This Thanksgiving had me thinking about all I have to be thankful for this year, but also some memories of Thanksgiving 2 years ago and one of our more memorable IUI cycles. Seems like longer than 2 years ago.
We were in the middle of a cycle with letrozol with the new doctor. I think we were planning that this would be our last IUI before moving into donor eggs. I went in for my monitoring to find out that I had good sized follicles and would be ready for my trigger shot, but we wouldn't be able to do an IUI because this would put me ovulating on Thanksgiving day and the clinic would be closed. We were disappointed, but thankful that the meds for this cycle were cheap, and it's not like we could change anything.
So I gave myself the trigger shot and we were off to my sister's house for the holiday knowing that we would be trying on our own around 10:00 Thanksgiving morning. I hadn't decided how we would find some alone time yet. We spent Wednesday night hanging out and probably playing some games. Thursday morning us gals were working in the kitchen getting things ready for the day of cooking and eating. I suppose about 20 minutes before go time I sent Gav downstairs and said I would take care of making sure no one came downstairs. I told my sister and mom what was going on and they quickly turned all business in helping me out. They wanted this to work as badly as we did. They would stay in the kitchen and make sure no one came downstairs. I found out later this wasn't an easy task.
Thanksgiving morning 2011, we gave it our all on the air mattress in the living room of my sister's basement. And again that night. Of course 2 weeks later, we got a big fat negative. But a wonderful memory and a good story.
In 5 years of infertility, we've heard our share of "it will all work out" and "everything happens for a reason." While I under NO circumstance recommend this kind of talk to an infertile, I am starting to think about how all we went through is what brought us to Bayden. I'm even starting to be thankful for that journey. While I'll never forget the negative tests, the loss, the hurt, the bills, the fights, the shots; I am thankful for it all.
A few months ago when we were out with friends from Gav's work, I heard him talking to a guy who had been married for a year now and was saying how now everyone asks when the kids are coming. He was saying that they want to just be the 2 of them for a few years. I heard Gav telling how we wanted kids right away when we got married. It didn't work out that way for us, but it gave us 5 years of just us. It wasn't what we had planned, but we were able to do things that wouldn't have been able to do if we had kids right away.
While those 5 years were hard, they were also really good. I'm thankful for that time we had just the 2 of us and the all things we got to do. I'm thankful that it's the journey that brought us to the three of us.
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Saturday, November 23, 2013
7 Months
Took the picture and updating 7 months a little late. Lil miss has been pretty sick this week and not in the mood for pictures or blogging. She's had the sniffles a few times, but this was the first time it affected our sleep and had to stay home from daycare. Last Sunday I think we were up every half hour and I finally just held her in the rocking chair most of the night. The nights got a little better through the week, but her cough got worse and she wasn't eating well at daycare. She also had a few big spit ups from all the mucus. Doctor said she just has to fight it off, but gave us a prescription for a steroid given her "history" with breathing troubles to have at home if we need it to open her airways.
She saw her nicu doctor on Monday and no surprise, she still needs the monitor at night and napping. She is still having up to 17 second apnea spells and heart rate drops too. So, we will be going back again in December. She also saw the OT that day who graduated her as she is meeting milestones, but since we go back for her monitor we will see her again too.
She weighed 13 pounds 15 ounces. She is still nursing at home and having up to 6 ounce bottles, but smaller since being sick. She's been eating oatmeal, sweet potatoes, pears, banana, or squash twice a day. She has 2 teeth on the bottom.
She still mostly wears her 6 month clothes but we've put on some 9 months just to mix up her wardrobe. It's cuter when the clothes are snug though.
Rolling over still just happens rarely and on accident. She can sit up on her own briefly and she is doing more with her toys now. She waves her arms when she is excited and is starting to notice her furry brother, Benson, and thinks he's pretty funny.
She is talking a lot more now and the first word she understands is up. She starts to try and sit up if we say it when she's laying down. It's so funny so we have her do it all the time.
She saw her nicu doctor on Monday and no surprise, she still needs the monitor at night and napping. She is still having up to 17 second apnea spells and heart rate drops too. So, we will be going back again in December. She also saw the OT that day who graduated her as she is meeting milestones, but since we go back for her monitor we will see her again too.
She weighed 13 pounds 15 ounces. She is still nursing at home and having up to 6 ounce bottles, but smaller since being sick. She's been eating oatmeal, sweet potatoes, pears, banana, or squash twice a day. She has 2 teeth on the bottom.
She still mostly wears her 6 month clothes but we've put on some 9 months just to mix up her wardrobe. It's cuter when the clothes are snug though.
Rolling over still just happens rarely and on accident. She can sit up on her own briefly and she is doing more with her toys now. She waves her arms when she is excited and is starting to notice her furry brother, Benson, and thinks he's pretty funny.
She is talking a lot more now and the first word she understands is up. She starts to try and sit up if we say it when she's laying down. It's so funny so we have her do it all the time.
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| How cute are her leg warmers? |
Monday, November 11, 2013
Day Out for the Adults
Last Saturday was our first family day out; without the babies. My family loves to have fun and we still do with all the kids now, but we had been looking forward to an afternoon with some adult activities.
