Picture a swank hotel inhabited by the most gorgeous guests in the world. A tattooed model-like man lounges shirtless in the hallway to get better cell phone reception. Every woman is dressed in identical knee-high black boots with three-inch heels. Even the man at the front desk is metrosexualed within an inch of his life, [...]
Infertility
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Stirrup Queens
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162nd Friday Blog Roundup
6 Nov 2009 | 5:07 am -
The Golden Haiku
5 Nov 2009 | 1:17 pmBefore we start, please read through this whole long post because there are some small details you need to follow in order to have this run smoothly. Those in the adoption/loss/infertility community know that I’ve created the Creme de la Creme list for the past four years, a compilation of a single post from every participating [...] -
The 77th Circle Time: The Show and Tell Weekly Thread
4 Nov 2009 | 4:16 pmShow and Tell is wasted on elementary schoolers. Join several dozen bloggers weekly to show off an item, tell a story, and get the attention of the class. In other words, this is Show and Tell 2.0. Everyone is welcome to join, even if you have never posted before and just [...] -
3 Nov 2009 | 10:25 am
3 Nov 2009 | 10:25 amThe Creme de la Creme is a project solely for the adoption/loss/infertility (ALI) community. The list is currently open. The Golden Haiku is an all-encompassing blogosphere project and anyone who wants to can participate. Click over to both projects to read more. -
Time to Start Cranking Out the Creme de la Creme
2 Nov 2009 | 6:01 pmFor the fourth year running, it is November and time to kick off the Creme de la Creme list for 2009. If you’re unfamiliar with the project, read on to understand. If you’ve participated in years past, you know how much fun the list is when its revealed on January 1st. So, I hereby declare [...]
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Wishing4One
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I guarantee this never happened to you
6 Nov 2009 | 1:57 amWent and gave blood for immune tests. Results in Tuesday. Here everything is bargainable. Not just in the souk (outdoor) type shopping, even in malls, in some stores, you ask "is there a discount?" and they discount the price. Well I was totally joking when I asked the lab guy "is there a discount" and sure enough he discounted the total price by like 100 Egyptian pounds! Super S was with me and he could not believe it, we could not believe it!!! God Bless Cairo man, I swear. -
Mommies and Stuffed Cabbage
2 Nov 2009 | 8:37 pmYesterday was a fun day here in Cairo. The weather is feeling more like Fall, still low 80's and sun in the daytime and getting down to like 50 at night, perfect huh, I know. So Monday started out with lunch with two of Super S's sisters and his aunt. They made mashy crump (cigar sized stuffed cabbage leaves) something I don't make too often (cause its a pain in the.... i mean really a long process) and his aunt makes them amazing so whenever anyone is making this we always get invited cause they know Super S loves it! Then we all went to one of Super S's nieces house. She is… -
Just spreadin some love
2 Nov 2009 | 4:42 amAll we need is a little LOVE! This award is about sisters uniting together and giving others some love because life is hard and who couldn't use a little love? The rules for this award is simple. I LOVE YOU = 8 letters which gives you 8 rules :) Here are the rules: 1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award and write a little bit about why you love them. 2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog. 3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award. 4. Nominate no more than 17 people (why 17, not sure?) who you love or you think could use some love. 5. -
Fertility Decision Making Survey
31 Oct 2009 | 2:51 pmI just completed this survey. It is a bit long, but hey if it can help at all in the field that I am such good friends and so very familiar with, I am all for it!Visit here if you want to take it. -
Sleigh bells ring are you listening...
29 Oct 2009 | 10:06 amSo its almost official. I am packin' my bags and headin' home for a month or so. (exciting, cause I can catch holiday sales and eat holiday inspired goodies and drink holiday flavored coffees. btw i don't do christmas anymore, some of my family does- but I ABSOLUTELY LOVE the time, always have!) Don't judge me k? Don't ask me why either- k, thanks. LOL!!! So here's the plan .... 1. I do immune testing now, in next few days and get results in like 10-14 days 2. I go home in early December come back to Cairo early January 3. Take immune test results with me in case I…
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ScienceDaily: Fertility News
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Disrupting Male Fertility
1 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pmThe sexual function of male rodents can be impaired by in utero and/or neonatal exposure to external molecules such as DES that disrupt normal hormone functioning, giving rise to concerns that low-level exposure to such molecules might cause similar effects in humans. New research, to be published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, has determined the molecular mechanism underlying many of the harmful effects of DES on the mouse testis. -
Stem Cells Changed Into Precursors For Sperm, Eggs
29 Oct 2009 | 11:00 amHuman embryonic stem cells derived from excess IVF embryos may help scientists unlock the mysteries of infertility for other couples struggling to conceive, according to new research. Researchers at the school have devised a way to efficiently coax the cells to become human germ cells -- the precursors of egg and sperm cells -- in the laboratory. -
IVF Insurance Coverage Yields Fewer Multiple Births, Researchers Find
23 Oct 2009 | 5:00 pmThe proportion of in vitro fertilization multiple births was lower in the eight states that provide insurance coverage for couples seeking IVF treatment, primarily due to fewer embryos transferred per cycle, researchers report. -
Fetal Study Highlights Impact Of Stress On Male Fertility
22 Oct 2009 | 8:00 pmExposure to a combination of excess stress hormones and chemicals while in the womb could affect a man's fertility in later life, a study suggests. Researchers looked at the effect of stress hormones -- glucocorticoids -- combined with a common chemical used in glues, paints and plastics. They found that the combination strikingly increased the likelihood of reproductive birth defects. -
Identifying Metabolism Of Healthy Embryo Could Improve Infertility Treatment
22 Oct 2009 | 11:00 amEmbryos that are most likely to result in a pregnancy are crucial to the success of in vitro fertilization (IVF) but are difficult to identify. Researchers are now developing a fast, noninvasive test to help assess embryo viability for IVF.
