SO VERY VERY THANKFUL

Just recently, in the last few weeks I was reminded how fast you can lose someone that you love. This has made me take a look at my loved ones and appreciate them just a little more! This year I was extremely thankful that Rick & the kids are in my life. Recently a friend and Firefighter from Rick's station suddenly and unexpectantly passed away. It was a sad reminder that we need to cherish the time that we have with the ones who we are close to, because they can go to be with our heavenly father at any time.

Thanksgiving was quiet this year, we went to my mom's house for dinner and football. The kids played and JC was in someones arms the whole time.

A little before Thanksgiving our girlscout troop collected canned foods for some local families to have a warm homecooked meal on Thanksgiving day. We collected 96 cans in 1 hour!

Also JC turned 2 months old, he is learning so much, he is smiling and laughing, he can roll over from tummy to back. He is just such a joy right now.

He is also officially sucking his thumb, he is the only one that refused the pacifier out of all our kids. But the good thing is that he can get his self back to sleep on his own and doesn't need us to come and put his paci back in his mouth.

1 Month Old

I can't believe that my baby is over 1 month old already!!! It really feels like he was just born yesterday, but it has been nearly 6 weeks...GEEZ where did the time go?! He is doing really well sleeping at night, he is sleeping on average 6-8 hours. There have been numerous times that he has slept 7-8 hours. He is such a perfect baby!

Caught right before he rolled over

1 month baby updates He is doing wonderful at pushing himself up when he his having tummy time. He is cooing and blowing rasberrys, he is rolling over from tummy to back, and he is also smiling!!!

Almost caught a smile?!

Halloween

This year for Halloween we went to the Mansfield Fall Festival instead of doing the traditional trick-or-treating. They had bounce houses, game booths, food, puppet shows, and a really cool ride. The kids seemed to have a lot of fun and we didn't come home with tons of unwanted candy! Ricky was a motorcross racer & Eevie was a scorcer

JC was a little mouse

I was also able to join Ricky for his school Halloween party, I had lunch with them and was able to just hang out with my big boy. This was a rough week for me! Rick went out of town to Vegas for a training class and was gone for about a week. Then I lost my voice for 5 days!!! It was a REALLY ROUGH WEEK!

8 Years Old!

I can't believe that my oldest is 8! It was crazy trying to plan a birthday party just 2 1/2 weeks after the birth of JC. I was late getting out invitations, but it all worked out. Eevie decided to have a Roller Skating Party this year! Everyone had a great time, Rick & Eevie skated, Ricky rode on these scooter type things, and I just talked with friends, because it was still too early for me to get on Skates. JC slept almost the entire party, and wouldn't even wake for a feeding. Eevie chose a chocolate cake with chocolate icing! That was a whole lotta chocolate goin on! Eevie had a great time! Ricky getting on his skates, the skates were extremely loose and for some reason couldn't be tightened up, so Ricky had a hard time staying on his feet. Finally I talked him into riding on the scooters that they had there. Rick & Eevie about to go skate

Welcome our newest Herrera!!!

