The Baby is here!

IMAG0727IMAG0720This is Esther Staddon reporting live from Chicago with GOOD NEWS INTERVIEWS. I traveled here to get the full story for myself, see the evidence and give you an up-to-date report on the proud parents of Sauntina LaVerle Staddon!

IMAG0767Robert, where did you find such a beautiful name and what does it mean? “Sauntina was a name that Mama and Papa Kowalchuck had wanted to name one of their children however the Lord only gave 4 children and were not able to use this name. Both Kendalyn and I loved the name and the musical ring that it had. Sonata is a musical term and Sonantina is a short Sonata. Kendalyn’s Grandmother gave her oldest daughter the middle name La Verle because of the kindness of a little girl with that name. Mama gave that middle name to Kendalyn and so Kendalyn passed that middle name on to her first born daughter. Verle means truth and LaVerle is the femine form of that. So to us “LaVerle” is a blend of truth and kindness and a reminder to us to speak the truth in love.”

IMAG0710IMAG0708IMAG0704Kendalyn, How long were you in labor? Would you do a water birth again? Did you have everything you needed to welcome and care for such an early baby?

“I was in labor for about 6.5 hours and yes, I would do a water birth again!  We had almost everything we needed…save a hose to fill the tub and an air pump to inflate the tub.  Smile  Thankfully, our neighbor had the needed supplies and everything was ready when the time came!  My other jobs, such as meals, finishing thank you cards, finishing up the baby’s room, and other misc tasks on my to-do list were quickly prioritized as non-important.”  Smile

Kendalyn, How are your feeling now?

“I am so happy! I just lay there looking at Sauntina, marveling at how tiny she was and that she was ours to keep for as long as the Lord allowed.”

IMAG0761Kendalyn, What is your favorite part about being a mom so far?

“I love holding her, seeing her stretch her little arms out, and watch her open her eyes and look around at her new home.”

Grandpa Staddon, How would you put into words your feelings about holding your first grandchild? “To put my feelings into words I would say, ‘precious.’ What a precious gift from the Lord of life. What a precious memory of holding such bundles in the past. What a precious potential for the glory of our Heavenly Father and the advancement of His kingdom.’

Grandma Staddon, how does it feel to be a grandmother? ‘”It is very exciting to know that she was able to deliver at home and didn’t have to go through the hospital experience! I’m so happy Sauntina is born into such a wonderful family. Kendalyn and Robert are going to be very loving, caring parents and they will have lots of support from both friends and family!”

Mama K, where were you when the baby was born? I was at 35,000 feet in the air on route from Calgary, Alberta to Chicago. I discovered my flight was cancelled because United Airlines said they lost my plane! So I sent a text to Robert to let him know I would be later than expected. Robert replied saying Kendalyn was in a lot of pain and he was wondering if the baby was on the way. So I called Robert to see what he meant and heard Kendalyn in the background. At that point I asked Robert to hold the phone up to Kendalyn’s ear because I wanted to hear if she could speak to me. She couldn’t. At that point I told Robert, ‘Yes, your wife is in labor and she is not very far from transition.’ The time was 12:40. I encouraged him to be strong and told him I would be there as soon as possible. I also told him that I would be praying that God would deliver the baby in a short time frame. And at 1:11pm the baby arrived!”

Mama K, how do you feel about the baby’s name? “Honored beyond words! The realization hit me the next morning during my devotions with the privilege of seeing the face of Sauntina 30 years after God gave Kendall and I the name!”

Uncle Dan, when did you first see your little niece? “I was one of the few that was privileged to be in Chicago at the time of the birth. I was on my way back from getting ice-cream with Mr. Crouse and some of the HQ staff in honor of Sauntina’s birth. Robert called and invited me over to see the baby that same night. As soon as we walked in Robert came down the steps and said ‘Well hey guys! Hang on, we’ve had a little explosion up here!’ Once the diaper was changed, we all walked into the bedroom. They let me hold the baby first. I had so little experience and felt inadequate. I saw her eyes peek open and admired her perfectly formed little features. Her fingernails were so cute! Her long fingers promise the potential of a great pianist! Having a niece is so much fun! I can hardly wait for the Lord to bring more in the future!”

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Praise the Lord for a safe and healthy birth! We love you, Sauntina! Welcome to the family! For more info visit robertloveskendalyn.com

13 Comments

  1. Joshua & Lisa May 16, 2012 at 1:46 pm #

    Praise the Lord! Congratulations Grandpa & Grandma Staddon and all you new Uncles and Aunt! Oh we are so excited – what wonderful pictures. Oh how great is His goodness – multi-generational faithfulness is truly a sign of God’s blessing – may He continue what He has begun. Sauntina has been born into a precious family with a multitude of Godly examples to follow. We rejoice with you!

    ……Just beyond words…..:-) is that why everyone decided to play dictionary 🙂 .

  2. Samantha Ant May 16, 2012 at 5:58 pm #

    How sweet!!! I am so happy for all of y’all!!
    I LOVE having a niece!! Even if she is SO far away!!
    Her name is SO cool and sweet!!

  3. Matthew May 16, 2012 at 5:59 pm #

    That is exciting! Thank you for sharing the good news. Congratulations!

  4. Jenny Wilkes May 16, 2012 at 7:10 pm #

    I love the pictures!! Thank you Esther for taking the time to post.
    The interview was a great idea! It is so fun to hear everyone’s perspective and joy over the birth of Sauntina.
    Congratulations Staddon family!!!

  5. Michael May 16, 2012 at 10:22 pm #

    I could hardly believe it when I came inside and Daniel told me about your call Robert! We got together and prayed… and before I even got an e-mail out to friends and family about it, it was all over! Wish I could have come with Dad and Mom, but I trust we’ll see you before long.
    Mom did you ever have such a happy Mother’s Day?
    Perfect pictures!

  6. Carol Hults May 17, 2012 at 7:16 am #

    Thank you for sharing. Mom and I loved your interview. We too were wondering where the beautiful name came from. a beautiful name for a gift from the Father! Don I agree, precious is the word!!!
    Would love to see you all. Think and pray for us as we do you!!
    Carol

  7. Andrea May 17, 2012 at 7:33 am #

    Congratulations, Esther (& the rest of the Staddon Clan)! Being an Aunt is truly a wonderful thing (I am one myself); enjoy your niece. 😉

  8. Christina May 17, 2012 at 12:04 pm #

    Yay!!!

  9. Rachel Irene May 18, 2012 at 1:03 pm #

    Congratulations to the whole family! 🙂

  10. Patience Normoyle May 18, 2012 at 2:24 pm #

    I agree Esther! How exciting and wonderful. I’m soooooooo happy for you all!

  11. Bethany May 19, 2012 at 5:07 pm #

    Congratulations to you all!!! How exciting to have a new daughter/niece/granddaughter =)

    Thanks for the post, Esther! I was very excited to read it!

  12. James May 20, 2012 at 6:50 am #

    It’s still hard to believe that Donald and I just missed being in Chicago for the birth by three short days, but I’ll never forget what I was doing here in Korea when I heard the good news of her birth. Can’t wait for the day when we return to the States to see her in person!

  13. The Johnson Team May 22, 2012 at 5:23 pm #

    Congrats

    May the Lord bless the three of you. Praise God for the new life you have in this precious little bady.

    The J Team

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