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Fertility News From Medical News Today
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Hard Training Reduced Fertility
7 Nov 2009 | 1:00 amAre you a female athlete or just someone who likes challenging workouts -- who also wants to get pregnant? It may make sense to ease off a bit as you try to get pregnant. New research from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) shows that the body may not have enough energy to support both hard workouts and getting pregnant. -
New Study Reveals Women Have Difficulties Identifying When They Are Most Fertile, UK
6 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am1 in 6 British couples now face problems conceiving, so maximising the chances of natural conception by identifying precisely when ovulation occurs is critical. A new study by DuoFertility showed that 73% of women that are trying for a baby are tracking their ovulation to help them conceive and that 93% use their fertility clues as indicators of it. However, the study also revealed that most women trying to conceive do not know how to recognise their body's fertility signs adequately. -
Tiny Injector To Speed Development Of New, Safer, Cheaper Drugs
5 Nov 2009 | 5:00 amIt's no bigger than a stamp packet but it has the potential to allow rapid development of a new generation of drugs and genetic engineering organisms, and to better control in-vitro fertilization. Engineering researchers at McMaster University have fabricated a palm-sized, automated, micro-injector that can insert proteins, DNA and other biomolecules into individual cells at volumes exponentially higher than current procedures, and at a fraction of the cost. -
Obesity Significantly Cuts Odds Of Successful Pregnancy
5 Nov 2009 | 12:00 amObese women are as much as 28 percent less likely to become pregnant and have a successful pregnancy, according to research that earned a Michigan State University professor a national award. The findings by Barbara Luke, a researcher in the MSU College of Human Medicine's Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, focused on data of nearly 50,000 women using assisted reproductive technology. -
New Clinical Guidelines For Egg Freezing In The UK
3 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pmThe British Fertility Society (BFS) and Association of Clinical Embryologists (ACE) have issued new guidelines in the journal Human Fertility on the effectiveness and safety of egg freezing for medical purposes. These guidelines follow a thorough review of published research on different technologies used in egg freezing and present a number of recommendations to UK clinics as follows: -- Egg freezing is an emerging technology with promising initial results.
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Infertility News
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Trying to Have a Child
6 Nov 2009 | 7:47 amIt can be one of the most painful or one of the most joyful experiences of your life. -
The Two Words Infertile Couples Don't Want to Hear
5 Nov 2009 | 7:42 amThey could be the most annoying two words a couple can hear while trying to conceive: "Just relax!" It feels like an impossible directive. -
Document on Married Love and Reproductive Technology on Agenda for...
4 Nov 2009 | 7:26 amA proposed document from the U.S. bishops' Committee on Pro-Life Activities looks at the relationship between sex and procreation and the moral issues surrounding various technologies for treating infertility, including in vitro fertilization, embryo adoption and surrogacy. -
2-Nov-09 - U.S. Bishops To Urge Ethical Infertility Treatments, Seek...
2 Nov 2009 | 7:17 amWASHINGTON, D.C., OCT. 30, 2009 .- The U.S. bishops will debate a document next month that encourages couples struggling with infertility to embrace "legitimate" treatments to fulfill their desire to be parents. -
Ovulation Predictor Kit Ovu-Trac: A Non-Medical Alternative to Infertility Treatment Options
31 Oct 2009 | 11:28 pmIn a recent study from the Ohio State University Medical Center, 62.2 percent of those surveyed turned to alternative therapies before turning to more invasive medical treatments for infertility and getting pregnant .
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Fertility News From Medical News Today
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Hard Training Reduced Fertility
7 Nov 2009 | 1:00 amAre you a female athlete or just someone who likes challenging workouts -- who also wants to get pregnant? It may make sense to ease off a bit as you try to get pregnant. New research from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) shows that the body may not have enough energy to support both hard workouts and getting pregnant. -
New Study Reveals Women Have Difficulties Identifying When They Are Most Fertile, UK
6 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am1 in 6 British couples now face problems conceiving, so maximising the chances of natural conception by identifying precisely when ovulation occurs is critical. A new study by DuoFertility showed that 73% of women that are trying for a baby are tracking their ovulation to help them conceive and that 93% use their fertility clues as indicators of it. However, the study also revealed that most women trying to conceive do not know how to recognise their body's fertility signs adequately. -
Tiny Injector To Speed Development Of New, Safer, Cheaper Drugs
5 Nov 2009 | 5:00 amIt's no bigger than a stamp packet but it has the potential to allow rapid development of a new generation of drugs and genetic engineering organisms, and to better control in-vitro fertilization. Engineering researchers at McMaster University have fabricated a palm-sized, automated, micro-injector that can insert proteins, DNA and other biomolecules into individual cells at volumes exponentially higher than current procedures, and at a fraction of the cost. -
Obesity Significantly Cuts Odds Of Successful Pregnancy
5 Nov 2009 | 12:00 amObese women are as much as 28 percent less likely to become pregnant and have a successful pregnancy, according to research that earned a Michigan State University professor a national award. The findings by Barbara Luke, a researcher in the MSU College of Human Medicine's Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, focused on data of nearly 50,000 women using assisted reproductive technology. -
New Clinical Guidelines For Egg Freezing In The UK
3 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pmThe British Fertility Society (BFS) and Association of Clinical Embryologists (ACE) have issued new guidelines in the journal Human Fertility on the effectiveness and safety of egg freezing for medical purposes. These guidelines follow a thorough review of published research on different technologies used in egg freezing and present a number of recommendations to UK clinics as follows: -- Egg freezing is an emerging technology with promising initial results.
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Creating Motherhood
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How Pottery Barn is making me sad with pink
6 Nov 2009 | 7:33 amThe holiday catalogues are arriving at an alarming rate. It’s totally time, I get it. (I won’t, however, accept that it is time for my local grocery store to have holiday decorations on display in their parking lots. I’m looking at you, Publix.) And while 98% of the catalogues end up in my recycling bin without so much as a backward glance, some of them do end up being casually flipped through. And since I like to pretend that I have oodles of money to splurge on my son on things like monogrammed luggage or Santa hats, the reality is that usually I am just window shopping. -
A message from the Captain
4 Nov 2009 | 3:50 pmDictated, but not read: “Just so all you people out there in the glow box don’t think I am a total slacker I wanted to inform you just what the heck I was DOING when I was in my crib around naptime-thirty this afternoon. Sure, maybe I was being a bit dramatic about things, but YOU try pushing some teeth out and see how you like it. That’s right. Teeth. And whatever the plural of teeth is, because I pushed out more than one. Of course they were a secret until dinner time when the giant, tired looking lady with a classy eau de barf scent and a ridiculous propinquity for plaid,… -
Sleep Training- Nap Edition
4 Nov 2009 | 11:09 amQuick, meadering question as I am going a bit crazy from house/packing chores and existing on not very much sleep. What the hell is the secret to getting W to be consistent with naps? We are on a schedule, he is doing well with sleeping through the night in his own crib. But naps? He gives naps the middle finger and it is driving me bonkers. I mean doesn’t he realize that I am trying to do a bajillion things and that I schedule those things to be done when he naps?? So nap time happens, W has been fed, changed, and is showing signs that he is ready for a nap. I put him in his crib:… -
And sometimes when you toss out giant wishes into the universe they come true
3 Nov 2009 | 6:37 amThis is going to be a hard post to write- and not for any sort of obvious reasons. It is going to be hard because one of the players involved has asked me not to make her out to be some kind of saint. Which is sort of like asking me to talk without using my hands. Since I can’t call her a saint I guess I will just have to settle on hero, superstar, paladin (go ahead, give me a quarter for using that word). She is a granter of unspoken wishes, an instant friend and apparently has great hair. (Mel says so, so it must be true!) And because of her and her family my family now has a place to… -
Turning 30
2 Nov 2009 | 8:58 amSomeone turned 30 today. I can’t get my head around the fact that W has been on the planet 30 weeks. And while I still don’t consider myself polished enough to do one of those jam packed, state of the union, baby anecdote posts, I can say that as I type this with my right hand I am holding him with my left and he is petting my hair. And this is = parts so effing sweet and OW! Basically I just surrender to the awe daily- a person is growing and I can’t believe I got this lucky to be a witness to it. Also- today is the first time he has worn corduroy. Happy corduroy, sweetie.
