Well, we enjoyed a fun surprise on Tuesday that caused me to go out and hurriedly make a pink cake before Dwight got home from work. The reason? Well... we found out we are having another little girlie in March, and that is how Daddy was going to find out! :-) (That was the plan anyway, I accidentally blurted it out when Dwight was teasing me... so hopeless at hiding reactions!) I had no preference for either a boy or girl - since I already know how fun and unique each can be! I guess I just didn't want to wait this time until the birth - impatient, impatient!
We are so thankful for God's preservation of this lil' one's life! At the appointment (which was my first for this pregnancy) we discovered that I was 17 weeks along instead of the supposed 12. She was so big and cute - with really long legs and arms! We didn't realize I was so far along because I had severe 1st trimester bleeding during the time we were packing and moving (must have been more stressed out than I realized). I didn't know there was a baby, so I didn't think anything of it (figured it was confirmation that I wasn't expecting!), but looking back now we can only thank Him for protecting her. And extra thankful for the friends and family who came and did the heavy lifting with Dwight! Guess it makes sense now why I was so tired and nauseous during that time... I just chalked it up to being a wimp (which I am). ;-) They did a quick anatomy scan and she looks healthy as can be!
She is such a little wiggleworm (just like big brother and sister). It is fun to feel her moving about! During the ultrasound, she waved her little hand at us. Zachary and Chloe enjoyed that! She is beautiful. :-)
Thank you for our children, Lord! We sure love them! :-)
Friday, October 21
Sunday, October 16
Leaves, Pumpkins & Life @ the Baileys.
Happy Fall to you! Isn't Fall amazing? I love the sound of crunchy leaved as we step on them, the smell of baking pumpkin in the air (Libby's pumpkin factory is a few blocks away!), and the cool days that leave me wanting to curl up with a blanket and a cup of tea (is it nap time yet?). God has been so good to us amidst this crazy year and we are left very thankful and humbled by His mercy to us.
Dwight has been working at Samaritan Ministries Intl. (a ministry offering affordable heath-care coverage for Christian individuals and families seeking an alternative to typical health insurance while supporting the body of Christ in their needs) which is based out of the Peoria, Illinois area. It is an amazing story of how we found out they were looking for a CPA, weren't interested, had a change of heart, and then the job was made available to him. It has definitely been an example of God's goodness in our lives!
As you know from a previous post, we were kind of in a "where are we going to live?" panic when we were faced with finding housing on a short time frame (10 days!) in an area that basically just didn't offer much. ;-) Little did we know, my uncle had a home listed for sale in the area (but hadn't had any interest), and he called and offered to let us stay there with a very reasonable rent. It was such a relief to be able to move into a wonderful area right away! It was another miracle worked out!
The next couple weeks were insane as the realtors informed us of how we brought "good luck" to the home. Hah. Hah. Hah. :-P Basically, that meant that in the first 14 days of living there, the house was shown or prepared to be shown seemingly 10 times, each on a different day. It was a challenge to have it looking presentable on short notice (and like we didn't just get there!) with two little ones, but God gave grace and bits of energy to get us through. Yet, I cried a lot. Isn't it crazy how we (ahem *I*) can become so self-centered amongst something that is such a good thing??? Then there were offers put on the house and we were told that we would probably be needing to move in the next couple of weeks.
To make a long story short, WE ended up buying the house. We were so happy to be able to be settled into our very own home, with the closing behind us, just 2 months after moving into the area! When we were job hunting and wondering how everything was going to go, there is no way I could have ever imagined such goodness. :-) It is a loverly 2-story home with plenty of room for us to raise a growing family in (decent-sized yard too (once the weeds are cleared!) and in a wonderful & safe area with the library and parks just a short walking distance away. Supposedly built in 1873, it has so much of the fun character that comes with an older home - high ceilings, rope & pulley windows that are really tall, woodwork & wood floors, stained glass window, and even a humongous boiler living in our basement. ;-P It will be so fun fun to make "ours!" An added bonus is knowing that it really needs no work done to it - my uncle pretty much did most everything already (though we do want to do some exterior work, but that is inconsequential compared to the inside)! After helping my family tear our home down to its studs earlier in my years (I know... they have been so many of those) and then renovate it... that is music to my ears. :-P
So life is continuing on and the kids are growing and growing! Chloe turned 2 last month (can you believe I have a two year old???!), and Zachary (9 months) is a cruiser on the move. Dwight and I were able to spend yesterday going to a wedding of a friend of ours in Indiana (sans little ones - veeeerrrry rare occurrence), it was so much fun to be able to be together and talk! He is my best friend and I love him so very much!
