No More Secrets!

So I told work today...the news is out! We had a dept meeting today so I decided since we saw baby on Saturday and everything looked good, might as well tell the group while we were all together! Everyone was excited (well as excited as men can be...my group is about 85% men!) and said that explained my absence at all the summer Happy Hours, ha!

Next big appt is on Wednesday for my 12 week OB appointment. After that we will be on monthly visits until time gets closer. Still waiting for the results from the scan plus the bloodwork but I am assuming everything is okay or else someone would have called. Now we just wait...we are ready to know whether this little one is a Hannah or a Zach!

Oh, and I am feeling better too. I really think it was a stomach bug or flu, but whatever it was, I am glad it is OVER! :)

Dr visit=GOOD; Afternoon=BAD

Good always comes first! Had our appt. today at noon for the NT Scan. Ultrasound Tech looked around for prob 20minutes! We got to see feeties, fingers, stomach, spine, face....all kinds of stuff, very cool! The baby however is definitely a Wittliff, STUBBORN! They are looking to take a measurement of the back of the neck. Baby was swimming around and squirming but only wanting to show us face! So.....got dressed and tech saw a couple other patients and we came back in. Baby had flipped around so they were able to get what they needed. Measurements came out good. Dr will combine with blood results and give us our ratio for issues. Heartbeat was 154 so feeling and looking good!

Now for the bad...I woke up this morning after a fitful sleep not feeling too hot. Sweet Matt got me breakfast tacos so I ate that before we went. Afterwards, we went to lunch at Texadelphia and I got the turkey sandwich. Still wasn't feeling too good and told Matt I really needed to nap thinking I was just tired. Well.....nap at 230 turned in to 7pm and still feeling like CRAP. Long story short, I have been throwing up tonight now and nothing makes me feel better! It feels almost like the flu? Anyone preggos every have this? Should I be worried? Trying to drink Sprite and water but that comes back up and had Matt get me sorbet and Popsicles but about two bites and just too SWEET. UGH! So, I continue to lie in bed and hope this goes away. Should I call my doc tomorrow?

Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

A little visit!

Yesterday I had the pleasure of going to visit the little princess Katie! What a treat...I popped over at just the right time! Mom and dad were both home so I got to visit them AND Miss Katie was awake AND I got to feed her! Becky is pumping so they alternate between mom and the bottle for feedings. Seems to be a pretty cool plan so dad gets to do some feedings too. She was showing off for me by not fussing or anything while I was there, just looking cute!

I do marvel at the natural intuition that takes over moms! While Becky decided Katie needed burping or cuddling or what not, I asked, "How did you know that?" I think she said "you just do" or something to that nature... But will I? At like Jr High age, I was babysitting a newborn and an elementary aged siblings. I guess since I haven't really been around babies besides the recent year with Alex and Jackson being born.....I feel maybe I lost my touch? And even when Alex and Jack arrived...I guess I didn't ponder this thought as much since I wasn't pregnant yet. But will I know "just what to do"? Mom told me yesterday that she plans to take off a couple of weeks when LLBean arrives and I think I am looking forward to having an "experienced veteran" around. If nothing else to say, "that's normal", "you are doing a good job", or "here, let me change the diaper"! I am looking forward to the latter the most. Mom said Dad needs a few shifts too...back in the Northwoods days...my dad worked every Sunday in the church nursery. They called him the baby charmer because he could get any baby to calm down. Days dad wasn't in the nursery he was definitely missed!

So I digress.....back to the point. Katie and Becky are doing great. Becky is recovering well and Katie has her first check-up on Friday. Holding that little bundle of joy definitely makes me excited about our growing family! Andy was quite cute to watch as well and is totally smitten. I can't wait to see Matt like that too, he is going to make a great daddy!

My How They Grow!

Wow, just in one week, the baby looks to me double the size and its flipped! That's right...our little Aquarius is swimming along in there! We have gone from just over an inch to about an inch and a half to two inches! Mom and Daddy are tall so I'm guessing 2 inches already! ;) Here is a little blurb of what's going on with the baby this week. Pretty amazing! Plus, as of last week we are "officially" a fetus too and no longer an embryo!

Your fig-sized baby is now fully formed — measuring 1 1/2 inches long and weighing in at a quarter of an ounce. His skin is still transparent, allowing many of his blood vessels to show through. Some of his bones are beginning to harden, and tiny toothbuds are starting to appear under his gums. His fingers and toes have separated, and he may soon be able to open and close his fists. He's already busy kicking and stretching, and his tiny movements are so fluid they look like water ballet. These movements will increase as his body grows and becomes more developed and functional. As his diaphragm develops, your tiny tenant may also start to get the hiccups. Because he's still so small, though, you won't feel any of his workouts or intrauterine gulps until sometime between weeks 16 and 20.

