21 Months Old!

Yes, I realize I haven't posted on my blog since he was 4 months old and I'm feeling REALLY guilty about it.  Time to get back in the game and post some updates on this handsome little dude.

This cutie patootie is 21 months old.  People are always telling us how fast they grow up and I'm starting to believe them.  I can't believe in 3 months he will be two years old.  OMG!

I'm guessing he is around 22 lbs now, but, he hasn't been officially weighed since he was 18 months old at the doctor's office.  According to our scale he is around 22 lbs.  Such a tiny little guy still.  It probably doesn't help that he isn't a big eater.  He'll eat pretty much whatever you give him except he won't eat very much of it.  (Unless it's cheese!)  And go ahead and put your judgy pants but yes, I am still breastfeeding him at night.  We are also still co-sleeping which I really have no desire to change anytime soon.  As far as breastfeeding goes, I'm looking to have him night weaned by the time he turns two.  How I am going to do that I have no idea.  I'm sure it's going to suck and I'm still hoping and praying that he'll just wean himself before then.  I am not into the CIO (cry it out) method so we'll have to establish a plan very soon.

Let's sum up the last year.  He has most of his teeth with the exception of his upper canines and his 2 year molars.  Teething sucks.  I'll be glad to past it.  He's been such a trooper though and I've only given him Tylenol a couple of times.  He's using lots and lots of words but still doesn't talk in sentences.  He does use a few two word sentences but that's mostly limited to "let's go!"  Words he uses most frequently are:  treat, walk, stroller, bike, plane, picture, cheese, ketchup, mommy, daddy, drink, eat, milk, Bob (his daycare's dog).  He also knows how to say everyone's names now.  It's down right adorable!  At home he likes to ride his bikes, go on walks, play in his pool (or play with the hose) and help daddy with yard work.  He is also obsessed with pictures.  If he sees my phone or Brad's phone he instantly says "picture!"  He will not leave you alone until he's on your lap looking at pictures.  He loves the videos, too!  Maybe he's a little conceited?  He also loves clothes!  (Is this my child?!)  He'll be very adamant about what shirt, shorts, shoes, etc. he's wearing.  And beware, if he catches a glimpse of his Oscar T-shirt his Aunt Christa got him that will be this shirt he wears!

As he gets older I find myself saying "I love this stage the best!"  I'm always proven wrong.  Each day is better than the next.  I love watching him learn and grow.  Just last week he put a pair of his swim shorts on all by himself.  What?!  He amazes me with the things he says and does.  Oh, and his lip syncing... absolutely my favorite thing in the world besides him actually trying to sing a song.  He loves music and loves to dance.

I still can't get over the fact that I'm a mom.  This kid has completed my life.  No matter what life brings me and what things might get me down, he continues to make me forget about all that's wrong in the world.  Sam is definitely one of the sweetest boys I've ever known.  He loves giving hugs and kisses and he loves cuddling up to us at night.  How did we get so lucky?

Now, if we can get him to understand the word "NO!"

4 month checkup!

Today we had Sam's 4 month checkup. First of all, ARE YOU SERIOUS?! 4 months old? I hope to go back and update my blog very soon because there is so much that I have missed.

I picked Sam up from Becky's just after one o' clock and off to Dr. Clayton's we went. I knew he would be getting his immunizations so I was definitely not looking forward to it. (If he knew, he wouldn't have looked forward to it either!) He did really well with his shots, in fact, he screamed more after having his ears checked than he did after he had his shots.

His stats:
12 lbs. 12 oz. (Still just a tiny bub) - 5th percentile
24 inches long - 10th percentile

Of course babies can be tiny and grow up to be BIG but I'm guessing Sam will take after his dad. Not too big, not too small. I also got confirmation that he is NOT teething. Yes, I repeat, NOT teething! My first DUH mommy moment. Apparently what he has are called Bohn's Nodules. They are fluid filled cysts that lots of babies get. They don't hurt or harm him in any way. Phew. Of course my sister made the comment, "if he drools like this now, I can't imagine what it's going to be like when he is teething!"

Two days after his appointment, he decided to attempt rolling from his back to his stomach as well. He was close enough. Only one had was stuck but he was definitely on his stomach! He's been rolling from stomach to back for a few weeks now. He loves talking and over the past two weeks has been starting to reach and grab for things. He has some serious attitude if he isn't able to get something he wants. I like to call it his "Bradittude".

He is still in size 2 diapers but I think I purchased a box too many of these. I think it's only a matter of time before he'll need size 3's. I also think I'll end up giving him cereal (or oatmeal) earlier than 6 months as well. He already seems like he wants to eat everything we are eating. We've been pretty fortunate with his health. He's had one small cold that only lasted a couple of days. His constipation issues cleared up but I think it might be rearing it's ugly face again as it's been 3 days since his last bowel movement. Dang.

I will add another post later but Sam was also blessed yesterday. Just a reminder of how special and how important he is to us. Everyday I am more in love with this little boy. I love watching him grow, I love watching his personality change, I love how he knows that I'm his mommy, I love how he knows who is daddy is... I LOVE HIM!

Levi "Samuel" Hall - 10/28/2011

Forgive me for not updating sooner but for some reason my computer at home won't let me log into my blog. So, I will attempt to try this from my phone. I will add pictures soon!

It all started Wednesday, October 26th. On my way to work I was talking to my sister on the phone. I was explaining to her I was having some cramping but that I didn't think it was contractions or anything. About an hour later, I realized, holy cow, these cramps are coming and going. I started timing them around 10:00 am. Much to my surprise, they were all about 6-7 minutes apart. I was in labor, yeah!! I called Brad to let him know but told him not to freak out and that he didn't need to leave work. It was early and with my 1st baby, I didn't anticipate anything happening too fast. On the contrary however, I didn't anticipate being in labor for 49 hours either.

Fast forward to around 4:00. After getting lunch, stopping at Corina's work, waiting for Brad to get off work and rounding up Becky, we made it to the hospital. They hooked me up to the monitors and checked my cervix. I was still at 2 cm. They monitored me for an hour but since my cervix hadn't changed, they sent me home. They offered me morphine but I declined. I didn't want the baby to have exposure to that. We went home, Brad went and got me a McRib and we settled in for the night. Somewhere around 11:00 pm I couldn't take the pain anymore. I told Brad we were going back to L&D. Whether to have a baby or get morphine, I couldn't take it anymore.

