Last week me and my family went on a Bahamian DISNEY CRUISE!!! We have been so excited ever since my parents put this together a few months ago. Mack even had a chain he would take links off of every night. We were celebrating my mom's birthday. It was extravagant and fantastic! This is a picture of my parents with all their grandchildren!! I had to leave Whitman home because he wasn't old enough (babies have to be 12 weeks) .. not to mention babies are FULL price!!! Talk about crazy... they don't take up any space, ANDthey don't even eat the food. sheesh.
Thanks Mom and Dad for an amazing experience we will never forget. AND thanks to my friends, who are seriously amazing, for watching my NEW BORN!!! ... I was a wreck leaving him, but I'm glad I decided to go. The entire family minus Whitman, Deanna's husband Michael, and Deanna's Baby were able to go.

 Nothing better than breakfast on the dock of the boat to start out the morning.

 Nothing better, except adding a diet coke to that breakfast... don't judge people, it was a cruise!

 Mack LOVED swimming in the pools on the boat. That kid was spoiled rotten!!

 I tried being hypnotized in one of the shows on the boat. I've always wanted to! Too bad it didn't work on me. Maybe it had something to do with Miss Lay-all-over-me girl who. She was distracting me.

 Mack makes the most handsome sailor EVER with his Bahama hat and white shorts.. he kills me!!

 No cruise is complete (or lifetime for that matter) without a Pirate Party!! Lots of Dessert, dancing, and fireworks. Glorious!

 They had daycare on the ship... which WOULD have been heavenly had my stubborn 3 year old decided not to freak out every time we dropped him off!!! Ugh remember the whole potty training episode!? ... hell and torture? well that was all for THIS... the vacation where we could drop our kid off and enjoy single bliss...  *sigh* what could have been... in his defense, the daycare encompassed kids from ages 3-11 or something like that. Mack was overwhelmed, and a lot of the activities were too old for him.  blah blah blah..
BUT when it was free time the parents could come in.. which is where Mack discovered this cool slide. He could have done that thing all day if we let him... but of course we had to be there watching the kid. Heaven forbid we walk 10 steps away.  :) Love you buddy.

 Mack loved looking at the 'Disney Cruise Boat.' He still asks to go back every day.

 The Island of St. Marten. It was beautiful.. I've never met a Caribbean Island I didn't like.

 Oh, it's nothing. Just me and my favorite Pirate, Captain Jack Sparrow Hanging out at Disney's private Island, Castaway Cay.

 The memory of free soft serve ice cream and fountain drinks while sitting in an umbrella chair reading a book is one that I will keep with me forever. Heaven.

 Mack and Codes, just chillin. Mack took a few minutes to warm up to the beach, but then he couldn't get enough of it. The water was nice, but not as warm as I remember the water being in the Dominican Republic. We still got our swim on though.

 Family picture. Please don't judge my fatty body. I had a baby 8 weeks ago, and this was the last day of an extremely bingeful (did I just make that word up) cruise. I am paying for it now, dieting galore, but every calorie filled bite was worth it!

 Cody might kill me for adding this picture, but I had to. My husband is the most handsome man EVER. He would make a great sailor, which is actually one of his life long dreams.

Another shot of Castaway Cay.
The reality of being home sucks. I want to go back and hang out with my favorite people in paradise!!  Mom and Dad, you have outdone yourselves. ...

Last week we Cody got a job with Quarles and Brady, a big firm in Phoenix. He will be practicing commercial litigation.

I can't even begin to tell you how excited we are!! I could write a novel about everything we have been through in the past few years dealing with Cody's school and career. There have been a lot of highs and a lot of lows. We have been so blessed though and are extremely humbled by this whole process.

Cody will officially start in a couple weeks. It will be ridiculously rough as Cody puts in the intense hours that will be required of him, but I think we are up for the challenge... Maybe I am just saying this because my baby Whit slept the entire night for the first time last night! Hallelujah! (but that is a different post for a different time)

We celebrated like nobodies business this weekend.

Dinner at the House of Tricks (we ate a fantastic salad, stuffed quail, and butternut squash pistachio ravioli)

And then saw the MUCH anticipated Hunger Games.

