40 weeks and 3 days

Another check and still no change.  This baby is happy and content staying where it is!  The heart rate was 170 bpm.  Since I haven't changed any more and they don't want me going past 41 weeks, I had to schedule an induction.  So unless this baby changes its mind and wants to come on its own, I'll be induced on Friday, November 14.  My mom has said this whole pregnancy that I can go on the 14th since it's her birthday, so I guess she'll have a grandbaby for a gift this year!  I'm actually thankful for another week to be pregnant!  I love it and am not ready for it to be over, but then I can't wait to meet this baby either!  I'm going to enjoy every last moment!

40 weeks

Well, I made it to full term!  I still haven't progressed any more and the baby's heart rate was 143 bpm.  Since I didn't want to be induced, she wanted to do an ultrasound to check and make sure everything looked good with the baby.  Everything looked fine and the baby is measuring 8 lbs and 4 oz.  She was fine with letting me go through the weekend and then being checked again.  I'm very thankful they didn't insist on induction right away.  I was an emotional wreck!  I wanted to have the baby more than anything on my own, but I also didn't want to not be pregnant.  So now I get to continue waiting and go back on Monday for another check and then I'll have to talk about induction.

39 weeks

39 weeks! One week away!  I'm really surprised I haven't had the baby yet, but thankful at the same time.  When they first checked my blood pressure it was up, but went down while I was there.  I had felt nervous and stressed all morning so I'm sure this didn't help.  The baby's heart rate was 150 bpm.  I was still measuring 3cm and 80% effaced.  Everything looked and sounded great so I'll keep waiting and go back on my due date for another check.

38 weeks

So today was the first check to see how I'm progressing.  For now I'm dilated to 3 cm and 80% effaced.  The baby's heart rate was great at 160 bpm.  She doesn't think I'll make it to my due date, so we'll see!  It makes me all excited and sad at the same time!  I've been having a few contractions so hopefully I'll progress a little more before I head to the hospital.  Not much longer and we'll know if we have a little boy or girl!!

37 weeks

Everything is measuring great with the baby!  The baby's heart rate was 145 bpm.  Next week will be the first check!!

36 weeks

I had another ultrasound to recheck my placenta and make sure everything was where it should be for delivery.  The baby had its head down so far and was a little stubborn and wouldn't move so they really couldn't see the placenta.  However since they couldn't see it and from what they could tell it was far enough out of the way, things are all good for delivery!  The heart rate was 153 bpm.  Everything looked great and now it's just a waiting game and an appointment every week!  I can't believe there is only a month at most left!  I'm excited and sad all at the same time!

34 weeks

The baby was doing good again today.  He/She is really starting to move all the time and make big movements...the kind where my belly is lopsided!  When Kristy first checked the baby's heart rate she said it was 138 bpm.  Then she moved it to the other side and said that was more accurate at 149 bpm.  Of course mama thought this was funny and said it was just the two different babies.  :)  I'm back in two more weeks for another ultrasound to check my placenta and to check on the baby.  I'm sad it's getting so close, but then I'm so excited too!

32 weeks

I went back today for another ultrasound to check my placenta.  It's still low lying, but they feel that everything will be fine for a normal delivery.  They're going to check it again at 36 weeks just to see if it is moving as it should.  The baby is no longer breech and the heart rate was around 140 bpm.  We have a picture of the baby's cute face although it was hard to see since the baby is so much bigger now. They are saying that it weighs around 4 lbs and 10 oz!  Yikes...it's going to be a big baby!

30 weeks

Another wonderful appointment for the baby. This appointment the baby's heart rate was in the low 150's.  I was measuring right at 30 weeks, so nothing more to do until the next check up!

26 weeks

Another great appointment!  Baby's heart rate was around 126 bpm which surprised me being so low, but my midwife said it was completely fine.  I thought after drinking the glucose drink it would be higher.  :) I can't believe how fast this is going!!  Happy and sad at the same time.  This is my favorite time of pregnancy...I love feeling the baby move and I feel good.  Wish it could last forever, but I'm ready to meet this little baby too!

