tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58173576842117711442024-02-18T21:59:27.921-05:00Definitely. Maybe? BABY!*Maybe* Baby ♥ Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09383459784482599843noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817357684211771144.post-25719681231923664142011-06-28T19:01:00.000-04:002011-06-28T19:01:41.607-04:00I'm still here!... just over there...<div align="center"><em>Hello, everybody!!!!</em><br />
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We've had a few comments and emails about whether I'm still updating on my pregnancy and our little guy...</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">The answer: <strong><span style="font-size: x-large;">YES!</span></strong></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">If you didn't know already, over on my first blog, <a href="http://robertslove.blogspot.com/">A Blue-Eyed Boy Met a Brown-Eyed Girl</a>, you can catch up on the all the growing anticipation and excitement we've been going through over the past 8 months. Little man is almost here♥!♥!♥<br />
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</div><div align="center">Some of the preggers posts I've written over the last few months:</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><ul><li><div align="center"><a href="http://robertslove.blogspot.com/2011/02/14-weeks-of-love.html">14 weeks of belly love</a></div></li>
<li><div align="center"><a href="http://robertslove.blogspot.com/2011/03/my-life-sitcom-aka-day-i-found-i-was.html">my life, the sitcom – a.k.a. the day I found out I was preggo</a></div></li>
<li><div align="center"><a href="http://robertslove.blogspot.com/2011/03/rest-of-preggo-discovery-day-story.html">the rest of the “preggo discovery day” story!</a></div></li>
<li><div align="center"><a href="http://robertslove.blogspot.com/2011/03/its.html">It’s a…….. (!!!)</a></div></li>
<li><div align="center"><a href="http://robertslove.blogspot.com/2011/03/boy-oh-boy-we-are-blessed.html">BOY oh BOY, we are BLESSED!</a></div></li>
<li><div align="center"><a href="http://robertslove.blogspot.com/2011/03/17-weeks.html">17 weeks</a></div></li>
<li><div align="center"><a href="http://robertslove.blogspot.com/2011/03/name-game.html">the name game</a></div></li>
<li><div align="center"><a href="http://robertslove.blogspot.com/2011/04/19-week-of-love.html">19 weeks of belly love</a> </div></li>
<li><div align="center"><a href="http://robertslove.blogspot.com/2011/04/20-weeks.html">20 weeks of belly love</a></div></li>
<li><div align="center"><a href="http://robertslove.blogspot.com/2011/04/in-love-with-boy.html">in love with a boy</a></div></li>
<li><div align="center"><a href="http://robertslove.blogspot.com/2011/04/nursery-diaries-chapter-1.html">the nursery diaries, Chapter 1</a></div></li>
<li><div align="center"><a href="http://robertslove.blogspot.com/2011/04/sweet-friends-and-21-weeks-of-belly.html">sweet friends and 21 weeks of belly love</a></div></li>
<li><div align="center"> <a href="http://robertslove.blogspot.com/2011/04/he-has-name-and-we-need-your-vote.html">He has a name!!!</a></div></li>
<li><div align="center"><a href="http://robertslove.blogspot.com/2011/05/23-weeks-of-belly-love.html">23 weeks of belly love</a></div></li>
<li><div align="center"><a href="http://robertslove.blogspot.com/2011/05/plethora-of-tidbits-about-our-life.html">a plethora of tidbits about our life lately</a></div></li>
<li><div align="center"><a href="http://robertslove.blogspot.com/2011/06/27-weeks-of-belly-love-and-catching-up.html">27 weeks of belly love and catching up</a></div></li>
<li><div align="center"><a href="http://robertslove.blogspot.com/2011/06/7-months-of-bare-belly-love.html"> 7 months of BARE belly love =) </a></div></li>
<li><div align="center"><a href="http://robertslove.blogspot.com/2011/06/to-houston-love-momma.html">to Houston, love Momma</a></div></li>
<li><div align="center"><a href="http://robertslove.blogspot.com/2011/06/our-little-miracle-in-3-d.html">our little miracle in 3-D</a></div></li>
<li><div align="center"><a href="http://robertslove.blogspot.com/2011/06/showered-with-baby-love.html">Showered with {Baby} Love!</a></div></li>
<li><div align="center"><a href="http://robertslove.blogspot.com/2011/06/30-weeks-of-belly-love-unborn-child.html">30 weeks of belly love, unborn child bribes, and video entertainment </a></div></li>
<li><div align="center"><a href="http://robertslove.blogspot.com/2011/06/31-weeks-of-belly-love-and-night-at-zoo.html">31 weeks of belly love and a night at the zoo!</a></div></li>
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<div style="text-align: center;">And tomorrow I'll be posting on our <em>very exciting</em> Vegas Babymoon =)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">We would love to have you all come visit us!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">~<em>Stephanie</em></div>*Maybe* Baby ♥ Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09383459784482599843noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817357684211771144.post-55675435612323123572011-02-14T13:30:00.001-05:002011-02-14T13:30:51.292-05:00did you know?<p> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">You knew we were having a baby, but did you know </font><font color="#000000" size="6"><strong><em><a href="http://robertslove.blogspot.com/">WE</a></em></strong></font> <font size="4">are having baby?!</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Kudos to the many of you who have already figured it out – you know I wasn’t keeping too great of a secret when I “cast” our cartoon characters to resemble us =)</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">I couldn’t hold it in any longer… I can honestly say my heart feels like it will explode with so much joy on such a love filled and GORGEOUS day!</font></p> <p align="center"><em><font size="6">I am over the moon!</font></em></p> <p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6rm68h_XNp2a6ZWPHKBrYy-MvXEC8pd4ZN_91_X3BOd4GIHUO2R9DJyY3hpdEFQEgpVUSYQI8GCI86spcPdanT3D8uBCXLtIf2qRjzTrUkzC9QoRs7D5Xfj9uFY7eSEA3QPEu5HsYtKM/s1600-h/heart%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="heart" border="0" alt="heart" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBN9TIYrlccA2Zx-M_MeRpO_Mc-sl04EU0bHpuLX4yoXjysNR7Pb0Gj5LTP37gbgNNtFO2dMNw9vj7qat-X3zUZuP651LJj7JZG-ZckSkMGLNfzF6GA6dL1s01OnN9p2E9pAI9P6M1_tw/?imgmax=800" width="300" height="300"></a> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">{and since I know many of might not be followers of the <em>real me</em>, here’s the link to the <a href="http://robertslove.blogspot.com/2011/02/you-do-math.html">BIG REVEAL</a>.}</font></p> <p><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="6" face="Freestyle Script"><strong>Much love & Happy Valentine’s Day!</strong></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font></p> *Maybe* Baby ♥ Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09383459784482599843noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817357684211771144.post-41698654938148836032011-02-09T20:58:00.001-05:002011-02-09T21:00:40.216-05:00a bullet list update!<p><font size="4">With so many things happening lately, so many thoughts being thought, and so little blogging happening on my end, it would be hard to put it all in one cohesive post. I’ve decided a bullet-list of points should be the best way to sum it all up for me and for you! So lets go…</font></p> <ul> <li><font size="4">I will be 12 weeks this Friday, February 11th! I am so excited to be finishing up the first trimester and to have another appointment that same day to be able to hear my little one’s heartbeat. While I get excited for each milestone doctor appointment, until I can feel some movement, I will definitely carry a little nervousness that the appointment could bring bad news. THINK POSITIVE!</font></li></ul> <p><font size="4"></font> </p> <ul> <li><font size="4">Most of my nerves come from the fact that I’ve had very few pregnancy symptoms in these 12 weeks. PRAISE THE LORD! Extreme fatigue has been one of my biggest symptoms {which is easing up already!}, followed by some mildly sore breasts, and nausea only if I get too hungry. I couldn’t ask for it to get any better than that! I’ve definitely been blessed with an easy first trimester, I hope it doesn’t come back to bite me in the 6 months I have left =)</font></li></ul> <p><font size="4"></font> </p> <ul> <li><font size="4">Before I got pregnant, I had so much excitement looking at baby items in stores, searching nursery decor online, reading stroller reviews, thinking of baby names, etc. {If you’ve been following this blog, I think you knew that one already!} Now that I <em>actually</em> need to prepare for a wee little one, I have no motivation to get started on these things. I keep telling myself they’ll be plenty of time for those things later. Ha! I’m hoping my get-up-and-go comes back to me in the next trimester.</font></li></ul> <p><font size="4"></font> </p> <ul> <li><font size="4">Speaking of baby names… I’ve been thinking of the names I’d choose for our babies my entire life. I wasn’t the little girl who grew up dreaming of her fairy-tale wedding, but of being a mom and <em>NAMING</em> my children.♥ Where, may I ask, has that girl gone?! Neither Hubs or I can come up with a name that seems remotely close to being THE ONE we could brand our child with for the rest of their life. I guess it was all fun and games until it became real! I did order this book and with the little time I’ve spent browsing through it, it has given me a few ideas. I think once we know “pink” or “blue”, it’ll be easier to buckle down and choose a name.</font></li></ul> <p align="center"><img src="http://static.letsbuyit.com/filer/images/uk/products/original/129/82/beyond-ava-aiden-the-enlightened-guide-to-naming-your-baby-12982131.jpeg" width="333" height="500"></p> <p align="center"> </p> <ul> <li> <div align="left"><font size="4">As for “pink” or “blue”, I just scheduled our appointment at a pregnancy spa for the gender ultrasound at 16 weeks – March 12th!! <em>AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! I AM SO EXCITED!!</em> The doctor will tell us at 20 weeks, but who wouldn’t want to know a month earlier?!</font></div></li></ul> <p align="left"> </p> <ul> <li> <div align="left"><font size="4">Weight gain so far: zero pounds! Even though I haven’t been sick much at all, I have had very few cravings, no aversions, and NO APPETITE. My stomach will rumble and I’m starving for food, but I don’t <em>want</em> anything. I eventually eat anything I can find to quell the hunger pains. Even stranger for me, I have eaten spaghetti at least 2-3 times a week over the course of my existence. Over the past 3 months, I’ve eaten it… ONCE. And it didn’t hit the spot at all. I just don’t crave it like my <em>non-pregnant self</em> use to! Sunday, I stuffed myself silly at a Super Bowl party, to the point of extreme discomfort. The next morning: 2 pounds lighter. Go figure!</font></div></li></ul> <p align="left"><font size="4"></font> </p> <ul> <li> <div align="left"><font size="4">While the scale isn’t going up, my pant size is =) I can still wear all of my pants, but by the time the end-of-day-bloat hits me, I’m unbuttoning my pants and doing whatever I can to get comfortable. I’m hoping to get out and buy a couple pairs of comfortable stretchy maternity pants soon – not necessary yet, but definitely wanted!</font></div></li></ul> <p align="left"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">All for now but I’m sure I’ll think of 10 different things I left out as soon as I hit publish! <em>and you know</em>… with the big 12 week milestone coming up, the blogworld reveal is coming up SOON! I can’t wait to come clean!! What a relief it will be to gab without being anonymous =)</font></p> *Maybe* Baby ♥ Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09383459784482599843noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817357684211771144.post-51044216180340477412011-01-22T11:43:00.001-05:002011-01-22T11:43:35.322-05:00proof positive!<p> </p> <p><font size="4"> </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Can you tell I’ve lost my blogging mojo?!</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"> </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">A very busy life at work and home while growing a tiny angel in my womb equals nothing less than exhaustion! But it is such a happy tired♥</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"> </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">We did have our appointment this past Monday and even with all the hype we had built up, it did not disappoint. I could only describe the relief and joy to finally see the existence of our little one on the screen as <em>heart bursting joy</em>.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"> </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">♥Meet our little blob!♥</font></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHYFnGPcc8vjuT_n2KTqMEEL1hP06-aXlMEjevDoZyO2TtExZ_KVlTNpv1EL1H4VXCz07FWZya59WpdHSfg8cUL1wJ8Ud8UgPTVhPT6zj709ut-oJiUq4gRP2ulQN_EK6LcLgdxaPTkls/s1600-h/179369_683002460913_48206870_37352971_447303_n%5B1%5D%5B4%5D.jpg"><font color="#000000" size="4"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="179369_683002460913_48206870_37352971_447303_n[1]" border="0" alt="179369_683002460913_48206870_37352971_447303_n[1]" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPnfdEacbJMa-cgLjmg4skd9ELGGPrzjc5V9XRiUxQ4klnizF0RawBQMJXgRepnh2-RWq8D3RjNhPHKAu3agnQ1Cn36sdf7w27TWQ8WAQdNO8xncHTWTJ3Q5_r6Cubx6lg8fdeqhKmzQA/?imgmax=800" width="644" height="473"></font></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">I promise to finish <a href="http://www.definitelymaybebaby.com/2011/01/my-life-sitcom-aka-how-i-found-out-i.html">this story</a> soon, K?</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Much love from the <strong><em>THREE</em></strong> of us!!</font></p> *Maybe* Baby ♥ Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09383459784482599843noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817357684211771144.post-24480017660942668392011-01-10T07:58:00.001-05:002011-01-10T07:58:42.978-05:00my life, the sitcom… a.k.a. how I found out I was preggo!<p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">The day I found out I was pregnant had the definite makings of a sitcom. <em>Seriously</em>, thinking back, it could not have been more comical. </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">I had no clue I would see anything on that little pee stick that morning, in fact I was quite convinced my period was on her way to town. But I did what any good pee-stick-aholic did and went ahead with the little game for the 110th time. I had actually done the same thing the morning before with no luck whatsoever and had no reason to think things had changed since then. But like they say… once an addict, always an addict.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"><em>F.Y.I. - I’m going through withdrawals as I type this. If someone put a HPT in front of me this very moment, I would have a hard time taking it out of their hand before I peed on it… =)</em></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Anyway – back to my personal sitcom. </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Also known as </font></p> <p align="center"><strong><font size="5">The day I found out I was preggo:</font></strong></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">That very special morning started off… how else do you think? </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">V<em>ery special</em>. </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Don’t start to gag, I’m not going to make this story into all rainbows and lollipops. It’s not what good sitcoms are made of after all. In this case, I mean special, as in, <em>unusually annoying, unlike most other mornings… </em>making it <em>special</em>.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"><em>***To clarify: </em>The morning on the day I found out I was pregnant was not magical. But the day went on to become magical. Just goes to show, don’t let a bad morning ruin your day.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">The electricity had </font><font size="4">been blinking on and off since about 4 a.m. While this is usually not something one notices when sound asleep and in no need of electricity, this was a <em>special</em> morning. Every time our power was restored, our home alarm system decided this was an attack against <strike>our home</strike> the entire human race, made blaringly obvious by the ear-piercing shrieks that woke us up abruptly from sweet slumber to the fear the end of the world was upon us. E</font><font size="4">ither Hubs or myself would have to drag our sorry butts out of bed and into the kitchen to turn it off.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Sound frustrating? </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">No. Not frustrating. S<em>pecial</em>.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Hubs had to get up earlier than I did and while I was usually still sleeping peacefully, the alarm went off every minute on the minute while he was showering, leaving only me to turn it off each time.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">This also meant the electricity was going on and off that often too, leaving Hubs in a pitch black bathroom, attempting to clean his manly parts should he be able to find them. </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Not knowing how much electricity we would actually enjoy that morning, and the fact that the loudest alarm on earth wouldn’t let me sleep in anyway, I got up far earlier than normal. <em>What if the electricity stayed off and I couldn’t dry my hair or see to put make-up on before work?