Mark and I have been blessed to have many friends and family members stop by since Menininho was born. Since we have a full day of Cleveland friends tomorrow, we decided to try to celebrate Valentine’s Day today. I think this was the best Valentine’s Day I have ever had 🙂

Mark woke me up at 7:30 with breakfast in bed. Now, this is HUGE. I have always wanted breakfast in bed (I guess b/c when my siblings and I were little we used to do that for our mom for special occasions and so in my mind it became an expression of love). My husband is a much tidier person than I, however, and thinks food in bed is unsanitary. I was really impressed that he was willing to break his rule for me today. However, not only did Mark get me breakfast in bed, but he snuck out of the apartment while I was asleep, drove to Bob Evans, and bought a half dozen of their biscuits (which I love). Awwww! 🙂 As soon as we started to eat though, the baby began to fuss and Mark realized Oliver had somehow climbed into bed with us (no idea how the cat got in through a closed door). In that moment of slight chaos I realized that 1) my life is now forever changed and 2) this is exactly the life I want to be living.

Later that morning, we got the good news at the pediatrician that Menininho has gained enough weight that I can continue to breastfeed. He’s now back up to his birth weight of 7 lbs even. Hooray!

Mark spent most of the afternoon napping. I’m on a host of new medications just between the c-section and my delivery-induced hypertension and they’ve really knocked me on my rear end. I’m so exhausted from them that it’s hard to function, so my dear husband has been up with Menininho a lot at night so I have the energy to care for him during the day while Mark is working. I was grateful Mark could take today off work to sleep! While he slept, my Uncle Alex, Aunt Chris, brother Matt, and his girlfriend Deanna all came to visit Menininho and me.

Menininho took a nap right around dinner time, which meant Mark and I were able to enjoy a romantic meal of Wendy’s and watch 2 episodes of M.A.S.H. Perfect! And, both of us were well-rested enough (as well-rested as 2 new parents can be) to be able to really sit down and enjoy playing with Menininho afterwards.

Today was certainly different from Valentine’s Days in the past, where Mark and I would dress up and go out to Little Italy for dinner. However, I wouldn’t trade today for anything. Sitting on the couch next to my husband, watching him bounce our son in his arms, I was overcome with gratitude. Ever since I was young I’ve wanted to be married and have a family. And, while I am sleep deprived and a little stressed, I am so very, very grateful to be part of an eternal family: married to a man who is good, kind, generous, and always striving to be a better person and now with a beautiful baby boy for us to raise and love.

🙂