A perfect Night with my amazing husband. What a beautiful weekend.

We are off sailing through the Bahamas on the Disney Cruise this Thursday!! I will eat a lobster tail for all of you!

My little Mack turned 3 on March 10th. He had been talking about his birthday cake for the past month, so I had to make it a big deal. On his actual birthday we made rainbow cupcakes (thank you pinterest) that Mack loved!

Very hippie.

With rainbow frosting.

On Mack's b-day we went and fired off rockets with the Huffakers. Mack was in heaven. Afterwards we had subs at the park! Thank you Darin, Lori, and the rest of the Huffaker gang.

Birthday boy.

The best part of launching the rockets was chasing after them and bringing them back to grandpa.

The day after Mack's actual birthday we had a little family party. Mack loved his huge 'tolocolat birfday cake'

thanks again pinterest for inspiring..

Mack was spoiled with a HuGe pile of presents! Look how intense he is about opening them! Ha!

We played pin the tail on the donkey and hot potato.

Mack, thank you for making life a lot more entertaining these past three years. We absolutely love you and love watching you grow!

I've already posted about my delivery with Whitman, but I had to post a few of my favorite pictures.

There isn't anything sexier than my amazing husband loving our new baby.

My boys.

Having my mom here was an absolute joy.

He looks just like Mack in this picture.

They don't get any cuter. ..This is Whit a little over a week old.

This idea was ripped off from pinterest. Whit was born at 3:19.

Favorite Thing About the Election

Even though I'm married to Cody, I am not super political. (surprised?) One great thing that has come out of this election though are these bad lip readings. They make me laugh hysterically, without fail, every time! I think the Rick Perry one is my fav. But I had to add the Ron Paul one because I think that is who has my vote this election. Hysterical. Enjoy.

'save a pretzel for the gas jets!!'

'Since I'm a leprechaun farmer who's a gambler'

2.12.12

On Sunday my beautiful baby boy was born.

Whitman Locke Huffaker

I already love this little boy so much

There are so many better pictures, but those would require me to stand up and get my camera, and since this picture was on my phone and within reaching distance, it won its spot on my blog..

I was induced on Sunday morning even though I wasn't due for a few more days.

(Have I mentioned my absolute LOVE of my OB Dr. Mcneal? She is seriously the best EVER).

Anyway I got to the hospital at around 9:00 a.m. to fill out paper work etc. but didn't really make it into the hospital bed to get business started till like 10:00.

From there it was all pretty standard. Pitocin, water breaking, waiting, epidural, an episode of New Girl on Cody's Ipad, more waiting, and then ready to push...

Whit was born at 3:19 p.m.

Things I might want to remember someday:

-my nurser knew my dad... always scary :) (love you Dad)

-my other nurse was there on her first day and painfully slow at entering data in the computer... also definitely not a champ at putting in IV's, but she made up for it by being overly attentive and very nice (much different from my nurse when I had Mack)

-I used a peanut ball for the first time... Whitman was born face up. Coincidence?

-My Dr. had fake rainbow hair that glistened in the light. When I asked her about it she said it was in honor of the start of Mardi Gras. HA!

We are all healthy and happy and loving the new addition to our family.

The last couple weeks have absolute been Hell on Earth... to put it lightly :)

Along with my raging hormonal anxiety, Stupidly severe cold that me and Mack caught, and fabulous UTI action that has consumed me, we have been ....drum roll... POTTY TRAINING!!

Why, Oh why would I choose to wait three weeks before my due date to start potty training!?

Two reasons.

#1. we have a fabulous family vacation planned in April that Mack NEEDS to be potty trained for. I didn't realize this until recently, otherwise I would have started MUCH earlier and #2. I assumed that because Mack is a pretty smart kid, quick learner, and detests being dirty that this process would be relatively smooth.

Oh you naive, naive stupid Tracy... you had no idea.

It was a pure battle of wills. My, very fragile, largely pregnant inept will, against Mack's super human strength, size of Texas man-baby will.

There is still no victor. You see, three weeks later, Mack can successfully go potty on the potty chair. ... which is HUGE considering the weeks that we have gone through.. BUT Mack RE-FUSES to poop. In general. Not on the potty, not in his underwear, not at night. NEVER!