</em> There’s no “calling-in” at my job, so I’d just have to quit – I couldn’t bear to see everyone go into cardiac arrest at the frightening sight of me <em>au natural</em>… =)</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Up I went and without thought even, did my morning <em>end of the two-week-wait ritual</em>: pee in a cup, dunk the stick, dump the cup, set the stick aside and go on with my morning because… <em>the stick is <strong>always</strong> negative</em>. </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">I don’t sit around waiting with an eye on the clock or watchfully wait for a precious second line. It’s no longer new or exciting anymore {<em>or so I thought</em>}. I usually go about my morning and forget about it, only to steal a quick look when I remember and then trash the ugly negative.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">After my ritual, I jumped in the shower where I had my own fun turn at the <em>find the soap in the dark</em> game. <em>What a blast!</em> At least our water heater runs on gas heat and the water was still piping hot despite our unreliable electricity that morning. <em>Find the soap in a dark, cold shower?</em> I hear <strong>that</strong> game is <strong>much</strong> less fun.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">I got out of the shower in the light and after drying off, decided to reach for that Ilittle pee-stick to go ahead and get my bad news for the morning out of the way. </font><font size="4">My hand was about 6 inches from it when the power cut off again.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">No joke.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">I laughed out loud at my luck and then… I <strong>actually</strong> started to get excited about seeing the results this time. Now that fate wouldn’t let me see it, I was dying to catch a glimpse!</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"><strong>Irony at it’s best.</strong></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">The electricity came back on after a looooooooong 30 second wait and I snatched up the stick as quickly as I could. With one look, I immediately deemed it negative and the excitement melted away.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Did I mention that on that same morning, as the home alarm system blared and we took our turns dragging out of bed to tend to it’s ear-piercing cries, I had used my usual reverse psychology on myself – the type that helps me deal with each negative pregnancy test – to tell myself that this is was it’s like to live with a screaming baby and that I was <strong>just fine </strong>enjoying a little more time without one. As tired as I was and as annoyed as I was with the alarm, that psychology had worked <strong>pretty darn well</strong> at the time.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">To the point that when that when I deemed the stick negative, I lost the excitement but felt some sort of relief for a few more restful nights in my future.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Why I didn’t throw the test away, I don’t know. A minute later, I picked it up again, I studied it, twisted it in the light, and finally reached the conclusion that there was a <strong>definite faint line</strong>.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">But it was past the 10 minute wait when an evaporation line could have appeared… I was cautious not to let myself get excited but I needed to do another test NOW.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">One problem: no urine. I had dumped the cup and I had yet to manufacture any more. </font><font size="4">My mind was in constant limbo wondering whether it was the true faint line I had squinted so many mornings to see, or whether it was the sneaky evaporation line I had heard so much about.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Of course I said nothing to Hubs and kissed him goodbye for the morning.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">As I finished getting ready, I decided to attempt to squeeze a few drops out of the old bladder. <em>It worked!</em> Just enough was in the cup for one more test. </font><font size="4">I dipped and waited. This time I <em>actually</em> had to try not to stare.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">A few minutes later: another <strong>definite faint line</strong>.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">This was it, time for the big guns. I would TRY not to get to TOO EXCITED till the digital EPT showed that magical word: PREGNANT. </font><font size="4">I had been using my cheap internet HPT’s until the day I actually thought back-up confirmation was needed. I knew I wouldn’t trust my own eyes and had bought a box of digitals just for that purpose. This was it, but again, NO URINE!!</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">What was I thinking?! I had dumped the cup again, my bladder was definitely parched by now, and it was time to head to work.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">I put the “big gun” HPT in my pocket and headed out the door giddy with excitement. As much as I hated the scenario, I would have to take the <em><strong>big final exam</strong></em> in a stall at work whenever nature came calling again. {<em>No</em>… I couldn’t wait till I got home again. Totally not even an option, just in case you were thinking it!}</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Once at work, I didn’t even make it to the bathroom before I had a classic “Lucy moment” with my EPT. Forgetting it was deep in my sweater pocket, I slung off one arm of my sweater after getting too warm and watched the package with “EARLY PREGNANCY TEST” written all over it fly from my pocket to the ground two feet in front of me. With one arm of the sweater still on, I jumped like a mad woman to grab it and stuff it back in my pocket before anyone saw.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="6"><strong><em></em></strong></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="6"><strong><em>SERIOUSLY?!!</em></strong></font></p> <p align="center"><strong><em><font size="6"></font></em></strong> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">To this day, I’m still not sure what a couple of co-workers caught a glimpse of, but I like to believe they were distracted or at the very least, might have thought it was a tampon.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">At that point, I had to get that thing out of my pocket before a second Lucy moment occurred. Thankfully, my morning coffee was kicking in and I was <em>ready</em>.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">After doing the deed, I stood in the stall trying to distract myself from the little digital hourglass that appears for 3 minutes before giving you the news. As I pulled out my phone to start cruising facebook, it started ringing. Th</font><font size="4">e caller’s face appeared on my screen as I hit ignore, not willing to carry on a conversation in the office bathroom. As I looked away from the <em>face of my husband</em> to the digital face of the EPT, I read the word PREGNANT. </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">I could have passed out.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Thankfully I didn’t, but the rest of the story is…</font></p> <p align="center"><em><font size="6"></font></em> </p> <p align="center"><em><font size="7">…TO BE CONTINUED.</font></em></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">{Try not to kill me. I’m not purposely trying for a cliffhanger here… this story is just getting a bit long and I’m running out of time. <em>You understand, right?</em>}</font></p> *Maybe* Baby ♥ Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09383459784482599843noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817357684211771144.post-31139138139122432532010-12-31T17:55:00.001-05:002011-01-01T22:21:32.710-05:002011 is THE year!<p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">We are truly looking forward to this new year with more anticipation than ever before!</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><em><font size="3">and here’s little sneak peek of one the presents I gave Hubs on the day we found out the good news… this is one ornament I don’t think I can “bear” to put away this year =)</font></em></p> <p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUTxrFBzpGttht3vzW2yI7RRAmEkodPy6KnpRFjwOb372FA6LZDCOU7ZDOxxbA4BmlCa3zJqDGJOHWaTR8ZZgcvFXHJhSoNtAlqCs3Akhm51lTjOZsbiJHDieHJdw8KWQH2NcmSfkLYC4/s1600-h/IMG_6402%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="IMG_6402" border="0" alt="IMG_6402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAQRnC8nk8_FmHpwDKqKM4N0QqkjXxlE79lqnWnWbGx7jhmFfFWZF1crr2R7awWL_I5IxlPQyfxbyMGWaXDhkswxz59h_Y-C4CBs95RXV75AZRjUtDvpOyfWI7iCqZL1meuqXKO30xxdg/?imgmax=800" width="594" height="484"></a> </p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">May your days be happy and bright!</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Ours certainly are…</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">2011 is going to be <em>THE</em> year.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">We can hardly wait!</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Happy New Year to all you dear friends that have been so sweet to this <em>anonymous</em> girl on this journey. I appreciate you more than you will every know!♥</font></p> *Maybe* Baby ♥ Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09383459784482599843noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817357684211771144.post-19055778925378497312010-12-28T14:08:00.001-05:002010-12-28T14:08:57.154-05:00the two week wait<p align="center"><font size="4"> </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">I have SO MUCH to tell you about!</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">With the holidays, celebrations, parties, news of A BABY ON THE WAY, and then the inevitable…. work, it doesn’t leave much time for the blog. I think of the things I want to document during this precious time in our lives and even though I desperately want to go back to bed for a mid-afternoon nap after getting <strong>11 hours</strong> of sleep last night =), I must put some of these thoughts down before they leave my tiny little brain forever.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Some people said they wanted to hear about the whole “two week wait”, which is great cause hey, I LOVE to overshare. I live for it. I’m sincerely glad you indulge me by reading my need for TMI.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">For those who have not been caught up in the journey that is trying to conceive a human being – the “two week wait” is the time between ovulation and knowing whether you succeeded with a postive HPT or… <em><font size="5">dumm</font> <font size="5">dumm</font> dumm</em>…<strong><em> the dreaded red</em></strong>.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">We tried for 5 months and I was just beginning to think that every two week wait would end with the dreaded red. This past magical month was no different. I thought the month I conceived, I would know.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"> I didn’t.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">My symptoms?</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"><em>Next to not even noticeable.</em></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"> I even proclaimed I was feeling quite PMS-y to the hubs and that today was not the day to annoy me for fun. I had taken a pregnancy test that morning, day 10 post ovulation, and it was negative. I have to say I expected it to be but I was hoping it wasn’t. I had a day off and I sulked all day while feeling quite extremely sleepy and just plain blue.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">I must admit, being extremely sleepy all day after sleeping in and accomplishing next to nothing during the day, should probably count as a symptom. It was a little on the odd side.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Another near possible symptom: my breasts did hurt ever so slightly, but nothing out of the norm for the week of my period.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">AND it’s worth mentioning that I had a strange feeling <em>in what I thought was my bladder</em> when I went to tinkle a couple times that week, which I’m now realizing was my uterus, <em>not</em> my bladder =)</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Other than that – NO SYMPTOMS AT ALL. Nothing to run to the grocery store to get a HPT for, nothing to get worked up over as I had in previous months when I thought I was having tons of “pregnancy symptoms”. It was surprisingly nonchalant, and really SURPRISINGLY, I was pregnant!</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Since that time, now at 5 weeks 4 days pregnant, nothing has really changed. The bosoms still hurt, but not the horrific pain I’ve heard others describe. They do not hurt <em>all the way to my arm-pit</em> like I had been told to look for and I really only feel pain when prodding them to make sure they still hurt =)</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"> I had lots of cramping after the positive test, some a bit like period cramping, some not. But none as bad as an actual period. The specific cramp that is different from anything I’ve felt before – which I previously thought was my bladder(!) – still continues on. It’s not a pain at all, just a feeling that makes me smile to know something magical is going on down there.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">{I’m trying desperately hard not to think any pain or cramp is a bad sign. I can easily “go there”, get scared, panicked, stressed – but what’s the use. I will be optimistic and happy until told otherwise… or at least try.}</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">I haven’t had any more “blue” days like the one I thought was PMS, nor have I been moody {or at least no more than usual!} I have continued to be verrrrry sleepy. Functioning, but sleepy. It doesn’t help that I’ve been kicking coffee to the curb :( But I’ll do anything to give this little one a better chance of sticking!</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">{Confession: I did have the tiniest cup of coffee yesterday. A long Monday at work after the holiday frenzie-fest? It was very much pardoned by my guilt for the one day.}</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">As for queasiness, I had a complete day of utter dizziness on Christmas Eve. I had to work that day {boo!}. Add in the head spinning chaos every time I turned or crouched down, and I could have easily won the scrooge award for Christmas. Thankfully, so far, it’s been a one day thing. I haven’t had any more dizziness or nausea since and I am praying my good luck continues, though I know it’s still very early.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">And the best for last – my BIGGEST symptom of pregnancy – the positive preggo tests I just can’t help peeing on as often as possible…</font></p> <p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis2VA8G4la3jOJTxmbCZzssN_EVcxX_j5Mwv8e9pqjiwLu6U_cEy4kntfPxhSd4L4N_9sp9Brj-IsZlALptaPiD9UtcA2hcB4-Po2DEx3eBKsntYmA-PschnpwBTMFr112EWokOzawLSs/s1600-h/IMG_6440%5B3%5D.jpg"><font color="#000000" size="4"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="IMG_6440" border="0" alt="IMG_6440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizNsf8mwZZXZ2fMOq2rkbZzjiUgnPYXIblVs5SA_Qqfn3J3dJHKAGtr-nHZ9EfNgl8Y1ufuSCY9NXo2Fjp1-02Qk_5V2Bx2oJWuRiecJtLN_VAOOEuv7TodbkMSOECE0NLbQIQhFL3xTs/?imgmax=800" width="644" height="431"></font></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Of course, Husband does not understand this. He does not understand, after many positives and the big blood test confirmation, why I must continue to pee and dip.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">My reasoning:</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">#1. They will expire eventually, so I can’t actually save them for the “next one”. Plus, these were cheap!</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">#2. It’s a great sign that things are going well when they get progressively darker – which means my HCG levels are increasing.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">#3. Finally: after so many negatives, it feels like <em>just plain MAGIC</em> to be able to make a test show a second line. I deserve to finally get my money’s worth out of these babies and add a little happiness to my day =)</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"> </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">I took one more test this morning, 24 days past ovulation {not shown} and it was the first to show the second line immediately without waiting for it to appear. Crazy, but it was very exciting. Only one test left! I’ll miss those little positive sticks so much when they’re gone ;)</font></p> *Maybe* Baby ♥ Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09383459784482599843noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817357684211771144.post-30949545899195030362010-12-20T20:49:00.001-05:002010-12-20T20:49:26.864-05:00“barely pregnant”<p><font size="4"></font> </p> <p><font size="4">“Barely pregnant”, but… </font><font size="7"><strong>I’m pregnant!!!</strong></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font> </p> <p><font size="4">While I’m pretty sure you already knew that by the many congratulations on the last post that warmed my heart and soul, {THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!}, I really can’t believe it myself and I think I’ll just have to say it a few million more times before it will actually sink in.</font></p> <p> </p> <p><font size="4">It doesn’t help my non-belief of my current pregnant status when my first doctor appointment was such a <strong>total BUST</strong>.