Grand Canyon

Dave and I had been trying to plan a trip before Christmas. Since we fly standby we really can't make any concrete plans until a few days or in some cases a day out. So on Thursday and Friday I spend much of my day researching hotels, rental cars and flights. We were considering a wide range of destinations from Washington State to Puerto Rico. On Friday night we were checking the flights with plans to fly out to Las Vegas on Saturday. The flights had been looking really weird all day. They looked good then they looked really bad but at the last minute everyone on the standby list made the flight. So at about 6:30 Dave suggested that we go down to the airport that night and attempt to make the last flight of the night (even though the listing showed -6 seats with 6 people in front of us on the standby list). Madison was the first to run right upstairs and start packing (oh yeah I didn't mention that we hadn't packed yet!!). I wasn't really rushing because I thought we would NEVER make it. Not only because the flight was booked up but because it was 6:30 and we hadn't even packed and the flight left at 9:50.

We finally got our stuff packed and out the door. We made it to the airport in 30 minutes!! Record timing! We got right through security and to our gate. The flight had actually been delayed until 10:30. Which wasn't in our favor because it gave anyone who might have missed the 9:50 flight more time to make it. Somehow and I don't know how we made the flight. We were actually pretty shocked. So off we were to Vegas!!

We didn't get to Vegas until about 12:00 Vegas time which was 3:00 our time. We stayed in a hotel in Vegas that night and got up the next morning and headed for the Grand Canyon. It was about a 5 hour drive. We stopped at the Hoover Dam on the way which was really amazing to see.

The Grand Canyon was incredible!! We got there right at sunset which was beautiful. I was really amazed when I walked up to it the first time. It is breathtaking!! There was a lot of snow on the ground and some ice. I couldn't believe how dangerous it was. You could walk right up to the edge of it and look down. Only some places had railings. And there was ice!! I kept Madison on a close watch. I was so scared she was going to fall in. She had a blast though playing in the snow.

We spent that night and the next day at the Grand Canyon and drove back to Vegas the next evening. We had a really fun trip but were so happy to make the 6:30 a.m. flight back to Atlanta. Now we are home and ready for Christmas with our families!!

It's a Boy!!

I finally talked Dave into letting me make an appointment for a 3D sonogram. I really wanted to surprise our families on Thanksgiving with the news of "It's a boy" or "It's a girl". So this past Tuesday, Dave, Madison and I secretly went to Babies 1st Image to have a sonogram. It was the coolest experience. They have a huge screen that you get to watch the baby on.

I told the lady doing the sonogram that I wanted us to guess what sex the baby was before she told us. So she got the baby in the right position on the screen and I knew immediately that it was a boy. His "package" was hard to miss!! The pictures turned out really well and I look at them several time a day and think, "That is my son!!"

So on Wednesday before Thanksgiving we went to my parent's cabin to spend the night. I wanted to wait and tell them on Thursday because my whole family wasn't there yet. It was extremely hard to not spill the news, especially to my mom. But I held it in.

Thursday we went down to Ellijay to have lunch with Dave's family. As soon as everyone was there, Dave put the DVD in and told them we had something we wanted them to watch. We let them watch the video and also guess what they thought the sex was. It was unanimously, BOY.

After lunch, we went back up to my parent's cabin and I waited until the right time and went upstairs to put on the shirt that I had made that said, "It's a boy". I came down and went into the living room and just stood there waiting for someone to notice my shirt. Finally, my brother did and then my dad. My sister-in-law came running in from the kitchen. My mom still had no clue was was going on so we all went into the kitchen. I just stood in front of her and smiled. Everyone was behind me watching. She stood there for a minute wondering why everyone was staring at her. Then finally, her eyes connected with my shirt and she screamed. It was a a really fun way to share the wonderful news about our precious little boy.

So here are a few pics/video clip of our handsome little man and some updated pics of my baby bump: Sweet little profile

Look at that little face- I think he already looks like his daddy!!

Looks like he's sucking his thumb

His boy parts

16 weeks

18 weeks

Baby Bump

I am now 4 months pregnant and my belly is starting to show signs of being pregnant. It isn't enough for the general public to notice that I am pregnant so I just look like I ate one too many hamburgers. I'm feeling MUCH better now. The nausea is for the most part gone. I have a doctor's appointment on Monday and I will get to schedule my sonogram appointment then so I'm really excited about that. I can't wait to find out if this little bean is a girl or a boy. I really don't have any strong feelings one way or the other. But I can't wait to know and be able to start looking at baby stuff. Here are a few pictures of my belly's transformation so far...