L&D take two: Same routine. Monitored for an hour. My cervix barely changed to 2 1/2 cm. Dr. Young was the on call doctor. He decided he would start me on pitocin and get things rolling. Brad even ran back home to let dog inside. They started my IV and I filled out all the paperwork. About 30 minutes later, the nurse came in and told me Dr. Young changed his mind and decided to send me home. Because he wasn't my OB, he didn't want to risk a C-secgion. I was upset. As much as I wanted to meet my baby, I mostly just wanted relief from the pain. I should mention I had back labor only. No stomach contractions, no stomach getting hard through each contraction, 100% in my back. At this point I couldn't refuse the morphine. We went back home and I actually got a little sleep. The morphine was helping.

L&D take three: The morphine lasted about 4 hours. After that, contractions were back full force. I didn't want to go back to L&D yet for fear they would send me home again. I waited until contractions were a little closer together and a little stronger. By 2:00 pm, I was ready to try this again. Again, monitored for an hour. No change in my cervix. Are you freaking kidding me? This time it was my OB on call, it was my OB I told the nurse to explain to how much pain I was in, it was my OB that once again, sent me home. I was defeated. I got another shot of morphine and headed back home. I couldn't believe they would make someone deal with this much pain. On our way out, my nurse, Rebecca, stopped us. She basically told us if we were back in the morning by her next shift, she would lie to the OB on call so they would get things moving. Even she could tell how miserable I was. She knew it wouldn't be long before I was back.

I knew something was different on the way home. The morphine wasn't working. It was going to be a long night! Let me just say, my husband is the greatest. He was up with me most the night, timing my contractions while I cried through each and every one. At about 4:00 am he got up, I took bath #50 (not really but within the last two days I felt like I lived in the tub.) We were both trying to decided if he should go to work. At first, I told him to go. About ten minutes later Brad was timing my contractions again and realized they were much closer together. About 2-3 minutes apart. I couldn't do it anymore. I told Brad, we are going back, and we are not leaving without our baby! My dear husband got me out of the tub, dressed me in his sweats attire and we were off. I was in the car waiting for him and I looked at the clock. It was 4:44 am. Even through another terrible contraction, balling my eyes out, I said "hi, Mom!" I knew it was time. Mom was letting me know she was there and it was time. I felt calmer, I knew I wasn't going home this time.

L&D take four... and final: We arrived shortly after 5:00 am. Luckily, my nurse from the night before arrived shortly after. Come to find out she usually just supervises the nurses and doesn't take just specific patients. Apparently she found out we were back and told one nurse, "this one's mine!" When she checked me I was finally at a 3. Or so she tells the OB on call. Finally, they admit me, start my IV, start my paperwork AGAIN and order my epidural and pitocin. I had my epidural just before 7:00 am. Best thing ever!!!! Apparently I was GBS positive so they had to start a bag of antibiotics. Here's the kicker. She checked me before starting pitocin and I was already at 5 cm. My body didn't need pitocin, my body needed to relax and the epidural did just that. Within a couple of hours I cruised from a 5 to a 10. I started to feel pressure and it was time to push! They had to squeeze the bag of antibiotics as fast as they could because the baby needed it in my system before delivery. Apparently they didn't expect a first timer to dilate that quick. What they forgot was this baby was planning his decent for 49 hours! Ready or not, he was coming. Here's where I finally had some luck. The doctor told me to push. I started to let out a big push. He stops me mid push. They tell me to wait for another contraction and push. I do so. On my third, yes, third push, he was out! My beautiful boy was finally here! I immediately noticed his hair line. Funny first impression but it was obvious, he has his daddy's hair line. Evetyone started guessing weight. Everyone was wrong, he was tiny! He weighed exactly 6 lbs. I couldn't believe I had such a small baby! He was 19 inches long. My tall skinny boy, in all his fabulousness was here. Unfortunately, his blood sugar was low so I only got to hold him about 60 seconds before they took him away. While I was being sewn up from a small tear, Brad went to the nursery to see him. I think he and a couple others kept coming back telling me little details about him. "He has birth marks on his face." "He has webbed toes." I was glad that I was able to get a report on my sweet baby boy!

Once I was done in the delivery room, they wheeled me over to the nursery so I could see Sam before going to my recovery room. First thing they asked me is what kind of formula I wanted them to feed him. FORMULA? What? I guess from his low blood sugar they had to give him formula. That sucked but I was just glad to see him and hold his little foot for a few minutes.

Close to 4 hours later, they finally brought him to my room. I still couldn't believe (heck, I still can't believe) that he was mine. We created this beautiful thing! I was able to breast feed him right away and he latched fairly well, thank goodness. I think being in the hospital everything was still such a blur. I don't think reality actually sets in until you get home. The first night we had them keep Sam in the nursery so we could get some sleep. After my labor, I needed it! The second night we kept him in our room and took turns staying up with him, feeding him, changing him, etc. Brad was a champ and I was very glad he was there with me. Otherwise, I wouldn't have gotten much sleep at all.

I was terrified about the recovery after having a baby. In fact, this was my biggest fear. I got myself all worked up over nothing. I feel very fortunate that my recovery has been easy peasy. My tear healed quickly and I felt great. Compared to the last few months of pregnancy, I felt like a new woman!!

We were able to bring Sam home on Sunday morning. I was so excited to be going home! We stepped in our door, and our new adventure began. To be continued...

Donezo!

Yes, the title says it all, I am DONEZO! Women are not joking when they say the last few weeks are terrible. I need to keep reminding myself that my due date isn't until October 29th. Technically, that's not even correct. Since we did artificial insemination I know my due date isn't actually until November 2nd. My OB just goes off my last period and also how I measured early on. So, here I sit, like a ticking time bomb, waiting to explode. And believe me, I'm ready!

My last appointment was on Monday. I'm now dialated to 2cm. Whoooooptie freakin' do! Yes, I should be happy there is progress but progress isn't a baby in my arms, which I desperately long for. My OB "sort of" set my induction date as well. Induction on the 1st or 2nd depending on his schedule. Do I want to be induced? No. Will I? You bet your ass!

Update # 5... and maybe last?

How far along: 37 weeks + 4 days

Weight Gain/Loss: +11 lbs ... PHEW!

My belly: Round and tight. I also FINALLY took out my belly button ring last night. I probably should have done it months ago but I loved my belly ring. Now my belly button looks sort of funny. I still have an inny but where I had my belly ring it is swollen so it still looks like an outie.

Maternity Clothes: I can't wait to be back in regular clothing. I didn't buy a whole lot to begin with so my options are pretty slim pickens. I'm ready for a new variety. I ended up returning my maternity work pants (tags still on) because I'm pretty sure I don't need them. If need be, a pair of sweat pants and a sweater will suit me just fine at work.

Stretch Marks: Approaching the last "stretch" of my pregnancy (no pun intended) I'm hoping I've seen the worst but am still not counting anything out. I think I've been fairly lucky with them and even more lucky that I only got them on my stomach. Considering I had some there already, what's a few more, right?!

