Bed rest...again!!

Last night was a VERY scary night...I woke up at 2:30 for the usual bathroom trip, but ended up having some pretty major "spotting". This has been happening off and on for a couple of weeks, but VERY LIGHTLY...nothing like last night! I was at Werlin's office this morning right when they opened, because I really needed some peace of mind that everything was ok with the baby! I was so relieved to see his car there, I kind of lost it in the parking lot. He took me right in, and checked me all out-and everything is fine...Thank GOD! The baby was even moving around in there, which was such a relief to see!! BUT-I am now on bedrest, for an undetermined amount of time. I have another appointment with him on Monday, and he will tell me then how much longer I have to stay down-but this is one time I am happy to obey the bedrest rules!! If only my house was clean to start with-ughhh!!! Oh well, it's all worth it to know I'm helping her stay where she belongs!

Had another ultrasound yesterday, and we are now sure that there's only one baby. She's (I think it's a girl!) growing strong and right on track; but the other sac remains empty. I guess it's pretty normal when that happens...but it's still very sad. At least we have one, and that's all we could ever have asked for!! I'm still feeling pretty good...a little queasy the last 2 days, but nothing that shoving food in my mouth doesn't cure!

There's a heartbeat!

Here's our baby!!

Last week we had our first ultrasound (yes, I have been slacking on the blog!), and we were able to see the little sac. And yes, there was just one !!
After 4 days of the flu and a delayed dr. appt this week, we went in today to see TWO sacs...but what looks like only one baby. AND A HEARTBEAT!!! That is such a huge relief to see!! The doc is pretty sure that sac #2 is empty, but as he is famous for saying, let's wait and see what next week brings!!
I was sure on Saturday that I was experiencing some horrific morning sickness issues...but thankfully it turned out to just be the flu. Other than that, I'm still feeling pretty good!!

Tomorrow's another big day!

I had another hcg test on Friday, and it was 1429...which again is MORE than doubling every 48, not even every 60 hours!! Not sure what that means exactly, and all the doctor will say is it's a very healthy pregnancy! WHEW!
Tomorrow we have our first ultrasound, which will tell us if there are one or two babies in there, and maybe even give us a heartbeat (or two)! We are counting down the hours!!
I am still feeling pretty great, but there are a couple of things that I am noticing. Food, which I love, is not tasting the same. I get really hungry for something, get it, and then I'm totally disappointed that it doesn't taste good to me! This will of course keep me from overdoing it, but it's still a bummer! At least I still have an appetite though! =)
Then there's the complete and utter exhaustion. I would sleep all day and night if I could, and I think I would STILL be tired! But hey, these are minor issues, and absolutely nothing to complain about. Just observations!
I will of course update tomorrow after our ultrasound...I think it's time for a nap!

5 WEEKS!!

My hcg numbers are still climbing!! Today was 597, which is MORE than doubling every 60 hours-so the question remains; one baby or two?!? Monday was 299, so we are sitting really well.

I am extremely happy to report that the ONLY symptom I have right now (other than the bloating already mentioned) is EXHAUSTION...but I will take it! (that just means more naps!)

Eric is still not letting me do anything, which is sweet- but also pretty frustrating! I am not one to just sit around and do nothing, so it's a little hard. But again, all worth it in the end!

It's OFFICIAL!!!!

I went in for my blood test yesterday to confirm that the FOUR home tests i had taken were in fact accurate...and I got the call I have been waiting for for 17 months...I'm REALLY pregnant!!! YIPPPEEEEE!!! Dr. Werlin even called me all the way from Steamboat CO to tell me how excited and happy he was for us...what a guy!!
My HCG level was 131 (which is in the high normal range!!), and my progesterone was over 100 as well. Both GREAT levels, and definitely out of any danger zone!! I of course asked if I was in the range for twins, and the Nurse Practitioner said that if she had to guess at this point, she would say that it was one baby...but that could change by next week! Yikes!!
I will be back in Monday and Wednesday next week to make sure my levels are doubling like they are supposed to, and then HOPEFULLY Friday for our first ultrasound!!
It is finally sinking in for us, and we are so excited!! Jake's response was the best-when I asked him if he was ready to be a big brother, his smile stretched from one end of the room to the other, and he told us that he had been praying EVERY night for this, and he was sooo happy! He then asked me yesterday if he could start telling his friends, because he was "bursting with excitement and needed to be able to share it!!" What a great kid...we are already so blessed, and it looks like now we will be even more so!

Which one of these beauties makes it...or is it both?

Backtracking through 2008

We have covered a whole lot of ground since the last time I posted!!
It has been a very rough year, and most of the time too painful to put into words. We ended up doing 3 MORE rounds of IVF (two of them Frozen Embryo Transfers, or FETs, and then one more full IVF round.) Each round was more of the very painful shots, 5 days of bedrest, and then the complete and utter letdown when we got the negative results. Each time proved to be more upsetting than the last, with 4 embryos transferred on Try 2, 5 embryos transferred on Try 3, and then a lucky break came with our last full round. I did incorporate acupuncture the last 2 times, and for anyone going through infertility, I HIGHLY recommend it. The stress relief alone it offers is a Godsend, not to mention it truly does increase your chances!!

This round we were able to do a 5 day blastocyst transfer, which means that the embryos were doing so well on day 3 that the doctor makes the decision to let them grow a couple more days in the dish before transferring them back in. This increases the chances of an actual pregnancy, so on day 5 the doctor transferred just 2 beautifully developed, hundreds of cell-blastocysts. I was on bedrest over Christmas which was REALLY hard, but since this was the 4th time for the 5 day bedrest, at least I was prepared!! (It did force me to get all of my shopping and wrapping done early, which was actually a very nice change!!) With all of the prayers and support we had been blessed with, we were really hoping that this time would be our Christmas miracle...

I decided to take a pg test on NYE morning, so at 4:30am I was up and in the bathroom...it felt like Christmas morning as a kid!! As I watched the stick for any signs of that second line, i kept thinking...my life could forever change in this instant. And guess what?!?!? IT DID!!! After hundreds of tests with that single line only...we FINALLY had a positive read!!! Ok, well not only one positive, but now FOUR positives!!! Eric was being a Doubting Thomas, so he kept making me take more tests. I think he finally believes it...but tomorrow is the actual blood test, so after that I think he will breathe easier!!

Although I feel like I am 5 months pregnant already with the "progesterone bloat", I couldn't be happier or more excited. I am dying to know if there are one or two babies growing in there...and I am pretty sure I have to wait a couple more weeks to find that part out!! I am sure I will have a million questions for Dr. Werlin tomorrow...I can't wait to finally give HIM some good news, since he has had to be the bearer of all of our bad news!! Happy New Year to all of our friends and family, and know that we could not be making this journey without all of your love and support!!