Green light

I had my first monitoring appointment this morning to check my follicles. I thought the tech said she saw four. Not positive. We tentatively set up our appointment time for the IUI on Wednesday for 11 AM with a 9 AM drop off time for the "sample." I would take the Ovidrel trigger shot tonight (took the Bravelle shot on Saturday...no different than an insulin shot) as well as have "intercourse" and then tomorrow would be a free day. We just had to wait for the confirmation call from the doctor saying we were cleared to go ahead with the IUI.

We got the call!

She mentioned me having three mature follicles, measuring 18 mm (I think it's mm...), 21 mm and 24 mm. Maybe I have four but the fourth one wasn't "mature?" Who knows. So, as planned, we will "clear the pipes" tonight and rest tomorrow and be ready to go on Wednesday. I'm feeling good about this. Really good. All the signs seem to say this is right and it will work. I forgot to ask when I would be able to test but it should fall around the due date I had for my first pregnancy. I'm going to take that as a good sign.

This is happening. This is finally happening.

Let the testing begin!

Hello, My Love,

My period started today and with it a slew of testing shall commence. I had to call the fertility center to let them know my cycle started and to schedule my Day 3 bloodwork and sonogram. I was surprised to see my period start so soon. My cycle was wacky and I'm not so sure I ovulated, which would be a first. Fertility Friend (www.fertilityfriend.com) didn't show ovulation but I did have the CM (cervical mucus) that says I did and I took a few OPK (ovulation predictors) which showed I did so who knows? This was the first month I used a basal thermometer so maybe that's it. Oh well.

My bloodwork will be done on Friday at 7:15 am and then I also have my HSG scheduled for Monday at 2:30. Your dad is calling to schedule his SA (semen analysis) today or tomorrow so hopefully that will be done soon. I have no idea how we are going to be able to afford all of this testing but somehow, we will. The money aspect of this whole thing has been the biggest stress point for your father.

I started having infertility dreams. I started spotting last night and knowing that I had to call to schedule my testing, I had dreams about it this morning before my alarm went off. In my dream I was at the doctor's office and they were scheduling me for ovulation iduction at some office far away. They were calling it ovulation induction but it was really egg harvesting. It took me a minute to realize that that meant we were doing IVF and that we didn't want to do that yet. Weird dream.

I joined a gym this week. I am going to be 30 (YIKES!) in January and I've decided that I can't change that but I can change how I look. I don't want to get any fatter. So, my goal is to look fabulous by the time I'm 30. I have to get older. I don't have to be fat. Now, I'm doing something about it. I met with a personal trainer (I get three sessions with my membership) and went over my diet, my exercise, my goals, etc. I have my first workout on Friday after work. My trainer was pretty cute, so I'm looking forward to working out...;o) I didn't feel so cute when he was measuring my body fat with those pinchy things though....

Hi there...remember me?

Hello, My Love,

It's been awhile since I've written you but I think about you every single day. We took a month off to regain some sense of sanity. I sometimes feel like I'm drowning in this baby making business. I want you so bad I can taste it. I ache to hold you in my arms and smell your beautiful little head. Someday.

One of my best friends gave birth to a beautiful baby boy this morning and he is absolutely perfect. I couldn't get over how tiny he is! I've been around babies a lot, but not newborns so much. He was 7 pounds 4 ounces and 20 inches long. Your dad and I will be the godparents. I can't wait for you to get here so you can meet him. He'll be like a cousin almost. I don't see my brothers having children anytime soon and you father's brother doesn't want kids and his two sisters are done having kids. So it looks doubtful you'll have any cousins close to your age.

I keep putting off calling my doctor but I know if we are ever to be together I need to get on the ball and make the call. My current OB/GYN isn't under my new insurance (I don't think) so I need to see if he is for sure and if not, I need to get a new one closer to home. I just dread going through all the tests again. Hopefully I won't have to. Your dad wants to go forward with the IUI next month if we aren't pregnant. I should be ovulating any second now so we should know in about two weeks.

My butt hurts!

Hello, My Love,

Not that you want to hear about my rear end, but man oh man does my tush hurt! I've started riding my bike to work and it's day number two and I feel like I've got a big bruise under each cheek. I even got a bigger seat with gel padding but I guess I'll just have to get used to it. I do feel good about the exercise I'm getting. I bought a speedometor/odometer to see how fast I'm going/how far I'm riding. I'm guessing about 3 miles so a total of 6 miles a day. I can feel the burn in my thighs. Pretty soon I'll have the nice legs I had 10 years ago. I also feel good about sparing the earth all the pollutents from my car and of course I feel great about not spending money on gas! I put $20 (half a tank for me) in my car on Sunday. With my previous job I would have needed to put more in by now. I'm curious to see how long it will last me.

