Baby Boy Tinker

2011.....WHAT!

2011-03-08T15:24:00.001-06:00

Well, it has been a long while since I have had time to update our blog...things have been a little crazy, sad, challenging, and exciting all at the same time.

For those of you who haven’t seen Alex in a while, he continues to grow and change at mach speed. He is exactly two and half years old and it is definitely my favorite age so far! Most people say he is starting to look more like me than Jonathan - I think it is just because of the eyes and blond hair - I still see a lot of Daddy in him....

BUT...one thing is certain. Alexander Reece definitely has a great deal of Christina Elise spunk in him! He has turned into quite the performer - he loves to sing and dance around the house - Cherie Baby and Walk like a Man are a couple of his favorites. Guess you can guess that Jonathan and I got to go see Jersey Boys at the Majestic this year. It was a awesome show!

Alex loves to tell stories about his animals and about saving his princess HAIRiel...(think the red headed Disney princess). He enjoys the swings most of all at the park in our neighborhood; He loves to read book after book and is quite good at self entertainment on early Saturday mornings! Finally!

We have had many changes in our lives, both personal and professional. Here is a simplified timeline....On Halloween, we moved into the house we built in the hill country area of San Antonio. In November, I left IBM and joined Oracle. We lost Jonathan’s amazing mother in a tragic accident at the end of November. She is so missed and remembered in our nightly prayers and throughout our daily activities. As Alex develops and does funny little things, I think every day of picking up the phone and hearing her laugh. Alex’s first cousin on the Humphries’ side of our family was born in January to my brother Matt and his wife Jackie Mae. Little Halie Mae is precious and wonderful! Jonathan left the UT Health Science Center and joined GE Healthcare in February.

Wow! Just writing all that out made me tired! And the crowing event is that as of tomorrow, Alex has been wearing underwear successfully for a full two weeks! Last night, he and I went to Petco to get his pet beta fish as the prize for making it this far. He picked out a dark red MALE beta fish and named HIM Hariel....as in the red headed princess from Little Mermaid! I love it!

Love to all of you - e-mail, write or call and let us know how you are.

Our new address is 7123 Cresta Bulivar

San Antonio, TX 78256

Is it September 21st already?

2009-09-21T10:51:00.002-05:00

My goodness, how time flies! Now I sound like a 30 year old cliche!
Well, life has obviously been busy since I haven't posted in more than a month.
Things are very busy (but in a great way) for all of us. Jonathan continues to build momentum with his career and is enjoying the challenges of running the radiation department here at the UT Health Science Center. I am quite busy with many endeavours, personal and professional.

And naturally, Alex is the busiest of us all - he started swimming lessons last week, he has two molars coming in, he is learning to communicate more and more with pointing, signals and trying at some new sounds - nana, momo, bbbbbbbbbb are the most regular. Wow, does he love the water, so swimming lessons are a lot of fun. He weighs about 22 pounds and is 32 inches long. We think it is time for his second haircut and he has is first dentist appointment next week.

I have uploaded a few new pictures and hope to give another update sooner than later - I will try not to let it be almost two months before the next time you hear from us....

What a summer it has been....

2009-08-02T16:21:00.003-05:00

We have been all over the place in these last few months.....A trip to Houston for a baby shower, a trip to Oklahoma City and Pawhuska to visit Aunt Denise & Uncle John and to attend the Osage Indian dances....our friends from home came to visit and have a fun July 4th weekend, our Humphries family came to town for a Schlitterbahn weekend; we have been to Giddings to see Alex's other great grandparents and cousins.... and finally this Sunday we are just trying to rest and recuperate.

Alex is really excelling physically these days - he is running all over the place and has begun taking careful steps down ledges or curbs. He loves anything with a lever or button to push and uses everything from the remote to our mobiles as his own phone - he actually walks around with it at his hear saying DADADADA.

We had a doctor's visit two weeks ago for Alex's first ear infection - 103 fever was scary! He was better within 36 hours of taking antibiotics. We learned there that he is now 32 inches long and weighs 22 lbs., 8 oz. He is really beginning to look like my little boy instead of my baby boy.

Enjoy several new pictures to see what we've been up to lately.

Love you - JACTinker

Finally....an update!

2009-05-08T10:05:00.003-05:00

I can't believe Alex will be 9 months old next week! Time is starting to fly by as Alex grows and changes and learns every day. On the home scale, Alex weighs 19 lbs, 8 oz and the last time I could get him to lay still long enough, I measured him at 29 inches long.

I guess the question is not so much, "what is Alex doing these days?" as much as it is, "what ISN'T Alex doing these days?". Oh my goodness! About 4 weeks ago, he starting "cruising", standing and going from one thing to the next - his favorites are the kitchen cabinets because he can go all the way around the kitchen with very little crawling - he holds on to the top of one cabinet (kept almost closed because it is attached the next one by a rubber band around the handles), and then he steps sideways until he reaches the next cabinet and just keeps going.
Within the last couple of weeks, he has begun to let go of things and stand for up to 30 seconds on his own, but he has not taken the first step just yet.

Alex LOVES to be tickled and play wrestle with Daddy. He is saying Dada constantly, Mama sometimes and Nana every now and again. Mostly, he babbles and then looks at you for a response. It is so cute and hard not to just bust out laughing. He is really beginning to problem solve and likes to find "hidden" things, especially remote controls that do not belong to him!
Whoever invented the hard, thick paged books for babies was a genius. Alex loves to look at the pictures and will listen for a little while, but most of all, he loves to eat the corners of the books as we try to tell him stories.

He went through a major growth spurt over the last month - he has started taking at least one, if not two, 1 - 2 hour naps every day and he sleeps from 8:00 PM - 6:30 AM. In the middle of April I moved him into his 9 month clothes. This week, I had to move him up again into 12 month clothes and he is already wearing size 3 shoes! He is really growing - and his hair is growing too! It is so soft and he loves having it brushed. He did not like having his teeth brushed at all (still just the bottom two) until he saw me using the electric toothbrush on my own teeth. He starting clapping and laughing, so I turned it to gentle and reached into his mouth - he loves it! So, now he gets a good brushing morning and evening!

Well, this is my first "official" Mother's Day and I must say I am really looking forward to it!
We are headed to my family's lake house for some rest and relaxation - and WATER SKIING! I have not done that since 2007 because I was pregnant last summer! We are not sure how warm the water will be, but we are taking Alex's swim suit, flotation device (I still don't know all the kid vocabulary), and baby sun screen!

Okay...I hope that brings every up to date and we look forward to seeing you all sooner than later.

Love and hugs,

Christina, Jonathan & Alex

A few new pictures

2009-03-11T14:40:00.001-05:00

Alex is doing great - cruising around the house now that he can crawl....we're just trying to keep up!

He's Mobile!

2009-03-08T20:50:00.002-05:00

Well, three days before his 7 month birthday, Alexander Reece decided to make a move...he is officially crawling! Jonathan and I sat down to eat dinner around 7:00 and Alex was playing on the mat in the middle of the living room. We looked over and he had made it half way across the room. Before we could even grab a camera, he was all the way to the kitchen!

We called both grandparents to let them know that their little man is officially mobile and they were naturally very excited. We took a walk and then came back to the house. I put Alex on the floor and put his pacifier across the way a little - without hesitation, he got on all fours and made his way across to the pacifier - and this time, Dad captured it on video!

Well, after the excitement wears off, I am sure the reality that he will soon be able to get into, onto and around EVERYTHING in the house will set in....yikes!

Alex will be 7 months on March 11th. He weighs 16 lbs, 9 oz and is 27.5 inches long. He is growing and eating anything we will let him.

Love you guys! I will put up some new pictures tomorow....

Almost 6 months....with 2 teeth!

2009-02-05T16:08:00.003-06:00

Well, I am having some issues with the MAC blog, so I will post here until I can get the kinks worked out. The mac makes it a lot easier for me to post a bunch of pictures at once, which is why I want to host our blog there...

