Best Day of My Life

In my wildest dreams, did I imagine that my dreams would actually come true.
On October 4, 2013 I found out I will be a mother to a precious daughter.
I never thought I would be able to write those words.  Ever.  I was blessed with finding Dan and now with a daughter, it really has been a dream come true.
I worked that day after waking up at 5am and running errands at the crack of dawn.  I totally got myself busy with work before I left for the appointment at 2pm.  I was a nervous wreck.  I have never been that nervous in my entire life.  The tech was not very friendly to say the least.  She started going through the anatomy of the baby to make sure everything looked good.  We told her that I didn't want to know the gender but Dan was going to find out and surprise me.  She found the gender very quickly.  I was convinced the fact she found it so quickly that it was a boy.  She is developing nicely and right on track.  The tech spent a lot of time doing an internal ultrasound on me...a lot of time on my right ovary.  She asked if I had assistance with getting pregnant and kept poking and asking questions.  The doctor was reviewing the baby and me and was going to come in.  The tech really wasn't warm and friendly by any means so I was a little nervous.  When she left I told Dan I wanted to go.  When our AMAZING doctor came in, I took one look at her and KNEW everything was going to be ok.  She is the head of maternal fetal medicine at the top hospital.  She said, "your baby looks great...long legs" She took a look at Dan and said, "and I can see you are the father obviously".  She then told me about a cyst on my ovary that was pretty sizable and how she was surprised that I didn't have any pain.  They did another internal and by this point things were getting uncomfortable and annoying.  It didn't seem cause for worry but definitely needs to be monitored.  It is an endo cyst.  My mom has endo and this wasn't really that much of a surprise.  The big surprise is that she was shocked that I got pregnant so easily.  This baby really wanted to be here.  I have a follow up appointment in December to make sure it doesn't grow.  After the baby is born, I will have to get it surgically removed through laproscopic surgery which while stinks, I can get more maternity leave out of it thankfully.  If I end up with a c-section, they will do it right then and there.  The doctor had me turn away and look at the gender again.  Everything looked good and we got the appointment set up.  I left the office in tears.  No one plans for that sort of news.  Dan kept reminding me that she was healthy but I just didn't want her in an unsafe environment.  He also said that we have the baby we wanted and if we can't have anymore that is ok.  I headed to the bathroom and I remember looking in the mirror thinking that if it is a boy, then that is what God had in store for me and need to rest in that.  I didn't realize how badly I wanted a daughter until that moment.  We walked out into the parking garage and Dan tells me that he knows what it is and if I wanted to wait to get to the park or find out right then and there.
The plan was he is to give me a boy or girl gift to let me know what it was.  He said one gender didn't come in yet so he knew right away that would be the one it was!  He was right.  I said I wanted to know then.
I put my things in the car and walked over to his car and he handed me the envelope where the tech had a picture of the gender with the word on there.
I will never forget how I felt opening the envelope.
When I saw the first letter "G" I can't describe the emotion and feelings I had.
It was truly overwhelming and just full of appreciation.  I hugged Dan and cried and cried and said "I get to give you a daughter".  I was shaking and crying.
We decided to keep it to ourselves for the day/night over a wonderful dinner at our favorite restaurant in the city...Alma de Cuba.
I was still sore from all the poking around but dinner was so nice.  We used to do things like that often but since we got the house it's been few and far between.
Dan had run to his office to pick up the gift which was an American Girl doll and a Lilly Pulitzer dress.
She is already so spoiled and loved.
Telling our parents was awesome and telling our friends was awesome too!
Here is how we announced to the world about our little girl!
We love you Harper Linda!!!

http://vimeo.com/76239321

Today is The Day I've Been Waiting for All My Life

As a little girl, I always knew I was supposed to be a mom.  It was never a question.  I remember looking through the JC Penney and Sears Christmas catalogs when I was as young as 6 and not only looking at the toy section, but the baby section.  I would love seeing the new bedding and the new car seats and strollers.
After Christmas I would cut the things I liked from the baby catalog and paste on construction paper as sort of my "visualization" book.  (I was very in tune as a child...LOL)
For the past several years, I have watched as each of my best friends brought their new babies into the world and have loved each and every one of them.  I remember where I was when each one of my girlfriends announced the gender of each of their babies.  I have been in interviews, getting out of the car, on a shuttle on a way to a wedding, anxiously sitting at my desk at home waiting for the phone to ring, you name it, I remember when each of my little loves was announced to me.
Now it is my turn.
Even writing that brings tears to my eyes.
I have, by far, THE best friends in the world.  Not only is our family beside themselves with excitement and joy over this baby, but my friends are over the top excited.  I often wondered if they would be as excited I was for their babies and the answer is a resounding yes.
Not only good things come to those who wait, but the BEST things come to those who wait.
Today we find out whether I have a son or a daughter.  I honestly do not have a preference.  I am looking forward to see what God has in store for our family.  I do have a feeling about one gender but it is not a preference.
I am looking forward to hearing that we have a healthy child.  Nothing else matters to us.  My next post will be about today!  I already feel so blessed.