Kayce's baby shower

We had a shower for Kayce on Saturday. It was mostly family and some close friends. Little Miss Laney got lots of Pink! I hope the doctor is 100% sure she's a girl! Saturday turned out to be such a nice day! The kids played outside in the yard after Kayce got done opening her gifts.  It was a little on the windy side but we stuck a hat on Stratton and he was good to go. It was a busy day, but so much fun. I love having a house full of people!

Kayce had lots of help!

Christina made more cookies! So cute!! Pics don't do them justice, they were amazing!

She also made these as favors, itty-bitty baby feet cookies!

Mom made this "Lemonade" cake, yummy!

We had so much food, I ate way too much!

Cooper brought a new toy that he picked out for Stratton all by himself! How sweet is that??

This picture makes me laugh. Stratton is 8 months old and Cooper is 2 yrs old. There is only 2 or 3 pounds and 4 or 5 inch difference in the two!

Isabella and Alexandra are such good baby sitters! Stratton just loves them. . .and their long hair!

No Surgery!!

I had an appointment with the surgeon, Dr. Degges, this afternoon and he did not recommend surgery at this time! He said that he felt like the symptoms I have been having were not typical of someone with gallbladder issues. Yes, I have gallstones, but many people have them and don't even know it! He really felt like my symptoms might have been from IBS and maybe a stomch bug. There are countless stomach virus' going around right now. I am feeling so much better this week, so I was happy to hear his opinion. He was super nice, and when he found out that I had cancer as a child and was treated at Children's he wanted to know all about it and then discovered that he was actually doing his residency there in '84 & '85 and he went back in '87. So, he was more than likely around during some of my time at Children's. He was curious about my doctors and of course I couldn't remember any besides the ones I had follow-ups with over the years (c'mon, I was only 5!). He did pretty much confirm the belief my mom has had that I do not have an appendix. She was sure that it was removed during one of my surgeries. Dr. Degges said it was standard procedure to remove the appendix from a child if operating in that area, as a precaution back then. So, that's good to know! He also wanted to see my scar, which was weird.  . . but understandable. I guess there aren't many of us that had that surgery (23 years ago!) and have lived walking around. Plus, now days I bet the scar for that particular surgery is itty bitty and mine goes from one side to the other!

I was really pleased with the appointment. He said if I continued to have problems, treat it as IBS, and if I started having any of the typical symptoms of a gallbladder attack then we would revisit the issue then. Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers!

Whirlwind weekend!

We had a pretty good weekend, it just went by too fast! Friday night we went to Isabella's basketball game. It was their last one of the year and boy they played hard! They lost, but it wasn't because they didn't try! We went to Steak Escape and hung out with the Gibson's some more after her game. Stratton loves those girlies!! 

I had intending on sleeping in on Saturday morning, so I took a pain pill when we got home Friday night. I was out of it!! But Jarrod got called out at about 5am, so my day didn't start as planned. Then as predicted the sun never came out, and the temperature stayed cool. So I had to rethink the "springy" outfits I had previously considered us wearing for the pictures.  Which was a major bummer. Back to jeans and long sleeves. ugh. Jarrod got home just in time for us to get ready and get on the road. We were supposed to meet Daisha at Shelby Farms at 5pm. At ten till we were SITTING on the bridge still! Traffic was horrible and since they are doing so much work in that area it's down to one lane!! We got to Shelby Farms about 5:20ish and Daisha did a great job finding dry spots to take our pictures. It was so cold though!! Luckily I had stuffed Stratton's knit hat in my bag as we were running out the door! He needed it! We had him huddled up in a blanket with his hat on between shots. And the crazy geese tried to eat me! Seriously! I really dislike birds  and I think the geese and ducks knew it, they were out to get me. Daisha, heroically ran them off! We were pretty much the only ones at the park and she was still taking pictures when we were "kindly" (haha, really rudely, actually) ask to leave by a cranky old man in a truck with a megaphone. Not kidding. Did I mention that we were the only ones there? I hardly think that was necessary! After we left there we ate at supper at Red Lobster before heading back to Jonesboro. Then mom and dad came and got Stratton, so we wouldn't have to take him to them Sunday afternoon.