Alex is a week away from turning 6 months old, and he is just growing leaps and bounds, both physically and especially, mentally! He is playing with his blocks and loves to learn how to make things make noise - by shaking them, banging them together and of course...putting everything in his mouth!

About a week ago, he broke his first tooth, the bottom front right tooth. Then, the next day, the bottom left broke the gums. They are growing so fast it is amazing. He doesn't complain much about the teeth, but he wants to chew on anything and everything in sight! He isn't crawling yet, but he is rolling and pulling himself all over the place to get what he wants.

Because he got his first real cold in the middle of the night, I took Alex to the doctor this morning. He was weezing and very congested, but the doctor assures us it is not in his chest or ears, so we just have to run a humidifier and constantly aspirate his nose. We had a little Superbowl party and it was Alex with 4 little ladies. We imagine that with all those little ones together, they shared some winter germs. So, the doctor told us that Alex is really growing - he weighs 16 lbs, 8 oz. and is 27 inches long!

Lots of love,

Christina, Jonathan & Alex

NEW BLOG LOCATION CORRECTION

2009-01-14T17:45:00.003-06:00

http://web.me.com/cjatinker/Site/Welcome.html

This is the location of the new family blog on our Mac.
Across the top you will see Welcome, then click on Blog and go to the archives to read the January update.

After you read the update, you can click on Photos and look at them one at a time, or as a slideshow.

I will be back to monthly or bi-monthly updates!

NEW BLOG LOCATION

2009-01-14T17:13:00.000-06:00

Please view our new blog at:

www.web.me.com/cjatinker

November Update

2008-11-18T15:12:00.002-06:00

What everyone told us would happen is now officially happening....Alex is growing and changing faster and faster every day.

The critical facts:
Alex weighs about 12 lbs. 7 oz. and is about 24 or 25 inches long.
Alex LOVES to "talk" - to everyone.
He makes lots of ahhh, ooooh, eh-uh sounds for hours on end.
Alex is laughing every now and then and smiling socially every day.
Alex can grib and hold his pacifier and teething rings and a couple of small, light weight toys.
Alex is sitting up with support of pillows or in his bumbo and today he began playing in his exersaucer!

As for events and activities, we have been to Houston for a funeral for Helen Linbeck, a dear family friend. We spent lots of time with both sides of the family that long weekend and got to meet extended family like Aunt Theresa and Uncle Robert. Ma Ma and Pa Pa were in for the funeral and Alex got to spend some good time with them, but of course it is never enough. We were planning a surprise trip to Abbeville (well, it would have veen a surprise if I had not posted in the last blog entry!!) but of course we were not able to make that trip due to the funeral.
The funeral was truly the most wonderful service I have ever attended. For anyone who had the blessing to know Helen, it was a celebration of her life that she would have loved in every way.

This weekend, cousins Jen and Dave came in and we took a trip to Azuca, a great Latin restaurant where we celebrated Jen's birthday and then we strolled on the river walk. Sunday, we drove to a small town about 75 miles from our house to visit the Lost Maples State Park. We hiked about 3.5 or 4 miles up a Texas "mountain". Jonathan and I took turns carrying Alex in the baby bjorn and he loved it! I will admit for my awesome husband's sake that he did the heavy lifting taking Alex up the mountain and back down. (See the pictures below)

We can't wait for the holidays to arrive so we can spend time with our loved ones. The days seem to go too quickly and we look forward so much to seeing friends and family again soon!!

Another new chapter

2008-11-03T16:15:00.002-06:00

Well, another new chapter has begun as I headed "back to work" today. Mary Beth Schutz (JT's cousin) moved in with us about 2 weeks ago and she and Alex have really bonded and she is just wonderful with him. Because my job allows me the flexibility to work from home when I am not meeting with clients or business partners, back to work means going into my home office, closing the door and hitting the phone for conference calls and of course, relying on e-mail to save the world!

Having Mary Beth here is more of a blessing than I could have imagined. Realizing with great compassion that some people simply have no alternative, we are so grateful that we do not have to drop Alex off at day care at this young age. He is here in the comfort of his home with loving one on one attention and...I can sneak a break in and go get an Alex fix when I need one. I think it is allowing for a less painful transition back into the work force.

Alex weighs 12 lbs. and 5 oz. and he is about 24 inches long. I am so amazed at how much he changes, grows, develops and surprises me every single day! He is vocalizing quite a bit and he smiles and tries to laugh virtually all day long. He truly seems to be a very happy and healthy baby. His schedule is very stable and he is going to sleep around 8:30 PM, then wakes only to eat at 10:30 or 11:00, wants a diaper change around 3:00 AM and then sleeps until 6:30 or 7:00 AM. We are going on about 4 days of that routine and pray it will continue.

Jonathan is doing great and is receiving recognition and praise for the great work he is doing at the CTRC. We really like the team of doctors he supports and the team of nurses, admins,scientists and physicists who complete the team. We will host the department's Christmas party here at our home - about 150 people! We are excited about it but pray for good weather so that there will be room for everyone inside and outside.

We are looking forward to a trip to Louisiana this weekend - Alex's first trip to Cajun country!

DON'T FORGET TO VOTE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY!

Love from The Tinkers of the Alamo City

Alex is 11 weeks old today!

2008-10-27T17:41:00.002-05:00

Wow - how time flies!

Alex is 11 weeks old today and he is just changing and growing every day!
We don't know how much he weighs or how long he is because we will not go in for another check up until 4 months...but we can tell you this:

He is so thin, his newborn shirts still fit him, BUT he is so long he need pants that are size 6 months! So, he will be tall like his daddy. His face has filled out and he smiles and coos all the time. He has started to chuckle every now and then...I am sure this little man will be a laughter growing up with Jonathan and me. We love to laugh A LOT!

Enjoy some of the new pictures below and look for another update soon.

Two month update

2008-10-15T11:41:00.002-05:00

First and foremost, for those of you who thought we were the lucky ones with a baby sleeping through the night at 7 weeks, it was a short-lived success. Alex is still waking between 2 and 4 AM for a feeding...we hope that will disappear in the next 6 weeks. It should according to our Babywise method...we'll see! We don't follow it exactly because we do not let Alex cry it out - come on...he's only 9 weeks old! He is doing great with his schedule of eating, playing and sleeping and he does sleep anywhere from four to six hours at a time during the night.

As for big events over the last couple of weeks, we have celebrated two...our anniversary on October 5th and a Toast to the Tinker Tot in Houston last weekend. For our anniversary, Nana, Grampa and Aunt Angie came to take care of Alex while Jonathan and I went our to celebrate a VERY exciting and successful first year of marriage! Jonathan surprised me with an incredible dinner at the Chart House, which sits 650 feet in the air inside the Hemisphere. It really was the most incredible view and rotated 360 degrees every hour.

The food was fantastic and over a bottle of wine, we toasted to our awesome first year of marriage and bringing Alex into our family within that first year...and to making the next year VERY ORDINARY! No moving, no new jobs and...no siblings for Alex just yet (hee-hee!)! Of course, we are not in charge, but that is what we hope will be in store for the next year - just a lot of perfectly plain fun.

We stayed at the Hilton on the River walk and were planning to go to brunch Sunday and return home around 1:00 or 2:00 PM, but alas, Mama missed the little guy and we returned home in time for breakfast tacos with the grandparents and auntie!

The following weekend we went to Houston for a Toast to the Tinker Tot hosted at Nana's and Grampa's house. It was a wonderful time to celebrate Alex and for many of our family friends to meet the little guy for the first (or second) time. Ma Ma and Pa Pa made a trip in from Abbeville and were able to get some more precious time with Alex. One of the biggest moments of the party was that Elizabeth Mills, my dear friend who is "not so comfortable" with little ones held and played with Alex for a few minutes!!

