The Un-Candy Coated Happenings....

So, I updated you last week on what an awesome ultrasound we had, along with our wonderful first OB appointment...But I may have been a little vague on current events.  This is due to my idea that having a positive outlook and thought process, every thing will always work out and be okay.  However, I feel dishonest and that is not a feeling that I am fond of.  So with that said, I am going to tell you how I have "really" been and ask that you look at the situation in a positive manner and send nothing but good prayers full of positive love and energy when you are through.

This may be TMI to those with a weak constitution, but it's not too horrible.

The Friday before this past I had a migraine that lasted until after I fell asleep on Saturday night.  I don't know that this has any merit with what happened on Sunday night/Monday morning, but it happened.  On Sunday I felt so much better and cleaned my kitchen (thoroughly).  It was a great day until later that evening when I went to the bathroom and noticed blood (brown old blood) when I wiped.  I immediately laid myself down and decided to take it easy.  I drank a ton of water on top of that.  Later on there was no blood, thank God.

On Monday morning I got dressed and went to work, where upon going to the restroom I noticed more brown blood in my chonies.  At this point, I began to worry a little and called the advice nurse at my OB/GYN office.  The nurse said that she would have the doctor call me back and that they would probably just give me instructions over the phone.  So, I finished a fairly easy day at work and left for home.

After about 10 minutes of being home, I received the phone call from the advice nurse.  They wanted me to come in for a fetal heart beat check.  This was at 12:45 PM.  She said the earliest they could see me was at 1:00 PM.  Thankful that their office is only two exits off of 205 from my house, I said that I would be there.

The nurse that took me back to do the check was really sweet.  At first what I heard was slow and labored and I began to worry.  It wasn't the normal whew, whew, whew that I was used to hearing.  I said something to the nurse and she said that it was the placenta.  That was working, I sighed...But I still couldn't hear the baby.

The nurse kept moving the doppler around and stopping and then looking at her watch.  I asked her if everything was okay and she said that the baby was just moving and she couldn't get the rate.  I guided her to where I had seen the baby "hanging" out in the ultrasound and we were able to very briefly catch the baby's heartbeat, which was very strong.  I guess she/he is a little mover, but thank God once again that we heard that little heartbeat.

The nurse sent me home with a "threatened miscarriage" information sheet with her own notes saying that I should be reassured that we heard the heartbeat.  I was reassured until I received that damn information sheet with such a negative term in bold typing.

I decided that I needed to be positive and prayed a lot to God that the blood would stop and that pregnancy would continue to be viable and the baby would thrive.

There was no bleeding after that, but I did check my cervix and it was very short, soft and slightly open.  I have been on modified bed rest since then...So it's work, then home where I am laying down for the most part.  On Thursday I did another check of my cervix, even though I was apprehensive in doing so because I was afraid of what I would discover, but to my great pleasure and pure gratefulness, it was closed, hard, and longer than it had been earlier in the week.

Friday went without a hitch.  Saturday I went to my 3 year old's gymnastics where I sat in a chair and watched the cuteness before me.  After that I went to my 11 year old's first soccer game of the season where stood and watched an awesome match.  Later that night, last night, I got a horrible, borderline migraine, headache.  I chugged tons of water and laid down at 7:30 PM for an early bedtime.

My headache was gone this morning, thankfully.  I did a cervix check.  It was shorter and softer than on Thursday but not as bad as it was at the beginning of last week.  Back to doing nothing but work and bed rest for me.  I will not take any chances with this pregnancy, but I am assured and faithful that it will all be okay and that I may be over analyzing the feel of my cervix because I am paranoid.

So, my friends, I ask that you help stay positive for me.  Think nothing of good thoughts and how happy and beautiful it will be when this baby's Mommy and Daddy hold her/him for the first time.  It is all going to be okay and I am happy that I can be honest with you, even if opening up took me a little bit of processing.  You are all beautiful and I am grateful to share my story with you.

As always, I love you.

and the worst blogger of the century award goes to......

Oh gee..what has or hasn't happened in the last few to many weeks?

I guess most importantly, I am still pregnant!  12 weeks 5 days to be exact!  We actually had our last appointment at the fertility clinic and were released to our OB, who we saw the same day!  Oh!  And I am no longer shooting my bum with hormones as my body has taken over that job!  Yay my body!

