NT Scan

One word, AMAZING! Our little baby looks like a real baby now! It was so funny because the whole time the baby was basically standing on its head (head at my cervix, feet at the top near my belly button) and in the weirdest position, kicking around its feet and arms. Baby wasn't budging out of that position for them to get a good look at what they needed to so we got a pretty long u/s, which was great!

It was my first abdominal u/s too so far which was a nice change, AH but wait! The dildo cam was not far behind! After getting the measurements she needed, she put in the trusty old vag cam for a closer look at the anatomy. We also got a few 4D images of the baby which was just awesome! I am measuring 2 days ahead (same as last time) HB was 158 bpm and everything looked great! NT measurement looked perfect and I will get the final results in a week.

And guess what??? The tech got a really good money shot and said with 90% certainty that its a girl!! I started balling right away because that's what we really wanted. Although, I am not running out and buying anything pink or getting too set with the idea because I know its still early, but she was pretty sure. Only time will tell : ) Here are a few pics of my perfect, amazing, sweet little baby:

Baby in it's weird position

Profile

4D~ SO cool!!

Do You Know What You Are Having?

I cant tell you how many people have asked me this question! Seriously people, although I am as big as an average 4-5 month along pg gal, I am only in fact 12 weeks. I even tell them that I am only 12 weeks and they still ask!

I mean they say you show much earlier the second time around, but this is crazy! In fact, if I had not had 3 ultra sounds by now, I would be sure that I was having multiples. Don't believe me? Well have a look at this:

12 weeks 1 day

12 Weeks!!

As you move into the second trimester, baby shifts into the growth and maturation stage. After weeks in the critical development stage, almost all of baby's systems are fully formed.

How far along: 12 weeks!! YAY, I made it!!
Total weight gain/loss: Haven't been weighed since last time, and I was up 6 pounds
Maternity clothes: Oh yes!
Stretch marks: Nope, and still slathering up every night. I told my DH I feel like a butterball turkey!
Sleep: Getting better
Best moment last week: Starting to look at cribs and nursery designs.
Movement: Too soon
Food cravings: Orange juice!! I drank 3 of these in 2 days, not sure if that's good or not but I enjoyed every single sip : )
Gender: Boy
Labor Signs: No
Belly Button in or out: In, but changing!
What I miss: riding the motorcycle
What I am looking forward to: My NT scan on Monday!
Milestones: Stopping the progesterone supplements, and making it to 12 weeks!!

P.S. Did you notice that my little baby on the right is fatter now?? : ) Doesn't look so much like a scary alien baby anymore YAY!!

RIP Michael Jackson

To the Elvis of my generation, you will be missed grately.

Click here to listen to my favorite MJ song...P.Y.T

The Final Shots & The Sperm Freezing Saga

I totally forgot to blog about how everything went last week when we went to freeze my DH's first sperm sample at the clinic. And to my surprise, it wasn't what I expected...not even close.

After he did the deed, we had to wait 30 min. for them to do the analysis before we met with the andrologist/lab director. As we walked into the appointment with him, it never crossed my mind that any of this would go wrong, but to our surprise the sample was not considered "ideal" for freezing. As a matter of fact, he thought we should scrap that one and try again because of the quality, or lack there of. I was shocked?!! How could this be? Well here is why:

His count was good at 40 million, but his volume was high and his motility was very low again at only 26%. At that moment I thought "thank god I got pregnant"! I mean I already knew how lucky I was, but this made me even more grateful. Now, in an fresh IUI attempt, this would have not been a horrible sample, but when it comes to freezing and using frozen sperm it becomes a whole other issue. See, 1 "batch" fills up 4-6 vials, so with the high volume and low motility, it makes for less concentrated sperm in each vial. He told us that when using frozen sperm, they want each vial as highly concentrated with good sperm as possible, and this sample was not what they would ideally like to freeze because you also can lose up to 50% when thawing.

