A year since we started IVF
It is so hard to believe that 1 year ago we were prepping for our egg retrieval. My last cycle was Jan 25th and then the shots began! We did our egg retrieval on Feb 15th, 22 eggs were retrieved and 5 days later we transferred 1 beautiful, perfect embryo. 10 of our eggs fertilized and 7 made it to a day 5 blastocyst stage. We almost transferred 2 embryos and more than likely if we would have, we would have twins right now. Then, we found out we were pregnant! It has been the hardest, most amazing journey that we have ever experienced and we are so much more grateful for our baby girl and eachother because of it. The progesterone shots were so extremely painful and the emotional journey was exhausting, but Thank you God, we now have the most adorable, sweet baby girl!
I know we will have to experience a large part of this journey again for #2 and we are excited about that, because we know together we can get through anything. We pray that our FET journey (when we decide to begin) will be just as successful!
6 weeks old!
Wow, time flies. I cannot believe my baby girl is 6 weeks old already. I am a little sad to think my maternity leave is halfway over, but I know it is for “our best”. Meaning- to each is own, but for me and Allan the most important thing for us is that our children have all the opportunities in the world. We want to provide them with a beautiful, loving home, the best schools and if they want to play sports, take acting classes, play an instrument or go to Harvard some day- we want to be able to provide that to them.
Some things I have learned from mommy hood are:
- It is AMAZING! You never can imagine how much you could love someone- and seeing your husband with your baby is the best feeling in the world
- You can never have enough bibs- spit up happens A LOT!
- You think you didn’t sleep while you were pregnant with the frequent pees, but ha, now you really don’t sleep! (Well, maybe not everyone, I am just a really light sleeper and it takes me a long time to fall asleep)
- Trust your instincts- if you think something is wrong with your baby, you are probably right
- You will co-sleep- maybe not for long, but we did it for a few hours every night the first month
- cutting babies nails is super duper frightening- do it at their first nap after bath time while the nails are soft
- Only the socks that are tight around the ankles will stay on- you are wasting money on the rest
- Losing the baby weight is HARD! my whole body still aches from the 9 months of pregnancy and the laboring. I am down 18 and have about 24 more to go, but they are not budging, the 18 came off after the first week just from fluid
5 days till due date!
OMG, I cannot believe we are to the 5 day countdown and our little girl is not here yet. I am begining to feel so discouraged, which I know is ridiculous and totally normal at the same time. She is sooo big and they have been saying this whole time she would be early, but so far, nothing. I have been soooo uncomfortable, having braxton hicks, horrible painful swelling and this EXTREME pressure on my cervix since she is sitting so low. I am about 70% effaced, but barely (1cm or less) dilated. Doc says for first time moms it is completely normal to not dilate much at all before labor begins, so I am hoping that is the case, but if she hasn’t come on her own by Monday we are scheduling a date sometime before next Thursday to get induced. It is super exciting to know that one way or another she will be here in a week, but scary too!!
At my appt on Monday they will of course check my progress and get a date (either Wed or Thurs) on the calendar to get induced. They will also be doing a growth ultrasound to check her approximate size and my fluid levels one last time.
I hope she will decide to come on her own. I would love sooner than later, b/c I am STRUGGLING! But…whatever happens, I feel confident we will have a happy, healthy baby by next weekend! 
Car seats & strollers
So we have our car seat installed and our stroller is ready. We still need to install the convertible car seat in the husband’s car, but we have the infant one ready to go. Here are the products we decided on. Continue reading
Seriously…carpal tunnel?
So yesterday was my 35 week check up and I told the doctor how my hands have been blowing up and they have been in a lot of pain. He did some short tests taping and bending my hands and confirmed I have carpal tunnel in both hands! Apparently the swelling is what is causing it and it is pretty normal in pregnancy. He wants me to wear double wrist support bands- he told me I can start with just wearing them at night, but if they still hurt after that I need to wear them 24/7. Not cute! I already can’t wear any of my shoes and wearing freaking flip-flops to work, now wrist bands too. Continue reading
Parenting for Dummies!
I don’t know about any of you, but my husband and I have been getting some good laughs when we are trying to put baby stuff together. The pack n play was the funniest. Between the 2 of us we spent 30 minutes and couldn’t do it, we had given it up and put it away and later that week my friend who is a mommy came over and showed us in like 1 minute. HA! This week we put the car seat adaptor on the stroller and we were able to figure that out better- but it definitely took the 2 of us combining brain power. This weekend we are to install the car seat in the car- wish us luck!
34.5 weeks
I cannot believe our little girl will be arriving soon. My gut still tells me she will be here between 37-38 weeks, but we shall see. I have my doctor’s appointment tomorrow and at last week’s she was in the 80%. My comfort level is getting worse and worse, which I guess is to be expected. I now not only have a butt constantly in my right rib cage, but I am also feeling an arm or something in my right hip bone. I feel like she is starting to drop because it is getting harder and harder to hold my pee during a laugh or cough (TMI I know!). Sleep has been a thing of the past and my fatigue is really kicking in again. Naps are easy, but I have a hard time squeezing those in. My fingers are so swollen they feel stiff and my feet barely squeeze into my shoes. I am still managing to walk, but my pace is definitely getting slower and slower. I am definitely starting to feel anxious and a little scared, but so excited too!
Recap of my baby shower
So I had my first baby shower this weekend. It was a sooo much fun. We had it at Tea, Leaves and Thyme and had the whole place to ourselves. The food was catered by the restaurant, the decorations were adorable and the turn out was great. I feel so blessed first of all for my amazing best friend who threw me this shower, also for all my wonderful friends and family who came to celebrate and mainly for the baby growing inside of me. Allan and I were both beyond grateful for the wonderful people who came. We got some awesome presents- gift cards, clothes, our touch screen monitor!!, bobby pillow, jumperoo, diaper genie, and tons of other things!! Here are some pictures.
Dear Gianna,
I can’t believe how time flies. In 10 weeks or less you will be entering this universe and changing me and your daddy’s lives forever! We can’t wait to meet you and just pray each and every day that you are a healthy, happy baby. We keep imagining what you will look like, but one thing is certain, we know you will be beautiful! Continue reading
People are all about the advice…
So listen, I am not an ungrateful person at all, but unsolicited advice or “2 cents” is not always needed. I don’t know if it is my pregnancy hormones or what, but people and their freaking 2 cents are so annoying. Continue reading