</font></p> <p><font size="4">To preface this story: I formerly had a WONDERFUL gynecologist who I loved immensely. Then this year, <em>THE year</em> I planned on procreating, I got a letter from her office letting me know she was moving 8 states away. The woman who I trusted and had developed a great doctor/patient relationship with and who I was excited to have deliver my children, <strong>MOVED</strong>. </font></p> <p><font size="4">Total bummer.</font></p> <p><font size="4"></font> </p> <p><font size="4">Her letter recommended another doctor in the same building and I decided to take her recommendation when I found myself pregnant last week without a clue who I would be seeing over the next 9 months. I called the office only to schedule the first appointment, which I assumed would be around 8-12 weeks.</font></p> <p><font size="4">I was <em>sort of</em> right. The first <em>doctor</em> appointment was scheduled for 8 weeks, {January 17th can’t come soon enough!}, but the receptionist said they had started doing immediate first visits with the nurse to confirm the pregnancy and to talk over a few educational points – what to eat/not eat, prescription for prenatal vitamins, etc.</font></p> <p><font size="4">I even asked a couple of times - “Really? Isn’t this kind of early? I just got a positive test yesterday…” and the receptionist assured me it wasn’t anything big, just that they like to get the blood work done and get everyone on the right track early on.</font></p> <p><font size="4">I wasn’t going to argue. I adored the prospect of a blood test confirmation and someone else saying those magic words to me: “You’re pregnant.”</font></p> <p><font size="4"></font> </p> <p><font size="4">Though it didn’t actually happen that way.</font></p> <p><font size="4"></font> </p> <p><font size="4">Instead, I waited over an hour to be called back, only to be weighed and asked to pee in a cup. When the nurse came into the room, she asked hesitantly if I had got a positive pregnancy test at home…</font></p> <p><font size="4">I told her yes and <strong>immediately</strong> began to silently panic. I had sort of half expected someone to tell me I was crazy and not actually pregnant. My fears were coming true.</font></p> <p><font size="4"></font> </p> <p><font size="4"><strong>Paranoia</strong>. <em>It’s kind of my thang</em>, ya see?</font></p> <p><font size="4"></font> </p> <p><font size="4">She told me their urine test was negative {MUCH MORE panic} but that a lot of home pregnancy tests were more sensitive then theirs. She sent me down to the lab for a blood test and then ordered a return visit for Monday (today) for a follow up blood test to make sure the HCG was increasing as it should.</font></p> <p><font size="4">I left the office ready to vomit and pissed that I had even come in. I could have been home, excited to be pregnant and enjoying my day off. Instead, I wasted tons of time getting ready, driving in the crazy Christmas traffic, and waiting forever in a busy waiting room just to to have a 30 second appointment to hear the gut wrenching news that I might not <em>actually</em> be pregnant.</font></p> <p><font size="4">I had just taken my fourth “cheap” pregnancy test that morning just to see if the line was any darker over the past 3 days {it was} and the doctor’s office’s tests still weren’t strong enough to see even the faintest line?! I felt like I was getting punk’d and <strong>it was not</strong> funny.</font></p> <p><font size="4">Two nerve racking hours later, I got the call from the <em>same</em> nurse that the blood test had came back positive with a HCG of 101 – ‘just barely pregnant’ as she put it.</font></p> <p><font size="4"><em>Barely pregnant? Seriously?!</em> An HCG of 101 should be picked up on ANY urine test, especially at the OB’s office – right?</font></p> <p><font size="4">My feathers were ruffled but <em><strong>I WAS STILL PREGNANT</strong></em> and focused solely on that very important point. The nurse <em>had</em> actually been sweet to me the entire time, even if I wasn’t particularly fond of her pee stick reading abilities.</font></p> <p><font size="4">Life goes on and Hubs and I went out for our celebration dinner date and had a great night as future parents♥</font></p> <p><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">This <em>barely</em> pregnant lady was HUNGRY and enjoyed every bit of this lobster tail and shellfish!</font></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zgXUrSCC0aw14ZaS8cLRL-U5egYzmybyU6Sg0Dz6fAsl_UfuyPRlVX5qJhH-ff-24s1XwtVXDffC7vyqed8X_q7vSeJkdl1ZKqJ-5OrJgN1rM79G2bjyZGmHVzyFi48CKe4A2fioDaI/s1600-h/lobster%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="lobster" border="0" alt="lobster" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHvvTA_T8tzRENXcq_unenjFTh3m69zxFdXgup6Ru9SnfGp42IaWFaKLP8W59BDH1S5SlwkXM3hmEAj90JzkJGKqH7rJmn_cYDb1bPRIHL_qkzACfhHVVAwWl0YB0YzRbsv_ZTfGKWTTQ/?imgmax=800" width="640" height="478"></a> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">{I pledge to not continue overdoing it and end up 300 pounds at 9 months…}</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">I learned later that weekend that I <em>probably shouldn’t</em> indulge in quite so much shellfish… how was I to know? I didn’t get my “educational appointment” =)</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">HCG today? Well over 400!! Progressing very well, the <em>same</em> nurse said.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">B</font><font size="4">ring on that January ultrasound!!</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="left"><font size="4">P.S. - To answer some of your questions – I won’t be revealing my identity for a few more weeks. {Sorry!} I CANNOT let our families find out the good news through the internet, so it’s a no-go until I break the news to them first… which I’m thinking I won’t feel confident enough to do until around 10 weeks along {Hubs agrees on the timeline!} </font></p> <p align="left"><font size="4">How nice it would have been to tell them we’re pregnant at Christmas… but I’m thinking it’s extremely nice<strong> </strong>just to <strong>be pregnant</strong> at Christmas! We haven’t told a soul yet. It’s been extremely sweet just to have this time together with such a precious secret between us. <em>We are soaking it up!!</em></font></p> *Maybe* Baby ♥ Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09383459784482599843noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817357684211771144.post-52120756177874598012010-12-17T10:43:00.001-05:002010-12-17T10:45:50.434-05:00I peed on a stick… =)<p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">…and I’ve never been happier!</font></p> <p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJrzJ4opk8nOZh-xwlGY1CxLZgZIIXGUay7WPVR76F7NTfkJUp8UrFudZZu9gUQg9UJByAeBPNj0fY4BkrftQO3JXgmckIYlpW8U5UCgTcV4ibuuifgSp9CCzZ55VI_0XGHRNcZ43v3gY/s1600-h/photo2%5B6%5D.jpg"><font color="#000000" size="4"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="photo2" border="0" alt="photo2" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHOXUttk43sDDwFr8yQMJ8GJ5EIy1Jx0VjCjJf70ad2dZOuLi4_SHeFYZec-31duN-w8nekH1wCxO1RNeJPjfMmbTDCGSbkvUJcCPMVBI3nXVhuVuZCMAq6DiW-tRr4HcaV2qHpH7PkRo/?imgmax=800" width="644" height="482"></font></a><font size="4"> </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Though it really started with this stick:</font></p> <p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0dLfqTth4UH3XAuwr_T9GHh_djAuJ8RnpUX_SZZHBahtvXSNvBntPAp0fsmhfL5HAI8aczrM59fLFU4JBg9iLwrv64XfGbazNUrLWvsWBvAwhTa0XD5lwmM_0UcvksGgpaRbckDEL2wk/s1600-h/photo%5B8%5D.jpg"><font color="#000000" size="4"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="photo" border="0" alt="photo" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvcMxIyhGLySFLsLqpJaGsQbRKlszumoacjG_S-4Vg5ddJpwfJ3Xg5c3ICkSL7v2QllBtHbwmCZ11lhu3q1OZbJSKHx829VM8rkU_D0VEKPV8E_LV8GR7UE_RDAvMU16C9XxAVLqtNR64/?imgmax=800" width="644" height="482"></font></a><font size="4"> </font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Can you squint enough to see that <em>very</em> <em>faiiiiiint</em> <em>line</em>?</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font><font size="5"><strong>Praise God!!</strong></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">All the positive pee stick peeing happened this past Wednesday and it’s been a whirlwind ever since. From finally getting to rush out of work when I was off to head to the mall, find the right present to tell the Hubs with and then home to wrap it and wait not-so-patiently for all the excitement to begin.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">To my surprise, I called the doctor’s office and they actually scheduled my first appointment for today! It’s only a visit with the nurse for blood work and education, but just hearing someone else confirm that <strong>I am actually pregnant</strong> will be such a relief. The first BIG doctor appointment is mid-January and I can hardly wait to see the little one on the ultrasound and to hear a heart beat♥</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">More to come on the full story leading up to how I found out, pictures of what I gave Hubs to tell him(!), my official two week wait symptoms AND what happens at my first appointment today!</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><em><font size="5"><strong><a href="http://www.definitelymaybebaby.com/2010/10/pregnant-by-christmas.html">Pregnant by Christmas?</a></strong></font></em></p> <p align="center"><strong><font size="7">CHECK!!!!!!!!</font></strong></p> *Maybe* Baby ♥ Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09383459784482599843noreply@blogger.com79tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817357684211771144.post-37392634344274937062010-12-12T22:37:00.001-05:002010-12-12T22:37:20.709-05:00nursery dreams<p align="center"><font size="4"> </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">With all the excitement of the holidays, it’s been a huge relief to have so much to keep me busy and to be excited about instead of focusing of what isn’t yet. It <em>really is</em> the <strong>most wonderful time of the year</strong> for us and we are beyond blessed. While I know God has a plan for us and will bless us with a child in His time, I can’t help but day dream about the future in my little downtime.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">I can’t show you my dreams of family gatherings with our children there or having our little one with us cuddled up on a snow day like today, but I can show you the pictures I’ve tucked away for another time. A time when we will excitedly plan for a new life in our family, who will need a fabulous little room in which to live it in.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">All pictures were found at </font><a href="http://projectnursery.com/"><font size="4">Project Nursery</font></a><font size="4"> as were the pictures on the </font><a href="http://projectnursery.com/"><font size="4">last nursery post</font></a><font size="4"> I did. They are all so different; some eclectic, some decorated with bold colors while others used lots of soft pastels, and as always, there are the nurseries that seem to be truly designed for a little prince or princess. When the day comes to build our own, I have no idea what directions we will go in and honestly, I don’t even care at this point like I use to. We all know where the real joy will be found… in the little ankle biter who will spend his or her days finding every possible way to stain every square inch of their carefully decorated space.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"><em>…and that will be alright♥</em></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"><strong>Enjoy!</strong></font></p> <p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxZ7DpunIhVjF3bOIKAoUdemq41yC89Ii56HF4uZJ6Drvlkzunb3zt-bEKaCQy60wQVlVd1KZ5b_tyEc2achI6xsMGvPpk6-Fxp7w6Ah_NMRuPiIFvZlm38HyxOkX3gNDZxSbfGsTKLc0/s1600-h/4%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="4" border="0" alt="4" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVN_3i3fxi6bGSOAKsYCgXNPOb5RMj-OaYPrvCgsS0ngWKkGKZgQBJ_g_PqXks39HpRqShOXCSnsT7C4DRsqtzdi1HxujKEGlKQ1HHvUAVDWRby8logoGiERSie0XRJhtAQaewm9chvyc/?imgmax=800" width="644" height="430"></a> </p> <p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyhwph8Bah0jdIdBxrr4E41GJQpg8bx58Tr2Ims_xAobdeJlU0DbMIZf3hKk3YPlfZroGqrog2vIFJ-FzFPBXYbVFhWLAnAXWScsN5ZHUrgGW4B-LjPGeagU-MjDDaGC5RJ1gzkmt3zTY/s1600-h/1171_500x375%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; 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display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="nursery2" border="0" alt="nursery2" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vi1oXYQTYOI/TQWU4eo3ZJI/AAAAAAAAAPM/G5-Rh_zvaGs/nursery2_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="566" height="484"></a> </p> <p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtbBSVDTPe1A41DkSi8s3-obg6QmH_Bn4WwRm4ljIcZ0P-cv9ZkAYkX3xb_ZhL94gVpdUhRMOcv3PH94GIzF02U5oCvbI4B7oNUUwmCYGpgb4DRvFqxSr8F4p2NlpXOdfrJAZ4arKe-JM/s1600-h/rms_beach-vintage-nursery_s4x3_lg5%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzhiBP1FvEXMcxEuyqyc0yHuHjSSC-w5cmb61t0tBc58M_XEqAe5NpO0dyEROXmvQwSiV31TVwe3gvD0uZytbISAaGOTQbiiIPY46SPUPN3QhL6ET-oaSPoJqN-C5hEVOhcpBIJ8e6XbI/?imgmax=800" width="644" height="484"></a> </p> <p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYQzS3tbDeS05Glww-XchTXfJeptK1sF-Bpgm855fR9E18ckUrfqdunhfSuSgYPy-OG9ETThNcsPbcD35r3KCnEznb7HdVSOxiJoyNalVV-3FW-u11GKjrFK7Dc3xXHLpwqhhc_h4sgsg/s1600-h/untitled2%5B1%5D.png"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="untitled2" border="0" alt="untitled2" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8VjBYfjQ6yCfXZTpvPr7NIqi6OhGjZmLNihvXr5E7bpnIxoqPJNO8YaQ6zdTLmfnACPKHO1XICNnCY7bwRjgN9KjSnTjjxLe71tXyltEOX5lqFPQSsrA-ngaN5GvuQlfhXvygfRexa3k/?imgmax=800" width="644" height="430"></a></p> <p> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">I think even the most cynical among us could find<em> at least one</em> of these rooms to melt over.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">I personally do not know how I even typed this – seeing that I am now just a puddle after looking through the photos of these rooms again. =)</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"><em></em></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4"><em>Is it just me, or can you smell that sweet baby scent too?!</em></font></p> *Maybe* Baby ♥ Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09383459784482599843noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817357684211771144.post-62815932918534794932010-12-06T22:22:00.001-05:002010-12-06T22:27:23.269-05:00lighter fluid or rocket fuel?<p align="center"><font size="4"> </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"> </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">I’m really not an overachiever, but count me in when it comes to baby-making.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">{Okay, I’ve never <em>achieved</em> a pregnancy yet, but this next part is pretty fun anyway.}</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"> </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">On the last post I told you I had officially hit the “high days” with the new Clearblue Easy Fertility Monitor and I was still waiting to see a “Peak Day”.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"> </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">I was right on target with the picture on the box again – because day 15 came, and to my excitement – PEAK!!!</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"><img title="clearblue_fertility_monitor" alt="" src="http://www.trying-to-conceive.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/clearblue_fertility_monitor.jpg" width="480" height="480"></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">On that SAME DAY, I almost ended up not testing. You see, I prefer to pee in a cup and dip the stick. The monitor allows you the choice to test mid-stream if you like, which I tried a few times and it seemed to, ummmmmmm… splash.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Disgusting. Until day 15, when I sat the cup-o-pee on the bathroom floor to dip in and ended up spilling it on the tile <em>and</em> the rug. Now THAT is ridiculously MORE gross than splashing.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">To top it all off, I hadn’t even dipped the stick yet. I quickly turned the cup right side up, in which there was only a tiny amount of pee left. Apparently, it was still just enough because I got my peak! Thank goodness I didn’t have to skip that day…</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"> </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">For anyone wondering, I got 4 high fertility days starting on day 11, days 15 and 16 were peak fertility days, back down to “high” on day 17 and now back to low fertility.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Let the two week wait commence!!</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">A nice bonus: everyone says the monitor usually makes you use 20 sticks the first cycle and only 10 on each cycle thereafter. The test sticks run around $50 for 30 – not so cheap, eh? I only had to use 10 on this first cycle, days 6-15. I suppose I ovulated early enough for it not to require anymore, because it hasn’t been asking for one. <em>Thanks for saving me a couple buck safter spending a small fortune on you, Clearblue Easy!!</em></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">I like to picture the blinking sign I see each morning when I turn it on and it’s asking for a pee-drenched test stick as it saying “Feed me! FEED ME!!”. You gotta have some fun, right?</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"> </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">I was excited to get 6 days of warning of high/peak fertility. We took advantage of every other day. {TMI – I know… and there’s more coming.