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I'm a Smart One
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Because I'm an Idiot
5 Nov 2009 | 9:23 amThe fact that I labeled my previous post "Smart Cookies" isn't ironic so much as it points out just how much of a dumb ass I am. You may not remember, but my original header before I went all Superwoman featured a graphic based on this shirt (which is, in fact, how the name of my blog came to be): My blog subtitle used to be "Or a dumb one, depending on who you ask." My blog title is not really a claim of intelligence. It's actually a nod for how I am varying shades of smart ass and dumb ass depending on which part of my brain is more (or less) functional from… -
Smart Cookies
3 Nov 2009 | 8:13 amI only have a minute because my desk has junk stacked 3 feet high on and around it and there is also that pesky business of expanding the minds of tomorrow to attend to, but I wanted to pop in quickly to let you know that Frank's Big Ones is now fully open again on Etsy. A few changes: New varieties: Oatmeal Raisin, Vampire Bite, Chocolate Cherry Bombs, Caught in the Mo'Mint, Monkeygirl (which is like the MonkeyBOY, except without nuts. Heh.) Of course, you can still buy Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Chip Pecan, Cherry Bombs, Monkeyboy, and Sugar Daddy. $18 per dozen for… -
What Up, My Ninja?
31 Oct 2009 | 5:57 pmStrictly for my ninjas. -
I've Seen Your Picture, Your Name In Lights Above It*
29 Oct 2009 | 12:27 pmGood people of the Internet, I have an announcement:Julie -- the Julie of A Little Pregnant -- said that I was one of her favorite people inside the computer**.I have arrived. Julie, let's do lunch. We'll listen to Steely Dan and muse on their lyrics while drinking Kirschwasser from a shell (but there will be no San Francisco show and tell, as I've heard that the phrase means making out and/or gettin' busy. I'm flattered, but really -- my San Francisco show and tells are reserved for Frank). I'll have my people call your people. Curiosity question: Do you think…
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The Baby Chase
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Miscarriage Dreams
31 Oct 2009 | 12:49 pmWARNING: This post is pretty graphic. Appropriate for Halloween maybe, but consider yourself warned. For months I’ve been having miscarriage dreams.They show up about once a week, and always leave me completely freaked out.Up until last night, they’ve been pretty much the same.I’m in the middle of an otherwise ordinary dream—no reason for me to suspect I’m dreaming—and I go to pee and find blood on the toilet paper.At first just a little bit, then a few drops more, and then the cramps start to kick in. It used to take me a minute to realize that this was bad.After all, it’s been… -
The Precariousness of Pregnancy
27 Oct 2009 | 1:41 pmOne of my good friends—who is about 5 weeks behind me in her pregnancy—just found out that she had a miscarriage.Her baby died about two weeks ago.She managed to stay on the phone long enough to tell me what happened, then said she was sure I understood that she was in no condition to talk.All I could say was “of course,” and “I’m so sorry,” and “call me when you need me.” How fucking inadequate.And don’t get me wrong—I’m not getting down on myself for not knowing what to say.It’s that I know there’s nothing I can say or do that will ease her pain.I’m helpless in… -
Is This That Thing Called "Happy"?
19 Oct 2009 | 2:43 pmI’m going to say this right from the start—pregnant blogging makes me feel strange. It’s not just that it’s hard to get a handle on how I’m feeling, when it changes every five minutes. It’s that I don’t want to upset anyone. Believe me, I didn’t give a fuck about upsetting anyone before—I figured life had shat on me one too many times, and I was entitled to bitch about it to my heart’s content. Who was going to begrudge me a rant about the unfairness of life?But it’s different now. The thing is, pregnancy is kind of hard. I’m actually holding up pretty well—haven’t… -
Me and Mary Travers
19 Sep 2009 | 6:29 amMary Travers died this week.And while I wasn’t terribly broken up over the news, it brought me back to my childhood music, played so often in both my parents’ houses: Peter, Paul, and Mary; John Denver; Simon and Garfunkel. So a couple of nights ago—the day Mary died—I put on Peter, Paul, and Mary’s greatest hits while I cooked dinner.As I chopped the green beans I sang along a little bit to “Blowing in the Wind,” stopping when I realized I was getting choked up over the lyrics—pretty damn brilliant lyrics (that Dylan was quite a poet), so this seemed justified—and laughing… -
The Pregnant-Person Doctor
13 Sep 2009 | 5:51 amYesterday we went to a pregnant-person doctor for the first time.The night before, I mentioned to J that “maybe he would clear us to start having sex again.” “I don’t know,” he responded. “What do you mean you 'don't know?' You don’t want to have sex with me?” I asked, somewhat suspicious at this change of heart. “It just doesn’t seem right,” he admitted, “what with you carrying another man’s child.” ******** Going to the pregnancy doctor was strange, very strange.There were all these pregnant women in the waiting room, and two of them had teeny tiny babies with…
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Who Shot My Stork?
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30 Oct 2009 | 6:08 pm
30 Oct 2009 | 6:08 pmI want to read and comment and all that, but I've been feeling crappy all day. Then tonight I figured it out. I have a motherfucking UTI. I think it has been years since I had one and guess what? It still sucks.Also, I am out of Halloween candy.Anyone turning the lights off and yelling at kids to get off their lawn tomorrow? -
Explosions!
