My Christmas Present!

Isn't she the cutest baby girl you've ever seen?!?

McCall coming to our family at this time of year has added so much to our holiday spirit and gratitude for our Savior!

Merry Christmas everyone!

SHE IS HERE!!

McCall Jaycee Bailey has joined our family!

McCall was born on November 23rd.

She weighed 4 lbs, 12 oz and is 17 inches long.

Even with being small and three weeks early, she is so strong! She is a fighter. For the first 48 hours we were keeping a close eye on her glucose levels, because she was a little hypoglycemic. But since she started to really guzzle down some food, she has had great levels and is doing fantastic. One of the nurses said that they "hardly ever see four pounders her at post-partum, most of them are in the NICU." So that tells you how strong our little McCall is!

So this is our story: Once again I started to get high blood pressure, as well as other signs of preeclampsia at about 35 1/2 weeks. So they started to keep a closer eye on me, and at one of my appointments I was almost surprised with an emergency delivery on Thursday the 17th. But my blood pressure went down a little so that I could go home, and come back on Monday the 21st. It was decided though that I would be induced as soon as I hit 37 weeks. With it being Thanksgiving we talked about hopefully waiting until Friday if I wasn't too sick. At my appointment on Monday I was declared too sick. :( I was sent to be monitored at Labor and Delivery, and after a while of waiting there my induction was scheduled for Wednesday, the first day possible...the day that McCall hit full term(37 weeks). So of course I went into crazy mode (while still trying to my blood pressure down of course) to pack and get ready. Several times I thought, well this is a lot more notice than I had with Jackson! And other times I felt like it was too much notice because it made me so nervous I couldn't sleep. Tuesday my sweet neighbor took Jackson for a couple hours, and I took a nap. Tuesday night we dropped off Jackson at my parents so he didn't have to wake up so early on Wednesday. Then Wednesday morning we started to the hospital! After getting situated in my room they started the pitocin. I was already contracting, so they just kept getting closer together and stronger. By 11 I was already dilated to a 5. Soon after that my Dr. broke my water, then I got my epidural. A nurse came in to ask us if we wanted to participate in a research study where they put a monitor on the babies head which is more like an EKG so they can better tell how the baby is doing during labor and delivery. After everything that happened with Jackson I wanted to know for sure that this baby was actually doing good. So we said we would. I was only dilated to a 6 at this point, but my epidural was starting to kick in so I felt pretty good. I was actually enjoying everything instead of feeling like I was on another planet like I was with Jackson's delivery. The nurse then says to me, so do you want to have this baby within the next hour? I looked at her like, Ya right! But I said okay. She said, I know all the tricks! All she did was help me turn to my side, and suddenly I was dilated to a 10 and baby sister was ready to come out!! Crazy!! Then the chaos started!! Nurses were running everywhere, my doctor didn't even have time to change out of her nice dress!

Two contractions and two pushes later and McCall was born!!

That was it. A total of 3 hours and 47 minutes total from 1 cm to having a sweet baby girl on my chest! I think it may be a record. :) Ha. I also was thinking that I should receive a discount on my epidural since I only had it for 20 minutes!! :)

The whole experience was so amazing! I was really able to enjoy everything and be awake which is what we were praying for- An easy delivery that we would all be able to experience and enjoy!

So here she is! You can't really tell in the pictures but she is a tiny peanut!!

Our first picture as a family of four!!

(Don't focus on my swollen face, okay?! Just look at how cute everyone else is!)

Jackson loves his sister!! He just wants to kiss her and squeeze her all over!!

McCall with Daddy

McCall with Mommy

It took 4 long days, three bilirubin tests, and two blood pressure medications but we finally broke free and got to leave the hospital Sunday afternoon! We were so glad to go home and be a family of four with Jackson!

August 2011

August marked the last crazy month for me of the summer! I put in my two weeks notice, and trained a replacement so I could take it easy. Life was just too stressful trying to work, and taking Jackson with me, while being pregnant. Not to mention how DONE Jackson was with going to work. It was a struggle to get him to get ready in the mornings, and I just kept thinking to myself...no three year-old should be telling his mom that he doesn't want to work today! I am grateful for the opportunity I had to work, and I am also grateful it is over. :) Now I get to focus my time on Jackson, and preparing for Sister to come too.

My dad's birthday was on a Saturday this year. So after the Farmers Market we went to hit a bucket of balls at the golf course. Jackson was in Heaven!!

He got to use Ryan's old set of clubs which is still a little big for him, and he went to town!

I love this picture! He is just trying to be one of the big guys, carrying his bag like it is no big deal. Hehe.

Here's Papa giving Jackson some pointers.

