Week 13

...is over today. The morning sickness is a lot better too. Evening nausea seems to come on yet.

I'm starting belly pics next week. My regular pants barely fit and even if I suck it in, there's definitely a bump now.

2nd trimester, here I come!

Week 12

The appt went great. Baby was fine, we got some quick pics and afterward we told our families the big news.

The next day we posted it on Facebook. I can't believe it.

11w6d

Holy crap tomorrow's the day. 12 weeks. The doctors appointment is in the morning and I'm sure it'll be a quick check and then "see you in a month!".

I'm definitely feeling better. I can tolerate more food and its been about 2 weeks since I last puked. I'm still nauseous but its not as bad as it was.

I can feel pressure where my uterus is growing and I have a little belly starting. It must be true that you show sooner the second time around. Its hard to say that because this is my 6th pregnancy.

We'll be sharing the news with our siblings tomorrow, then our co-workers on Monday. Probably Facebook that day too. I can't believe I'm putting this on Facebook.

10w5d

So I got my Doppler back from my SIL last Saturday and used it as soon as Claire was in bed. At only 10 weeks I found the baby's heartbeat! I just tried it again tonight and found it right away! Its such an amazing feeling and I'm so grateful.

Easter was fun; Claire had a little egg hunt in the house since it was cold outside yet.

She met the Easter bunny the weekend prior but wasn't impressed.

I'm feeling better some days and pretty sick other days. I hope it fades away soon but that's wishful thinking... I lost 15 lbs the first trimester with Claire and this time I'm down about 5 lbs. That's because my starting weight was 20 lbs lower than last time.

I'm wearing maternity dress pants now and they feel awesome. Like sweatpants! I'm looking so forward to next Friday's doctor's appointment. We'll get a quick peek at the baby and enter into the second trimester!

9w6d

This was an interesting week of pregnancy. My morning sickness kicked into high gear Monday night and I wasn't able to keep anything down, including water. I stayed home from work on Tuesday and got a stronger prescription for the nausea: phenergan. I'm alternating that with the Zofran and have been feeling better. I'm mostly following a BRAT diet too.

I got worried that I couldn't keep down my vitamins, prednisone and baby aspirin. Then I feared dehydration. I took some of Claire's pedialyte in a desperate attempt to get better too. I think the ms just peaked (hopefully).

Yesterday was 3/27. That is a big milestone for me, mostly emotionally. This pregnancy is officially the second-longest out of six. Claire, of course, is the winner. Tomorrow is 10 weeks. Time is not flying but at least its passing.

8w6d

So I'm at the precipice of reaching that milestone of 9 weeks. Claire is the only baby to survive past 9 weeks so we're just waiting - taking it day by day. I'm massively nauseous but mostly force myself to not throw up. The food I'm willing to eat has to stay down somehow.

I was thinking this morning how its so bizarre that I'm pregnant. We tried on our own and after so many years of failure it felt pointless. Or like pretend. "Sure, let's be like normal, fertile people and make a baby on our own!"

But it happened. And the longer this pregnancy lasts the more attached I become to the idea that we will actually welcome another child into this little family of ours in October. I always dreamed of having four kids, but when we hit the wall of infertility and RPL, I swore I'd be happy with even just one baby. Now we might have a second one? Well in my eyes, this baby is a bonus and a miracle.

7w4d

Nothing special going on except I continue to feel worse each day. Morning sickness is starting to get the best of me.

I'm exhausted and nauseous 24/7 but that must be a good thing so I'll take it.

We told our parents last weekend and they were very surprised and excited for us.

I've had no spotting but I keep thinking about the blood near the sac. I wish I could have more ultrasounds but for now we have to wait till 12 weeks to see this kiddo again.

So we wait...

Ultrasound #1 results

One baby. HB 122. A little blood near the sac...I'm not terribly worried. Yet.

No spotting so we'll take it one day at a time

Six weeks

Vomitfest has begun. No more fast food even if I'm craving it!!!

Ultrasound #1 is tomorrow. Will this all end in bad news or continue on as if we are normal people? Like we're fertile and can sustain a pregnancy?

Sigh.

And a big snowstorm is coming in. Like it'll keep me from Wandy. Yeah right.

I'll post after I get the results. Fingers crossed.

Also SIL had her baby today. Tough labor, rough birth but her baby girl is here and healthy.

Fifth Week

Sooo sick. Desperately trying to not vomit.

DH got a new job today and I got a sweet raise.

One more week till we see what is or isn't cooking in there...

Claire pic for you all:

4w5d

Still pregnant. We lost our first at this point in 2008. Well this one isn't a chemical so I'd like to think we're in the clear today.

I tested up to yesterday to see the lines get darker. They mimic the tests from Claire's pregnancy and for me, that's reassuring.

I feel sick and it seems sooner than with any other time. To think that this is my SIXTH pregnancy....I'm still wrapping my mind around the concept. We always planned on having more kids but I really believed it would be years before I got pregnant again.

With Claire I was on Folgard, heparin injections twice a day, low dose prednisone, prenatal vitamins, baby aspirin and PIO.

This pregnancy I'm taking prenatal vitamins, baby aspirin and low dose prednisone

With Claire I limited myself to picking up nothing more than 10 lbs almost the entire pregnancy.

This pregnancy I'm a mom to a >26 lb toddler. I buy groceries and clean my house. Unless advised otherwise I have to lift some stuff but I'll limit it to Claire's weight class.

Overall we hope that I can be a "normal" pregnant person and have everything go smoothly. Lofty aspirations for someone with RPL but its keeping me calmer, more relaxed.

