Fall is for Football!

Tonight we enjoyed SHS Homecoming football game. Unfortunately, being 3 hours or so from "home", we had to go to a different SHS to enjoy it. They still wore red so I felt right at home.

Mike works for Springville City so we went to see the Red Devils Homecoming game. We got there at the start of half time and left after the third quarter, but it was late for little Bailey so we were lucky to get that much time there. SHS was winning by a landslide. Bailey loved the band and liked the half time dance by the cheerleaders and drill team. I told Michael we had to decide which girl in the homecoming royalty had the prettiest dress but he didn't vote. I liked the red one; I must have been keeping with the theme. It was a fun night and made me long for those real SHS football games back home in the real SHS, Shelley High School in good old Shelley, Idaho.

Bug's Bug Bites

Being a first time parent can be trying. You are still gaining the experience and knowledge that makes you the expert you hope to become. As for me, I've had a couple of close calls; one of which took place last night at 1:30 am.

Yesterday Bailey and I were playing in the grass in our front yard, which we do often. We both have several bug bites from the previous evening. The mosquitos have been pretty severe in the evenings lately, but we were out at about 4 pm and the sun was still high and the mosquitos were still hiding away devising their war plans for the twilight hours. Still, Bailey managed to get two bites on her right leg, one on the knee and one on the ankle. They swelled up quite fast. We fought back with Benadryl and topical Melaleuca Oil, but by bedtime they were no better. We gave more Benadryl and put her to bed. She woke up at 1:30 am crying and acting very weird. She was upset and moving funny like she had mild Parkinsons Disease and couldn't keep her eyes focused on anything. We immediately freaked out and ran her to the ER.

Including check in, triage, being seen by a Doctor, the discharge process and getting back to the car, we had spent less than 15 minutes, but I'm sure lots more than that in money. They took her vitals and everything was normal. She was already acting more like herself and seemed a bit irritated that we were not at home putting her back to bed with her stuffed turtle. The doctor came in and tried his best not to laugh at us as he basically said, "Those are bug bites. Kids sometimes get bug bites, but if her temperature is normal and all else is normal, the swelling will go down within about 2 days. Benadryl every 6 to 8 hours is the only real treatment." I could only answer with, "So, we're dumb for bringing her in here?" Of course he said the obligatory things to comfort us that it was a good decision but just overly cautious. Of her funky behavior when she woke up, they said it was just a side effect from the Benadryl. The nurse, however said her kids would have to be near death for her to bring them to the ER. Thanks!!! That makes me feel better.

Needless to say, we were out of there pretty quick. As we walked to the car, Bailey called out behind us, "Bye Bye, Doctor!" What a smartie! She was back in bed by 2:30 am and was worn out on Benadryl so she went right to sleep. Michael and I, on the other hand, tossed and turned a while.

The "Try-Again-Blogger"

Bloging might come natural to some...not me so far.

I need to start putting down Bailey's funny things though and I hate that I've missed so much time. I re-commit. I do. (Who am I convincing???)

Bailey now talks like an adult. This is, of course, a complete exaggeration. Bailey does, however, talk. She can say so many things there is no way to list them all. She is a fan of plural words so everything is plural. "Da Das". "Ma Ma's" "Cereals" (ceweows) etc

Bailey is smart as a lick. She knows most of her colors, several songs, and is getting really close with the alphabet.

She refuses to get out of the car because she gets to "dances" in the car. It's sometimes so bad that I leave her in the car for a while until she is convinced that we really are done with the car for a while. I have several videos of her car bopping to her car jams. Her favorite song is by Pink. "So What!" Bailey sings the "na na na na na na na na na na na na" when she wants me to play that song. It's adorable. There's another one with background singers saying, "boom, boom, boom" with the third "boom" going up an octave which she also sings after the song is over. She loves anything with a beat.

I'll add random pics here that are too adorable not too.

"Da Da"

So, I know I'm not the only mom to be overlooked by the little girls' love for her daddy, but what the heck! Today when Michael got home from work, she got all excited and said "Da Da" clear as day. Then she said it again several times since. When I try to pry out a little "Ma ma" there's not a chance. She's a daddy's girl for sure.

Then, tonight we went to pick her up from some of our family's house who watched her and she was asleep. When she came out, she wanted her uncle instead of me...now that is just rude! She is a little Cling Monster lately and it's nice to cuddle with her and I'm not at all concerned about her bond with me and I don't plan to hold it against her, but if you see us in the next few days, maybe help me coach her on her next new words "Ma ma".

Fall Photos

So, my brother and his family went with me and my family and we all took some pics. It turned out even better than I thought it would (even though we did encounter a huge, meaty spider). I'll post some of the better pics. By the way, my Sister-in-law, Mindy is so cute, right. She is such a pal to me. Love her!

Bailey Turns One...

Unbelievable that it's been a year! Bailey turned one on Nov. 16 and as impossible as it seems, the time keeps ticking by and she keeps growing and learning at an alarming rate. I already miss the little bundle we brought home last year. Of course, I have been thinking a lot of her Birth mother and the love and gratitude I feel for her. It may sound funny but I fully planned on not caring much. I thought she would provide the body, God would provide the spirit, and we'd get OUR baby, but in reality, I have so much respect and gratitude for Ashely that she will never NOT be part of my concept of family ever again.

We had a nice party for Bailey complete with cupcakes, gifts, friends and family, and all the toys we could cram into the play room. Michael made a slideshow that was playing on the bigscreen and we had a ladybug cake for our little Bailey Bug. She has quite a fan club and we've been really blessed this year with special people at all of our special events this year. I look back on our time when we were waiting for her to be here. We were hoping her Birth mom would not change her mind and would be healthy in every way. We met her and felt good about her instantly. The very next day she delivered Bailey and made us parents. Bailey was welcomed home straight from the hospital by all of her living grandparents. It was a special time as many friends, family, and neighbors came to wish her a welcome. When we took her to the courthouse at 6 months of age, we were joined by members of her fan club again and then at the temple the workers there said they had never seen such a group for an adoption sealing. We've been supported all along the way.

Bailey blessed our lives from the first breath she took. We wanted this for so long and to have her here and to have her be ours is our biggest blessing. We love our little Bailey Bug.