Options

A little over 8 months ago, I sat in a doctor's office with sweat beading on my brow and upper lip awaiting the inevitable soft knock on the door followed by the entry of the doctor.   When the knock happened and the door opened in one fast motion, I sat up straight and prepared myself for the lashing to come.   I was pregnant.  I knew I was, now he probably knew I was, and he didn't want me to be.
This was the first doctor to tell me that pregnancy was just not going to be the best option for  me.  Not at that time, and maybe not ever.   He wasn't exactly friendly in the way he told me, but he was very stern in telling me to take precautions in preventing it.   I did.  I had reached the stage of resigning to not carry another child.  Heck, we were knee deep,  no make that neck deep in the adoption process.  
What I didn't expect to hear was what the doctor said to me in that visit.
"Well, this IS the reason the medical field offers us 'options'.   There are ways to fix these kind of issues and get you out of this kind of pickle."
Pickle?   Options?   Lots of token words, but later in the conversation he used stronger words that stung.   Words like "terminate".   Words like abortion.
That wasn't my favorite day.   I had two more doctors to face with the same news and I dreaded the same response.   I went to a specialist a week later completely ready to break up with yet another doctor.  I wasn't even going to let the conversation start down that same path.  I just decided to cut it off at the start and explain the "option" was not for me, give her the "it isn't you it's me" speech and break up with her.   If I had to go at this pregnancy without the field of medicine, so be it.
I gave the news to the nurse as she checked my blood pressure.  I knew she would write it on my chart, and I knew Dr. Chadha would see it before she entered my room.  Maybe this would shorten my dreaded visit.   Less talk for me.
.  
Dr. Chadha has always been a matter of fact, say it like it is kind of doctor.  I would not call her cold, but she comes from a culture that is not very touchy-feely with emotions....something she shared with me once.   She will feed you the bad news first, and then follow it with the really bad news.   Sometimes she pats my leg on her way out, but usually, she gives me a firm handshake and a paper that tells me all the things that are wrong with my body.   See you in 3 weeks.
I expected the "I told you pregnancy was not an option" speech to be much harsher than with the last doctor.
Then came the soft knock and swoop of the door.
Dr. Chadha came in the room, set down her chart, and looked straight into my eyes.   "Congratulations!", she said, as she reached out and hugged me.   I was in complete shock.
"So you are pregnant.    Let's get a game plan together on how we are going to do this."
She grabbed her chart and we jumped right in.

I tell you this background story because that day was the big turn for me in the miracle I am living.   I had not even told Doug about our baby.  I was scared, worried, upset, thrilled, and lonely in my news and Dr. Chadha not only jumped on my sinking boat that day, she paddled me to shore.
This pregnancy has been a miracle.   Each day it is more miraculous than the day before.   We are welcoming a baby boy to our family in just a few days.   A baby I dreamed about, but never thought I would meet.  

I waited a few weeks after my doctor's visits to tell Doug the news.   It was Father's Day morning.   I purposly held out so I could  tell him on this special day.   His reaction was even better than Dr. Chadha's.
 I secretly caught it on tape. 
On a side note:  I still hope to capture and burn that Vote for Pedro shirt. I've always hated that thing.



What you don't see on that video is the moments following that announcement when Doug cupped my face in his hands and reassured me that this was meant to be and EVERYTHING was going to be fine.
And I fully believed him.

There was never really any other option but to bring this little guy home to his adoring big sister and loving parents.
And that is what we will do.

Then, we will burn the Pedro shirt.

The Talk

Kaelan:   Darian, I need to talk to you about something.
Darian:  Okay.
Kaelan:   D, this is not good news.   It is something that is really, really serious and really, really might make you sad.
Darian:   Okay.
Kaelan:  I will just tell you this and it may make you sad.  It made me very sad.  
Darian:   Okay.  You can tell me.
Kaelan:   Darian.......The Beatles broke up.

(Long quiet pause.  Probably for a moment of silence.)

Darian:   Okay.   Do you like string cheese?

I think he took the news well.

Year in Review



Wow!   Another year gone.   When I look back over the pictures of 2010 and the flood of memories it brings,  it doesn't even seem possible that all that fit into one year.   We are truly blessed!

We are looking forward to all 2011 brings....especially one super sweet boy coming soon!

Happy New Year!

Go, Knights!

Now that the whole blog hacking mess is behind us, I can catch you up on some old news.....because that was the reason I was so far behind.   Really.   I was just waiting for that to be cleared up and then I could press on in my usual reliable blogging manner.   Whatever. 