Sleep: What's that? No, really. I get some, but not a lot. I can't fathom getting less sleep when he's actually here. I have it in my head that nothing can be worse than what it is now. All I can think about is how nice it's going to be (after my delivery wounds heal) to sleep without a big child in my stomach. Don't get me wrong, he doesn't kick me at night. It's just the big belly, aching crotch and frequent potty trips that are a little overwhelming.

Movement: I've heard that towards the end babies might not move as much because they are running out of room. I haven't really experienced this. He still moves quite a bit and I love it because I love feeling my tummy with him rolling around on the inside. I don't think he's ever really been a big mover so I enjoy every moment of it. I think he might be moving down a little too because I haven't felt him as much in my ribs. Thank you, sweet child.

Food Cravings: I'm so boring. I still haven't had many cravings.

Food Aversions: They come and go. My appetite in general comes and goes.

Morning sickness: The feeling of being nauseated comes and goes. The last few weeks I've felt pretty good but I've had a couple of evenings where I've just gone straight to bed.

What I miss: My ankles, being able to see while shaving, sleeping, walking around without being in pain, tennis shoes, my belly button ring (yes, I know, it's been all of 18 hours without it.)

Best moment this week: Feeling like we pretty much have everything accomplished in order to bring this baby boy home. My hospital bag is packed, baby's bag is packed... tick tock, tick tock.

Another fun moment was a few weeks ago. We were in Las Vegas at a roulette table. Granted, Brad has got to feel "little" movements here and there but while at the roulette table, he was able to feel him let out a big kick. I think because my stomach kept pushing against the roulette table, baby boy was not very happy. I haven't ever felt him move like that before. I was so glad that Brad was able to feel him.

My next appointment is on Monday. I'm hoping for a little more change. At my appointment this week I was still dialated at 1 cm. His head is still down but not much change from the appointment before that. Not sure why, other than I feel like his head is ready to pop out, but I have a feeling he will come before his due date. Maybe it's just a mixture between the want for him to be here, the desire to not be pregnant anymore and just the pure anticipation of it all but I believe he will be here early. We cannot wait to meet our baby boy!!

1 cm, head down and GUM!

Oddly, I was excited to have my OB appointment yesterday because I knew I would be "checked". Ouchie! Why was I excited for that? I was glad to hear I was at 1 cm and his head is down and engaged even though I know it can stay like that for a LONG time but I'm also in a bit of a predicament. As excited as I am to have this sweet child removed from my broken body I really need him to stay put for at least 3 more weeks. For his sake but also because we'll need to make another trip to Las Vegas within the next week and a half. Am I looking forward to another long car ride, defintiely not. But, I want to be there for my husband and I feel it's much more important that we are together in case I go into labor, even if we are in another state. There are plenty of hospitals between here and there.

So, this morning I'm trying to be a little pro-active. I decide I'm going to wash the baby's bedding (comforter, sheets, crib mattress, pillow case, etc.) Brad was able to pick up the changing table yesterday so I figured we could finish up his room by doing so. Before I head out for work, I remove the bedding from the washer to hang dry. Mmmmm, they smell so good! As I'm laying out the mattress pad I notice a large green spot. OMG!!! No!!!!!!! My darling husband (whom I've had to repeat to myself over and over again today how much I love him) had watched an entire pack of gum the night before. As I remove other pieces to hang them up as well, I noticed it's all over everything. I don't know how I didn't break out into a sobbing nightmare. I re-washed them again before I left for work and was able to get a little more out. Thank goodness. My poor child is going to wake up with gum in his hair and it's not even going to be his fault. Lol. It's not everyday you hear of a woman who calls her husband and begs him to STOP doing laundry.

I still can't believe we'll be bringing home our sweet baby within the next month. I think I still won't completely believe it until he's in our arms. This explains why I'm still such a procrastinator when it comes to preparing for his arrival. We need to get our butts in gear!

Strong in our own ways

It has been a long two days. And not even necessarily for me, but for Brad. Sure, 900 miles of driving within 24 hours does not sound like something every 8 month pregnant woman would like to do, but it was nothing in comparison to seeing my husband and his sister (and other family) lose their grandfather. I sacrificed nothing, they sacrificed everything.

It's been no surprise that Brad's grandpa hasn't been doing great this past year. I remember Brad getting a call over a year ago that his grandpa wasn't doing well. It hit Brad hard then. I knew when grandpa was gone, it wasn't going to be easy for him. I had only just met Brad when his grandmother had passed, but I've seen his struggles over this for the past 6 years. Losing his grandpa wasn't going to be any easier.

We were able to see his grandpa about a month ago when we drove to Price. It was a quick trip for lunch but it was a good time full of laughs and reminiscing. I love hearing stories about how big of a "grandma's" boy Brad was. We said goodbye knowing grandpa was returning to Pahrump and going to start another round of chemo. On our drive home from Price we even talked about going to Pahrump for Thanksgiving or Christmas so grandpa could meet his new great grand baby. I think I've just seen him fight for so long that I didn't even consider the fact that he might not be here for these holidays. I do remember thinking however that grandpa was probably thrilled to see Brad. It had been 5 years since they saw each other last.

The last few weeks I would tell Brad about updates his Aunt Ervonne would post on Facebook about how grandpa was doing. Things seemed to be going farely well but then an update came through that grandpa was done fighting. He was set up in a hospice facility where they could manage his pain and fulfill his wishes. Christa left to be with him earlier in the week. What a strong indivudual she is. It wasn't until Friday that we had decided we would leave Saturday afternoon and drive to Las Vegas so Brad could say goodbye to his grandpa. I really wanted Brad to be able to see his grandfather one last time but I also knew how much his sister needed him to be there. I think they needed each other.

Brad did get to say goodbye. I believe in his way, the way he wanted it to be. I think some people might find it devastating that Brad's grandpa took his last breath 10 minutes before we arrived at the hospice center. I know better, I think Brad knows better. Brad is one of the strongest people I know but I also know where his limits fall. Being in the room with his grandpa as he passed was not something he wanted. He wanted to say goodbye, and he was able to do so. He wanted to be there to support his sister, and he did so. I know he realizes how happy his grandpa is now. In his perfect body, with the love of his life. I think this is what brings him to tears.

I know it will take time to heal. I hope I can help. His memory will live on and on and I have enjoyed hearing stories from Brad and his family. It's very obvious how close Brad and Christa were to their grandparents and I believe their grandparents are part of the reason Brad and Christa also share that same closeness. They were all lucky to have each other.

7+1/2 more weeks to go!! OMG!!