Happy Fall and Thanksgiving season to you all! :-)
Dwight has been working at Samaritan Ministries Intl. (a ministry offering affordable heath-care coverage for Christian individuals and families seeking an alternative to typical health insurance while supporting the body of Christ in their needs) which is based out of the Peoria, Illinois area. It is an amazing story of how we found out they were looking for a CPA, weren't interested, had a change of heart, and then the job was made available to him. It has definitely been an example of God's goodness in our lives!
As you know from a previous post, we were kind of in a "where are we going to live?" panic when we were faced with finding housing on a short time frame (10 days!) in an area that basically just didn't offer much. ;-) Little did we know, my uncle had a home listed for sale in the area (but hadn't had any interest), and he called and offered to let us stay there with a very reasonable rent. It was such a relief to be able to move into a wonderful area right away! It was another miracle worked out!
The next couple weeks were insane as the realtors informed us of how we brought "good luck" to the home. Hah. Hah. Hah. :-P Basically, that meant that in the first 14 days of living there, the house was shown or prepared to be shown seemingly 10 times, each on a different day. It was a challenge to have it looking presentable on short notice (and like we didn't just get there!) with two little ones, but God gave grace and bits of energy to get us through. Yet, I cried a lot. Isn't it crazy how we (ahem *I*) can become so self-centered amongst something that is such a good thing??? Then there were offers put on the house and we were told that we would probably be needing to move in the next couple of weeks.
To make a long story short, WE ended up buying the house. We were so happy to be able to be settled into our very own home, with the closing behind us, just 2 months after moving into the area! When we were job hunting and wondering how everything was going to go, there is no way I could have ever imagined such goodness. :-) It is a loverly 2-story home with plenty of room for us to raise a growing family in (decent-sized yard too (once the weeds are cleared!) and in a wonderful & safe area with the library and parks just a short walking distance away. Supposedly built in 1873, it has so much of the fun character that comes with an older home - high ceilings, rope & pulley windows that are really tall, woodwork & wood floors, stained glass window, and even a humongous boiler living in our basement. ;-P It will be so fun fun to make "ours!" An added bonus is knowing that it really needs no work done to it - my uncle pretty much did most everything already (though we do want to do some exterior work, but that is inconsequential compared to the inside)! After helping my family tear our home down to its studs earlier in my years (I know... they have been so many of those) and then renovate it... that is music to my ears. :-P
So life is continuing on and the kids are growing and growing! Chloe turned 2 last month (can you believe I have a two year old???!), and Zachary (9 months) is a cruiser on the move. Dwight and I were able to spend yesterday going to a wedding of a friend of ours in Indiana (sans little ones - veeeerrrry rare occurrence), it was so much fun to be able to be together and talk! He is my best friend and I love him so very much!
Happy Fall and Thanksgiving season to you all! :-)
Thursday, July 21
God's Provision - a Job!
Hey there! Could you all be in prayer for us? We are in process of accepting a job Dwight was offered (I'd prefer to not give specifics till the paperwork has all been finalized, but it is for a small ministry in central Illinois that was seeking a CPA), and life is a bit craaaazy right now with trying to find housing and packing and all. We found out yesterday that they would like him to start August 1st. Things have been happening VERY fast. :-)
It is hard to believe that it has been 3 months of unemployment / no income for us, but God has been so faithful to take the bit of savings we had set aside and stretch it for our needs (we've even been able to get some free fresh raw milk for Chloe to drink so we didn't have to buy so much almond milk!). We are going to miss living in the same town as Dwight's family, but are thankful to still be close to both his and my parents. We are excited!
Thank you, friends!
It is hard to believe that it has been 3 months of unemployment / no income for us, but God has been so faithful to take the bit of savings we had set aside and stretch it for our needs (we've even been able to get some free fresh raw milk for Chloe to drink so we didn't have to buy so much almond milk!). We are going to miss living in the same town as Dwight's family, but are thankful to still be close to both his and my parents. We are excited!
Thank you, friends!