When we returned home this week, we had to prepare for a big doctor's appointment on Tuesday. We took Alex for his check up and...his first set of shots. He got two sticks in each thigh and he handled them like the little champ he is. He screamed bloody murder for about 30 seconds and then calmed down. He had fever and was a little fussy most of yesterday, but today he seems to be back to his normal happy self. At the appointment, we weighed and measured him and he has a healthy growth curve so far. He is still only in the 22nd percentile for height to weight, but that's okay!
Alex weighs 11 lbs, 5 oz and he is 23.5 inches long!

Look for more photos later today...he's waking up as I type...

Wow...what a couple of weeks it's been!

2008-10-03T09:48:00.003-05:00

Well, first the stats: Alex weighs 10 lbs, 5 oz. as of Tuesday this week. We aren't certain, but think he is about 23 inches long. We will go to get his shots next week and update you then. Second, the celebrations: Alex is smiling in response to mom and dad's faces and voices on a regular basis and he can now support his head for more than a minute at a time. He is really strong in both the neck and the legs. He started batting at dangling objects and grabbing my hair and necklace this week.

And....the biggest celebration of all....at 7 weeks and 4 days...Alexander Reece slept a full seven hour stretch last night with only a brief period of waking/fussing for about 10 minutes at 3:00 AM! WOW!! It is remarkable. And for all you who doubted "my book", it is this philosophy followed pretty diligently that allowed for this success! Now, we know the key will be consistency in the schedule moving forward. Of course, we are very flexible as to the "where" he eats or sleeps because we are a family on the go... but rest assured, Alex eats, plays and then sleeps at just about the same time every day and he is so content and happy because of this.

Well, to catch you up on the last two weeks, we spent 8 of them traveling to New England for Alex's first vacation. He was (I'm not just saying this because I am his mom) AWESOME! Never once, did he cry or scream on all the ups and downs of the southwest flights that ultimately got us to Providence and back. We went on a small prop plane to Nantucket, and he slept in the sling on my lap both on the way there and on the SCARY ride back....on our return to the mainland, the storm that was moving up the East Coast was in full force and we almost were not able to return at all...

We had a 9 AM flight to Providence, where we would have taken off at 10:50 AM for the return to Texas, but we were not able to leave Nantucket until 12:00 noon and even then it was a treacherous ride. We could see absolutely nothing but the beating rain and dark clouds enveloping our tiny plane. I hate to say it, but for about 10 minutes, I truly thought that we were going to die like Carolyn and JFK, Jr. By the grace of God, we did not and the pilot landed us in Providence expertly. We had missed our flight of course and after much deliberation and re-routing, we were able to get to Austin, where Angie picked us up. We had a late dinner with her and then she dropped us at our car in the San Antonio airport. I think it was 11:55 when we walked in our door!

The trip (the first half was work for JT) was so much fun and a much needed refresher for the Tinker clan. Tiffany joined us for the first half of the trip to keep me company and help with Alex while Jonathan attended the ASTRO convention in Boston. Tiff, Alex and I stayed the first two nights in Barrington, RI with Aunt Kay and Charlie. We visited the Breakers and other mansions in Newport and lunched at the NY Yacht Club. Then, Aunt Kay drove us into Boston and Tiff and I toured around (mostly shopping) with Alex in tow. We had a great time!

We ended the trip with a retreat to Nantucket. Jonathan arranged the Cape Air flight to and from the island and found a delightful B&B where we had a comfy two room suite right off Main Street. The island is so picturesque and quaint, just the way you imagine it would be. We walked to the wharf and sampled home made pistachio almond ice cream, browsed the boutiques and galleries and of course...had WONDERFUL food every night we were there. Alex took it all in stride - he already knows mommy and daddy's secret love is traveling and he seems ready to join in the tradition!

Reaching Milestones and Growing

2008-09-18T10:20:00.002-05:00

Today we had our one month check up and Alex is 100% healthy, handsome and meeting all his growth and developmental milestones! His head is perfectly shaped and the soft spots have almost completely closed. He is smiling and tracking objects with his eyes and he has started to coo. He can also already do a full chest push up and lift his head (which is a milestone for months two - four). He is very strong!

Today at the check up, Alex weighed 9 lbs. 15.5 oz and was 22.5 inches long. He is growing steadily and you can really see it in his length and the fullness of his face. He changes every day right before our eyes. He had his hepatitis B shot, and while he screamed for about 30 seconds, he settled right down and was just awesome!

We are preparing to head up to Providence and the RI/Connecticut area this Saturday for a week's stay. It will be lots of fun, but I am sure very different from all our travels of the past. We will certainly have more to pack :-) and one more little person to entertain on this trip.

Lots of Love,

The Tinks of San Antonio

Time is flying

2008-09-10T16:22:00.002-05:00

Time is flying by and while it is amazing and fun to see Alex grow and change so quickly, it is also a little sad. When I meet people with four and five month olds, they look gigantic and then I realize that Alex will be one month old tomorrow!

He is doing great and so are we (just a little more tired than usual). Alex is grinning and responding to us when we talk to him. He can really hold our gaze and listen intently. Of course, his attention span is very short. While he has been trying to show us how strong he is since the second week, this week he can truly hold up his neck when he is on his tummy or resting on my shoulder and he moves his head from side to side as well all on his own.

We don't know yet how much he has grown in the last week but we have an appointment one day from today to find out. I wish I more time to tell you what we've been up to, but I need to try and sneak in short nap while he is snoozing.

Lots of love,

Christina, Jonathan & Alex

So much to catch up on!

2008-09-03T15:45:00.002-05:00

WOW! A week has flown by! We have had a very busy week and weekend with Alex's baptism and a lot of friends and family in town for the celebration. Thank you to everyone who made the trip to San Antonio to be here for the weekend.

Friday night family started arriving and we had a full house and delicious pasta dinner. Alex was a trooper being passed around and loved and kissed on all evening. He went to bed that night fairly easily and had an early morning with Pa Pa and Ma Ma while we got ready for the baptismal ceremony. The ceremony was conducted by Msgr. McGrath at the church we joined, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and we were blessed with more than 45 friends and family at the event.
Alex was so peaceful through out the entire sacrament - he didn't even flinch when the water was poured on his head.

See the picture below to see the baptismal gown. It is very special to the Tinker/LeBlanc family. Bobbie's grandmother made the gown from the silk Pa Pa LeBlanc brought back from his WW II parachute. It is all hand made and embroidered. The slip under the gown is embroidered with the names of all the children who have been baptised in it, including Ma Ma and Jonathan and all his siblings, as well as Alex's eight cousins on the Tinker side.

After the baptism, we had a big party at at our house and we were blessed with fun and fellowship well into the evening. After most people turned in for the evening, our group of best friends who traveled in for the event came back to the house. Ma Ma and Pa Pa babysat Alex and we went out to a Latin club with the gang until about 12:30. It was the first time we had a night out without Alex. Thank you, Mom and Dad Tinker for babysitting....we had fun!

Alex continues to grow and is surprising us every day with his quick development! Yesterday, I took him to the lactation center to check on why he might be having such a spit up problem and while we were there, I weighed Alex. He is 23 days old and he weighs 8 lbs, 15 oz! He is literally changing before our eyes every day. I can certainly feel it when I carry him around in the sling or in his carrier! He has been lifting his head since the 5th day and is really getting strong this week. He has been grinning a little every day and while we know it is more a reflex than a real smile, it is awfully cute. The most amazing development happened yesterday - he rolled from his back to his stomach!

Enjoy the new pictures...more to come....

Alex is growing so fast!

2008-08-27T09:25:00.002-05:00

Well, Angie and Nannie came to town Monday afternoon and Angie could not believe how much Alex has changed in just 2 weeks. His cheeks have filled out so much and he is much more alert.
We had a fun outing yesterday at a Mexican restaurant in town and of course Alex was an angel the whole time, but once we got home, he had trouble going down for a nap. However, he slept from 10:15 PM to 3:30 AM!! What a champ he is. When he awoke, he was VERY hungry and he had a long feeding...then went back to bed until 6:45 this morning.

