Still a honeydew

I guess she won't switch over to a watermelon until next week. Oh well.

One of my former students, (who is the daughter of one of the teachers in my school) said to her mom yesterday that I looked like a watermelon. She was referring to my pink shirt and green sweater, but it was too hilarious. Her mom almost peed herself in the hall as daughter kept backpedaling her words..."I meant your clothes, Ms M!" Too funny.

I was the fortunate recipient of some sort of cold for the past few days. Yesterday I had to cancel my tutoring after school and my intended visit to my dad (who had surgery yesterday to have more of his foot amputated), to go home and sleep. I slept for 3 hours, woke up for 3 hours, and then went back to bed. It was glorious. I am hoping today is better due to all of my rest.

B has a crazy schedule next week with inventory and a big author coming to her store. We probably won't see each other much, and I hate that. Luckily, it's her last crazy week until Nuggette arrives. (And if Nuggette happens to want to come during the crazy week, oh well for the store.)

December 9th

Tomorrow is the anniversary of our EDD for Sprout. We've come a long way. Last year was a pretty depressing Christmas season. I had no holiday cheer, we didn't have our baby, and I was not pregnant again. This year is completely different. We still don't have our little Sprout, but I know he is just another angel in heaven watching over his moms and his baby sister. I'm grateful for that.

Today I had my weekly blood sugar check-up. I was down another 2lbs and spilling ketones. I'm guessing I am not getting enough calories. Doc wants me to call the nutritionist tomorrow, so that's what I'll do. She's going to tell me to add more protein and fat...I'm pretty sure of it. So that makes my total weight gain for this pregnancy 4lbs. Tomorrow marks 21 weeks.

I am also having a weird (embarrassing!) side effect of pregnancy as well. For the past few days, I have had a vibrating vagina. I know, right? It's like I'm sitting on a cell phone. Totally weird. There is no rhyme or reason to when it happens. The doctor said it is probably baby related. I consulted Dr. Goo.gle and from what I found, a LOT of women experience this. It doesn't hurt. It's just more annoying than anything.

Tomorrow I work all day and then head to a banquet at night. I'm staying the night at a hotel with a former co-worker and going to a conference all day Friday. I'm looking forward to the sleep. =)

Oh, and I miss B. She is a retail manager, so this time of year she is super busy and works late nights. By the time she gets home, I'm in bed, ready for bed, or asleep. Just a few more weeks of this hellish schedule and she will be back to somewhat normal. I can't wait. =)

A bulleted post

I will update soon-ish, but for now, bullets

• Betsy is finally home safe (but her replacement flight home had to make an emergency landing in Pittsburgh because it hit a flock of birds). This put her home even later than expected.
• Summer school ends tomorrow. We will have a big family picnic with pizza. As much as I enjoyed summer school this year, I am glad it will be over shortly
• This weekend we are supposed to go away for a mini-vacation/birthday trip for B. Now I am not sure if it is happening or not.
• Tomorrow is our Tastefully Simple party. This will also be the first time many people will see our new house.
• Next week is Child/Teen week at church, in which I am partaking. It is a week-long training that will go toward my Certified Spiritual Educator certificate.
• Today is 11DPO. I went to the research doctor yesterday for my CD28 check-up. He said my lining looked great (12) and it looks like I ovulated from my left side.

PEAK!

CD25 and I got a PEAK!
Yesterday was a very positive OPK, so I was expecting it, but you never quite know with my body.
We did the insem last night and I will do another one after school today. Most likely, I will do one on Tuesday as well (depending on if I get a temp shift tomorrow or not).
This is so exciting.
I'm off the Met and waiting to be put into that study (the nurse emailed me last week to set up my initial appointment). I can't wait to tell her that I can't be in the study because I am pregnant. I'll have the confirmation in just 2.5 short weeks! Woot.
In not so exciting news, today it is back to work/school for both of us. This was a work-filled vacation, but we sure did reap the benefits of our hard work!