Got this pretty cool shot. If only I had an SLR camera, then I could have gotten some awesome rapid action shots here. :)

We didn't make it out boating very much this year, but this trip was very fun.

Jackson had such a blast on the tub! He was scared at first, but then he was just so excited. He went on the tube with Papa, and papa said he laughed and 'whooped and hollered' the whole time!

The extended Bailey family got together towards the end of August. Jackson's favorite part was going on a pony ride with his cousin Mei Li.

Since the first time that Jackson went to the farmers market with me, he has wanted to get his face painted like the kids he saw. So I dug out a face paint set, and we had some fun with face paints.

Family photo with Grandma & Grandpa Bailey at family dinner before they left on their mission. (One of my only belly pictures I have bothered to take this time around. Sorry baby girl!)

July 2011

The rodeo was so fun this year. We were able to sit in the VIP section and now we don't want to ever sit in the other seats again. Ha. We got to see all of the rodeo guys mounting their horses and bulls. It was really fun. Jackson had a blast. It was a little suspenseful when a certain bull kept trying to jump out of his stall!

Here we are at the annual Fireside and Fireworks. This is quite the tradition for us. Jackson loved the fireworks even more this year!

Nesting Mania!!

I have been doing projects like crazy lately! There is always something in my hands. Which is good. However, Jared thinks I may be going a little overboard. Ha. Maybe I am! :)

My favorite project I have done so far...this Car Seat Canopy! I went a little crazy and took the traditional car seat canopy and decided to piece it like a quilt. I know...crazy! Blame it on the nesting I guess. But I think it turned out really cute, and unique! We won't get this canopy confused with any other...! Ha!

I just learned how to crochet in August. I crocheted Baby sister's baby blanket, and then started working on these booties. Still a little ways to go, which is good because it is so therapeutic for me! I may just have to keep making some for everyone else's babies when mine are done! :)

Baby Sister's room got painted with this soft grey. (A little lighter in person than this picture shows) Next, adding purple accents...

Update Continued

This summer Jackson could often be found outside when we were home. Most of the time on the way home from work he would often say, "So Mom, It sure is hot outside!" Translation: "Hey Mom, I want to do my slip and slide when we get home!"

Jackson picked out this slip and slide for a prize. Mostly he just loves to sit in the pool. :)

May 2011 was quite eventful!

Jared and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary! Crazy huh!
My favorite place to eat was a must...Tepanyaki! Yum, just writing it makes me want some. Ha :)

Another big event in May...Jared's parents received their mission call. We were all anxiously waiting to see where they would be sent.

This is the before picture...talking to the two sons that are far away.

This picture says it all! Right after opening their call and they both saw where they were going but didn't say it out loud....we were all still anxiously waiting..."What does it Say!!"....They have been called to serve a CES mission in....Dontesk Ukraine. What?! Crazy! No one thought of that. All the guesses were Hawaii, California, places we would like to visit.

So they just left three days ago and we really miss them!!

When we see them again in 18 months, Jackson will be 5 years old and our baby girl will be 15 months!! Crazy! Wow, that is so weird to think about. We love you Mom and Dad/Grandma and Grandpa Bailey!

It's About Time!...April 2011

I have not really blogged since I started my job! Life was just too crazy! So now that I am done it's about time that I catch up! I started working the end of March so I will jump into April and start there with what has been happening in our lives...

The beginning of April was another beginning...

Skyler & Hilary VanSweden!

It was a great day! Even with the storm blowing in, and the last blizzard of the year, we had a blast! Jackson was really fun all day and was so excited for Hil & Sky. All day he kept saying, "Me & Hil & Sky are getting married today." :)
Their sealing was beautiful, and the weather was nice enough to stay dry until right after we got done taking pictures at the temple.

Here is Jacks in his awesome vest that I made so he could match the boys. :) He was really excited about being able to wear a flower too! My sweet little boy!

Jared and Jackson chillin' at the reception. This is what they did most of the time. Until the music started and then we couldn't get Jackson away from the dance floor! The most precious moment was when Hilary and Skyler had their first dance. Jackson got the saddest face, and sat on the steps with his head in his hands. Hil saw this and came over to his rescue later to sweep him off his feet. :) It was quite precious! I will have to find that picture!

(I know these pictures are backwards, but that's just how they will have to stay. )

The happy couple!

Jackson was being very entertaining while we were waiting for pictures...

Here is Jackson, Oakley, & Zoe being crazy!

Then Ainsley wanted to join in!

Easter Egg Hunt 2011

Jackson was super excited about finding this dollar coin in an egg!

Such a common picture I think of Easter candy... At least it is a common face for Jackson! Trying to get taffy out of his teeth! :)