Today was also my last visit with the RE. At 12 weeks, I fully entrusted to my OB now. While I was sad to say good-bye, my nurse reminded me that "getting the boot" is a good thing! Me and baby are to the point where they feel we are okay on our own and without the weekly ultrasounds! (I may miss that most...I love seeing my little one every week!) So we had lots of hugs all around and they asked me to let them know the gender when we find out as well as bringing the baby by after he/she is born!

We are having the first of our pre-natal testing done this Saturday. Its called the Nuchal Translucency (click for more info) and it's an early scan for downs syndrome and some other chromosomal defects. While the results won't give us a yes or no, they will give us a ratio of odds for issues. We pray nothing is wrong, but the test will allow for us to educate ourselves and prepare if heaven forbid there was. One of the other advantages is the ultrasound is done on a very high resolution screen so we should get some good pics!! After that, I have my regular 12 week OB appointment on Aug 1st and then I am set for monthly appts for awhile.

So, I am only a few days left until 12 weeks and almost to my second trimester! I am relieved and excited!

And for what you are all waiting for...the picture! About a month or so more to go and we should be able to tell if this little one is a Hannah or a Zachary (that's what we are leaning towards now)!

Last but not least...please say an extra prayer for Ginny and Jeff tomorrow morning at 9:30am! They have 3 embryos that fertilized and have not heard anything from the doctor, so we are assuming all are develping just as they should. With that said, they will transfer 2 back into Ginny tomorrow morning where hopefully one (or two!!) will stick around for the next 9-10 months!!

A basket full!

Got a good report from the ginster, the doc retreived 18 eggs and 16 were good! Now the doc starts the fertilization and then they will transfer the eggs back to Gin on Wednesday! For those not in the IVF know....this is a lot of eggs and very good response to the meds! Now we just keep praying for good fertilization and then for one or TWO to implant! Come on baby Hawkeyes!! :D

Welcome baby Katie!!!

Today was a good day.....I had a dr appt at 12:30 today and since my friend Becky was at the hospital accross the street in labor and we hadnt heard from her since 9:30am....I decided to be a stalker and stop on by! Well, as I turned the corner into the waiting room, there was her mom, susan who yelled, "She's here!" Katherine Elizabeth arrived at 12:36pm today and weighing 6lbs 6 oz. So excited for Becky, Andy and little Katie! We haved waited a long time for this little miracle and it was pretty cool to be the first Auntie to meet her!! It was neat visiting too as it is the same hospital where I will deliver so I enjoyed checking it out!

My friend Ginny goes in for her egg retrieval tomorrow morning (part of IVF) and am sending lots of prayers her way! So praying for success and for her to be right behind me in pregnancy! We have already been plotting our unborn children's play dates and hopefully they will be occurring in Houston sooner than later so I am ready for this! Good Luck Gin!

And last, I finally learned how to scan. Attached is a pic of LL Bean at 10w3d. I need to scan some others just to compare how quickly they grow! Any gender guesses???

Thats it for now! I have way too much energy for this late...but its been a good day!

I think pregnancy makes you manic.......

So today I think I have run the complete gamut of emotions..........One minute I am grinning ear to ear, the next minute I am trying to stifle my tears at my desk! Its like a 24/7 PMS!

Now to start with the good ones first:

1. One of my dearest friends is being admitted to the hospital tonight to be induced tomorrow morning!! I seriously think I MAY be almost as excited as she is! We have struggled through infertility together and she has graciously allowed me to share in all her pregnancy highs and lows. I think when I hold sweet Katie in my arms tomorrow, I may be crying as much as Becky! Happy Early Birth Day Katie! (plus she is our first girl which is pretty cool too!)
2. Gin is triggering tonight!!! That is super exciting cause that means Friday is the ER and little hawkeye is getting closer to creation!! I'm ready for another preggo buddy!
3. While looking through my brother's wedding pictures again today, I get teary eyed thinking about how excited I am to have a new sister in law and that I have never seen my big bro more happy. That's a good feeling! They are going to make a great Aunt & Uncle!
4. On the train of weddings...one of my bestest friends is getting married in 17 days! I am so excited for Al and to be part of her special day! She is going to look gorgeous!
5. I am 10w3d pregnant! This one makes me SMILE every day! Sometimes I catch myself smiling for absolutely no reason and realize I have been not working and instead day dreaming about being a mommy, making Matt a daddy to a non-furry baby, and of course finally having our folks be Grandparents!! Although I have my nervous freak outs still, I am feeling very blessed and am SO absolutely humbled and THRILLED to be carrying this baby in my belly! (which by the way I still think is a girl...once I hit 12 weeks I am sending out a poll!)
6. While at the book store thumbing through Billy Crystal's "I Already Know I Love You", I started crying happy tears! How amazing to love something the size of a strawberry and to know how many other people already love this child too! That's a "cool feeling"!

