About Time

Wheeeeeee.... this pregnancy is flying by!! My apologies for not updating sooner, but I was probably sleeping. Joking, really, but seriously - I have been dealing with colds and sinus infections and headaches because of the sinus infections, so much of the time I am either dozing or want to be. Now that the sinus infections have cleared, it is spring and here come the allergies!!

Things with Baby Roo are going great thus far. We have had a few appointments since the last time I blogged. Including ultrasounds. I will come back and add the photos from those later, as I cant do it on my tablet. Heart beat is always great and the scan for birth defects and other issues went perfectly.

I started having to wear maternity clothes around 14 weeks because my baby belly (the lower half of my stomach) is very firm, but honestly I still just look fat. For those wondering, I think my weekly belly pics will begin around 24 weeks. Hopefully we will be a little more "round" and not as fluffy, then.

This time, since I was larger at the beginning of the pregnancy than with my previous pregnancies (I gained weight while pumping and didnt lose it before this journey), and because my uterus is extremely retroverted (tilted backwards) it took a bit longer to feel Baby Roo moving. I began feeling movement off and on at 15 weeks and 2 days. I can't wait for when (in a few weeks maybe?), we get to feel movement on the outside and I can share that experience with L&J.

The journey over all is going well. L&J are busy building their new home and loving on their new nephew, so some weeks are quieter than others contact wise. When we do get together for appointments or lunch, it is always good, and a highlight of my week.

Another reason the blogging has been sparce is that I always want to be sure that they share anything they want to share with their family and friends before I do and always make sure I am not sharing anything they don't want to share, just in case. They are not as public with their journey, so I want to respect that. It is different for me, since I am a very open person, but I am getting used to it.

Anyway, just wanted to update you all and share a little bit before it got so sparce around here that people worried. Nothing to worry for, all is well!

Our next appointment is April 9th. We will be 18 weeks. It is a sonogram appointment. Hopefully, I will come update soon after that!

Tata for now!

A Birthday Wish & More

Today, one year ago, Miss Molly came into the world and a whole lot of people fell in love. Happy Birthday Miss Molly!!!

An update on Molly for you:

Miss Molly is aiming for the gold in crawling, she crawls super fast! And while she does stand on her own some, she isn't quite walking yet. I can see why, when crawling gets her places just as well! She is also saying a few words!

I cannot believe it has been a whole year. I have enjoyed seeing pics and keeping in touch with Katie so much. I couldn't have asked for a more wonderful first journey and such a great friendship with them as she grows.

At the same time that I cannot believe it has been a year... I am torn away by also feeling like, Wow- just a year! It's an odd feeling, being removed from it just enough to feel like it was ages ago.

So much has gone on since she was born.

I pumped for a total of 6 months, helping two local babies (one was a family member's adoptive baby) and countless preemies through the preemie milk bank.

I began homeschooling my oldest son.

I met and matched with a wonderful local couple.

I helped a new friend match with her perfect couple and she is now pregnant!

I helped a childhood friend pursue the desire to be a surrogate and now she, too, is pregnant!

I cycled and transferred on Miss Molly's 10 month birthday and we found out we are expecting on Christmas day!

What a year it has been!

Today I am just feeling so elated and blessed that this is the life God has given me! Thanks all, for your support and encouragement, it really means so much!

I am so excited to see what the next year brings!!

Happy 11 weeks!

I know, I know, I was supposed to blog last week. But I did tell you it was a busy week. So here I am, a week later!

Our first official OB appt (the other one was to meet and get to know the dr.) was last Wednesday. The vampires took my blood, I stood on a scale and cringed at the weight -- I gained so much while cycling for two months in a row that I don't even want to see the numbers right now -- had a Pap and the usual full exam, and chatted with the Dr. some more. Unfortunately, while the Dr. thought we would be able to do some fancy test with the blood, she was mistaken and the blood was taken all for naught. Oh well.

They fished around for the heartbeat with the doppler for what seemed like forever, and made me sore, even though I assured them my uterus was too far back to find it. So we trecked over to the sono room to have a quick peek and heard the heartbeat. I think, forgive me if I have to come back and correct it, it was 172bpm. Baby Roo looked great, of course!

I also got a flu shot. I hate those things. My arm was sore for 2 or 3 days. Oh well, at least that's one less thing to worry about.

I, unfortunately, was in a hurry after my appointment so I couldn't stay long to chat with L, I wish we could have. She gave my family some beautiful gifts for valentine's day and my oldest's birthday, and gave me a really cute shirt and some chocolate (that I can't find now!!!) and a card with a hilarious note and some wine for Shane, "to deal with [her] craziness." hehe

All in all, great appointment! We have a screening appointment next week at a different doctor, with a really detailed ultrasound, I can't wait to see how Baby Roo has grown!

As for me... I'm doing okay. I'm more than ready to be off these meds and to find the right pre-natals. The meds combined with the wrong pre-natals were killing me. And I'm pretty excited that the first trimester is almost over, I am ready to get some energy back. And eat. Real food. Right now I crave noodles, tuna sandwiches (only allowed once a week), chicken noodle soup, bagels and cream cheese, peanut butter, fruit smoothies and mint chocolate chip ice cream. Everything else is pretty much an aversion. This baby share's it's momma's disinterest in any thing bacon, or anything meat really. I can tolerate chicken, and turkey has been okay. But other than that, everything has not been tolerated well. Chocolate by itself is one of those. I'm so sad!!

This week was L's birthday, and unfortunately, I couldn't get her anything right then, but I will make it up to her ;) I hope that she had a great birthday at least!

Anyway, this blog is about over... I will be blogging later this week because we're coming up on a special day! :) Have a great week until I post again! <3

Hop, Hop, Hopping right along!