So excited

I'm so excited about this TWW. I am ever hopeful that it will end most perfectly. Today I had my temp shift, so the timing looks like it was perfect. I will continue to temp to confirm ovulation and to keep FF happy!
For those of you that have been reading us for a while, you may remember that on the day we found out we were pregnant with Sprout our van was broken into and someone attempted to steal it. That was the day that my dad was going in for surgery as well, and both of us had to take an unexpected day off.
Yesterday (our EDD for Sprout..and possibly our conception day for this new little Buttercup) was very similar. I loaded up Raiter (B's Vibe) and headed out the driveway to school. I got to the end of our block and the check engine light went on and it nearly stalled. I pressed the accelerator and nothing happened. With the grace of God I was able to coast the car around the block and park in back in front of our house. Previous to this, B and I have been trading off being sick for the past 2 months. She has had most of the sickness. (basic cold/strep/etc.) Anyway, she hadn't slept at all that night (coughing) so she ended up staying home with the car and I took the van to work.
Today it is my turn. I was supposed to have a seminar today, but it was cancelled due to the weather at the last minute yesterday afternoon. Since I would hate to put perfectly good sub plans to waste, I am embracing the opportunity. It really did work out quite well.
My plan for today is to get caught up on grading...my stack is huge and possibly get some dishes done (boy have they been piling up!)

More Beta Results...

So lasts Saturday's draw determined that my level was 88. Double digits! Woot! Although not less than 5, it's going down at a rate I can't complain about. I go again either tomorrow or Saturday. I have to call the hospital and see when the lab is open due to the holiday.

B is working today, and then off the next 3 days for the holiday weekend. Love it. Then she goes back to work for Monday and is off for the next 9 days. (We were originally going to go to Washington State to see her nephew get married, but plans change...)

Yesterday was my first official day out and kinda back to work. I tutored one child in my classroom (which is already cleaned and all furniture moved back-score one for the custodians!). It was nice to be in the building with no one else (except those awesome custodians-that even got me 2 extra bookcases for all of my books!). As I was going through some things, I was even able to get some books on the shelves and some furniture moved...already getting ready for next year. I went out to lunch with a couple of friends from school and hung out at one of their houses for the afternoon (She's a fellow teacher and I had her daughter in my class last year). Then a few more stops and off to my po.ke.no card club. I didn't win. =(

I was gone the whole day, but so happy to get home around 9pm. My head was pounding, so I took some Tyl.eno1 PM and went to bed.

Yesterday we were also tagged by N over at Two Hot Mamas for a meme.

For the Kreativ Blogger award the rules of acceptance are simple: list seven things you love and then pass the award to seven blogs you love.

So..here it goes...
Things I Love
1. B
2. Our animals
3. Playing around on the computer
4. Children's books
5. School supplies
6. Getting mail
7. A clean house

7 blogs I love...
1. 2 Moms-It Can be done!
2. Adding Baby
3. Creating a Miracle (Although when I refreshed her blog to get the link, I see that she has already been tagged!)
4. Amy and Melissa's Baby Blog
5. Our Life
6. Equation of Hope
7. And like N over at Two Hot Mama's, I tag YOU. My blog list is far too long to list everyone..but I'd love to hear about what you love and the blogs you read!

First day

Today is my first day home alone, since B went back to work today. She was very nervous about leaving me, but I know I will be fine. I just hope she was ready to return to work. I reminded her yesterday night that she could come home at any time, but I know she would feel guilty about leaving. I know she has a lot of work to do, so hopefully it will keep her busy and her mind occupied.
I had a dream last night that I was shopping for maternity clothes with my sister. When the sales person asked when I was due, I said December, and then quickly had to change my answer to March (physically not possible..but hey, it was a dream). I was sad in the store for a second, but was ok afterward. I can see these little reminders popping up throughout the year and through subsequent pregnancies, and I know I will never forget our little Sprout or the 15 weeks s/he was with us.

Emotions

Emotions are high in our household right now.

J's hormone levels are surging, meaning that her reactions to even the smallest thing leave her in heaving sobs of despair. For example, the Dr. O.Z. goodbye on Opr.ah this afternoon. I find it utterly endearing, not to mention reassuring that her body is doing what we both expected it to.

On a more serious note, a co-worker of mine is going through tremendous heartache right now. I have worked with her for nearly 10 years, and she is one of the most vibrant, life-loving people I have ever met. Her daughter was married a few years ago and was due last week with the first grandchild of the family. Something went horribly wrong when on Thursday she had an emergency cesarean and they found out that the placenta had failed. The baby girl was severely distressed when it was born, with multiple organ failure and severe brain damage. It survived just four days on life support until they made a decision as a family to take her off of the ventilator and she passed away last night.