Tuesday, June 28
Our lil' Man
Zachary is all boy... it is so much fun! And he is a very happy lil' guy at that, always laughing or smiling (well, unless he is starving or needs changed, but that is very understandable!). And hungry? Well, he is hungry all the time - definitely a boy! I am so thankful for our buddy and that God allowed him to get past those early scary days to be a healthy and strong boy who we pray will be a mighty man for the Lord as he grows and a courageous leader. He is an easy-going chap who loves attention, we can even tell times where he gets a bit jealous of his big sister... when I hold her while Dwight holds him, he won't let me out of his sight without complaint! So I don't mind at all when he wakes up at night or doesn't take a particularly long nap during the afternoon, cause he needs Mama time, too. I love holding him and laughing with him. The littlest things make him so happy. He really enjoys it when Dwight or I read to him or sing/ play music. He loves his Grandmas and Grandpas & Aunts and Uncles (he has lots!). He adores Chloe, and patiently endures all the kisses she gives him... what is funny though is the delight he shows while pulling her hair. We rescue her the first time, but when it is intentional (i.e. practically placing her hair in his hands) she is on her own! He giggles and giggles. :-)
He is very determined and is a roly-poly even though it causes him to wake up more at night when he discovers that he just flipped himself over. He can sit supported (and sometimes even all by himself). It seems so crazy that he is so big already. And he loves, loves, loves food. Did we say he is hungry a lot? Yup, he is a boy! Where in the world have these past six months gone? I guess time flies when you are having fun! (And moving, etc. lol.)
He is very determined and is a roly-poly even though it causes him to wake up more at night when he discovers that he just flipped himself over. He can sit supported (and sometimes even all by himself). It seems so crazy that he is so big already. And he loves, loves, loves food. Did we say he is hungry a lot? Yup, he is a boy! Where in the world have these past six months gone? I guess time flies when you are having fun! (And moving, etc. lol.)
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| Gotta love the hair "flame". In case you're wondering his hair is red - and getting redder! |
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| I love his big blue eyes! |
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| All boy! |
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| What'cha looking at Mum? |
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| I can fly! |
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| Sittin' |
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| I love them! He's got the best daddy. :-) |
Friday, June 24
Miss Chloe Sophia
I love having a little girl who wants to be just like Mum... wanting a spritz of perfume when I'm getting ready for the day, taking my purse (filled with her things) outside with her to play ( lol, my handbag becomes a shoulder bag!), stepping on every bug she sees to ensure it dies, laughing like me, feeding/ holding/ diaper-changing her baby doll, cooking and baking (with her very own apron thanks to Erin & Hope... she loves it!), "reading", praying with her eyes shut while holding Daddy's hand, singing wherever she is, she is even trying so hard to beg for pierced ears (we'll talk more about that one in 10+ years) ... :-)
But what I really want is for her to be like Jesus... because I know of all the things in my life I don't want for her to mimic or imitate! It truly is a sobering thought to realize how much my lil' sweetheart wants to copy me. Even just the lil' mannerisms she picks up. Rather scary, actually! I love her so much, and she is being such a wonderful big sister to Zachary! We are so thankful for her beautiful, sweet, curious, and energetic little life. :-D (Don't worry my lil' chap, a post about you will come soon!)
We have fun teaching her new things (well, teaching her to obey isn't always that fun...). She isn't talking all that much yet, but understands seemingly everything! She is veryyyyy adventurous (even willingly ate a chocolate covered cidada along with her Daddy and I, though I must add that Daddy was very gallant to eat the heads for us. She didn't want to, and as I couldn't... I wasn't about to make her! She said "Yum!" after finishing hers. Bleh.). She loves to give hugs and give (and blow!) kisses and do summersaults. Another random fact about her? We are pretty sure she is left-handed. :-)
But what I really want is for her to be like Jesus... because I know of all the things in my life I don't want for her to mimic or imitate! It truly is a sobering thought to realize how much my lil' sweetheart wants to copy me. Even just the lil' mannerisms she picks up. Rather scary, actually! I love her so much, and she is being such a wonderful big sister to Zachary! We are so thankful for her beautiful, sweet, curious, and energetic little life. :-D (Don't worry my lil' chap, a post about you will come soon!)
