The Babe is growing...

I know it has been forever since we updated the blog...the days just seem to fly by and I don't know where the past month has gone! Asher is doing great - growing a ton and is more interactive each day - we are really enjoying being parents (though I don't love it quite as much in the middle of the night as I do during the daytime hours)! We hope to have him off oxygen in the next day or two which will be such a great thing...I can't wait to see his whole face without the oxygen tube and pads! Here are some recent pictures of our beautiful son!

Thanks to "Auntie" Amy, Asher was able to get in the Christmas spirit with his "Santa Clause" outfit. I kind of wish they made these in adult sizes cause it looks so comfy!

He looks so small in his big crib!
(Don't worry, he isn't sleeping in it yet...i'm afraid he would get lost)

1 month old!

I couldn't resist taking a picture of the baby buns...they are just so cute!

Asher with Grandma Brokke at her birthday party

Aunt Deanna came to visit Asher this past weekend - it was so fun to have her here!

Asher loves walking around the house and looking outside with daddy...Oh the adventures of a one month old!

He's just so precious!
(Notice the double chin action starting. Asher definitely likes to eat...he must get that from his mother!)

A busy week for the little guy

Asher broke free from the NICU on December 23rd. He's had an eventful second week of life with Christmas, Mark's Birthday and New Year's celebrations. While he's still on oxygen (mostly due to the altitude of Colorado), he's growing and doing great so far out in the real world.

First time in his carseat, ready to head home! Yes, we are aware the pacifier is close to the size of his face.

About to bust out of the NICU

The fam on Christmas Eve4 generations
Celebrating Christmas with the Finzel grandparentsHis first restaurant experience - Celebrating Mark's Birthday at Macaroni Grill (Mark is teaching him early that Italian is the best food in the world)

New Years Eve (Can you tell Asher's excited to ring in the new year? Shockingly, he slept right through the ball dropping).

More pics of the babe

Baby Asher is here!

Our baby boy has arrived!!! Asher Mark was born on Sunday, 12/16 at 4:37pm. He weighed 5lbs, 8oz, and 18.5in long. We are so very excited!!!

Danielle's water broke around 1am on Sunday night...she was exactly 36 weeks along (due on 1/13). Real active labor started around 1:30pm, so it was a very fast process. Danielle did amazing. It was the most incredible experience seeing our baby born...I can't even describe how great it was.

Asher is doing really well right now. Because he was 4 weeks early (and also partially because of the high altitude) he is currently in the NICU. He has needed help breathing, so he's been on oxygen. But, just this morning, they took him off completely and so far he is breathing great on his own. We don't know for sure when he will come home...right now we're thinking about a week. Once he can eat and breathe consistently on his own, he will be released. Danielle will be discharged this afternoon...but we're hoping she can "room in" and stay here.

We were both obviously shocked when her water broke and it's still unbelievable that the little guy is really ours! But, both of us love him SO much already and are so happy he is with us. What a great Christmas present!

Thank you all for your love, support and prayers. Please pray he will keep breathing well on his own, that he will learn to nurse quickly, and that we can have him home soon!

Thanksgiving

This year we spent Thanksgiving up in Denver with Mark's family. His twin siblings, Andrew and Cambria, surprised everyone and flew home from Biola. We had a fun time hanging out and eating great food (Let's just say that I was glad to be wearing maternity pants for Thanksgiving meal...they definitely came in handy :)).

I love my husband!

Mark and Andrew

Our last Thanksgiving without a child...scary!

Baby Shower

My dear friends, Mandy and Amanda, threw a baby shower for me a couple weeks ago and it was so much fun! We played a couple games, ate really good food, opened gifts, and spent time praying over baby Asher. The part that meant the most to me was an idea that Mandy had called "Prayer from Head to Toe." She found corresponding Bible verses for parts of the baby's body (head, shoulders, heart, mind, stomach, hands, feet, etc.) and different people prayed those verses over him - it was truly amazing. Here are some pictures from the shower...and of our growing baby!

32 Weeks (I am NOT a big fan of my puffy face!)

Time of Prayer

The Grandma's

Mandy and Amanda

(Mandy has a baby girl named Avery who is 6 months old and Amanda has a little boy named Caiden who is 3 months old...we can't wait until Asher is born so they can all be friends!)

3-D Ultrasound

A few weeks ago I was able to have a 3-D ultrasound - it was absolutely incredible to see our baby's features in 3-D...now we just can't wait to meet him in person! Here are a few pictures of his face from the ultrasound (it takes a little while to figure out what you're looking at....).

Picture of his face - notice the hand/fingers up by his eye:
Another shot of his face - I can't wait to kiss those little lips!