Who wants news?

I knew you would scroll all the way through to find out the news anyway so I thought I'd save you the trouble and post it first.  Yep, we are pregnant!!!

I was so anxious I could only wait 2 days before starting to test.  I had 6 tests and the promise from Travis that he would get me more if I needed them (he was quite the accomplice).  So, Friday morning came around and I took my first test.  Negative of course.  Then Friday night and Saturday morning both negative.  I had been using First Response for all three of these tests,  so I asked Travis to go get the Target brand since one of my surrogate friends highly recommended that one.  As soon as Travis got home I took that one...negative. Sunday morning came and I took a Target brand... is that? could that be? I don't know. So I called in a second pair of eyes.  Travis too thought maybe he saw something but neither of us were sure.  I left it and came back later only to think that what I had seen was completely gone. So, only logical thing to do, take another one.  This time I used the First Response and sure enough, within the 3 minute window I saw it clear as day.  Really??? On day 4?? Now I'm thinking, maybe both embryos took.  Wouldn't that be fun?  And of course, I didn't stop the obsession, I took the rest of the tests I had within the next few days...plus 3 more.  It can get to be an expensive obsession but how often does one get to pee on sticks and watch them change?  It got me out of bed early for a few days which transitioned me nicely into the school routine.  See? Not all obsessions are bad.
 

Totally me...I took 12 in all =)

Thursday finally rolled around and I called the doctor's office to ask a few questions about my blood test the next day.  One question being if they called me to tell me the results or called K.  Since the transfer, I had K believing our first blood test was supposed to be on Monday (today) when in fact it was last Friday.  I was trying to plan a surprise on how to tell her and G they are going to be parents.  I was so excited until Dr. S's office said their protocol is to tell the IPs the blood results.  I was so upset that K and G were not going to get to hear it from me. So I sent K a text telling her that she would be hearing from Dr. S's office with the results unless she would let them know it was okay to tell me.  She said she hadn't really thought about who she wanted to know first.  Then I had to tell her that the blood test was in fact the next day and she would hear something by 11.  She was a little confused wondering why it would be tomorrow.  I told her I let her think it would be Monday because I wanted to surprise her if it was positive. (This whole week I had to not let it slip that I was pregnant.  She didn't want to know until after the beta.)  Well, I think the not knowing finally got to her and she asked if I knew something.  I wanted to make sure she really wanted to know so I asked her if she wanted to know what I knew and she said yes.  So I emailed her the picture of the positive test.  It took a few minutes to go through (which felt like eternity) and then my phone was ringing and she was screaming in my ear.  It was the best sound I could have heard.

Thursday night no one slept very well as we anxiously awaited the blood test in the morning.  I was up early and waiting at Quest at 6:15 in the morning.  That morning seemed to drag on as we waited for the call.  Finally a little after 11 we got the news...478!!! The weekend came and went and we had another beta today (Monday). We just needed it to double to know that the baby(ies) are continuing to grow.  And the number is...3,240.  That is a huge number.  We either have 1 REALLY strong baby or multiples.  Just for comparison, last time I had my blood drawn 1 day earlier and it was 142 and 2 days later it was 414.  Numbers do not tell the whole story so we will now just have to wait until September 10th to see how many babies are baking. That is going to be so much fun! 

Come back next time, tell your friends to visit the blog, and leave a comment.  I love reading them!

2 week wait

I don't seem to remember feeling so anxious during the 2 week wait last time. I'm sure I was but this time every minute seems to drag on forever constantly analyzing every "symptom" or lack there of.  I have a headache, could that mean I'm pregnant?  I'm feeling really hot all of a sudden, maybe I'm pregnant or maybe it is because it is over 100 degrees...again.  Plus, with all of the medication I am on, most of the "symptoms" could be from that too.

Two weeks feels like eternity when you are waiting for a pregnancy test.  Some women go through this month after month hoping and praying that their dreams of a child will finally come true all the while starring down a pregnancy test.  Such a little thing holding so much power and costing a small fortune.  Peeing, then waiting, then holding it at every angle thinking well, maybe I see something.  Then calling in a second pair of eyes only to be shown that your mind is playing tricks on you.  And this happens all the time, all over the world.  In my book it is just below torture. 