We have fun teaching her new things (well, teaching her to obey isn't always that fun...). She isn't talking all that much yet, but understands seemingly everything! She is veryyyyy adventurous (even willingly ate a chocolate covered cidada along with her Daddy and I, though I must add that Daddy was very gallant to eat the heads for us. She didn't want to, and as I couldn't... I wasn't about to make her! She said "Yum!" after finishing hers. Bleh.). She loves to give hugs and give (and blow!) kisses and do summersaults. Another random fact about her? We are pretty sure she is left-handed. :-)
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| Cousins! :-) |
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| Riding a donkey with her Aunt Dora and Cousin Alissa. :-) (With Aunt Abby and Aunt Renee helping) |
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| She loves it that she can carry her baby like I carry Zachary. |
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| Making calzones for Daddy's lunch. Look at her pink rolling pin! |
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| Yes, we take pictures of our kids while they are sleeping. We can't help it... you've probably caught on that we think they are quite cute. ;-P |
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| Laughing. ;-) |
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| Modeling her haircut once I finalllly cut it! |
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| Where has the time gone??? :-P |
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| She was so good on moving day. Over 13 hours in almost 100 degrees with no air conditioning. With only 4 stops. My babies are troopers! |
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| She loves her American Girl catalog! |
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| Cleaning up strawberries. :-) |
VocalPoint
I don't know if any of you use Vocal Point, but it is a great way to get a variety of free samples to try of both food and personal/ household items. One time we got a sample of Kashi along with some high-savings coupons. Another time I was able to pair the coupons they sent with a sale to get over 5 boxes of Kleenex for free. Not bad, eh? Right now their promotion is for Glad trash bags.
Vocal Point - Trash Bags Sample
Vocal Point - Trash Bags Sample
Tuesday, June 7
Family Picture - Part 1
When my family came to visit last weekend, Katie brought her camera, and I just can't resist posting a few of the shots she sent (with more to come!). I am so thankful for my lil' family. God has been so gracious and merciful to us. I won't pretend otherwise... life with no job (or income) in sight can be hard at times - but He is faithful, and these lil' ones along with their incredible daddy are precious gifts!
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| June 2011 |
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| It was hard to find her still for a moment... there were just too many bugs to dissect. Yup, my otherwise very girly girlie. |
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| He's our buddy boy! |
Saturday, March 26
Thursday, March 24
March at our house...
It seems crazy to us that it is already getting to be the end of March. But we are so excited! Our days keep busy with our two lil' monkeys. Chloe and Zachary sure wear us out, but they make us smile and laugh, too. I love them so much! God is so good to us!
Chloe is our adventurous little girl who is s-l-o-w-l-y learning cheerful obedience. She turned 18 months on the 20th and loves being Mum's little helper. Anytime she realizes that I'm going to be doing some cooking, she rushes to the bedroom to have us get the chair and bring it into the kitchen so she can reach the countertop. I'm in the process of teaching her how to crack eggs so we've been washing the floor a little more lately! We are praying that she would grow to love Jesus more each day, it is so cute to watch her bow her head or say "Amen!" when we pray and we love hearing her "sing" during the day and at church. She thinks she is Zachary's 2nd mommy, so we have to keep on eye on them so that she doesn't squish him when kissing him or pick him up {yikes!} She's been a lil' obsessed lately with worrying that her lil' baby doll is in constant need of a diaper change, but it is cute to watch her care for her dolly! She definitely isn't afraid of heights and has climbed up on just about everything in the apartment. She also loves computers and yesterday I got to learn how to put my keyboard letters back where they belong on the keyboard. ;-) We know God will use her strong personality for His glory someday {and even now!}, but whew is He using it to teach me patience in the meantime. :-D
Zachary is a very happy lil' chap! He loves his one-on-one attention times {when Chloe is down for her nap!}. He squeals and laughs and just jabbers away. :-) He was 12lbs. 12 oz. at the beginning of the month, so he is definitely growing! He loves his big sister, even if he does get this look of terror in his eyes when she comes running at him. :-P It is amazing that younger children survive. He loves "The Big Red Barn" and just being read to in general. I love reading to and playing with our munchkins! I'm so thankful for how God has kept us all healthy this year and even allowed us to realized that Zachary has an intolerance to some dairy {just like Chloe} at an early age - at just a few weeks so I am being careful about what I eat for his sake. Oh, at his 2 month appointment, the doctor said it looks like he is beginning to teethe. {Whimper...I'm not ready for that!}
Dwight has been able to take a break from studying the past month as we are near to his completion of the CPA exam. We should hear the results any day now and we are praying that he passed!!! It has been a very difficult test(s) to study for and take, but God has been very gracious to him. Dwight is an amazing gift from God and I still am in awe that I get to be married to my best friend! He is so good to me and our lil' ones. :-)
Dwight has given notice of his resignation to Focus (on the Family), yet will continue to work there up till just a few days before we move to northern Missouri come May. We are super excited about being near family {same town as Dwight's family and about 5 hours from mine} and about experiencing humidity once again!! There are still many unknowns {like a job!}, but we are confident about God's leading. :-) So, I've been organizing things lately and will soon begin to pack boxes with my lil' helper girlie.