Alex is also showing us how quickly he is learning about the world around him. He has started to focus on bright objects like his lamaze puppet sock and tracks the object moving from side to side and up and down. He has fully discovered his hands and arms and even gave himself a little hickey yesterday from sucking on the inside of his arm!! This morning, Jonathan played with Alex and took him in the bathroom in his bouncer while he was getting ready for work. Then, he laid him on the bed because he had fallen asleep. When he came back over to the bed, Alex had turned over from his stomach to his back! We are not sure if he rolled over completely on his own or what since we did not actually see it, but we were amazed none the less...I am not sure I am ready for such an advanced little guy!

We are preparing for Alex's baptism this weekend and enjoying the bright, sunny days with Nannie in town for the week. We look forward to seeing all our family and closest friends this weekend!

Big Weekend for the Little man

2008-08-24T09:57:00.002-05:00

What an exciting weekend we have had so far. We went out on our first official Jonathan Tinker family date Friday night. Jonathan and I found a little place called Spice that has great sushi and is cozy and not too busy so that is where we decided to take Alex Friday night. We all dressed up and the food and wine were great, but Alex slept through the whole event! That night it was a little hard to get him to sleep a solid 5 hour stretch, but he had a slightly mixed up day with a doctor's visit and Ma Ma and Pa Pa leaving, etc. so his naps were too short in the morning and too long in the afternoon.

With that in mind, we had lots of play time and a nice long bath Saturday morning and afternoon. We took Alex out on his first stroller adventure - to Sam's! See the pictures below to see how he travels in Chicco style. After a good meal and a nice long nap, we went over to one of JT's resident's homes for a game of Texas Hold 'Em. Of course they all oohed and ahhed over Alex, and he was great - even with a little gas pain he had to work through. Then, we got home and fed him and he went straight to bed. He slept TWO 5-hour stretched in a row, waking at 7:00 AM for breakfast. Now, we are headed to church to praise God for the beautiful miracle he brought into our lives!

Two weeks have flown by...

2008-08-22T17:28:00.002-05:00

Well, Alex is officially 11 days old today and already he is changing before our eyes.
His face is filling out and losing the wrinkly newborn appearance. His hair has gone from VERY dark to brown to a dirty blond. His cheeks are fuller and rosy with color, especially now that all of his jaundice has gone away since breast feeding has been such a success (thank you, Lord for that blessing)!

We had a great week with Ma Ma and Pa Pa in from Louisiana. Ma Ma gave Alex baths and held him and birped him all week long and Pa Pa helped us keep the house in working order and resembling some sort of organization - we will miss you both!

Today we had Alex's two week newborn check up (you do it anytime after 7 days of age). He is not only 100% healthy and showing all the reflexes, etc. he should at this age, but when the nurse pricked his heel for the PKU testing, she said he is the only baby that did not cry at all in five years of working as a pediatric nurse. What a little over-achiever we have on our hands... see pictures below for what we are sure is a grin already!

Alex is growing heartily - he lost weight the first week of life and has already regained his birth weight plus 13 oz - he weighed 7 pounds, 14.5 ounces this morning! He is 21 inches long.

Since Ma Ma and Pa Pa left this morning, today was my first afternoon with Alex all alone. We had a grand time...a little food, a little play time and then a couple nice long naps. Tonight, Jonathan will be home after 6:30 or so and we will go out on a family date for dinner.

Life is great!!

Alex - getting a bath and snoozing - days 8 and 9

2008-08-20T12:12:00.001-05:00

Photobucket Album

Happy 1 week Birthday to Alex!

2008-08-18T17:47:00.002-05:00

Well, the first week of Alex's life have been wonderful. He is truly a delightful baby - he slept 6.5 hours last night and is eating every 3 hours almost like clock work. When he fusses it is for a reason like gas, dirty diaper or meal time and as soon as you address it he is back to his delightful self!

Ma Ma and Pa Pa are here with us until Friday and I am enjoying the visiting as well as being able to rest on and off throughout the day. Today Ma Ma gave Alex a bath and he smells like heaven - there is nothing better smelling than a freshly bathed baby. We are getting ready to enjoy a home made beef stronganoff from Ma Ma's kitchen.

Love you all!

Christina, Jonathan & Alex

Alex the Great!

2008-08-17T09:22:00.002-05:00

We continue to have a wonderful weekend with family in town visiting and hanging out. Alex has joined the family in style - the laughter, pool playing, music, and late nights don't even phase him. He loves to sleep in his wasabi bouncer with his left arm stretched out above his head. He has VERY successfully caught on to breast feeding and we have established a fairly consistent 3 hour pattern. After the middle of the night feeding around 2:00 AM he sleeps between 4 and 6 hours until the morning (with a diaper change around 4:00 AM). What an angel.....takes after both of us with the love of his sleep.

We are doing great and preparing for a week with Ma Ma and Pa Pa Tinker. Nana and Grampa and Aunt Angie will go home today and return in 2 weeks for the baptism celebration.

Enjoy some new pictures!

We're Already Growing!!

2008-08-16T14:15:00.003-05:00

We had our first doctor's visit yesterday to check weight and growth since we are exclusively breast feeding. The doc said we are doing GREAT since Alex had lost weight (6 lbs. 13 oz.) on Wednesday due, but yesterday he already re-gained to his birth weight (7 lbs. 1 oz.) and then some, weighing 7 lbs. 4 oz. and measuring 21 inches. This put him in the 21st percentile for weight and the 84th percentile for height! He is definitely going to be a long and lean Tinker boy.

We are having so much fun with our grandparents in town and aunt Angie, Jackie and uncle Matt are here for the weekend too! The doc says babies don't smile until about 2 months, but our little guy is already TRYING to grin and even hold up his neck! He is strong and a very healthy eater!!

We will talk to you soon. Enjoy some new pictures from days 4 and 5 of Alex's life.

More pictures...

2008-08-13T18:00:00.000-05:00

Baby Boy Tinker has Arrived!

2008-08-11T22:43:00.001-05:00

Praise God!! Alexander Reece has arrived, healthy, safe and alert!
We are too tired to tell you all about it now, but we knew you would be looking for some pictures, so here are a few.

Lots of Love,

Christina, Jonathan & Alex

Countdown has begun...

2008-08-10T16:55:00.002-05:00

We are officially (and finally) at the hospital. I am on an IV and being monitored already.
Please pray for a safe, healthy and speedy delivery of Baby Boy Tinker.
We have a name picked out, but it will remain top secret until the little guy makes his
official debut.

I am scared of the impending pain and pokes and prods, but I know that
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me...please pray for continued strength
and courage on my part and a healthy arrival of the newest Tinker.
This will be the first Humphries grandchild - get ready!!

He's tricking us...

2008-08-09T17:44:00.002-05:00

Well, seems Baby Boy Tinker preferred to watch the opening games from the comfort of his warm home inside the womb. The contractions are still coming, but they are about 1 - 3 hours apart - no real consistency established yet. So...we are at home for now.

The start of the Olympics....

2008-08-08T15:42:00.004-05:00

....will it be the start of the labor Olympics for us? We are definitely hoping so! I have had 2 contractions this afternoon, but they are about 1.5 hours apart. Unlike the braxton hicks I experienced a little over the last month, I now feel the difference. These were very strong menstrual like cramps and my entire abdomen got rock hard for about 45 -60 seconds each and did not ease up when I sat down and put my feet up.

As most of you know, the Olympic games kick off at 7:30 PM tonight, 6:30 PM CST...we are hoping for a Divine coincidence and perhaps labor will "kick off" for us around that same time today, 08.08.08. The news reported that this date will not roll around again for more than one hundred years!

Of course, if today is not the day, we will enjoy a Friday night together having a nice dinner and conversation - may be the last Friday night like that for a while....

Still approaching the finish line....

2008-08-06T10:59:00.003-05:00

We had our doctor's appointment this morning and as expected, there was no need to take our bags with us. Not much has changed - I am not dilated but effaced to 80%. The baby sounds very healthy and I am measuring fine at 37 - 38 cm, just a little smaller than 40 weeks. No complaints from my stretch mark free belly here! My blood pressure was back to normal at 119/68. Since today is the official due date, the doctor said not to be concerned that I am not dilating as it is not uncommon, especially for first time mothers.