22 Oct 2009 | 7:03 pmI tried to think of something exciting to do, but I couldn't quite bring myself to try the suggested juggling of fireworks. Though we did have a big kaboom in town today when a tanker exploded on a busy section of highway.Last night I stayed up until midnight working on a speech and really got into it - I think I did a halfway decent job of fixing it up and I had a lot of ideas for where the student can go with it. It's hard - it's supposed to be a type of speech that is very funny, but this kid is very religious so I can't make my completely off color jokes. I have to keep it clean. I… -
The exciting life of Io
20 Oct 2009 | 8:03 pmNot much happening 'round these here parts. I've been busy, it's just not terribly exciting. I'm coaching college spee.ch this year, which I really enjoy, but it takes a lot of time. Friday night I helped run a fundraiser at the Hall which would have been more fun if I could drink (they had good beer too!) but I knew I needed to get up early. I took the kids to a tournament on Saturday. I left my house at 4:30am and got home at 11:30pm and it's just an exhausting activity. It sounds pathetic to say that since it's not like I was running, but it takes lot of mental effort to judge and comment… -
Tattoo
15 Oct 2009 | 8:31 amSent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry -
Weekend
14 Oct 2009 | 7:21 pmI'm slightly concerned: After coaching speech interp events tonight I am thinking I have given the kids pieces that are all about IF. There is the infertility duo, the adoption poetry, and now there is a prose about a woman whose husband had his sperm aspirated because he has CBAVD. It's all totally a coincidence, but I feel like people will wonder how our whole team ended up doing pieces about infertility.Of course, there was also a poetry program about drinking too much, which I certainly did this weekend. (Totally worth it.)Several girlfriends and I rented a house on Lake Michigan last…
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Baby on Bored
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Tiny Ladies Wear Cuter Clothes
6 Nov 2009 | 2:39 pmA few days ago I was wandering the cosmetics section of my local CVS-I'm not bragging, just stating facts here, and I spotting an Asian woman who looked to be maybe 4' 11". Now, I'm not positive she was that short because I was too chicken to ask even though I really really wanted to know. I'm slightly obsessed with short people's heights because there's a good chance a full sized Sadie will only be 4'10or 4' 11" and I want to get a good picture of what that looks like. If it looks like that Asian woman it will be down right adorable. But then again, maybe the random short Asian woman was… -
Let's Play a Game
3 Nov 2009 | 3:52 pmGames are an important part of a young child's development and if you're not playing lots of games with your child, chances are you're not a good parent. Trust me, I'm a really good judge. You might want to ask yourself why you refuse to put in the time. Are you selfish? Lazy? Just not that into it? Well, now that you've spent a few moments being really tough on yourself, maybe you're ready to try harder. Here are a few of my family's favorite games and I've included some instructions so you can try them for little to no expense on your wallet, but a high price on your sanity.Baby-So-Soft! -
Baby On Bored is Buying...
30 Oct 2009 | 11:16 amHere's a new thing I'm bringing out. It could be just this week or maybe it's permanent. I don't know because I'm flaky. But I'm calling it "Shit I've bought or liked recently"1. Pieces of Happily Ever After - It's a novel and it should be a movie. It's beautiful. It's funny. It's deeply moving (I cried. Twice.) and it's got edge. Irene Zutell, the author, is a friend of mine and I went into reading it with slight trepidation because I always have that feeling like what if I don't like it? How will I tell my friend the truth? Well no worries there, I was completely taken aback by my love for… -
My Baby She Wrote Me a Letter
28 Oct 2009 | 8:33 amOkay look, I realize my blog is becoming one big 12 step meeting. I see it, and yet I feel helpless to stop it. Before you know it I'm going to be ass deep in slogans telling all my readers "one day at a time" and "easy does it" and "turn that frown upside down!" well not that last one or you have my permission to kick me in the liver, dig a big hole in the ground and throw my blog in it. The thing is, I get a lot of emails from women asking me specific questions about quitting drinking and I haven't been able to answer each and every one (although I will -Do*ce take a memo). Parting with… -
The Other Little Blue Pill
26 Oct 2009 | 10:23 amSo, I'm thinking about trying to get off of the last 25 milligrams of Zoloft that I've been on since the day I gave birth to the twins. My OB thought it would be a good idea for me, with my history of PPD to start the Zoloft immediately, do not pass GO, go directly to a pharmacy. In retrospect, I still experienced major post partum depression and anxiety. So was it lessened from taking the Zoloft? I don't know. What I do know is that I'm not depressed now, I've weaned from 50 milligrams to 25 and I'm ready to get it out of my system entirely but...say hi to the withdrawal symptoms that can…
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BigP and Me
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Betty
2 Nov 2009 | 3:45 pmIf you haven't had a chance, you need to head on over and check out:I Married Barney, Now What?Betty's Birthday is today, she is now 35 and she is trying to decide if they should continue down the TTC path or to let the line in the sand stay.Also, Betty loves to do giveaways! I won the first one! I super suck and am just now getting around to taking photos and putting up this post.Go on, go check out Betty and her life with Barney (and my secret hope that they get a Dino soon no matter which path they go down!!).Also, Ms.J mentioned that I just password protect my computer and I definitely… -
I've been meaning to post...
30 Oct 2009 | 8:09 amBut then it seems like I only want to vent and instead of airing family laundry on my blog I've opted for no posts at all.But, truly...I think it is time for this blog to end until we decide to do treatments again. Even then I make no promises.My sister and her two children will be moving in with us at some point. It could be next week it could be the middle of December. She is getting divorced and needs help until she can get on her feet.I don't want someone using my computer to find my blog... This has been my safe place and I don't want to jeopardize that.Of course I will still be checking… -
Lasik
23 Oct 2009 | 12:12 pmI highly recommend it.Yesterday I got both of my eyes done.I went from around (it is a guess) 20/800 to 20/25 overnight. My vision still has the possibility of improving as my eyes continue to heal.I'm not going to pretend it was fun - I'd much rather prefer a day at the spa. BUT, it wasn't nearly as horrible as I thought it was going to be imagining them cutting a flap in my eye...PLUS, there is Valium.Now I just have to find some great eye makeup to really cover up the bags under my eyes that my glasses helped hide before. -
Another post on time...
15 Oct 2009 | 4:59 amWhile reading Infertility Just Sucks this morning it all struck me.I now realize why time seems to be moving at warp speed.I'm not living my life in two week chunks. I'm not waiting to find out something: Do I have follicles? How is my lining? Did I ovulate? Did it work? Did my numbers double? etc.I'm just in the moment. I'm not waiting on anything.It is moving so fast now...People warned me about it but I didn't realize exactly how fast it would go. -
Warp Speed
13 Oct 2009 | 11:13 amI feel like time is flying past me. I have all of these great things that I want to get done and before I know it, the day has ended.It was over a week ago that Katherine turned one. I really wanted to put together this thoughtful post about this past year and all the stuff that has happened. How she is, what she is doing now.Then I decided maybe just a list.I haven't even managed that.Last week I had the d+c on Wednesday and Thursday company started arriving. More arrived Friday. The majority arrived Saturday. Sunday was Katherine's party. It went well I think - it was over before I knew it…
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Chasing A Child
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Sleep mode unavailable
16 Oct 2009 | 12:56 pmAnd still the baby does not sleep.I've read about the 9-month sleep regression, and I'd like to believe that that is all we're dealing with. But the truth is, Squeaker has always had a very hard time getting to sleep. When he was a newborn, he couldn't sleep unless one of us was holding him on our chest. Eventually, he was able to sleep for a few hours (albeit fitfully) in between us, so we co-slept until he was about 4 months old. By then, he was too big to fit comfortably in the co-sleeping nest and was kicking and thrashing so much in his sleep that none of us were getting… -
Yep, still here ...
