well, we got the gender scan today.... and we're having a boy AND a girl!! we couldn't be happier! now it's really real... and now we need to get down to brass tacks, so to speak. we went and registered at babies r us and i have to say i am extremely overwhelmed. yes, they give you a list of things you "should" register for, but it's HUGE. after about an hour of intense and frantic scanning and searching for things i was thoroughly done. i think it's time to bring in an experienced mom...

- j

I suck at blogging!

Well, it's been yet another month since we posted.  Not much to report.  We had the NT scan and sequential screening done at 13 weeks and the results came back with a 1/1,500 risk for Down Syndrome and Trisomy 18.  Good result, but I was hoping for something more along the lines of 1/10,000!  Ah well.  Our next ultrasound is scheduled for November 10th and they're going to try to determine the genders.  I can't wait!!!  

The morning sickness (more like all day sickness) still has not subsided and I'm nearly at 16 weeks.  When does it stop?!  On one hand, it's reassuring, but on the other hand, I'm not a big fan of puking all the time.  Well...  It's worth it.

-S

September 28

Wow, it's been awhile since we've posted *eek*. A lot has happened. S is pregnant with fraternal twins!!!! At just under 11 weeks she is experiencing the true "joys" of motherhood: all day morning sickness. Thankfully, there is a pill that helps a bit and the doctor ordered a wrist band that is supposed to help as well; I just hope it gets here soon. As of now, S is surviving on fudge pops, potato skins, and chocolate chip waffles... A truly well-rounded diet, I know. hahaha Our next ultra sound isn't until October 13th and that one is going to be 2 hours long (one for each baby). I love hearing their heartbeats... At our last ultra sound the little sprouts were waving and moving around, which is hard for me to wrap my head around as they're still being measured in millimeters...

So, all this success means it's time to start getting ready for babies (two of them!!!). We started with the basics: the dreaded cleaning. I fear this will take a couple of weeks. I've been doing laundry for 4 days now and we managed to go through our closets, which lead to 7 bags of donations! I think that will probably be the hardest part of the cleaning process and it felt sooooooooo good to really do a deep cleaning. For the first trimester at least, cleaning will be hard for S as a lot of movement makes her feel extra icky, so I'll be doing my best to shoulder most of it. For now, she needs to just focus on herself and babies.

Until next time.... - J

Hello

I've never blogged before, but I figured I'd give it a try.  I'd like to have something I can refer back to when my memory totally fails me (which it will!).  

So, here's a little history:

• January 2010: Met with RE at one of the top 5 clinics in the country (which happened to be in our city) to discuss a "donor cycle" IVF using J's eggs.  We decided using J's eggs and having me carry would be the best way to start our family.  Yes, it costs a fortune (that we did not have), but what better way for both of us to play a vital role in our baby's creation?  We were given 80% odds and we felt pretty much invincible.  Why wouldn't it work?
• May 2010: IVF with two blastocysts... BFN.  Devestation ensued.
• June 2010: Regrouped and met with RE to discuss the failed cycle and what the next steps will be.  Unfounately, the RE was unable to find a concrete reason for the failure.  His best guess is that the two embryos that looked the best on the day of the transfer turned out not to have been the best after all.  He told us that the three embryos they froze on Day 6 looked great and two were even starting to hatch on their own.  We decided to go forward with a Frozen Embryo Transfer and hope for the best.

Which brings us to our current cycle...  We decided to try acupuncture this time, starting in the end of June and continuing through the day of the transfer.  I've never been into Eastern medicine or things of that nature, but I figured it can't hurt!  We went into this cycle understandably pessimistic, but we were still hopeful.

• August 4th: We arrived at the clinic and were told that two of the three embryos thawed successfully.  We were a little disapointed and concerned, as we (mostly me) had convinced ourselves that the only way this would possibly work is if all three thawed.  But, the two that did thaw looked great... And two is better than one.  Or none!  Transfer went smoothly and it was pretty cool to have acupuncture before and afterward.  Plus, the acupuncture distracted me from the fact that my bladder was about to explode.
• August 12th: (Our anniversary) I had decided that I did not want to POAS at all this time, because it was too hard to see all those negatives last time.  J begged and begged me to take a damn test and I finally caved around 7 or 8pm that night.  We had two tests left over from the last cycle - a First Reponse Early Result and some other kind with blue ink and a plus sign - so I took both.  Both tests turned positive almost instantly and I immediately burst into tears.  I was so convinced they would be negative that I wasn't even prepared for the emotions that came along with those two wonderful lines and the plus sign.
• August 13th: Beta day!  Also Friday the 13th, but that was okay since J's lucky number is 13.  We went in around 8:30am for the test and then went out to a fun "make your own pancakes" place for breakfast with a friend.  We had planned a mini-vacation to the coast for this weekend so we could either celebrate or mourn... We were on the road for about 15 minutes when we got The Call.
• Results: Beta was 156 (!!!!), but Progesterone was pretty low at 10.  I had been on suppositories instead of the injections, because I reacted horribly to the injections last cycle.  Apparently I wasn't absorbing the suppositories very well since the number was so low, so they switched me to a powder form of Progesterone instead.  We turned around and headed to the pharmacy to pick up the pills.  The pharmacy tried to give us the exact same thing I was on before, because "that form is free and the powder is $180."  We told them we know, but we want to go with what the doctor ordered since the other ones weren't working.  So, great news on the beta, but we were a little nervous about the Progesterone number.
• August 16th: Beta #2 was 472 and Progesterone went up to 27.  They said that anything over 20 is perfect, so that made us feel a lot better!  Yay for the powder pills, I guess! 

The first ultrasound isn't until September 1st.  AHHHHHHH!!  They like to wait until 6 weeks 5 days to make sure it's not too early to see the heartbeat.  So for now, we wait and wait and wait and wait and just keep hoping everything is okay.  We're just so excited that we have made it this far!

-S