Big News!!!

Hey All! Ally and I have been keeping quiet about some big news...well, Ally has been keeping quiet ;)...

The picture above is from our appointment this morning with the high risk Dr. that we saw for Grayson's pregnancy...which means Allyson is just about 12 weeks along and due in November! The official date is November 9, 2011 actually. The picture above is a 3D image on the left, and a side view on the right. We had to see a genetic counselor before going in for the ultrasound which was kind of nervewracking, because she had to explain all the things that could be wrong with our baby since Allyson is at a certain age. However, once we got into the ultrasound everything came out looking glorious, so the Doc is very pleased, which makes us very happy! No issues or complications to speak of at this point so everything is good.

Below is the picture at 8 weeks when Allyson went in for her first visit.

Below is another angle from today. You can see his/her hand waving to you on the right!

Visiting the Yadrick Family

After a long couple days of driving we finally got to the Yadrick's house in Concord, CA. For those that don't know, Dave is one of my best buds and we've actually done a great job of keeping in touch since we left the Academy. Lord knows guys are terrible at keeping in touch with one another, but for a host of good reasons, Dave and I continue to be fast friends. Ally and I can't wait for Dave and Elishia to move to DC (he's being transferrred to a liaison position here) and we had so much fun hanging out with them at their house in Cali.

The Yadrick family: Dave, Elishia, Hannah, Allysa, and Charlotte...

We got there on Wednesday night in time for dinner and cocktails, so we took it easy that night (yea right). Grayson didn't let Allyson sleep well, so naps were in order on Thursday. Dave and I went over to his base so he could play in a basketball game and I was actually able to get a solid workout in while I was on vacation (first time that week if you can believe that)! Once we got home we chased the kids into the car and drove up to Mount Diablo that overlooks the whole bay area. There were some awesome rock formations that the kids (and we) had fun climbing over, and the views were incredible on a beautiful warm day.

Hannah, with the most gi-normous acorn we had ever seen...

Alyssa on the left, Hannah on the right...it is hard to keep track at first...but not after a little while with them...personality coming out their ears...Dave is in some serious trouble.

He really wanted to "be a big kid" and walk around for awhile on the rocks. First time he had ever wanted to do that, but since that occasion he wants to talk everywhere. Mr. Independent.

Then after awhile...:)

It was on Thursday that we headed into San Francisco to see the sights. First at Fisherman's Wharf, Grayson got to stare at the sea lions sun bathing in the harbor...then we went through the little mall area attached to Pier 39 and got on the Merry-Go-Round (Carousel)...then onto the Palace of Fine Arts (Presidio).

Watching the sea lions...

Alyssa making faces...

That is alcatraz behind us...

Taking a break, eating some fresh caught seafood...Grayson always wants to push his own stroller...even into traffic...

At first he was fascinated by the street performers...but then back to pushing his own stroller (into traffic)...

He always had his eye on Charlotte ;) I think he makes the biggest learning curves after hanging out with kids just older than him...

Get after that Chirro boy...

Of course you need a trolley picture if you're in SF...although not the old school trolley...

The view coming into San Francisco...

The presidio

Grayson got to experience playing in a true neighborhood for the first time, and he immediately took a liking to any toy that he could ride on. He freaked out whenever it was time to head in for a break or for the night. He definitely got his exercies on this portion of the vacation.

Charlotte...such a ham...

I think he has "the stare" patented like Zoolander's magnum...

This is me, shoulders relaxed and content after a great break from real life.... Our flights got screwed coming home, but Grayson did awesome and life was good as a result ;). He was such a trooper on the planes throughout.

From the Gahan Clan to the Yadrick Clan

We decided to take the coastal highway 101 from northern Oregon (Tillamook) to the bay area of San Francisco for a scenic drive and it was gorgeous! We stopped at an aquarium in Newport OR, Grayson got to go on a couple of choo-choo trains at a random train museum and then we stopped for a night in Gold Beach OR just above the CA border. The next day we got up and kept driving south through redwood forests and winding cliff-side roads until we got to wine country in Sonoma Valley. I neglected to think about the fact that Allyson has trouble with bridges, so the cliff-side driving (with no guard rails) for miles and miles didn't really sit well with her.

At the aquarium in Newport. Grayson loved the otters and sea lions, of course, but they didn't sit still for very long while swimming and playing so no good pics.

Sunset in Gold Beach OR. It was very cool for this former coastie to see all the stations along the coastal routes. It was also hilarious to hear Grayson yell "Ocean" every time he got a glimpse of the water (which was only 150 times over those two driving days). For some reason it kept getting funnier! :)

Of course he got to swim that night in the hotel pool, but his lips were shivering! The hotel clerk said the pool was a warm 80 degrees, but there is no way that it was 80. Maybe 75. Have to give the little guy credit, he stuck it out even though he was COLD.

Redwood forest time! It was one of the highlights of the trip for me. I could have spent weeks hiking through those forests. Just like the Oregon cliffs, my eyes screamed "sci-fi" to the unbelieving brain. The forest we stopped to walk into was outside of Humboldt Bay, CA. The highway exit sign read "To the Avenue of the Giants". I've never seen anything like it.

This one was recently felled by a lightning storm...

On to a little bit of wine tasting! Grayson was full of energy and wanted to roam around at each of the vineyards...or maybe that's the way I imagined him to be as I stalled the day away...;)