I crossed on over to the OB world yesterday at 11W4D. Good thing I slapped on extra clinical strength deodorant before the appt, because I was a nervous wreck!! I felt like a fraud sitting in the waiting room and was waiting for someone to tell me I do not belong.
We did a basic history intake with a nurse (I don't think the poor lady had ever had such an extensive and confusing history). The nurse then tried to locate the heartbeats with a doppler. I say tried, because she couldn't find EITHER heartbeat. Cue the panic stricken infertile fear of a miscarriage...I had to hold back tears.
We were whisked over to the ultrasound room. I walked in and instinctively reached for my belt in order to take off my pants. For me, an ultrasound room inevitably means pants removal. However, this was not the case today! I had an abdominal ultrasound people!! I kept my pants on for an ultrasound!!! Both of the kiddos were moving around and looked great. Cue tears of relief! I felt kind of foolish wiping away tears, because I'm sure most normal pregnant women don't cry over a routine ultrasound, but I'm definitely not one of those normal pregnant women.
Here's the stats on the kids: Baby A is still the more calm babe. S/he is measuring at 11W5D and has a heartbeat of 167. Baby B was on the move!! S/he is measuring at 12W and had a heartbeat of 165.
We met with the OB, and much to our relief, we both liked her. I immediately felt at ease in her presence. She's a young, petite, energetic lady who may run on batteries. She was incredibly easygoing and kept mentioning technical terms with 'I know it's dorky, but...' She met with us for a long time (about an hour) and answered all of our questions. I appreciate a doctor who is not on a time constraint. Needless to say, I am relieved that we both REALLY liked her. She will be the OB who delivers our twins!
We got info about chromosomal abnormality testing in the first trimester, because we have to have this done in the next 2 weeks, if we want to pursue it. There is zero risk to the babies (it's an ultrasound and blood work) and it covers some severe abnormalities (Trisomy 18, Trisomy 13, open neural tube defects and Down Syndrome). While I highly doubt we'd do anything about any of these defects, we're both information gathering type people and it's a chance to view the babies again, so we're going to do the testing next week. Pregnant ladies, did you/will you do this testing?
Other than this, I'm a 'normal' pregnant lady with appointments every 4 weeks. I can't believe it!
Since we don't have another OB appointment for 4 weeks and we're actually starting to believe in this (everyone keeps telling us things look great), we also decided to make the pregnancy public. I'm obviously starting to show and I'd rather make the announcement rather than have people approaching me to inquire if I was pregnant. It was a huge step, but felt incredibly liberating! We both posted a status on FB and sent out messages to people. {My FB status read: We're having our second baby in September...oh yeah and our first!! We're having TWINS!!!! I also mentioned thanks for everyone who supported us on this journey bc it wasn't easy...I couldn't pretend to be one of those regular pregnant ladies!} Majority of our family and close friends already knew, so it was mainly just letting everyone else know. One of my co-workers got excited and made a big announcement to our department. It was a surreal night having everyone share their excitement with me. So there it is, it's out there! I'M PREGNANT! I can't believe it...
I'm off the next few days so I think I'm going to hunt for maternity clothes. I blew off buttons on two pairs of capris. One happened at Lowe's while we were shopping with the in-laws. I couldn't stop laughing and checking to see if my pants were still zipped!! I think it's time to start getting maternity clothes. If anyone has any suggestions of stores, please share them! Again, I feel like a fraud when it comes to this.
Good luck to everyone who is going through cycles right now or waiting to hear news on a cycle!! Thanks for following along on my journey!
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Monday, March 19, 2012
(Uneventful) Graduation
I promise this will be the most uneventful graduation story you've ever heard. Lately I'll gladly accept ordinary occurrences with open arms, so it may be unremarkable, but very welcome!
Here's the deal: Our RE wanted us to come in for a 8 and 10 week ultrasound. Due to my (sometimes) hectic work schedule, an 8 week ultrasound wasn't possible so we postponed it (with the RE's blessing) until week 9. Hence, our next ultrasound was scheduled for week 11 (this week).
