Just one...But one is just fine with me

Today was another big day for Colin and I.  We went to the Dr this afternoon for our first pregnancy sonogram.  I can't tell you how nervous I was for this appointment, especially since I haven't been feeling any pregnancy symptoms.  I guess I shouldn't complain about the lack of vomiting, but in a weird way feeling bad would be comforting.

Anyways, we met the sonogram tech, Irene, who was there at our transfer.  We exchanged pleasantries and boom, sonogram is happening.  It took Irene a minute to find anything which sent Colin and I both into complete panic mode.  I was literally holding back tears, fearing that IVF didn't work.  But it did!  And we have one perfect baby in my belly.  With a strong heartbeat...134.  I'm measuring 7 weeks 3 days which is ahead of where I should be, and I'll take it.

I'll be honest, Colin and I were both initially disappointed that both little guys didn't take, but once I saw the flicker on the sonogram representing our baby's heartbeat, it was all ok.  Thank God we decided to put both blastocysts in.  It must have been survival of the fittest inside my uterus, and baby strong heartbeat won.  GO BABY GO!

I'll have to say I was even more nervous going into this appointment because last night I started bleeding.  Colin and I were both terrified, and I was convinced that it was the end.  We called the Dr, and he reassured both of us that everything would be fine and that there's a reason for everything.  Irene saw on the sonogram the spots on my uterus where I had been bleeding.  It was just a dark area.  Who knows, the other little guy could have been there, but I've decided that I can either be upset about this or I can just move on.  Mourning or feeling sorry for myself won't change anything, and I don't want the baby still chugging along to be under any kind of stress.

It's still surreal.  I can't believe we're going to have a little baby.  One perfect little baby.

Waiting for Godot

Wednesday could not get here fast enough.  At 2:30 we get to have our first sonogram to see how many little guys or gals are growing in belly.  I feel like we're Waiting for Godot.  Colin plays Vladimir (he kind of looks Russian and is definitely the level headed one in our relationship), and I'll play Estragon (since I'm hopped up on Estrogen anyways).

My Ruskie:

Until Godot comes, I'll have to keep myself busy.  Seeing as I took my first photography class (since college) on Saturday I should probably put some of my recently learned artistic knowledge to use.  I'm still learning all the functions of the camera (it's a big boy).  In a couple of weeks I'm going to start private lessons with my photography instructor that will last through the summer.  Before the semester starts again I'll enroll in a college course.  So I'll have homework, and I'll get a grade: an "A."  Duh.

This morning we went to church, and like good Christians we had an amazing lunch after...at Jack's Burger House.  UMMMMM, YUMMY!!!

Hands off my fries, Colin.  Get your own.  :)

I also bought a dresser for the baby(s) room that I'm going to have refinished.  I'm going to use it as the changing table as well.  I'm not sure what color I'm going to change it to.  Ideas?  I just don't want white.  My crib(s) will be white so I need some some funk in the room, some color, some spice.  Ya hear?

I'll leave you with the obvious admission that I'm obsessed with picture and camera filters right now.  Too much?  I don't think so.  When it comes to camera filters and Christmas: more is more.

[last lines]
Vladimir: Well?  Shall we go?
Estragon:  Yes, let's go.
[they do not move]

Stevie

Babo....Baby Whisperer

About once a week I have lunch with my friend Babo Neubach.  She has a weird name, I know.  I've known Babo since High School where we were the co-captains of the BL Volleyball Team...Go Friars!  (Sorry, that might have been annoying.)

Babo and I at my wedding:

Getting down to business:  Babo is the Baby Whisperer.  Maybe because her name technically means Baby (given to her by her older sister while her mom was pregnant...it stuck), maybe because she has an affinity for fat babies, but definitely because she has the ability to guess the sex of babies before a doctor confirms sex.  All I'm sayin' is that she's only been wrong once.  So instead of turning to the Chinese calendar to guess gender, I turn to Babo.  I also turn to Babo for my plumbing supply needs because she sells this for a living.

So yesterday while we were at lunch it came to Babo:  COLIN AND I ARE HAVING A BOY AND A GIRL!!  Perfect.  I've told Colin that I'm a one trick pony - meaning one pregnancy is probably going to do it for me, so this would be perfect.  A boy, A girl...and BOOM!  Done.  I like it.  Thanks Babo!

Also, she's gone ahead and named these little babies inside of me because who doesn't want a silly name to go along with an expanding waistline?  Here they are:

Claudia Cynthia (or C.C. for short) is the girl.  That name that rolls off the tongue so naturally...if you're Gloria Estefan.

Mikey McCartney (or M&M) is the boy.  Pretty cute - I actually get a visual of little league baseball with this name.

Side note - I'm going to need to get some M&M's today.