9 Oct 2009 | 8:30 pmYou know it's been a long time since you've posted when you have no idea where you left off ... good lord, I've been busy. Can't even begin to describe. The biggest problem has been that I have not a minute of time to myself for exercise or creative efforts -- oh hell, who am I kidding -- I barely have time to shower. It's been 6 months since I had a haircut (or color -- oy, the gray! oy, the split ends! and the frizz!). Everything is work, childcare, housework, paying bills (or trying to figure out where the money is going to come from to pay the bills), trying to sleep,… -
On anonymity
7 Sep 2009 | 11:35 amI started this blog as an anonymous infertility blog. When you're discussing the details of your lady bits and visits with the, um, dildocam ... one's natural tendency is to keep things a bit hush-hush. Well, most folks feel that way, anyway. Some are braver than I am, putting their names and faces out for the world to see. Bravo for them! We need people -- real people, men and women, people with names and photos so you know that they're real -- speaking out about what IF is like. Otherwise, I think that it's too easy for the rest of the world to brush us off as a bunch of… -
In which I childproof (and phobia-proof) my home
29 Aug 2009 | 10:38 pmThere has been a lot of insanity in the political world lately. People bringing assault rifles to public gatherings, "news" anchors ranting of mysterious armies being assembled for who-knows-what purpose, widespread distribution of horrible misinformation about healthcare reform, and on and on it goes. Be afraid, be very afraid!! So much of the fear-mongering is tied up in the absolute inability of a certain group of people to accept the fact that a black man is President of the United States, and much of the fear is being directed -- in ways that are both freakishly obvious and… -
Why doctors are bad for my health
21 Aug 2009 | 6:11 pmI went to the lady-bits doctor last week. It was the first time I've been since my post-D&C appointment in which I was declared physically healthy and sent on my un-merry way. I was due for a mammogram and, since it's been almost a year since my last OB appointment, I scheduled an annual exam while I was at it. Figured I'd get all the ugly stuff done at once. (Have I mentioned how much I hate doctors?)It was difficult being back at the OB's office -- I won't lie. This is a particularly wonderful office (for an HMO), in a clinic that is associated with a hospital where…
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Child Bearing Hips
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Blah.
5 Nov 2009 | 7:53 amJust spent ten minutes getting dried snot out of my son's bulb aspirator (used boiling water - anyone else have a better idea?). Yesterday I collected my pee for 24 hours. Last night, I came down with the same cold Hulk has, and we both feel like CRAP.Damn, my life is sexy.In good news, I was having issues dressing Hulk this morning, and decided to just send him to school in a super cute sweater and khaki's (I couldn't find a long sleeve onsie and it's going to be only in the 40's today. I figured he could wear a short sleeve one with a sweater over it, right?). Well - today is picture day at… -
Dust.
3 Nov 2009 | 9:08 amI braved the guest room this morning. It's the room that got converted into my craft room once we found out we were having twins. And then, was used as nursery furniture storage when we got the cribs and stuff long before the room was ready. And finally, it's been the dumping ground for anything that didn't have a place in Hulk's room, the twins room or my closet.It was kind of a scary place.Aaron and I went up there together on Friday, before Suzanne visited, to try and make space on the bed at least for her to sleep. So, I did get rid of a few things from the closet (old quilts, throw away… -
Victory on Many Fronts...
2 Nov 2009 | 7:39 amFirst victory - I finally got my H1N1 shot. I somehow got screwed over on getting it from my general practitioner... but when I went for my 34 week check up this morning, my OB had just got some in. So, I have my seasonal flu shot, as does Hulk. Hulk still needs the H1n1, and Aaron needs both! But I feel better that at least I finally got totally covered. The twins were looking great on the non-stress test, but my blood pressure is borderline high, so I have to collect my urine for 24 hours. Yuck yuck yuck! I'll survive.Second victory? My closet is totally organized and clean. I conveniently… -
Happy Halloween!
31 Oct 2009 | 4:50 amI bet you could all guess what we were going to dress Hulk up as.... The cut is NOT makeup - but it adds nice realism, huh? Poor guy fell and hit himself really hard on the windowsill at daycare. Freaked everyone out - but no stitches needed. -
Sad Things
29 Oct 2009 | 7:38 amSo. At the church Aaron and I attend, there was a couple who had a lot of problems getting pregnant - and we were all very excited when they announced they were due in Oct. As both our pregnancies progressed, we compared notes (they didn't find out the sex, they we trying for a homebirth - so pretty different!). Turns out she had a hemorrhage of some sort, and ended up finding they were having a baby boy. The last I saw her, she was a week over due and still on track for a home birth.Then, we got an email from the pastor, and we find out that she 'lost' the baby. I don't know any details -…
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Helping Make Sense
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Radiating - the good and the bad
12 Oct 2009 | 2:04 pmBad radiating - when your husband has a nuclear stress test and you have to be apart for 2 weeks because he is "radiating" nuclear waves and it's dangerous for your unborn baby!Bad radiating - when everyone else in a room is cold and you think they should sit next to you because you are so hot you must be radiating heat!GOOD RADIATING - when the woman sitting next to you in the restaurant wishes you luck with the baby and says that she is a delivery room nurse and knew you were pregnant looking at your face because you are radiating and glowing! -
I am miserable
3 Oct 2009 | 8:37 amWomen complain during pregnancy. It's a fact. One I have absolutely no problem with. Many women who have experienced IF feel that, once I get pregnant, I'll happily contend with all discomforts and, by gosh, I won't complain about them! Eh, I don't really agree with this. Doesn't matter to me how you got pregnant - if something is bothering you, by all means, complain away! It's your right!That said, I have been so blessed to have an easy pregnancy (please, please knock on some wood for me!), so, I haven't really had much to complain about.But, now I'm going to complain, although, pregnancy… -
Um, important things you should be told!
23 Sep 2009 | 10:11 amGlenn had a repeat nuclear stress test yesterday. Everything is fine!! Well, almost everything.We use a hospital in NYC for his procedures. While he was in the test, I was in the lobby working. When I realized that he was much later than we thought he would be, I packed up my laptop and headed up to the cath lab. I inquired as to his status and the admitting nurse went to check. She came back and told me he was waiting and asked if I wanted to go back and wait with him. I said OK. Then, and thank goodness I was wearing something that made me look pregnant (because I often still don't look it… -
Anthems
11 Sep 2009 | 8:04 amOK, you know it's bad when your husband says "hey, you haven't posted on your blog in a long time"!!I have no excuse. I sit down to write something and other things just creep up and I never get back here.So, to update, all is good here! I passed my 3 hour glucose test, so, no gestational diabetes! I lost another 2 pounds, but, I think the tide is beginning to turn on that and I expect to be up a couple of pounds at next week's OB appointment. Speaking of next week, I officially enter the third trimester on Tuesday!!! Holy cow - how the heck did that happen???Work is really, really busy, so I… -
Shopping is fun!