} In my case, I don’t see that it told me anything new except confirmed what I believed to be fertile days, which is still a very nice peace of mind and a nice break from temperature charting.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">You see, I seem to produce copious amounts of…<em> I hate the technical term for this so I made up my own…</em> lighter fluid.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">We’re talking about cervical fluid/mucous. I switch between calling it rocket fuel and lighter fluid. Either way, it’s the right type of fluid to rocket those spermies to their desired destination at lightening speed… <em>catch my drift?</em></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">I start producing rocket fuel at least a week ahead of time and it slowly increases to <font size="5">BAM!… BABY TIME!</font> At that point, I really <em>know</em> and there’s no denying the threshold is <strong>ready</strong>. I am thankful for this ability at least, since I’ve read so many gals are low on the <em>rocket fuel.</em></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">I noticed it for the first time this cycle the day before I got my first “high fertility” reading on the monitor, so my intuition is right on track which leads me to this: If I’ve been on track with my fertile days and doing the baby dance on time these past months… WHY THE HECK AREN’T I PREGNANT YET AND WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME/HUBS?!</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">It seems to me I read somewhere about lighter fluid that was <em>too thick</em> and people used Mucinex {guaifenesin} to thin it – just like the mucous secretions it thins in your lungs to let you cough all that nasty stuff up.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"><img src="http://www.coupondad.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Mucinex.gif" width="300" height="321"></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">My question is – how would you know if it was too thick and needed a little Mucinex to help things along? I haven’t googled this question yet, just started thinking about it and only had just enough energy left tonight to type this post up before bed.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">On the bright side – my breasts are sore and my uterus is crampy. It’s far too early for this to be a sign of anything, but it does leave me hopeful =)</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">And we all know that hope can fuel a person for years…</font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> *Maybe* Baby ♥ Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09383459784482599843noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817357684211771144.post-71751785260109174072010-11-30T12:31:00.001-05:002010-11-30T12:47:48.082-05:00here we are<p align="center"><font size="4"> </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"> </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Yup, that’s us. Or more accurately, that’s me.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"><img src="http://www.clearblue-fertility-monitor.com/clearblue-fertility-monitor10.jpg" width="400" height="165"></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"> </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">How odd that I Googled an image for “Clearblue Easy Fertility Monitor High Fertility” just to include a little illustration on this blog that lacks so much – lo and behold! – I find an image with my exact cycle day displayed.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">My “high fertility” status started yesterday on CD 11 and continued today. Needless to say {but I’ll say it anyway} we’ve been doin’ the dirty =) This little machine is <strong>most definitely</strong> releasing me from the annoying game of<em> guess your fertility</em>. Though I have dumped the </font><a href="http://www.definitelymaybebaby.com/2010/08/o-o-ooooo-ovulation.html"><font size="4">temperature charting and microscope licking</font></a><font size="4">, I did utilize both today, just for the fun of it without the annoying afterthoughts that come with my overanalyzing female tendencies.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">and whaddya know? My temp is very low {definitely haven’t missed the big “O” yet} and the fertility scope was <strong>full of ferns</strong>(!)</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">I cannot help smiling every time I’ve looked in that little microscope and seen a slide full of ferns. <strong>Seriously</strong>, it gets me every time. There’s something about the way estrogen ferns in your spit, it’s gloriously heartwarming and reassuring. I do, I really really do, I ♥ my spit.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">If I still had any doubts about being fertile on day 11 like the little man made gadget swears to me – the fertility scope has now backed it up. Who can deny both pee and spit reassurance? What more do I need – perhaps a stool sample test?</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="5"><strong>Technology: please don’t go <em>there</em>…</strong></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="5"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">But back to me and my day 11 high fertility… <em>Who woulda thunk it?</em> I thought I was a late ovulater until </font><a href="http://www.definitelymaybebaby.com/2010/11/new-baby-makin-game-plan.html"><font size="4">last month</font></a><font size="4"> and even then I declared it a fluke. Previously, I would have thought doin’ the dirty on day 11 would have only been for kicks and giggles - not part of some baby makin’ strategy. </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">But now I know better. Hubs still doesn’t. </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">He doesn’t know about “day 11” or that our fun wasn’t purely spontaneous. I’m trying my hardest to keep it that way…to not announce the most recent findings of my pee soaked adventures and suck all the fun out of our romantic romps. He needs not know what the little monitor says and that my flirty ways are all part of a plan. </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"><em>After all</em>, he got the package from FedEx, he put the batteries in it for me, he knows all about it and hasn’t asked the first question since – that’s a man for you. I’ll let him stay that way, all man, while I remain all woman – a ticking biological time bomb of a woman ready to test even my stool sample if need be ;)</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">I’m crossing my fingers we’ll see the pretty “peak” days with the funny looking egg soon.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"><img src="http://www.clearblue-fertility-monitor.com/clearblue-fertility-monitor11.jpg" width="400" height="165"></font></p> <p><font size="4"> </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">And yes, that is supposed to be an egg, though it looks more like a delicious deviled egg than the kind I’m supposed to be growing. </font><font size="4">I like my eggs in more of an upright position, ready to get to work hatching a youngin’, not laying down on the job. Perhaps even gold plated would be nice.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"><img src="http://www.sevenstarsandstripes.com/content/magazine/GrandHotelEurope/Faberge-Egg.gif" width="400" height="353"></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Or perhaps I’ll take an egg, especially a fertilized egg, anyway I can get it…</font></p> <p> </p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Now that I’ve shared {far too much as usual}, I have questions for <em><strong>you</strong></em>!</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><strong><font size="5">Tilted Uteruses UNITE!</font></strong></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"><strong>Question #1:</strong> I’ve previously been told, years ago, that I have a retorverted uterus (a.k.a. “tilted/tipped uterus”) and that it may make conceiving more difficult. {Actually, one doctor said I was tipped – the other said I wasn’t – leaving me not really sure about this one…} I’ve read conflicting articles that it shouldn’t have any bearing on fertility while others say it does. <strong>My questions: Any other tilted uteruses out there? Care to share whether it hindered the reproduction process?</strong></font></p> <p align="center"><strong><font size="4"></font></strong> </p> <p align="center"><strong><font size="5">Empty Uterus Seeks that “Special Someone”</font></strong></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"><strong>Questions #2: </strong>I’ve been forced to look for a new OBGYN :( My previous doctor, whom I would have paid twice the price to see, moved 8 states away. As I am not able to pay the plane ticket to stalk her down and spread my legs {or the bail money I would need after such an act}, I am now on the search for a new girly doc. *Hoping* to be with child soon and past due for my <em>yearly smear</em>, I’m putting much more thought into this than ever before. The practice she use to be associated has several doctors and several midwives {what level/degree/certification the midwives have, I’m still looking into}. Now, I know a room full of woman with vaginas are gonna have opinions on this one – so let me have it – <strong>what are your thoughts on the midwife/OB search? Not only for a yearly, but especially when it comes to prenatal visits and delivery.</strong></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">I hope you have the time, I’d love to hear from you!</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">and if you’d like to email instead, <em>PLEASE DO!</em></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">baby-momma {at} live {dot} com</font></p> *Maybe* Baby ♥ Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09383459784482599843noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817357684211771144.post-25813374362745808742010-11-23T23:51:00.001-05:002010-11-23T23:52:04.591-05:00my early Christmas present<p align="center"><font size="4"> </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"> </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">I received an email offering “unsolicited advice” a few days ago that started a fun chain reaction filled with girl gab, online shopping, a big purchase and starting tomorrow morning, I will continue the chain reaction with peeing on a stick.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">It’s exciting, really.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">I never planned on taking this big a leap into baby makin’ this early in the game, but thanks to Tiffany at </font><a href="http://babyblackwellmakes3.blogspot.com/"><font size="4">& Baby Blackwell Makes Three</font></a><font size="4">, I have officially gone technological on the baby business.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Out with the ‘good old fashioned’ way, in with the </font><a href="http://www.clearblueeasy.com/clearblue-easy-fertility-monitor.php"><font size="4">Clearblue Easy Fertility Monitor</font></a><font size="4">:</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4"><img src="http://www.jennyreviews.com/wp-content/files/Clearblue-Easy-Fertility-Monitor.jpg" width="350" height="292"></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Tiffany actually titled her email to me “Unsolicited Advice” – as if I wouldn’t be open to someone’s help in this matter I know nothing about! ha! Someone else maybe, but I am floored by anyone willing to take the time to offer kind advice to this stranger in a comment on this blog, let alone in email form.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">I got her email last Thursday night and by Friday evening, this <em>do-dad</em> was on it’s way to my house via amazon.com. Tiffany has been amazing to answer my endless questions regarding pee sticks and periods. We have definitely struck up a friendship over this monitor and other bodily functions ;)</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">If nothing else comes of this big purchase, I will at least have a new friend!</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">ha =)</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Anywho, back to my splurge…</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Have you seen this thing? I had my doubts after reading the spill the website has but after reading the hundreds of </font><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Clearblue-Easy-Fertility-Monitor/product-reviews/B0000532QB/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1"><font size="4">reviews on Amazon</font></a><font size="4"> and other sites – <em><strong>holy moly!</strong> Here’s my credit card, get that thing in my bathroom now so I can start peeing on it, <strong>ASAP!</strong></em></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">{You should know you don’t actually pee on <strong>it</strong>, but on the nice expensive pee sticks that go into the monitor. Details, details. You get my drift how excited I was.}</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">But you ask: <em>Lady, it’s only been 4 months, don’t you think it’s still a little early to be ditching the old fashioned way?</em></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">I dunno really, but I do know this – it really wasn’t the ‘good old fashioned way’ to begin with.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">{No, we weren’t doing some wild Karma Sutra positions. Get your mind outta the gutter ;)}</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">It was the educationally informed good old fashioned way.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">It was reading </font><a href="http://www.tcoyf.com/"><font size="4">TCOYF</font></a><font size="4"> {wonderful book!} and charting basal body temperatures, checking cervical mucous and googling conception tips and tricks. It was peeing on ovulation test strips, getting a big bold positive and still coming up empty handed.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">This wasn’t the way our grandparents did it, people. I was already leaving <em>good old fashioned</em> behind in the dust.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">And if you’ve read TCOYF, you may remember that she advises you to seek the advice of a doctor if you’ve been adequately charting and trying for 3-4 cycles with no pregnancy.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">That’s us. That’s scary.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Some people say that the Clearblue Easy people say to give the monitor 3 cycles of use and TTC before seeking a medical professional’s help. All I could find in my manual was the advice of waiting 6 cycles. I’m giving it another 3-4 and then I’m checking in with the doc.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">To finish my long drawn out story, the day I ordered it, I was at work for 12 hours. For 12 hours I researched and read in every spare moment I had, doing my best to toggle screens so no co-worker would see what I was looking at and be suspicious of my womb woes. It was a Friday and the first day of my cycle, I had to decide quick if I wanted it for this month – even with next day shipping it would only arrive by Monday and you have to start using it no later than the 5th day of your cycle or the whole month is out the window and it’s try again next time…</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Talk about pressure at decision time.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">I had reached a conclusion and was just about ready to complete my order when I felt the urge for my husband’s approval.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">We’re not the couple that asks each other, “Honey, may I buy this?” because we trust each other as responsible, frugal adults with low tolerances for wasteful living.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">{Don’t we sound fun?!}</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">But when I felt the need for back-up, for the most important person in my life to tell me it wasn’t a crazy, desperate, impulse buy – or at least to know that he wouldn’t judge me for my crazy, desperate, impulse buy – I texted. After all, I’d been at work all day, I hadn’t even mentioned to him I was thinking about it, and Lord knows the man had never heard of such a gadget even existing in his lifetime.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4"><strong>Our texts that evening:</strong></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"><em>{Mind you, I’m texting him out of the blue about this and we hadn’t spoken for most of the day.}</em></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"><font face="Courier New"><strong>Me:</strong> Can I buy a high tech fertility monitor everyone recommends???</font></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="3">{<em>Internal dialogue:</em> “Everyone” as in a really nice girl I’ve never met before except in blogworld recommended it to me along with a few hundred other people that did a product review.}</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"><font face="Courier New"><strong>Him:</strong> If it’s gonna help us create an heir to the thrown, you bet.</font></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="3">{Internal dialogue: He’s a nut.}</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"><font face="Courier New"><strong>Me:</strong> Really?? It’s $137…</font></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="3">{<em>Internal dialogue:</em> $137 before tax and next day air shipping…}</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"><font face="Courier New"><strong>Him:</strong> Does it help?