I am having cramping and back pain, etc. but no real contractions or anything like that yet.
Dr. Gallagher says it could all change in a moment's notice, so we will take it day by day and pray for a healthy and safe delivery soon. 08/08/08 would be a pretty cool birthday....

Nerves and Anxiety getting to me..

2008-08-05T17:20:00.002-05:00

Today is the day before our due date, and since my posting last week, I have really been more relaxed and peaceful about the impending birth of Baby Boy Tinker. We had a fantastic weekend with lots of walking and yard work and some good movies.

Then, I woke up feeling nauseated and just generally weak this morning. I decided to focus on work and get my mind off the nagging wondering of when the heck labor will start. I worked all morning from home and then around 11:45 a friend called and asked me to go to lunch. Andrea and Sheri have both had kids - Sheri has a four month old....When I just ordered a salad and did not eat much, they asked what was wrong and I told them how I have been feeling nauseated all morning and they started asking questions, which made me realize I had not felt the baby move since I got out bed. Upon their prompting, I called the nurse at Dr. Gallagher's office and she told me to come in immediately to make sure everything is okay.

As soon as I got there and they hooked me up to the fetal monitor, we heard a strong heart beat and I began to notice movement. They monitored me for 25 minutes and assured me everything is fine, but I did have a slight fever (99 degrees) and my blood pressure was a little higher than usual (130/78), which is likely because I had gotten nervous about the baby. They actually suggested I go home, have a glass of wine with dinner and take it easy!

We have our regular appointment with the doctor in the morning at 8:30 AM. The nurse said today that if I am dilated, the doctor will probably send me on over to labor & delivery, so we should come to the appointment with our bags in the car.... the way things are going so far, I am not holding my breath, but we will take our bags just in case.

Please pray for continued patience and confidence in ourselves as we wait for the joyful event!

Not yet....

2008-07-31T15:33:00.002-05:00

Well, as you know because you are getting this update, the baby has not yet arrived. The waiting really is so hard for us both. Our doctor's appointment was this morning and she said everything is looking good and healthy, but I still have not dilated any. I have progressed a little, effacing to 75%.

We tried to talk the doctor into scheduling us to be induced tomorrow, but she does not like to intervene on the first baby until the due date passes, and especially if I am not dilated. After she told us why, we agree that it is not the best idea until I am actually over-due. She explained that if she does an induction when the cervix is not favorable, it increases the chances I would be forced to have a c-section, and neither of us want that.

So, alas, the waiting game continues...
Dr. Gallagher hopes that things will start to change in the next couple of days, but as of now, we have another appointment set for 8:30 AM on the actual due date, next Wednesday. If I have not had the baby by next weekend, she will in fact move forward with an inducement on August 11th.

I am resting this afternoon and praying for peace during this frustrating waiting time. We know the little man will be here very soon...we just have to be patient!

It may be the beginning...

2008-07-30T13:58:00.002-05:00

We had a great weekend staying here in town and hanging out with some of our new friends. Friday night we had 3 couples over and cooked out. Jeff and Jen live down the street from us; Andrea and Will live a few streets away and Sheri and Kevin live in a neighborhood about 10 minutes away. They all have kids and Andrea is expecting another girl in December and Sheri had a little boy named Reed four months ago. Saturday we spent the day out and about, bouncing down some hill country roads and walking a lot, then we went to mass... but nothing seemed to bring on labor.

We went to a birthday party at Sheri and Kevin's house Saturday night and then Sunday we had a nice early morning and then went to see our friends Alicia and Brandon and their adorable 10 month old twins for lunch. We really miss our friends back in H-Town but we are so happy we are making some good friends here as well. H-Town friends, we are REALLY ready for you to come visit!!

This week has been busy for both Jonathan and me work-wise. It is hard to concentrate on work these days, but I am grateful for the distraction during the excruciating waiting game! I have a lot to do in order to feel confident in the team covering everything while I am out and I want to take all 10 - 12 weeks off with the baby, not before he arrives. I had back to back meetings from 8:30 - 4:30 yesterday with my business partners and of course, I started having mild contractions at about 9 AM. They have not been extremely painful and come only about every 2 hours. The doctor says that it is normal for 39 weeks and indicates things are starting to happen. We have an appointment tomorrow morning at 9:45 tomorrow for her to check out the progress.

As you can tell, we are VERY eager to meet Baby Boy Tinker and get this new adventure started. The waiting is the hardest part, but we are trying to remember that after the big day does arrive, everything will change, so we're enjoying a lot of time together enjoying each other until then.

We will certainly try to post another update before delivery if it is not tonight or tomorrow, but if you don't see one in the next few days, give us a call to see if he has arrived! We will deliver at Methodist Hospital in the San Antonio medical center.

Please pray for a happy, healthy, safe delivery and baby! And, that it will be SOON!

The Waiting Game....

2008-07-24T13:48:00.002-05:00

Today we are officially less than two weeks from the due date and we are so ready to have this baby! Every night, Jonathan and I sit down for dinner and talk about the day, etc...then eventually, we both look at each other and say, "when is he going to come???" We are so eager to meet this little man who has been growing inside for 9 long months!

We went to the doctor this morning for our weekly appointment - I had a contraction at 5:15 AM that woke me up and then another around 8:00 on the way to the doctor's office. I am about 50 - 60 percent effaced still, and not dialated yet. The doctor says that doesn't really mean too much since this is my first baby and we don't know what my "normal" is. She said it is a good sign that we are having lots of activity and the start of what seem like real contractions.

When Jonathan said, "we'll see you next week," Dr. Gallagher said, "well, I hope not...maybe sooner." So, we will keep hoping that Baby Boy Tinker is ready to meet the world and that he gets moving sooner than later. In the end, we know God's timing is perfect, and I know this is the first of many lessons in patience this little boy will bring!!

Full Term Baby!!

2008-07-16T17:39:00.002-05:00

We had a great weekend in Houston seeing my family and our friends for the last time before the big day!! It was an exciting weekend filled with activity but boy are we glad to be home! The nesting bug bit today and I have been arranging things in the baby's room, getting the car washed and prepped to put the baby seat when JT gets home tonight and my bag is packed and ready!

Here is an "official" update of where we are in the pregnancy - today is the official 37th week, which means Baby Boy Tinker is fully cooked.

Your pregnancy: 37 weeks
How your baby's growing: Congratulations — your baby is full term! This means that if your baby arrives now, his lungs should be fully mature and ready to adjust to life outside the womb, even though your due date is still three weeks away.Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz. Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

We have our weekly appointment tomorrow morning and they will perform an ultrasound at 7:30 AM before we meet with the doctor to check everything out. They will mainly be looking at his size, position in the womb, and the amount of amniotic fluid still surrounding him.

I will update you after the appointment and post some pictures from the weekend later this week. And be on the lookout for a text or e-mail in the next 3 weeks that says we are headed to the hospital!

The Last Trip!

2008-07-11T10:25:00.002-05:00

We will head to Houston for one last trip to see family and friends and tie up some loose ends from the move. Then, we will return to San Antonio for the 20 some odd days of waiting forthe big day!

We went to the doctor yesterday for our 36 week check up. The baby is moving well and his heartbeat is healthy at about 135 bpm. The doctor did a manual exam and confirmed that the baby is in a head down position ready for birth and that I am 50% effaced. I am not dilated at all yet. She commented that based on my size, the baby may be a little small (which is not how I feel!!), so she will do an ultrasound next week at our visit just to confirm size and position.

Exciting stuff - stay posted...

We think We're Ready!

