Well, we did it.

This weekend we told both my sister and my mom we are TTC. Both took it quite well (a little confusion about logistics at first), but my mom took it amazingly well. She is so very excited. She is already thinking of ideas for a shower and looking forward to babysitting. I informed her that we are not pregnant YET, and to not put the cart before the horse. She's pretty confident that it will happen very soon. Let's hope that mother knows best!

Yesterday we spent the afternoon at our friends' commitment ceremony (which my mother performed). At the reception we were seated at one of the 2 "softball" tables. What fun gals! We met a couple sets of lesbian moms and it made us realize that we need more lesbian friends. Our friend who got married is a friend from way back (she and her then gf were the ones who conspired to get B and I together) and other than her, we have one or two lesbian friends-and only one that we hang out with on a "regular" basis. It was really nice to sit and talk with people who are like you. I gave one of them my email address to exchange pictures, so hopefully we can get to know them more. Too bad B and I lack any sort of athletic skill, or we could join some sports team and have lots of lesbian friends! The couples at our table had been together 14, 18, and 22 years! Amazing!

Oh, and in my dream last night, someone asked when I was due, and I said August. the only signifigance this has, in my opinion, is our first cycle we ever tried would have had us due in August and one online friend who tried at the same time as us got pregnant, so she is due in August (I was reading her post before bed). So Dana, I'm guessing Lilian will be born on August 10th, since that was the date that came to me in my dream!

More medication please...

Well, my sister's wedding is done and over, so now I can fully focus on this TTC business. The ceremony was nice and the reception was a blast. Everyone looked amazing, especially my sister (who almost seemed to be glowing the entire evening). But I am getting ahead of myself, and this is a baby blog, sooooo..we had our RE appointment on Thursday. She told us that my uterus and tubes are all clear and ready to go. I also had to have an std swab and now everything on the checklist is done. As of today(CD22), I have still not ovulated (or detected a surge), so if I do not bleed by June 11th I will take another (unnecessary) blood test to determine I am not pregnant and then start the pro.vera to induce the period. Then I will start on the clo.mid, ultra sounds, and trigger shot.

We need to order our sperm, ASAP and have it shipped to the RE's office. We have been holding off, in hopes of being able to get a bulk discount, but I just don't think we are going to be able to scrounge up that kind of money, especially not after my sister's wedding. B's insurance does cover 90% up to a lifetime max of $5000, but we have to pay out of pocket first and then get reimbursed. So we will just purchase our one or two vials and see what happens.

With this wedding being over, I can now tell my sister about our TTC plans. She knew we were going to start trying, but she has no idea of what we have been doing. When she gets back from Jamaica, I will fill her in. We will still not tell my mother, until we are actually pregnant because she would be asking way too many questions and telling way too many people. Plus, it would ruin the huge surprise when we actually do get pregnant.

I leave you with one picture from the wedding. Most faces are indistinguishable, so I feel comfortable posting it. If you are my friend in real life, check out my my.space for more!

In other news, today is Motor City Pride and we are excited to go. It's not going to be too hot or rainy!

CD17

Still no ovulation.
Perhaps it will take a while for this met.formin to work. Do the HSGs skew your cycles at all?
We have an appointment with the RE on Thursday (CD19). Perhaps she will jump start my period for this cycle too so we can start on the clo.mid and get this party started. I'd be happy with that decision.
Last night was our first HOT night of the season, and I still have not cooled myself down, even though it is now 50 degrees outside and all of the windows are open. I couldn't get to sleep because of the heat and was miserable. (This is not usually a problem for me, since I can sleep through almost anything!) I'd say after all the moving around, trying to find the coolest spot in the house, I got about 3.5 hours of sleep. Better than nothing, I guess! I just have to get through today and tomorrow and then I am off again for 4 days for the wedding.
11.5 more days of school
11.5 more days until the True Colors concert!

