how the heart shapes behavior, even in children. I believe that God's word is true through and through and that even in the womb children are sinful. We pray everyday for Micah's heart to become warm towards God as soon as possible. The book talks about how the heart either worships God or idols. There is no middle ground! This is true of people but children also. What could Micah's idols possibly even be right now? We are praying for Micah to worship God even now!

I have yet to begin reading this one. I found it at our favorite used bookstore for $2.00 after a friend suggested I give it a whirl.

** If any of you veteran parents can think of more books about Biblical parenting, even with newborns, please pass them on **

Wish List!

I usually don't "want" things too often, but lately I have really been wanting a Vera Bradley duffel bag. I guess I am thinking about packing for the hospital and thought it would come in handy. I am looking for a used one so if you are trying to get rid of a large Vera Bradley duffel let me know and I will gladly make an offer and take it off your hands! ( I am not picky about the pattern!)

Welcome to the Third Trimester!

I cannot believe the third trimester is here! I can remember being 10 weeks pregnant, sicker than ever and wondering if I'd ever make it through this pregnancy. Thankfully, I am feeling much better, with the exception of a few bad days of sickness here and there. We are on the home stretch and I think the reality of being a mom and welcoming a precious baby boy to our family has hit! I am overcome with more emotions these days than I can process.

I had a doctors appointment on Wednesday where I took the glucose test for gestational diabetes. The lady who drew my blood said I was the first person who didn't complain about how bad the drink (which has 50g of sugar, mind you) tasted. It just tasted like flat Sunkist to me. I also had a sonogram. At my previous appointment my doctor told me I was measuring big so he wanted to see how the baby was growing. Everything looked good! Baby Micah (yes, we have a name! I will explain the meaning later) is measuring in the 54th percentile so he is growing right on schedule. He does have a big head though :\ That will make for an interesting labor :) I will have another sonogram at 36 weeks just to check on the growth again.

So far everything is looking great. I am so thankful to the Lord for this precious gift and that Micah has been so very healthy thus far!

SO.... we have a name! We've had a name for a LONG time :) I picked out the name Micah even before we were married 3 years ago. It has just been one of the few boys' names that has stuck out and I love that it means "Who is like the Lord?" I have always wanted to raise boys (and hopefully a girl or two in the mix as well). I just see a world lacking in true, Godly leaders and pray that the Lord will give us the wisdom to disciple, love, and teach Micah to become a man who is after the heart of God, who loves his Word, who seeks his will, and who desires to be a leader. Micah's middle name will be "Leonard" which is so incredibly special to both Roy and myself because both of our paternal grandfathers were named Leonard. My Papa passed away this past March and I weep when I think of welcoming another precious Leonard into the world this very same year.

Hospital Tour

Last night Roy and I had a "date night" and enjoyed dinner and a tour of Winnie Palmer Hospital. I cannot believe that I am already in my third trimester and that our precious baby boy will be here in a few months! There are some seasons of pregnancy where it felt like I would be sick and pregnant forever. Now I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel and I have flipped the switch to PANIC MODE! Holy moly! So much to do before he arrives!

The hospital tour put me at ease a bit. It was nice to see where I will be delivering and to become aware of the procedures and what not. We were able to walk step by step through being admitted in triage, labor and delivery, post postpartum, etc. The lady who gave us the tour was very helpful in explaining things as best as she could to give us a good feel for what it to come!

Funny thing... the other couple on the tour with us are expecting on Dec. 16th so we could see each other again soon :)

Winnie Palmer Hospital

Labor and delivery room

Just Keep Swimming!

I have discovered how much I love swimming while being pregnant. Central FL is so incredibly hot 9 months out of the year and I just happen to be pregnant smack dab in the middle of it! Exercising in the pool has become a great way for me to get much needed exercise and also relax at the same time. The resistance you get from movements in the water are much better on my joints than other exercises I have been attempting to do and I just enjoy floating (literally!) around and relaxing!

Our apartment pool

Addy Carrete

Introducing... my new niece!

Adela Noel Carrete

Born at 10:53AM on Monday, September 5th, 2011 at Baptist Hospital in Pensacola, FL

8lbs. 9 oz. and 21 inches long

I am a very proud aunt and am incredibly thankful that I was able to spend a few days at the hospital in Pensacola to welcome Baby Addy! We had lots of family come to visit and welcome her.

