Merry Christmas!

Yesterday evening we were packing for our trip to MD and also our trip to the Virgin Islands (very different types of clothing needed). I thought I should try on my shorts before packing them. They didn't fit! There were 2 pairs of shorts I didn't wear this summer because they were too big; they were the only pairs I could button/zipper BUT even those hurt. The only ones that I can really wear are the ones with elastic waists. So I am not taking too many pairs of shorts with me! If I could have run out and bought a few pair of maternity shorts, I would have, but they are not for sale in PA in Dec, LOL. I didn't even bother trying on my capri pants. I found one sundress that still fits and packed that for any time we want to eat dinner at a nice restaurant. At least my t-shirts and short sleeved tops still fit, LOL! So although I am not yet "showing" my abdomen is definitely increasing in size. Normally this would bring me to tears and I'd start dieting right away. I had to keep reminding myself last night that it's bc I am pg that nothing is fitting. I've heard people talk about the stage in pgcy where you just feel fat before you start obviously having a pg belly. Well that's where I'm at! Thankfully I have a few pairs of winter pants that have elastic waistbands, or I'd already be in maternity pants as pants that button/zip up just don't fit any more! I'm not taking the computer on our vacation so there won't be any posts between Dec 29-Jan 8. I might post from MD though in the next couple of days. Hope you and your family has a very Merry Christmas!

What an amazing day!

I've had many days over the years where it seemed like everything went wrong as everyone does from time to time. I often call them "horrible, terrible, no good, very bad days" from the children's book about Alexander who had a day like that. I have to say though I don't ever remember having so many GOOD things happen in one day, and I mean really good things. Is there a title of a book about a day like that? Of course by FAR the highlight of the day was seeing our baby moving around. Nothing could top that. Then Paul decided to take the day off (he's still been going to school every day) and after the u/s we went and had breakfast at Cracker Barrell together. That was really a nice treat to have breakfast out with my hubby.

Then I checked my work email this afternoon (hadn't checked it for over a day which is rare for me), and yesterday I had gotten an email saying an article I submitted for publication this summer was accepted! This is also VERY good news. I am going up for promotion and tenure (will find out this spring if I got either or both of them), and refereed articles are HUGE. This is my 5th in the last three years, but it had been quite a few months since my last acceptance (and quite a few rejections in between).

I am in shock. All this good news is overwhelming (in a good way of course). What a wonderful day!!!! Thank you, Lord!!!!!!!!!!

Baby waved at us!

Baby is growing like a weed! He/she is now 31.9mm (crown to rump - they measure babies that way until about 20 weeks when they switch to measuring them crown to heel). By measurement that equals a gestational age of 10w4d which would mean an EDD of 7-17. When I had my first u/s I was assuming I was 6w4d and by measurement I was 6w1d and Dr. Awad said I was 6w2d. At the second u/s I measured at 8w2d which was exactly how far along I was according to Dr. A. Today according to Dr. A I am 10w1d, but baby measured at 10w4d, and by my calculations based on when I had the emryo transfer I'd say I'm 10w3d so my date (7-18) seems closer now than his (7-20). Well I will wait and see what Dr. Owosu says my EDD is, and I'll stick with whatever he says. Of course these dates are just estimated. Only God knows what day baby will be born, but we can say most likely it will be in July! :-)

Dr. A gave me a hug at the end (which he's never done before). When I thanked him again at the end he said something like God did this to which I said I completely agree. I thought that was really cool he gave God credit. I noticed in the waiting area that in front of the Christmas tree they had a nativity, and also that in the section of books on infertility they had one I had read which is by a Christian author (Ache for a Child). Dr. A said he's going to miss me (I've been his patient for 3 1/2 years now). I said I promised to bring our baby by this summer and show him or her off to everyone. He said I should take three more estrogen shots (last one will be Jan 1 when I'll be in my 11th week), and he said I should stay on the suppositories for two more weeks. So we went to the pharmacy and got another 30 suppositories as I only had 5 left.

The absolute best part of the day though was the ultrasound. This time when he pushed on my belly that DID get baby to move. Baby put on quite a show for us! Baby would rest a little and then start moving again without him jiggling me around. At one point Dr. A said to us that baby is waving at us, but Paul said it just looked like the baby was stretching. Dr. A said it was very impressive that the baby had three episodes of moving in such a brief amount of time (said it is unusual). He/she is quite the little swimmer! Anyhow it was utterly amazing to watch our little one move around. I should have brought my camera and filmed a little video of it!!!