Catching up with me

In all the excitement of the NBC test, HSG, counseling, and camp, (oh, and the non-temping part), I have forgotten what CD I was on. I checked this morning, and it's CD12 today. Bring on those OPKs! I have never ovulated before CD21, but I start back on the Met.formin today (and have been taking it for almost a month) so we will see.
Next week is my sister's wedding. She is getting married in 7 days, I cannot believe it!
Next Thursday, besides being the rehearsal and pre-wedding crazy day, B and I will head over to the REs office to hear the official HSG results. Very busy week approaching!
I hope everyone has a great weekend!

I did it.

I took my National Board Certification test today. Now there is nothing I can do to control my results (that I have to wait for until November or December-6 months!). It is out of my hands now. I felt such a sense of relief when I left the testing center.
When we returned home (I carpooled today with B to work), Gracie had a crate full of diarrhea. Poor girl. That was sure fun to clean up...ew. B said, "can you imagine what its going to be like to clean this up when we have babies?" and I replied, "at least babies poop in diapers." She reminded me..."not always." =)
We don't want to leave her home alone, so I will venture off to "girls' night" at my sister's house and B will stay home.
Have I mentioned how much I love her, because I do. A lot.

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all of you gorgeous women out there who mother others....your own children, children of others, animals, students, parents, and grandparents. Each and every one of you are amazing in your own way.

Last night was my sister's bachelorette party and we had a blast. As a Mother's Day present to me, my body decided to end the night with a visit from AF. Luckily she didn't make her presence until after we got home and right before we got in the shower to wash the smelly smoke off of us.

I think it is very symbolic to start this cycle on Mother's Day, perhaps it will bring us luck in the coming months.

It's been a while.

As of yesterday, the hospital thinks that Mr. Brayden will be able to come home today. Awesome. He is such a handsome little fellow. I am so excited for his family.

In our baby-makin news...I have been off the pro.vera for 3 days now, so hopefully the blood will arrive shortly so I can schedule the HSG. My face is breaking out like crazy, so I hope it is a good sign. We have also narrowed down our donor selection to our top 4 and B will schedule our counseling appointment today. I'm still on the Met.formin...and haven't lost any weight (I was hoping for that side effect), but it will most likely be much easier next week when Teacher Appreciation Week is over. Apparently people like to appreciate teachers with delicious, yummy goodness.

My sister's wedding is so quickly approaching, 3 weeks from today. EEk. Her "personal shower" is tomorrow at my mom's friend's house. I love my sister, but I just want this wedding to be over. I have to keep reminding myself that this will be her only wedding, so I should be revelling in each moment, but it is very hard when we are so very busy.

I take my National Board test a week from tomorrow. I haven't studied. I think I am past the panic mode, so I will do what I can this week and accept the results. Since the questions are constructed response, it is hard to "study" per se, but I should be practicing, and I am not. Total slacker.

In two weeks we are taking all of our 5th graders to camp. I don't camp. The outdoors and I do not get along so well. This will be an experience. The 5th graders go every year and they look forward to it all year. At least there will be cabins, and running water...and it's only for 2 days and one night. I can handle it...hopefully.

Fred Phelps is coming to protest at my University today at noon. I wish I could join the counter-demonstrations. Hopefully the peaceful circle will drown out his hate-filled message.

So that's it for now.

CD22

Well that inkling I had about CD21...not so much. I spent most of CD21 at our local historic village with my sister. It was fun times, a lot of walking, and well, historical. Luckily, it was educator appreciation weekend, so everything was free. We even saw Sea Monsters 3D at the IMAX theatre. After the village and museum, we went back to my mom's house to work on favors for her wedding (it's approaching very quickly!). Then, hit up a closeout store for a few things. While there, they were having a closeout on a major drug store shipment. Everything was 70% off the ticketed price. Now my sister does not know that we are even TTC, but I couldn't pass up the Clear Blue Easy Digital 3 pack of tests marked $19.99 (ended up costing $6.00). I had to covertly place them in the cart. I had her checkout first and then sent her to get the car, not before she sent me off to the beauty aisle to price check her sun tan lotion and proceeded to unload my stuff onto the counter. Luckily, she didn't get too far,but boy was my heart racing. I was trying to think of what I would have said, but I think I would have probably just told her the truth. At least I didn't have to!
I haven't been able to temp the last few days because I have been up coughing and not sleeping. Last night I didn't get into bed until 4:30am. I was chillin' in my recliner downstairs, kind of half sleeping, so I wouldn't disturb B with my coughing and constant readjusting. Today we went to B's mom's house to help out with some chores and go out to eat. My OPKs have been very light, but the CM has been extra fertile-y today. Perhaps tomorrow? Time will tell.