On Tuesday night Addy had to be transported to Sacred Heart because she stopped breathing on 4 different occasions throughout the day and evening. The doctors and nurses were wonderful about keeping us in the know and explaining their concerns and plans of action. It was an incredibly frightening and overwhelming for us all.

That evening made me wonder how people go through one day with all of its uncertainty apart from the Lord. Even in the midst of our tears and anxieties that evening, we knew we could run to the Giver of Life and cast those burdens and cares on Him. We can trust Him! He is good! He has our best interests in mind.

I am happy to be able to announce that Addy is doing much better. She is still in the NICU at Sacred Heart, but all of the tests that she had undergone are coming back negative. The cause of her episodes of not breathing are still unknown and our prayer is that this will never ever be a concern again. She has been breathing regularly since her last episode Tuesday evening.

Please keep praying for our family! Pray for Bonnie, Angel and Addy as they begin this new journey as a family. Pray for Addy, that she will recover well and be able to go home soon. Also, please pray for my mom. She has been there by Bonnie's side throughout this entire ordeal. My mom is always thinking of other peoples needs and putting them before herself. She is a blessing!

Welcome, Addy!! Thank you Lord for this precious blessing!

25 Weeks

Pregnancy Highlights

How far along: 25 weeks and 3 days

Gender: A sweet baby BOY!

Movement: Baby McDaniel moves a lot, especially in the morning and at night and when I eat something. Last night he gave me the best kick so far and Roy was feeling my tummy when he did it!

Sleep: Sleep is ok. I usually come home from work and try to push through to do laundry, clean, budget, etc. because I know around 6:30PM I will hit a wall and be done for the day.

What I Miss: I am really missing having the energy to do everything I used to. I am usually so spent after work each day that I lounge around in my PJs and get ready for bed. It is a vicious cycle. I miss exercising still. Roy and I walk when we can. I tried to run the other day but I just feel so heavy and sluggish. I just wanted to make sure I could do it because I will be getting back to running once the baby gets here… bring on the jogging stroller!

Cravings: Fast food breakfast. I know that sounds like the grossest, greasiest thing ever, but I could really go for an egg biscuit with some hash browns and a Dr. Pepper. I am trying not to give in!

Symptoms: Right now I am battling mega sinus issues. It has been keeping me up at night because I can’t breathe through my nose and I have the worst headaches. I am still getting nauseous some and it literally hits me out of nowhere. I can count on it going away though within an hour or so, which is nice. I think the worst thing right now is just my lack of energy. I hardly do anything but am so wiped out by the end of the day.

News: We have decided on a name! Woo hoo. I am pumped about it. Also, I went to the doctor about a week and a half ago and all is well. He heard the heartbeat and measured my tummy for the first time. He said I am measuring big so he’ll do a sonogram the next time I come in (end of Sept) and I’ll have to do the glucose test as well.

Best Moment this Week: My sister is beginning the labor process! Hopefully I will meet my new niece/nephew soon!

Senior Year!

This fall is really what we have been referring to as our "senior year!" Although I am not an RTS student, we wives feel as though we have felt the full weight at times of seminary by being supportive (hopefully!) wives throughout the past two years.

Last Monday, Reformed Theological Seminary hosted a fall kick off cookout. I cannot begin to tell you how blessed we have been with community at RTS. As many of you know, there are several RTS couples that get together on a regular basis for fellowship and realizing that this is the last phase of the "seminary season" has been bittersweet.

Our first RTS Family Night of the year was last Friday and we hosted 16 adults, 3 children, and 3 babies in the belly in our two bedroom apartment :) Everyone brings a dish and we eat a delicious meal together! It usually ends up with the guys in one room talking about seminary things and the women in the other room playing catch up. We used our coffee table and card table as places for our guests to dine and made the most of it. Oh the stories we will get to tell our children about our time at RTS! Although we are anxiously looking forward to what is ahead, we cannot deny that this has been an incredible experience.

Senior Year is in full swing!

The husbands, or as they call themselves "The Oviedo 7"

Family Night Dinner

What I've Been Reading Lately

Pregnancy has literally zapped my energy and after a day at work I am beat. My usual active, perky self has turned into a bookworm. Here are a few books I have read lately that I would highly recommend...

