28/29 weeks

All is well. Baby kicks and rolls all the time. Its definitely harder to be pregnant while caring for a toddler. Claire got ecoli and had to stay out of daycare for 2+ weeks till her stool samples came back negative. It made for a long July between her being sick and then the recovery process. But she had no complications so we're very happy about that.

Today she's home with me (again) due to her contracting strep throat. Poor kiddo. I got her cold but hopefully not the strep.

I'm 29 weeks today and very ready to meet this little girl. Too bad the nursery isn't anywhere near done. I have been stocking up on supplies this time. Lesson learned with Claire...

Week 22

This pregnancy continues to go well. I feel better and better and I'm reminded of how the middle of my pregnancy with Claire was so comfortable.

I continue to spoil and love my little girl before her sister arrives. We've begun potty training and its been more of a transition than a sudden change. She's doing very well.

I keep finding great deals on second hand toys so we've been adding to the collection pretty quickly. A wagon, slide, kitchen, makeup table...I can't seem to stop. Hopefully she'll share with her sister!

Week 20

Baby is awesome! Measured at 20w1d with a due date of 10/23/13. That's four days after Claire's birthday.

We also found out what we're having.

Another girl! Sisters!

Week 19

Tons of pics for you, plus a belly pic from last week.

We find out what's in that belly this Thursday morning. I'm so excited!!! Baby is kicking and punching a lot so things are definitely normal there.

I'm finally getting to my pre-pregnancy weight due to such bad morning sickness.  I still have good aversions but McDonald plain cheeseburgers are my biggest craving right now. I know, Ewww.

Claire is great! We start potty training next week since she is very ready. Smart little girl, I tell ya.

I'll let you all know if its a boy or girl, I promise. We're telling my family after work Thursday and DH's family on Friday.

With the pics below, my faves are the ones with the rainbow in the background. She is definitely our Rainbow Baby.

Week 18

I'm still here! I suck at keeping up. Baby is fine. I have some ribs out due to a bad cough I had. Lots of movement every day from the little one. We find out what it is in less than 2 weeks!

Week 14

...ended yesterday but I still need to post.

No belly pics yet. It is all flab mostly but my belly button is starting to flatten already. That took over 30 weeks last time. I also weighed more last time.

The morning sickness is pretty much gone. I have to eat all day long to keep the nausea away but that's fine.

Cravings: Gatorade, candy, movie (gas station) popcorn, ice cream, chocolate milk, oranges, steak, potatoes and donuts.

Sleep: I try to stay up till 9. I was in bed at 730 on Wednesday when Claire went to bed. I'm exhausted.

Emotional? Yes.

Movement? Not sure. I felt "popcorn" at 15 weeks with Claire. I feel gas bubbles now but I think its the baby. We'll see I guess.

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.