Morning Sickness & all that Jazz

I definitely feel different this pregnancy than I did the last. Is that a good thing I hope so. My boobs were really sore in the beginning and I am ready for bed by 9pm. 2 good pregnancy signs. No real morning sickness though. Then my boobs stopped hurting and I wish I had morning sickness. All the tricks your mind plays on you when you're going through something you really can't control.

On my way to work the other day, 6w1d, I started to get REALLY nausea. Thank goodness I had a trash bag there because it quickly became my barf bag. I threw up 5 times. I felt horrible the rest of the day. I haven't thrown up since but the nausea is more & more frequent.

Yesterday, 7w3d I had terrible nausea and dry heaving most of the morning, afternoon. A's parents wanted us to go to lunch & I had to send A alone. Nothing sounded good to eat and I just couldn't stand the smell of anything.

The other night while snowed in A roasted a whole chicken. I smelled great, looked great I just couldn't eat it. WHY? He kept asking me. I have NO idea why I just can't eat it. He made chicken pie the next day with the left over meat & I could eat everything else in the pie but the chicken. Wacky I know...

I can't complain when I'm sick...it's all going to be worth it in the end!!!

New York, New York--Sunday, February 7th

Mommy & Daddy went to New York City today with Aunt A. & Uncle L. We were nervous we wouldn't be able to go because of the winter weather. We got about 16 inches of snow of Saturday and we weren't sure if we'd make it. Daddy got everything dug out and we were ready to roll around 11am on Sunday morning. We were shocked because there was no snow or anything in New York at all. Mommy did a good job of getting us a hotel, Hamp.ton Inn on 8th & 51st St. It was a great location and the hotel was very nice for the price. We paid $152.10 for the night. Steal..even with a hot breakfast the next morning.

Today was the Super Bowl so Daddy & Uncle L watched the game at Dave & Bust.er's and Mommy & Aunt A. went to see a show on Broadway. We saw, Next to Normal. It was fabulous. We waited in line for tickets at TKTS and got a deal. 50% off so for $62.00 a seat we were 8 rows from the stage.

We ended up going back to the hotel around 12 midnight and I was VERY tired. I'm not used to staying up so late anymore. You make me VERY tired lately. The next day we had a lot planned so I needed a good nights rest.

We met Aunt Allie at Daddy's favorite pizza place in the city. Lomba.rdi's! It was awesome as always. We then did some shopping around the city & made it to our real destination...The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. I bought Daddy tickets for this show for his birthday last year so we finally got to go see it. It was really cool seeing a real show being produced. We all enjoyed it.

We went back to the hotel to get all of our luggage and got the car out of valet parking. The journey home started and we had to say Goodbye to a great weekend in The Big Apple.

You've been doing a lot of traveling in your short time here...Florida, NYC...WOW!!!
WE LOVE YOU BABY!!!

Thursday, February 4th 6w1d

We had our appointment scheduled for today at 6pm. This was again something that I was so anxious for. This was the big 1st U/S. I couldn't wait to see our little bean to confirm that everything was good. Dr. M & the nurse came in and we were ready to begin. I was so nervous I think I could see my heart beating out of my chest. As soon as she began I right away saw the gestational sac and let out a loud, awwwwww!!!! A had NO idea what he was seeing but Dr. M & the nurse did an awesome job of explaining and showing us everything they were seeing. The gestational sac measured perfect as did the yolk sac. We then saw the most unbelievable sight...our little baby, OUR babies heart was flickering on the screen. I saw it with my own eyes and tears just started to run down my face. A & I held hands and we were just in awe of that magical moment. They were then able to turn the sound on for us and we heard the heartbeat. 114bpm!!! PERFECT! The little bean measured right on track at 6w1d. We couldn't be more excited for what for the next few months have to offer.

Beta, beta, beta

I had to go back in 48 hrs. for a repeat beta which is just as nerve wreaking as going for the 1st beta.

Thursday, January 21st
Beta - 241
E2-212
P4-<20

Monday, January 25th
Beta -
E2- ?
P4- 18

18---that scared the crap out of me. Why was it dropping. They said I could come back in on Friday to have repeat and if it didn't rise we could start a progestrone supplement.

Friday, January 29th
Beta - 4491
E2- 275
P4-18

18----ugh!! I started PIO which I didn't want to have to do but if it's going to save this pregnancy getting the PIO in my bum once a night isn't going to kill me. I will hopefully start to wean off of this around 8 weeks.

Beta Day!

Tuesday, January 19th was BETA DAY!

I went to the office so excited to be able to share the news with them that I had infact gotten at positive home pregnancy test. I mentioned to A the night be after getting the negative (at first) that I'd love more than anything to get a positive home test and just be able to enjoy that moment!

After seeing the positive pop up on the screen I RAN into the bedroom, turned on the light, and yelled A, A, A. He quickly sat up in bed & had no idea what was going on. I handed him the test and he just said, what does it say? I said, PREGNANT!!! He was thrilled as I was. It was special moment for us to share and be happy together.

It again took forever for them to call me but I told the lab girl that she better hurry it up today!! They called around 10:30am and said...The home test was right! YOU ARE PREGNANT!

Beta-120
E2- 175
P4- <20

WE'RE HAVING A BABY

Monday, January 18th--2 lines REALLY?!?