He told us that they would not charge us for today if we wanted to throw out that sample and start over. Well after much thought, we decided to keep and freeze it. Only because it is so hard to even get my DH down there, and who knows that the rest of them wont be as bad? I mean, it may just be a fluke thing (and I hope it is) but 1 thing I have learned from all of this is not to expect anything. So we kept and chose to have it frozen. It is not useless, but if we were going to do an IUI with that sperm, we would defiantly have to use more than 1 vial per attempt because of the sperm quality.

So today I picked up his last vial of hcg. He will do exactly 5 more shots, go in to leave 2 more samples over the next 2 weeks then he will be done. Sterile once again. He is thrilled to stop, I on the other hand am terrified. But I know he cant stay on it forever, and I know he has gone through a lot to get to this point, so I don't blame him. He has done so much for this baby.

This feels like a HUGE chapter closing. I know it ended happily with me being pregnant, but I still cant believe what we have gone through to get here. Looking back on all the ups and downs, the tears, the disappointment, all the shots, hot flashes, vag cam appointments, and the time and money that we have put into making this baby and all of a sudden I am "just a normal pregnant lady". Normal OB appointments, normal tests, normal ultra sounds. Almost like this never happened. But I know I am not the normal pregnant lady, but I wont let any of this take one moment of excitement, or joy out of this pregnancy. IF took enough from me, and it's a chapter in my life that will always be there, but it's time to close that chapter now and begin a new one : )

I Chickened Out

After consulting with Dr. Google, (which is never a good thing I might add) I decided I am going to stay on the progesterone another week and stop once I hit 12 weeks. I trust my Dr's (RE said I could stop at 10 weeks 2 days, and the OB said anytime after the 10th week) but it is more for the piece of mind. I found that a lot of girls don't stop until they hit 12 weeks, and my OB said it was fine to stay on if I wanted, so 12 weeks it is.

Don't get me wrong I am really sick of it. Its gross, it leaks out, it gets backed up in there, then comes out...I know I know TMI but this is the truth people! I used to read other blogs about newly pg girls who would be scared to stop the progesterone and I though "I hate that stuff, that will never be me!" "Once they say I can stop, I'm done!" Well....that was before I actually got pg. Now I completely understand the "stopping progesterone" fear.

I have done this for the past 11 weeks, whats another 6 days right? Realistically I know I could stop now safely, but I am a infertile freak who is scared everyday that something is going to go wrong, that one day this will all be taken away from me, that this is all a dream. So if it makes me feel a little better, why not?

11 Weeks

Your fetus currently enjoys a 1:1 ratio between body and head, and has skin so transparent that blood vessels show right through. But, fingers and toes are no longer webbed, and hair follicles, tooth buds and nail beds are forming -- setting up a significantly more attractive future.

How far along: 11 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: Haven't been weighed since last time, and I was up 6 pounds
Maternity clothes: Oh yes!
Stretch marks: Nope
Sleep: Getting better. Sleeping 7 1/2 -8 hours a night. Still getting up to pee a few times.
Best moment last week: Telling Kay that she is going to be a big sister!
Movement: Too soon
Food cravings: None this week, I have been very sick with morning sickness (which is really all day sickness) everyday this last week. It's actually gotten worse as the weeks have gone by, and as I get closer to the second tri I thought it would start getting better...not yet.
Gender: Kind of up in the air now
Labor Signs: No
Belly Button in or out: In, but changing!
What I miss: Nothing sounds good at the moment to even answer this question.
What I am looking forward to: My NT scan next week and exiting the scary first tri!!
Milestones: Well even though my RE said I could stop my vaginal progesterone supplement at 10 weeks 2 days, I have stayed on them. I think I am going to stop them today!!! YIPPEEE! (Even though its really gross and I am SO sick of it, its kinda scary stopping it!!)

