Recent random thoughts and ramblings...

So, we went to Disney this past weekend. Somehow we got on the topic of the to-be-determined sex of our baby. For the most part, Shawn and I had discussed and (I thought) agreed on having (birthing) one child and possibly adopting another in the future. So you can imagine my shock, when Shawn said "You know, if this baby is a girl, we could just get pregnant again right away and try for a boy." ::jaw drop:: I think Disney lost a little of it's magic in that moment. lol. We'll visit this topic MUCH later...I hope.

Sunday we went to lunch at the OG. Normally, I eat breakfast before lunch, but we got up late so I decided to give it a try. Bad idea. After eating and within 5 minutes of getting to Target to do some shopping...lunch came up. Everywhere. I didn't make it to the toilet (not that I'd put my face near a public toilet) so I ended up hurling all over the sink and floor in the handicap stall. I apologized to the Target staff profusely. I was advised that they had seen worse. ::gags::

Yesterday, a co-worker was talking with me on our way out of the building. She is probably in her 50s or 60s and was telling me how she had wished someone would have just been honest with her about childbirth. She said "...I mean, it REALLY hurts. I'm not gonna lie. Everyone just told me it was no big deal." Um. Thanks for sharing? Yea, I know, everyone is different. I'm in the "enjoy every moment" phase of pregnancy. I'd still like not to think about having to push out a baby at this point. ::breathes into paper bag::

Though...I did learn from my mother that after her water broke she spent a couple of hours in labor at home before going to the hospital, then after after arriving at the hospital I was born in just an hour. I am all for a quick labor and easy delivery. Let's hope genetics work to make this happen.

Lastly, I can honestly say that the single-serve microwaveable corn being sold now, are really the best thing ever! I've eaten them for dinner. I love them. MMMmmm corn. :)

16 weeks 5 days...

Because I haven't posted a pic in a while...


I would like to add that I did have a big dinner last night and big lunch today. ha ha! I haven't gained any weight yet...in fact, I've lost 10 pounds since my first OB visit. I know that the time is soon approaching for things to start going in the opposite direction - lol. Can't wait! :)

Watch it wiggle...

It looks like our baby is quite active in the mornings, which is fun to see at our 4 week ultrasound appointments. I hope that continues throughout the pregnancy so I can sleep at night. Today we saw the baby moving all around and waving its arms at us. You can see it's little hand/fingers on the other side of its face/nose in this pic. One shot looked like the baby was sucking its thumb. We are scheduled next month, January 15th, to find out the sex of the baby. YAY! Heartbeat today was a strong 159 and things are looking good!

Crazy milestones...

Since I don't journal, this will be the only place I have to look back on for memories about how things have progressed over my pregnancy. I don't want to have blog overload and post daily, but I thought this week's milestone was especially important.

On Monday night, at 15d1w, I felt the baby move for the first time. It felt a little like bubbling water, or popcorn, and went from the top of my pubic bone to just below my belly button on the left hand side. It was unlike anything I felt before (it was not gas - Lord knows I know that feeling after 15 weeks - lol!). I did some research the next day and asked a few friends to confirm, and sure enough, everyone agreed that it definitely was baby movement. I, of course, then had to cry. WOW! I know it's a long way from kicks and outside kicks that people can see/feel, but it was an amazing realization.

Sunday will be 16 weeks and I read ahead in my "week-by-week" information and learned that the baby will be able to hear us starting in the 16th week. (Yep, I cried again.) Time to start reading and singing to baby - YAY! It is unbelievable to think our baby will be able to hear our voices now, so soon.

I know more incredible things are ahead for us and baby...I don't want to forget a moment!

Hand-me-downs SCORE!

Well thanks to our friends Tricia & Dave, we had a major score this weekend from some Davey, Jr. hand-me downs! We got a carseat with a base, a bassinet (that vibrates, rocks and plays music!), a traveling changer, some baby bibs and a ton of maternity clothes! I had fun trying on stuff that I will probably start using in a month or two. YAY! We had fun going through stuff and playing with the bassinet and carseat. Several friends have had babies recently, so whatever we get as hand-me-downs, we are grateful for!!

As for baby and week 15, baby is currently the size of an orange! YUM! :)

New pics - New due date!

We went for our u/s appointment this morning...and since the baby has measured ahead the last two appointments, they moved up my estimated due date to May 31st (from June 7th)! YAY for a May baby!! We got to hear the heart beat again, 143 bpm...nice and strong!