Season 2 for The Knights ended last month, and though it was a tough season, Kaelan actually found a deep love for soccer.  It happened at the very END of the season, but nonetheless, she decided she actually liked it.   That may or may not have come after we told her dancing and spinning on the field were no longer acceptable.   She was playing with the big boys and girls now, and she needed to take things a little more seriously or not play.   Yes, we became competitive parents this season.   The paradigm has shifted.

 

I just loved the way the kiddos would "hug huddle" before each play.   We had to stop the hand holding on the line this season, which was actually quite sad, but it is all part of going competitive.  Sigh.

Thumbs up to each other.  So cute....we just can't drop this, or I won't be able to hack this competitive stuff.

 

We are so lucky to have Aunt Sara living here in Austin with us.   She is so awesome and supports Kaelan in so many things.  I think she is actually starting to be a "yeller" like me.   Man, we are even ruining sweet Sara.

Soccer games are all about the snacks.   I have quickly learned, when it is your week to bring snack, you better come through in a good way.  Kids will remember this kind of thing for the rest of their lives.

We ended the season with   I won't even tell you the season record.   Yep, it was that sad.

We did win a few games, though, and Kaelan did score some goals.   She also picked a lot of flowers and kicked a ton of ant hills, but we will overlook that for "edge" purposes.

We Are (not) the World

Dearest Blog Followers-
While we are aware that we have a  large friend and family base of readers for our blog stretching to all ends of the globe, I am certain that we do not have any friends or family currently located in Jakarta or Pula Poala (which I did not even know existed) or Madrid.    This leads to concern over the recent spike in hits our site has received from places all over the globe.   While we love our family and indeed enjoy bragging and sharing pictures and stories about our life, we would rather not have our photos and information fall into the hands of someone hacking into our site.   We would hate to be in Singapore someday and see our faces driving by on  the side of a bus.  Case in point.
So, if you would like to continue hanging with us, we would ask that you send us a quick email and we will get you a password.   Most of you who keep up with us have our email, but if you don't....just leave a comment and we will get it to you......unless we don't know you and you come across as crazy.  In which case you are probably just on here to steal our photos, so go away!
This blog will go under lock down in T minus 5, 4, 3, 2......more days.
Love,
The Mighty Fine McBrayer Family

Halloweek

So apparently it has been so long since I blogged that things have changed around here.   Blogger has gone all fancy and I can't figure it out.  That will explain the gaps and only centered pictures.   You will have to just bare with me.   At least I am posting....we will figure out the details down the road.

Aren't they just the cutest?   Kaelan really wanted to do whole coordinating costumes of years past, but when we looked at Daphne costumes, she claimed they looked like a Doodlebop outfit and refused to get one.   I couldn't talk her into being Velma.   What's wrong with Velma?  

After a week of pining over every costume magazine and website she could find, she came running into the room to tell me she had found IT!  

She loves Annie, and an adorable Annie she turned out to be!

What a ham!   There were so many festivities the week of Halloween

!   I have trouble remembering all the things we did.   One of the highlights was our Great Pumpkin night here in the neighborhood.  All our friends came out for a night of pumpkin games, treats and a showing of the "Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" on the outdoor screen.   Kaelan and Dad made homemade pumpkin cream pies ala our good friend, Ree's recipe!  Mmmm....they were good!

We also attended a Trunk or Treat at our friends' church, and the kids had the best time.   It was great to see that all the "old ones" immediately recognized Kaelan's costume while all the "young ins" had no clue who she was.   Am I really that old?

Hard at work on the pumpkin cream pies.

As usual, we had the tour of the 'hood with all our friends on a candy mission.   This photo only shows a few of the kids.  Sadly, I did not get a whole group shot.   We ended our rounds back at the house for play and potluck.   This is always a treat for all the kids, as Doug puts up the jumper and let's the kids work off some sugar!

Here's to a another great Halloweek, and here's to me for (finally) posting these pictures!

Tagged!

You know, you do your best to raise your kids right. Teach them the ways of the world.

Right from wrong. Honor thy mother and father. Do onto others.....

And then, you just hope....hope that some of it sticks and they don't end up on episode of Dateline.

I don't know where we have gone wrong, maybe we haven't, but our little hoodlum has gone ghetto. We came upstairs recently to find our mirrors had been tagged. Graffiti on every mirror and window she could get her hands on.

At least it was with glass crayons and not spray paint. At least it was bible thumping, Sunday school friendly material. At least she capitalized God (and spelled it right!).

No Crips or Bloods messages here. Just a message from the "BiBoL" gang.

Maybe there is a nice church camp type juvie we can look into.