Operation Freeze Baby Batter- Take 2

I don't know if I mentioned this or not, but my DH ended up not freezing a sample last time we were at the RE's. He wasn't feeling well, so I didn't push it. Well guess what? Tomorrow is take 2! We are going in tomorrow afternoon for my DH to leave a sample to freeze, then meet with the lab director to go over all we need to know about freezing and using frozen sperm. With 12 weeks inching closer I am getting more and more nervous about him stopping the hcg. Even though I am pg now, just knowing that he will be pretty much sterile again is really hard to accept. Maybe because it was so unexpected the first time? I don't know...either way its not a good feeling.

We also found out that it is $640 to freeze the first sample and that covers the costs of storage for a year, but it is another $240 each time he goes in to process and freeze that sample. So the costs of this is potentially around 1300-1400 dollars if we want to freeze 3-4 samples. And this is all just as a safety net. We may not even USE it. Its just hard to swallow right now, especially since we have already spent thousands and thousands to have this baby! But we are doing it anyways,the piece of mind is worth every penny. I have already mentioned to my DH that I may, and I mean MAY want to have another one (meaning baby) after this one. Its just nice to know we have the option if we so desire, since we just cant have sex like normal people.

Man they are so lucky....I still cant imagine actually just having SEX with my husband and getting pregnant. It is so foreign to us IF'ers. Sex to have a baby?? Only in my dreams.

"You're Gonna Be A Big Sister!!"

Here is the video of when we told Kay the big news the other night!! She is VERY excited and even thanked god for answering her prayers. She is so cute, she already talks to her baby brother or sister in my tummy. She's gonna make a great big sister and I'm so happy for her!

10 Weeks

With bones and cartilage starting to form and vital organs beginning to function, baby is making major progress. Body length will almost double in the next three weeks, and arm joints are now working. (Soon, legs will too.)

How far along: 10 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: Finally got weighed and I am + 6 pounds (thanks Princess Cruises!)
Maternity clothes: Yes, broke down and bought 2 pairs of maternity jeans.
Stretch marks: No, and I have seriously become a stretch mark preventing freak. I swear I have spent at least 100 dollars on different creams/gels/oils. I will upload some pics of my collection soon.
Sleep: Crappy for the most part. Not sleeping 10+ hours anymore, now I am tossing and turning and sometimes having a hard time falling asleep.
Best moment last week: Getting to see our baby again on the u/s machine.
Movement: Too soon
Food cravings: This is bad, but I have been dieing for a WENDY'S cheeseburger. No other cheeseburger but a Wendy's cheeseburger. But guess what people...I am a VEGETARIAN! Yeah, this is like fighting an inner demon...hahaha. Not giving in though.
Gender: Still thinking boy!
Labor Signs: No
Belly Button in or out: In
What I miss: Sushi
What I am looking forward to: My NT scan at 12 weeks...another chance to see Baby P in action!
Milestones: Having my miscarriage rate drop down to 1-2% and telling Kay she is going to be a big sister!! (Video to come soon!)

First OB Appointment

I had my first OB visit this morning. I had a pap, gave a urine sample and about 5 gallons of blood, and got to see the baby again! We talked about genetic testing and all the different kinds, and I think we are going to do the NT scan at 12-13 weeks and the Quad screen at 18-20 weeks as long as insurance covers those tests. She said a lot of insurance companies wont pay for the NT scan on a woman who is only 26 (because the odds of downs are so low) but cover them routinely for women over 30. We'll see, I am going to call the insurance co. later today to see whats covered in that department.

Now onto the baby...Everything looked great once again and I must say that I am rather spoiled I know with getting 2 ultra sounds in one week! Believe it or not, the baby has grown a lot since MONDAY! It is unreal!! I was measuring 1 day behind all along, but now I am measuring a day ahead. Last u/s I did not get to see the baby actually move, he/she was too busy sleeping to be bothered. Today though I made sure I got to see at least a little wiggle and after prodding and a little poking around sure enough it started kicking its little legs!! SO incredible!! Words can not describe that feeling that rushed over me. Seeing it move makes it feel so much more real. Its not just a picture anymore, but a real live baby! MY baby!! And s/he was in a total different position than last time so we got some different shots. Here they are, Enjoy!


