Valentine's Day Question

Well, it is 4 am and Maddy is wanting some "awake time" so I thought I would change my background and do a little post. I decided to do a Valentine's background. Valentine's day is such a fun holiday- a time to remember those you love :) I always loved handing out Valentines to all of my friends at school.  I know Valentine's day is still a little less than a month away, but I was wondering how and if you plan on celebrating the day. Are you one who enjoys planning the day yourself or would you rather your significant other surprise you? 

I tend to drive Tim crazy on this one. I usually like for him to surprise me on special occasions (although sometimes I do enjoy surprising him too!) But then I usually bug him for days on end prior to the day asking what we are going to do. He usually responds, "Don't worry about it. I've got it all under control". Which if you know my husband, either means 1.) He really does have it all planned out already and just doesn't want to tell me or 2.) I have been too busy to think about it -but I will get to it before the actual day  ;) -haha - I love you sweetie!

I just thought this needed a picture - so here is one of Tim and I in VA in 2005

Most of the time Valentine's Day for us is not a major event. We save those for our Anniversary :) On V-Day, we usually go out for a nice meal together and then often buy a combined gift for our home. Our first year we got ourselves a coffee table from Pier 1 (I know - romantic, right?). But decorating our home is something we really enjoy doing together.

Just for kicks, I thought it would be interesting to link to the past posts I have done on Valentine's day.

V-Day 2007

V-Day 2008

So how about you? Any plans brewing in your head yet? Who usually does the planning?

Oh and I couldn't go without posting a new pic of our little peanut :)

4 Weeks Old and She is Smiling :)

This is Maddy yesterday on the day she turned one month old. I was talking to her and she could not stop smiling. Now she does it almost every time we talk to her (as long as she has a full belly and a clean diaper :)

We are just loving on this little girl. She is so fun to have around - I think we will keep her :)

She has been so good so far. She pretty much cries only when she needs something. And the last two nights she has slept fro 5 1/2 - 6 hours straight! I am not really holding my breath waiting for this to stick. She is still pretty young. But it's still great to see it start. 

We are so happy that she is gaining weight and is as healthy as ever!  God has been so good to give us this sweet baby girl.

A Challenge to pray during this season of Change

On Sunday our pastor encouraged our church body to watch the inauguration events today- which I agree, everyone should if he is able. This is a historic day in our nation. He also challenged us to say a small prayer each time that we heard the name Barack Obama (which should be quite often :) We were encouraged to pray for our nation, our new president, Rick Warren as he prays for our nation, and the lost souls around us. I decided to take up this challenge (as much as is possible with a needy 4 week old baby :)

Inauguration ceremony:

Runs from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET.  Program is as follows:

Call to order and welcoming remarks — Dianne Feinstein.

Invocation — Pastor Rick Warren.

Musical selection — Aretha Franklin.

Oath of office administered to vice-president-elect Joe Biden.

Musical selection — John Williams, featuring Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, Gabriela Montero, Anthony McGill.

Oath of office administered to president-elect Barack Obama by Chief Justice John Roberts.

Inaugural address.

Poem — Elizabeth Alexander.

Benediction — Rev. Joseph E. Lowery.

National anthem.

I have also recently been thinking about Romans 13 in light of the friendly transition of powers in our nation. I am encouraged that God is sovereign, and that he has established Barack Obama's authority over our nation. I choose to respect, honor, show thanks, and pray for that authority. He will need much wisdom and strength in the days ahead. 

Rom. 13:1    Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.  2 Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.  

Rom. 13:6     This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing.  7 Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. 

Madison's Birth Journal and the Days Following

As most of you know, on December 22, 2008 I went in for a scheduled induction at 11 a.m. because I was 8 days overdue and my amniotic fluid was beginning to get lower.  The one favor that I asked of Tim prior to that day was that he keep a journal of the times and changes of my labor and delivery. I knew that I would not be able to remember all of the details of the day as things got more intense.  The following is an exact copy of that journal that Tim kept for me on his computer as things progressed. Since I have some men readers, I will not write out all of the details in between each step along the way. But if you are one of those ladies who are interested in the gritty details, like I always am (to Tim's embarrassment :)   you are more than welcome to e-mail me (juliebaylor@gmail.com) or facebook message me about the experience.

Madison's Delivery

11:00 Registration at the Hospital

11:15 Getting settled and changed in the room

11:40 Hooked up to all the monitors -- blood drawn, sugar water making peanut lively!

12:15 watching TV, more blood drawn, Pitocin starts - dilated

 to 2 cm

12:30 Dad goes to steak and shake

1:30 Dr. Bacalar breaks Julie's water; 3 cm and 80% effaced

3:00 After bathroom break, Julie looses lots of water -- contractions begin to be extremely painful

3:10 We start breathing together

3:20 Julie starts crying; Tim calls for epidural

3:45 Julie gets an epidural

4:15 Dilated to 4 cm; 90% effaced -- feeling much better

4:33 Dilated to 5 cm; 100% effaced; -1 position

5:15 Julie beginning to feel pressure from peanut, decides to try to take a small nap; Tim to dinner

5:45 Julie is 6-7 cm dilated; julie put on oxygen because maddy's heart rate was irregular, probably because of rapid descent

7:35 9 cm and in a +1 position; Drs. think maddy will be here in about half an hour.  Julie is still feeling good but peanut is bearing down on mommy.

7:56 Preparing to push

9:15 Episiotomy

9:25 Vacuum

9:27 Madison is born!  21.5 inches and 7 lbs. 11 oz.  Happy Birthday Maddy!

I can hardly believe that Maddy will be 3 weeks old on Monday. We have certainly enjoyed our time getting to know her and love her more each day! The first few nights were quite difficult. She screamed a lot and we still didn't know what would soothe her, so we were a little stressed and very tired :)  But each night has gotten easier and we are settling into a little groove now. She is eating and sleeping very well. Now just to get her to do more of her sleeping at night :) She actually has had some really great nights (sometimes 4-6 hours at a stretch). But that is definitely not consistently. She has some rough nights too.  Overall though, we are just really loving being parents. We had no idea how much we would love it! 

Tim has been back to work and will start back up with school this week. He only has one class one day a week this semester and will spend the rest of his time writing his MDiv thesis, working for the church, and for Starbucks. He has taken to fatherhood wonderfully. He is such a help to me! I have already started pumping and we have introduced a bottle, since I will have to go back to work mid-march and I would like to continue giving her breast milk. So he is able to help with about a feeding a day to let me take a long nap.

 

We are just loving every day with her and are so thankful to the Lord for her safe arrival, her current health, and for the blessing that she is to our family!