Cici's Cowgirl 3rd Birthday Bash!

Someone turned three years old this weekend...

Hint: it was this sweet girl right here

She has been REALLY into cowgirls lately, so Boo and Chris decided to have her a Cowgirl birthday party at our local park.  It was great!

All the kids got cowboy hats, bandannas and sheriff stars.

Someone thought that was awesome...


Here is the birthday girl with her mommy and daddy


Boo had burlap and haystacks...

And Cici was wearing this... how more cowgirl can you get??

Although Lainie is a pretty awesome cowgirl herself

Cowgirls (and boy) to the max...

Nick says "You think that's cowboy to the max?? Check this out..."

What?

(it will make me laugh until the end of time)... Back to the party!

There was a pinata!  Which we decided was much safer without all the spinning and eyes covered stuff...

It was a huge hit.. (get it.. hit... pinata...)

There were cupcakes

And LOTS of awesome presents

There was a photo booth Wanted Poster

Which the kids loved

How cute are they??

Brother Sister wanted poster combo

But the Adults might have enjoyed MORE

Hard to say for sure...



There was lots of laughing

and maybe a little dancing too

And at the end of all that, there was the PARK!

What could be better?



All in all, a perfect cowgirl party!
*****
Here are a few more good pictures that I want to share, but ran out of cleaver things to say about...

Chris, Nick and Andy

Cici with her Aunt Gayla and Uncle Wil

Charing and Scott

Carter and Cici

Rhi and Quinn

Henry playing with Papaw

Nanny and Papaw with their grandbabies

My big boy

Me and Boo

Andy, Nick and Henry

A little more fun with the wanted poster...

more...

Cheese!

Happy birthday, sweet Cici.  We love you!

Let's Talk About Me (and my Endometriosis)

I owe you a birthday party post, which I am working on, but it wont be ready until tomorrow... or Thursday...or sometime next year.  So for today I am going to dive into a long neglected subject around here... my endo.

What?

It HAS been neglected!  I mean, sure I talked about it non-stop for five years, but I haven't mentioned it in...(searches blog) wow, NINE MONTHS.  And apparently that post was alarmingly similar to this one I am writing RIGHT THIS SECOND.  So... here we go.

People have actually been asking how my endo is lately, and they seem very alarmed when I declare "Oh... it's sorta awful".   And then they are like "Well, I assumed it was fine since you never mention it."  Which is totally a fair assumption.  We all KNOW how vocal I usually am when something is bothering me...  but I guess this is different.  Before my endometriosis was getting in the way of getting pregnant. It was a constant battle to keep it at bay while trying for a family.  Every ache and pain felt important to the end goal of a baby.  Every way to fight it impacted our attempts to grow our family.  But that's not the case anymore. 

Now, the aches and pains really mean nothing beyond aches and pains.  I could mention them, but I guess I don't see a point in talking about something that is bothering me when there is really nothing to say or do to change it.  The only real decision left is when to have a hysterectomy.  Which... I am not sure when that will be.  Two weeks ago I was in so much pain from the endo that I threw up.  Two nights ago I seriously considered having Nick take me to the ER because I became afraid the pain was actually so bad it was my appendix bursting and I just THOUGHT it was my endo (spoiler alert, it was my endo). 

But on the other hand, a lot of times it's fine.  The IUD is doing it's job, which is dramatically shortening my cycle.  I really don't have periods anymore (Score!) and although I have a few random times a month I am M-I-S-E-R-A-B-L-E they usually last no longer than a day or two, sometimes just an hour or two.  They are spread out, and totally random and unpredictable, which is annoying, but a the same time, I don't dread a full week to ten days of my life each month.  It hits, it sucks, it's better. 

I have no issues with a hysterectomy when it comes to more babies.  I have accepted that is not happening, and truly am loving our family of three.  I feel blessed.  But I do have issues with having a hysterectomy at 33 for other reasons. I am young (in hysterectomy discussions at least) and since I believe they would need to take my lone remaining ovary, I would have to go on hormones.  That means I would be on hormones for like, FIFTY YEARS (let me believe I will at least live into my 80s). I know enough about women's health to know that is not a great thing. I could attempt to leave my on ovary, but we are still talking a major surgery.    I am working on my masters and have limited time off work, so it is REALLY not a good time to be recovering from something like that.  Plus... I don't want to.  I don't feel the struggles out way the negatives yet.  I don't know how long the scale will tip that way, but for today, it isn't worth it.

So that's where we are, and I guess that's why I don't mention it often (or at all) anymore.  That's why I am not calling the doctor to discuss my endo, having ultrasounds and shedding tears with a nurse over how much this sucks... I know it sucks.  I have my pain medication, which helps when I need it.  I know the techniques to fight it, and until I am ready to take the next step, I feel complaining is just sorta pointless. 

 Enodometriosis sucks.  I hate that I have it.  But I try to not let it take any more from me than it already does, even here on the blog. 

 

Happy 3rd Birthday, Sweet Cici

Today our sweet Cici turns three years old.  This girl... she is loving and kind, sweet and emotional, a ball of energy and sometimes a little insane. She is smart and sassy and dances constantly, her little body in love with the music.  She adores her family, especially her Henry Shayne, which is what she loves to call him. She brings so much joy to all of her families lives, we love her so.



Happy birthday to the worlds best niece.  I love you more than words can say.

 

Friday Blog Posting Pressure

I feel this pressure post something today... for no more of a reason than because I haven't posted since Tuesday, and I feel a little disconnected from this space lately.  I have no idea why.  I am busy I guess?  Work is busy, life is busy, school is busy... but that hasn't really stopped me before.  I am a little at a loss over it, but felt that if I let nearly a week pass without posting, it' could lead to a blogging slippery slope, and the next think you know a year has passed and *poof* I am gone.

(Over dramatic much?)

So really, I have nothing to say.  This post has no meaning or heart (aren't you happy you are taking the time to read it?)  We are running out the door for pizza and to help plan Cici's birthday party (which is Sunday!  And has a cowgirl theme!)  but I wanted to say hello.

So... hello.


(Here is a picture of Henry, to make stopping by worth it.)

Downtown

This weekend our friends Ryan and Arielle came into town, so we had an impromptu dinner out.  Since it was really nice out, we randomly decided to head downtown.

 
This is actually our second weekend in a row spending time in our city's downtown area, and I sorta love it...


Where else can you strip your kids half naked and send them to play in a giant door fountain?


What?  Is this not normal downtown behavior?  We thought that's how everyone acts...


Although we did at least eat before we started the water fountain shenanigans...


I mean, we do have some downtown etiquette (Cici says "We DO???")


 (we like to eat... and to wear our hoods up)


Ryan and Arielle at Triangle Park


Boo and Chris... same spot


Sometimes we take pictures like tourists in our own city...


But since we live here we reserve the right to just lay around in the grass for as long as we like


All in all, it was an excellent night.