11w0d

Not a lot new to report. With no weekly ultrasounds and doctor appointments, I've actually been a little more relaxed. Each appointment brings with it a little anxiety about whether all is still well, so with no impending appointments to dwell on I can just enjoy the ride. (Except the constipation part.)

Brian and I have an exciting week lined up. We'll be celebrating his Golden Birthday tomorrow and enjoying a visit from his mom, dad, and brother this weekend. Now more than ever I'm really looking forward to all the time we can get with our families. If only they weren't 900 miles away. Oops, that's our fault...

11 week update:

Current cravings: I guess I don't know if I have any cravings really. Some days certain foods just call my name. Today it's Lemon Artichoke Chicken. Yum!

Current energy level: Still ready for bed by 9:00 most nights. Slowly improving?

Current appetite: I constantly want to eat.

Current mood: Excited!

Current weight: I forgot to weigh myself this morning.

Nausea: Not really, but this morning I had phlegm in the back of my throat and it made me dry heave, HARD! Not the first time either.

And even I will finally admit it. I have a slowly growing baby bump. Bring it on, baby!!

10w6d

Double Digits! (10w0d)

Time is apparently flying, yet it seems to inch along, too. I can't believe I'm a quarter of the way there. Crazy. In some ways I still feel like I just found out. The lack of major symptoms or any bump to speak of makes it feel a little surreal, too. I can't button jeans comfortably, but I haven't been able to since the stimming, so that's no proof. I have to believe that any week now something will magically appear (other than my nightly food baby).

10 week update:

Current cravings: Oranges, spaghetti

Current energy level: Pretty darn sleepy

Current appetite: HUNGRY!!

Current mood: Growing optimism

Current weight: 112

Nausea?: Nope

And finally, some photos of me:

Pre-IVF

9w6d

Happy Birthday Max!

It's our little friend Max's 1st Birthday today! I remember going to visit him in the hospital a year ago today, at the peak of our naive "trying" phase. Our friends were assuring us, "it will happen for you soon!" One year later, they're finally right. :)

This week I had my first OB appointment. I liked the nurse, although her sappy, "oh, it's so cuuute" voice during the ultrasound was a bit much for me. I won't actually meet my doctor until Nov. 5th, but I did talk the nurse into letting me have another appointment in three weeks. She realized that I've been a bit spoiled with my other clinic and might actually die if I had to wait 7 weeks to see anyone again. The appointment itself was pretty uneventful. Four computer screens full of health history questions took about 30 minutes to get through. And then, ultrasound! Baby measured 9w4d, one day ahead of schedule. Their machine wasn't capable of hearing the heart beat, but it sure looked to be beating fast and strong. I saw little arms and legs, and a little wiggling here and there. Adorable! I'm dying to announce everything to my principals and coworkers, but I'm trying to hold out until week 12. I've been trying to talk myself out of constantly worrying and trying to enjoy this more. I started paging through pregnancy magazines last night and it got me all excited. I can't wait for registering and actually picking out stuff for this little baby!! And 7 months from today, s/he should be making his/her entrance!

Oh, and I had my second gender dream, and the score is: Boy - 2, Girl - 0.

9w3d

9w0d

I'm not so sure I really am 9w0d. I think I'm really 8w6d. When I had my last appointment at the fertility clinic, they gave me a copy of all of my bloodwork and ultrasounds up until now to review with my OB. I noticed that they have my LMP as 7/13, but it was 7/14. According to due date calculators and baby tickers, that makes me 8w6d due on April 20. Whatever. I like changing the number on Mondays, so I'll just stick with it until someone tells me otherwise. Maybe they get a little more specific when they know the exact moment of conception.

I've been reading some good pregnancy books. I recommend the Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy. It's way less "here's what might go wrong this month" oriented than WTEWYE. I also like The Pregnancy Journal because it goes day by day and has room to write and take notes. The problem I have with both of these books is that I can't read them and believe them. I'm having the hardest time accepting that all is well. I read everything as, "well, that might be happening, but maybe not." You would think after 2 positive ultrasounds that my mind would be eased, but no. And now I seriously doubt that the third u/s this week will help either. I can't imagine how insane I'm going to go after this week. I won't have another u/s until sometime between 18-22 weeks. How will I know everything is ok?? If only I could just relax and believe this will last.

And now, updated symptoms.

