Ultrascreen Results and Fun Visit

I got a call from the specialist who "read"/"interpreted" my latest ultrasound measurements and we have encouraging news. My initial risk for carrying a Down Syndrome (Trisomy 21) baby was 1/56 (based on my age alone). After the measurements, that risk has dropped to 1/1300. My initial risk for carrying a Trisomy 18 baby was something like 1/200 (I can't remember) but that risk dropped to 1/10,1000. So, although that is only an indicator of risk, and not a sure thing, my odds look good. But like I said before, if God blesses us with an extra-sweet spirit that needs extra care, we can handle it.

We had a good time at Dave's High School Reunion last weekend, and hurried back to our house for a fun visit from some good friends from 10-13 years ago. Dan and Maria Townsend came to Tucson for the weekend for his Architecture Class Reunion. It was like stepping back in time to see them. Maria is as gorgeous and youthful looking as ever. We had no problem picking conversations up right where we left off 10 years ago. (Well, we have spoken on the phone a few times since then.)

So, now we just need to get together with the rest of you from that extraordinarily idyllic time of our lives! (Maybe it wasn't idyllic for you . . . but it would still be fun to see you!)

The Joys of Sinus Rinses

We took a vacation to Mexico . . . did I mention that already? I forgot our cameras, so hopefully I will get pictures from others eventually. Anyway, I caught a cold down there. Some people got a stomach bug, but that didn't hit our family til this past week. WARNING: FROM THIS POINT ON GROSS DISCUSSION OF HEALTH THAT SOME READERS MAY FIND OFFENSIVE.


Anyway, you know how you look forward to getting past 12 weeks of pregnancy because you start feeling better? Well, it is actually longer than that. And when you add in a sinus infection after a bad cold, you beging to wonder if you will ever feel better. I don't know how people survive sinus infections without being married to an Otorhinolarygologist. Talk about convenient. Except that being pregnant, I can only take Tylenol for fever/pain. I did start a course of Augmentin last night, along with picking up a few generic Lortab, but it was a bad combination. Both of them must be taken with food, which I did, but I overwhelmed my poor pregnancy sensitive stomach and added vomiting to my list of ills in the middle of the night, just as the pain (excruciating, by the way) was slightly subsiding.

Anyway, I took enough tylenol from the Lortab and other sources that I only have 1000 mg to spread out until 8:30 pm tonight. Luckily, the pain is nowhere near as severe today, although the nausea from the Augmentin is nothing to laugh at. The one bright spot is that I have finally discovered the joys of a sinus rinse. If you have never tried that, you are missing out. I don't often get sinus infections (the last time was when Ben was born and I also had pneumonia . . . what a memory) so I've never flushed my sinuses before. Now I live for it. It is so satisfying to blow your nose, think you've got it all out, then flush the sinuses, and blow out ten times more green gunk. And then you can breathe through your nose for at least 20 minutes.

So now I have 9 more days of nausea thanks to the Augmentin when I thought I only had a few days left of slight "morning sickness". Please nobody get sick for Thanksgiving or Christmas . . .

Spilling the Beans

Well, yesterday someone asked me if I was feeling okay because my tummy looked a little swollen. So, for those of you still unaware, I am expecting again. We've seen the heartbeat on ultrasound, heard it on the doppler, so an early miscarriage doesn't seem likely. I am about 12 weeks along and due May 4, I think. Pray it is a girl.

Chelsea and I were actually due just a few days apart and we were going to send out a cute announcement together, but with things happening the way they did, I'm opting for this boring, pictureless post instead.

This will be a large gap between Liam and the baby . . . nearly 4 years. I feel old. I have an "ultrascreen" scheduled for Wednesday, where they take a few measurements that can indicate Down Syndrome. It will only tell me if I am at an increased risk or lower risk than I already am by being 39 years old. If the measurements indicate an increased risk, then we decide if we do any further tests. However, after spending the week with nephew baby Isaac (Down Syndrome) I am not as nervous as I used to be about it. He is such a doll.

So. The beans are spilt.

Wicked Vacation

I guess it is about time that I post about our midwestern experience. Unfortunately, I don't have many pictures, but if you bug Jonnie enough, she might post some on her blog!

Dave had his yearly Otolaryngology Meeting in Chicago this year, so we decided to make a weekend of it and visit Chelsea and Matt, and Denney and Jonnie. We flew out Friday morning early (thanks to my mom and dad who drove down to watch/chauffer/parent our kids!) and got to Chicago about noon. We rented a car and drove up to Milwaukee. We had a blast with Chels and Matt. They recruited us to play softball on their intramural team. I struck out 5 times. I used to be a hitter! Oh well. 15 years without swinging a bat will do that to you.

We ate a traditional Friday Fish Fry, and walked around by the lake. After the game, we spent a while driving around looking for the perfect flavor of frozen custard. Then slept soundly. Saturday morning I lazily got ready for the day, to the tune of "don't you want to do your hair?" from Dave. Weird. I didn't think anything of it though. We left Chels and Matt around noon and drove to Rockton/Roscoe Ill to go to Chicago with Denney and Jonnie. They've got a great house on a huge, grassy lot. A nice change from AZ!

