node_t * node_init ( nodetype_t type,
		char* label,
		base_data_type_t base_type,
		expression_type_t expression_type,
		int n_children,
		va_list child_list )
{
    //see tree.h for content description
    node_t *n = malloc(sizeof(node_t));
    n->nodetype = type;
    n->label = label;
    n->expression_type = expression_type;
    n->data_type = base_type;

    //n->string_index
    //TODO figure out this

    //esential for maneuvering va_args
    n->n_children = n_children;


    //create a list of children pointers
    node_t* children_list = (node_t *) malloc(sizeof(node_t)*n_children);

    //fill the child list with the stuff in va_args
    for(int i = 0; i < n_children; i++){
        *(child_list + i) = va_list(child_list, node_t*);
    }

    //children is a pointer to a pointer so we assign the address of children list.
    n->children = &children_list;
}