Both the RE and OB said that if I wanted to go ahead and tell Kay that I am safe to at this time. Being (almost) 10 weeks and seeing nice growth and strong h/b's since day one puts my risk of miscarriage now at 1-2%. So I think we are going to tell her today! I cant wait to see her reaction!!

Kay's Dance Recital

Kay had performance 1 of 2 of this years dance recital last night and let me tell you she is amazing!! Their dance was "Kitty Rock" and the song is very cute as you can imagine by the costumes. All I have to say is that she is defiantly my kid...so full of personality and so animated! A true star in my eyes : ) And I might also add that she looks SO grown up and is getting more and more beautiful as the years go by. She really is my best friend and I tell her that all the time.

Kay in the middle

Meow! They were holding their tales.

On stage (not a very good pic) but she is front and center once again ;)

Why IUI?

During intercourse, 1% of the sperm make it to the uterus, and another 1% make it to the tube; the place fertilization takes place. So most of the sperm doesn’t make it. Some get stuck, some die, some get lost (we’ve all heard jokes about that). In a fertile couple a small number of sperm in the tube is all that’s needed. By doing insemination (intrauterine insemination that is), we are playing a numbers game. More sperm are getting to the tube, so if one doesn’t do it, maybe the next one will. Insemination raise pregnancy rates by a few percentage points over having intercourse. Washing the sperm for insemination doesn’t make the sperm any stronger, it just allows us put it into the uterus. In an unwashed specimen, there are items that would cause intense cramping of the uterus, so we wash away seminal fluid (which contains prostaglandins) and dead sperm. Washing also lowers the bacteria counts.

-From Dr. Liccardi's blog

My Beautiful Baby- 9 weeks 2 days

Here s/he is!! Is'nt s/he so cute?? : ) Baby is measuring right on track with a heart beat of 172 bpm, and everything looked "better than normal" per my RE! I cant believe how much it has grown in a mere 2 1/2 weeks! WOW...truly amazing!

The babies head is on the top, and you can even see his/her little leg at the bottom with the umbilical cord attaching in the middle. That perfect circle you see just to the right of the babies foot is the yolk sac, which will dissolve on its own as the baby doesn't need it anymore. Isn't funny how perfect the circle is?? My Dr. was even impressed by that.

Next up, my first OB appt. this Thurs!!

I'm Home

and I had a amazing time on our cruise and in Alaska, and can you believe that it was sunny and in the 70's the whole time???? YES, that's crazy!! But I saw some of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. Lots of whales, sea lions, glaciers, lots of yummy FOOD, and just had a great time on the boat. I was sick off and on with morning sickness, but it wasn't the whole time and faded pretty quickly. I will upload some pics once I get unpacked and settled.

On the baby front I AM STILL pregnant : ) 9 weeks 1 day to be exact. Some people may find that funny that I said that, but hey I am a infertile and every day that I am still pregnant is like a miracle to me. I have my final u/s with my RE tomorrow morning and the little baby actually looks like a baby now (instead of a seahorse as my DH called it) so I am very excited to see him/her!!

It will be bitter sweet in a way because it will also be my last visit with my RE. The man who actually got me pregnant. To think that someone else actually helped up make our baby is weird in itself, but I love these people. You do grow a bond with them, because what a better gift than a baby? They helped create our miracle and were always so optimistic. They made it all possible and I will be forever grateful for them. And even though no one ever wants to have to step into a RE's office it has been all worth it; and it will be hard to say good bye tomorrow.

So anyways, I have a crazy busy week ahead. Kay has her dance recital this week, which includes 2 rehearsals and 2 performances, and if that wasn't enough I will be very busy catching up with work. I will update with baby pics tomorrow after I get back! Pray we still see a strong heartbeat and a beautiful little baby in there!