So, I'll start by saying I did try to update my blog a few weeks ago and somehow between switching in between two gmail accounts, I lost my post. Normally, I wouldn't care, but because I had typed the whole thing with one hand, I was pretty ticked off and unwilling to start over. But here I am. I'll start with the hand. A month ago I was walking my fed ex packages to the drop box and ended up tripping on a curb and landing on my hand. Luckily it wasn't broken but I sprained it good. So good in fact that 5 weeks later, I can still barely straighten my ring and pinky finger. I also somehow managed to land on numerous parts of my body (knees, shoulder) but those are mostly healed now.

My foot actually looks pretty good in this picture but after a few days it BLEW up. Between pregnancy swelling and injury swelling, it looked disgusting!! I'm now concentrating very hard on picking my feet up when I walk.

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Update # 4

How far along: 32 weeks

Weight Gain/Loss: + 10 lbs. I think I will make my goal of staying around +20 lbs.

My belly: I'm constantly running into things or shutting doors on my stomach. Sometimes I forget it's there (or maybe just forget how big it is). My belly button is still an "inny". I sometimes think it's going to pop out at any moment but nothing yet. I guess I'm just not done yet.

Maternity Clothes: I finally bought some work slacks, which I have yet to wear. In fact, I need to return them because they are too big and too long. Yes, at almost 33 weeks I'm still wearing my regular work pants. I'm positive though once he starts dropping, this won't be an option.

Stretch Marks: I hate you. (But I am glad you'll change from red to white!)

Sleep: Sucks. (Can you tell I'm getting closer to delivery?) I'm up all the time going to the bathroom. I'm going to the bathroom five minutes after I just went to the bathroom. I'm also having some crazy dreams that have been interrupting my sleep as well. I can't win.

Movement: He moves around like crazy. He also has hiccups quite a bit. He moves a lot during the day but his preferred time to do somersaults is at bed time. Luckily though, he seems to fall asleep when I do. Hopefully this pattern continues after he's born. The past week he's also found his way to my right rib cage. I think he uses it as his foot stool on a regular basis.

Food Cravings: The past month I've been eating a lot of lunchables, for breakfast. Other than that, I still can't pin point anything that has been a must have.

Food Aversions: None, really. Oddly though, I've eaten Mexican food twice in the past week. No rice or beans of course but hey, I'm trying.

Morning sickness: Is returning. Not horribly but the past few days I haven't been feeling wonderful. Hopefully it is just a pregnancy thing and that I'm not coming down with anything.

What I miss: Sleep. I also miss being able to walk around the grocery for more than 5 minutes before feeling like my lower region is going to explode, or fall out. I miss when shaving and painting my toe nails wasn't an exhausting and complicated task.

Best moment this week: We went to the zoo with my sister on Sunday. You'd think walking around for 3 hours would totally suck, and it would. Which is why my dear husband and my sweet sister pushed me around in a wheel chair. I don't know who was more embarassed. There was also a light bulb moment when Brad realized it'll be years before he goes to the zoo again without having to push someone around.

Another wonderful moment was my OB appointment. It's always great to hear his little heart beat. Dr. Baxter also checked to see if he was head down. He said that he was but then again, my sister said he was wrong once while checking her. I can hope. I can also hope and pray that he'll continue to be head down. A c-section doesn't scare me but considering this could be my only child, I'd love to experience a "normal" delivery.

On Tuesday we'll have our last ultrasound. I am so beyond excited to see him again. After that, it'll hopefully only be 7 or so weeks before we get to meet him in person. I'm so nervous, happy, scared, excited... it's just surreal. I love him so much already I cannot imagine how badly I'm going to want to smother him when he gets here.

Update! 27 weeks!

I had another OB appointment yesterday so I figured it was time for another update. Everything went great at the appointment. Just your usual pee in a cup, check for heartbeat and measurements. Quick and easy. I did have a few questions at this appointment for Dr. Baxter. First of all, my feet have been swelling quite a bit over the past few weeks. From what I read online, it's pretty normal, especially in the summer. Basically he said if they get too bad, to come in and have my blood pressure checked at the very minimum. He didn't seem concerned. Next, I asked him about my placenta. Oddly, when I had my last ultrasound, I specifically asked the ultrasound tech if the placenta looked ok. She said everything was fine so I didn't question anything else. Come to find out, by viewing my ultrasound report online, I have an anterior placenta. Now, I know lots of women have anterior placenta's but it still would have been nice to know. I just wanted some reassurance from Dr. Baxter that the location of the placenta wasn't anywhere that might interfere with having a vaginal birth. Again, he was not concerned. Phew!

The nursery is getting pretty close to being done. I would still like to get a changing table/dresser combo but other than a few minor details, his bedroom is done. After painting the nursery Brad moved onto painting the living room and the hallway. He did a great job and I can finally look at my walls without wanting to GAG. Whoever painted last painted white over off-white but didn't do a very good job. On top of that, they left the ceiling off-white. Who does that?! Poor Brad has had a gut full of painting but I know he's anxious to finish up. When I came home yesterday there was blue tape all over the bathroom (including blue tape on the mirror that spelled out "I love u!"). I guess he's planning on the bathroom next. I think he's the one doing all the nesting, not me! It will be nice to have a freshly painted house to bring this baby boy home too.
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How far along: 27 weeks

Weight Gain/Loss: +8 lbs (can I say I'm pretty proud of myself?!)

My belly: sticks out more and more every week. My belly button is on it's way out. I'm still stubborn though and haven't taken my belly button ring out. I'm going to end up with a stretch mark there anyway so.... oh well.

Maternity Clothes: I think I have pretty much everything I'll need with the exception of black work slacks. I'm still able to fit in my regular ones for the most part but I'm not sure how long that will last.

Stretch Marks: Still can't complain, nothing to drastic.

Sleep: Some nights are better than others. I still wake up a TON to use the bathroom. For the most part though I fall right back to sleep.

Movement: He moves a lot! He's also pretty consistent about when he moves around more. After lunch, I usually feel him most. When I go to bed, he also thinks is a great time to be up and moving around. Two days ago when I was laying in the bathtub, it looked like he had a big giant hiccup because my whole stomach jolted. It was amazing! I love this kid!

Food Cravings: Nothing really comes to mind. I like to eat ice cream but I think I've always liked ice cream. Sadly, most of my cravings are CARBONATION, CARBONATION and more CARBONATION!

Food Aversions: Currently, I do not like Arby's, Wendy's or McDonald's. This could likely change by tomorrow.

Morning sickness: I never thought I'd say this but I think it's mostly gone. I truly thought it would never go away. Ironic how everyone tells me the 2nd trimester is the easiest. For me, I think I'll be liking the 3rd trimester best. (The beginning of it anyway!)

Gender: If it changes at this point, that would SUCK! He is still a boy. Let's talk about names instead. We have pretty much decided on either Levi Samuel or Samuel Levi. We'll have to wait and see when he's here so we can "put a name with a face." Lol.