I just had gotten home from Florida the night before and A & were watching TV. Something got in me and I went upstairs to the BR. I knew I had 1 dollar store pregnancy test from previous IVF cycles so I thought..."what the heck, I'll do it!" Now mind you it's 7pm at night & I'm only 12dpo. I peed in a cup, dropped 3 drops of pee in the window and waiting...waiting, waiting, waiting..it's all you do while TTC. Right away the control line got dark and no line appeared. I knew it was going to be negative so I walked out of the bathroom. I came back downstairs wondering if I should even tell A that I caved and POAS (peed on a stick!) I did tell him and he got mad. Why do you do that to yourself he said to me. Oh well....I'm used to it I thought. I went back up to the BR about 2 hrs. later to pee again and looked down at the sink. I think I saw something...something that looked like a 2nd line. It was faint but there was a 2nd line. There was,,,there really was! I ran downstairs & handed it to A. He got the cutest grin on his face and said...um, I think we're pregnant! I quickly started googling +hpt's and found out that anything over 10 min. isn't a valid reading. I had NO idea when that lined appeared as I walked out of the BR the first time within 1 min. :(

I started to scramble around the linen closet & I found a C.VS Digital test. I wanted to do it right then and there but I figured I better wait for fresh morning urine. WOW, talk about waiting...that was a long wait! I got up around 2AM and held it cause it wasn't long enough to POAS yet. Finally around 4:30AM I ran to the BR, opened the package and peed. WOW that felt good. I sat it on the window sill while washing my hands. I didn't want to look at it but I glanced down when drying my hands and what did I see...the most beautiful word I think I saw all week, maybe all month! PREGNANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2ww

On January 11, 2010 I had to go back to the doctors for my luteal bloods to confirm that I did in fact O. They usually call with the results in the afternoon & the days you're waiting for news such a this it takes forever. The nurse called to confirm that I did in fact ovulate. My estrogen was 107 & my progesterone was 12.1. Anything over 10 confirms O. Now......The dreaded 2ww (2 week wait) began & I thought it would never end. ALL kinds of thoughts go through your head. Are his swimmers really going to get the egg(s)? Are the egg(s) good enough? Will this work? Luckily I was very fortunate to be able to go on a week vacation with my family to Florida. Mom & Dad left on Sunday & Aunt S., S. & I flew out of Phlly airport on Tuesday, January 12th. We had an amazing time and it was perfect to take my mind off the "waiting." We flew home on Sunday, January 17th giving me only 2 more days to wait for my beta. January 19th couldn't come soon enough..............

TTC The Journey

A & I started TTC the day we got married, June 28, 2009. We knew it wasn't going to be an easy journey and it was quickly confirmed to be the case. We started with 2 failed rounds of Clomid. BUST--I didn't even respond. FIGURES! We knew that IUI wasn't for us as I had issues with the thought of selective reduction (SR). We thought long & hard about the next step in our journey and made the decision to try IVF. The long process began and we were so excited. Shots, drs. appointments, shots & more shots. I responded very well to the injections and we seemed to be great candidates for this. They were able to retrieve 26 eggs & 19 fertilized. We were thrilled. The froze 12 right away leaving 7 to watch & grow. We ended up transferring 2 beautiful blastocysts in April, 2009. The 2ww was a killer and I knew I wasn't pregnant. Turns out I was pregnant & we just didn't know how to act. This excitement came to a shreaching halt on May 15, 2009 when I went to the bathroom and discovered bright red blood. I knew my babies were being taken away from me. It was the hardest experience of my life. I wanted nothing more than to be a mother, the Lord gave them to me and then He took them away. I had to remember & try to remind myself that ALL things happen for a reason to those that love that Lord! We jumped back on the saddle rather quickly and did 2 more frozen embryo transfers (FETs). The 1st we transferred 3, 3 day embryos and the 2nd we transferred 2 more blasts. I didn't get pregnant with either of these round. I felt this journey crumbling quickly around me and didn't know where we were going to turn. We have 1 snowbaby left & I just the thought of going through all the pain; emotionally & physically killed me. We took a much needed break which lasted about 3 months.

One day while driving home from work I thought to myself why not give Clomid another shot. Dr. B wanted me to continue to get my period while waiting to do our 4 IVF cycle & I just finished taking Provera. Aunt Flo (AF) was due any day so I called the Dr. office to see their thoughts. I then told A my thoughts to see what he thought. He's so wonderful he just says whatever you think is best I'm fine with. The Dr. agreed to give it a go so here were again....on the saddle of TTC this time moving backwards in the journey. Silly I know.

I took 150mg of Clomid on CD 4-8. I went for my 1st follie check on CD14 and on course nada. I knew it...this round was another BUST. They wanted me to come back on CD17 just to confirm BUST but I said No. I wasn't going to pay a co-pay for them to say FAIL or come back in 3 more days. So I said, I'll come back in a week and that way we'll know if we're in or out of the game this round. So on CD 21 I showed up in the office not quite sure how to feel but certain I was going to leave the office with that empty feeling I so often leave with. The nurse started the U/S and said...Well I think we have something brewing. Low & behold I had 2 follies growing. They were still small (12 & 9) but none the less it was something. I went back on CD24 and they continued to grow (15 & 12). My estrogen (E2) also was rising. Slowly but it was a rise. They needed me to continue to come back as I was never so excited in all my life. My body was actually working!!!! **YAY** On CD28 the U/S showed 2 follies (26 & 16) and my lining was greater than 10. My estrogen had spiked from 75 to 254. I was told that tonight was trigger night. It's really happening...I left the office & called A right away with the great news. We actually had to BD for a purpose!! I ended up Oing on CD30, January 6, 2010!

This will be a date that I will Never forget!!!!