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...