A good picture

I took this picture this morning while holding Ezekiel, trying to keep him awake for some time with Dad. He is so sweet!

Visits

More pictures

We had some visitors!

Home sweet home

We are home! All of us are recovering and doing well. Thank you all for all of your support, it means a lot to us!

If you are local, please feel free to stop by anytime. We might be up or we might be sleeping, but please knock and we'll visit if we can.

More pictures to come!

More photos

Photos and video snippets

Zeke's first bath:

He's here, he's here!!!!

Words escape us at the moment, but we want to take a moment to share our joy!

Ezekiel Miller has been born! After a long night e was in Betsy's arms at 4:17.

Totally healthy, curious, cute, exploring, stretching, moving, hardly making a peep..... without a doubt a miracle in our arms!

Betsy and I are doing fine, though pretty tired. Betsy was stellar and is taking to motherhood with a determination that those who know here have witnessed in all she does. She is wonderful! Sore, exhausted, but always the trooper.... she is AMAZING! I am just tired.

More stories as we rest up in the next few days. And, I am sure, a TON more pictures and videos!

But here is what we have so far.

After the water broke:


In between contractons:
The very first picture, seconds after being born!:
And a slightly better one:
And one proud,weepy, papa:


I'll publish this post and then work on getting the rest of the 50-ish photos up.

Enjoy! We are!

One week?

Is there really only one week left on this crazy roller coaster ride called pregnancy?

Wow.


I thought I'd share a couple pictures with everyone:



On the right is us at the HUGE downtown Boise Christmas (they called it "holiday") tree lighting ceremony. We dressed for the cold, but it really wasn't. Not pictured: brother Daniel-San.






And on the left is Betsy this morning (12/1/2008)... all beautiful for work, celebrating one week left.

You can see we decorated for Christmas. Three stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hope Ezekiel Miller will soon be there!









Last week we bought a stroller-car seat combo. This was a big dilemma! Should we get a fold up stroller, a jogger and an umbrella stroller? Then we found this jogger with a car seat that clicks in! Hooray for less clutter and stuff! We think the jogger will be the most useful....
And the car seat.... The grey and black color scheme isn't the prettiest, but it is utilitarian and should look good with just about anything....
even a white T-shirt and jeans!

The waiting game

We are ready. Just waiting on the baby.

The nursery is finished, we have been blessed numerous times by friends, family and coworkers at baby showers. Words can not express how thankful we are for all your gifts and thoughtfulness!

Betsy had a doctor's appointment yesterday and everything is going well... I'll spare you the more intimate numbers, but her belly is at 35 cm which is just about right on target and we are hopeful the baby is going to be on time, if not early...

And now, we wait. It seems like forever some days and the weeks have begun to drag by slowly (more so, I think, for Betsy).

Every morning I wake up and think, "was that my last night of peaceful sleep, is today the day?"

Full term is considered 37 weeks and over, and guess what? This Saturday is full term! Originally the due date was the 8th of December, but apparently it is the 6th, or that's what the chart says at least.

And we wait....

"Baby moon"

Betsy and I were lucky enough to be able to borrow "the cabin" for the weekend. We enjoyed every minute of it!

A quick history of this special place... McCall Idaho (ski town USA), a beautiful, once sleepy little town of about 3,000. In 1973 (or there about) my Aunt Jackie and Uncle Mike, together with my parents bought a little round house for a get away. I have many, many fond memories of times spent up there, exploring the surrounding woods, skiing and later snowboarding, hiking, fishing, swimming... trips with my family, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.... it is truly a special place for me. This was Betsy's fifth trip up there, and she is extremely happy to be banking happy times in the round house.

Enough about the structure, this was a trip to relax and do, well,... nothing. The tamaracks were fully golden, the leaves on the deciduous trees were past there prime but still glorious, the crowds nonexistent and the weather was perfect. Cold and crisp in the mornings, warm in the afternoons. Betsy was able to occupy here time with one of her favorite past times (sleeping), and I took a couple walks along some of the paths of my youth.


One of the highlights, besides all the rest and relaxation, was a trip to little Payette lake. There is a small dam to fills up this shallow lake (I didn't know they have kokanee, small mouth bass and pike, I will have to come back with my flyrod!), but being late in the fall, the water was low and sandy beaches were exposed. Just right for lounging and relaxing!





I took this picture of the sunlight filtering through the trees like light through a cathedral.

We ate too much at "the pancake house", a McCall tradition ($2.50 for the cinnamon roll, can you believe it?) Thanks Aunt Liddia for the Reformation Sunday treat!

Played in the sand...


And sadly left the cabin, once again,.... hope fully to return again soon!