Last week I gave the kid 3 ... 3!!!! suppositories and a heavy laxative. And .. nothing. I watched as he held his en-ragingly cute little butt cheeks together and refused to let anything out. He is in pain and screams all the time.

Talk about conflicting emotions. I hate to hear him scream/in pain so half of the time I am stationed next to his potty chair holding him and singing him songs.

The other half of the time I want to (don't worry I don't) slap his little face because he is outright enraging.

Superbowl Sunday was spent this year at my fabulous in laws house.

After watching Mack do the on the potty, off the potty, screaming because he needs to poop dance for about an hour we decided enough was enough. We (my brave husband) gave him an enema. He tried to hold it, but the Poseidon God rules too strongly and he gave in. POOPED HE DID!!!! VIIICTORY!!

... Now it is Thursday and we are back to square one. No poop, holding it, crying, on the potty off the potty poop dance.

Good freaking gravy child.
This is Mack's potty chart. Don't let the stars under the poop section fool you... those happened the first couple of days we were potty training... and we were VERY generous. We also have tried every reward imaginable. ... and everything imaginable!!

Oh, and let me take this time to say... this post is in no way looking for comments to give me suggestions on how to make this easier. In fact, PLEASE don't comment and give me suggestions. We have tried EVERYTHING, and after watching my sister potty train her child in 3 days flat I have just realized that every child is different. So I really don't want to hear that you potty trained you child in one hour by giving him marshmallow mateys yada yada yada. Am it bitter? Damn straight I am!!!! :)
This is the champ with the will of iron.

This picture was taken last December when We tried having a 'potty party,' but decided he wasn't ready.... I was so wise back then.

Here is a redeeming cool boy picture, after the last humiliating one I posted :) I still love my little Mack. I guess we will keep you... but heaven help me if you aren't potty trained by the next Superbowl party!!!

*Side Note* (Dear in-laws,

I am so sorry we ruined your fabulous annual Superbowl party by causing a HUGE scene involving our almost 3 year old, non-pooping child. Everything was delicious and wonderful and I wish we could have enjoyed it more.

With love,

Mother of said, non pooping child)

Apparently we are museum going people, because last Saturday we headed out to the Arizona Science center. My In-laws Darin and Lori bought these tickets ahead of time and gave them to us for Christmas. How cute is that!? It was absolutely perfect.

We got there right when it opened, so there was hardly anyone there.

This was the first thing Mack ran to... a giant stomach replica. As soon as he ran in, it made a loud stomach gurgling noise that scared him horribly. He ran out of there as fast as his little legs would let him. It was quite hilarious.

Cody Convinced him it was a good idea to try again... after all, there was a slide involved at the end of the stomach.
But Cody was distracted by the poop facts that were inside. .. go figure
The hand sensors would pick up your heart beat, and pound them on the drum.
A surprise attack of squishy balls when this giant nose "sneezed" ... Mack was not amused. ..he ran away again.
A cool basketball hoop exhibit, that I'm sure taught you something... but all Mack and Cody got out of it was free basketball practice.
At first Mack was hesitant to lay on the bed on nails. .. but he definitely got into it once he saw Mommy and Daddy doing it.
Then he couldn't get enough..
How handsome is this little boy!? We had to rip him away from each exhibit. He could have stayed there for a week. he loved experiencing so many new things.
The happy group.

Thank you Lori and Darin for such a fun day!

side note, (for pregnancy documenting) this was taken a little over a week ago. I am a little larger now, but only have less than a month!!!

Me, Cody, Mack, and our friends Scott and Sam Patronized Lo-Lo's Chicken and Waffles this MLK day. I can't think of a better way to celebrate the day.

The bulk of my pregnancy cravings revolve around this place!! ... so basically, what I am saying is that I am looking for any excuse to eat here. PLEASE, give me one ;)
Who knew that waffles+fried chicken would be pure heaven.

It's not often that I receive mail from the Supreme Court.

I opened it to find a beautiful love letter from my hard working, and charming husband.

So thoughtful.

Is this what you do all day Cody? Because if it is, that's completely fine with me. Continue on...