Since I'm a veteran at the infertility game (been playing for over 3.5 years), I know enough to not go with the flow, but rather question when I think something is not correct. We asked our RE if an 11 week scan was necessary or if we should head over to a regular OB (by 11 weeks majority of infertiles are scooted over to an OB). Our (amazing) RE, Dr. Scotchie, didn't feel an 11 week follow up in Chattanooga was necessary based on our 9 week ultrasound, so she released us into the OB world. She left us with a fantastically encouraging voice mail and even left her personal cell phone number in case we need anything. What doctor gives out their personal cell phone number? This lady (and the clinic) have been PERFECT. I can't speak highly enough about them!
One phone call and we were set free to go out into the OB world. There were days/weeks/months I never thought we'd get here. Does the surreal feeling of pregnancy ever go away if your an infertile?! We gathered a list of suggested OB's, did some research and I scheduled an appointment! When I called to make the appt, the receptionist asked if it was for OB or GYN. I had to pause to think about this....holy crap, I'm actually making an OB appointment! Wow....it has come to this?! Our first appointment is tomorrow. I have no idea what to expect, but I'm hoping for an ultrasound!! Wish me luck!! I hope I know how to behave in a regular OB's office...
The weekend with the in-laws was fabulous!! The weather has been gorgeous! We got a lot of work done on the house, had some quality time soaking up the sun and having fun together. They were excited about the new grand kids and it was thrilling to be able to talk about being pregnant!
I started to get a bit cocky about the morning sickness....I had a day last week I was so sick I didn't move off the couch, but after that marathon of sickness I started to feel normal again. I was able to eat meals for the first time in weeks! I felt decent while the in-laws were visiting and started to think that the morning sickness could be over? Could it be subsiding? We did an early morning airport drop off this morning and I warned the hubs he may need to pull over because I wasn't feeling great. I managed to make it home without needing to pull over, but as soon as I got out of the car I started gagging. I exclaimed, "What should I do?" C replied, "Go in the grass!" So there I was at 6 am, puking up my banana bread, cantaloupe, pineapple and apple juice I had for breakfast in our front lawn. Classy. Maybe the morning sickness is not done with me after all. That's what I get for my arrogant thoughts. For the most part, I'm feeling much better. I'm able to eat meals again, so I can deal with an occasional puke.
**FYI-I had those acupuncture pins in my wrists that were supposed to help with the nausea. The marathon morning sickness day I ripped them out because they didn't seem to make a difference for me.**
Does anyone have any suggestions for books about twins? I figure I should start reading up on these kiddos since we have no clue what is going on with babies, let alone TWO babies.
If you have any suggestions for other (non baby related) books to read, send them my way too. I'm in need of a good book to read.
Off to the OB tomorrow. I can't believe this is happening...
Here's the deal: Our RE wanted us to come in for a 8 and 10 week ultrasound. Due to my (sometimes) hectic work schedule, an 8 week ultrasound wasn't possible so we postponed it (with the RE's blessing) until week 9. Hence, our next ultrasound was scheduled for week 11 (this week).
Since I'm a veteran at the infertility game (been playing for over 3.5 years), I know enough to not go with the flow, but rather question when I think something is not correct. We asked our RE if an 11 week scan was necessary or if we should head over to a regular OB (by 11 weeks majority of infertiles are scooted over to an OB). Our (amazing) RE, Dr. Scotchie, didn't feel an 11 week follow up in Chattanooga was necessary based on our 9 week ultrasound, so she released us into the OB world. She left us with a fantastically encouraging voice mail and even left her personal cell phone number in case we need anything. What doctor gives out their personal cell phone number? This lady (and the clinic) have been PERFECT. I can't speak highly enough about them!
One phone call and we were set free to go out into the OB world. There were days/weeks/months I never thought we'd get here. Does the surreal feeling of pregnancy ever go away if your an infertile?! We gathered a list of suggested OB's, did some research and I scheduled an appointment! When I called to make the appt, the receptionist asked if it was for OB or GYN. I had to pause to think about this....holy crap, I'm actually making an OB appointment! Wow....it has come to this?! Our first appointment is tomorrow. I have no idea what to expect, but I'm hoping for an ultrasound!! Wish me luck!! I hope I know how to behave in a regular OB's office...
The weekend with the in-laws was fabulous!! The weather has been gorgeous! We got a lot of work done on the house, had some quality time soaking up the sun and having fun together. They were excited about the new grand kids and it was thrilling to be able to talk about being pregnant!