In November I tested positive for Celiac (as well as DH). The first two weeks after going off of gluten were terrible as I felt really sick and my hives worsened. But after 8+ years of just not feeling good it is wonderful to have energy again and not ache! The challenge now is just avoiding gluten as I am frequently discovering that it is in unexpected places... and that makes for a few not-so-fun days. :-) We are so grateful that God allowed for me to be so quickly and easily diagnosed. I have had wonderful doctors here in Colorado and Dwight was super-sweet as he urged me to go to them. :-) I never considered myself to be that sick and just thought I needed rest and was experiencing maybe some Chronic Fatigue from my involvement in full-time ministry. I was naive in accepting how I felt as my new "normal" and not making a bigger deal out of it, but the advice I was being given was that it was due to how I was managing stress, which caused me to feel very stuck and discouraged. Very few people were even aware! So I am so thankful for Dwight's loving care for me in realizing that everything was not normal and in helping me find out that it was due {in large part} to what I was eating! :-P Someday we will be able to experiment with alternative flours and other ingredients and I am really looking forward to that fun challenge. :-) I am very thankful that in spite of the nutritional issues of Celiac, Chloe and Zachary are so healthy and that that the pregnancies with them went so well! I consider that to be a miracle.
We are praising God for:
~Each other! :-)
~Health
~A cute home to rent in MO. We are tickled at the thought of having grass for the kids to play in, a clothesline, the ability to have a garden, and being in a house! Having our bed in a room other than the living room is pretty exciting too. :-P
~God's provision for these coming months
~A church family there in MO {you know who you are... hi!}
~Samaritan's ministries... much more affordable than typical insurance for our time of unemployment
~Spring... so happy about warmer weather!!!
Please pray with us for:
~That the packing and moving would go smoothly
~That our Jeep would continue to be reliable, especially with the long trip ahead
~A job!!! :-)
~Peace amidst the unknown and time of waiting. Sometimes I get really scared but I know God loves us and is leading us, so I need to trust Him and view everything that comes as His blessings for us!
Chloe is our adventurous little girl who is s-l-o-w-l-y learning cheerful obedience. She turned 18 months on the 20th and loves being Mum's little helper. Anytime she realizes that I'm going to be doing some cooking, she rushes to the bedroom to have us get the chair and bring it into the kitchen so she can reach the countertop. I'm in the process of teaching her how to crack eggs so we've been washing the floor a little more lately! We are praying that she would grow to love Jesus more each day, it is so cute to watch her bow her head or say "Amen!" when we pray and we love hearing her "sing" during the day and at church. She thinks she is Zachary's 2nd mommy, so we have to keep on eye on them so that she doesn't squish him when kissing him or pick him up {yikes!} She's been a lil' obsessed lately with worrying that her lil' baby doll is in constant need of a diaper change, but it is cute to watch her care for her dolly! She definitely isn't afraid of heights and has climbed up on just about everything in the apartment. She also loves computers and yesterday I got to learn how to put my keyboard letters back where they belong on the keyboard. ;-) We know God will use her strong personality for His glory someday {and even now!}, but whew is He using it to teach me patience in the meantime. :-D
Zachary is a very happy lil' chap! He loves his one-on-one attention times {when Chloe is down for her nap!}. He squeals and laughs and just jabbers away. :-) He was 12lbs. 12 oz. at the beginning of the month, so he is definitely growing! He loves his big sister, even if he does get this look of terror in his eyes when she comes running at him. :-P It is amazing that younger children survive. He loves "The Big Red Barn" and just being read to in general. I love reading to and playing with our munchkins! I'm so thankful for how God has kept us all healthy this year and even allowed us to realized that Zachary has an intolerance to some dairy {just like Chloe} at an early age - at just a few weeks so I am being careful about what I eat for his sake. Oh, at his 2 month appointment, the doctor said it looks like he is beginning to teethe. {Whimper...I'm not ready for that!}
Dwight has been able to take a break from studying the past month as we are near to his completion of the CPA exam. We should hear the results any day now and we are praying that he passed!!! It has been a very difficult test(s) to study for and take, but God has been very gracious to him. Dwight is an amazing gift from God and I still am in awe that I get to be married to my best friend! He is so good to me and our lil' ones. :-)
Dwight has given notice of his resignation to Focus (on the Family), yet will continue to work there up till just a few days before we move to northern Missouri come May. We are super excited about being near family {same town as Dwight's family and about 5 hours from mine} and about experiencing humidity once again!! There are still many unknowns {like a job!}, but we are confident about God's leading. :-) So, I've been organizing things lately and will soon begin to pack boxes with my lil' helper girlie.