Dave had been telling me we would be going to a nice restaurant in Chicago, which was why he wanted me to get ready, etc. But the truth was revealed at Jonnie's that we were actually going to the musical WICKED! A little background: 4 years ago we went to the annual meeting in NYC. My sister Monica told us we should see Wicked. Dave wasn't excited by that and we went to 42nd Street instead. Which was fun, but I felt a little cheated that we didn't see Wicked, which was, in Monica's opinion (as a New Yorker) the best musical playing at the time. So for the next 4 years we endured the rising popularity of Wicked amongst our friends and relations while knowing we could have seen it on Broadway. I tried not to show irritation everytime someone asked, "Have you seen Wicked? You've got to get the CD!" etc. I decided we would never see it, just to spite all those who were in the know, tee hee. (See my I Am A Pig post.)

Anyway, I was thrilled by the surprise that I got to see Wicked in Chicago! It was really fun, and had a different ending than I was expecting. (Thanks everyone for not giving it away!) And, I did have some time beforehand at the hotel to do my hair and makeup.

On Sunday, we took a double decker bus tour, walked around Millenium Park, went into the art museum, and snacked at the top level of that really tall building that I can't remember the name of now. Not the Sears Tower, but the free one, all the while enjoying visiting with Denney and Jonnie. Tons of fun. Then on Monday, I caught the train out to O'Hare and flew home. Dave stayed until Wednesday going to his meetings.

So here are a few pictures.

I Am A Pig

I thought this was funny. It is pretty accurate. Who knew. I tried a crayon quiz, but it said I was a red crayon, which might be accurate, but this feels more like a description of me.

You Are a Pig

You are very intelligent, and you enjoy being around people. You can trust others easily. You have great reasoning skills, and you are quick learner. You are able to adapt to most situations. You tend to be very territorial and picky. You don't like people messing with your stuff. You have keen senses and reflexes. You can defend yourself well and quickly sense danger.

What Animal Are You?

Time Constraints and Conundrums

So I don't know if I've mentioned that Elaine is playing softball at the middle school. We are so proud of her for going outside her comfort zone. She gets up at 5:40 am, heads out the door at 6:20 am, and arrives home at 5:20 pm. Long days. Every so often and on Fridays she has a day off from practice and gets home a few hours earlier. She usually has an hour at least of homework.

Anyway, she has only made it to swim practice about 5 times all month, as opposed to the ideal 5 times a week. The boys have made it often enough, but now soccer has started. So, we have decided to take a break from swimming during September, and reevaluate at the end of the month. With the new September schedule, I would be driving for about 3 hours twice a week, and 2 hours thrice a week to get everywhere where they needed to be if they kept swimming. I am a little sad, since they are all really good swimmers, but Elaine may decide to pick it up again, or she may just wait til high school and swim then. In the meantime, our weekends will be a lot simpler, not to mention our weeknights!

The boys are all going through an illness. I was scheduled to give a presentation at a Buffelgrass Training Workshop this morning, so I took the youngest two to a friend's, left recouperating Jeremy at home, then drove to the training and gave my presentation to grand accolades, then got a call from the nurse that Alex needed to be picked up. So I left early (after arriving late -- I warned them beforehand) and spent another hour rounding everyone up. Now I am debating taking a nap to build up some energy reserve to avoid getting sick myself. Thank goodness I'm not driving to swim practice! Although it is the Middle School Meet the Teacher(s) Night.

Sigh. Anyway. Here are some pictures of our vacation to Sedona last month. Great Fun. I need another vacation already.

I just know you are all checking my blog everyday wondering when I will ever get around to posting. Wait no longer. Dave and Elaine got our fall birthdays off to a great start. Dave has yet to wear any of his presents, but I won't consider it a failure until next summer. Elaine got her ears pierced (thanks, Maria Elena) and looks so grown up. She gets on the bus at 6:30 am about 7 min. away from our house. It has been nice to get up early, but we are all very tired.

Last week we were eating breakfast, looking out the window and Dave says excitedly, "great horned owl!" So I grabbed the camera and carefully walked toward it. It wasn't scared of me at all until I got within about 5 feet. It was eating a lizard. It hung out in our trees all day long. Haven't seen it since. We wonder if it is the same one that hung out on our porch as a baby.

I haven't uploaded birthday photos to my computer yet, but I will post again when I do. In the meantime, let me tell you how I much I love The Children's Place Monster Sale. I got matching shirts for 17 boys, and Melissa got matching shirts for 7 girls for a fun family photo at the beach in October. The boys are a blue button down mix of madras plaid and Hawaiian print, and the girls are a mix of pink jersey knit and Hawaiian print. It's ridiculous, I know, but less expensive than t-shirts thanks to the sale!