What I miss: Sleeping on my back. Which I never really did before so I can't say I miss it, just that I really want to do it. I miss being able to walk around for more than 10 minutes without my tail bone and my pelvic bone KILLING me. I really hope this goes back to normal afer I give birth!

Best moment this week: I'd have to say the bathtub "hiccup" was pretty awesome. I think there was also another time earlier in the week that he had hiccups. Any time I get to feel him is a moment of joy. Ever since I've been able to feel him move, I feel a lot more reassured. I can't wait until the moment Brad will be able to see him and feel him move. He is already so attached to this baby. Everyday he is hugging on and rubbing my belly. If it's any indication, I think Brad and baby boy are going to be inseparable.

As of today, 3 more months exactly! HOLY CRAP!

Moving right along

In my head I'm thinking, "Seriously, I'm only 24 weeks pregnant!" In reality I'm thinking, "Holy Crap! I'm already 24 weeks along, we need to get moving!" So, thanks to my very determined and very excited husband, that's exactly what's happening. The nursery is almost done. I still need a dresser, changing table, curtains, and my wall decals but that all seems pretty easy compared to cleaning out the room and painting the room (a big thank you to Brad's brother for helping!) and getting the crib set up.

Brad hard at work! He's so excited!!

I kept going back and forth on ideas I had for the nursery. Originally, I wanted to do black and white with an offset color. I'm probably a little too picky but all of the black and white bedding was definitely not what I was looking for. It took me forever to decide but I finally decided on a hippo theme. This wasn't the easiest process either because hippo's aren't exactly the #1 theme out there right now. Needless to say, his room will be very simple.

The hippo bedding

Some cute wall decals I found.

Don't worry, they aren't pink!

Brad's masterpiece he put together last night

It seems like almost everyone I know who has put a crib together has complained about it so I figured it wasn't going to be an easy process. Before Brad started I warned him that it might not be that easy to put together. Jokingly he says, "yeah, yeah...I'll be out in about 10 minutes." I just giggled. Well, much to my surprise, not much longer than 15-20 minutes later he was back out in the living room appearing to be done. What? I wanted to take some pictures. Oh well. I was able to take the picture above. Did I mention I love my crib?! Thank goodness Brad's mom and dad were very patient with me. We went to 4 stores. Sure, they had white cribs but they didn't have MY white crib. Burlington seems to keep having everything I want.

On our Saturday adventure we also picked out his car seat and stroller. This little guy is going to be spoiled! And in the process, we have been getting spoiled too. Brad's mom and dad have done more than I ever imagined. They would give this little boy the world if they could. Between my family and Brad's family, this very long anticipated sweet baby will have more love than he knows what to do with. We are so lucky!

Still can't believe he'll be here in 3 1/2 months. It is a great feeling to start feeling like we are getting more prepared for him.

21 Weeks - Update #2

How far along: 21 weeks

Weight Gain/Loss: +4 lbs

My belly: Has grown. I think I'm definitely starting to look pregnant and not just fat.

Maternity Clothes: I finally broke down and went shopping with my sister last week for maternity clothes. I totally scored at Burlington. Then, Brad's mom got me a ton of cute new shirts for my birthday and my sister got me some cute jeans from Old Navy. Again, I scored. I can't believe how much more comfortable I am. I think the baby likes having a little more room too!

Stretch Marks: Again, no new ones. I am however seeing old one's get bigger. Ahhhh!

Sleep: Is getting more difficult. I keep finding I wake up on my back, which you're not supposed to do. Some nights are better than others. Last night, I think I woke up at least 10 times to use the bathroom. I probably shouldn't have had 2 Dr. Pepper's at dinner and some water before I went to bed.

Movement: YES! Finally! I was starting to get worried there for a little bit. I hadn't felt anything until right around 20 weeks. Even then, I couldn't get myself to believe it was the baby. My sister reassured me that if I didn't know what it was, it was probably the baby. Now that I know what it is, I feel him all the time.

Food Cravings: Unfortunately, nothing has changed here. The thought of food or deciding on what to eat is disgusting. I still love spaghettio's and meatballs so I guess that's a bonus!

Food Aversions: Food, in general, is not my friend. Mcdonald's cheeseburgers are especially nasty. To think I used to love them, how sad.

Morning sickness: It's getting better. Wait! No it's not. Yes it is. Oh, it's back. Gone again? Let's be honest, it can't decide. Some days are better than others but it's still there when it wants to be. The only good part, it's the kind that doesn't make you throw up. That hasn't happened yet. Thank goodness!

Gender: Re-verified yesterday and no, he did not grow a vagina in the last 4 weeks.

What I miss: I miss feeling "normal". I can't believe what pregnancy does to you. My pelvic bone has been hurting for 2 weeks now. My tail bone, at least 2 months. I miss getting into Brad's truck without feeling like I weigh 400 lbs.

Best moment this week: We had our anatomy scan yesterday. I love seeing him. The anatomy scan went very well and we were told he is a healthy and VERY active baby. The nurse pretty much told us, "you should be warned now!" She could barely get any good pictures because he would not stay still. I guess the red bull I drank at our gender scan didn't really make a difference. He's a squirmer regardless. Other than that, feeling him move is amazing! I can't get enough of it. (Yes, I realize I might not be saying that for long!)

17 weeks (almost) UPDATE #1

So, I love that a few of my friends posted pregnancy updates on their blogs so I'm copying their idea!

How far along: 16 weeks 5 days

Weight Gain/Loss: +2 lbs

My belly: Sometimes I feel like I look pregnant. Other times I just see my regular fluffy tummy. Brad says he can see a difference. I think he's just being nice.

Maternity Clothes: Fortunately, I still fit in my regular clothes. I know eventually I will need to buy something but for now, I'm safe. My friend did bring me a giant bag of cute maternity clothes which I'll definitely be taking of advantage of.

Stretch Marks: I think this option is put on updates for those who don't get them or don't already have them. Let's just say, I don't have any new ones...yet.

Sleep: I get plenty of sleep. I'm waking up on average of 4-5 times a night to use the bathroom but since my bedtime is pretty early, I still get my 8 hours.

Movement: Nothing yet, but I can't wait!

Food Cravings: I wish. The only craving I've really had so far is otter pops.

Food Aversions: This could take awhile. I'll just say this: 99% of the time, nothing sounds good. Deciding on what to eat is annoying. To ask me what sounds good, is almost silly. It's far easier for me to tell people what doesn't sound good. Most the time something sounds good, it's usually something I shouldn't be eating like hotdogs, deli meat and icecream.