Current cravings: Apples and caramel sauce (but maybe just cause it's almost fall)

Current energy level: Fairly fatigued, but better than last week

Current appetite: Let's just say I'm eating a lot more than normal

Current mood: Cautiously optimistic, mixed with occasionally very teary

Current weight: 113 (this wasn't taken in the morning though, I don't think I gained 3 pounds in a week)

Nausea?: Nope

Other random observations: I sometimes get dizzy when standing after sitting for a while, my hair is getting all greasy despite daily shampooing (gross), I have frequent twinges and pulling sensations when moving (which I've read is normal so I'm trying to ignore them), and I still have not managed to sleep through the night without waking up to pee.

I'll post a belly photo soon (I need Brian's help and he's not home yet). Still not much to see, but I think it's gonna start soon so I may as well have a baseline.

8w2d U/S

(Little arms!! And I think that's the yolk sac above the head.)

Yesterday afternoon we had our second ultrasound. Everything looked perfect. It was pretty funny, the second our baby made it onto the screen, Brian shouted out, "Was that an arm??!!" And sure enough it was! I can't believe the difference from week 7 to week 8. Amazing. We heard the heartbeat again, which was nice and strong at 178 bpm. Baby measured 8w4d, so I was very reassured. And I made sure to ask this time if s/he is positioned safely in the uterus, which s/he is. Right as the u/s tech was about to pull out (for lack of a better phrase), she stopped and pointed out movement. Baby was moving his/her head side to side. So cute!! And it turns out Brian was right, the head is to the left for now. So maybe baby was cheering last week? I guess it doesn't look like Eve after all. I'll need a new nickname.

We met with Dr. Albrecht afterwards and the first thing he said as he walked in the room was, "Now aren't you glad I talked you into just one?!" I LOVE him! There wasn't much to talk about, so it was short and sweet. I've officially graduated to an OB. Of all the graduations I've been a part of, I think this is truly the most exciting (and I was freaking THRILLED to graduate from grad school)! I feel a little sad to be done with our fertility clinic, though. The care there has been excellent and super personal (so if you live around Denver, I highly recommend Conceptions Reproductive Associates). I've never been impressed with our HMO, but I guess I won't judge their OB practice until I experience it. 7 days!

8w0d

I'm in another countdown. U/s #2 is on Wednesday. I can't wait to meet with my doctor afterwards and thank him for everything (provided all is still well). I especially want to thank him for properly scaring me into transferring just one. Not that I'm anti multiples, but I was scared to death at the thought of more than one at a time. I am so, so thankful for how well this has gone so far. However, I'm still super cautious. I've been coveting people's baby tickers, but I'm too afraid to put one up on my blog yet. There are some close friends who are still out of the loop for fear that I'll have to take it all back. My friend's loss really has me freaked out. I did finally crack and buy a Be Band (okay 2, I suck at choices, so I bought both black and white). I am sick of holding jeans together with rubber bands!

I've decided to start something new on here. I think it would be fun to start documenting some info that I can reflect back on throughout my pregnancy. And soon, I think I will start the belly photos, even if I don't have one worth photographing just yet.

Current cravings: Spaghetti and meatballs, ice cream and chocolate sauce

Current energy level: Constantly exhausted/drop dead tired

Current appetite: Constantly hungry, and when I get hungry, I am HUNGRY!!!

Current mood: Moody

Current weight: 110

Nausea?: Off and on icky feeling, especially in the AM or when hungry (but all day yesterday). No vomit yet.

"Eve"

I've decided to call our baby Eve for now. To me, if you turn the u/s sideways so the baby is at the top of the sac, it kind of looks like Eve from the movie Wall-E. Brian prefers to turn it the other way so it looks like baby is cheering. Those probably aren't even arms, but whatever. I can't wait until next Wednesday to see him/her again. It'll be my last appointment at our fertility clinic that day (until baby #2 I hope!). I want to kiss our doctor and embryologist (is that weird?). They are like miracle workers to me, and I feel a little love for both of them.

My first OB appointment has been set for 9/17. I'll have my third u/s in as many weeks. I don't think I could ever get enough of them! I am concerned though that the secretary for my department is going to wonder what's up with all of my doctor appointments. I'm pretty sure the principal at one of my schools is going to be a little miffed as well. And when she finds out I'm pregnant... Oh man. I took over this year for someone who went on maternity leave in April. It's gonna be some serious deja vu for the staff when they find out their replacement school psych will also be leaving in April.

In other pregnancy related news, I've started to notice some physical changes. It's becoming more common for me to look insanely bloated at night. Brian thinks I'm getting a bump already. I'm not sure what I think yet. But none of my pants have been comfy since the stims, and it seems to be getting worse. This weekend I am on the hunt for a solution!

I hope you all have an excellent holiday weekend!