In 6 weeks, we go for our "big u/s" at 20 weeks, and get to find out the sex of the baby - woo hoo!

Last appointment, next appointment...

I forgot to post that at our appointment last week (the day before Thanksgiving) the baby was measuring on time and looking good. They said approximately 3 1/2 inches, but that seems big/long (we are tall, but I hope for long and lean, not long and large! lol!). We have another u/s appointment scheduled at Winnie Palmer (follow up) for this Thursday. The pics we got at the OB last week were kinda blurry and I was less than thrilled with them, so I'm hoping we'll get a better one at WP this week. I will post a pic (or more than one if they're given) on Thursday or Friday.

Thanksgiving was great, and I managed not to over do it. I hope that means no weight gain since last visit, but I doubt it. lol. (Seriously, the peanut butter pie may have done me in.) We saw my family (extended) early in the day on Thursday, and Shawn's family later that evening. We have a lot to be thankful for!!

New baby pics!

We went to Winnie Palmer for our prenatal testing today; I'm 11 weeks and 5 days. Here are the latest pics we got at our appointment:

Our baby is currently measure 2.45 inches and we got to hear the heartbeat. It was amazing!! The nurse said the baby was just chillin', like he was relaxing in a hammock. We did get him to move around a bit so they could do testing and measurements, all of which turned out very good! Not sure if I'll have another u/s at my OB appointment next Wednesday, but we should get regular u/s up to 24 weeks due to my previous cone biopsy. They just want to be sure the cervix stays shut and our baby stays put for the long haul! The upside is we'll get to see our baby every two weeks!

Week 11...

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.

"Setting up a significantly more attractive future" - I found that to be very funny! Let's hope so!! :)

So far so good with the B6...

I started the B6 Tuesday at lunch time, I felt a bit better that night and then continued to feel good enough Wednesday morning to eat breakfast, which was nice for change. I felt okay yesterday and was good enough to eat breakfast again today. Nice! I definitely know what I can and cannot eat, and what sounds good...and a new thing, I can really only eat half of what I used to before feeling insanely full. And I know this gets worse once you're further along, so it's good that I'm starting to get to know this feeling now. Let's hope the B6 continues to do the trick. 8 days until we get to see the baby again via u/s at Winnie Palmer! YAY! :)

Holy Horrendous Morning Sickness Batman!

Okay, so gone are the 6 whole days without morning sickness. (So much for the stupid saltines.) No amount of crackers in the morning or during the day, is helping now. I wake up nauseated, gagging and dry-heaving...and the nausea is lasting all day and getting worse over the past two days. I left work early yesterday feeling absolutely the worst since the morning sickness started. I was gagging and dry-heaving at my desk. I could not take it. Shawn brought home some Emetrol for me, which did nothing. I got some B6 today, but you only take it once a day, so we'll see how long it takes for that to kick in. The whole idea of morning sickness should be that you get sick in the morning and it's over. Lasting all day is taking its toll and wearing me out! I hope it gets better in the next three weeks. :( I'm sure at my next visit on the 21st I will probably have again lost weight (which right now, is just fine by me). However, losing it this way...not so much fun. I keep reminding myself it's worth it and the end result will be amazing. I just think to myself, "how could anyone do this more than once." My mom was very smart. :)

10 31 08

Today, our office got all dressed up for Halloween. Our department decided to be "Worker Bees". We all wore wings and antennae, and we had a Zom-bee, a Queen Bee, a Miss-Bee-Havin, a Carpenter Bee, Killer Bees...and I was...

Mommy-to-bee! Shawn made the t-shirt for me to wear to work (sorry it's backwards I took it in the mirror - duh!) I also put a copy of our sonogram pic in a frame on my desk and put a sign on it that said "Ba-bee" Cute, cute!!

First ultrasound pic of our baby!

We saw our baby for the first time today!! It was awesome!! The little flickering heart (170 bpm) it's little head, arm and leg buds...the baby was moving its head side to side, it looked like it was dancing around in there! Very cool! The baby measured at 1 1/4 inches already...and we're on track for 8 weeks and 4 days (with an estimated due date of June 7th, 2009). All tests taken at the last visit came back great, and I go back to the OB in 4 weeks to hear the heartbeat. YAY!!

Loved this picture I saw today...FUNNY!!

8 weeks...