</font></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"><font face="Courier New"><strong>Me:</strong> It has glowing reviews of tons of ppl saying it worked the first month and I got an email from a blogger who reads my preggo blog telling me she was trying longer than we have been thinking they were doing everything right and never got pregnant till the first month they bought this. And we can reuse it for the next 6 kids =)</font></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="3">{<em>Side note:</em> That last part is pure joking. Not that you can’t reuse it, just that we’re not having 6 kids.}</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"><font face="Courier New"><strong>Him:</strong> If it helps then I think you should get it.</font></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="5">Point blank: I LOVE THIS MAN♥</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"> </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">As for the price – I’m telling you </font><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Clearblue-Easy-Fertility-Monitor/product-reviews/B0000532QB/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1"><font size="4">READ THE REVIEWS</font></a><font size="4">. They are amazing. People trying for months and months, even years and being much older in age and saying the monitor helped them in the first month! Many said they used it as a last ditch effort before settling for the even larger bills from the specialist’s office or when going, that their doctor even recommended it themselves. </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">I buy products based on reviews – I have a hard time pulling the trigger without a positive review. These reviews sold me.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">{I’m not expecting a miracle in the first month of use like many of these people, though I’d love to be pleasantly surprised. It’s also important to note, this machine will not <strong>get you pregnant </strong>itself, though many have probably had to restrain from showing it much appreciated affection when they finally got their BFP…}</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">As for <a href="http://babyblackwellmakes3.blogspot.com/">Tiffany</a>, she only had to use it one month. Go figure, I’m excited!</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4"><strong><em>Does anyone else out there have any experience, good or bad, with this monitor or any of the others on the market? I’d love to here your reviews, as I’m sure others who read this blog would too! Thanks!</em></strong></font></p> *Maybe* Baby ♥ Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09383459784482599843noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817357684211771144.post-85179440627901306872010-11-18T12:58:00.001-05:002010-11-18T13:31:32.164-05:00not the day I expected<p> </p> <p>I don’t know why I thought this month was different.</p> <p>It somehow felt different. I had an extra special feeling that I would get my positive pregnancy test yesterday, so when I got a negative, I <em>optimistically</em> thought it was just too early.</p> <p>Not that there were any pregnancy symptoms, but there weren’t any <em>dreaded red</em> symptoms either.</p> <p>I had reason to stay optimistic - my temperatures were still up yesterday morning. </p> <p>Keeping the still high temps in mind, when I saw the dreaded red later that day, I was of course, shocked. There was no warning, <em>no signs at all</em>, just the disgust of <strong>seeing red</strong>. </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>Though there was a little disappointment, I still felt hope that it could be implantation bleeding. OR when discussing it with my husband what he suggested, with his complete lack of knowledge on the topic, might be “prenatal bleeding”. A term he coined from thin air.</p> <p>When the man isn’t driving me crazy, he’s cracking me up♥</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>A few hours later I saw even more red in the stall at work and knew it was just too much for implantation. I actually had to break down and use a tampon - <em>THE HORROR!! </em></p> <p>I walked back from the bathroom completely numb. </p> <p>Then the first random stranger I heard speak after my horrific trip to the bathroom was a 19 year old girl saying she had “went to the doctor and got tested today”…</p> <p>I listened in a little closer thinking I was going to hear something juicy and disgusting to take my mind off of things like “gonorrhea” or “herpes”… something to make me glad that <em>at least I wasn’t in her shoes. </em>Something really bad to make me say, I might not be pregnant but I also don’t have _______.</p> <p>Instead, her next words were “Yeah, I’m pregnant” in a pitiful, disappointed but still nonchalant kind of a way.</p> <p>So much for wishing an STD on a poor, unsuspecting young girl. {<em>I promise I’m not evil</em>…} </p> <p> </p> <p>I felt the wind knocked out of me. It was a kick to the gut when I was already down for the count. I could see myself, in all my dramatic glory, hitting my knees, face up to God, screaming <font size="4">“WHY HER, GOD?! WHY NOT ME?”</font></p> <p>{Of course, I didn’t. But if there is ever a movie made about my <em>absolutely fascinating</em> life story one day, Jennifer Aniston will be acting out this exact scene in the way I imagined it, not as it actually happened =)}</p> <p>Though, I didn’t hit my knees and scream out to God, I did immediately begin praying a prayer I had never felt the urge to pray before and which I felt come from somewhere hidden in the depths of my heart. What I prayed shocked me.</p> <p>I prayed to God to give me one of these everyday “unwanted pregnancies”. To let one of these young girls go free today, to let one of these poor babies be loved and wanted and taken extra good care of, to simply decide that today, he would put a child into my womb instead of one of the 1000 girls that will bawl uncontrollably out of fear from a positive pregnancy test today. To let me jump for joy when that second line appeared and to let them pray a silent ‘Thank you, God’ when it didn’t for them.</p> <p>I prayed to reverse the roles and make <strong>two</strong> very lucky girls happy today.</p> <p>That is still my prayer.</p> <p> </p> <p>***<strong>Disclaimer</strong>: I KNOW that not all “unplanned pregnancies” equate to “unwanted pregnancies”. A child is a blessing no matter the situation. I have many friends and family who fall into this category and who are gloriously happy and who’s children are too. I know that even the youngest, single mother <strong>can</strong> and <strong>will be</strong> a better mother than I will ever be. I also know that a few will not, will never come to terms with being a parent and will neglect that child from conception to adulthood. That is the situation I prayed about, not the previously mentioned. I honestly do not wish to offend anyone and your open understanding is appreciated!</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>So like I said, I was completely blindsided.</p> <p>It was the fourth month of trying and I just knew it was THE month for so many <strike>logical</strike> absurd reasons.</p> <ul> <li>Absurd reason #1 I was supposed to fall pregnant this month: I LOVE the number ♥4♥ For real, love it. It’s always hanging around any of my lucky days in some way. So of course, the fourth month would seal the deal, right? <li>Absurd reason #2 I was supposed to fall pregnant this month: I would be 9 weeks along by Christmas, which would be a few weeks earlier than I planned to tell family, <em>but which I deemed okay</em>, just for Christmas time, just because it would be the most magical and joyful time of the year to tell everyone. <strong>BAH-HUMBUG!</strong> <li>Absurd reason #3 I was supposed to fall pregnant this month: if a normal healthy couple has a 25% chance of conceiving each given month, than we had already used up the negative 75% chance in the first 3 months of trying, so this was the month to fall in the good 25% chance. I like my math, mother nature doesn’t.</li></ul> <p>Now YOU can see and TOTALLY AGREE with my <strike>absurd</strike> logical reasons why this should have been the month. ;)</p> <p>At this point in the baby making game, I still have a great bounce back. As well as I can list all the negatives of why <em>thisshouldhavebeenthemonth!!?!!?!</em>, I also do well with listing the reasons why having another month under our belts until that positive test will do a world of good.</p> <p>They mostly have to do with money – paying off loans, saving more, fixing up our love nest to the best it can be before adding baby birds to it, feeling more financially stable, as well as spoiling ourselves with gifts and trips that I’m sure we would shoot down in a heartbeat once a baby bird comes along.</p> <p>There’s also the maturity factor. The strong couple factor. Forming a solid bond with the Lord factor. All those little things that will make us better parents the more time we have to work on them.</p> <p>And I think we’re doing well with this “gift of extra time before child” we’ve been given. </p> <p>While seeing this time “as a gift” is difficult, I know it’s true. I keep looking back and seeing what we have accomplished in each month we weren’t expecting, and it makes me happy that we are doing so well with God’s plan. It does all make sense. We are still young, we still have goals and aspirations that will fair better without a child for now, and I will rejoice for what I have been given – while still holding on to hope that the next month will be THE month.</p> <p>Besides, finding out there’s a little Christmas miracle on the way in December will be an extra special scene in <em>the movie of my life.</em> Someone tell Jennifer Anniston to get ready…</p> <p>=)</p> *Maybe* Baby ♥ Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09383459784482599843noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817357684211771144.post-57063409488617011672010-11-13T22:56:00.001-05:002010-11-13T22:56:01.422-05:00new baby makin’ game plan<p>I love all the advice and I don’t think there’s a piece of it I wouldn’t consider doing!</p> <p>Let me just tell you that the title of this post makes me want to roll my eyes and laugh at myself. I just keep thinking of the old adage, “If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans.” </p> <p>Which makes me not really want to do anything, just kick back, relax and let it happen when it happens.</p> <p>Then I think of another adage, “God helps those who helps themselves” and it gets me back scheming myself into being ‘in the family way’.</p> <p>{Besides, I sure as heck ain’t the Virgin Mary, which means He at least expects the Hubs and I to do our part of the equation, even if that means the game plan boils down to only ‘doing the deed’…}</p> <p>So if I were making a new plan, the newest addition was <em>going to be</em> the pregnancy diet {yes, you can laugh now} - limiting my sugar and simple carbohydrate intake, increasing complex carbohydrates, fiber, fruits and veggies, as well as incorporating one serving of full fat dairy a day. {<em>Hello Haagen-Dazs</em>!} All little dietary changes that are begininng to have some scientific background to them – I think <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/2007/12/01/fat-carbs-and-the-science-of-conception.html#">this article</a> summarizes the Harvard research quite well if you’re interested or think I’ve gone off the deep end.</p> <p>I don’t really have weight to lose, but my diet could use a major overhaul. {Hello, my name is ____ and I’m a junk food-aholic.) </p> <p>I had good intentions to majorly cut the junk food out of my diet and did for a few days. But then… Halloween came and went. Plenty of goodies around the house, which got even worse at work when people brought their leftover trick-or-treat candy. {This girlfriend <em>didn’t bring one piece of candy to work</em> – HELLLLOOOOO??!! What is wrong with these people? Why <strong>wouldn’t</strong> you be addicted to sugar?!}</p> <p>Thanksgiving is practically tomorrow and Christmas will come as quickly as next weekend – <em>no one I know</em> would believe that I could cut back on the sugar <em>on any day of the year</em>, not to mention this sugar coated time of year. It’s my equivalent to an alcoholic bartender – it just doesn’t work.</p> <p>The third old adage of the night: the road to hell is paved with good intentions.</p> <p>So it may not be the best time of year to cut the sugar out of this junk-foodaholic’s diet. I have cut back on caffeine, limiting my one large cup of coffee only on the mornings when it feels the most possible that I may not make it through the long work day without it. I’ve also, begrudgingly, fit in a few full fat dairy products =)</p> <p>I’d love to try acupuncture sometime, as well as start doing yoga, but have yet to feel too much need to cross those bridges. My stress levels have plummeted lately from what they were this summer, though I expect life will always hold its stresses. {It’s important for me to mention that I haven’t felt hardly any stress related to conceiving – it’s primarily work and the normal life stresses – which I am, HAPPILY, learning to cope much better with!}</p> <p>So the “plan” this month, which is quickly coming close to an end, turned into just letting go and enjoying… and I truly have!</p> <p>We’ve kept busy with lots of excitement, which seems to be growing as we get into the holidays. My vitamins have been cut down to only the prenatal and DHA. This was not on purpose – just due to laziness and the new relaxed me who was hating the OCD ritual of dividing up the vitamins in weekly pill boxes. </p> <p>I admit, that was pretty obnoxious… </p> <p>Did I mention that this month, I actually ovulated on the <em>magical 14th day?!</em></p> <p>Could it be my lucky month?</p> <p>STAY TUNED!!</p> *Maybe* Baby ♥ Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09383459784482599843noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817357684211771144.post-44395295070183020272010-10-26T23:46:00.001-04:002010-10-26T23:54:43.348-04:00you missed the party<p><font size="4"></font> </p> <p><font size="4">The pity party.</font></p> <p><font size="4">The one I threw myself last Thursday as I once again drug the neatly organized storage tote of pads and tampons out of the linen closet and parked it next to my throne in the bathroom. </font> <p><font size="4"></font> <p> <p><font size="4">I should mention that the thought crossed my mind of hurling the same storage tote through the bedroom window for dramatic flare and declaring that <strong>I will no longer be using pads or tampons</strong> as a sign of my disapproval with Aunt Flo’s unwelcomed visit. </font> <p><font size="4">But that would just be a mess that I didn’t have the energy to clean up… the broken window AND going tampon-less on principle. </font> <p><font size="4"></font> <p> <p><font size="4"><em>Yes</em>, it’s only month three of trying and <strong><font size="5">believe me</font></strong>, I know exactly what kind of lecture you could give me about <em>how short a time period that is</em> and then pump me full of hope and encouragement with a big pat on the back to get back out there and start <strike>humping</strike> trying to conceive again.</font> <p><font size="4">I gave myself that same speech. I dusted myself off and started building hope back up for the next month or <em>just whenever</em> God decides to bless us with a little miracle. </font> <p><font size="4"></font> <p> <p><font size="4">But that <strong>did not</strong> occur BEFORE I threw myself a big old pity party. I wallowed around the house and came close to tears. I threw tiny fits that day blaming them on PMS, which it certainly <em>was</em> – but which the pity party in my head made all the worse when I kept <em>reminding myself</em> that I wouldn’t <em>feel</em> so witchy if I was just <strong>pregnant</strong> and not a hormonal mess of PMS BECAUSE I’M NOT $*#!*#@ PREGNANT AND MY PERIOD IS HERE!!!!! </font> <p><font size="4">{Which my rational self knows is actually pretty ignorant of the pity party since pregnancy hormones seem to rage about 100x worse than the dreaded red’s hormonal wave… regrettably, rational self was not invited to the pity party.} </font> <p><font size="4"></font> <p> <p><font size="4">By the end of that first day, the fog had already lifted and I came to the conclusion that: <font size="5">DUDE…</font> it pretty much <em><strong>SUCKS</strong></em> that a woman who is <em><strong>TRYING</strong></em> to get pregnant has to find out the disappointing news she is <em><strong>NOT</strong></em> pregnant at the same time her weepiest, most demon possessed hormones come sweeping in making even the smallest inconveniences of the day the </font><font size="5"><strong>worst tragedies that have ever hit her life.</strong></font> <p><font size="4">Or maybe that’s just me.</font> <p><font size="4">Either way, it’s just poor timing. Mother Nature, shame on you for playing such an evil trick on the female psyche.</font> <p> <p> <p><font size="4">It’s all very dramatic and narcissistic of me, putting so much weight and importance on MEMEME and what I WANTWANTWANT, so I usually try to pull myself out of my pity parties as soon as my rational side comes rushing in to save me from myself.</font> <p><font size="4">I’m back to my normal, hopeful, determined attitude and ready to change up the baby making game plan.</font> <p><font size="4">Because obviously, patience is not a virtue I possess {<em>thought for the day: could God be trying to teach me something here???</em>} and it seems to me that there may be a <font size="5">very real chance</font> that I’m just going to get <font size="5">more hostile</font> with each monthly visit from <em>Auntie</em>. </font><font size="4">If this goes on for too long… <strong>SOMEONE COULD GET HURT HERE, PEOPLE</strong>. </font> <p><font size="4">{For instance, if they’re standing under that bedroom window the day the tampons finally come crashing through.