6 Weeks

12 Weeks

13 Weeks

14 Weeks

We're Gonna Have a BABY!!!

I've been waiting and waiting to be able to make this post. I found out I was pregnant on August 19th at about 5:15 a.m. I had taken a couple of tests a few days before with negative results but I decided I would take another one first thing in the morning. I really figured it would be negative but I made myself not sit and watch it. I decided I would get into the shower and not look until I got out. I even ran past it with my hand over my eyes so I wouldn't be tempted to peek. When I got out of the shower and saw two lines on that little strip (one out of the many I ordered bulk online) I just about fainted. I was shaking and could not keep my mouth from dropping open. I really was shocked!! For a split second I thought about all the neat ideas that I had gone over in my head of how I would tell Dave when the time came. But I quickly realized I was not going to be able to keep this in... no way!! So I went into our bedroom where Dave was peacefully sleeping (and could have continued for another 45 minutes...ooops) and said, "Dave wake-up, I'm pregnant!!" Of course he was still half asleep and it took him a minute to realize what I was telling him.

We decided to tell Madison that night. Dave went into her bathroom, where she was getting ready for bed. He had a shirt that said, I'm the Big Sister. She had gotten it when her dad had their little boy. So he took it into the bathroom and said, "Madison to you think you can still wear this shirt?" The look she gave him was priceless- like "What are you talking about you crazy man!!" I won't go into anymore detail because I am posting the video that I took so you can see the rest for yourself.

Shortly after I found out I was pregnant I realized I was still spotting (like I have every month for the past year!!) So I called my doctor just to make sure that was o.k. Well they wanted me to come in and ended up giving me the whole miscarriage and chemical pregnancy talk. They tested my HCG levels that day and a couple of days later. When the results came back- all was looking good. But I still was spotting (a little) and I still didn't feel reassured that it was progressing normally.

So today I had my first sonogram. I was so nervous thinking about all the possibilities. I prayed that God would give me peace and I knew in my heart that His plan is SOOO much better than anything I could ever dream up. When the picture first showed up on the screen I could see the little "beaner" (that was my nickname growing up and it looks like a bean) right away. Everything looks great and we were able to see and hear a strong heartbeat. Dave said the heartbeat definitely sounded like a boy!! ;) We will see...

Update

I got a call last week from my doctor's office giving me the results of my ultrasound (which I already knew that the cyst had come back). The nurse informed me that I was being referred to a surgeon (the one that came in during my last surgery). She said that I was probably going to have to have another surgery because if the cyst ruptured it would make me very sick. I was so upset!!! I did not want to have another surgery. All I could see were my hopes of getting pregnant slipping away.

So Monday I went to see the surgeon and he told me that the only problem with the cyst is that it could cause me pain (which I don't have nor have I ever had). He said that even if it ruptured it would not harm me in any way but again might be painful. I can handle painful!! He said that it probably won't go away on its own and will probably get larger over time and will one day need to be removed. But for now, I'm not going to have a surgery to remove something that isn't causing any problems.

So no surgery for me!! :)

It's Back!!!

So I went to the Dr. today to have the 3 month follow-up sonogram to make sure that my cyst had not come back (remember she was not able to remove it, only drain it). And guess what??!!

It's back!!!

And it is basically the same size as before the surgery. I am so frustrated. Not only did I have to endure the surgery but it also cost around $1000 after insurance. And now three months later, I'm right back where I started. The only upside is that at least in doing the surgery they were able to get a better idea of where it was and what it was.

My doctor is going to call me next week to talk to me about it. Please pray that she says it is no big deal and doesn't want to do another surgery and that this will not interfere with me getting pregnant.

Madison's 10th Birthday

I can't believe that I'm even typing the words- Madison's 10th birthday!! 10 years!!! Where did the time go? It seems like just yesterday I was holding this little, sweet, red-headed baby in my arms. For those of you who have small children- babies, toddlers- enjoy every minute of it!! When you want to pull your hair out because they won't sleep through the night, soon they won't need you to rock them to sleep. I'm going to sound like an old granny but I'm going to say it anyway... They grow up soooo fast!! I think grannies say stuff like that because they've experienced it and they know it is true. It happens so gradually that you don't realize it is happening until one day you wake up and your little baby is 10!!

I'm probably being dramatic about her turning 10 because it's not like she's going away to college or getting married but I guess I see how quickly that will be here too.

