5 Weeks(as of 1/3/13)

How far along: 

5 WEEKS - Baby is the size of a Appleseed

About this week: 

I have been extremely tired. Over the weekend I had all these gran ideas about cleaning out my closets, doing laundry, starting a sewing project and a bunch of other things. I did absolutely none of these things. Seriously I think I slept/lounged most of the weekend. The good news is usually it really bothers me to be so unproductive but right now it really does not. We bought a baby names book. It is supposed to have 100,001 names inside it. It is slightly overwhelming if you think about naming your child. A name is huge. Even though it is really early and we have 35 weeks left to decide upon a name we are going to need every day of that because Luke is impossible in this category. 

Symptoms: 

I really feel great just tired peeing a lot and sore boobs but nothing that is terrible. I have been thankful every day I wake up feeling good. I have had a few headaches but nothing like I usually get so that is a blessing.

Food Aversions: 

None yet

Weight Gain:

Probably - I guess I should have put this in the symptom category because I am eating all the time. I need to get this figured out ASAP. We are going on a cruise next week and I am going to really have to 

Best moment of the week:
Being Pregnant

What I am looking forward to:
My Ultrasound on the 21st and our cruise. 

4 WEEKS(as of 12/27/12)

How far along: 

4 WEEKS - Baby is the size of an Orange Seed

About this week: 

We found out we were pregnant on December 27th two days after Christmas. I woke up early that morning to take a test because I was going to have to go in for my blood beta test. After my last IUI I really could not handle being told over the phone that the blood test was negative. I took two tests that morning both with the same brand and they were very very faint. I woke up Luke to ask him if he saw the line. I got my blood test back that morning at 11:30 and my Beta for 13 dpo was a 62.9. The P.A. told me  that looked great and to come back on Monday for more blood work. On Monday I went in for my second round of tests and my beta came back at 384 which was way more than double. My progesterone looked great as well the only thing that was not perfect was my thyroid. It had increased and so she upped my thyroid meds. Good news is because of everything looking great I do not have to go back for any more blood work for at least 4 weeks. She also scheduled my 6 week which will really be  7 weeks and 3 days, because we will be gone on vacation, ultrasound for January 21st. I am beyond excited for this appointment. 

Symptoms: 

Tiredness, having to pee a lot more and waking up every night to use the restroom, bloating, mild cramps and my boobs have gotten very sore. 

Food Aversions: 

None yet :)

Weight Gain:

Non yet but I was surprised because I have ate a ton in the last week. I guess I need to get this figured out. 

Best moment of the week:

Finding out that after 20 months trying to conceive with a miscarriage in July of 2011, multiple meds, shots, surgery and IUI's we are pregnant again!!

What I am looking forward to:

Starting to take bump pictures and my first ultrasound on Jan 21st and making this post blog public. 

IT ALL BECAME SO WORTH IT.....

After 20 months, 1 miscarriage, 2, IUI's, 1 Laporoscpy,  ovulation sticks, temp charting, hundreds of pills/shots, countless doctor appointments, thousands of dollars and many tears it all became so worth it because....

WE ARE HAVING A BABY!!!!

Today I am 10 weeks pregnant and this picture was taken on Monday. Baby was not wanting to cooperate very well and this was the best picture we could get. You can see part of the head its two arms and two legs. We were able to see it wiggling all around which was really cool and also very weird at the same time. Needless to say we are very excited that Shermbaby will be here sooner than we know it. 

 Over the last 5 weeks I have been blogging but not publishing my weekly updates. I really wanted to have something to remember each step of the way. I will be posting those over the next few days even though they are kind of boring.  

Tales from the RE's office

I was sitting in the reproductive medicines office this morning waiting to be called back when in walks a couple in their late 30’s and a gentleman.

The gentleman looks around obviously very uncomfortable and goes up to the counter. He stated his name and that he was there for a semen analysis. As he took a seat I could tell that he was dreading the event that was to follow. I just felt plain bad for him. Not soon after a nurse called him back and instructed him to pick up a little blue cup and label on the way through the door. I know he just wanted to melt away.