Morning sickness: Still there. Not nearly as bad as it used to be but I have a feeling this is just the way it is. Since I'm already 3 weeks into my 2nd trimester and not much has really changed, I'm guessing I'll be one of the unlucky women who deal with the yuckiness throughout their pregnancy. I can deal.

Gender: As my previous post shows, HE is all BOY!

What I miss: My tailbone not hurting. A glass of wine would be nice. Having a day where I feel great and actually craving something that just sounds really, really good would be heaven.

Best moment this week: It was last week but seeing our baby on the ultrasound was the bestest thing ever!

Oh, boy!

Motherly instincts are not always right. We are having a BOY! Last Thursday, May 19th we had our elective gender scan at the mall. It was wonderful. My sisters Corina and Becky along with Brad's mom and dad all joined us for this very surreal event. The room was set up almost like a movie theater with a seat for the daddy front row. I think it worked out great for Brad to be up front by himself because he told me he teared up a little. (I figured he might!)

Originally I was so excited to know what we were having but I think it turned into more of a "I hope my baby is ok." When the ultrasound tech put the wand on my belly, I instantly saw his little head and body and could see he had grown drastically since the last time I saw him so I was already very relieved. I figured since we only paid for the gender scan they would pretty much go directly for the potty shot, tell us the news, and call it a night. Fortunately, this tech was wonderful and went over every important organ. We saw his tiny brain, his heart beating away (which we all got to hear as well) and his bladder.

Then it was time for the moment of truth - "do you want to know the sex of the baby?" WELL, YES! As his boy parts quickly pranced across the screen, I saw it. I was having a boy. Yep, he's ALL BOY! I think more people anticipated me wanting a girl but from the beginning, I knew I would be happy with whatever I got. Years ago, I always wanted a boy first because I heard they were easier to raise and because I wanted my other children to have a big brother. Now, considering this could very well be our one and only we are happy to just be pregnant again! Now Brad can't stop saying "A BOY!" Randomly throughout that night and these past few days be it in person or a random text, I continue to hear "A BOY!" It's so fun knowing we'll be raising this little man!

On Friday I brought some copies of the ultrasound photos to Brad's mom. Lo and behold I leave with 5 outfits in my hands. Nana and Papa are already very much in love with this little boy too.
I have a feeling between Brad's family and my family, this child may be spoiled rotten! Brad's sister Christa thinks he has Brad's chin. It's fun to picture what he may look like. I think either way, he will be lucky if he has much of a chin at all. I have a tiny chin and Brad has a tiny chin. Though, Brad has a very distinct "butt chin." Will he have my chubby cheeks? Long feet and toes like daddy? I cannot wait to meet him!

164

164 - That's how many beats per minute this little one's heart was racing today. What a relief! I always seem to get more nervous and more panicky the closer I get to my doctor appointments. Even walking in the doors I had my fingers crossed and whispering in my head "Please Heavenly Father, let things be ok!"

I was a little worried at first because it did take Dr. Baxter a couple of minutes to find the heartbeat. It felt more like 10 minutes and it probably only took more like 60 seconds, but, once he found it, I had my high. Yes, my name is Tiffany and I'm an addict... I'm addicted to my child's heartbeat.

So, today I am 12 weeks and 5 days pregnant. On Wednesday, I'll officially be entering my
2nd trimester. Amazing! I still can't say I really "feel" pregnant other than the nastiness of the morning sickness that still occasionally haunts me. My clothes still fit me but I can tell they are starting to get a little more snug but luckily at my appointment today, I hadn't gained any weight. I have a goal set for myself. Will I stop eating to meet my goal? Heavens no! But with excercise and watching what I eat, I hope I will be able to stick to my goal.

I will try and have Brad snap a photo later but one very strange thing that has only gotten worse over the past few weeks is I have these tiny red dots all over my back. I've always had them growing up on my arms and legs and have been told it's some sort of vitamin deficiency. Throughout my pregnancy, they have appeared on my back in mass amounts. I can only chalk this down to our little one snatching even more of my vitamins to nourish his/her little body. I'm going to get some lotion and hopefully it will disappear. If not, I'll probably end up going to a dermatologist. It's not very appealing.

In about 3 1/2 weeks, we'll be going for our early gender scan. I am so freakin' excited! I can't wait to be able to make a purchase, that's PINK or BLUE. Something gender specific.

Is it October yet? (Ok, so that might be a little soon but 6 months seems so far away!)

10 weeks!

First of all, let me apologize for the terrible picture. I don't have a scanner so all of the pictures are pictures I'm taking with my camera phone. I couldn't seem to get a good one. On 4/5 I had my final appointment with my RE. I had thought about cancelling since I'd already seen my OB and everything was going fine but with the chance to see the baby again, I couldn't refuse. I went to this appointment feeling nervous as usual but not as nervous as I've been in the past. My morning sickness over the past 3 weeks has been pretty terrible and unfortunately it's not been so much in the morning but usually around 11am and lasting the better part of the day. So with having quite a few pregnancy symptoms still, my nerves are handling things a lot better.

The second my doctor had the baby on the screen I could immediately see the heartbeat again. What an amazing thing. I measured right on track and as you can see, our baby has hands and feet now. My doctor wanted me to be able to see the baby move around so he and the nurse kept pushing all around my stomach trying to wake it up. ("It" sounds kind of funny, huh?!) I told Brad this is definitely our baby because it didn't want to wake up. Finally after a few minutes I got to see it wiggle around and I swear it gave out a good stretch... and then immediately fell back asleep. I couldn't help but get a little teary eyed. It was so amazing!

The past few days I have been feeling a little better so I'm hoping this nausea is on its way out the door. At this point, I wonder if I'm ever going to crave anything because NOTHING ever sounds good. Meal times are almost annoying trying to figure out what to eat. Surprisingly, I've gained 2 lbs. I really thought I'd lose weight considering I eat just enough to not feel sick and just enough that I know the baby is getting what he/she needs.

My next appointment is April 25th. It's just a regular monthly check up with Dr. Baxter. I've been very spoiled with all of the ultrasounds I've received so far but I won't be having another one for another 5-6 weeks. We've decided we want to go to the mall and do the early gender scan. They say you can do this at 15 weeks but I'm almost tempted to wait until 16 weeks so the baby can grow just a little more. I'll have another ultrasound at 20 weeks anyway but at this point, I want to know what the gender is just as soon as we can, even if it does cost more $$.

Let me say this, I feel bad for women who don't get much support from their husbands while they are pregnant. I am definitely very fortunate to have a husband who is so wonderful and so "into" this pregnancy. I know he's wanted this just as long as I have but the way he treats me, the way he's always talking to my stomach and telling the baby how much he loves her (he thinks it's a girl) has far exceeded my expectations of an expectant father. He is going to be such a great dad!

