My first blog

Well I didn't think I'd ever become a blogger, but after enjoying so many other blogs lately, I decided to create one myself.  I figured it would be a good way for family and friends to keep up with our family and Gavin's cleft journey.

A little background on us: Matt and I met in late 2001 at the gym.  We were immediately attracted to each other and had our first date on December 15, 2001.  We have been together ever since.  Matt proposed on our 3 year dating anniversary and we married in April 2006.  We had a beautiful fairy tale wedding.  I grow more in love with Matt every day, he is the most amazing husband.  He is truly my best friend and I look forward to our years ahead.  In March, we will welcome our first baby and begin our new lives as parents!

I am currently 27 weeks and 2 days pregnant.  We were ecstatic when we discovered at our 16 week ultrasound that we were having a boy!  We were told that we may not be able to learn the gender that early, although our baby certainly wasn't modest and had his tiny little legs wide open for all the world to see.

Four weeks later, during our 20 week ultrasound, we were told that our baby had a cleft lip.  It was still unclear as to whether he would have a cleft palate as well.  The nurse broke the news as calmly as if she was ordering a cheeseburger.  Tears filled my eyes as thoughts about the struggle my little boy would go through and how people would react filled my mind.  It was Halloween that day and I spent the evening crying on the couch. Being the great husband he is, Matt passed out candy to the trick-or-treaters outside to allow me to have some time to myself.

I spent the next few days trying to find out all I could about cleft lips.  Some stories were inspiring and some were sad.  But I think it was good for me to read all the successful post-op stories.  I have been researching and trying to gain information ever since.  I want to make sure baby Gavin gets the best treatment possible.  Reading the blogs from all the other families affected by a cleft has really helped me feel better about our own upcoming journey and has provided me with tons of great information.

My mind has been completely consumed with thoughts of baby Gavin lately.  I finished my final teaching credential course at Cal Baptist University on December 18, and was so happy to be done!  I had an incredibly hard time focusing on classwork, especially when Gavin was kicking around in my tummy!  I have been busy buying tons of clothes (Matt says Gavin has more clothes than he does!), purchasing baby furniture, and preparing our baby registries for our shower.  I can't wait to put his nursery together, but I am even more anxious for him to arrive! He is due March 27 and I looking so forward to holding him in my arms and showering him with hugs and kisses!