Well, we're at the 2 month mark. I'll be happy in another month or so when the nausea goes away. :( It's not fun in the morning...and unfortunately, it lasts all day. It's exhausting. I'm hoping the second trimester will mean the end of that, and the start of some energy...I need it. I'm tired of saltines already.

Our second OB appointment is this coming Thursday and I hoping we get too see the baby. I will definitely share the pic if we do. My week-to-week update says the baby is now is in fetus stage and is the size of a bean. Kinda fitting if it were a mexican jumping bean, since Shawn continues to call the baby "Hector". lol.

I cried over pb&j...

So, at lunch today, nothing at the deli downstairs in our building sounded good to eat, so I ended up with a cup of chicken noodle soup (homemade, big chunks of chicken, quite yummy after all). On may way back to my office upstairs, a co-worker was talking about pb&j and I suddenly had a serious craving for a pb&j on white bread (I'm usually wheat all the way). I go right back to the deli and - - they are OUT OF PEANUT BUTTER! WHAT!?! I leave the deli and head back to the elevator to go to my office, when my eyes totally start to well up. By the time the elevator doors open, I am crying! OVER PB&J. :(

I sent out an interoffice e-mail and found someone that happened to have a jar of creamy peanut butter in her desk (2 others had crunchy - yuck - lol). I go back downstairs to get bread for my pb&j, and guess what? No jelly! (Except apple jelly, ew!) GAH!! I breathe deeply - - return upstairs with my bread and borrowed peanut butter and scrounge around in our kitchen's office fridge, and fortunately found three lovely grape jelly packets.

Happiness at last. :) I think I will have pb&j for dinner too...on wheat.

7 weeks 4 days...

I know - it's just bloat - and I already had a belly before. I have a feeling, I will be huge, as predicted. lol!

I took this picture at 6w4d. On the website I post on (and have mentioned before, where I have learned oh so much) they have a tradition...Belly Pic Friday! lol! So I have started participating (way early, but still to keep tabs) and will also post my BPF pic on here as well. (I will have to ask my friend Andrea to help me with this blog page one day - her is so much cuter!)

Did I mention I'm weepy???

I'm totally emotional anyway, but today has been particularly bad. I have welled up with tears so many times. And twice in the past five minutes I've been sent e-mails that should not be sent to a pregnant, hormonal, emotional woman. lol. This last quote in an e-mail did it for me...

"Everything grows rounder and wider and weirder, and I sit here in the middle of it all and wonder who in the world you will turn out to be."
-Carrie Fisher

Pass the pregnant lady a tissue.

First Baby Doc Appointment Today!

Okay so the lady that set my appointment was definitely wrong about how far along I was - score for me. But I was a day off the other day when I posted at 6 w 1 day. Today, I am 6 weeks and 4 days, and the PA I saw today who told us our EDD (estimated due date) is June 7th. That may or may not change once ultrasounds begin taking place. We have our first ultrasound appointment now scheduled for October 30th - I'll be 8w4d so we should be able to get a better picture than if they had done one at this visit today. I was hoping they'd do one anyway, but I suppose I can handle waiting two weeks! lol!

I still have a bit of a yucky stomach today and nothing sounds good to eat, but other than that, I'm feeling fine - just tired. I can't wait to post that first ultrasound pic!! :)

6 weeks and 1 day...

That's what my chart says...the one day has made all the difference it seems. Yesterday I was hungry, ate leftovers from Chili's for lunch and craved Chinese food for dinner. I got my wish and Shawn brought home yummy crab rangoons and dumplings. They were great! He also got diet root beer, which I totally craved in Italy (probably because there was none to be found anywhere - - I don't even think they know what it is).

Today - however - I woke up with a dull headache and a yucky tummy. I managed to eat a bagel and a banana, and am drinking water, but I still don't feel so hot. Nothing sounds good and lunch is in an hour. I brought leftovers but I'm not feeling much like Chinese today. I could stomach some mashed potatoes I think, but I have no idea what the deli downstairs is serving today. I may need to make a mashed potato run. ha ha. I hope this passes - - the headache is just annoying, but the yucky tummy is not a great feeling. :(

We're back from Italy!

It was a great trip and I hope to have a link to our pics soon. I will get to uploading those some time this week. Shawn and I are both back at work today and tired! We're happy to be home, but Italy was amazing! The pics won't do it justice, I'm sure.

We have our first baby doc appointment this week. I am at 6 weeks (according to my calculations - ha ha) and no morning sickness yet. I feel just great. :) YAY!