22 weeks and another ultrasound

I went in for my 22 week appointment today!  I can't believe how fast it's going by.  This time the baby was cooperative and they were able to see the heart and face better.  Everything looked normal and healthy!  The baby had a heart rate right around 140 bpm.  I'm so thankful that everything looked great and we had another good report!  My rash however is a pregnancy rash and will get better after I deliver.  :(  It's all worth it though!

18 weeks and an ultrasound

I can't believe this pregnancy is almost to the midway point!  I was nervous and excited at the same time to have an ultrasound.  It was such a relief to see a healthy baby!  The heart rate was 144 bpm.  I was able to see one of the arms and amazed at the bone structure that you can see.  Such a big change from the last ultrasound!  The baby didn't want to move a lot and was in a weird position so we will have another ultrasound at my next appointment to check out my low placenta, the baby's heart, and the baby's face.  Maybe he or she will cooperate next time.  :)

15 week visit

This was a fun visit.  I made the appointment with the midwife who delivered Garner so I wanted him to go with me.  First of all, he did wonderful!  Second, she was amazed that it had been two years already.  I'm so glad I was able to see her.  The baby's heart rate was good again...154 bpm!

12 week visit

I had my first OB appointment.  No ultrasound, but I was able to hear a healthy heartbeat at around 140-150 bpm.  I'm finished with all my medicines so this is another big milestone!  So thankful!

4th Ultrasound

Nine weeks already!  It's amazing how much the little baby grows and changes in just one week!  This week I could see the little leg buds beginning to form.  The heart rate was 163 bpm.  Everything looked great and I am officially released from ACRM.  It's a little bittersweet after visiting them almost every week since mid-January, but I'm so glad things have progressed well and I'm able to be released.

3rd ultrasound

I went back for another ultrasound today!   It's amazing how much the little baby can change in a week!  We were able to see much more form and another healthy heartbeat.  The heart rate was 153 bpm.  I was suppose to graduate from the fertility doctors today, but I had asked to stay for one more week so I can see Dr. Fogle.  Thankfully they honored my request so I'll get another peek at my baby next week before I head to my regular OB.

2nd ultrasound

After the first ultrasound I was anxious to go back for another one.  I just wanted to be reassured that everything was ok.  It was still just one baby, but we could see the baby much better and the unknown tissue was gone!!  The baby had a heart rate of 130 bpm.  I felt much better and happy knowing that things looked great!

1st ultrasound

I had my first ultrasound today.  I was so excited and nervous!  The downside was that we only saw one baby, but the great news is the baby we did see had a great heartbeat.  I was a little worried because the doctor could see some tissue. She said it would probably go away, but I don't know what it is so it worries me.  I was also bummed because there was only one baby.  I just can't understand why my numbers were so high and why I've felt so sick with just one baby.  I guess it's just proof that this baby is unique in his/her own way already!  Even though I'm sad, I'm also so thankful for a healthy growing baby!

3rd bloodwork

So I had my HCG levels checked again today.  They were up to 3,717!  I can't believe how much they've increased.  My nurse said she would guess that I 'm having twins, but we have to wait one more week for the first ultrasound.  Sometimes waiting is so hard!!

2nd blood work check

I went back today for another HCG check.  Today my levels were up to 497!  They've more than doubled!  Very thankful!  I go back on Friday for another check and then probably the following Friday for an ultrasound!!!

Answered Prayers!

Wednesday, February 26, 2014...I couldn't stand it any longer and decided to go ahead and take a test.  It was positive!!  I thanked God for answering my prayers and continued to pray for healthy babies.  Jason of course had to stare at the test and ask if the line was really there.  :)  I love him!

Friday, February 28, 2014...I took a second test and it was still positive with a darker line!  Thankful again for another confirmation!

Saturday, March 1, 2014...I went to the doctor for bloodwork.  Dr. Fogle called with my HCG levels.  They were 190!  I was so thankful for great numbers.  With Raleigh it was 52 and Garner was 91.7.  Now I go back in for more bloodwork and then wait two more weeks for an ultrasound.  Dr. Fogle said that anything between 50-200 is usually just one, but it's still possible we could have twins.  I'm praying for that (actually still triplets)!  I'm going to be renaming IVF to the series of 2 week waits!  This is where I lack patience.  :)

Prayers, prayers, prayers!