James Christopher Herrera "JC" was born on Monday Oct. 5 at 12:01 PM weighing 8lbs 4 oz and was 21 & 1/2 inches long. We got to the hospital about 5:00 so I could be induced...I was excited and nervous at the same time! When we got there and got to the labor and delivery floor no nurses were any where to be found, so Rick started to knock on the door to the delivery rooms. The nurse came out and said she was sorry, but all their rooms were filled with unexpected deliveries so we would have to wait about an hour and a half before a room would be available. So about 7:00 we finally were able to get into a room and start filling out paperwork. By 8:15 I was getting hooked up to IV's. Unfortunetly that didn't go smoothly either! They ended up blowing 3 veins and hitting me hard in the hand with the needle which made my hand swell up and hurt SO bad! 4th time was the charm with the IV, and they began my antibiotics. 8:30 my doctor was in to break my water, but couldn't so he said he would either try again later or let it break on its on with dilation. By 8:45 we were finally starting my Pitocin. I started to feel the contractions pretty early, but they weren't too bad. The nurse told me early on that if I wanted IV meds that I wouldn't be able to get them after a certain time, so when I was about a 7.5/8, I asked her how much longer did I have before they wouldn't let me have any meds, and she told me about now, so even though I wasn't in unbearable pain I decided to take the IV meds to help me relax, especially since the whole day wasn't going as planned so far. All I know is I somewhat blacked out until it was time to push...That's when things took a turn for the not so good! I started fighting the nurses and the doctor, I pushed 3 times JC came out and I started fighting the Dr. again, I didn't want him to touch me to assist with the baby coming out, and I didn't want him to touch me to stitch my lacerations!!! I don't know what came over me, but when JC was born I was holding on to Rick for dear life begging him not to leave me. The meds didn't do me good, they made me paranoid and delirious. But it was all worth it once I calmed down and met my baby! He is just the 3rd most precious thing I have ever seen! I can't stop staring at him and holding and kissing him! Daddy soon after birth Granny meeting JC Eevie meeting JC Both the kids and the hubby all have had a cough for about a week, so they got to wear "Special Masks" so they didn't give their cough to the new baby. Ricky "The big brother" My mom stayed with the kids, so while Eevie was still at school Granny & Ricky came up to the hospital before anyone else and met JC. Ricky was more interested in eating my hospital food, and his dad's banana, than he was in JC. Now once Eevie got back from school, it was a fight! They both wanted to hold the baby, sit next to the baby, etc. 1 week Old It has been 4 years since I have had to do life with a newborn...WOW, I had a wakeup call this week! It is not as easy as I thought it would be. Non-stop diapers, feedings, and he cries and I have to figure out what the problem is! LOL, Right now I have 2 non-stop talkers, they tell me when something is wrong with them. But on top of all that, we are just LOVING, LOVING, LOVING him! He is so precious, and he really is a good baby. He only cries when he is hungry, wet, or dirty. He is sleeping really well at night too. The kids seem to be enjoying him as well, everyone wants to sit by him, hold him, and play with him. I always have a helper, and it is a fight to throw away a stinky diaper! Right now, I am just taking it all in and enjoying it, I know it won't last long.

Baby Update

My doctor has FINALLY agreed to help this labor along. I have been in early labor for almost 2 weeks, dilated to a 4-4.5. The baby is measuring over 8.5 pounds, but I am estimating more like 7.5 pounds. At my OB appointment yesterday he decided that he would induce on Monday!!!! YEAH! I have a busy evening tonight, but this weekend will be all about getting the final strings tied up for his arrival and for the kids to have a easy transition next week, and resting. I am so ready to meet my new little guy.

Baby Showers & BBQ's

I had some very WONDERFUL ladies throw me a amazing baby shower!!! It was so nice having a womens brunch, especially since I got to leave my kids at home! Here is a picture of me at 37 weeks pregnant. (My last pregnancy picture) I got a lot of really nice things for the baby, it is so nice to have such amazing people in my life that have such warm hearts. Thank you so much to Jennifer & Delaina & my mommy for putting together such a sweet baby shower for me! And thanks to everyone who came to celebrate with me!

YUMMY FOODS!

ALSO....

This summer we had a BBQ at our house which turned out to be a family celebration for the upcoming arrival of little JC. All of Ricks co-workers came over for great foods and fellowship. My mom bought an amazing cake, and everyone brought gifts for the baby. It was really fun, and I ate wayyyy tooo much! Me and Rick were so happy that so many people have thought about us. Once again, I have gotten to enjoy my pregnancy with another wife at the station. When I was pregnant with Ricky another wife at the station was pregnant with a little boy, and this is the same this time. Kelly is Due Oct. 15 and I am Due Oct 4. We are both having a baby boy. This picture was of me and Kellly and somehow the husbands jumped in...next to the wrong wife. The DELICIOUS Red Velvet Cake my mom ordered!!! MMMMMM Rick, Me, & JC (in utero)

F.F. wives Some of the guys on the crew Rick & his buddy Pete

Risky Beach Mini-Vacation

A few weeks ago for the Labor Day weekend, we decided to take a small risk against dr.'s orders and go down to the Corpus Christi, Port Aransas area. I had been planning this trip for about 2 months and was not going to let anything stop me from going. So 2 weeks before we were supposed to leave at my OB appt. the Dr. told me that my cervix was already thinning and effacing. Then a week before we were supposed to leave I had dilated to a 1, by the week of our trip I was dilated close to a 2!!! When I told the Dr. we were going on a 7 hr road trip he freaked out!!! He advised me to stay home, and was scared that if I went I would go in labor some where along the 3 hour span of highway. I think the whole way there Rick's heart was pounding, I don't think he wanted to deliver his son alone on the highway. Luckily we made it there and back safely with no surprises from baby JC.

We had a great time, and I am so happy that we went! We enjoyed the beach, the state aquarium, visiting with friends, and staying at the hotel! The had some AWESOME mexican food too! The kids and Rick enjoyed capturing crabs and mussels, while I enjoyed sitting in a chair with my feet propped up and watching them have a good time.