And the sad stuff:

1. One year ago yesterday we lost a sweet angel, Jake, my friend's 8 month old nephew. My heart aches for them because I know the pain is just as real as it was then. I pray for peace for them and to feel His comfort. It's been a tough year and I just want them to know that although Jake is gone he is never forgotten!
2. Thinking of Jake always gets me thinking about Rach....the last couple of weeks have been tough! I think with my baby news and Al's impending nuptials, her absence is much more felt by me. So many times I want to call her and catch up! I still feel so cheated that she left us so soon and think I maybe always will? I know she is the gaurdian angel Auntie to this baby I am carrying and I am thankful for that! I am also thankful for her parents who continue to be in our lives and help to keep her memory alive....but I still wish she was here........
3. I have a weird freckle. Yes, compared to #1 and #2 it sounds trite, but it is unnerving me a bit. I need to go see a dermatologist to get it checked out and probably a couple others too. Why is the weird freckle a big deal now? Because what if it's the big C? How do you deal with that while being pregnant? AHH!
4. I'm still in the scary stage of pregnancy. I think how happy and excited and thrilled I am and then realize that there is still that chance that something could go wrong? I think its one of those battle scars of being an infertility patient....we over worry and stress because we aren't naive because it has taken us a long time to get to where we are....oh, I could go on and now!

But after all that, I remember that the good outweighs the bad! I do worry that I drive my poor hubby crazy though with the whirlwind of emotions! Luckily the poor souls at work get to experience my manic-ness more than my hubby does!! Muuuwaahhahahahaha! ;)

Wedding Bells were Ringing!!

We just got back Sunday night for a great, although too short weekend in Playa del Carmen! My big bro finally married sweet Kellianne and I couldn't be any happier! We had a great time and the wedding was beautiful! Although not partaking in all the frosty drinks was a bit of a bummer at times, I enjoyed not being hung over. Some of the bartenders were confused by the request for no alcohol in the beverages....but usually the sign for preggo belly got the message across finally! Matt and I were upgraded to a Casita Suite the first night and it was fabulous! Unfortunately we got the boot to our regular room the next day but we enjoyed the lap of luxury for a day! The best part was the outdoor shower...I wish we had one!!

anyway, the wedding was really was great and I have never seen my brother happier. So excited for Kellianne to be a part of the family and to have been able to share in the occassion!!

Title............."RELEASED!!!!"

So, today I am officially a normal OB patient. Went to see the RE today and all looks good! LLBean is looking more like a fat blob with arms rather than a lizard or alien and I am most excited about that! Gill said I could stop all my meds and the messy progesterone can start to be weened off too. Basically, when I am ready, I am free to stop coming to see him. It is a great reassurance to me though to be able to jot out at lunch at 11:45, get a quick stick with the wand and see that my baby is still in me and growing and little heart just beating away! So I laughed and said if it was okay, I would like to stick around till 12 weeks. He of course obliged. But as any IF patient knows, the day of being "released" to your normal doctor is a huge milestone. I still cannot believe I have made it this far!

On appt days I always wear my charm bracelet...and like Rainman-esque, I rub my "Expect a Miracle" and "two peas in a pod" charm while I say a little prayer. It gives me comfort. One of the toughest parts of being in these early months is you just cant tell!

Anyway, I am happy to be "normal" and looking forward to my weekend of virgin drinks and my brother's wedding!!

A quick update.........Today I am 8w4d pregnant. Last week, we met my regular doctor for the first time since last summer. It was great to be "welcomed" back as a patient and see the remodeled office! I love my OB and their whole practice and am excited to be back! At the same time, I LOVE our RE, Dr Gill and will be both excited and sad to be released at 12 weeks. I am definitely spoiled with my weekly ultrasounds and it is so cool to see how much Baby Wittliff grows in just one week! From last week to this week, the yolk sac was less visible, baby has arm and legs "buds" AND we HEARD the heart beat! I am not sure which was cooler...seeing the heart beat for the first time or hearing it. Either way, both are super cool and amazing and we are so blessed and excited to be this far!

Here I am!

I began "one of these" over a year ago when Matt and I started on this crazy roller coaster ride called TTC (Trying to Conceive) but I never kept up with it. So I am going to try again now that we have some good news to blog about! One of my be-fris, Ginny, started her blog about her IVF experience so we decided we would blog together and encourage one another on the way!

Here we are, a little more than year later, and we are FINALLY pregnant! Excited, scared, humbled, blessed, nervous, anxious, over-joyed are all words that describe my emotions...and often on a daily basis! I hope this site gives me a place to vent my crazy hormonal musings and saves Matt's sanity as well...not to mention keeping those who are interested updated!

So here goes....hope you enjoy! If I can figure out the scanner, I'll get some pics on here soon!