Happy 8th Birthday!

 

  

  

  

  

  

 

Today, my baby is 8.  Going into 3rd grade and sometimes talks like a 12 year old. Bailey's current obsessions are Goosebumps, Bakugan, having friends, being keeper of the TIVO remote and going online.  Bailey counts down to his birthday starting July 20th every year.  He loves holidays, wrestling and boxing with Dad.  (He gave up the Daddy a while ago) If I had to leave for the day and Bailey was left at home (hypothetical right now, of course!), he would be able to cook himself breakfast, lunch and dinner.  His specialty is peanut butter sandwiches, but he can also use the toaster rather well.  He takes good care of his little brother, and when no one is looking, Emma is still his best friend.
Ben and I had talked about posting all the birth stories of the kids on here so they get into the book.  So, if you are not interested as to how Bailey came into this world, go ahead and stop here.

Being my first baby, I had no idea really what to expect.  I think I had assumed my due date would come and presto!  Bailey was born on a Thursday, and I had only stopped working the Saturday before.  The week before Bailey came, my doctor stripped my membranes because she was going out of town soon and was trying to see if Bailey would come before then.  I had an appt. on my due date (the 17th) and there was still no signs of serious labor.  So, she stripped them again, hoping he would at least come the next day.  It wasn't until 3 a.m. on the 19th that Bailey started to knock on our door.  I woke Ben up because I wanted to go on a walk.  I wanted to keep the contractions going and thought we should walk around before actually making our way to the hospital.
I called my doctor that morning around 7, in between eating a bagel and cream cheese and watching Little House on the Prairie.  She was on call just until she left that day for her vacation.  Since we lived about a half hour away from Reno and the hospital, I wanted to make sure we left in time.  I didn't want any babies born on the side of the freeway.
We made our way to the hospital, got checked in and all hooked up.  I had a mean first nurse who talked about how she gave birth to all of her kids without pain.  She tried to convince me to keep waiting a little longer to get the epidural.  Well, after waiting and more and more pain, the crazy eyed mommy sounded possesed as she told the almost new daddy to get in the hallway and start yelling until someone brought her an epidural!  Once I was hooked up (after a reaaaallly long time because the anesthesiologist had some emergency c-sections),  I felt much better and took a nap until I was fully dilated.  I pushed for three hours before Bailey came out.  I was threatened with a c-section at the end because his oxygen was dropping so low.  They had to use a vacuum, but he did make his appearance at 9:37 p.m.  It was a loooonnnggg day.  He was 7 pounds 4 ounces and 21 1/ inches long and the most somber little thing you have ever seen.