25 Aug 2009 | 11:35 amAs I said in my last post, we found and ordered nursery furniture!! Of course, since then, I've been worried again about something going wrong, but, I'll elaborate on that later. But, for now, I've decided that I'm not going to let my fears stop me!My mom, aunt, and I went shopping two weeks ago and had an absolutely wonderful time!! My mom made it very clear, way before we were pregnant, that she and my dad wanted to buy the nursery furniture when the time came. Who could turn down an offer like that? LOL, seriously, Glenn and I are so very grateful to my parents for this and for all that…
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Infertility Licks!
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OART #9
5 Nov 2009 | 8:24 pmThis round we're going to consider one critique of fully open adoptions. Have you ever heard--or perhaps even made--statements like these?"We have medical histories and can share the information we have about their birth parents with our children now. If they feel a need to initiate contact with their birth families when they are adults, we will fully support them.""The decision to have a relationship with her bio family should be hers when she is ready. Creating a relationship between them before she wants it might cause issues in the future.""Children deserve to have just one family during… -
3 Years
30 Oct 2009 | 1:14 pmIt hit me last night.... and just now as I'm sitting at my desk here at work...Exactly 3 years ago today, at roughly this time (1-ish), I got THE call. The call that would forever change my life. I can't help but think back to that time and you know, it's all a blur. Time has eased the pain and a special little girl filled that empty spot in my heart.I remember it was a frenzied time - we had very little notice and 5 days later we were on a pre-planned vacation to the DR, still undecided about what we wanted to do. Obviously it all turned out for the best but we didn't know that then. We had… -
Did I just see that?
28 Oct 2009 | 8:14 pmI was scouring Craigsl1st this evening for nothing in particular and decided I'd have a peek to see if I could find any adoption related books in my area.Instead, I found an ad for a prospective adoptive parent. And she offered $$, which is illegal here in Canada. I just about barfed.I admit, I flagged the post. I am not sure if it goes against CL rules or not but it bugged me to see it on there and the way it was worded.... Like I said, I almost barfed. What I did do that was more pro-active was send her an email suggesting she contact an agency and get some education on the subject. On a… -
All Hype??
27 Oct 2009 | 9:05 amJust out of curiousity, what is the level of hype surrounding the H.1.N.1 in your area (if any)?The vaccine has only just been released here in Canada and people are either very ANTI vaccination or freaking out completely. I'm torn.There is a part of me that says NO WAY, even though I am asthmatic and for the last few years I've gotten the regular flu shot. And there is a part of me that says "DUH, get it" because I wouldn't hesitate to get something to fight a number of other diseases such as polio, Rubella (which I had to update before ttc), small pocks or meningitis.And the biggest… -
Don't Remind Me
26 Oct 2009 | 7:37 pmOne of my friends just changed her FB status to read how many days until Christmas.Aaack!!!I'm not ready to think about it yet. Halloween hasn't even happened yet! I still have MG's birthday party to plan. Sure, my December social calendar is full already so I know others are thinking about it but jeez, can't a girl at least wait until November??Oh, who am I kidding, Costc0 has had Xmas decorations since July. At least we're staying in town this year... I think. ** sigh **
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Coming2Terms
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The Ultimate Test
1 Nov 2009 | 8:58 pmAmadeus... That's a clue for my answer to some complex questions that came this weekend from Silent Sorority readers. The ideas and emotions contained in their questions were remarkably familiar -- so much so they could have come straight out of my own head a few years ago. I guess, by now, I shouldn't be startled by the depth of the shared infertility experience. I'm sure they'll evoke some deja vu for you, too. The questions pose the ultimate test for infertiles who don't succeed with treatment -- overcoming anger and finding peace. First came this email:"I've been having a rough go of it… -
Fertility Clinic Funnies
23 Oct 2009 | 4:35 pmYou know you are pretty far along the acceptance curve when you can laugh about things that once made you want to: a) scream b) cry c) commit Hari-Kiri or d) all of the above. I offer as evidence the Open Salon piece I wrote about the fertility industry, which led to the following online exchange with that oh so rare creature -- a man who openly discusses infertility. Here's how it went:Him: As far as I could tell, the main function of a fertility clinic is to transfer money from infertile couples to the fertility clinic. They are remarkably effective at that. A fairly rare side effect of the… -
Hell Hath No Fury Like a Womb Scorned
19 Oct 2009 | 7:38 amIt's been quite a while since I felt compelled to include a blog post in the "Memo to the Fertile Community" category, but what comes next fit like a glove and then some. BTW: credit for the blog post title goes to my guy. There I was last week innocently starting my Sunday morning, feeling all it's Sunday! I was about to pour a large mug of coffee and dive into The New York Times when ... BAM. You can read what happened next at Open Salon along with some interesting comments.I also encourage you to check out Loribeth's post, The Dark Side of Positive Thinking, which highlights Barbara… -
Tough Talk: Living Without Children After Infertility
7 Oct 2009 | 12:30 pmInfertile folk will never quite measure up on the yardstick of life used by "fertile" folk -- what with such things as pregnancies, baby firsts, kid kibbitzing, and parental back slaps among the many markings. So what's an infertile to do? Get a new measurement system! That's only one of the "ah has" I've learned in reconciling infertility. It's also just one of the many discussion topics you'll hear in the radio segment: "Deciding to Live Involuntarily Childfree" (Note to the childfree by choice tribe: I know you get downright hot under the collar when infertiles co-opt your childfree label,… -
How Big Is the Elephant in Your Room?
2 Oct 2009 | 7:00 amConstance? Earnest? Stalwart? Fred? I haven’t named my elephant yet, but I really should since it’s been with me in whatever room I seem to occupy for quite some time now. Yes,infertility comes with its very own elephant – as if we need things to be any more crowded in the places we occupy, or worse yet, in doctor office waiting rooms (Can you just picture it? A room full of couples and their elephants??!)Editor's Note: You can read more of my latest Barren Not Beaten column at Fertility Authority. ...