In November I tested positive for Celiac (as well as DH). The first two weeks after going off of gluten were terrible as I felt really sick and my hives worsened. But after 8+ years of just not feeling good it is wonderful to have energy again and not ache! The challenge now is just avoiding gluten as I am frequently discovering that it is in unexpected places... and that makes for a few not-so-fun days. :-) We are so grateful that God allowed for me to be so quickly and easily diagnosed. I have had wonderful doctors here in Colorado and Dwight was super-sweet as he urged me to go to them. :-) I never considered myself to be that sick and just thought I needed rest and was experiencing maybe some Chronic Fatigue from my involvement in full-time ministry. I was naive in accepting how I felt as my new "normal" and not making a bigger deal out of it, but the advice I was being given was that it was due to how I was managing stress, which caused me to feel very stuck and discouraged. Very few people were even aware! So I am so thankful for Dwight's loving care for me in realizing that everything was not normal and in helping me find out that it was due {in large part} to what I was eating! :-P Someday we will be able to experiment with alternative flours and other ingredients and I am really looking forward to that fun challenge. :-) I am very thankful that in spite of the nutritional issues of Celiac, Chloe and Zachary are so healthy and that that the pregnancies with them went so well! I consider that to be a miracle.
We are praising God for:
~Each other! :-)
~Health
~A cute home to rent in MO. We are tickled at the thought of having grass for the kids to play in, a clothesline, the ability to have a garden, and being in a house! Having our bed in a room other than the living room is pretty exciting too. :-P
~God's provision for these coming months
~A church family there in MO {you know who you are... hi!}
~Samaritan's ministries... much more affordable than typical insurance for our time of unemployment
~Spring... so happy about warmer weather!!!
Please pray with us for:
~That the packing and moving would go smoothly
~That our Jeep would continue to be reliable, especially with the long trip ahead
~A job!!! :-)
~Peace amidst the unknown and time of waiting. Sometimes I get really scared but I know God loves us and is leading us, so I need to trust Him and view everything that comes as His blessings for us!
Monday, February 28
Tuesday, February 8
Just something fun...
Yesterday I was browsing around online for a bit and was inspired to begin dreaming up a sewing project that will probably not happen for a bit yet, but was fun to think about anyways! I rediscovered a website called Shabby Apple, that sells amazingly lovely dresses. Although I wouldn't say I would wear all of them, there were a few that definitely caught my eye! So now the inspiration they have provided just needs the some pretty pink fabric, some yellow floral fabric, and maybe some seersucker... and time. Hah. ;-D Here is one to show you what I saw... This one is called Pina Colada, and then I also liked their Garden Isle & the Penelope and Odysseus. Just some fun girly stuff! :-)
I love how their dresses are longer-than-most (falling at about the knee) and made with thicker-weight fabrics. And the attention to details! Ruching, buttons, ruffles & pleats! :-) Who says all that is just for lil' girls? {Grin}
I love how their dresses are longer-than-most (falling at about the knee) and made with thicker-weight fabrics. And the attention to details! Ruching, buttons, ruffles & pleats! :-) Who says all that is just for lil' girls? {Grin}
Friday, February 4
Tuesday, February 1
Life with two...
... is fun but tiring! :-) For a bit there they were sleeping great, but then they both decided to switch off their waking up times at night so that mama was getting up every hour (or less). Yawn. We were a bit nervous about how Chloe would respond to another littler one around, but she loves Zachary to pieces, and loves giving him kisses, worries about him when he cries, and wants to check up on him all the time. It has been more of separation anxiety type worries that she is acting up about, but those seem to be getting better - minus the sleep! :-) I didn't like being away from her one bit (or Dwight for that matter, but he was at the hospital more than she was), but we were glad Hannah was able to be here to stay with her.
So we are still "bunkering" down here at home (we like to avoid going anywhere until baby is closer to six weeks, other than quick trips to the store or doctor where we keep them covered up - Chloe only had one cold her first year and we think that "guarding" her immune system those early weeks had a lot to do with it!) We did get to take an unexpected trip to the Urgent Care though, last week when Chloe's elbow slipped out of joint when she and I were playing. I felt terrible for her, but the nurses were so great about it all, and she was back to her normal self in a jiffy! Zachary slept the whole time we were gone - he is one lil' sleepyhead (usually!). :-) Overall, he is a very content little guy, he has an adorable smile and dimple, too!