My parents were in town for the weekend because they were being recognized for their excellence in agriculture by the university in my town. We always joke with my dad about his love to hold the tired babies so he can nap too; and Howie already knows when its nap time to ask for grandpa. But he is the hardest working guy I know and he runs a farm with his uncle and cousin to provide (some would say spoil) for us. And we can't forget my mom who has packed lunches, made meals, drove truck, given rides and so much more to help that farm run. It was pretty neat that they were one of the farms recognized in our state.
As part of this honor, they got tickets to the college football game. We decided to get babysitters (3 of them) and enjoy an afternoon out. We had a great time with lots of laughs, a few drinks, tailgating, and a football game. The kids did great with the babysitters and I'm sure we'll do it again some day. We love these babies more than anything, but I think it's important to still have that time as a family without the kiddos too.
Mom and dad still spoil us by buying all our football tickets and paying the babysitters. It's not cheap to get 3 babysitters for 6 hours for 4 babies and a toddler either! Thanks for a great day mom and dad! We finished the weekend with the twins baptism on Sunday. A perfect weekend with lots of memories.
My parents were in town for the weekend because they were being recognized for their excellence in agriculture by the university in my town. We always joke with my dad about his love to hold the tired babies so he can nap too; and Howie already knows when its nap time to ask for grandpa. But he is the hardest working guy I know and he runs a farm with his uncle and cousin to provide (some would say spoil) for us. And we can't forget my mom who has packed lunches, made meals, drove truck, given rides and so much more to help that farm run. It was pretty neat that they were one of the farms recognized in our state.
As part of this honor, they got tickets to the college football game. We decided to get babysitters (3 of them) and enjoy an afternoon out. We had a great time with lots of laughs, a few drinks, tailgating, and a football game. The kids did great with the babysitters and I'm sure we'll do it again some day. We love these babies more than anything, but I think it's important to still have that time as a family without the kiddos too.
Mom and dad still spoil us by buying all our football tickets and paying the babysitters. It's not cheap to get 3 babysitters for 6 hours for 4 babies and a toddler either! Thanks for a great day mom and dad! We finished the weekend with the twins baptism on Sunday. A perfect weekend with lots of memories.
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| "Just go have fun, I'll be fine." |
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| "The babysitters will probably be more fun anyway." |
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| "We'll behave, don't worry." |
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| Momma's day out! |
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| Best farmers, parents, and grandparents! |
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Halloween
Just a few pictures of Bayden's first Halloween. She was a ballerina. Most of these are from daycare. They got some good ones, she wasn't in as much of the mood that evening after her party at daycare. Her party included painting pumpkins and a dance party! She was awake for the entire party; loves a party like her momma and daddy! I guess she really enjoyed painting too; that must be from the donor!
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Single Mom and a Tooth
Well, it started yesterday. I am now a single mom....
For the next 4 months or so. Gav started coaching hockey last night. He was asked to be the assistant coach for a local high school a few months back. He wasn't sure if he would have another chance to coach this level so he decided to go for it. Practice started last night and he has a busy schedule of practice and games through February. Last night he got home at 9:00 and was feeling bad that Bayden was in bed and he didn't get to see her yesterday. Wouldn't you know, something must have scared her last night around 10:30 and she started screaming. He got to snuggle and rock her back to sleep, that made him feel better! After this first week, he will be home earlier besides nights of games. Bayden and I will sure miss him in the evenings.
We will keep busy though. Last night I brought her along to the last night of my bible study. The gals love to pass her around and make her smile. Crazy to think that about a year ago, I put in a secret prayer request at bible study, "please pray for 2 early pregnancies" for my sister and I. Here we are a year later getting notes together for our babysitters this weekend for our first family day out without kids. My family is coming to town for a college football game. We have 3 gals coming to babysit 1 toddler and 4 babies! This year, I should have put in a prayer request for the babysitters!
In other news, Bayden is getting her first tooth. The nurse felt it last Monday when she was giving her oral immunization and we saw it the next day. She seems to be handling it pretty well, but it makes me sad that she's getting so big.
For the next 4 months or so. Gav started coaching hockey last night. He was asked to be the assistant coach for a local high school a few months back. He wasn't sure if he would have another chance to coach this level so he decided to go for it. Practice started last night and he has a busy schedule of practice and games through February. Last night he got home at 9:00 and was feeling bad that Bayden was in bed and he didn't get to see her yesterday. Wouldn't you know, something must have scared her last night around 10:30 and she started screaming. He got to snuggle and rock her back to sleep, that made him feel better! After this first week, he will be home earlier besides nights of games. Bayden and I will sure miss him in the evenings.
We will keep busy though. Last night I brought her along to the last night of my bible study. The gals love to pass her around and make her smile. Crazy to think that about a year ago, I put in a secret prayer request at bible study, "please pray for 2 early pregnancies" for my sister and I. Here we are a year later getting notes together for our babysitters this weekend for our first family day out without kids. My family is coming to town for a college football game. We have 3 gals coming to babysit 1 toddler and 4 babies! This year, I should have put in a prayer request for the babysitters!
In other news, Bayden is getting her first tooth. The nurse felt it last Monday when she was giving her oral immunization and we saw it the next day. She seems to be handling it pretty well, but it makes me sad that she's getting so big.
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