This left me and the other couple in the room. When they realized it was just the three of us the women looks over to me and gives me a small smile. They sit there in silence not even saying anything to one another. You could tell that they have never been here before and were super nervous. I am sure they were dreading walking back to the Dr’s office only to have to confess that they needed help.

I am certainly no pro and compared to some have not spent years coming back to the same waiting room but it certainly gets a lot easier. I can now walk in there confidently and not feel like I am going to throw up. I counted it up and I have been there 11 times in the last 2 months for different blood tests, procedures or appointments. The girl at the front now knows my name and just checks me right in. I absolutely love the lady who takes my blood.  I feel like we could be best friends even though we have only spent a total of 15 minutes together combined.

And last but no least I leave you with a picture of me hanging out with my feet up just waiting to be given the go ahead to head on home. Oh the things you will do for a baby J

Double Dose

This is not an interesting post whatsoever and is mainly for me to remember and also to show my kids what I had to go through to get them. Yes I will probably be one of those parents. J

I was thinking about it last night and I would be really interested to see the amount of money we have spent just in 2012 trying to have a baby. I know that it is not near as much as some people because I do have insurance but it is probably a crazy amount.  People always tell you that having kids is expensive but I am putting it out there that if you cannot have a baby on your own and need help it is not free.

Anyhow, I am one week into my pills/shots and so far so good. When I started the shots on Saturday I had to give myself a little pep talk about why I needed to pull it together.  I am actually doubling my injections and I was really able to tell because going from 1 ml of the Bravelle to 2 ml burns a whole lot more.

Tomorrow is my next ultrasound and blood work and it is really a make or break it appointment. Please pray that I am good to go and this cycle is not canceled due to over stimulation   

Not quite like Chris church mouse....

When I was little we used to read the stories of Christopher Curchmouse by Barbara Davoll?
They are really cute books and some of my favorite. With that said a mouse in a story is very different than a live mouse.

A few weeks ago I noticed that I may have a very unwelcome mouse friend making house in my basement. In the 2.5 years we have lived at IRA this has never been a problem until now. I freaked out and went on a cleaning frenzy because let's be honest little mouse poop is so disgusting.

I went out right away and bought some standard mouse traps and put a little peanut butter in the middle. Weeks went by and nothing and I assumed that my mouse friend had decided that he wanted to make house elsewhere. Life was good until last Saturday while putting up the rest of my Christmas decor I find a little mouse poop once again.

If it was not for getting into HUGE trouble with my husband I probably would have given every item that resides in the basement away because of how grossed out I am by this mouse. After getting over my disgust and fear I headed back out to the store to get some more traps. I ended up with the sticky glue pads.

Monday night we set all six of  them out all around the base of the basement. Nothing happened until last night when I made Luke go and check. He calls me downstairs right away claiming that one of the pads was all the way across the room upside down and stuck to the rug.

Basically we have GI JO mouse on our hands people because the little sucker must have got stuck freaked out and then decided he was going to win. He must have chewed his way free because we found clumps of mouse hair and poop all around where the sticky pad was stuck to the carpet. If you are thinking that the sticky pads must have not been sticky enough I will challenge you to go buy one stick it on your rug and then try and pull it off. I wish I would have taken a picture because the sight was really just unbelievable.

At this point it is mouse 2, Stephanie & Luke 0. However we set out some more snap traps so I just hope little mouse enjoys his last few days because I am not giving up no matter what it takes. 

One day at a time

I had a really hard day today. I think after my appointment yesterday the fear and dread really set in. I am afraid of letting myself have hope that this next cycle may work because if it does not I will be devastated again. I am afraid of my meds and shots and the way they make me feel. As crazy as this sounds I am also afraid of getting pregnant again because what if I miscarry.

Luke and I went to the gym tonight and I had a really good workout but probably pushed myself way to hard. I just kept thinking how by pushing myself to run I was able to control something in my life. Infertility is so far out of my control that I feel at a lost most of the time.

No matter how afraid and out of control i feel IUI cycle #2 has officially started. I am going to try and just focus on getting through each day one at a time.