I started to get a bit cocky about the morning sickness....I had a day last week I was so sick I didn't move off the couch, but after that marathon of sickness I started to feel normal again. I was able to eat meals for the first time in weeks! I felt decent while the in-laws were visiting and started to think that the morning sickness could be over? Could it be subsiding? We did an early morning airport drop off this morning and I warned the hubs he may need to pull over because I wasn't feeling great. I managed to make it home without needing to pull over, but as soon as I got out of the car I started gagging. I exclaimed, "What should I do?" C replied, "Go in the grass!" So there I was at 6 am, puking up my banana bread, cantaloupe, pineapple and apple juice I had for breakfast in our front lawn. Classy. Maybe the morning sickness is not done with me after all. That's what I get for my arrogant thoughts. For the most part, I'm feeling much better. I'm able to eat meals again, so I can deal with an occasional puke.
**FYI-I had those acupuncture pins in my wrists that were supposed to help with the nausea. The marathon morning sickness day I ripped them out because they didn't seem to make a difference for me.**
Does anyone have any suggestions for books about twins? I figure I should start reading up on these kiddos since we have no clue what is going on with babies, let alone TWO babies.
If you have any suggestions for other (non baby related) books to read, send them my way too. I'm in need of a good book to read.
Off to the OB tomorrow. I can't believe this is happening...
Monday, March 12, 2012
Goodbye Progesterone in Oil!!!
Adios! Ciao! Au revoir! Auf wiedersehen! Adeus!
Goodbye to the dreaded PIO! My last shot was Friday and I can already feel the difference in my tender hips. Maybe one of these days I can sit, lie down and/or put on pants without pain!!! My RE said at 10 weeks it was quits for both the PIO and estrogen pills. Just like that. Quit. Cold turkey. Done. What a great feeling!! It really is the little things....
One story about progesterone before I close yet another chapter in the IF battle:
Collin was in San Francisco for 5 days a few weeks ago. In preparation of his absence, I consulted our RE to see what our options were for the progesterone. I didn't have anyone else I felt comfortable asking to stick a 1 1/2 inch needle in my butt every night... SO, we were told I could self inject in my leg or switch to Crinone while he was gone, but the Crinone wasn't the best option. Obviously, I have a lot of time, energy, faith and heart invested in this pregnancy, so I decided I had to do what was best and figure out a way to shove a huge needle in myself.
Two nights before he left for the west coast, we did a trial run on the PIO in the leg. Collin did the injection just so I could feel what it felt like and then I'd do it myself the next night while he watched over me for moral support. The shot was unremarkable...until the next day. My leg was so painful I couldn't walk without a limp. Getting up and down the stairs in our house was torture. There was no way in hell I was going to be able to inject myself in the leg while he was gone...
We moved on to plan B the next night. I was going to inject myself in the butt/hip area. He stood by for support. I'd be lying if I told you I didn't cry as I turned and faced that huge needle. This was not at all ideal. It took a while, but he was able to talk me through the injection. He marked hearts on each of the injection sites and every day I bent into an awkward position and used the mirror to inject myself with PIO. Sure, it was more painful then when he did the injections, especially bc I didn't have anyone to rub my butt, but I got through it. I did it!
If you'd have told me I could inject myself with a 1 1/2 inch needle 3 years ago I'd have laughed in your face. I hate needles. I have found that IF makes you incredibly resilient, however. There is nothing I wouldn't do for these babies. Nothing. Women who face this battle certainly make it out on the other side a different person (whether they make it out with or without a baby). We leave with a tougher skin, a profound appreciation for life, a relationship with our spouse that is deeper and more meaningful then those who haven't faced such adversity and a renewed respect for the immense power of faith and hope.
We spent the weekend working on the house. I really enjoy using the power washer!! We've gotten a lot of projects done on the house and we're even closer to getting this sucker listed. We have new furniture arriving tomorrow *FINALLY*. It was supposed to be delivered in 6-8 weeks, but it's 10.5 weeks later and we're finally getting it delivered. Good things come to those who wait, right?
My in-laws are coming to visit this week! I'm so excited to again be the 'pregnant lady' and not the 'lady who is pregnant but is pretending like she's not.' The weather is going to be gorgeous and I know we 'll have a great time. They are wonderful people and I'm thankful to have married into such an admirable family.