We made our first baby purchases in Italy. We bought a beautiful white baby blanket and an adorable beige baby towel set. I'll post pics of those soon too. We also got two little knit hats, one white and one Gator (or Tennessee) orange! lol! :)

Thanks for everyone's e-mails and comments!! We love you guys!! :)

OBs are crazy...

I just got an update from my OB, we apparently have different math...I say I am almost 5 weeks, they say I am almost 7. I go to my first appointment 10/16 - - we'll see who is right!! :) ha ha!

Guess who's PREGNANT!!

We are! After a no-show from AF on Saturday, we tested on Sunday and to our surprise... --->

We have told our family and most of our friends, and we hope to post more information after we return from Italy and after our first appointment at 8 weeks.

We are 4.5 - 5 weeks along and the estimated due date is currently June 9, 2009. We will probably find out the sex of the baby at 18 to 20 weeks. We are hoping for a boy but a healthy baby is all that matters (Shawn wants twins - Ha!).

Thanks to everyone for your well wishes and prayers, we love and appreciate you.

Shawn & Michelle aka Daddy & Mommy to be...

So much to do...so little time...

We leave Saturday for Italy and I have yet to pack anything. I'm a good packer - I enjoy packing - it's just that we've been busy and I haven't gotten around to it. We have plans Wednesday and Thursday night this week, so I really have to get it done today or tomorrow, because waiting until Friday would just be wrong. ha ha. My mother-in-law asked us yesterday if she needed to come help us pack - lol - that was funny! We will get to some laundry tonite, and I will try to lay out what I'm planning to take (I've gotten four new sundresses, two shirts and a pair of shoes for the trip) so I do have an idea of what I want to take, I just need to organize it. The airline says we can take 2 bags and 2 carry-ons, but I don't want to haul that around, so I'm going to try to squeeze everything in one suitcase and one carry-on. Wish me luck with THAT miracle! :)

I'll post again Thursday night or Friday before we go!! Ciao for now! :)

So we're going to Italy...

and it seems like we've waited forever...but now there are 17 days until we leave and I can't believe it!! We got our travel package in the mail a couple of days ago, and looking at our itinerary has made it real! I'm so excited to see Italy - I can't wait! :)

Happy Anniversary!!

Today, we have been married for one year! Time has flown, we can't believe we're here already. The journey has just started and we're looking forward to years of adventures to come. (At least that's what my card from Shawn said - hee hee!)

Shawn and I have both been fighting a horrible cold for the past week...unfortunately, we both aren't quite up to par today. But I received a lovely bouquet of 3 dozen red roses at work, along with some chocolate (yay!). I'll try to start getting more pics posted and get one of the flowers up - they are big and beautiful! Tonite, we're going to Ruth's Chris' for dinner and I'm looking forward to that! Despite being under the weather, it's going to be a lovely anniversary. :)

I'm thankful to report that Ike has been forecasted to be well away from us, so we're pretty much in the clear so far. It could come close and brush a few Southern coastal areas so Shawn and his dad could get some claims in...but we're not wishing that on anyone. ha ha.

We had a great time with friends at the Gator/Miami game - Go GATORS!! The box seats were awesome and it was icing on the cake that the Gators kicked butt!!

Speaking of cake, I'll be leaving work early to pick up our anniversary cake! Yum! We ordered our wedding cake and groom's cake from Sprinkles in Winter Park...and instead of having to freeze/save the topper, they offer you a free cake on your one year anniversary if you send them a great photo of the cake from your reception. We did, and now we're getting a free cake topper today! The world-famous "oh my god" cake, with raspberry filling and chocolate cream cheese frosting. I've got to post a pic of that too!! :)

Only 26 days until we leave for Italy!! woo hoo!!

I don't like Ike.

I hope Hurricane Ike stays further South than was previously expected. Though a hurricane in South Florida = claims/work for Shawn. We're having yucky weather today because of Hanna, but nothing bad. We just don't really need a ton of rain around here; so I'd be happy if Ike took a hike.

We're headed to UF tomorrow to cheer on the Gators (even though Shawn is a Vol - crazy, I know) so that should be a good time! Otherwise, I hope to get some relaxing in this weekend since Shawn and been sick and I've been fighting off his various symptoms all week.

We should be ready to "try again" in a couple of weeks. Until then, practice, practice, practice, is what I say. :)

We'll keep you posted...