The day after my egg retrieval I received a call from the embryologist.  I had prayed for some great news, but I didn't hear what I wanted to hear.  He said we had 17 eggs, 12 were mature, and only 3 fertilized.  I was devastated.  I had hoped we'd have some to freeze.  I had hoped they'd have some to choose the best ones for the transfer.  With only 3 I knew that they had to be good and we'd only have those 3 to transfer.  I began to worry, I prayed, I cried, I worried some more, I thought the worst.  I began to let the devil get into my mind.  I felt sick and depressed all day even though I was praying for embryos with 6-8 cells when we would go in on Monday.  I knew that God could make those 3 the perfect ones for us.  I believed it, but I still let my mind wander.  I had to trust fully in God and know that he knew exactly what he was doing by only creating 3 little lives.

Monday I went in for the transfer.  My appointment was at 10:30, but they were running behind because of something unexpected that happened.  My instructions told me to drink 64oz of water an hour before coming in with my medicine.  Well, drinking 70oz of water and then sitting and waiting was really hard.  Finally I couldn't wait any longer.  They let me go to the bathroom and count until 10 then stop.  I did that once and waited some more.  At almost 11:30 I couldn't wait any longer and went again.  Then they came to get me.  She checked to make sure I had a full bladder and I did...it was too full after emptying a little twice.  She had me go back and count to 12 this time.  Then she checked again...still too full.  I went back again and counted to 8.  Finally we were closer to where I needed to be.  :)  After getting ready, the embryologist came in with the picture of 2 embryos.  They were 8 cells and grade 2.  I praised God for this answered prayer!!  Not only were they exactly what I had prayed for, but they were better than the embryos we had when we got pregnant with Garner.  Then I asked about the 3rd.  She said it was 6 cells grade 2.  Another answered prayer!!  I insisted on transferring all 3.  Of course I had to sign that I knew we were going against guidelines, but I didn't care.  God created all 3 lives and I trust Him fully to continue to grow them into healthy babies!

Top:  two 8 cell embryos

Bottom:  one 6 cell embryo

 The embryos are in!  The large black spot is my bladder...full!  Down below is my uterus.  The white in the middle is the lining and at the top left of it is a darker white spot. That's the babies!

Tuesday after the transfer I was talking with mama.  She told me the neatest thing.  She said that it must have been Saturday after I found out we only had 3 embryos.  She said she woke up and was praying.  Then she said it came as clear as day, "Oh ye of little faith!"  I know that God was speaking to her saying that He had it all under control.  And did He ever!

Why do I write all this down??  Well, at church on Sunday night the passage we read was from Psalm 78.  It said:
1 My people, hear my instruction; listen to what I say.  2 I will declare wise sayings; I will speak mysteries from the past --  3 things we have heard and known and that our fathers have passed down to us.  4 We must not hide them from their children, but must tell a future generation the praises of the Lord, His might, and the wonderful works He has performed.  5 He established a testimony in Jacob and set up a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers to teach to their children  6 so that a future generation -- children yet to be born -- might know.  They were to rise and tell their children  7 so that they might put their confidence in God and not forget God's works, but keep His commands.

I loved this!  Yes, I must pass down all that the Lord has done to future generations!!

Here We Go Again...

We're back into IVF full swing!  I just had my egg retrieval today and we got 17 eggs!  I'm very thankful for that number.  This has definitely been a week I won't forget.  It started off on Monday when I went in for stimulation day 8 and the forecast was for freezing rain and snow for the next couple of days.  I knew that I would have to go in on Wednesday and more than likely have retrieval for Friday.  So, because of the timing and the likelihood that if we stayed at home we wouldn't be able to get to the appointment, Jason and I checked into a hotel Tuesday night and stayed through Friday.  Considering Wednesday was Jason's birthday and Thursday was mine, this was not ideal at all.  We wanted to be home with Raleigh and Garner, but praying that God blesses us again, we know it will all be worth it in the end...and a memory!  We probably could have made it home Thursday night, but with an early retrieval time we decided to stay.  Thankfully some restaurants opened Thursday night and the roads were clear so we were able to get out for dinner at the Cheesecake Factory.  Now we're home with Raleigh and Garner, resting, and waiting!