Collin surprised me with flowers this weekend along with a lovely card that read '10 weeks down!! 30 to go!!' It was adorable. I don't know how I got so lucky to have such an amazing man in my life, but I pray daily out of gratitude for him. I feel so incredibly blessed by everything that is going on right now. I tear up at the thought of all our blessings...
Let's hope they continue!!
Goodbye to the dreaded PIO! My last shot was Friday and I can already feel the difference in my tender hips. Maybe one of these days I can sit, lie down and/or put on pants without pain!!! My RE said at 10 weeks it was quits for both the PIO and estrogen pills. Just like that. Quit. Cold turkey. Done. What a great feeling!! It really is the little things....
One story about progesterone before I close yet another chapter in the IF battle:
Collin was in San Francisco for 5 days a few weeks ago. In preparation of his absence, I consulted our RE to see what our options were for the progesterone. I didn't have anyone else I felt comfortable asking to stick a 1 1/2 inch needle in my butt every night... SO, we were told I could self inject in my leg or switch to Crinone while he was gone, but the Crinone wasn't the best option. Obviously, I have a lot of time, energy, faith and heart invested in this pregnancy, so I decided I had to do what was best and figure out a way to shove a huge needle in myself.
Two nights before he left for the west coast, we did a trial run on the PIO in the leg. Collin did the injection just so I could feel what it felt like and then I'd do it myself the next night while he watched over me for moral support. The shot was unremarkable...until the next day. My leg was so painful I couldn't walk without a limp. Getting up and down the stairs in our house was torture. There was no way in hell I was going to be able to inject myself in the leg while he was gone...
We moved on to plan B the next night. I was going to inject myself in the butt/hip area. He stood by for support. I'd be lying if I told you I didn't cry as I turned and faced that huge needle. This was not at all ideal. It took a while, but he was able to talk me through the injection. He marked hearts on each of the injection sites and every day I bent into an awkward position and used the mirror to inject myself with PIO. Sure, it was more painful then when he did the injections, especially bc I didn't have anyone to rub my butt, but I got through it. I did it!
If you'd have told me I could inject myself with a 1 1/2 inch needle 3 years ago I'd have laughed in your face. I hate needles. I have found that IF makes you incredibly resilient, however. There is nothing I wouldn't do for these babies. Nothing. Women who face this battle certainly make it out on the other side a different person (whether they make it out with or without a baby). We leave with a tougher skin, a profound appreciation for life, a relationship with our spouse that is deeper and more meaningful then those who haven't faced such adversity and a renewed respect for the immense power of faith and hope.
We spent the weekend working on the house. I really enjoy using the power washer!! We've gotten a lot of projects done on the house and we're even closer to getting this sucker listed. We have new furniture arriving tomorrow *FINALLY*. It was supposed to be delivered in 6-8 weeks, but it's 10.5 weeks later and we're finally getting it delivered. Good things come to those who wait, right?
My in-laws are coming to visit this week! I'm so excited to again be the 'pregnant lady' and not the 'lady who is pregnant but is pretending like she's not.' The weather is going to be gorgeous and I know we 'll have a great time. They are wonderful people and I'm thankful to have married into such an admirable family.
Collin surprised me with flowers this weekend along with a lovely card that read '10 weeks down!! 30 to go!!' It was adorable. I don't know how I got so lucky to have such an amazing man in my life, but I pray daily out of gratitude for him. I feel so incredibly blessed by everything that is going on right now. I tear up at the thought of all our blessings...
Let's hope they continue!!
Monday, March 5, 2012
9 Weeks
Technically I'm 9 weeks and 3 days, but who's counting?! We were supposed to go in for an 8 week ultrasounds last week, but my work schedule was hectic so we postponed it until this week. We're having it done Wed. So Wednesday is a big day for us!!
I'm feeling fairly confident that something is going on in my uterus:
In other news, I had two of my best friends visit from Wisconsin last week. It was fantastic to spend time with people who just 'get you.' One of my friends is an OB Nurse and she has amazing pointers!!! I'll be picking her brain a lot in the next month/year! It was great to just be me and be the pregnant lady! Of course my friends know about the pregnancy, but I'm still in the closet with most everyone else. It was lovely to speak openly and honestly about the pregnancy. I also got to give the husband a break from the PIO injections. I had my RN friend, Sarah, aka the pro at injections, give my PIO shots while she was here. Even thought I slept the entire day after they left from the exhaustion I was experiencing, it was worth it!!