The receptionist asked who was going to be my OB, and I said Dr. Owosu and she said he's her GYN. She said we'll love him! She said he's a big guy with huge hands but super kind and gentle and very warm and caring. She said he's a Christian. I thought it was surprising that she'd give me that bit of information on him. So anyhow I am glad I am being passed off to someone who sounds like a really nice OB. Now I have to wait 3 weeks and 1 day for my next appointment. Probably I won't get an ultrasound at that point. Probably he'll just listen to the heartbeat by doppler. I imagine my next ultrasound will be the BIG one around 18 weeks when we (hopefully) will learn the gender of our baby. Dr. A teased us today and said "it's a boy" but the "extremity" he was pointing to was really the umbilical cord. We all laughed.

My heartburn came back on Friday afternoon after a 2 1/2 day reprieve, so I asked Dr. A today if there was anything other than Tums I could take. He said he'd rather me not. He doesn't feel enough tests have been done to prove some of the more powerful heartburn meds are safe for baby. Which is of course fine with me. Better safe than sorry!!! I am hoping that I'll be one of those who "outgrows" at least the nausea when I hit the 2nd trimester, but if I need to have heartburn and nausea for 9 months, so be it! My appetite DEFINITELY increased on Saturday and yesterday was no different. I can't believe how much I have to eat to get my stomach to stop growling!!!

Well again I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!!!!!!

Tears of Joy

Well it's funny as I expected to have tears of joy if I ever was pg, but in actuality it wasn't until 10 weeks along that it happened! I thought *maybe* I'd cry tears of joy if I saw 2 lines on the hpt. I didn't. I think maybe it was in part because I had cried the night before the BFP when I found out the woman in FL didn't pick us (again...). So I don't think tears and happiness could be associated together for me at that moment. I was *sure* I would cry at the first ultrasound when we saw that little heartbeat. I didn't! I haven't cried at one yet (watch and today will be the first, lol). I was beaming though. I couldn't have been any happier!!! So I had thought well I guess the first (and only) time I guess I'll cry tears of joy will be when I give birth. Surely then I will cry tears of happiness. And I think that will prove true. I just think that experience will be completely overwhelming emotionally in a very good way of course.

It turns out though I cried tears of joy for the first time during church yesterday morning. About maybe 3-4 times a year our pastor doesn't preach a traditional sermon. Instead he comes out dressed in the costume of a biblical character and does a monologue speaking as if he were Paul or Peter or whomever. One time is always around Christmas, and he picks a different character to portray. Sometimes there are other actors involved so it's not a monologue. Yesterday he played the part of Joseph, and although he was the main character, Mary, Gabriel, and baby Jesus also were involved. Well it was "baby Jesus" that brought on the tears. They used a very young baby for the part; I would guess by the baby's jerky arm motions that the infant was 1 month old or younger. My pastor also has a gorgeous singing voice, and it's during these types of services that is usually the only time in the year that he sings a solo. Yesterday he sang one solo plus a duet with "Mary." Well while he sang "Joseph's song" (sung first I believe by Michael Card many years ago), tears just ran down my face. I'd like to say it was because I was touched by what Christ did for us - that he was willing to humble Himself and come down and take the flesh of a tiny, helpless babe. That truly is amazing! Such love!!! But that wasn't it yesterday morning. All I kept thinking was - I'm going to have one of those!!! And the tears fell. For some reason that tiny little baby just stirred up so much emotion, and I was overwhelmed at the thought that there's a little one growing right now inside me, and in less than 7 months I should be holding him/her in my arms. That thought just blew me away yesterday morning! I actually had to stop and think about something else or I was going to totally lose it emotionally I was just so overwhelmed with emotion. I kept thanking the Lord for allowing this miracle to occur within me. I am still in shock that I am 10 weeks pregnant! Amazing! This is the best Christmas present possible and in about 90 minutes we get to see our sweet little one again. You can be sure I'll post photos later this morning!

