1 Year old!

 1 Year

 11 Months

10 Months

 9 Months

 8 Moths

 7 Months

 6 Months

 5 Months

4 Months

3 Months

 2 Months

1 Month

 4 Hours Old

1 Day old, meeting Brudder and Sister

My baby girl is 1 year old! She turned a year on Christmas Eve. The day started out with lots of cuddle time and reminiscing about the events of December 23-December 25, 2011. As I rocked Jocelyn in my arms, fed her, changed her and played with her, I told her all about how the events of her birthday took place....

It all started the evening of December 23, 2011. Somewhere between 5:30-7:00 PM at Chili's on N. Powers. The four of us went out to dinner, before Michael took his first bite, he said, "Just think, this could be your last meal before she comes." I rolled my eyes and chuckled at the thought. According to the doctor, nothing was going on that insinuated that she would she (or I) was ready to come. Little did I know, that Michael had "Father's Intuition" and I was in denial, thinking I still had two weeks before Baby J would grace us with her beautiful presence. We ate, we talked, we laughed. I txtd Allison about funny college memories...Then something changed. I stopped talking. I stopped laughing. I just stared. Michael knew exactly what was happening. He turned to me and said, "THanks for letting me finish my meal." Little did I know, that would be my last meal before Baby J joined us in this world! It was a delicious meal of Cherry Coke, fries and beef fajitas! MMMMmmmmm.

We drove home. I was having contractions. Catherine and Mikey asked what was wrong and I screamed, "I'm having contractions. Get out of the car NOW!!!" They exited before Michael was able to pull into the garage. I didn't see or talk to them again until Christmas night. I did what in-labor mom's do....try to breathe and get comfortable (which is almost impossible) for several hours. I hit the 5-1-1 mark that the hospital people advise us when to come to the hospital. Contractions 5 minutes apart, that last for 1 minute that have been happening for 1 hour. We went got to the hospital about 3:30 Christmas Eve morning. Somwhere between 6-8 AM, the doctor broke my water. I got drugs and my body did what a pregnant, in hard-labor body does. Hours and hours passed. Finally about 6:00 PM, they whisked me away to take her by cesarian. 

I think the approximately 30 minute c-section was the LONGEST 30 minutes of my life. In fact, I think it was longer than the previous 24 hours of labor! FINALLY, I heard the cries of my baby girl. My head was thinking that it was finally over...the time it took them to put everything back together was the absolute longest, most uncomfortable, painful, vomit-inducing 15 minutes of labor (and of my life). So to distract myself, I started singing Christmas hymns with my own little twist of words. "Joy to the World, my baby's here!" Even to this day, Jocelyn's "calm down" song is Joy to the World!

Michael brought her over to me and all I could see was this little bundle wrapped in a blankie with a finger wrapped around her nose. I could not see very well because my glasses were left in the room (which was really annoying).

Some hours later, they finally took me to my room and I FINALLY got to meet, hold, kiss, love, adore and praise God for my little baby girl. And what a Christmas gift! For a few weeks I had been praying to have her home for Christmas. God answered that prayer in a beautiful way! I pray that Jocelyn grows up to LOVE the fact that her birthday is Christmas Eve. 

Sometime Christmas morning she finally was given a name. Michael had suggested Jocelyn, but I was determined to name her Namoi Ilene Hope. He was determined to name her Rebekkah. I tried every combination of names we had (Jocelyn was not one of them). In the end, it just had to be 

Jocelyn Rebekkah Ilene Jones.

Mikey and Catherine came to meet her on Christmas day---more like Christmas night. It was a beautiful to see Mikey, Catherine and Michael with her. Just beautiful.

 I love you, my dear darling Jocelyn. I will love you forever and for always. I will love you forever and a day!

Love, Mommy