And another one down...

and another one down, and another one bites the dust! Ahh, Queen. Gotta love how that song gets used in so many different scenarios. This time...it's because AF has arrived, early no less, and so we're on to cycle #3. On a positive note...31 days until we leave for ITALY! WOO HOO!!

So far so good...

I hope my next post isn't "what a difference a day makes" again. ha ha. I am half way through the two week wait and the temps are looking good. (Had the highest one ever since starting charting today.) I'll know something by next weekend if AF doesn't show. Thanks for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. The e-mails and calls are appreciated...and I hope to stay positive no matter what results may come over the next few days, weeks, or even possibly months. :) Your encouragement is so helpful. Thank you all!

Bring on the 2 week wait...

It's that time again...I put in a third high temp today and my fertility chart indicated ovulation should have happened 8/19. Now, I'm 3 days past ovulation, with AF to arrive 9/3. Hopefully she won't though! We shall see...say a prayer and keep everything crossed! :)

Weather update...

So it looks like we only got wind and rain from TS Fay; which is great! I was not looking forward to dealing with a hurricane. The weather is not great here today, but again, wind and rain are nothing to complain about.

I will complain, however, that my fertility website has yet to predict an O time this month. As such, we're just kinda shooting in the dark - ha ha/no pun intended - until we figure out what will happen with my temps. I got a temp spike today (at day 17 instead of 9 like last time), so I'm hoping my temp will continue to up and stay up. I guess it's back to waiting again. Fun, fun. We'll know something in another couple of weeks, I guess. I have heard about "annovulatory cycles" which means you don't O in a particular cycle. That would suck! No O, no baby. They say it generally takes 3 cycles to regulate off of BC (on average) and I'm only cycle 2, so we shall see...

It's that time again...

Well, after a fun and surprise-filled birthday weekend for Shawn...it's that time again. The olympics have started, and we are heading into prime baby-makin' time! ha ha! :) So, once again, if you try to reach us before Monday of next week and we don't answer, you'll know why! ha ha! I'll be cheering on the swimmers! ;)

Happy Birthday!

Today is Shawn's 33rd birthday! YAY! A couple of friends will be meeting us for dinner at a surprise location tonite...can't wait! Shawn gets to play golf for free tomorrow, and we'll be heading out to dinner and movie tomorrow to continue his birthday festivities in the evening. Sunday is 'family birthday lunch' so we'll be celebrating Shawn's birthday with the fam and extending the fun for his 'birthday weekend'! lol! Happy Birthday baby! *MuaH*

Oh well, on to cycle #2...

Unfortunately, AF showed again so we are out this cycle. (She arrived late last night 8/4 instead of the predicted 8/9.) We should be able to try again in another couple of weeks. I didn't expect to be as bummed out about this as I am...but in the big picture, it's not worth stressing. Say a prayer and keep your fingers crossed. We shall see...

I can wait 5 days...

It's amazing that many women cannot patiently wait out their two-week wait for testing to see if they are pregnant. The information we are given says that the longer past ovulation you wait to test, the better chance you'll see a positive result if you are pregnant. In actuality, it's better to wait to test until after your AF is late. So that is what I'm choosing to do. According to my chart, AF should arrive 8/9 if we didn't get pregnant this cycle. I will hold out to test until the morning of 8/10 if AF is a no-show. However, if AF shows, we are out this cycle and will go on to the next. Currently my charts show high temps (very high temps for 8 days past ovulation which is really good) but the past two mornings the temps have gone down, but not below my coverline (average temp) so we're not out until we see AF. It would be a nice birthday (8/8/08) present for Shawn if AF doesn't show and we get a positive HPT (home pregnancy test) result on 8/10. We shall see...

What a difference a day makes...

So I was all cool with my charting and glad to see that both charts I was using said I'd be Oing this Thursday/Friday (depending on which chart I referenced) and that we were on track. However, after inputting three high temps from Saturday, Sunday and today...one of my charts suddenly and completely changed it's tune. It went from saying I would O this coming Thursday, to saying I had O'd this past Friday (the 25th) and I'm now 3 days past ovulation (3dpo for the abbreviation lovers out there!)!! What the heck! So now I'm in the 2ww (or two-week wait) as they say on the TTC boards - ha ha. I am still sticking with the TCOYF chart and assuming I'm going to O this week (Friday) and we'll see what happens with the temps. If they stay up...that's a good sign. The FF chart (that has me at 3dpo) says I should test at 19dpo (8/13) if AF doesn't show again on 8/9. More waiting. Great. I hope AF stays away though!! We shall see...