I wasn't sure what to expect with his birth and all, but we made it! ;-) We had been told different things about what being induced would be like, so that Sunday (Jan. 2nd) was a long day of nervously waiting. I was expecting the worst! :-P Dwight was so good about comforting me, praying with me, and it was wonderful to think about meeting our baby soon. It was so strange to get to the hospital and be checked in while feeling normal. We got there at 9:00 PM and they gave me my first dose at 9:30 - I was surprised to hear that I was having contractions every three minutes, since I didn't feel a thing. Even with all the raspberry tea and evening primrose I'd been taking I wasn't dilated at all. They dimmed the lights and left us alone to sleep and then I got my second dose at 12:30 (she said I'd dilated to a 1 by then and said that was really good. I thought we were still in for a l-o-n-g day ahead, so I cried with frustration that I wasn't dilated more at that point!), when she checked on us again at 3:30 she said I was at a 4! I was happy to hear that, but surprised since I still didn't feel a thing. So she just told us to try getting more sleep. :-D We did actually sleep - crazy, huh? :-) At 4:00 I started to feel just a bit of pressure, and at 4:30 I began to feel very light cramps. I went ahead and got an epidural (since the anesthesiologist was next door anyways, lol.) and then at 5:00 I started to feel more obvious cramps (not sure where the meds were...), so I woke up Dwight and asked him to distract me. :-) At that point the nurse came in to check on me, and I was dilated to an 8, so they called my midwife to have her come in. She barely made it in time. :-) By about 5:30, I was hurting and the meds weren't doing a thing (so I asked for more, because really, if you are going to have meds, isn't it not supposed to hurt??? :-P) and by 5:45 contractions were coming every two minutes and they realized the bag of water was bulging. I felt SOOO much better once Sharon, my midwife, got there and was able to break it - whew! Zachary's heart rate kept dropping, so I was on oxygen for his sake. He got a bit stuck (just like his big sister had) but thankfully there was no tearing or anything this time around, midway through pushing they had to cut off the cord from around his neck (it was wrapped twice really tightly) and he was born at 6:09 AM on January 3rd. They sure don't describe crowning as "ring of fire" for nothing! ;-P Dwight was great - I'm sure glad they allow Dads in the delivery room nowadays! It was fun to hear that Chloe had a lil' brother! He is so precious to us!
I was able to hold him for a bit, but then handed him off because I could tell I was beginning to fade a bit, so while they checked his vitals and all, I was put on oxygen (my blood pressure went really low). Yay for warm blankets! :-) I wanted to hold him so badly, but was just too weak, so he got some daddy time in instead. :-) I love seeing Dwight and him together! When I was finally up to trying to nurse him, he was just too sleepy and then a nurse thought he looked a little bluish, so she took him off to check on his levels (this was about 4-5 hours after he had been born). We were very grateful that the nursing staff there was so excellent!
After a bit Dwight went to go check on him, and then a bit later I went to go check on them. Little did I know that Zachary would be on oxygen and we would be in the NICU for the next day and a half! We were so scared, and went through a lot of tissues as we prayed and held each other - he looked so tiny and sad with all the tubing and monitors! {On a side note I think it will be quite a long time before I hear the song "Give Me Jesus" by Fernado Ortega without crying - it came on the radio station that the nurse had playing there and it was such a comfort to be reminded that Jesus was with us and our lil' man!} Come to find out, Zachary's condition of low oxygen levels and a still open PDA valve are quite common - at high altitude - but well, we aren't really from here! Babies just aren't routinely sent home while still on oxygen where we come from! Chalk up another reason as to why one should *visit* Colorado and *not live here*. :-P
Those were some long days and nights but we are thankful he is okay, and that we didn't need to bring any supplemental oxygen back home with us. They were great about letting Chloe and Hannah be with us there at his side in the NICU, and I was known on the postpartum floor as "the patient who wasn't resting and was never in her room." Oh well. ;-) After a few bumps with nursing (he was being formula fed while there in the NICU to get his blood sugar up), he is now a growing, always hungry boy! (He was 9 lbs at his two-week appt.) We love our babies. :-)
Thanks for praying for us! :-D
{I'll post more pictures when able. :-) }
So we are still "bunkering" down here at home (we like to avoid going anywhere until baby is closer to six weeks, other than quick trips to the store or doctor where we keep them covered up - Chloe only had one cold her first year and we think that "guarding" her immune system those early weeks had a lot to do with it!) We did get to take an unexpected trip to the Urgent Care though, last week when Chloe's elbow slipped out of joint when she and I were playing. I felt terrible for her, but the nurses were so great about it all, and she was back to her normal self in a jiffy! Zachary slept the whole time we were gone - he is one lil' sleepyhead (usually!). :-) Overall, he is a very content little guy, he has an adorable smile and dimple, too!