2008-07-07T14:30:00.002-05:00

What a wonderful 4th of July weekend we had! Jonathan and I hung out together around our house Friday morning - we got up before 7 AM. Jonathan made breakfast and we watched the cardinals and hummingbirds playing in the back yard. Then, we weeded the front flowerbeds, showered and headed out to run some errands at the mall. We were on our feet all day after some frustration redeeming gift cards - but alas, we got it done! We came home to make some ribs and have a little BBQ dinner. It was a great first J. Tinker family 4th of July! All the time on our feet induced some false labor pains - called Braxton Hicks. They call them practice contractions - geez....I hope I am ready for this thing called labor!

My mom and dad called that afternoon to say they were going to drive in late Friday night to spend the weekend with us. They brought Nannie with them and Matt and Jackie drove in behind them. Because they went to a fireworks celebration outside Houston, it was after 1:00 AM by the time they arrived! We went straight to bed and then woke up Saturday morning around 8:30. We had a nice breakfast and then the guys hung ceiling fans in my office and the baby's nursery, while Matt took the ladies to the baby store. We went down to the Riverwalk Saturday night for a late dinner and took a ride on the river boat - it was so much fun and we learned a lot about the buildings and history of the Riverwalk. Sunday was another fun family day and then everyone headed out before 3:00 that afternoon.

Nannie, Mom, Dad, Jackie, and Matt helped us put together the exersaucer, high chair, portable paly yard and get all the clothes hung for baby boy Tinker - now the waiting officially begins!
I have been having strong Braxton Hicks labor pains at least twice a day now for about a week. We go to the doctor again on Thursday and from this point forward, we will have weekly visits. The due date is officially one month from yesterday, so we will see when the little guy decides to make his debut. At this point, it could happen any day and he will be perfectly healthy and able to survive - by 36 weeks all of his internal organs and exerior features are completely developed - his main goal over the next 3 - 4 weeks is putting on weight. Based on our last exam, the doctor estimates his weight around 5 pounds right now and his length between 17 and 19 inches! I was a big baby weighing in at 8 lbs 14 oz. as was Jonathan, weighing 8 lbs. 6 oz. so there is a good chance he will be a healthy size if we make it full-term.

Mom, Dad, Nannie, Matt and Jackie - thanks so much for coming in and celebrating the 4th with us. It was really nice to be with family and we really appreciate all the help doing the final preparations for the baby's arrival! You guys did wear me out though! After you all left, we relaxed and watched a Law and Order marathon for a couple hours. Jonathan, I know it is not your favorite show, so thank you for indulgin me! We wanted to go to mass at 7:00, but I was having very bad back pain and more false labor pains, so we stayed home and I was in bed at 8:45 PM! I am feeling better today and enjoying some MUCH NEEDED rain right now.

Lots of love,

Christina & Jonathan

Showers and Nesting...

2008-06-25T07:41:00.002-05:00

What an awesome weekend we had in Dallas! The Tinker sisters threw a shower that was charming, fun and a total blessing. Kathryn opened her house, and we had cheeses, truffles, a trifle, chocolate dipped strawberries, bananas, and coconut muffins and a wonderful mimosa punch. It was delightful all around with a fun game that allowed many of Mom Tinker's lifetime friends to share words of wisdom and funny tales of motherhood. My Nannie and mother made the trip in from Houston to share in the joy.

It was a very blessed weekend all around. After the shower, we went to dinner at Mexico Lindo to celebrate Dad Tinker's birthday and then Sunday morning we had a great breakfast at Cindi's to say good bye to Kumiko and Taro. They will move to Japan on June 30th. Jonathan and I stayed until about 2:30 at Kathryn's house and then she and the kids took us to the airport to head back to San Antonio.

All in all, the baby will have been on 18 plan rides before he makes his debut....and we already have his first trip planned to Providence/Cambridge/Boston for the end of September!

Since returning home on Sunday evening, we have been nesting around the house - getting all the clothes hung and the swing, stroller and other toys put together and ready for baby boy Tinker's arrival! We have a doctor's appointment tomorrow...pray for continued good news.

Panama!

2008-06-17T11:28:00.002-05:00

Well, we have returned safely from our trip to Panama. My mother and father and took me to Guatemala while I was in her tummy. Now our little guy will have a cool story to tell about Central American travel while he was in mommy's tummy too!

The wedding for our good freinds Schana and Jorge Canto was superb! We were so happy we made the trip to celebrate with our best friends and spend some time on the beach, in the pool and seeing the beautiful countryside (see the pictures below).

It was a rather long trip for us - it only takes about 4 hours to Panama from Houston, but we had to fly in from San Antonio and then connect, so it was about 7 hours going and then 9 hours returning. Once we arrived in Panama, we got on a bus that took us through Panama City and then on another 2 hours to our beach destination at the Royal Decameron resort. Jonathan said I truly was a trooper enduring the travel and making the two hour bus ride without a bathroom break! The food and the humid heat were the hardest part of the trip for me, but it was worth it.

The wedding was about 45 minutes from the resort at Jorge's mother's home. It was absolutely beautiful to see what his mother and sister created on their lavish property for the ceremony and reception. They live in a town called Agua Dulce, which translated means "Sweet Water" and the water is truly one of the best, purest waters in the world. At the ceremony, there was a performance by local dancers and singers to bring in some of the Panamanian culture - they were fantastic!

We had a wonderful time and were so happy to be with our closest friends for a long weekend away before the little man makes his debut - which is due in just 7 weeks and one day!

Baby on Board - and heading to Panama!

2008-06-11T18:18:00.002-05:00

Say a prayer for us to have a safe trip as we head to Panama for Jorge's and Schana's wedding!
We had a doctor's appointment today and she wrote us a formal letter stating that I am in great health and cleared for air travel. We are so excited about the trip - it will be one last, short vacation before the baby arrives. Today we are officially 32 weeks pregnant - so we are just 4 weeks away from being full-term and the expected due date is less than 2 months away!

As of now, most people are gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. I gained one pound in the last 2 weeks and 2 days. The baby will gain a third to half of his birth weight during the next 7 weeks as he fattens up for survival outside the womb. He now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). His skin is becoming soft and smooth as he plumps up in preparation for birth.

Look for pictures from the trip next week!

So many updates!

2008-06-08T09:33:00.003-05:00

Well, we have been very busy! Last weekend Angie and Tiffany threw us the most wonderful shower I could have imagined at mom's house. It was truly a wonderland of baby boy Tinker delights! See the pictures at the following website: http://www.shutterfly.com/view/slideshow.jsp?auto=1&aid=67b0de21ef581fcfa40f&js=1212938403015

We are so blessed and this baby is already so loved! We received so many wonderful gifts. The stroller and car seat are out of the box, assembled and ready! All the cute clothes are folded or hung and ready to be worn, and all the books are on display ready to be read to the little man. In fact, we have already started reading some of our favorites to him at night. Thank you so much, Angie, Tiffany, Aunt Brenda, Aunt Julia, Nannie and Mom for making the special day so amazing! And thank you everyone for your gifts and love!

We also had a doctor's appointment the day before the shower. We had yet another ultrasound to check on the low laying placenta condition. Praise the Lord, we are now in the clear. The placenta needs to be a minimum of 3.5 CM above the cervix in order to not be diagnosed with low laying placenta. In the 4 weeks since the previous appointment, the placenta moved all the way up to 6.4 CM! So, everything is 100% healthy and we have no more risk. The doctor has even allowed us to make the trip to Panama this coming weekend for Schana and Jorge's wedding! This little boy will have been on a plane 18 times before he makes his debut and traveled back and forth to Houston, Colorado and Panama! How's that for his first show and tell.

We have also successfully finished our prepared parenthood class. We learned what to expect before, during and after labor as well as how to bathe, dress, feed, and buckle up the baby. I hope we can remember it all once he arrives!

This week, we had a visit from the Vegas. Della, Avery and Kathryn came in on Wednesday afternoon and stayed with us until Sunday. We went swimming, shopping, cooked some wonderful meals and treats and made a trip to Sea World! It was a wonderful visit!

WOW!! What a Healthy and Fast Growing Boy!!