Also, I continue to remember how long 9 months will be and that I have to take it one day at a time. Its funny, I wake up and have to remind myself that I'm pregnant. Or at work and I'll be in a meeting and think to myself, 'I'm pregnant!'. Then I smile. No matter how long this lasts, I'll be happy and grateful for this baby, just like all the others.

The difference now is, I have Claire and she gives the best hugs and kisses so no matter what happens, she'll get me through whatever happens. Oh and my husband. Ha ha.

Beta #2

Beta #1 at 14 dpo: 90
Beta #2 at 16 dpo: 286!!!!!!!!

Doubling time of 28.78 hours holy crap!!!

Might this actually be a miracle?

Beta #1

Beta #1 on 14 dpo:

Hcg: 90
Progesterone: 33.2

Yuck. Now we wait till Sundays results are in. But I expected a beta over 100. Better than previous shitty beta /pregnancies but not as encouraging as my IVF pregnancy.

Still pregnant

4 weeks today according to the opks. The Dr wants a beta and progesterone draw due to my history. Repeat beta on Sunday. I didn't even ask for betas! Oh well I won't complain.

I have pretty strong morning sickness but I haven't thrown up yet. Food aversion? Check. Sore boobs? Check. Tired? Oh yeah.

We aren't telling anyone for awhile. I have a 6 week ultrasound on march 5 now to get placement and hopefully see a heartbeat. We wonder if there are two in there? Oh boy....

Thanks for the well wishes! Its nice to know people still care even after I kind of went off the grid.

May The Odds Be Ever In My Favor...?

Pregnancy #6. Here we go again!

I threw a baby shower yesterday

I worked on this shower for six months. Its for SIL who is due next month after nearly 4 years TTC. There were decorating stations (onesies/bibs, blocks, well wishes/advice, headbands and picture frames). I played a slideshow of my SILs baby pics and that was a hit. All in all it was a good time. I wish I could be an event coordinator...party planning is a major outlet for me.

CD 1

No test today. Af showed up. Femara will be used this cycle so we'll see what happens.

Now more Claire pics:

I never thought I'd see the day

I'm 30 and I now have a craft room. Its bare bones but I just did it tonight. Why have a guest room if we've never had a guest?

SIL is having a baby (it took them 4 years and Clomid) and I'm throwing the shower. That's the stuff on the table.

The sewing machine is brand new - my mom got me one for Christmas. I ruined hers 20 years ago trying to make Jean shorts so I hope nothing happens to this one.

On the TTC front I'm 11 or 12 dpo and testing like an idiot. I just hope DH gets this job he's up for because they cover IVF.

Now for Claire pics:

Back in the saddle

Claire's 14 months now, I'm working again and DH has two jobs. We have decided to TTC again so here we are. Today was my surge and its CD 17. Plenty of bd-ing so we're on our way. Will it happen on our own? Doubtful. But all those old memories are flooding back. The fears, doubts, obsessions...I weaned my baby girl 2 1/2 months ago and kind of just got my body back. But I want it to make more babies.

We're not likely to start treatment again soon because our insurance has changed and provides zero coverage for IF. So until DH gets a new job we're on our own. Good thing I have leftover repronex and femara. That's 2 medicated cycles if we really want to go there.

That's all for now. It'll be a long 2WW but never as long as the four years it took to have our miracle.

I am...

A breast-feeding, baby food making, cloth diapering, stay-at-home mom.

I lost my job at the end of March. No I don't want to talk about it. Yes I do want to brag about my amazing baby girl and how my dreams are realized every day with all that I get to do.

DH got a second job right after I got shit-canned so we're surviving for now. I'm looking for a new job but this economy sucks.

Before I had Claire I wanted to breast feed. I wanted to make my baby her own food. I wanted to use cloth diapers and I wanted to be a stay at home mom. If I had to lose my job to do all those things, then dammit it was the best thing, right?

First, a picture:

Six months old. Holy crap!

What else - oh yeah I was diagnosed with PPD in March. I was pretty crazy. Not harm my baby crazy but definitely wanted to maim my husband. Also my milk production took a huge dive and I kind of just realized that I was totally miserable except with my baby girl. So I started taking Zoloft and what do you know, I'm a happy person now! Kind of muted my crazy, I suppose.

Oh and I gained 50 pounds while pregnant. I have lost all of it and then some. So hard to believe because I've been a little overweight for years thanks to infertility, but now that weight's all gone too. I'm back down to my wedding weight, which was pretty nice. The only thing I can't lose is my little pooch where Claire was for 9+ months. I suppose working out would help. I'd like to credit breastfeeding for every bit of my weight loss. Oh and chores and lifting Claire. That might help too.

She is going in for her 6 month check up this Friday but I'll bet she's almost 30 inches and weighs over 17 pounds. Tall and lean. That's my kid. She has abs. Did I mention that before?

She can sit up mostly unassisted. She loves to be assisted while standing. She spazzes out in her jumperoo and wheels around mostly backwards in her walker.

We moved her into her own room a week and a half ago and its going well. I waited till six months (and when I was ready) and she's loving it. I think she sleeps better.

She's in 9 month clothing and growing fast. A great eater and loves to feed herself. She grabs the spoon and sticks it in her own mouth. All business about food, this one.

She has her mama's blue eyes with a little of her daddy's hazel in the middle. Her hair is super spiky and seems to be darkening to a light brown.

Claire smiles all the time, gives big sloppy kisses and hugs. She's not talking in sentences but mostly gibberish with some ba's and ga's. I love her to pieces and can definitely say she's the best thing I ever did.