After church we met with our friends forever group for lunch at El Acapulco and then while Jarrod washed the car, I went to bed and took a nap! We had tickets to see Jeff Dunham Sunday night with some friends at the Convo at 5pm. It was sooo funny. We had a great time! I was afraid that he wouldn't have any new material we hadn't heard since we watch him all the time, but he was full of new jokes and was hilarious!

I am feeling much better, I don't think I am back 100%, but I feel so much better than I was. Unfortunately, Jarrod hasn't been feeling as good. He is struggling with a kidney stone and there isn't much he can do besides drink lots of water and take pain killers (which isn't much help since he can't take those during the day while at work). It has been a little over a year since his last episode, and it has bothered him on and off a little over the last few months, so I hope he will get over this soon!

Here are a few pics from the weekend. . .

Kendyll & Allyson (Brandy's girls) and Stratton at the office on Friday. He is so attention deprived, can you tell?

Trying to avoid a pre-meal melt down, I put him in the toy basket. . . he LOVED it! I think I could have left him in there for awhile! I may have to move it into the kitchen! ha!

Saturday night after our long day. Can you tell Jarrod was worn out?? Stratton was sporting his cool pj's and funny matching hat.

Family Pictures

The day didn't go as I had expected (there were quite a few "inconveniences") but we got there and had a great session with Daisha, she is just so good!!

She has the preview on her website. . . www.dLifeful.com.

Hopefully, she will have them all up in a few days!!

The dreaded appointment

Just a quick update. I have an appointment with a surgeon next Thursday (March 18th). I am assuming that he will want to schedule the surgery for the following week. Which puts me having surgery right in the middle of Spring Break! I guess that might actually work to my advantage, Jarrod's mom and sister will be off that week and so will a couple of my teacher friends! I shouldn't have trouble finding a babysitter that week! 

I am actually feeling pretty good today (not great but better than I have been)! Just trying to stay away from foods I know will trigger an attack and drink lots of water. I have had too much grilled chicken in the past two weeks, I might actually be getting tired of it!!  I am soooo ready to be able to bite into a big, greasy, cheeseburger again! And have a coke!!

I would appreciate your prayers, I know it isn't a major surgery, but I am really nervous!! I guess having a baby, someone who depends on me, makes me a little more aware of the risk of complications.

Great, Gallstones.

I have been having a lot of stomach pain and cramping in the last month or so. I went to the Dr and he thought I was experiencing symptoms of IBS (mainly colon spasms). So, he put me on a pill for my acid reflux and a pill to relax the colon. It did seem to help, but the pain never went entirely away. I went back to the Dr. for a follow up a week or so later and he was concerned about my weight loss (about 6lbs in a week. . . ) and he felt like if it were IBS I should be much better after taking the meds for a full week. Then he ordered blood work and scheduled me for an ultrasound on my abdomen. I had the ultrasound this morning and it took about an hour. They told me it would be about 48 hrs before I got the results. I was worried after I got out of the ultrasound, something about the look and mood of the person doing the ultrasound made me concerned. I tried not to think about it, but it's hard waiting! Luckily I didn't have to wait long. The Dr.'s nurse called me about 12 o'clock to tell me that they did find gallstones and that they are going to schedule me an appointment to see a surgeon. Great. I am glad that they found out what is going on with me, but I am really nervous about surgery. I hate thinking about being off work and unable to take care of my baby! My great-grandmother on my mom's side, my grandmother on my mom's side, my mom and I am pretty sure my Aunt Judy have all had their gallbladders removed, so maybe it's hereditary?! I don't know, but I am glad I didn't cancel my Aflac Insurance! And I also have a substantial credit balance at NEA since I prepaid when I was pregnant and I didn't deliver at NEA. So, that will hopefully help some. I am definitely getting my money's worth out of my insurance policies this year! I have no idea when my appointment with the surgeon will be, they are supposed to call me back with that information later this afternoon. Please say a little prayer for us, it's going to be tough on Jarrod, and while I know he can handle it, I hate when I can't "pull my weight" around the house and with Stratton.

Playing outside!

It was SOOOO nice yesterday! Stratton and I ran some errands and played outside! And that comforter from college that I have almost thrown away several times came in real handy yesterday!

[he looks like a little man]

[not a fan of the hat at first]

[sweetest smile]

[is he cool or what?!]

[keeping an eye on Taki]

[what a face! He's trying to get my camera]