2008-05-29T10:53:00.002-05:00

Alleluhia! We had a very healthy and positive check up with the doctor today. We are 30 weeks along and the placenta has now moved up to 6.4 cm above the cervix, so the doctor has put is in the all clear category. There is no longer any concern with low laying placenta! Everything is progressing as it should be and the baby is already turned head down, facing left. Hopefully, he will stay somewhere close to this position and we will be able to have a normal birth - no c-section necessary! Keep praying for the positive progress.

The baby has been very busy growing this past month - he has filled out and has visible cheeks and limbs now. He has nearly doubled his weight, going from 2 lbs. 5 oz. last month to 3 lbs. 14 oz. this month! He measured in the 49 percentile last month and today he measures in the 69.7 percentile!! Those Tinker genes are kicking into action. He is very active and the heart beat of 143 bmp is very healthy. Jonathan was with me for the ultrasound and we were able to see the insertion of the umbilical cord and the healthy blood flow into the baby's belly button. These GE ultrasound machines are truly amazing!

The ultrasound technician and I think we can already see a distinct resemblance to Dad in the baby's profile - take a look at the pictures for yourself and see what you think! We see 5 fingers and toes on each foot... and the coolest part of all - we can actually see all four chambers of the heart beating very strong and healthy and there are no abnormalities! (See the pictures below). Dr. Gallagher says everything is looking good. We could even see that his bladder was full today, so he swallowing the amniotic fluid when he practices his suckling.

Thank you all for your continued love, support and prayers. Just 10 more weeks!

A Weekend at the Lake!

2008-05-27T11:14:00.003-05:00

What a wonderful Memorial Day weekend at the lake house we had! We left San Antonio around 3:30 Friday afternoon, anticipating a 5 hour plus drive to Lake Livingston, where Mom and Dad have a lake house. The drive could not have been prettier - we meandered through small towns heading east and arrived around 7:30 PM where we were greeted by Mom, Dad, Nannie, Willie, Angie, Matt and Jackie Mae. We had a great dinner, played a fun game or two of poker and enjoyed the stars out on the porch.

The next day, Aunt Brenda and Tiffany joined the party and we all enjoyed good food and a day on the lake. I was not allowed out on the boats of course, but that did not stop me from enjoying the cool water and some sun floating around on a raft. Jonathan enjoyed some much needed relaxation reading his Truman book and fishing with Dad (see the newly added pictures for evidence).

The weather all weekend was perfect. Aunt Julia and Uncle Ed joined us on Sunday afternoon and we had a delicious rib dinner and just enjoyed being together. This little boy is joining such a loving family - from both sides. The weekend was awesome, and it was a test of my endurance in the final stretch! I must say I held up great through the car rides, fun outdoor activities and late nights. We had a wonderful time and can't wait to spend many fun weekends at the lake with the little man!

Entering the Home Stretch!

2008-05-21T08:47:00.002-05:00

WOW! Can you believe we are already entering the third (and final) trimester???
The time has flown by, and yet there are nights like last night, when Jonathan says, "I'm ready for this baby to get here!" The reality of that this precious bundle has to come out one way or another is starting to hit me and the anxiety and fear of labor is a pretty regular feeling for me these days. Mixed with those emotions is of course, a WHOLE LOT of excitement! We pray every night for guidance, grace and wisdom to become parents.

We have been attending a prepared parenthood/ child birth class for the past few weeks and on Monday we toured the hospital and got to see where all the action will take place. We will deliver at Methodist Hospital in the medical center. I didn't know you actually deliver in the room these days - I thought they still took you off into some special area with sterile stainless steel walls. It seems the only reason you get taken to a different area is if you have to have a C-section, which we pray will not be the case.

Well, with the excitement, anticipation and flurry of the third trimester, some tiredness has returned. I am enjoying water aerobics two days a week and trying to swim every day if possible since it is already so hot here! I still work out about 3 - 4 days a week with really light weights and the doctor says that will help post-partum.

As for now, we are officially ready for a little R&R. We will head to my parents' lake house this weekend for the holiday. We can't wait!

What a Week!

2008-05-16T07:57:00.003-05:00

Well, this week has been very busy. Mommy-to-be had to travel to Austin Tuesday and Wednesday to meet with clients and daddy-to-be had to turn in the budget by noon yesterday. We have both been very busy, but finally it's Friday and after about 8 more hours, we will have a fun and restful weekend! Our good friend Patricia Hood is coming to visit and stay with us.

Last weekend was Mother's Day and so many people made me feel special with Mother-to-be cards and gifts! What a surprise and a delight. Thank you all! We had a very exciting weekend. With the doctor's approval to ride in the car but not drive long distances, we headed out to Abbeville, LA. We had been planning a surprising trip for about a month and it was worth it! We snuck up behind Mom and Dad after mass and Mom was surprised, she literally screamed with delight!!

We had a nice evening visiting and eating Lanpau...not sure if that's how you spell it, but it like a Cajun goulash of every vegetable and meat you have in the fridge, served over pasta. It was actually delicious and my Dad would have loved it - using all the left-overs!!

On Mother's Day, we went by Ma Ma's grave and then on to Pa Pa's for a crawfish boil. Aunt Donna and her family, Aunt Ruby, Aunt Fee and Uncle Pee-Wee were all there for the celebration. It was a wonderful day.

And of course the best part....Mom (Tinker) got to see and touch the growing baby belly!!

Soon-to-be Mommy weekend fun!

2008-05-09T18:54:00.002-05:00

Well, it was hard, but I stayed around the house and did very little other than work from my bed or the couch most of the week, per the doctor's orders. I am feeling great and there is no sign of any more bleeding.

So, we will have a great weekend and celebrate the coming birth of our little angel boy! This time next year, I will be a full fledged mommy!

Happy Mother's Day to our moms and to all of you that are AWESOME MAMAS and GRANDMAS!

Good news!

2008-05-07T09:34:00.002-05:00

First and foremost, thank you all for all your prayers and calls of concern over the weekend and past couple of days. I was admitted to the hospital Saturday around noon and had to stay there until 10:00 PM while they monitored the baby's activity and waited for me to stop bleeding. My sister was with me the whole time and Jonathan returned from a bachelor party to be with us. Fortunately, the bleeding was not too heavy and the baby seems to have experienced NO distress at all.

I have been resting and working from my bed since Monday while the doctor here in San Antonio ran some tests to make sure everything is still 100% healthy. By the grace of God, everything seems to be fine and the bleeding episode was most likely due to my low laying placenta. When the placenta is low and you carry low like I am, the chances of having a bleeding episode (or episodes) are fairly common. They said we definitely did the right thing going into the hospital because the bleeding often gets much worse, but again, we had the angles on our side.

I just got the call from my nurse here that the fetal fibronectin test she did to make certain my body was not trying to go into labor early was in fact negative. Also, my one hour glucose test (which tests for gestational diabetes) was normal. So, again things look to be 100% healthy. I will of course, be more careful when lifting and exercising to limit the chances of bleeding again. Other than that the doctor said to try to do things as normally as possible and not stress out.

So, our little guy will keep cooking a little longer which is exactly what we want to hear!

Looking Good...and Healthy!

2008-05-01T16:32:00.003-05:00

Hello family and friends! We went to the doctor today and our little guy is 100% healthy and growing like crazy! He weighs in at 2 lbs. 2 oz. according to his measurements, and of course his legs and arms measure longer than average. He has Tinker blood through and through!

From the profile on the sonogram, I think he will look like his daddy. His heartbeat is 148 beats per minute, which is very healthy. It is so amazing what they can tell you and measure, etc. with the technology available today. For all my al natural loved ones, I am sorry to overwhelm you with stats and technology, but Jonathan and I are truly kids of the technical generation and we love it!

The baby is very active, moving around, practicing his suckling which will help him prepare to eat when he arrives. He is definitely a he - everything is forming and dropping where it is supposed to be if you know what I mean :-) At this stage - 26 1/2 weeks, they also check for any abnormalities with the heart, spine, facial features, and praise God he looks perfectly healthy! I am not sure if there is any better feeling when you are pregnant than hearing those words. They showed me all 4 chambers of his little heart and they appear to be forming perfectly, as do his kidneys and stomach and other organs. His spine is the most visible part of what you can see and it is tapering to a point, which is what they want it to do. They even check for a cleft lip, which he does not have.