Hooray for TCOYF & AF!

So, I've been using a website, "Fertility Friend" (FF), to chart my temp and such since going off of BC. I even went back and added a couple of months of info to "help" it provide me with more info as to when I'm O'ing. After one month of using it, it has yet to "determine" when I will "O" or get a visit from AF (though it did list next week as my most fertile days).

Over the weekend, we got the book "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" (TCOYF) and found out it happened to come with a CD to chart your temps and such for free (for 15 days - but my FF subscription is for 90 days). Last night, Monday night, after filling in one month's worth of info, the TCOYF software tells me that AF should arrive Tuesday, and my most fertile days will, of course, be in two weeks after. HA - I say to the computer last night. We'll just see about that.

LO AND BEHOLD AF arrives today just before 5 pm!! HOORAY! I told Shawn that this will be the one time, in a long time, that I will be happy to see AF. Now we have a jumping off point -- and I can start using my OPKTs after AF leaves! YAY! So I could be KU (knocked up) in the next few weeks! But again...we'll just have to see about that!

Say a prayer and keep everything crossed! :)

Baby Fever!

Okay so no less than half a dozen women in our church are in various stages of pregnancy, with several births in recent months as well. It's like our church has the baby fever too! lol! I hope it's contagious! ha ha!

We bought the book "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" because it is the "bible" of the TTC websites I'm finding out. I skimmed through the book last night - - it's almost like homework...LOTS of info! Shawn and I looked at the DVD that came with the book, and you can use their online program to chart as well. After filling in everything since going off of BC 6/5, it apparently estimates that AF should arrive today. Which would be great - - a starting off point to figure out when I will O and then we can go from there! :) We shall see though... As of right now, I am not enjoying the cramps I've had over the past day and a half. But if it means AF is coming, then let's just get it over with already. We have the OPKTs and I'm ready to start POAS!

81 days until we leave for Italy! Woo hoo!

Still no word from AF...

Well, since going off BC 6/5, AF has decided not to show as of yet. We did buy an OPTK and I'm sort of waiting to see what happens before I start using it. I'm still charting (though I'm not sure quite yet if I'm understanding it or not. I'm unsure about the CD and DPO dates and which I'm at because of the last AF being 5/10 and not having AF in June, and now being July...oh there is so much to know. (And this is TTC stuff, and not even all the other stuff that comes with being pg!) Okay, as you can tell - once again, I'm spending too much time reading this stuff on the internet - lol. But I'm enjoying it!

I'm also looking forward to going to Italy in October! I can't believe we're less than 90 days away from our trip! Time has flown by, and I'm so unprepared!

Until later...or ciao for now! :)

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!

Okay, so in a few days it will be the fourth of July, but we are going to be out of town so I'm posting this greeting now! m'kay! We're going to Myrtle Beach for four days and three nights! woo hoo! Should be fun, hopefully not as much rain as Florida, and a relaxing get-away for both of us. I'm hoping we'll get to see fireworks on the beach - they have several events there on the fourth and throughout the weekend - it should be very cool! I'm looking forward to the hotel ;) oh, and golf on Sunday, of course. :)

I think sometime this week we're going to try an OPT (ovulation predictor test) kit to see what they do and if they could be of any benefit. I've been charting online but none of those sites are free if you want to continue to chart beyond 30 days. So at this point, we'll try the OPT kit out and then decide if we should continue charting online. I can always keep my temp records on paper at home or on a spreadsheet on my computer too. It's been almost 28 days off of BC and no AF yet - and she's supposed to visit again on 7/11, so we shall see. It would be nice to have AF visit and then figure out the next O cycle and fertile days from there. Although, I did see on one chart that if I did get AF on 7/11, then I'd be fertile from 7/22 through 7/27, and if we got pregnant during that time, the due date would be 4/17. But that would also mean I'd be almost 3 months pregnant in Italy. OY VEY! (And my dad's b-day is 4/21 so it might be close!) Only God knows (but I'm sure Shawn would like to convince Him to make it happen sooner than later!)! We'll keep ya' posted!

Hope you all have a safe and happy fourth and holiday weekend!

Practice makes perfect!

Okay, so guys, you can skip reading this entry -

Girls, let's talk about AF (aunt flow) and O (ovulation). [I told you on the websites I'm reading everyone's posts about their adventures in TTC (trying to conceive) and being pregnant (PG) they have tons of abbreviations and stuff for commonly used words (see above). So, in explaining the recent goings on I'll try to use some too!]