}</font> <p><font size="4"></font> <p><font size="4"></font> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4">New game plan coming in the next post. This one has already rambled on longer than I doubt any of you felt like seeing through. </font></p> <p><font size="4">In the unlikely circumstance you did though… <em>IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD RECOMMEND I CHANGE/DO/ADD TO MY DAYS TO INCREASE OUR CHANCES THAT YOU HAVEN’T MENTIONED BEFORE???</em></font></p> <p><font size="4">I’m already getting to the point that I would seriously consider most anything from the newest fertility vitamin to <em>drinking milk while standing on your head and balancing your spouse with your free hand.</em></font></p> <p><font size="5"><strong>I joke… </strong></font><font size="4">but really – don’t toy with me, because I may just <strong>do it</strong> =)</font></p> <p><font size="4">I mentioned already that patience wasn’t a virtue of mine, right?</font></p> *Maybe* Baby ♥ Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09383459784482599843noreply@blogger.com39tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817357684211771144.post-34195814226332899702010-10-19T11:29:00.001-04:002010-10-19T11:29:41.022-04:00what do you pee on?<p><font size="4">In my attempt to become the most useless person in existence, I have begun analyzing <strong><font size="5">other people’s pee sticks</font></strong>. All made possible through three, very lovely, and all joking aside, very <em><strong>useful</strong></em> websites:</font></p> <ul> <li><font size="4"><a href="http://www.peeonastick.com/">Pee On A Stick</a></font></li> <li><font size="4"><a href="http://www.fertilityfriend.com/">Fertility Friend</a></font></li> <li><font size="4"><a href="http://www.twoweekwait.com">Two Week Wait</a></font></li></ul> <p><font size="4">I can compare my BBT charts, pee stick results, and read other people’s symptoms leading up to their big fat positives. It gives me lots of {false?} hope, which I’ll take in any form it comes in these days.</font></p> <p><font size="4">Here’s my predicament as of late – I have a blue million internet cheapies from <a href="http://www.early-pregnancy-tests.com/">Early-Pregnancy-Tests.com</a> and I’m now finding bad reviews on these tests as well as plenty of photos on these sites that show positives from other brands on the same day as a negative from my brand.</font></p> <p align="center"><img src="http://www.pregnancyteststore.com/catalog/images/thumbs/ovulation-pregnancy-test_pic1.jpg" width="200" height="240"></p> <p align="center">{The pregnancy test in blue. The same brand’s ovulation strips in green, which I definitely do approve of and that seem to work perfectly. So maybe I should trust the preggo tests…?}</p> <p><font size="4">Is it too much to ask for a test to give you a positive on the day of your missed period? {Let alone a few days before??}</font></p> <p><font size="4">From the hours of time I’ve <strike>wasted</strike> analyzed on line, it almost looks as if you’d have to go cross-eyed to see the actual positive until days after your missed period from the brand I’ve stocked up on.</font></p> <p><font size="4">BOO!</font></p> <p><font size="4">Now mind you – I realize I have to be <em>pregnant first</em> to get that positive and that if I am pregnant, I will find out sooner or later so what’s the difference between a few days of waiting?</font></p> <p><font size="4">The answer: A LOT! ;)</font></p> <p><font size="4">So I’m asking you – what did you pee on? </font></p> <p><font size="4">{So mature, right?}</font></p> <p><font size="4">As usual, I’ll take any advice you have in this department – your own, stories from friends’ experience, you own analytical views from online references… =)</font></p> <p><font size="4"></font> </p> <p><font size="4">And finally, I have a new survey/poll on the sidebar. As it looks like this cycle is coming to a close for me with all the fun cramps of the “dreaded red” BUT without the drop in temps just yet, it’s got me wondering… did anyone else feel like Aunt Flo was on her way and get the unexpected fun of a positive pregnancy test?</font></p> <p><font size="4">I’ve read several accounts online of people who did in fact feel this way, I’m just wondering how often it actually happens. Of course, multiple answers possible for those who have had multiple pregnancies with different symptoms.</font></p> <p><font size="5">Vote away!! Can’t wait to hear from you =)=)=)</font></p> *Maybe* Baby ♥ Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09383459784482599843noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817357684211771144.post-53242115076643508342010-10-11T18:09:00.001-04:002010-10-11T18:09:58.026-04:00pregnant by Christmas<p> </p> <p>That was my goal.</p> <p>Or actually, my ultimate lofty goal was to be far enough along in my pregnancy to tell the family at Christmas.</p> <p><em>Still</em> is my goal - sorta.</p> <p>These days, I’m not so <strong>sure</strong> as I was before, not sure at all really, that I can achieve this goal. I’m actually realizing more than ever, that this was my first and BIGGEST mistake.</p> <p><font size="4"><font size="3">I mean -</font> I put a deadline on the frickin’ miracle of life, people.</font> I’m pretty sure that made God chuckle.</p> <p>How could I be so naive, <em>so arrogant</em>, to assume that I could control such a divine task?!</p> <p>I can apply everything I’ve learned about maxing out our chances of conceiving but I can not ensure the miracle of creating a life.</p> <p>This little revelation that I always knew but never really grasped is somewhat scary, and with further thought, <strong>extremely comforting</strong>.</p>The teeny tiny scary part of the revelation – I can do everything “perfectly” to conceive and never see those two lovely pink lines I find myself pining over these days.<br> <p>The comfort: GOD is in control. He chooses His miracles, His way and in His time. I can think we may have missed the window, not see a positive on the ovulation predictors, forget to take my vitamins, and STILL, if the good Lord says it’s time - IT’S TIME! He will bless us with a miracle whenever, in His all knowing wisdom, he deems perfect.</p> <p>Thank goodness that I’m <em>not</em> in control. I’d surely screw this one up!</p> <p><em>“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7</em></p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center">♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ </p> <p align="center"> </p> <p>I am now in my <em>third</em> “two week wait”. The two weeks between ovulation and <em>knowing</em>. It may only be the third month, but I can already see that with each additional month, the two weeks of waiting are the most mind boggling of days. <p>I am no longer in the time before ovulation when I can apply my science, check for signs, do the deed and satisfy all the voices in my head telling me to ‘<em>do whatever it takes!</em>’ to increase our chances. {No, there are no actual voices in my head, but yes, I am crazy.} Instead, I am in the time of helplessness. Nothing I can do, no real signs I can go by, just waiting wishing hoping that everything went according to plan and that my oven is currently occupied. <p>The questions that swim in my head during this time are innumerable. They are positive and negative. They are impossibly hopeful and optimistic and they are realistic with a dash a pessimism. They trump all other more important thoughts of the day and they sneak themselves in when I’m doing my best to just “let it be and we’ll see”. <p>‘<em>Exactly which day did ovulation happen on?’ </em></p> <p><em>‘How many days past ovulation am I?’ </em></p> <p><em>‘Are my temperatures staying high?’</em></p> <p><em>‘If we get pregnant this month, what will the due date be?’</em></p> <p><em>‘When would I be 12 weeks and able to tell our families?’ </em></p> <p><em>‘Do my breasts seem more tender?’ </em></p> <p><em>‘Is my sense of smell stronger than usual?’</em></p> <p><em>‘Is that a cramp preparing for baby or a cramp telling me Aunt Flo’s comin’ to town?’ </em></p> <p><em>‘Is it too early to test?’ </em></p> <p>‘<em>If I’m not pregnant, what day next month does it look like I’ll be ovulating again?’</em></p> <p>‘<em>What can I do better next time?’</em></p> <p>‘<em>How will I tell husby if it’s positive?’</em></p> <p>‘<em>How will we tell the family in 12 weeks – does it coincide with any family get-togethers?’</em></p> <p><em>‘The sooner we know, the sooner we can start preparing…"’</em></p> <p>Then, after crossing my eyes and staring at the same pee drenched stick for the 32nd time… ‘<em>That may just be a second line… I’ll just keep testing everyday till it looks a little bit darker…”</em></p> <p> </p> <p>And that, my friends, is how I am only on the third month of trying, but have already taken about a hundred pregnancy tests ;) Yay for internet cheapies!</p> <p>My goal for this two week wait is to actually try <u>not</u> to test until I’m *what I think* is 14 days past ovulation. {That would be October 22nd for anyone keeping track!} Judging by previous cycles, that should be plenty enough time to let Aunt Flo rear her ugly head and make my temps drop, in which case I wouldn’t need to test, or to *hopefully* get that good old HCG flowing through the blood stream for that big fat positive.</p> <p>Though, I must say, I have a strong feeling day 10 will come and I’ll find myself unable to resist the “fun” of peeing in a plastic cup.</p> <p><font size="5"><em>Let’s go will power!!</em></font></p> *Maybe* Baby ♥ Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09383459784482599843noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817357684211771144.post-9801998508210579762010-09-27T20:43:00.001-04:002010-09-27T21:30:50.146-04:00magic baby pills<p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://runninglawyer.blogspot.com/">Sara</a> – you absolutely cracked me up with your comment and put the fire under my butt I needed to write a new post! <p align="center">She wrote this comment on the blog today: <p align="center"><em>“WHERE ARE YOU?!! I need an update, please!! I'm living vicariously through you and I need to know how things are going! :) Hope you're well! Can't wait for an update!”</em> <p align="center"><strong>Here’s the update you wanted but probably not the one you or I were hoping for!</strong> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center">As for the magic baby pills: I haven’t found them yet – but I’m still looking ;)</p> <p align="center">Every time I turn around, I’m finding more and more information on vitamins and herbs. <em>One</em> pumps up your immune system, <em>another</em> builds strong bones, <em>this one</em> is good for your cholesterol health… I’m sure you know the drill.</p> <p align="center">Over the past year, I’ve been falling farther and farther down the vitamin/herb rabbit hole.</p> <p align="center">My husband says I’m killing myself – not that he’s done any research himself.</p> <p align="center">I started taking a multi vitamin and a separate calcium supplement in my teens. </p> <p align="center">Steadily, I’ve added more onto the regimen, including switching from a regular multi-vitamin to a pre-natal vitamin. I now take 7 different supplements in the morning and 6 at night.</p> <p align="center"><em><strong><font size="6">YIKES!</font></strong></em></p> <p align="center"><em>*Disclaimer: I have some great medical connections in my life that have all reassured me that I’m not overdoing it. And if my husband were actually worried about what I was taking, I assure you that he wouldn’t let me continue on without a fight ;)</em></p> <p align="center">So here they are in all their glory:</p> <p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSNyrfbshfUNN2l63bbuDQZybOUyodwzcwVn6rARAhQNyuRAzAPc0TPAkbNR0m_xl4GQE79b0WVu-P3TEZrKeZ0Y8bs8pXQZI_8RrEXNLeUCb_yRqlj214Xn9Ka_7w7T9Jk7a8lEURAYg/s1600-h/vit1%5B6%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="vit1" border="0" alt="vit1" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVK8K45L0afuF_A3EulKL5qVmob2y5r_BISMfVfWNwPLVmNoMG1B-iiBU9DW8tMuPMaDQHbR9VHx1xKyzX9DVcebMEVcIteDVdhYYqht-l41hUCJ5RlXxWCL-Zv3i3xoLQIjfGaZbJ0yU/?imgmax=800" width="404" height="303"></a> </p> <p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcBozIUWpcUmnp4Jg-PAWFVTfCZP3uvPkcK85hE2bLM4SVNEEP1wjbwzGFy9I8I7DQoQk6nlQnm4tDAHtxiDercVyiqBSN1Hb8DcNqVEngO-SrW8b5vgpCmBgTvnVUr1-ioCBl069KaDQ/s1600-h/vit3%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="vit3" border="0" alt="vit3" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggOSaEQyuSvzW3XVrEWzlugsWD0srh3KFoLsP-xtXJWDepAt9ugq0PRyb5axmXVc13IoAPG4xpRWRND7ElpeA0voy6N3DVzBo4Oor3hsNBNHliOGPDOyfjZW379gpt1u9LgT6IKuv0bAI/?imgmax=800" width="404" height="303"></a> </p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p align="center">5-HTP, Vitamin C, Calcium, B-12, Fish Oil, Evening Primrose Oil, B-6, Acidophilus, and Immune Boost</p> <p align="center">{not pictured – my prescription prenatals and DHA – I couldn’t let y’all see my real name yet now could I?!}</p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center">My reasonings:</p> <p align="left">Prenatal plus DHA: if you don’t know the importance of this multi-vitamin with high folic acid and the role of DHA in your and your future fetus’ health, do your research - <em>pleeeeease</em>!</p> <p align="left">Fish oil: cholesterol preventative.</p> <p align="left">Calcium plus D: bone and circulatory health.</p> <p align="left">B-12: <a href="http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitaminb12.asp">several important reasons</a> along with the feeling that I don’t eat enough meat, which is a main source of B-12. {I’m a junk foodie!}</p> <p align="left">Acidophilus: great for digestive regulation as well as warding off yeast infections, especially if you begin an antibiotic course for any reason.</p> <p align="left">B-6: great for a healthy immune system. There’s also evidence that support B-6 as an aid to fertility, lengthening the luteal phase (the total number of days between ovulation and the first day of the menstrual cycle) and increased levels may even help prevent or lessen morning sickness! In the meantime, while I’m still <em>without child</em>, B-6 is also suppose to decrease premenstrual symptoms. {Your welcome, Hubs!}</p> <p align="left">Evening Primrose Oil: a new one I’m taking since the TTC journey began. It can improve blood circulation, improving uterine health benefiting fertility, and even increase fertile quality cervical fluid. Also, improving premenstrual symptoms as well!! {This herb can cause uterine contractions, so I discontinue it after ovulation in case of pregnancy and start back up after menstruation.}</p> <p align="left">The “5-HTP” and “Immune Boost” are supplements I received for free and which I’m alternating taking. After the bottles are empty – I won’t be going out of my way to buy more. But I’d gladly take more for free. Ha!</p> <p align="center">The newest in TTC: Vitex!</p> <p align="center">{a.k.a. chaste tree berry, Agnus castus, monk’s pepper}</p> <p align="center">There are lots of studies involving this one for fertility and decreasing PMS, even ridding acne!</p> <p align="center">{This is another that is recommended to discontinue once you find out your pregnant.}</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi85fP8VuJOZlxaTrZoncwXDbMZJFSfKaFUeLmFa_mrKX8pWVZTfyvBGpE2Cum6M-OaOG5KLu2rwozWLZizU9C85G7uxgT5A7YvtIkm8imDomfNzITxOHj0bQVISBQgnR8KSpK3Dezyc4o/s1600-h/vitex%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="vitex" border="0" alt="vitex" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiebLotg2sZl72AkF8SeefGkEs05giozrWjpyyB3fzfIiQA6C_C02QHedquvL-U-PZdilJclvvRZIMDmvEZqgCVZgxZMU1HCgJyKyS49zhbcHPvuNuZJ_gL7PE9mih80CbX3TRsVWKD2Vw/?imgmax=800" width="362" height="484"></a></p> <p align="center"><em>**2nd Disclaimer – I’m not recommending that any of you follow my lead besides taking a great multi-vitamin. I’ve done my research and decided what was best for me. Please do the same for yourself when making a decision to take any type of medications including vitamins and herbs.</em></p> <p> </p> <p align="center">Another reason I’ll be overjoyed to get a positive HPT – I’ll probably be cutting back to just the prenatal and DHA. Which will be SooOOoOoOoO much easier!!</p> <p align="center">I’d love to hear about any supplements or dietary steps any of you have taken while TTC, please.</p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center">In other news…</p> <p align="center">We are now onto cycle #3 :(</p> <p align="center">{Ignore my crumpled BBT chart – it’s had a few rough days.}</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixBWGyArhs2Guj2GOC1GBV3CPWPVuAWU7temPh2V3KZ6AUONm7v2iS9iuZES7PuEYt3oV-_vtEPbF5FkdH4qOh2vrzeCo-f7ntpHRecNpN3itCjovJqCkAL_9YI4lZweYHh2KINGONg0Y/s1600-h/TTC2%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="TTC2" border="0" alt="TTC2" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vi1oXYQTYOI/TKE6N_dLUjI/AAAAAAAAALI/8-LQ7vEJFUs/TTC2_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="482"></a></p> <p> </p> <p align="center">The temps taken in pen that aren’t as dark as the permanent marker are mornings I slept in and were adjusted according to the time/temp rule.</p> <p align="center">It looks as if I ovulated around day 20 and had about a 12 day luteal phase – all very good news!</p> <p align="center">Like I mentioned on the last post, I got a positive from both the urine ovulation test sticks and the saliva scope, so I’m staying positive that all is well.</p> <p align="center">It does suck to feel like you did everything *perfectly* and still no dice.</p> <p align="center">I know that when it’s our time, however it may occur - adoption or biologic, we will become parents. I find it overwhelmingly comforting that it is all in God’s hands and that his plans and thoughts and ways are infinitely better than ours and beyond our grasp of what we *think* should be.