We've been discussing putting the house on the market a lot. We've decided to move ahead with it. We're working on little projects to get it as perfect as possible before we list it. We checked out the competition in the area and started looking at new houses online. We have one in particular we really like and seem to stack up the others we look at against it. Just in case our house sells fast, we'll probably start looking at houses once ours goes on the market.
I have observed in the IF world, when someone makes it to the other side (aka gets pregnant) they react in one of two ways. One: they go crazy shopping for maternity clothes stat and start picking up baby items (clothes, diapers, a doppler, shoes, blankets etc) or two: they are very hesitant to believe this is actually happening and delay all things baby. I definitely am in the latter group. Although I'm thrilled every day I wake up feeling tired and every time I puke (yes I am thrilled about vomiting. It is true.), I just can't jump in yet!! I am hoping once our next ultrasound is done and it gives us good news (PLEASE GOD!) maybe I can believe. I miscarried at 8 weeks previously, so 8 weeks is looming in my head as the week to get passed. I want to be giddy and believe nothing can go wrong. I just can't make myself do it (yet).
C recently had a friend get a positive beta and I'm so happy for her!!! Wonderful news!!!
Prayers for a positive ultrasound!!
I'm feeling fairly confident that something is going on in my uterus:
- I am a puking champ. I dry heave/projectile vomit 1-2 times per day. Most of the day I feel like I could puke/dry heave.
- My stomach was looking bloated around my waistline, but the 'bloat' has moved upward and my stomach is looking bigger all around. I don't know how much longer I can hide from looking pregnant.
- I can sleep with the best of them; no matter how much I sleep, it's not enough. I can sleep 10-13 hours and still take a nap.
- Despite my bigger stomach, I have yet to gain a single pound. In fact, I have lost weight. I have an incredibly difficult time finding anything that sounds appetizing.
In other news, I had two of my best friends visit from Wisconsin last week. It was fantastic to spend time with people who just 'get you.' One of my friends is an OB Nurse and she has amazing pointers!!! I'll be picking her brain a lot in the next month/year! It was great to just be me and be the pregnant lady! Of course my friends know about the pregnancy, but I'm still in the closet with most everyone else. It was lovely to speak openly and honestly about the pregnancy. I also got to give the husband a break from the PIO injections. I had my RN friend, Sarah, aka the pro at injections, give my PIO shots while she was here. Even thought I slept the entire day after they left from the exhaustion I was experiencing, it was worth it!!
We've been discussing putting the house on the market a lot. We've decided to move ahead with it. We're working on little projects to get it as perfect as possible before we list it. We checked out the competition in the area and started looking at new houses online. We have one in particular we really like and seem to stack up the others we look at against it. Just in case our house sells fast, we'll probably start looking at houses once ours goes on the market.
I have observed in the IF world, when someone makes it to the other side (aka gets pregnant) they react in one of two ways. One: they go crazy shopping for maternity clothes stat and start picking up baby items (clothes, diapers, a doppler, shoes, blankets etc) or two: they are very hesitant to believe this is actually happening and delay all things baby. I definitely am in the latter group. Although I'm thrilled every day I wake up feeling tired and every time I puke (yes I am thrilled about vomiting. It is true.), I just can't jump in yet!! I am hoping once our next ultrasound is done and it gives us good news (PLEASE GOD!) maybe I can believe. I miscarried at 8 weeks previously, so 8 weeks is looming in my head as the week to get passed. I want to be giddy and believe nothing can go wrong. I just can't make myself do it (yet).
C recently had a friend get a positive beta and I'm so happy for her!!! Wonderful news!!!
Prayers for a positive ultrasound!!
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Life is Changing
I'm 7 weeks 5 days pregnant. I'm still getting used to thought of actually being pregnant...I wonder how long that will stick around?
It's started to sink in that we are in fact having twins. We're very excited and a little overwhelmed at the same time. We did a walk through at Babies R Us just to browse, because neither one of us has any clue what we're doing and what we need. Our walk through got us thinking about what we'll need for the babies, which in turn, resulted into an avalanche of where are we going to put all this stuff? Those double strollers are huge!