12DPO-a bulleted post

• Temp was still up this morning (98.5), actually up one tenth of a degree from yesterday.
• I woke up with a sore throat, so I hope its a growing embryo and not an illness that is keeping my temp elevated.
• As B said last night, we are not testing again until Sunday. I am happy about that.
• We were dumped on by a late season Michigan snow. I am not sure of the totals, but it looks like about 4 inches outside.
• There are 3 schools closed so far. It's a little after 5, so I am guessing that I will not get blessed with an early spring break snow day.
• Have I mentioned how excited I am for Spring Break?
• My sister's shower is on Sunday.

And later, you will get to know exactly what is on my night stand, since I know you are so curious! < / sarcasm>

6DPO-An Emotional Mess

Funny thing is, I am not an emotional mess over TTC, its just everything that has been building up has come to a head.
I finished packing my National Board box yesterday and it is ready to ship! Yet, I am scared to ship it off, so much work has gone into that box, it is not even funny.
My sister's shower is one week from today. I had some family drama via the phone this morning that got me all worked up. My mother is insisting that my sister has a head table, even though she already told me that she didn't want one. Whatever. GRRR.
I am working on a slide show for said shower, and I can't get the music to load just right, so that is frustrating too.
I think I just need a nice shower and to head out for my errands. Or a nap. Maybe a nap would be good.


I had a dream two nights ago that I gave birth to a beautiful tiny baby (it was gender neutral in my dream). It was early and a surprise. I couldn't reach B and I was at my parents' house (where I grew up). It was nice to hold such a small little thing in my dream. However, bf'ing wasn't working in my dream and I was stressing about the kiddo getting enough to eat.

We have crosshairs!

Woot! Woot!
We are officially 3DPO. (I'm thinking 2DPO, but I'll go with FF)
This cycle began on January 29th.
According to FF, I O'ed on CD48 (March 16th)-I actually think it was in the wee hours of March 17th.
We insem-ed on CD48 and CD49.
Hopefully we have the luck of the Irish with us this time. Both my last name and KD's name are very Irish.
If we conceived this cycle, our estimated due date would be 12/07/2008-Pearl Harbor Day (Which has a wonderful connection to our relationship and we joke about it every year-not the death and destruction of the day that everyone else thinks about.)
Our test date is 3/30/08-Sis's Wedding shower day.

Timing

We are both feeling really good about the timing this time.
My temp jumped a little to 97.9 this morning.
I believe we are officially in the TWW. =)
Here's hoping the 3rd time's the charm!

If yesterday was the big O, then I would be 13DPO on my sister's wedding shower day. I will either be:
a. ecstatic since we got a positive pregnancy test
b. devastated since AF arrived
c. going crazy because neither a or b had happened yet

The cycle that would not end.

Today is March 1st. This cycle started in January. I have seen 3 calendar month pages over the course of this one cycle.

I'm on CD33. Last "month" which was really January, I O'ed on CD35. So perhaps I will detect a surge today. I'm really not that worried. I know we will become mothers when the timing is right.

I am trying not to get stressed about the lack of ovulation, and staying focused on what I need to get accomplished. My mind has been so preoccupied with National Board, graduation (why does my online audit say I am short 3 credits?!), tenure, sis's wedding/shower, and basic living that I do not have time to obsess over the OPKs or temp changes. I want to, strangely, but my brain will not allow it.