</p> <p align="center">Still making the very, very best of our time *not* expecting yet – the baby bucket list is still going strong!!</p> <p align="center">Which reminds me – I’m definitely due a sushi dinner soon ;)</p> *Maybe* Baby ♥ Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09383459784482599843noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817357684211771144.post-39992099624792704452010-09-07T21:27:00.001-04:002010-09-07T21:27:21.100-04:00nothing to report… until now!<p> </p> <p><strong>I have seen the *most exciting two pink lines of my life!</strong></p> <p><em>*Hopefully they will be followed by two MUCH more exciting pink lines in the following weeks.</em></p> <p>If you’re a veteran out there, you probably know what I’m talking about. They weren’t the heart stopping two pink lines of a home pregnancy test… but rather the two pink lines of an ovulation test.</p> <p>I’m beyond <em>THRILLED!</em></p> <p>In case you haven’t been following since the beginning of this little blog <strong>OR</strong> you’ve just forgotten, {<em>how dare you forget what cycle day I’m on?!…</em> haha} but this is only my second cycle trying to conceive as well as only my second cycle off of birth control. I didn’t use the ovulation tests last cycle and my temperature chart was a mess and <em>most likely</em> indicated that I did not ovulate:</p> <p><img title="temp chart" border="0" alt="temp chart" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1q2K_zUmfwCNSWJf5elAUSKX01vVBdi_nlw1Fa4zkHnVEBXLeVA2z3GcP0dPnZ67Obr4noV_LXoyQ0oWRIVQYOeTore4Ifum__CvaJiEl_V09xoEFg7FgcQoz_XrYSs6sG6FWv1KFtTI/?imgmax=800" width="644" height="482"></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p align="center"><em>I mean SERIOUSLY.. what is THAT suppose to tell me? Possibly the blueprint to a really cool new roller coaster, but not the chart of a perfectly normal, fertile young lady. Very unladylike indeed!</em></p> <p align="left">After last cycle, I chalked it all up to the unpredictable first month off of birth control, kept my attitude positive with help from the hubs and soldiered on to try again this cycle. This time, hoping the unpredictable first month did not turn into an unpredictable 3 months off of birth control… or longer. Thoughts of PCOS and the inability to ovulate kept floating through my mind which I tried to kick out as soon as possible. Stressing over the unknown wasn’t going to help anything and I try to keep my thoughts with the most positive possibility of any given situation. </p> <p align="left">We’re only halfway through the second cycle and already we’re seeing much more exciting news than last time!</p> <p align="left">For one – my temperatures have remained more constant this cycle, the first encouraging sign I’ve noticed. Not jumpy and ridiculous looking like last time, only slightly so on the mornings I slept late or got up unusually early. Even then, when applying the rule of “deducting 1/10 of a degree for every 30 minutes slept later than usual or vice versa”, the chart is looking – dare I say? – pretty normal.</p> <p align="left">Next encouraging sign, as I already mentioned, the holy grail of TTC occurred: a positive ovulation test.</p> <p align="left">That was only just today – so we’ll see if I get the follow up temperature spike that indicates ovulation did actually happen after the LH surge that caused the positive. <em>No clue what I’m talking about?</em> I’ve learned lots today just stalking <a href="http://www.peeonastick.com/">PeeOnAStick</a>.com. Very informative and I love all the well documented pictures. I had already learned more than my fair share of information about pregnancy tests in the past, but ovulation tests are very new to me and extremely different from a HPT.</p> <p align="left">Now even MORE good news!</p> <p align="left">Not only did I get the verification I needed from the urine tests but… wait for it…</p> <p align="left">Waaaaaaaaiiit for it…</p> <p align="left">Are you really ready for this?</p> <p align="left"><strong><font size="5">The </font><a href="http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=191245&catid=101415&aid=337953&aparam=fertility_scope_saliva_b&CAWELAID=209479318"><font size="5">saliva scope</font></a><font size="5"> actually WORKS!</font></strong></p> <p align="left">{I talked about using this crazy contraption <a href="http://www.definitelymaybebaby.com/2010/08/o-o-ooooo-ovulation.html">before</a>.}</p> <p align="left">Are you frickin’ surprised? Most of you should be if the last question poll was any indication as nearly NO ONE recommended it or said they had used it. I can’t say it is 100% reliable since this is the first time I’ve used it or that I would ever trust it SOLELY, but an additional confirmation of ovulation is more than coveted when you’re trying, grasping for any hint as to what’s going on <em>down there</em>. The past couple days it has shown the most gorgeous fern pattern I have ever seen, indicating impending ovulation a full 24 hours BEFORE the urine test!!! I know I’m getting crazy when I keep going back to look at the the most gorgeous saliva I’ve ever seen – ha!</p> <p align="left">I can’t figure out a way to sneak a picture of it inside that tiny eye piece, but it’s been text book according to these slides this month, with the “fertile” picture starting yesterday:</p> <p align="left"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" src="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:cbv5Nd4T0CeHuM:http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g138/jonasytan/Pregnancy/salivaferning.jpg&t=1" width="640" height="271"></p> <p></p> <p>Isn’t science amazing?</p> <p>I’m also paying attention to cervical fluid as well – text book this month too.<em><strong> Can I get a HALLELUJAH from the choir?!</strong></em></p> <p>Even better – hubs and I both ended up having to go out of town for work – and thank the good Lord above – ovulation seems to have waited till we were once again united. What a magical coincidence♥</p> <p>We are BOTH so excited that even the “we need to do it <strong>NOW!</strong>” urgency has been a blast. We’re having FUN trying and have surprisingly, become closer than ever. We’re in it together and it’s lovely. I can’t say I’m surprised that he’s enjoying all the extra R rated fun, but I am blown away at his genuine excitement over pee sticks and saliva scopes – he’s actually pumped we can tell ovulation is here! {Even if it is only one tenth of my excitement – that’s still A LOT =)} And no male freak outs yet, major brownie points.</p> <p>I’ll keep you updated on the crazy drama of cycle number two. So far, so good!</p> *Maybe* Baby ♥ Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09383459784482599843noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817357684211771144.post-69143860105915793542010-08-25T00:31:00.001-04:002010-08-25T00:31:52.787-04:00the dreaded red<p>Yes, our first cycle of trying to conceive has come to a close while the next <strong>exciting</strong> cycle is just beginning.</p> <p>It’s bittersweet and yet – IT’S ONLY BEEN ONE CYCLE! I should be okay for now ;)</p> <p>I’m reminding myself of the many things still left on the <a href="http://www.definitelymaybebaby.com/2010/08/baby-bucket-list.html">baby bucket list</a>. Mainly the little fact that the more time we have until baby, the more financially secure *hopefully* we shall be. While most everything seems in it’s place and we become more emotionally mature and prepared, it could never hurt to have a little more dough for diapers… and further down the road – college!</p> <p>It also doesn’t hurt to have more time for just he♥and♥me.</p> <p>We’re making sure we soak up this time together as much as possible, see and do as much as possible, and make as many precious memories together as two before our entire world as we know it is rocked by a blessed miracle.</p> <p>and <em>*OOPS!*</em> – did I forget to mention that I told him about this blog! {Do you believe me now that I’m a terrible secret keeper? It actually has me seriously doubting my abilities to keep future joyous news a secret for a WHOLE TRIMESTER.} I actually told him a couple of weeks ago. He just laughed with surprise and didn’t seem to <em>really believe </em>that I started yet <em>another blog</em> until I showed him the website! </p> <p>I did tell him it was “safe” for him to read everything on it at the moment, but to not visit in the future without running it by me first… just in case the one post I don’t want him to see ahead of time is up – the <em>what’s a fun way to tell him we’re having a baby</em> post where I’d love to get some fun ideas from everyone. I don’t think he’s even read the first word on this website. He’s just ecstatic I have another outlet besides him for my baby chatter! =) I’ve not told a <em>SOUL</em> outside of him and this blog =)</p> <p>With this cycle ending, just what shall I do with this:</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhggOdhyphenhyphenpN-IP_XY3SR274ws-_GauL5Mlj1B3xpJ6MEg90FgMmbJ0VUGiU24WkD4yIkzdTWoARzSaiCqFZZ3X58UY6_9CPqisiyx95BRYuhbS9yAaDigHHF0-sSeLJcyRGrsiv9XB8eCYA/s1600-h/temp%20chart%5B7%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="temp chart" border="0" alt="temp chart" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1q2K_zUmfwCNSWJf5elAUSKX01vVBdi_nlw1Fa4zkHnVEBXLeVA2z3GcP0dPnZ67Obr4noV_LXoyQ0oWRIVQYOeTore4Ifum__CvaJiEl_V09xoEFg7FgcQoz_XrYSs6sG6FWv1KFtTI/?imgmax=800" width="644" height="482"></a> </p> <p>Yeah – <font size="5"><strong><em>really</em></strong></font>, this is my morning temperature chart for the past month.</p> <p>Granted, some days I charted later than the normal 7 a.m. A couple of days towards the end I may have even had a fever. And the rest of it… I have no explanation for which. I actually even wondered if I might have an overactive thyroid with all the high temps – ? {Derived from information in the <a href="http://www.tcoyf.com/">TCOYF book</a>.}</p> <p>I’m chalking it up to it being my first month of being off the pill {can you ever really know what to expect that first month?} and STRESS! {Not stress due to baby-makin’ in the least… just <em>lots</em> of other outside factors this past month, much worse than usual…}</p> <p>I’m trying not to let myself think too long on this chart. It really looks like I may have never even ovulated at all, which the severe lack of CM I seem to have experienced backs up. Though I <em>will not</em> let myself start to believe I will never ovulate. Like I said – first month off birth control will get the blame for now.</p> <p>{I’d love and welcome any insight you veteran charters may have on the topic!!}</p> <p>In good news – this cycle was only 29 days! Not the dreaded super long cycle I was expecting making the wait for the next ovulation window even longer. The drab news… this may mean my next “O” window falls on the exact dates I may be out of town for work this month – making it pretty darn difficult to conceive then! {Again, I really can’t predict when I will ovulate based on anything at this time besides the often wrong 14 day notion. So, I’m not going to get too down about our possible bad timing to be apart this next month – we’ll take advantage of the time we do have and PRAY!}</p> <p>As for this past poll – I took your advice! First, for the results:</p> <p> <strong>Would you recommend any of the following (from personal experience) while trying to conceive?</strong></p> <p><strong>93 voted and said:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>37 votes – 39% Ovulation pee sticks (Love my very technical terms, don’t ya?!) </strong></li> <li><strong>2 votes – 2% Ovulation saliva scope</strong></li> <li><strong>33 votes – 35% Temperature charting</strong></li> <li><strong>29 votes – 31% Analyzing cervical fluid</strong></li> <li><strong>4 votes – 4% Checking cervical position</strong></li> <li><strong>48 votes – 51% Having sex more often</strong></li> <li><strong>17 votes – 18% *Only* the “good old fashioned way”</strong></li></ul> <p> </p> <p>Based on YOUR input, I made a *hopefully* helpful purchase to use in our future adventures:</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vi1oXYQTYOI/THSctpEA_8I/AAAAAAAAAKU/6IWbrOOHH98/s1600-h/O%20tests%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="O tests" border="0" alt="O tests" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGN-QBd91QoDlSLaYyM8hV1DZI31ySUoOIuve1D389UzIXvutuHMtt9U1iNQWxsQNCt3chHxUN2nguhgKHOLnp1WkTiwMcPAEAarX8684SsdSyzbotmor_O-a2tkG5gaoy3UCuLn0fhPM/?imgmax=800" width="644" height="482"></a> </p> <p> </p> <p align="center">Here we go again!</p> *Maybe* Baby ♥ Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09383459784482599843noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817357684211771144.post-33438918545890703902010-08-15T10:00:00.000-04:002010-08-15T10:00:01.651-04:00day dreamin’<p align="center">Who couldn’t use one of these rooms in their house?</p> <p align="center">I know I could use 3 or 4… just move the little angel to a new nursery when one’s dirty ;)</p> <p align="center">Hope you love looking at great rooms as much as I do.</p> <p align="center">…and if you haven’t had your baby fever immunization this year… </p> <p align="center"><em>Quick! Cover your eyes!!</em></p> <p align="center"><img border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp1jH8Lnze3t14je7U8A0_Gm2jGsRbkiX1-tSfj_eRKGxOyMxFOUqebpiuNBUcK4kUukLu0AuBHr0tlsDEKmn4dstwL5X8y8oVfyu79t0ytmJusyQbQr5wwc1uRJvE8-5VehC2fy-AXvdr/s400/chicshacknursery.jpg" width="472" height="480"></p> <p align="center"><img border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia7rQuJJRkmNiJJYRkoHt_nTdOSP3MZxorXwvFwXBfBaCAbNPP1Z9LgE0StlEt2ei0Or44NHfktZfwzHhP45MVJft3udRhbvI-CtZbDSkjHVMM5BB-ekzZSVl27CfM-kRWxnHRdxnQe-nJ/s400/baby-nursery-decorating-ideas-33.jpg" width="476" height="480"></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vi1oXYQTYOI/TGdcJqVzYqI/AAAAAAAAAFs/wXKW7HnQ1pE/s1600-h/1a381bd3cbed3.png"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="1a381bd3cbed" border="0" alt="1a381bd3cbed" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG3HurGm25BuPmBmv_MBMGy0jVFiaLb7wWNY_sp8c7_hR00yYTcH1WVC0DJKMkHb3-5CAGuqCv43zHrjXfqiIsWEKsBUe7A9BKPnOAooOFDIGwVSotsRvi05l1p5Ni_lQIigNWISYlN6k/?imgmax=800" width="644" height="392"></a> </p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnYRMlKu-MhgaojOeyAoZirKt4LJXvkKilJB2IaDIJY7TF2WMdo9UZHyQFPy7qIFdfrlv4I7_sHBddCvjnnmMuuJfjB7Tt_w2QzviVY0t2Xh07V5-dkkTpu9gAF5klC7gsoCTdrB6HYM8/s1600-h/1f95b7b7671b3.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; 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border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="aqua-blue-and-orange-nursery-21242658" border="0" alt="aqua-blue-and-orange-nursery-21242658" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vi1oXYQTYOI/TGdczLBwlCI/AAAAAAAAAKI/tsviMmpqnTw/aqua-blue-and-orange-nursery-21242658_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="553" height="484"></a> </p> <p> </p> <p></p> <p></p> <p align="center">So sorry for not properly sourcing these photos – most came from <a href="http://www.decorpad.com/index.htm">Decor Pad</a> {which I could spend alllll day browzing} and I had just been saving them to my computer and decided with such a great collection of eye candy, I gotta share!</p> *Maybe* Baby ♥ Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09383459784482599843noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817357684211771144.post-1492882682564926852010-08-12T09:43:00.000-04:002010-08-12T09:42:11.789-04:00O-O-Ooooo-Ovulation<p> </p><p align="left"><strong>***There’s a new poll up on the side bar. I’d love to see what your votes are!</strong></p><p>Someone asked on my last post if I’d ever let you know where I was in my “cycle”.</p><p>It’s a simple question that I’m gonna give a loooong complicated answer to ;) </p><p>and you know, when we’re talking about cycles, we’re always gonna run into a little bit of this:</p><p> </p><p><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJZJUyrjI13X_pynHO5mnmFp97wEYgiVtbe4rx0XXx9AEsZzCvRi_WCe1w6D4SgkD5zrk1tzIMJEegcyJ3y7uusUrH5iEkbKysHeGVerDPuj7IuZyxmyqTD5YKTWSq_GK-ETFmmZRcNsM/s320/tmi.png"></p><p> </p><p>For those not in the know: T.M.I. stands for Too Much Information, i.e. <em>over</em> sharing. Which I am guilty of more often than I care to admit, though never on the “cycle” topic… until now.</p><p>I’ll do my best to throw this up whenever we’re about to talk about the many sticky situations of conceiving. {“Sticky” isn’t the best word for me to be using here, is it? Or maybe it’s a little <em>too</em> appropriate…} If your stomach can’t handle it, or you didn’t want to go <strong>this</strong> in depth into our story, just the nice sweet emotions and facts for you – don’t read on past this sign. Like, <em>ever</em>.</p><p>Okay – the low-down.</p><p>The title is definitely a little word and one very important event I am constantly contemplating these days. You could also throw in there the terms cervical position, cervical fluid, basal body temperature – but that would have made for one long, odd blog post title wouldn’t it?</p><p>I always knew my obsession would take on a life of it’s own once the birth control went out the window. I knew it wasn’t possible for me to do this <em>let’s make a baby thing</em> nonchalantly. I knew I couldn’t passively try, only doing the “baby dance” when the moment felt right, not wondering whether I was ovulating or worrying whether his spermies Googled the right directions on MapQuest to get to my precious little egg’s address. {Because we all know men would rather drive around lost for hours than ask someone for directions – why would I expect his sperm to be any different?!}</p><p>I’m compulsive, inpatient, have an incessant need to plan, and I love science. This conception game we’re playing peaks absolutely every last one of my interests and annoying character traits to boot.