The house we live in right now is lovely, and has plenty of space for the time being, but we've always known this was not our forever home. We had plans of moving in 3-5 years, with our without kids. After we found out we were pregnant with twins, we started to ponder moving with two 3 year old children and 3 pets and quickly became overwhelmed by the idea. How would we ever keep the house clean and organized for showings? Maybe shedding a pet or two would help? I know 3 pets is a lot, but I adore our pets (one dog and two cats) and feel very passionately about adopting homeless pets so I know it would be easier to not have the animals, but there is no way I'd ever part with any of them. I can't stand people who adopt pets when it's convenient for them and then ditch them when they don't fit into their lives anymore. Don't get me started on animal rights... So here we are, in a house we'll fit in for now, but will close in quickly on us when the kids start moving around on their own. Plus, we're not in the school district we'd like to be in for our kiddos right now so aside from the space issue, we'd have to move before the kids start school.
Needless to say, we had a realtor over last night to discuss our options. We were both nervous about the meeting because we've all heard about the housing market these days... We found out we could sell our house and break even with the realtor fees; this is what we were hoping for. We've lived in the house for 3 years and got our $8k check from the government for buying our house in the first place, which we now get to keep since we've lived here 3 years. Thank you Obama!! The realtor was also impressed with the house and said she feels confident we could get it sold in 3-4 months. I watched a segment on the Today Show that said houses should be thought of as piggy banks and not cash cows. We won't be making money on our house, but we have all the money we've paid on it coming back to us and we will be able to make enough to cover the realtor fees. Plus, we're looking to upgrade and feel confident that we can get a great deal on a new house. Sounds like a positive situation given the market these days...
With this information under our belts, we're seriously considering moving. I didn't think we'd be moving so soon from this house. I love this house! We've been spoiled by the privacy it offers and I hope we can find something very similar but with more space.
The idea of moving has made the realization of how much our lives are changing sink in fast. Don't get me wrong, it's a very welcome change and we couldn't be happier, but there is a lot that will be changing around here!!
As far as the pregnancy goes, I've had strings of days where I'm nauseous all day and other days where I feel only slightly nauseous throughout the day. I never feel 'normal' anymore. I got a list of nausea remedies from the doctor; one was 25 mg of Vitamin B6 every 8 hrs. Whenever I'm feeling green, I've taken one of those and it seems to help curb the nausea tremendously. One thing that never seems to leave is the exhaustion! Here's an example: I went to bed last night at 10:30 and got up with my husband at 6:45 am to see him off to work. I laid down on the couch around 8 am and woke up at 10:30 am. I went to our room with the idea of showering, but laid down in bed (for just a minute!) and woke up to his text message at 11:56 am telling me he was coming home for lunch! I think I may get a few things done around the house and sneak in another nap because I'm still tired. I have some friends coming into town from Wisco tomorrow and I hope I can muster the energy to be a good host for the weekend... I'm also looking a little puffy around the midsection. Collin likes to say 'something's going on in there' whenever he sees it. They are all welcome signs.
As far as upcoming appointments, we're doing an ultrasound on March 7 and one March 19 and then we are done with any and all RE's. I'm ready to graduate to a regular OB! We're still trucking along with the progesterone injections (I had the option to switch to the suppository form of Crinone, but I opted not to change...another story for another time perhaps), Estrogen pills, and Metanx pills. We'll be done with the progesterone and estrogen at 10 weeks.
I'm still nervous about the ultrasounds and each milestone brings on anxiety, but I'm starting to enjoy myself a little more each day. Pregnancy after loss is not a relaxing ordeal....
It's started to sink in that we are in fact having twins. We're very excited and a little overwhelmed at the same time. We did a walk through at Babies R Us just to browse, because neither one of us has any clue what we're doing and what we need. Our walk through got us thinking about what we'll need for the babies, which in turn, resulted into an avalanche of where are we going to put all this stuff? Those double strollers are huge!
