The nickname stinker has been officially used now in the Heyboer house and we're not talking diapers.  Esther is starting to crawl...forward!  But the only way she will do it is to get at the tapes and cds she shouldn't be touching.  Little Stinker.  Check out the video and I will post another in a few days of her first crawl.

Esther found her hands and it has been really fun to watch.  All of a sudden they will peak into her line of sight and she will look very serious, trying to figure out what the heck the things are.  In no time they are in her mouth.  I know every baby must go through this but it is so fun to watch!

Now I know my nephews and nieces were cute babies.  For real, they were cute.  But come on...really...there's no competition.  Esther is the cutest baby ever.  (Though no offical admission of bias has been secured from the writer of this blog, when reached for comment as to whether he was bias for his own daughter he simply pleaded the fifth.  But really, she's adorable.)

That's right. Esther was weighed today and she weighs 9lbs 11oz. At her age she should be 7 to 10 ounces above birth weight so she is right on track if not a little extra! We are excited and relieved. Thank you for your prayers and please continue to pray as life gets back to normal. That is normal before this last week (which wasn't normal for us really, with a new baby and all but you get the idea).

Earlier this week Esther was admitted to the hospital because she was not gaining weight. At 8 lbs 5 oz, she simply was not heading in the right direction. After two nights of sitting in the hospital, supplementing breast milk with some formula, Esther left the hospital at 8 lbs 13.8 oz! She actually slept peacefully in her crib! Though the transition home has been a little less peaceful, we are very grateful to be home. The less hospital we see the healthier we feel!

Esther turned two weeks today (yesterday by now) and as I was changing her diaper, her umbilical cord fell off!!!! Finally, we can now concentrate on being nothing but cute. Of course we are only beginning to adjust to a new, a new...hm, a new life. All the ups and downs of being new parents, life after surgery and the Taurus visiting three different shops over the last three days has made me so tired that I couldn't sleep so I am posting here. Yet I can't complain because I do get all the sleep at night while Rachel stays with the baby. What a great mom!

Anyway, happy two weeks Esther. In spite of all of this stuff, I really cannot describe the joy I feel for my family. How full the blessing comes. Praise God!

On Tuesday, August 15, 2006 Esther Olivia was born. She was 9 lbs 1 oz and was 19 3/4" long. She and mom are doing great! She's beautiful! She has a healthy set of lungs on her and has used them frequently, but then again, I would too going through the ordeal she went through! We are happily crying ourselves most of the time.

Here is the website and other directions to the Little Company of Mary where Rachel will being having the baby. The easiest way is to take 294 to 95th Street. Take 95th street East. The first hospital you come to is Christ (Advocate) Memorial...keep going! Keep going quite a ways to California and 95th which is where the Hospital is.

The address is 2800 West 95th Street, Evergreen Park, IL 60805. I'm not sure How Google Maps or Mapquest will get you there but 294 to 95th is the easiest.

We hope to be home for most of the visits but we will see. People will be able to see the baby about 2 hours after the birth. We spend some time in the delivery room and will then be moved to a room where we can have more visitors.

I was on my way to work this morning, sitting at a red light. When the light turned green, a van that was facing me turned left in front of me and I nearly hit him. I have had closer calls but it was close enough to let a monstrous honk escape from my civic. I laughed. Civics don't have monstrous horns. It's hard to be intimidating when you drive a Civic. Maybe I should get chrome rims.