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It's Stork Season...And I've Bagged My Limit
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Fitting
22 Oct 2009 | 4:38 pmOn this day, 2 years ago, we saw our first-ever plus sign on a pee-stick. That baby was not meant to be. It seems fitting that the sweet olive, which we planted to remember our loss, just bloomed for the very first time this week. -
Taking a Break
25 Aug 2009 | 9:27 amFinally. I'm writing a post for me. I've been posting to this blog for others, and I realized...why? For comments? For self-validation?I want to take a break from this blog. You are probably laughing b/c you can see my posts lately have been pretty useless. I don't post regularly anyway. And I didn't even make it to my 100th post! What, no silly celebration? I'd only be posting to make it to that mark anyway.I don't want to say I'm quitting entirely. I just don't know when or how often I'll be back. I may be back next week or next year.I self-analyze too much. Fuck, I'm sure most women do. -
Show And Tell - Gun Dog
12 Aug 2009 | 8:54 pm(To see what the rest of the class is presenting at Show and Tell, click hereMeet our lab Chili. Photos follow from the first day we got her through her second hunting season:Her full name is "[our last name]'s Chilton Peach." We live in Chilton County, Alabama, where, I might add, the best peaches in the country are grown. (Listen to a to a tangential story about our peach rivalry with Georgia here.) Chilton is a little over 2 years old now, and she is mainly a pet/yard dog. Ninety percent of the time she's home with us and chasing chipmunks, squirrels, rabbits and mockingbirds out of the… -
Caribe
3 Aug 2009 | 5:47 pmMy boss called. He wants me to head to St. Croix to take care of some end-of-fiscal-year business. I'm one of the few in my agency that has worked down there and knows my way around. Not too shabby, eh? I'm trying to finagle a cheap fare for G so that he and Chipmunk can tag along. She's still nursing and barely tolerates a teaspoon of solids per day. She has to go wherever I go. I quit pumping long ago and have no frozen milk. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we can head down, get work done, and then spend a couple of extra days in the sun. G has never been to the Caribbean, and I'd love… -
Seven
26 Jul 2009 | 7:43 am(If you are here for ICLW, you may want a Stork Season intro.)It was seven months agowhen you made your joyous show.We've enjoyed most of your brief youthUntil last night with the emergence of your first tooth.It's fitting that you awoke seven timesAnd left mommy and daddy sleepy off their behinds.Was it the three boiled peanuts mommy ate,Or the calcium kernel debut making you wake?It's no matter. We've done this before.Just cry louder when you hear mommy snore.We love you Chipmunk, more than anything on this earth.Mom even loves you more than Colin Firth.With your eyes so enchanting and…
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Joyce's Blog
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One of my goals is going to be unattainable…
6 Nov 2009 | 3:33 amUh, my BFF moved to Texas. How can I visit her in Montana when she doesn’t live there anymore?!? I guess it’ll be nice to have her closer-she’s lived so far away since 1995-but I really wanted to go to Montana. I’ll look on the bright side. Yay for Jessica being closer! Maybe I’ll change: 15. Visit Jessica in Montana to: 15. finish scrapbook album for Vegas trip (that was in 2006…) In other goal-related business, I’ve been watching my 80s flicks: St. Elmo’s Fire Top Gun About Last Night The Big Chill The Outsiders Flashdance Footloose Fame… -
Dear Spencer (an open letter),
5 Nov 2009 | 3:28 amThere’s a few things I’d like to talk to Spencer about, so if you’ll just excuse me… Dear Spencer, Hi. Mom here. Sweetie, I’d like to talk to you about a few things that have been on my mind and I just need to lay it all out. First things first, could you please stop screaming when I try to give you a burp? The screaming is not necessary, my dear. Not only does it make me feel bad for trying to help you out, it makes it hard to hear the tv show I’m watching while I’m feeding you hear if you burped or not. During a 6-ounce bottle, I’m… -
SEVEN! It’s the magic number.
4 Nov 2009 | 4:10 amOk, not really. But whatev. The boys are seven months old! I can’t believe it’s November already. The boys will soon be eating turkey (perhaps pureed, ewww) and then it’ll be Christmas, EEEEEeeeeee!! (<-that’s me, screaming like a schoolgirl) Whoop! It’s been fun and I am really excited about what lies ahead. If it’s this good now, it’s just got to get better, right? Walkin’, talkin’, all sorts of goodness! The boys have great fun together. They are constantly reaching for each other, they like to grab the other… -
The 7 month boring post
4 Nov 2009 | 3:57 amHere’s the part you can skip. It’s for my records, of course. First, some outtakes from the 7 month shot. Cooper finally noticed my sign and decided he’d take it down for me… What's this? Hey, check it, Spence! Maybe I'll eat it. Verrry interresting. Whoa! There's something sticky here! Here, let me help you. No, no, I got it. Primary milestones for 7 months Milestone ? Age Range ? Development Area ? Rakes a small object with fingers 6-9 months Fine Motor – they grab at Puffs all the time, so yep Enjoys peek-a-boo 6-8 months Social & Emotional… -
Spencer’s go-go-gone!
3 Nov 2009 | 3:43 amToday and tomorrow’s posts are being switched. Today the boys are 7 months old! Yippee!! But I have plans to actually leave the house after their first bottle and thus, cannot do their monthly photo shoot until later in the day which means a postponed post, so I figured I could tide you over with a video today instead. Expect a long post tomorrow. You have been warned. This video is a little long, it shows Spencer on the move. He’s been crawling for about 3 weeks or maybe a month now (bad mommy!) and he is getting SO fast. I barely left the room for a minute…
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life from here: musings from the edge
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open adoption roundtable: on openness
5 Nov 2009 | 9:41 pmThe most recent prompt by Heather at the Open Adoption Roundtable asks open adoption bloggers whether they agree with some common critiques about openness in adoption. The views cited share one thing in common, “a certain point-of-view: that direct contact during early childhood between birth families and children placed for adoption may not be the best idea” and that adoptees, not their parents, should be able to decide if and when to initiate contact on their own timetable. As a new adoptive mother in a fully open adoption, I obviously disagree with this view for many of the… -
creepy crawly web
30 Oct 2009 | 1:17 pm~ Happy Halloween!~ … may you have more treats than tricks this year! image courtesy of the Amazing M -
sweet patch
27 Oct 2009 | 11:20 pmSo much to say, so little time… and not sure how much to share. It’s been a busy week here and we are recovering from our weekend away. Another post will have to be forthcoming on that, as I am still processing. It was all good, really. It’s just that there is so much to ponder. But now ’tis the season to think of spiders and witches and little goblins. And pumpkins. This time last year, we were moving full steam ahead with our adoption outreach when I had a major setback one fall Sunday afternoon. We had gone to our local pumpkin patch for some harvest fun, yet it was… -
grand contact
20 Oct 2009 | 12:33 amWe’ve had lots of activity this past week with Baby J’s birth family that has left us feeling really positive. Last weekend, M and I took a drive to K’s hometown, where Baby J was born, and had a wonderful lunch. We visited with K’s mom, Baby J’s first grandmother. She simply adores this baby, her first grandchild. We are closer with her than anyone next to K and our time together is easy and comfortable. We genuinely enjoy her as a person, as mom to K, and as Baby J’s first (and closest in proximity) grandparent. We keep in touch by email and phone, and we… -
adoption book tour: the primal wound
20 Oct 2009 | 12:21 amIn honor of National Adoption Month in November, Lori of Weebles Wobblog has launched an experiment over at the Open Adoption Examiner: a new adoption cross-triad book tour Beginning with the controversial landmark book The Primal Wound by Nancy Verrier, the tour promises to highlight the adoptee voice, often absent or marginalized from adoption discourse. Written by an adoptive mother interested in the psyche of the adoptee, the book was the first to explore in depth the adoptee perspective when it was published in 1993. Truth be told, The Primal Wound is not an easy read. Nevertheless, it…
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Maybe If You Just Relax
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Jennepper's Must Have Baybee Gifts for 2009
2 Nov 2009 | 8:39 amThere are 8 weeks left before Christmas.Listen, I know how hard it is to think of gifts for your preshus baybee - especially those pesky little 6-12 month-ers. Sure, they won't remember their first Christmas, and will be more interested in the paper and packaging and OHHHH LIGHTS than anything you actually buy.But! We have an economy to stimulate here, people! And plus, you've got to spend more -
I love an excuse to eat candy
30 Oct 2009 | 3:48 amHappy Halloween!!!!!!As it turns out, I cannot stop taking Olivia for cheesy photo shoots and putting weird things on her head. Also? I cannot stop spending an unholy amount of money on said photos.Olivia is going to be a ladybug for Halloween.I'm going to be a First Time Mom Who Has No Sense of Style and Needs a Root Job and Possibly (Definitely) Some Lip Gloss. It was incredibly easy to put -
The day I struck my mother blind with my Lady Business.