Well, I know that's a lot of information, but it was an exciting visit. Now, the scary part....only 13 1/2 more weeks til this little man arrives!! Thank you all for continuing to pray for our guidance and grace as we prepare to be parents!

Lots of love,

Jonathan and Christina

Mother Nature is Working at 2 Cobas Trail

2008-04-28T18:40:00.002-05:00

Some of you may have heard us talk about the myth surrounding the Red Cardinal.
There is a Native American belief that when someone you love very much passes away, they will come back to visit you in the form of a red cardinal. Literally starting the day we moved into our new home here, we have had a red cardinal come to visit every day, usually many times throughout the morning and mid-day.

Jonathan's grandmother, Helen, passed away this year and I lost my grandfather, Bill the year before. We know they are sending lots of love and many blessings our way each time we see the red cardinal. Look below to see a picture of the beautiful bird!

Let the Nesting Begin!

2008-04-21T08:49:00.002-05:00

The past several weeks have been busy around our new home in San Antonio. We have been meeting several new friends - this town is full of genuinely nice people! We have been busy making the new house a home and having a lot of fun doing it. Most of you know that after we were married, we rented Jonathan's house and moved him into the house I owned before we were married. So, our San Antonio home is OUR first home together. It is really a lot of fun to decide which pictures will go where and what colors we want here, etc.

Of course, 24 weeks into the pregnancy, I am getting my nesting instinct. I read about this and sort of laughed because I am a little bit of a planner and organizer by nature, but this nesting thing is real! All of sudden it hits you, "I have 16 weeks left to get ready for this baby to come into the world and he is going to be living in this house with us!! What in the world are we going to do with him? Where will he play? Is the house safe?" It is the funniest feeling, but it's real.

So...last weekend when my mom and dad and sister (Matt, you owe us a visit!) came to visit, Jonathan and Dad worked really hard cleaning out the creekbed behind the house and then put up a bird feeder and a deer feeder! Then, mom and I put together the guest room upstairs and finalized the registry for the baby's room. I got the bedding and Jonahtn and I put the crib together - what fun! This nesting instinct is in full force, so if any of you need help planning, decorating, etc. give me a call!

As for the baby, he weighs about 1.75 pounds now and is about 8.5 inches long! I can really feel him consistently moving and wiggling around. He is now into what feels like full-on somersaults. Jonathan was able to feel a very slight movement on the outside of my growing belly, and in the next couple of weeks it should get stronger and easier to feel! We have our next appoinment 2 weeks from last Friday and they will measure him, etc.

Enjoy this wonderful week.

Can you Say Wiggle??

2008-04-11T09:35:00.002-05:00

WOW!! A week ago today, the doctor asked if I was feeling the baby move a lot... I was 22 weeks last week and that is usually a time when the mom starts to feel the baby moving she said. I told her that I had felt a few movements - the first one was like a large bug running across the inside of my tummy. Then, I felt a few flip flops - they truly felt like butterflies in your stomach as you approach the top of a roller coaster. I told her that I had felt each sensation just a couple times though. She said not to be worried, and that in the next 2 weeks I should start feeling more movement more often. So, we have been patiently waiting.

Jonathan was at the doctor's office with me (isn't he the greatest!) and he asked if he would be able to feel kicking and wiggling soon too. Dr. Gallegher said he will be able to feel movement from the outside within the month!

So, just as she predicted, I started feeling more and more movement over the weekend and by Wednesday of this week, the little man starting doing a dance I now call The Wiggle from about 7:00 PM to midnight and then again early in the morning! I guess he is preparing me for the first weeks he will be home....can someone tell me how to train him in utero to be a good sleeper???

It is the most amazing feeling and continues make the reality that I have a little living creation of God living inside me!! It is so cool....so for all of you that know I love you lots and lots, feel free to reach out and touch the tummy to see if you can feel it the next time you see me!

2008-04-07T13:58:00.003-05:00

Well, we have been seeing the doctor every month since the beginning and things have been looking very good. We really liked our doctor in Houston. Her name is Dawn Black at Texas Womens' Hospital. My friend Cara recommended her and she was great. At our last visit before we moved, we had the 18 week ultrasound, where among many exciting facts, we found out that I have a condition called placenta privia, but that there is a very good chance that the placenta will move up where it is supposed to be in just a few weeks. We will have another ultrasound at our next visit, the first week of May. They will know then whether or not there is cause for worry. As of now, I just need to be careful not to lift anything heavy and not travel too much, etc.

We transferred to Methodist Hospital here in San Antonio and met our new doctor, Shannon Gallegher this past Friday. She is very nice and has a great bed-side manor so we hope she will turn out to be as competent and good as Dr. Black.

So, we know that we are having a little man and we are so excited!! We are starting to call him different names, but not sure what we call the guy just yet. We also found out that he is growing at a great pace and as of this week, he is almost 8 inches long and weighs a little over a pound already! From the pictures, he also has very long legs like his daddy!

Last week, I felt the first baby movements - at first it was like something running lightly across the inside of my belly- a little creepy feeling to be honest! Then, later in the week, I started feeling actual flip flops in there. It is really exciting. I have felt him moving everyday since then, usually in the evening or even in the middle of the night. The doctor said Jonathan will be able to feel the baby in the next couple of weeks!

Stay posted for more exciting news...

Baby on Board - How we told the Family

2008-02-14T16:40:00.000-06:00

Well, after a rare craving for a pickle (I AM NOT KIDDING!!!) on a Friday morning, Jonathan was sure we were pregnant. I said no way! We had just gotten married a montha and half ago!
Well, low and behold, I got a wave of naseau later that week and went to buy the little stick test. It took tests with a big pink + sign to convince me...yes, we were going to have a baby!!!

We went to the doctor the very next morning and she confirmed we were indeed going to bring a new life into this world. The next few weeks were a roller coaster of emotions for us both, but especially me - what with all the raging hormone levels! We were overjoyed, surprised, scared, and everything in between. We decided not to tell anyone until Christmas to be in the "safe zone", so we made it through Thanksgiving and all the family visits. Well - we did tell one special person who lovingly kept the secret all to herself. Angie was our secret keeper the night we got engaged and she kept the Baby Tinker secret for more than a month!

The wait was well worth it! Both of our parents got the surprise and joy of finding out on Christmas morning. This baby boy is a blessing to both families in so many ways. The start of new life! We sent a package to Mom and Dad Tinker since they live in Louisiana and instructed them not to open it until Christmas morning...well, I think the call came at 5:30 AM! They couldn't be happier about expecting their 9th grandbaby!

Since we still lived in Houston at the time, we went to my Mom and Dad's Christmas morning. We had a nice breakfast, did the typical Christmas morning events and opened gifts. Then, Jonathan brought out the last two gifts - a toy piggy bank and tool set for Mom and Dad. They were very confused and then we gave them the first sonogram pictures - they were totally shocked and thrilled! Dad even cried a little. This will be the first Humphries grandbaby. Angie had written a special poem for her soon to be nephew and we all celebrated the rest of the day together!

A New Life for Christina and Jonathan

2008-02-01T17:03:00.000-06:00

After two years of dating, dining, dancing, traveling the world and falling in love, we got married on October 5th, 2007.

We were married in the St. Louis Cathedral on Jackson Square in New Orleans, LA. We had a traditional Catholic ceremony and then celebrated with a Second Line Dance all the way to the Maison Dupuy courtyard for the reception of our dreams!

We then toured France, arriving in Paris then taking a train to Monaco for four days, then a drive through the Loire Valley and back to Paris.

After we returned home to Houston, life was busy and fun. Just a couple months later, we got the best blessing and surprise of a lifetime...we found out that we were going to have a baby!!