Merry Christmas to you ALL and again from the bottom of my heart let me say how greatly I appreciate your support, encouragement, and prayers. It's so special to have both people I know in real life and also people I only know online sharing in our joy!!!! I feel like shouting it from the rooftop - I am going to have a BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PTL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Soooo hungry!

I do declare, I cannot seem to eat enough today to make my stomach stop growling! I just had a grilled cheese sandwich. I had a bowl of cereal when I got up and then in between breakfast and lunch ate a banana, an apple, and a cereal bar. I had a PB&J sandwich for lunch and since then a pudding, granola bar, and grilled cheese sandwich. And to be honest, I am still hungry! Yikes! I hadn't weighed myself in a couple of weeks, but I weighed myself today, and I haven't gained any weight so I guess baby needs me to eat this much!!! Baby also needs me to sleep a lot. I am averaging 10-11 hours of sleep a night! Only 2 more days until we see our precious baby again!!!

Shot #110

Well today I had injection #110 since I started them up on September 28 for the FET. Of course the pace has gone down drastically since Nov 27 when I went from 16 a week to 2 a week. But I wonder if today was maybe my last injection? I'll find out on Monday when we see the RE. I noticed there are no more refills on my progesterone suppositories which will be finished part way through next week. Of course if baby needs me to continue either or both, then I will gladly do so!!! But if I don't need to take suppositories or needles to the Caribbean, that would be awesome!

Crockpots are bad!

What was I thinking to make something in the crockpot today? This was NOT a smart move! Crockpots produce aromas...for HOURS! EEK! And I have been home all day today! My poor tummy... well I think I shall retreat upstairs. Maybe the smell isn't as strong up there. Plus I think I'll try to take a nap as most nights I've been going to bed by 8:30pm, and if I do that tonight I'll miss almost the whole football game. Gotta keep my priorities straight, LOL!

Reprieve!

I had decided Tuesday night that I was going to call the RE's office on Wednesday and ask if there is anything that is safe for me to take other than Tums for heartburn as I'd been having it almost 24 hours a day. Well wouldn't you know, but I didn't have any yesterday? Same goes for today so far! It's not that I'm a big fan of nausea, but if I had to pick, I'd take the nausea over the heartburn. So I am very grateful for the reprieve!! Only four more days til we get to see our sweet little one again! YAHOO! And then the next day will be the grand reunion of my WHOLE family! The Chicago four flew to MD today, but then they're heading to VA tomorrow. Christmas Day will be the day we'll all drive to MD (from our respective in-laws) to all be together for the first time in 2 years. We're having a family photo taken on the 26th. I can't wait til the day we take a family photo and OUR child is in the photo also!

Jeans don't fit!

Well I wore my jeans yesterday, but I don't plan to wear them for many more months. Technically they fit. I could zip and button them, and although I don't think they looked tight, they were tight in the waist and belly! So although I am not "showing" yet, there has definitely been some growth in my midsection as these jeans were very comfortable to wear a couple of weeks ago. This is the only thing I've "outgrown" thus far (that I know of anyhow) so I am not saying I'm ready for maternity clothes *yet,* but of course I am looking forward to the day when I do need them! Well if the 7-20 EDD is right then tomorrow marks the day when that day is only 7 months away! YAHOO! When I first found out I was pg my EDD was more than 8 months away. I've known I was pg now for almost 6 weeks as I found out at 4w0d if I go by 7-18 as the EDD or at 3w5d if I go by the 7-20 EDD. I will be hitting the double digit mark soon of 10 weeks!!!

Can't wait for Christmas!

December 25 will be the first time in 2 years that my WHOLE family will have been together. My sister from Turkey hasn't been back in awhile, and the last time she came back, my sister in Chicago wasn't able to be there at the same time. So it's been 2 years since we three sisters have been in the same place at the same time. We're each spending Christmas morning with our in-laws, but in the afternoon or evening we all plan to arrive at my parent's house. Growing up we were a family of 6, but now with spouses and children we have grown to 14 (well #15 will be there also but he/she will be nestled inside me!). We are all so excited that we will ALL finally be together. This is the longest we've gone before.  I can't wait to give my five nieces and nephews lots of hugs and kisses!!! We are also planning a trip to Christmas Candylane that week (at Hershey Park) with the 3 oldest which also should be a lot of fun! And even though I am pg I think it's safe to ride the kiddie rides with them.