Dave and I are trying to get pregnant. Every month I am so anxious to find out if I'm going to have a baby or not. Then I find myself impatiently thinking about how long 9 months will be before we will actually get to meet the little one. When I think about how much I am always wishing for the next thing, the next step, the next stage I realize how silly that it. I'm wishing my life away!! I'm sure I'm not the only one who is guilty of this.

If only we (I) could be completely content with what is going on right now...

So it brings me back to my original thought- Madison turning 10. I'm going to do my best everyday to enjoy Madison being 10, enjoying all that comes with having a 10 year-old, pre-puberty, enthusiastic (for those of you who know Madison you know I really mean emotional!!) daughter.

Then when Dave and I do have another bundle of joy, I'm going to be very clear that he/she is not allowed to grow up!!


*Pictures of Madison's as a little one and from her birthday at the Braves game.

Girls Nights

About once a month a group of girls and myself get together for Girls Night. There are five of us in the group and at one point we all worked together. We have a great time eating, talking, and a lot of laughing. Girls Night is one the things I look forward to the most. Thanks, girls, for your friendship. I look forward to many more Girls Nights to come...

Surgery

I had my surgery yesterday. The doctor found that the cyst was actually growing out of my pelvic wall (whatever that is). It basically meant that she was not able to just drain it and snip it off. To remove it would have meant a major surgery to cut it out. So she just drained it. Which leaves the possibility of it filling back up (sounds pleasant doesn't it?) She also squirted dye into my fallopian tubes to make sure they were both working properly. And as it turns out, my left fallopian tube is blocked. I'm not really sure at this point what that means. She spoke with my family after the surgery about a procedure that can be done to try and unblock it. I go back to see her in about 10 days.

So for now I am trying to take it easy. I'm in a moderate amount of pain. Nothing too bad. I have small incisions in my belly button and about 3 inches below that. The worst part is the gas that they filled my belly up with during the surgery. They do that so they have more room to work. It takes a couple of days for the air to dissolve. Until then you have all this air floating around your chest, back, and shoulders. It hurts really bad and feels really gross.

* I apologize for the graphic pictures but I thought it was really cool. I think it is amazing how a woman's reproductive organs work. God is so amazing!!

Sonogram

Well I had my follow-up sonogram on Monday and unfortunately the cyst had not changed as we were hoping. I met with my doctor today and she wants to go in a remove it. It should be a fairly simple surgery but I can't help but be a little nervous. We are probably going to have to wait a couple of weeks which is the worst part for me. I just want to get it over with. I'm not the most patient person. So hopefully it will all go well and will be able to be removed laparoscopically.

Ovarian Cyst

I went to the doctor about a month ago (ob/gyn) because I had been having some spotting between my periods. It has been going on for quite a while and it was becoming more noticeable. So my doctor ordered a sonogram just to be on the safe side (I'm really not even sure what she was looking for).

So the next Friday I went in to have my sonogram. In the middle of the procedure the lady doing the sonogram very bluntly blurts out, "You have a huge cyst on your ovary!!" Then she told me that it was about 9 cm (which is about the size of a baseball!!) and asked if I have been in pain. I told her that I had not been in any pain. Then she tells me that she is going to get the on-call doctor to come in a explain this to me. At this point, I 'm not really sure what to the think. She came back and said that he would not be in for a while and she would just have him call me. Partly because I was in shock and partly because I usually just do what I'm told without asking questions, I left. When I got into the car and called my mom and sister they quickly instructed me to go back and demand that someone speak with me.

Again, doing what I'm told, I went back. I waited in the waiting room for a little over an hour before the nurse finally came out to get me. Finally, someone was going to explain what this meant. She took me into a tiny room and basically said that the doctor couldn't do anything for me today so he wanted me to make an appointment with my doctor for Monday (keep in mind that still no one had explained what a cyst on your ovary means). The only other thing she said was that I was not allowed to exercise or have sex over the weekend until I could see my doctor on Monday and we could "make a plan".

So I spent the weekend googling all the possible outcomes of ovarian cysts. It turns out that they can be very common and don't usually cause much trouble. After talking with my doctor I found out that my cyst, she believes, is a paraovarian cyst. This means that it is not on my ovarian but beside it, probably on my fallopian tube. She said she wanted to wait 6 weeks and see if it changes or goes away on its own and if not she would do surgery.

So my sonogram is scheduled for March 30th. I hoping and praying that it will be completely gone. Dave and I are going to start trying to get pregnant and this has put a little bump in the road. Even though the surgery is not that invasive, I don't want to have surgery right before getting pregnant. But for now, I still have no pain, which is hard to believe considering there is a cyst the size of a baseball in my stomach!!!