Everything is definitely starting to feel more real. And by real, I mean, I think we're actually going to be bringing a baby home at the end of October. We are already so in love!

2nd ultrasound

Today I had my 2nd ultrasound. I wasn't nearly as nervous about this one simply because I have had some serious morning sickness amongst a few other very uncomfortable pregnancy symptoms.

The relief of seeing our baby again with a strong heartbeat however makes me feel like a million dollars. The hearbeat was 172 bpm and the little peanut was measuring right on track at 8 weeks and 6 days. Quite a few of us think this one is a girl and one of those "myths" states that a fast heartbeat (I believe over 160) indicates a girl. It's fun to anticipate what this little one is going to be. I think we are even going to do the early gender scans you can have done at the mall around 15 weeks. I'm just too impatient!

I get a little more excited the closer I get to the 2nd trimester. I keep hoping as I get closer my morning sickness, constipation and tiredness will die down. I hate to sound like a complainer and I'm sure I do ALOT but it's definitely harder than I thought it would be. I'm very fortunate to have a husband who puts up with me and good friends who'll listen to me. I am enjoying being pregnant but I think I'll enjoy it a lot more when I don't feel like poop. My dear sister met me at work yesterday with some goodies; some high fiber bread, homemade jam and some tea to help with morning sickness. Needless to say, I think they all helped!

I have another ultrasound appointment next week with my RE but I think I might actually cancel that one. Since things went so well with my OB today I don't really see the point in paying for another ultrasound (out of pocket) through my RE's office. We'll see... I wouldn't mind seeing the little one again.

I am so grateful to still be pregnant today. I can't wait to meet our baby!

We have a heartbeat!

I had my 1st ultrasound done this morning. Let me tell you, it's a relief that it's done. My nerves for the past few days and especially my nerves this morning were almost more than I could take. Between the morning sickness and the nerves this morning, I almost threw up at my doctors office. That would have been lovely. Everything is measuring right on track and the baby's heart was flickering away. We didn't get to hear it but seeing it was enough for me. I know once I have my OB appt. I'll get to hear the heartbeat there. I will have one more appointment with my RE in 3 weeks and then hopefully I'll graduate from there and move on to seeing my OB only.

I can't believe the difference in this pregnancy vs. my last one. I really didn't think I would get morning sickness but it has really set in over the past few days. Over the weekend I didn't feel like doing much of anything because I felt so yucky. I hate to love it because it's just another sign that this pregnancy is progressing along.

Can't wait to see our little bub again in 2 weeks. Our last baby stopped growing at 8 weeks and my next appointment I will be 8 weeks 6 days. I'm praying we can get past this point. Maybe then I'll be able to breath a little easier.

So thankful today!

HCG Beta # 2 is in

I couldn't be happier! My levels went up from 31 on 12dpo to 155.6 today at 16dpo. I feel very relieved right now.

My first ultrasound is scheduled for March 14th at 9:00 am. Today definitely reduced some of the stress so hopefully the next two weeks will go by fast and with as little of stress as possible.

I will say, this time around has felt completely different than my last pregnancy. With my last pregnancy I had zero symptoms. This is probably why I always worried so much. I can't say I have a whole bunch of symptoms now but I'm definitely feeling "different". I've always had heartburn but so far, my heartburn is worse. I've been cramping a lot and having to go to the bathroom a lot. I think I may have even been nauseated a time or two. I can only pray that the cramping is just my uterus adjusting to this new little one being crammed in there.

I can't wait for things to progress. I feel really good about this. I'm also thinking girl, which is weird, because last time I totally thought boy.

Next stop, heartbeat. Can't. Wait!

Expecting November 2, 2011

SURPRISE! It worked, it really freakin' worked!

So, as you can see from my previous post, I had been testing out my HCG trigger. By Saturday, the line was gone. I really wasn't even planning on testing on Sunday because I had cramps and I just felt like Aunt Flo was just around the corner. I decided to test anyway. A line! At this point, I was excited but didn't want to get my hopes up. I didn't even say anything to anyone, not even Brad. I figured I'd wait until Monday and test again and see if the line was darker. It was. Ok, now my hopes are up! Here is the trigger progression:

I called my RE's office and let them know I got my positive test. Even though I was only 12dpo (days past ovulation) they wanted me to come in and have my beta and progesterone levels checked.

A few hours later they called me back:

Beta at 12dpo was 31

Progesterone was 23

At this point I was trying to figure out how I would tell Brad the good news. I decided to run to Walgreen's and buy some digital tests. I was a little hesitant because digital tests aren't supposed to pick up a positive until your beta reaches 50. I decided to try anyway. After holding my pee for a couple hours and not drinking anything, I got my "pregnant" on the digital test. I put it in an envelope and wrote Brad's name on it. I then had to wait another 4 hours or so for him to come home. Once he walked in the door, he spotted the envelope immediately. He said, "what's this?" I told him I got him a little something. He opened it up and smiled and said "he he he, you're knocked up!" Mind you, this is not one of my favorite ways to describe being pregnant but this is Brad we're talking about!

Words cannot fully express how lucky I feel. All of my prayers have been answered, all of the sacrifices we have made are so worth it.

So for now, we have an estimated arrival of November 2nd. It'll be interesting to see how everything plays out around the deer hunt because I'm still going!!

My first appointment with my OB is March 29th. I will be just under 9 weeks. Hopefully though, I will get an ultrasound with my RE before he releases me to my OB within the next few weeks.

8 days past ovulation, 9 days past trigger

For those who want to obsess with me, I've been testing out my HCG Trigger. I took 10,000 units of Pregnyl. They say it usually absorbs at about 1,000 units per day. So far, I'm right on target. Yesterdays test was extremely light, so light that I thought it would be completely gone today, but, today there is still a hint of a line. Hopefully, the line won't go away for 9 months or so and that this squinter of a line will start to get darker and darker.

The tests are in this order: 1 day past trigger (1dpt), 6dpt, 8dpt and 9dpt.

Symptoms are completely overrated but I'll play along for today. My boobs have been extremely tender since about 2-3dpo. This is definitely out of the norm for me. This morning my temperature went way up! Talk about getting your hopes up! Out of 3 1/2 years trying to get pregnant my temperature has only been this high twice and one of those times I was pregnant!

I can't wait to find out!

From four, to one.

So, I guess I shouldn't be that disappointed but I am, a little.

I had my follow up ultrasound today to make sure I ovulated. I had very intense cramping the night of my IUI so I was convinced I had ovulated. Good news, I did ovulate. Bad news, I only ovulated from one follicle. My ultrasound today showed two follicles and one ruptured follicle. Dr. A said the one was definitely a cyst and that the other one remaining might still ovulate. That sounds a little far fetched to me. Another egg releasing almost two days after the other one. I'm thinking not likely. So, somewhere in reproductive land floats one little eggie. Now, lets just hope that egg is of very good quality.