So for the rest of you on this TTC rollercoaster, I grant you the opportunity to over obsess this month! Do TWO OPKs..you know you want to! Test early and often! Pee on as many sticks as you can! Do enough for the both of us please.

CD3

CD1 was hellish. Horrible back cramps. It felt like there was a knife passing through my lower back into my uterus and out my front. Not so great.
We did purchase Vitex and I have been taking 35 drops for the past 2 mornings. Next month I will probably do both AM and PM.
It has seemed during this TOM time, I am not uber focused on my body, so I have time to stress over other issues..mainly my National Board work and my sister's wedding.
I guess its always something...2008 is already a packed year..well at least March/April/May already are!
In other news, we are supposed to get 10-12 inches tonight/tomorrow. I could use a snow day right about now!

CD17...waiting for the big O

• Day 3 of highs from the FM. I am half expecting a positive OPK today with ovulation tomorrow, but I don't know if it is intuition, or intense yearning that is driving that feeling.

• This morning my BBT alarm went off just as someone was handing me a little 17 day old baby boy to hold in my dream. It is weird what our brains remember isn't it?17 days old? Why was that an important fact for my brain to remember?

• Today I am going to spend the day working on my National Board entries with a possible side trip to Bath and Body Works for their Semi-annual sale. Not that we can afford such luxuries after Christmas, but its for my sister's shower, so I will be the good SOB/MOH and do my duties.

Mexican and Margaritas

Our dinner last night was super yummy...when we finally got home and were able to eat it.
We left the house at 5. We had a few errands to run:

• Bank
• Hall to book shower for sister's wedding shower (took forever here)
• Italian market for fixin's for dinner tonite (KD comes over every week or so for dinner and Jeopardy! Today we are having panini.)
• CVS for margarita mix and berry wine
• Then finally to pick up Mexican carry-out

We made it home just in time to catch Jeopardy! I took a picture of our spread, in hopes that it may be our last. Although we already decided that if Try#2 doesn't work out, we will do M&M AND get our hairs did. It's only fair right?

I am taking the advice from one of you commenters about not temping while AF is here. Gives my body and mind a little rest on this long 3-weeks-before-fertile-wait. If my past cycles are any indication, our next fertile opportunity will fall around Dec. 31st.

The week ahead

This is my feeble attempt to stay busy during our first ever TWW...
Monday-tutoring after school (2 different children and 2 different times), finish paper that is due on Tuesday
Tuesday-Staff meeting after school, Union meeting after staff meeting, pick up taste test dinner from hall for sister's shower
Wednesday-tutoring after school (possibly 2 children, but most likely 1)
Thursday-Perhaps staying after school for homework club, otherwise, nada.
Friday-Parent meeting after school, then nothing planned for evening
Saturday-Watch students in Nutcracker play, perhaps shopping with my sister
Sunday-Advent Tea at my mom's church

Finally!

We are officially on CD1! Hooray! I never thought I would be this happy to start my period at any point in my life. Fertility Friend did not detect any ovulation during that last cycle. However, I could have been tracking better I feel. There is a possibility that I didn't ovulate, but I also did not align all of my signs, nor was I able to test everyday of my potential peak window.












If you can see this chart (click for enlargement), what do you think?

Anyway, I am excited to start using our fertility monitor in conjunction with the OPK. I turned on the monitor this morning and the OPK sticks are on their way to our house. They should arrive by this weekend.

KD was able to get tested at the clinic last night and has a follow-up appointment next Tuesday for results. He is also sending off our donor agreement electronically to a lawyer friend today. Once that is returned and signed by all parties, we are set for lift-off.

Everything seems to be coming together nicely. Of course, this could be just due to Murphy's Law, since I purchased my bridesmaid dress for my sister's wedding (in May) on Saturday. My measurements put me in 3 different sizes....12, 18, and 20. I ordered the biggest size, in hopes, that if I am pregnant by then, it will still fit.