The house we live in right now is lovely, and has plenty of space for the time being, but we've always known this was not our forever home. We had plans of moving in 3-5 years, with our without kids. After we found out we were pregnant with twins, we started to ponder moving with two 3 year old children and 3 pets and quickly became overwhelmed by the idea. How would we ever keep the house clean and organized for showings? Maybe shedding a pet or two would help? I know 3 pets is a lot, but I adore our pets (one dog and two cats) and feel very passionately about adopting homeless pets so I know it would be easier to not have the animals, but there is no way I'd ever part with any of them. I can't stand people who adopt pets when it's convenient for them and then ditch them when they don't fit into their lives anymore. Don't get me started on animal rights... So here we are, in a house we'll fit in for now, but will close in quickly on us when the kids start moving around on their own. Plus, we're not in the school district we'd like to be in for our kiddos right now so aside from the space issue, we'd have to move before the kids start school.
Needless to say, we had a realtor over last night to discuss our options. We were both nervous about the meeting because we've all heard about the housing market these days... We found out we could sell our house and break even with the realtor fees; this is what we were hoping for. We've lived in the house for 3 years and got our $8k check from the government for buying our house in the first place, which we now get to keep since we've lived here 3 years. Thank you Obama!! The realtor was also impressed with the house and said she feels confident we could get it sold in 3-4 months. I watched a segment on the Today Show that said houses should be thought of as piggy banks and not cash cows. We won't be making money on our house, but we have all the money we've paid on it coming back to us and we will be able to make enough to cover the realtor fees. Plus, we're looking to upgrade and feel confident that we can get a great deal on a new house. Sounds like a positive situation given the market these days...
With this information under our belts, we're seriously considering moving. I didn't think we'd be moving so soon from this house. I love this house! We've been spoiled by the privacy it offers and I hope we can find something very similar but with more space.
The idea of moving has made the realization of how much our lives are changing sink in fast. Don't get me wrong, it's a very welcome change and we couldn't be happier, but there is a lot that will be changing around here!!
As far as the pregnancy goes, I've had strings of days where I'm nauseous all day and other days where I feel only slightly nauseous throughout the day. I never feel 'normal' anymore. I got a list of nausea remedies from the doctor; one was 25 mg of Vitamin B6 every 8 hrs. Whenever I'm feeling green, I've taken one of those and it seems to help curb the nausea tremendously. One thing that never seems to leave is the exhaustion! Here's an example: I went to bed last night at 10:30 and got up with my husband at 6:45 am to see him off to work. I laid down on the couch around 8 am and woke up at 10:30 am. I went to our room with the idea of showering, but laid down in bed (for just a minute!) and woke up to his text message at 11:56 am telling me he was coming home for lunch! I think I may get a few things done around the house and sneak in another nap because I'm still tired. I have some friends coming into town from Wisco tomorrow and I hope I can muster the energy to be a good host for the weekend... I'm also looking a little puffy around the midsection. Collin likes to say 'something's going on in there' whenever he sees it. They are all welcome signs.
As far as upcoming appointments, we're doing an ultrasound on March 7 and one March 19 and then we are done with any and all RE's. I'm ready to graduate to a regular OB! We're still trucking along with the progesterone injections (I had the option to switch to the suppository form of Crinone, but I opted not to change...another story for another time perhaps), Estrogen pills, and Metanx pills. We'll be done with the progesterone and estrogen at 10 weeks.
I'm still nervous about the ultrasounds and each milestone brings on anxiety, but I'm starting to enjoy myself a little more each day. Pregnancy after loss is not a relaxing ordeal....
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Ultrasound 1 at 6w5d
We traveled to Chattanooga for our first ultrasound today. The more sensible option would have been to do the ultrasound at my RE's office in Knoxville, but we had a graduation day ultrasound there only to find out there was no heartbeat. Call me superstitious, but we've had great luck with everything in Chattanooga so we traveled there for numero uno ultrasound!
Talk about nervous...my heart was pounding as I sat with my paper blanket on waiting for the Doc to come in to scan me. I expressed my anxiety and she said 'your numbers were great, I'm not worried.' Bold statement! I saw a sac right away, but I didn't see anything in it. The Doc wasn't saying anything. My heart began to sink...
Just as I was wondering if I may pass out, she exclaimed, "There's two!!"
TWINS!!!
One is measuring at 6w2d and the other is measuring at 6w3d; I'm at 6w5d so these are perfect numbers. Baby A had a heartbeat of 124 and Baby B had a heartbeat of 127. Both look perfect according to the MD.