I should be ovulating soon and I feel excited about this cycle. I think the vitamins your dad has been taking are having positive effects on him. I am anxious about this cycle. I have this vision of seeing those two beautiful lines. Those two lines are like a dream that I hope will soon come true.

Well, gotta get to Home Depot to get some compost, a bin and a hose reel. I'm starting a compost bin for the garden. I'll have to post some pictures soon.

Fringe benefits

Hello, My Love,

It's early. It's about 7:15 am and I am at work. Someday you will come with me to work. You will get to spend the day with the other babies and I will come in and visit with you as often as I can. This is the reason I have stayed in this industry. Being the director I will get a huge discount on childcare plus I won't have to leave you with strangers while I am at work. I can come in and feed you or rock you to sleep. I watch the parents drop their babies off and then leave for work and I'm not sure I could do it. I've waited so long for you that I wouldn't want to leave you for 9 or 10 hours and not see you, hear you, smell you or touch you. I wouldn't get any work done at all.

I should be ovulating any day now. I'm hoping that the little eggie that pops out is you and my wait will be over. Your dad is going to the doctor's on Friday and I'm going on Monday so if this isn't the month then we are getting the ball rolling for next month. I am a fairly patient person but after 20 months of trying and 4 years without birth control my patience has worn quite thin.

Twice in one day? Insane!

So, I completely forgot to put an update about where we stand as far as getting pregnant goes. It totally thought last month was it but it was not. This month I started charting my temperature and using OPK (ovulation predictor kit). As of yet I have not ovulated but it should be any day now. I am trying to time the baby-making just right. There are several different points of view on how often to "do it." Some say every other day. Some say every day. If the man has a lower sperm count you should go every other day so that they have a chance to regenerate. Seeing how Courtney has not had his "boys" tested we don't have an answer to that question. If this month doesn't work then I think we both need to get the ball rolling on getting tests done to find out why nothing has happened in going on two years.

I did hear back from my doctor about some follow up bloodwork I had done for my thyroid. After 2 months on the medication they prescribed me I am now "normal." Good to know. I haven't lost any weight nor do I feel less tired so I am not seeing any kind of difference since I started the medication. Other than the fact that I'm "normal."

I came across this blog http://www.confessionsofacfhusband.com/ a few weeks ago and it is an amazing blog. I absolutely recommend it to anyone who has half a brain or half a heart. It's a sweet, young couple. The wife has cystic fibrosis and they unexpectedly got pregnant as she was about to go on a transplant list for new lungs. They stuck with the pregnancy, gave birth to a micro-preemie at 24 weeks, I believe. The husband updates the blog several times a day and is such a wonderful husband and father. It is inspiring to read about their lives. As I've said before, I'm not religious and don't believe in god but I do admire and respect those that TRULY believe and live their lives accordingly. And this guy does. Plus he's got a sense of humor. He's a saint if I ever saw one.

Could this be it?

Courtney and I just got back from Mexico and it was so nice to have a week of relaxation. We really needed it. It was also good to see his parents and some friends of ours from California who we haven't seen since we moved. They had a son a little over a year ago so it was great to finally meet him. He's such a cutie. Courtney's parent's are going to retire in a small town called San Felipe which is fast becoming a retirement community for many Americans. It's a picturesque little town and I definitely look forward to visiting again! I was sad to leave but so happy to get back home to our doggies. They missed us so much!

Hot Springs in Puertocito

View of San Felipe from Courtney's parents' community

Sticking my feet in the not so warm water. (It was winter there...60 degrees...lol)

Derek, Amy and Jake, Me and Courtney, Rosalie and Chuck

Puertocito was so tiny this was their Post Office and Library. Seriously.

And these are the little angels we were missing!

So, according to my not very accurate calculations, I believe I ovulated while we were on vacation. Good thing, since we were able to sneak in a few "baby making" sessions. ;o) I'm hoping we timed everything right. I should know in the next few days as my period is due any day now. I plan to take a pregnancy test this Saturday if it doesn't show by then. I'm feeling like it's about to start but that could also be a sign of pregnancy. Grrrr...mother nature is a bitch!