As usual, my blogging skills could use a little work. This time it wasn't ALL my fault. My computer was actually down most of last week.

So I will update you as much as I can!

The last time I posted, I shared our first sonogram photo, at 6 weeks. Today we are 9 weeks and 2 days!
Since then we have gotten to see the baby twice!

I was spotting over night on Sunday Jan. 19th, so I called the clinic to inform them. Meanwhile we all had a little worry-time. They said it was no big deal, but L asked if we could do the next sono a little early, that Friday the 24th instead of Monday the 27th.

That is when Baby R got the nickname Baby Roo. Looking like a little baby kangaroo...

All is well! Heartbeat this day was 143bpm.

About a week later, we were able to meet our new OB for the first time. I was a little nervous having to go to a new OB, but I think I like her-- as long as she doesn't happen to go on vacation the week following Labor Day! ;)

In addition to getting to talk with her for a good long while and getting a feel for how she will be as our doctor, she let us have a peek at Baby Roo.

This one was a REALLY great shot of the "gummy bear" stage. Baby Roo was waving the entire time! Baby was in a great mood dancing all around, heart rate was up at 185bpm! I think I spot daddy's facial structure there, but who's to say at this point!

Our first "Official" OB appointment is on February 12. Hopefully I will not have any problems updating as soon as I can after that appointment, but a little lag time should be expected, as my son's birthday and Valentine's day are close behind. Until then, adieu!

Survey Says.....

Hello again...
Monday we went to the RE for our first sono!

Survey says: One little bean!

Yay!

I was hoping that waiting the weekend we might be able to see a heartbeat this time but it wasn't quite there yet. I am curious as to why the clinic does it this way; a baby count pre-heartbeat and then waiting two more weeks before heartbeat (this u/s was at 6wks 1d, I believe Molly's was 6wks 3d and we saw her hb). I just have to get used to them doing things a little differently.

Anyway, a baby is definitely on the way!! As it stands, unless it gets changed by growth, by retrieval date our due date is September 8!!

Congrats L & J, you're having a baby!

Baby is about the size of a sweet pea, and already causin' trouble.

Next appt is Jan 27!

Hey Beta beta beta!

Well, here I am again! Better late than never.

Last Tuesday, at 9.75 dpt (days past transfer) we had our first beta. Woot, woot! It came back at 205.
Thursday at around the same time of day, so 11.75dpt, I went back and it was 433. Doubling time of about 44 hours.

Yay! So exciting!

Saturday I got my first bout of nausea. Wasn't expecting it quite so soon.
Since then I've been experiencing it off and on... along with EXTREME hunger. Like hobbit meal kind of hunger. I wake up at 2am starving. I had to grab a string cheese in the middle of the night last night. If this keeps up, I'm going to have to buy a huge bag of carrots or apples and just carry them with me to fill me up as needed.

Ultrasound to find out what's 'growing' on in there is Monday the 13th!

Until then, no news is good news!
Have a great week!

Busy Time of Year

Well, hello!!

It's been a while. My apologies if you were waiting to hear from me sooner.

Since the last time we talked, we've passed Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. All of which, while busy, were very good for my family. I hope the same for yours.

For a while after our cancelled cycle, I didn't really have a lot to write, so I didn't. And then once I did, it was finding the time and energy to come and write it I struggled with. So, here we go.

After the eggs from the donor didn't work out (my IPs second donor), we got put on hold a bit until they had cleared a new donor. For a little while, it looked like we would transfer around Dec. 17. Then AF was mean to me and decided to be a week late. At that point, none of us knew whether or not we'd even transfer before the end of the year. The goal was to transfer before Christmas. Once dear AF came, it put us on track for sometime between the 21st and 25th. Yay! But then the donor didn't respond the way they liked and they thought there might be another delay. It was such a roller coaster.

Thankfully, the donor still had a few quality eggs to retrieve and they retrieved 10 eggs on the 16th, 5 of which fertilized. By the 21st, 2 were still good quality and 1 looked good enough to freeze the next day. We transferred a 4bb embryo and a 4bc embryo on Molly's 10 month birthday :)

After transfer, my IP's got me McDonald's fries (Surros swear by these!) and then they took me to my good luck charm and good friend's house to rest for the day. I had a relaxing evening and fun with my friend and then came home Sunday afternoon and took it easy the rest of the day.

I was asked by my IM not to test on Christmas morning. She didn't want me to ruin my day if it weren't positive.

However, all of Christmas Eve and Christmas day, I could feel it. I could feel that it worked, just the same as it did with Molly. So, Christmas night, 4.25 days after a 5 day transfer, I tested before I went to bed. When it turned up positive less than 3 minutes later, I literally jumped on my bed to show my husband the line. Woot!

OK Well, if you don't have "surro eyes" you might not know it, but that there is a positive test. A line is a line when it comes to pregnancy. You either are, or aren't. And I am. As the days have passed, I have enjoyed continuing to watch the lines get darker. I'm a bit of a POAS-aholic. I'll show you a few of them...

The tests above were the morning after the initial squinter line and then each morning thereafter. I did test in the evenings, but the lines weren't noticeably different than the morning's lines. The one on the bottom is from this morning.

I'm totally thrilled and excited! I am loving that my IPs are local and they were with me during transfer, and that IM and I got to go to lunch the other day. I am enjoying getting to know her! I also got a little congratulations gift for her, a snow globe with a quote about dreams coming true, from The Wizard of Oz, and it had the ruby red slippers inside the globe.

Beta #1 is on Tuesday, the 31st. I don't really know what to expect. Everyone, including myself, wonder if both took, since I saw the positive lines so quickly. I know they were not that easy to see on day 4 with Molly at all! We shall see!

I will take some time after we get beta results to blog again soon! Have a great week!