This is the little (I'm saying girl) one hanging out upside down at 10 weeks 5 days with a strong 175 bpm heart rate:

We are scheduled for an amniocentesis on October 5th and I promise to try and get pictures of the procedure! 

This is a shirt that I ordered for the little one...It is supposed to be turquoise, but the picture looks awfully blue to me!  It says, "Made with Love (and science)".  Perfect, right?!?

Now that I have given you the hip hops and hoorays, I hope you can forgive me for the lagging on writing.  It has been hard to find time because someone else seems to always be on the computer or I am busy with my kiddos...At this point I won't even promise to write more, I will just say that I will do my best to keep you updated.  :)  

I'm sorry...I'm a turd.

I'm not really sure why I haven't updated my blog yet.  It would be understandable if I had bad news, but I don't.  We saw a beautiful bean with a wonderful heartbeat of 125 (I'm guessing it's a girl).  ;)  Every time that I thought, "hmm, I should update my blog", something stopped me....so here I am, in the now, with this wonderful news!

M & M's Mini's very first photo:

I also took video of the whole ultrasound, but I am waiting for permission from the doctor to share it.  

If you notice the dark spot above the gestational sac (the black area where the baby is), that is called a subchorionic hematoma.  These are very common with IVF and should go away without any issues, however, I have been told that for now, walking is the only exercise I am allowed to do.

For more information on subchorionic hematomas go here: http://www.justmommies.com/articles/subchorionic-hematoma.shtml

If you are wondering why I say I am guessing a girl, I will tell you.  First, IM and I both feel "girl".  Second, the heart rate is on the high end for this early.  On average the heart beat of a 6.5 - 7 week old fetus is 90-110, and this baby is at 125!  Now, I am not saying I completely believe in the theory of gender/ heart rate correlation, but it's fun to guess. :)  

I, personally, am feeling great (a little fat and self judging), but great.  I am blessed with easy pregnancies!  I have a bulge starting already, but I am hoping to stay out of maternity clothes until at least 10 weeks or more.  Fingers crossed!

Our next and last appointment at ORM is on August 27, which is subsequently the same day as our very first appointment with the OB. :)  So we have the ORM appointment at 11:15am, then we'll get lunch and head to Kaiser for our appointment at 1:30pm. I think that will be an exciting day! 

I will try to keep you updated between now and then, but I don't expect much excitement.  I will post the video if I am given permission though!  

As always, I love you!

6 days until we see the little bean!

I am so excited for the 30th!  I know that I already told you that was the day of the ultrasound..don't act like I didn't!  ;)  I kid, I kid!

Everything is going as a normal pregnancy for me would go, besides the shots in the rear and the inserts in my you know.....

I have enjoyed eating celery and coleslaw (both of which I usually can't stand).  I have had a nasty sweet taste in my mouth that makes me feel nauseous, but I have found that a piece of gum remedies that.  I'm bloated and of course on a roller coaster ride of emotions. Oh joyous day!  I'm pregnant!

I have been keeping busy with camping, fishing, and a concert.  Of course, there have been naps carefully placed...umm..what am I saying!?  Carefully placed?  I lay down for a minute and I'm out!  They are quite wonderful though!

Sorry for the sporadic manner of this post, but I wanted to update you guys real quick...just in case you were curious! ;0)

As always, I love you.  Thanks for being amazing!

Still a crazy POAS addict...

And yes, I'm still pregnant!

Oh I forgot to mention...

My second beta at 11dp5dt was 139.4! I am currently 15dp5dt! :)

And the wait goes on....

I will be the first to admit that I am one of the least patient people in the world when it comes to waiting for something I want or want to happen and I can't wait until July 30th!

That is the date of the first ultrasound, which will confirm the pregnancy by seeing the baby's heartbeat and growth.  I am so excited for this, but I am also apprehensive.  I don't know if you have ever been pregnant or when your were if you ever had that moment of not really believing you are pregnant.  Well, it's even harder when you are pumping your body full of hormones that cause symptoms that mimic the same symptoms of pregnancy.  I really want to go and POAS just to make sure...even though the blood test already confirmed that I am, in fact, pregnant with rising hCG numbers....I guess I just need to relax!

I only have 14 days left!  Wish me luck on staying sane and not giving in to the desire to use a HPT.

As always I love you all!  Have a beautiful day!