As of 6/5 we went of BC with the intent we'd start TTC next month after this month's visit from AF. However, AF never came after the BC came out - which is unusual for me - and so we thought, hmm...could it happen so soon? But no. I had to go to the doc for my allergy and thyroid check as usual and they did a test (they always ask if it's possible if your PG anyway) and it was negative - of course. The O/F calendar says I was supposed to O on 6/26, which makes me fertile from 6/23 through that date. So, we pratice, practice, practice and last night - the night of O - we decide to try, try, again for good measure. ;) I guess we'll know...what...in like, a week or so? Not sure. If AF doesn't come again (7/8), it's really gonna screw up my F/O chart for sure, but we'll see. Well, that's that all for today. We'll keep practicing though! :) Fingers crossed...

Swim boys swim! :)

I spend too much time on the internet...

I'm sure that will change at some point - but for now, I'm currently annoyed that I read on this one site that everyone and their sister takes prenatal vitamins even before becoming pregnant - for months and months while trying to conceive. My gyn just told me to take a regular vitamin. I read all about how you have to have folic acid, and a B vitamin that helps with nausea and morning sickness, and all the good stuff in the prenatals that help with conception - and I'm told to just a regular vitamin. Well, I'm going shopping for a prenatal ASAP - - my doctor can just deal with it. I won't be seeing her until we actually conceive anyway. You'd think she'd give me all the help she could knowing that I'm not exactly a spring chick! Sheesh!

michelle

On your mark....get set....

Ok...Are you ready for some...BABY!!!!!

I sure am looking forward to this process. I have to say I am kind of tired of hearing the best way to make a boy...and the foods that I should...or Michelle, should avoid, but I am looking forward to the blessing on the other end.

Just wanted to put my two cents in and let you all know that I am excited too!!

Shawn

Time, time, time...

I feel a musical theme beginning...can't you hear the Bangles sing? No? Okay, me either. I will say that with making this blog so early in the process, it gives me plenty of time to read up on all the things I'm supposed to know. However, all of that reading gives me ideas about things I really shouldn't think (or worry) about at this point, or probably ever. (Shawn would agree.) I've read about the Shettles Method and the Whelan Method for determining the sex of your child (we would like a boy - however, a healthy baby is the main goal and we'd be happy with either a boy or girl - Shawn would be happier with twins - OY VEY). In relation, I've read about what diet couples should follow to have either a boy or girl too. (It's odd, I'll say that much.) I've read about determining when you're most fertile and have selected an ovulation chart to use on one of numerous websites available for those "TTC" (trying to conceive). (There's a whole crazy language in blogs and chat/support rooms for those TTC and expectant mommies.) I've read about things I can't repeat in this e-mail because men and women (and squeamish people) are reading it. And despite the fact that I'm not currently pregnant, there has been much reading on baby names, a discussion about which room of the house will be the nursery, and which furniture in our house has to go to make room for the baby furniture, ad nauseum, ad infinitum. I'd like to get to the part where we actually get a positive test and start from there...but as I said in the opening of this blog - - we've discussed having a baby before the "I-do's" were out! So, if you find any good info or advice you'd like to pass along, feel free - I've got time to read it (and Shawn has time to remind me not to worry about it)! At least until the waiting period is over and the baby makin' can happen. I can't blame him though - he just wants to be my baby daddy already! ha ha!

michelle :)

p.s. i now fully intend to steal and use "lqtm" instead of LOL because i prefer "laughing quietly to myself" as opposed to laughing out loud.

Only the beginning...

Once you get the Chicago tune out of your head, feel free to feel as I do - completely shocked that you're reading this. As I type it, it even feels surreal. Well, tomorrow the journey begins...literally the first step - no more birth control! HOLY COW! My gyn has had me start taking a vitamin daily, and asked that I give up the caffeine now, only to make it easier when I will be prohibited from the major caffeine intake I currently enjoy (in the form of sodas and CHOCOLATE!)! I know, it's very sad. :) I will need strength that is beyond me to give it up - believe me! My doctor has also advised that after 30 days off of the BC, we can commence to baby-makin'! Yeehaw! All that practice will hopefully pay off! ha ha! So, I'll keep this post short and sweet - - after 30 days from today, if you can't reach us by phone...we're busy! :)

michelle