1. "Radical" by David Platt

2. "The Total Money Makeover" by Dave Ramsey

3. "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" by J.K. Rowling

4. "Unveiled" by Francine Rivers

5."Same Kind of Different As Me" by Ron Hall and Denver Moore

22 Weeks

Pregnancy Highlights

How far along: 22 weeks and 5 days

Size of baby: Baby McDaniel is around 1lb. and is the length of a small squash

Gender: A sweet baby BOY!

Movement: This baby is very active. I feel him usually in the morning and right when I go to bed. Sometimes he'll keep me up at night just kicking away. Roy has been able to feel him too and it is just incredible.

Sleep: Sleep has been much better. I am feeling well rested, but need many hours of sleep. I guess I better enjoy that now.

What I Miss: Fitting into regular clothes. I am making the transition to maternity clothes and nothing fits me. I still miss exercising more than you know. It will take me forever to get back into the shape I was pre-baby. I am already making plans for a mega boot camp after this baby! I miss feeling "normal" and like myself. This baby has just taken over.

Cravings: Good southern cooking! Last week I really wanted country fried steak with mashed potatoes, mac 'n cheese, and corn bread.

Symptoms: I still get nauseous, but not very often. A few times during the day I won't feel very well, but it usually goes away. I am very sleepy ... all of the time. My belly itches often and I am assuming it is because it is every growing :) I am steadily gaining weight and climbing to numbers I am not excited about. I have gained about 14 lbs so far. Yikes!

Best Moment this Week: I got to see my sister for the last time until she welcomes a sweet new baby. It has been such a treat to be pregnant at the same time. We always WANTED it to happen that way, but never planned for it to turn out this way. I love my sister and am thrilled that she will be the mommy of a precious little blessing. I love feeling her little angel moving around in her tummy. I can't wait to meet my new niece/nephew!!

Bonnie's Baby Shower

I saw my sister this weekend for the last time until she has her baby (she is due Sept. 1st). We are all on pins and needles waiting, especially since we don't know whether she is having a boy or a girl. What a sweet surprise! She is almost 38 weeks pregnant and we are ready to meet this little bundle of joy.

This past weekend she had a baby shower in our hometown of Port St. Joe, FL and it was wonderful! The hostesses did such an amazing job with the decorations and yummy snacks. It was such a treat. Our family is so blessed with such wonderful people in our lives!

I still can't believe we are having babies so close!! 15 weeks apart.

The "mom -to -be" with the hostesses. The shower was lovely!

Opening gifts

What a cute diaper cake!!

Loving Paula Deen!

With an incredibly tight budget since marriage (almost 3 years!), cooking has always been a challenge. Roy and I have to eat cheap and usually what is cheap isn't always healthy. I prefer to eat fairly healthy (can't deny my sweet tooth!) but have found cooking healthy on our grocery budget next to impossible. Praise the Lord that we have never gone hungry and that Roy has NEVER once complained about my cooking. I am sure he has thought many things to himself about my lack of cooking abilities, but I am getting better.

Once seminary is over hopefully our grocery budget will grow so I will be able to cook actual meals more often. We can only eat so many pancakes and grilled cheese sandwiches :)

The other day I had some time on my hands so I whipped up a dinner menu and decided to put a few Paula Deen recipes to the test. I surprised Roy with some yummy beef stroganoff over egg noodles with a little side salad. He was indeed impressed and it wasn't difficult to make!

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb cubed round steak, cut into thin strips
House Seasoning to taste
all purpose flour
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, sliced
8 ounce fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can beef broth
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup sour cream
cooked egg noodles

Directions

Season the steak strips with House Seasoning, then dust with flour. In a large skillet, quickly brown them on both sides in the olive oil and butter. Remove the steak from the pan. Add the onion slices and mushrooms to the pan drippings. Saute for a few minutes, until the onion is tender. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon flour. Put the steak back into the pan with the onion and mushrooms. Add the mushroom soup and beef broth. Cook over low heat for about 30 minutes, covered. Adjust seasoning to taste, adding salt and pepper, as needed. Stir in the sour cream the last few minutes, right before you serve. Serve over cooked noodles.

For dessert I made Paula Deen's Chocolate Chip Pound Cake and holy moly it was awesome!