As far as I know, there was no indication of distress in the entire pregnancy. This was a complete fluke. It is my absolute.worst.nightmare. My co-workers and I are completely heartbroken for our friend. She was so excited to finally be a grandmother. Everyone was ready to welcome this baby into the family. And now they are reeling from the tragedy.

In the Unity faith we believe that there is a divine presence guiding life, and that everything happens for the ultimate good. I have been trying to see the good in this but I just can't. It seems so senseless to me that this should happen to amazing, kind, loving people.

I've already resigned myself to the inevitable and perpetual worrying that comes with motherhood. But as a mother in-waiting, this absolutely terrifies me.

9 Weeks

I can't believe we are here. 9 weeks. The babies on our tickers/widgets actually look like little babies! So amazing. We bumped our due date back a couple of days based on the measurements at the ultrasound, but we do know everything is tentative.
The last two nights I haven't woken up to pee until 3:45am, so I just stuck it out for the half an hour until the alarm went off. I have woken up ravenous though. Like I NEED TO EAT RIGHT NOW.
Yesterday B told her boss and I told one other teacher at work. Now 2 of the 3 teachers on my team know. I am hesitating telling the other one, because she is a bit of a gossip. I just know as soon as she knows, the rest of the school will too. I wanted to tell her sooner rather than later because her bachelorette party is next weekend and I want her to know why I will not be hitting up the smoky club with the rest of the gals. I don't know if I will tell her before then or not, I think based on the person I am, she wouldn't think twice about me NOT going anyway (I will still be going for present opening and dinner). I do know, however, that she is suspicious that I may be pregnant and has asked our other team teacher. She has tried to ask me semi-directly, but I avoid the question, or answer vaguely and then change the subject. My canned response I have ready in case she asks again, "It's too soon to tell." Sounds good, right? We have 3 weeks until 5th grade camp, and I would like to tell her there. =)

Telling work

Thanks for all the kind words about our first baby pic! Isn't Sprout adorable?! Of course we have no idea which end is which but that heartbeat sure was fantastic. =)

On Friday evening I got a call from my boss on my cell phone. I jokingly asked him "what do you WANT?" and he laughed and told me that he wanted to let me know that I had been promoted to a training manager. Which is awesome because a) PROMOTIONOMGTHANKYOULORD! and b) it's something I've been asking to do ever since I started this job 3 years ago. The timing really couldn't have been more perfect, and I am definitely counting my blessings.

I decided after that conversation that in order to be fair to him and my store (I work retail), I was going to tell him today about our pregnancy rather than wait until 12 weeks. It's only a few weeks' difference but since the news about the promotion just came to light I though I better let him know now.

I waited until our office was empty this afternoon, then said that I needed to tell him something. He got kind of quiet and hesitantly said, "okaaaay?" I told him that J and I had been trying for the past year and a half to get pregnant, and that yesterday we found out that we are 8 and a half weeks along. His eyes got really big and he immediately congratulated me. He said even though he's a conservative he is really supportive of kids having two loving parents no matter who they are, and that he's really happy for us. He also said that he's not worried about me being off in December (obviously the busiest time in retail) because I don't usually do much of my "real" job; they put me on the sales floor to help out on register and stuff so it would be relatively easy to replace my hours. I showed him our ultrasound pic and he kept saying "this is so cool" over and over. He asked if we did AI and wondered aloud if it was really expensive. I told him that we had tried going through a fertility clinic for one cycle but it was too expensive, even though our insurance covers some of the costs, and that we did most of the cycles on our own. I didn't volunteer any details, but if he asks I'd tell him. He was relieved that I kept having to leave early for "doctor's appointments" for a good reason and not illness related, LOL. On my way out for the day he congratulated me again.

I am *so* relieved that I finally got to share the news with him. We have such a great working relationship (he's even my Face.book friend) so it's been hard to keep this a secret. I'm going to tell the rest of the managers on an as-needed basis, but the rest of the staff won't find out until the end of the month. My boss agreed to keep things mum until I gave the okay.

PHEW!