This just goes to show that the anticipation of wanting more follicles is not that necessary. Four follicles was an awesome number for me and I was thrilled. Little did I know only one of those would actually produce a mature egg. Sure, the HCG trigger is a great way to induce ovulation and to ensure that all follicles will ovulate but it sure doesn't do any good when not all of your follicles are actually carrying a mature egg.

I'm still relieved to know that I got one egg and might possibly have one more. I can also look on the bright side and stop freaking out about having triplets or quads. One or two babies definitely makes me feel a lot less nauseated.

PUPO!

Yesterday we went in for our IUI. Everything went very well. This new clinic however doesn't give you sperm counts, they only give you a rating. Poor, Good, Very Good or Excellent. We didn't manage to make it to the excellent rating but Dr. A said his sample was very good. We kind of already knew that though.

The procedure itself was a lot less painful than my last two. I'm hoping it's because my cervix was already open and I was getting ready to ovulate. With our first insemination, the one that worked, it was the same way, not much pain at all. Hopefully this is a good sign.

After Dr. A performed the IUI, he did an ultrasound. Let me tell you, this was A-W-E-S-O-M-E! Dr. A zoomed in on my uterus and on my tubes and you could see the little spermies moving around. Not only was it really neat to see but also reassuring to know that they are where they are supposed to be. My follicles were still there. Hopefully they are gone now! My lining measured great again around 9mm.

After we got home I just decided to lay down and relax the rest of the evening. I was feeling great up until around 8:00 pm when I started having some pretty intense cramping. I wish there was a way to know for sure if the cramps were from the procedure or from ovulation. If it was from ovulation, we made perfect timing and hopefully the army was there and waiting for their girlfriends. Today the cramping is minimal. Tomorrow I have another appointment at 11:30 am. Dr. A wants to do another ultrasound to make sure I have ovulated. Considering the cramping I had last night, I'd be very surprised if the follicles were still there.

The next two weeks are going to really push my patience but for now I'm PUPO. (Pregnant Until Proven Otherwise!)

Cycle Day 15 & 16 Update

So, today I get to post with much better news.

Yesterday, cycle day 15 we had another ultrasound. I was extremely excited to see that my slow moving follicles had GROWN!

Follicles: 19, 16, 16 and 14mm
Lining: 9.6mm

Dr. A wanted me to use the rest of my Bravelle yesterday and then come in again this morning for another ultrasound. Told me he anticipated triggering today with IUI on Tuesday. So today, cycle day 16 I went in.

Follicles: 20, 19, 17 and 15
Lining 8.9mm

Since I used an ovulation test yesterday and it was negative, Dr. A wanted to give my follicles one more day to mature before triggering. I'm good with that. If that 15 will catch up, I'm confident I'll be triggering with four follicles. The plan is to trigger tomorrow at 1:00 pm and then my IUI will be done Wednesday at 2:30 pm.

This process has been slow but the last two days has given me a lot of hope. I was terrified last Friday when Dr. A said he might cancel my cycle. Now today, I'm looking forward to an insemination on Wednesday with FOUR follicles. Twice the amount of follicles I've ever had. Now, it's time for Brad to put in his hard work and produce some hard working soldiers. I pray throughout my entire day that this time will work.

The last week has been a roller coaster. After I came home from work last Tuesday, I could tell that something was wrong with Brad. His eyes were red, I could tell he'd been crying. I figured I'd let him be for a bit as this is usually the best approach for him. After being home about 10 minutes, he told me that he stopped at his parents house to pick up some mail. While he was there, his mom told him she had just found out that day that she has breast cancer. Normally, I would want to cry with him but I knew I had to be the strong one. Surprisingly, I was. For some reason, I just feel very peaceful about her situation. She is having surgery today to remove the Stage 1 cancer. In my heart, I feel like everything is going to be just fine. I have a lot of faith that she will recover and move on with life as the same happy and healthy person she was before. I know Brad is extremely scared. He loves his mom very much and I know he would not handle her leaving well at all. Plus, we need a grandma here for our baby. Heck, I need a mother here as she's been my mom for the past 5 years. So yes, I've already decided, she's not going anywhere.

All of your prayers are wonderful and we are very blessed to have great family and friends!

Rough Day!

I'm feeling much better now but the day didn't start off incredibly well. I had my follow up ultrasound today and didn't get the best of news. These four little follicles of mine have decided to take their sweet ass time growing.

Today they were: 13mm, 12mm, 11mm and 9mm.
My lining: 7.6mm
E2: 280
LH: 12

While I'm glad the four are still there, it's extremely frustrating seeing that they've barely grown at all. I've hit the injections pretty hard the last three days and I was astonished at how small they still were. My past two IUI's I had much better results with WAY less injections. The max I've ever done in the past was 375iu total. I've already doubled that this cycle with 750iu.

So, Dr. A was concerned this morning that the follicles were moving so slow. He recommended we do some bloodwork and decide from there what we wanted to do. Basically, the bloodwork would tell us if these follicles would end up being a bust and not produce any good quality eggs. If my E2 was low and my LH was still high, he'd want me to cancel this cycle. Talk about a panic attack! I was pretty devastated to hear that but I also didn't want to dump any more money into a cycle that wouldn't bring us our best result, so I understood. I went back to work and waited patiently for the phone call. Dr. A finally called and told me my blood results were just fine and that we'd continue on trying to mature the follicles I did have. What a relief. The downside, more injections and more $$.

Physically, emotionally, financially... I don't want to have to go through another cycle like this. The others have all seemed so easy until now. I want this more than anything to work.

So today, another 225iu of Bravelle. Tomorrow, another 225iu of Bravelle. Sunday, another ultrasound. I will be praying my butt off until then!

Slowly but surely

Cycle Day 10 Update:

Lining 8.6mm (wow! really?)
Right ovary - 12mm, 9mm
Left ovary - 9mm, 8mm

It's so strange to me to see how differently each cycle can be. Usually, I never get many follicles on the right side. Usually, my lining would never be this thick on cycle day 10.

Unfortunately, the follicles aren't very big yet so Dr. A wants me to stim more. Tonight will be 150iu Bravelle and 150iu of Repronex. Thursday will be 150iu Repronex. Good thing Brad is getting the hang of these shots. My next ultrasound is scheduled for Friday. I'm really hoping I'll be ready to trigger Friday for a Sunday IUI.

So for now, we could have 4 mature follicles but more than likely I'll probably only end up with two or three. I might be a little more paranoid with 4 follicles considering that could potentially put us pregnant with quadruplets. No thank you.

Until Friday!