</p><p>Obsession for me leads to a constant need to speak of my obsession out loud. {As I did for a full year in 5th grade until my parents finally gave in to my constant chatter about dogs and got me my very own =)} I’m waiting for my husband to snap with one more mention of anything related to ovulation/birth/baby names/nursery/breast feeding… but he is one extremely tolerant, patient man. He swares he doesn’t mind when I ask him if he’d rather me stay mum on the subject until there is an <strong>actual baby</strong> to speak of. This sweet guy, he is NOTHING like me – thank God!</p><p>**Side note: If you’ve never heard of the book I have on my sidebar, <a href="http://www.tcoyf.com/">TCOYF</a> is the ultimate education in conception AND natural birth control. Don’t be deceived. This most definitely is not the “Rhythm Method”. {More on this book later – it most definitely deserves a full post to itself!}</p><p>Back to the obsession:</p><p>It is this TCOYF book that has peaked my compulsive nature to chart temperatures, to plan days that would be optimum for “baby dancing” and that most definitely grabs my scientific side with analyzing cervical fluid and the cervix position. {Is it possible to become an honorary OBGYN after you’ve gone through the conception process? No? How about honorary mid-wife?}</p><p>So now, after careful temperature taking first thing in the morning, nasty cervical fluid {or “mucous”} observation, and the random checking of the cervix… <font size="4">I HAVE NO IDEA WHETHER I HAVE OVULATED YET OR IF IT MAY STILL HAPPEN??!!?!</font></p><p>How did this happen? I threw out my birth control {Nuvaring – which I LOVED} on July 20 and Aunt Flo visited on July 23rd. Based on this information and the {probably wrong} assumption of a 28 day cycle, I would have ovulated last Thursday on the 14th day, on which there was absolutely no signs of ovulation… I am, reasonably so, completely in the dark when it comes to the actual length of my cycle and just exactly <strong>when</strong> ovulation may occur.</p><p>I went without birth control for almost an entire year in 2009. {We were not “trying” and actually used other means of birth control during that time. Which, since I’m still without child, seems they worked pretty well!} My cycles were running around 31 days back then – <em>except</em> the time it was 36 days and I spent an unheard of amount of money on pregnancy tests and even made an appointment with the doctor thinking the pee sticks were mistaken since my period had never been so far behind. Thankfully Aunt Flo came before I showed up to that foolish appointment.</p><p>I really loved my longer 31 day cycles – thought I was super special that I was treated with more time in between periods – until now. Now I’d rather have a 28 day cycle so after each failed month I have less time to wait for the big “O” – that’s ovulation, not Oprah. </p><p>So here I am Day 20 of my cycle. Wondering if I already ovulated. Suspecting that I haven’t based on “the signs”. Wondering if I will, or ever will, at all…</p><p>To add to the equation, I’ve also been using this little <em>doodad</em>:</p><p><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" src="http://www.babyhopes.com/images/P/fertilityscope.jpg"></p><p>The <a href="http://www.fertilityscopeusa.com/">Fertility Scope</a>. The science nerd inside of me is having a field-day with this thing! I spit on it every morning and have yet to see any of the blessed “ferning” telling me ovulation time is here. I continue to hope I didn’t just waste 40 bucks and that ovulation just hasn’t happened yet AND that I’m not learning that I’m ovulationally challenged.</p><p>But the biggest TMI of all is – I *believe* that today, I am finally starting to see the “egg white” cervical fluid I’ve been looking for… it’s not full out, wonderfully fertile stretchy yet – but it seems it’s <em>beginning to</em> ‘stretch’ as if ovulation may be on the horizon. {I’ll give you a moment to throw-up in the trash can of your choice now. Let me know when you’re ready for more… Oh, back so soon? I’ll continue on then.}</p><p>Other symptoms I’ve had recently: cramps/shooting groin or upper pubic area pain, sometimes to one side {*hopeful* ovulation??} and itchy <em>evolving</em> to sore nipples. Not full on sore breasts – just the nips. No clue what this may mean except that I am most definitely feeling the effects of being sans birth control these days.</p><p>As for the baby-dancing, which is a term I’m also sick of and believe I will no longer type anymore, we’ve just been <em>aiming</em> for every other day. I never want to schedule <strike>baby-dancing</strike> sex unless we find out we have some obstacles to overcome in this journey. So for now, even if it is “the day” and neither of us have that particularly lusty look in our eyes, we are perfectly fine with just hitting the sack with the goal of trying to feel more well rested and hopefully a little more <em>randy </em>tomorrow.</p><p> </p><p align="center"><a href="http://media.photobucket.com/"><img alt="austin-powers-martini.jpg Austin Powers martini poster image by sdkwwe" src="http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk253/sdkwwe/austin-powers-martini.jpg"></a></p><p> </p><p>That is, unless I see that wonderful “egg-white” cervical gold. In that case, I’ll be in one of those lovely little negligees that the hubs says collects dust in the closet in under 10 seconds flat =) </p><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p><em>**Any advice for the baby-making dummy? Should I break down and buy the pee-sticks (urine ovulation tests)? Did you have any ovulation signs? Ever use the fertility scope? Do you ovulate late in your cycle? No comment will every be TMI here! The more information I can gather – the better!!</em></p>*Maybe* Baby ♥ Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09383459784482599843noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817357684211771144.post-34425979457058249392010-08-06T12:34:00.001-04:002010-08-06T12:34:54.088-04:00I wouldn’t call it baby fever<p> </p> <p>I know baby fever. I’ve been there. There’s many places where I’ve caught the fever: facebook, other people’s blogs, and the infamous chubby cheeked creature himself in the pew in front of me at church that leaves me no choice but to stare, ooh and ahh over him, leaving me in a slobber induced coma filled with warm feelings of baby bliss, ending in 2 hours of sermon and service in which I have no clue what the preacher was preachin’ ‘bout unless it was, by chance, <em>to go forth, be fruitful and multiply</em>. </p> <p>What I have now, I wouldn’t call it <em>the fever</em>. It may look like fever to you and my husband, but being on this end of it, I know the difference. You could call it “mama fever” or “9 months to 6 years fever” {my favorite ages}, but it most certainly is <strong>not</strong> “baby fever”. </p> <p>The mention of a baby leaves me thinking of newborns. Those tiny little things with tiny little issues like trouble sleeping, the dreaded re-flux, or the big issue of troubles in <strong>communicating</strong>. I have no fever for that. In fact, I’m trying to <em>overcome</em> the fear of newborns. Of course they’re cute, but they are much too complex for this baby-dummy… will anything <em>ever</em> begin to prepare me for such issues?</p> <p>What keeps me going in spite of that wonderfully frightening time of life is the absolute yearning from the depths of my <strike>uterus</strike> soul to be a mother. To see a little one, MY little one, grow and learn and develop and say insanely funny thoughts that pop into their little heads, and to love beyond my imagination and to feel that love in return. <strong>That</strong> I am ready for. </p> <p>Before now, the “fear” I mentioned always stopped me when my thoughts seemed to continue on to the point that I was truly contemplating whether we may actually be ready for parenthood. The sleep deprivation, the unknown ailments, the screams of bloody murder, the loss of a social life as we know it… those thoughts stopped the ideas of possibly procreating <font size="5">cold.dead.in.their.tracks</font> before.</p> <p>But now, it’s different. It’s not the fleeting baby fever that can be easily broken with scary little phrases like “poop explosions”. It’s much stronger than that. It’s determination, mother nature, and hormones all combined in to one huge power packed punch that says <font size="5">“SOMEONE FERTILIZE THIS WOMAN’S EGGS, <em>STAT</em>!”</font></p> <p>{Of course, that <em>someone</em>, I’m hoping is my loving husband… =)}</p> <p>I can no longer be scared out of it. Which is how I knew it was time.</p> <p>The finances aren’t perfect, the baby bucket list isn’t finished, we haven’t traveled the globe yet, nor are we nearly as mature as I would have hoped for by this age. But we’re ready. We’re up to the challenge. {I say “we” because even my husband doesn’t seem to have the fear anymore – a day I never thought I’d see!} I’m even up to the challenge of getting fat, hairy, and forever flatulent. I don’t mind all that and I would develop a 100 more unattractive traits and scrap the rest of the things not yet finished for one little screaming, projectile vomiting miracle of my own. </p> <p align="center">********************</p> <p>I am so thankful to those of you who voted in the poll on the sidebar! I have a bazillion more questions for you that I’ll be putting into polling form and I hope you continue to give me your input with just a couple little clicks.</p> <blockquote> <p>The question answered this week: How long did it take you to conceive? {Because, <em>what else</em> could possibly be on my mind at the moment?!} There were 83 votes cast, results as follows:</p></blockquote> <blockquote> <p>17 votes (20%) said: “I wasn’t even trying – a nice little surprise”</p></blockquote> <blockquote> <p>25 votes (30%) said they: “Conceived the first month of trying”</p></blockquote> <blockquote> <p>12 votes (14%) said it took: “3 months or less”</p></blockquote> <blockquote> <p>9 votes (10%) took: “3-6 months to conceive”</p></blockquote> <blockquote> <p>and the majority with 29 votes (34%): “6 months or more”</p></blockquote> <p>I now wish I had provided the answers “still trying” or “still trying after 1 year” or something to that effect. I know it’s not all rainbows and baby dust and having these facts in front of me will truly help to pull me back down to earth when my brain floats off with dreams of delivering <strong>9 months from today</strong>. {TRYING desperately to be realistic here!}</p> <p>But one can always hope =)</p> *Maybe* Baby ♥ Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09383459784482599843noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817357684211771144.post-18082674295038699442010-08-01T23:22:00.001-04:002010-08-01T23:23:15.077-04:00baby bucket list<p> </p> <p><font size="4">I am so thankful for each and every comment and each and every person who has decided to follow along on our journey! I was already a little too excited about this blog idea, but having the most supportive friends along for the ride and ladies who are in the same boat or ’been there, done that’ – I’m over the moon. To be completely serious, just seeing how many participated in our poll on the sidebar made me giddy ;)</font></p> <p><font size="4">Anonymous and secretive isn’t my thing – I can keep friends’ secrets, but my own secrets seem to sit atop my head like a sign with flashing lights, greeting people before I even open my trap. OH MY STARS, imagine my surprise that I have kept this blog from my husband for over a <strong>frickin’ week</strong>! {Doesn’t seem like much, I know. <em>Take my own surprise as a hint of how surprised you should be</em>…} He may figure it out by finding the link on my computer or snooping my iPhone – but my plan is to not tell him before the *hopeful* positive.</font></p> <p><font size="4">As a side note – I hope I don’t disappoint a few of you out there when my identity is revealed. Plenty of you said you were pretty positive you knew my identity. Many of you, <strong>I’m sure</strong>, are right on the money. But a few of you – I invited because I found your blog through my own followers who followed YOU as well… and then <strong>you too</strong> left a comment that you thought you may ‘know’ who I am. I apologize in advance for misleading anyone, but not wanting to blow the surprise, I can’t straighten you out right now ;) PLEASE, stop reading now if you can’t handle the let down!</font></p> <p><strong><font size="5">AND NOW:</font></strong> <font size="4">I’m ready to start letting every tiny conception/pregnancy/delivery/baby/child/nursery/parenting obsessed thought fly. Let’s get to it!</font></p> <p><font size="4"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font size="5">The Baby Bucket List</font></p> <p><font size="4">You probably know what a regular ol’ bucket list is; a list of things you want to do before you ‘kick the bucket’. Though I’m not comparing having a baby to kicking the bucket… we all know opening a new chapter closes another. We also know there’s a whole list of no-no’s during pregnancy and that life is pretty darn different for everyone involved post-delivery. Seeing that this *hopeful* child-to-be is planned, I’m taking this opportunity to plan a few other things that I’d like to get done pre-conception as well as pre-baby. </font></p> <p><font size="4">{While I came up with this to-do list on my own long ago – the name “baby bucket list” was completely stolen from </font><a href="http://babymakinmachine.com/"><font size="4">Baby Makin’ Machine</font></a><font size="4">! I love it. Much better than the un-original “baby to-do” list I would have come up with on my own.}</font></p> <p><font size="4">So what’s on mine?</font></p> <p><font size="4"><strong>Pre-bump {before conception}:</strong></font></p> <ul> <li><font size="4">painting – furniture, walls, and anything else that will stand still. I haven’t looked into how much you’re not supposed to do while pregnant, maybe it’s just walls, maybe you can paint furniture if you’re in a well ventilated area – not sure. Just aiming to get everything out of the way I can while still possible as I know the “honey-do list” will be reaching an all-time high just before baby.</font> <li><font size="4">the thrilling stuff – white water rafting, sky-diving, roller coasters, trampoline gymnastics… if it’s fun and off-limits during pregnancy – I’m going to try to fit it in!</font> <li><font size="4">food, food, and more food – I looked this one up… there’s not <em>too much</em> off limits during pregnancy when it comes to food consumption, but I know me, as soon as you say “you can’t”, it’s all I can think about. I’ll try to eat as much sushi, “over-easy” eggs, deli meats, blue cheese, and mass amounts of caffeine as I can until then. {For real though – trying to cut down the caffeine intake before then to avoid any type of withdrawal. Thankfully, I don’t consume too much.}</font> <li><font size="4">long dips in the hot-tub – I don’t even have one, but if there’s a chance to jump in one pre-baby bump, count me in.</font> <li><font size="4">dental care, x-rays – whatever the case, if it it’s something that would be swell and dandy to get done ahead of time and must be avoided while with-child, I’m attempting to get it done.</font> <li><font size="4">get into shape – and not just any shape, a nice strong shape, a.k.a. muscles... I need muscles, people! I’m weak, extremely weak in the arm area especially. How am I supposed to tote baby, car seat, AND a fabulous diaper bag with these scrawny arms??? I can’t. Thus, “project mommy muscles” has begun. This also includes pumping up the all important abdominals needed to push baby out, as well as making the the recovery and return to pre-baby shape hopefully a tad easier.</font></li></ul> <p><font size="4"></font> </p> <p><font size="4"><strong>Pre-baby {during pregnancy}:</strong></font></p> <ul> <li><font size="4">saving money – impossible, but I will definitely attempt to do my best not to devastate our funds too much. <font size="4">There’s plenty to buy: maternity clothes, baby clothes, necessities, furniture, decor, there’s a list a mile long that could suck every penny out of our retirement/college fund. A<font size="4">s long as it’s not a used crib or used diapers, I’m open to it. </font></font>Consignment, yard-sale, Craig’s list – I’ll do my best to search them all before deciding to buy new.</font> <li><font size="4">continuing to work out. I’ll figure out what I’m allowed to do when the time comes.</font> <li><font size="4">healthy eating – not just for me anymore!</font> <li><font size="4">couple time. Very important to build the strongest bond and become a solid united front with Hubs before the baby has us taking sides. Physically, spiritually, emotionally – we’re good <em>but I wanna be great. </em>Thankfully, this is fun work! Trying for baby has already added more fun to the relationship ;)</font> <li><font size="4">baby-moon. Not sure where or when, I just know we have to take a trip before baby – I’m dreaming of exotic beaches while storing up lots of late morning sleep.</font></li></ul> <p><font size="4"></font> </p> <p><font size="4">The great thing about the pre-bump list is it’s ability to help me get through the months until a positive. With every negative, I’ll try to think of the things I’m still able to to do and get done while feeling more accomplished. I’ll be thinking of things to add to both lists, especially if takes longer than planned to get that positive!</font></p> <p><font size="4">Can you think of anything I’m leaving out – did you do anything “baby bucket”-like or think of anything you want to or wish you did before the blessed D-day?</font></p> <p><font size="4">I’d love the input!</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Much love and luck♥</font></p> *Maybe* Baby ♥ Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09383459784482599843noreply@blogger.com26