I wasn't sure what to expect with his birth and all, but we made it! ;-) We had been told different things about what being induced would be like, so that Sunday (Jan. 2nd) was a long day of nervously waiting. I was expecting the worst! :-P Dwight was so good about comforting me, praying with me, and it was wonderful to think about meeting our baby soon. It was so strange to get to the hospital and be checked in while feeling normal. We got there at 9:00 PM and they gave me my first dose at 9:30 - I was surprised to hear that I was having contractions every three minutes, since I didn't feel a thing. Even with all the raspberry tea and evening primrose I'd been taking I wasn't dilated at all. They dimmed the lights and left us alone to sleep and then I got my second dose at 12:30 (she said I'd dilated to a 1 by then and said that was really good. I thought we were still in for a l-o-n-g day ahead, so I cried with frustration that I wasn't dilated more at that point!), when she checked on us again at 3:30 she said I was at a 4! I was happy to hear that, but surprised since I still didn't feel a thing. So she just told us to try getting more sleep. :-D We did actually sleep - crazy, huh? :-) At 4:00 I started to feel just a bit of pressure, and at 4:30 I began to feel very light cramps. I went ahead and got an epidural (since the anesthesiologist was next door anyways, lol.) and then at 5:00 I started to feel more obvious cramps (not sure where the meds were...), so I woke up Dwight and asked him to distract me. :-) At that point the nurse came in to check on me, and I was dilated to an 8, so they called my midwife to have her come in. She barely made it in time. :-) By about 5:30, I was hurting and the meds weren't doing a thing (so I asked for more, because really, if you are going to have meds, isn't it not supposed to hurt??? :-P) and by 5:45 contractions were coming every two minutes and they realized the bag of water was bulging. I felt SOOO much better once Sharon, my midwife, got there and was able to break it - whew! Zachary's heart rate kept dropping, so I was on oxygen for his sake. He got a bit stuck (just like his big sister had) but thankfully there was no tearing or anything this time around, midway through pushing they had to cut off the cord from around his neck (it was wrapped twice really tightly) and he was born at 6:09 AM on January 3rd. They sure don't describe crowning as "ring of fire" for nothing! ;-P Dwight was great - I'm sure glad they allow Dads in the delivery room nowadays! It was fun to hear that Chloe had a lil' brother! He is so precious to us!
I was able to hold him for a bit, but then handed him off because I could tell I was beginning to fade a bit, so while they checked his vitals and all, I was put on oxygen (my blood pressure went really low). Yay for warm blankets! :-) I wanted to hold him so badly, but was just too weak, so he got some daddy time in instead. :-) I love seeing Dwight and him together! When I was finally up to trying to nurse him, he was just too sleepy and then a nurse thought he looked a little bluish, so she took him off to check on his levels (this was about 4-5 hours after he had been born). We were very grateful that the nursing staff there was so excellent!
After a bit Dwight went to go check on him, and then a bit later I went to go check on them. Little did I know that Zachary would be on oxygen and we would be in the NICU for the next day and a half! We were so scared, and went through a lot of tissues as we prayed and held each other - he looked so tiny and sad with all the tubing and monitors! {On a side note I think it will be quite a long time before I hear the song "Give Me Jesus" by Fernado Ortega without crying - it came on the radio station that the nurse had playing there and it was such a comfort to be reminded that Jesus was with us and our lil' man!} Come to find out, Zachary's condition of low oxygen levels and a still open PDA valve are quite common - at high altitude - but well, we aren't really from here! Babies just aren't routinely sent home while still on oxygen where we come from! Chalk up another reason as to why one should *visit* Colorado and *not live here*. :-P
Those were some long days and nights but we are thankful he is okay, and that we didn't need to bring any supplemental oxygen back home with us. They were great about letting Chloe and Hannah be with us there at his side in the NICU, and I was known on the postpartum floor as "the patient who wasn't resting and was never in her room." Oh well. ;-) After a few bumps with nursing (he was being formula fed while there in the NICU to get his blood sugar up), he is now a growing, always hungry boy! (He was 9 lbs at his two-week appt.) We love our babies. :-)
Thanks for praying for us! :-D
{I'll post more pictures when able. :-) }
Tuesday, January 18
Zachary James Bailey
Our lil' man was born on January 3rd. and is growing like a weed! Chloe (aka big sister) loves him and loves investigating his little noises, Daddy is splendid, and Mama will post more soon... ;-)
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