Thanks Babo!
Stevie

Egg Donor Child

I found these two clips yesterday that I wanted to share.  This girl is amazing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTgHRV8g1Fg


And this girl is funny:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhLzL-i3Okk&feature=related

Have a good one,
S

Beta testing

I went to the Dr again today to get my blood tested to make sure the test on Friday wasn't a false positive as well as get my HcG levels tested again.  If you remember, on Friday my levels were at 327 which were high.  A normal single pregnancy at that point would have been around 100.  This is why Linda mentioned multiples.

Well, today I was at 1,057 (VERY HIGH!!!).  Linda said, "Looks like someone has a case of the multiples!"  (Was she referencing Office Space?  I hope so, but it's a long shot.)  Again, we won't know for sure until Wednesday May 25th (when we get the sonogram), but until then I'll be doing one of the following:

Eating for two
Eating for three
Bottom line: I'll be eating.

I can't tell what's going on with my eating habits already, but I'M ALWAYS STARVING!!  I'm just going to roll with it right now and eat the healthiest foods I can.  Hopefully I won't blow up like a beached whale before I hit the second trimester (ug, I still can't workout at all!!), but we'll see.  It's not like I've entered in any food eating contests...yet.

Another fun thing: my lower stomach is already hard.  Maybe my uterus?  Seems early on in a pregnancy, but I'm no Doc.  Or wait, am I just constipated?  Who knows.

Here are a few things I did this weekend...

Jerry Seinfeld with my main squeeze, Colin:

Don't judge:

Peace out,
Stevie

It's a BABY!!

I can tell you one thing for certain: I'm about to get big because...

I'M PREGNANT!!!  YES!!!!!!

I can barely even believe it.  It's true, it all worked out.  After months and months of hoops to jump through, needles piercing (ok that doesn't exactly end today), and doctor visits, WE DID IT!!

I found out this morning when I went in for the blood test with my mom.  I had no idea that the following was going to happen: Linda (my nurse) said she wanted me to do a pregnancy test right then because she just couldn't wait.  PANIC!!!!!  I twitched myself to the bathroom, shaking at every turn.  It was positive!  Then we all bawled our eyes our like little babies.  But not like my babies because my babies won't ever cry.  Ever.

The next obvious thing to do was to go buy some baby items.  Naturally we went to Nordstrom's and picked out these two little gems:

I had to buy two because our Beta Test came back at 327 (high) which probably means we're looking at having twins!  I go back on Monday for another test, and we won't know 100% until we have a sonogram (two weeks), but Linda said that if she was a betting woman, she'd guess twins.  :)  AHHHHHH!!  AGAIN PANIC!!!

So, at this point Colin still didn't know because he was at work and didn't want to find out the results until he was home so I gathered up a big Monkey balloon and a cute mug to surprise him.  He was and is so happy.

"That mug is so cute that I can barely look at it," he said.  I love him.

I will have to say that this day, May 6th, is important to me for more than just finding out that I'm pregnant.  It's the 2nd anniversary of my sweet Granny's passing, and I felt her more in my heart and around me today than I have since she was with us.  When my mom and I got into the car after learning that I was pregnant, I finally felt that there was some purpose to our struggles.  See, if this had been successful any other time, I would never have found out good news on May 6th.

Although this day will always be a difficult one for my family, I am so very happy that my Granny got to tell my mom that she was going to be a Granny today.

Love love love,
Stevie

Tomorrow Tomorrow!

I love ya, Tomorrow!  You're only a day away!

Don't worry friends, I want to slap myself in the face as well right now for just writing that.  As you all  know, I'm not a fan of musicals, BUT I am a fan of cute little girls that could be my daughter in 9 months.  Just sayin'.

Anywho, tomorrow is a really big day.  I go in to see the Dr at 10 am so they can draw my blood and put it to the ultimate test.  A pregnancy test.  I can't tell you how happy I am that we'll find out tomorrow.  To be honest, I thought the past 9 days since the transfer would be the longest 9 days of my life, but they weren't so bad.  For once during this process, there was no need to worry.  At this point, it's going to work (or not, but I'm focused on the work part).  I've been able to see a few movies, go out to eat with the fam and some friends, and just generally relax.  Now, that being said, I won't pretend that I haven't had my breakdowns, but I think in general I've been ok...at least in my eyes.  Ask Colin if you want to know the truth.  Actually, don't ask him, what does he know?!?!  ;)

We won't find out until the afternoon sometime what the result of the test is.  We also won't find out how many blastocysts took.  We'll just know PREGNANT!! (or not...whatevs, don't be such a downer)

Here's a cute picture of Maggie just in case you were wanting to see one:

Until tomorrow,
Stevie

1 Year down

Today Colin and I are celebrating one year of marriage!  Go us!  Here are a few pictures from our wedding.  What an awesome day it was.