The transfer on the other hand was a good day.  K picked me up at 6:30am and we headed over to Clovis Community Hospital.  I was given 2 small bottles of water to drink, and then hold it in.  That part wasn't so pleasant. As we were getting on the elevator the embryologist got on with us.  We thought that was a good sign and told her to pick us the very best embryos.  I got ready in my fashionable hospital gown and waited to hear the news on how many and the quality of K and G's embryos.

(I have my lucky transfer pants on)

The doctor came in and told us that they had many embryos at all different stages but they had 5 at the blast stage.  The blast stage is the best stage they can get so we were very encouraged.  We had already decided before that we would transfer 2.  So they picked the best 2 and got everything ready.  I got wheeled into the procedure room.  This time no one was allowed to come in with me.  It is so weird because they tipped the bed where my head was down and feet up.  And after the procedure they left me like that for about 15 minutes before wheeling me back to the recovery room.  K sat and kept me company for the next hour.  We had a great time talking and laughing while we let the little ones get all snuggly inside.

Then I came home and sat on my couch the rest of the day.  And layed in my bed the whole next day.  Thank you so much to my sister-in-law Kara for hanging out with my little guys all day on Wednesday and to my mother-in-law Donna for hanging out with them on Thursday so I could rest and give these little ones the best chance I can.  That truly was another memorable day.

While I was transferring and hopefully starting a new chapter in K and G's lives, my mother was on the opposite side of the states closing escrow on her parent's house and that chapter.  It has been 1-1/2 years trying to sell that house and trying to say the final goodbye to what that house meant to our family.  It was a bittersweet day but one that will never be forgotten.

Stay tuned...I will have blood test results in a week from tomorrow.        







       

Transfer is set for...

Kids are so funny.  The other day Hudson lifted up my shirt and started poking my belly.  He asked, "mommy, why is your belly so squishy?"  I said, "because I have had 3 babies in my belly."  He thought that was an okay answer and went about watching cartoons.  I am trying to embrace that I have carried 3 miracles in my body and my squishy stretched out belly is the proof of that.  With that being said, here we go for another big, stretched out belly and getting K and G a kid or two so they have funny stories to tell their family and friends too.

K had her egg retrieval yesterday and they were able to get 24 eggs.  After introducing the sperm and having them sit overnight they now have 16 embryos to choose from.  That is an incredible amount.  Dr. S. is going to take the 2 very best (freeze the rest) and implant them on....Wednesday.  This will be a 5 day transfer which has a higher percentage of working.  Dr. S. was very happy with the numbers and quality and we are hopeful for a successful transfer. 

Thank you all once again for following along this second time around.  If you think of us on Wednesday please pray for all involved as we begin the exciting phase of this journey.  We will then be waiting 2 weeks for a blood test to see if the little ones took.  Since K does not want to know before then if I take a home pregnancy test, no one else will know either.  Sorry that we all will have to wait the LONG 2 weeks. 

So, here we go....

Exciting news

I went in for an ultrasound yesterday and everything looked great. They upped my estrogen to get me the rest of the way there.  K had her ultrasound today and they will be doing her egg retrieval on Friday (like in 2 days).  So close it is unreal.  Then the transfer will be Tuesday or Wednesday of next week.  I was holding my breath because Sawyer has his back to school night Monday night to meet his teacher.  I really didn't want to be on bed rest and miss his event.  But I was assured today that the transfer would not be sooner than Tuesday.

The transfer cannot come soon enough.  The medication is making me a little crazy.  We have been trying to find things to do to help fill the days. but it hasn't been easy since it is so hot.  We finally got a gym membership and that has helped a lot.  At least for my sanity.  The boys have a great time in the day care and I get some free time and a great workout.  Couldn't ask for more.

So as we get ready for transfer we will be enjoying possibly record breaking temperatures.  Not looking forward to that but am looking forward to finally getting to the transfer.  After 7 months of getting to know K and G, working through some bumps and getting things checked off the list, our transfer is right around the corner. Yippee!

Now for some fun...please send me an email (johannamott@gmail.com) if you have a great idea of how to surprise K and G with the news of a positive pregnancy test.  They live close so it will be easier to surprise them.  Just don't leave the comment on here...they read it :)

Here's a cute kid for your viewing pleasure

Two of the cutest boys on the planet...enjoy Ooh de Lolli pops (my mother-in-law's new adventure...check her out on facebook)