Since I'm a worrier, she said I need to relax. With the way everything looked, she estimated a chance of miscarriage to be only about 3% at this point.
This is real!! They are real! I can enjoy this pregnancy from this point forward. I'm going to make it a point to enjoy every moment forward. I'm hopping on Amazon to order a pregnancy journal after I get done writing. I want to remember every single second of this miracle.
Next came the bunches of phone calls and texts to family and close friends. What amazing news!
Baby A was easy to find and measure. I think s/he takes after his/her calm sensible father. Baby B was a bit hidden and laying sideways. I think s/he takes after his/her spunky mother.
We are thrilled!!! In the 3.5+ years years we have been on this journey, I've always said I wanted twins! Twins means NEVER having to do IF treatment again. NEVER. Unless we somehow lose our minds and decide a 3rd child would be a good idea. Maybe there is someone out there who listens to these requests... Days like this make me believe in miracles!
TWINS!!! Is there a better sound in the world then a baby's heartbeat?! It doesn't get any better than this...
What a perfect day. I can smile a little brighter today knowing I have 2 perfect babies growing inside me. 
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Waiting for a 6 Week Ultrasound is Like Dating
I've been intentionally AWOL from the blogging community. When I got my BFP I was beyond ecstatic. Slowly, the doubts and worry have managed to creep in and blot out a lot of my happiness. I know all too well what it's like to have an ultrasound without a heartbeat. I've been in my own little world trying to patiently wait for the ultrasound..."trying" being the operative word.
I think this whole thing reminds me of dating... You know when you first start dating someone and you realize you are head over heels into them, but you are unsure if they feel the same way so to avoid being labeled a creeper you don't profess your feelings? You just keep seeing this person and hope they feel the same way about you. You want the relationship to last. Well, that's how I feel right now. I'm head over heels at the thought of being pregnant, but I am afraid to be too happy because I don't know if this will work out. I'm putting my feelings on a shelf trying to stay sane.
We've been trying to take a baby home for over 3.5 years. I've been trying to get pregnant since I miraculously managed to get pregnant on an injection/IUI cycle over 2 years ago. I'm thrilled to be able to think, 'I am pregnant.' I only hope it lasts.
As far as symptoms go, I definitely have a 'she drank too many beers' belly thing going on even though I haven't gained a pound. I've been a sleeping fanatic. I can't manage to make it through a 12 hr night shift without catching a little shut eye. I have felt crummy on and off, but nothing too remarkable. Yesterday was my first bout of real nausea since a few days post the transfer. I was in the middle of feeding our dog, Miles, his dinner when I had to make a mad dash to the bathroom. My stomach was empty so I only dry heaved. Really, that's it. I wish I was feeling nauseous all the time because I think I'd feel slightly less paranoid.
So here I am, waiting. I have no idea what next week will bring. I just hope this pregnancy continues...I'm not ready for it to end!
I think this whole thing reminds me of dating... You know when you first start dating someone and you realize you are head over heels into them, but you are unsure if they feel the same way so to avoid being labeled a creeper you don't profess your feelings? You just keep seeing this person and hope they feel the same way about you. You want the relationship to last. Well, that's how I feel right now. I'm head over heels at the thought of being pregnant, but I am afraid to be too happy because I don't know if this will work out. I'm putting my feelings on a shelf trying to stay sane.
We've been trying to take a baby home for over 3.5 years. I've been trying to get pregnant since I miraculously managed to get pregnant on an injection/IUI cycle over 2 years ago. I'm thrilled to be able to think, 'I am pregnant.' I only hope it lasts.
As far as symptoms go, I definitely have a 'she drank too many beers' belly thing going on even though I haven't gained a pound. I've been a sleeping fanatic. I can't manage to make it through a 12 hr night shift without catching a little shut eye. I have felt crummy on and off, but nothing too remarkable. Yesterday was my first bout of real nausea since a few days post the transfer. I was in the middle of feeding our dog, Miles, his dinner when I had to make a mad dash to the bathroom. My stomach was empty so I only dry heaved. Really, that's it. I wish I was feeling nauseous all the time because I think I'd feel slightly less paranoid.
So here I am, waiting. I have no idea what next week will bring. I just hope this pregnancy continues...I'm not ready for it to end!
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