26 Oct 2009 | 3:24 pmI wish I was kidding.Last week, I went for my Annual Exam. For the Lady Business.We all know that every Lady Doctor in Northeast Ohio has seen (and probably had an arm elbow deep in) my Lady Business in the past two years. But still. I've gotten kind of used to that region going back to being one of the least publicly viewed parts of my body. Call me crazy.I was feeling a little apprehensive, and -
So, how 'bout that swine flu?
22 Oct 2009 | 4:25 pmI had a few ideas for blog topics this week, but some of them required thought. And I have a cold. And it's been at least a week since I pissed off the Internet. So I'm going to leave this up to you and the comments section, and just hope that someone calls me a disgusting human being because I simply CANNOT HEAR THAT ENOUGH, thank you.Here's the short of it: We aren't getting the H1N1 -
Eight Months. And by eight I mean ate.
15 Oct 2009 | 5:36 amWAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Olivia is eight months old. EIGHT.MONTHS. And full of The Cute. That picture was taken while Olivia was "winding down" for bed time. Yes those are Christmas jammies, by the way. Because I was behind on laundry and so I thought, meh, nobody will see these jammies and ho ho ho who cares if its October. Then of course, Olivia starts with The Cute, and then
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Not like I thought it would be
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some good came out of it
22 Oct 2009 | 10:00 amI find myself wanting to write some more about my short-lived pregnancy. I'm not writing because I'm sad or because I want people to feel sorry for me, I'm just still processing it. I suppose I may never know why we had to go through this when we were (and are) happy with what we have. We know how very blessed we are. I'm going to focus on some positives of the whole experience.One good thing that came out of this is that I can see just how strong my marriage is this time. During infertility stuff, our marriage was pretty weak. We stopped communicating and drew away from each other. We almost… -
7 things
19 Oct 2009 | 8:17 amThe lovely Melba and Jamie gave me the Kreativ Blogger award. Thank you kindly Melba and Jamie for this award. I would just like to say that I'm not very creative or Kreativ and I feel undeserving, but I will go ahead and go along with it because, hey, why not? I am honored that you would nominate me. So here it is, if you haven't seen it already:Here are the rules:Thank the person who nominated you for this award.Copy the logo and place it on your blog.Link to the person who nominated you for this award.Name seven things about yourself that people may not know.Nominate seven Kreativ… -
say hey
16 Oct 2009 | 8:22 amI know it's not a new song, but it's a good song and the video makes me smile! Enjoy and have a great weekend!! -
really?
15 Oct 2009 | 6:32 amOk, I don't do this a lot anymore, but I heard a story this morning that made me say "she can get pregnant (and stay pregnant) and I can't?"Apparently a stripper in Ohio, who is 8 months pregnant (22 years old), repeatedly stabbed a fellow stripper, who is 52 years old, with her stiletto. She claimed it was done in self-defense. She faced felony assault charges, but plead guilty to a misdemeanor and got a year of probation. For the sake of her baby, I hope she will grow up and change her ways.On a deeper note, I learned from the lovely Yaya that today is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance… -
goodness
12 Oct 2009 | 11:47 amI wanted to thank you all for your validating comments. I certainly realize that people don't always know what to say in situations like this or if they should even say anything. You would think they could muster up the words I'm sorry, but like many of you said, there's one in every family! It didn't surprise me and it didn't even really hurt me coming (or not coming) from her, it just annoyed the crap out of me and I had to vent it somewhere that people would understand. Some of you had much worse stories than mine about rude family members and I have to say that I'm sorry you had to deal…
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Twice As Nice
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Eeek! It's 11:45!!
5 Nov 2009 | 9:42 pmReally fast post so I can get it under the deadline...This is Olivia dancing. Abby dances a tiny bit at the beginning then gets distracted by a toy. My little Livvy has some moves! She does not get this from me! I love how she can't quite figure out what is making the ABCs start. She just pushes everything until it starts. P.S. I have a couple of HILARIOUS videos coming of the two of them torturing each other. -
Halloween Outakes
4 Nov 2009 | 11:20 amSo I attempted to get some pictures in the little ladies' Halloween outfits. Bwahaha!!Smile at Mommy!Look at Olivia, sitting there all stillAbby, quick, quick! Get over there by Olivia. Hurry!STAY Olivia!OK! Abby is sitting...Olivia!! Smile at Mommy!!Ohhh...::sigh::No, Abby! Stay! I'll get Olivia!OK...wait...WHERE'S ABBY??-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I do love this picture of the two of them heading off together.And I also got short sleeved shirts because this IS Texas after all.We never know if it will be cold or hot in… -
Trick or Treat
3 Nov 2009 | 7:42 amI bet you thought I wouldn't post, huh? Mmmm??My laptop has been SO SLOOOOOWWWWW today. But it's here now.We had a blast Trick or Treating this year. We went to our friends the Logans. Casee and I used to work together and have been good friends for 10 years (wow!). Zachary's friend, Spencer was born on Halloween. We have spent many a Halloween celebrating with our friends.The girls dressed up as Tulip Fairies.Olivia in her costume Abby in hersZachary dressed up as a Mobster with scarsI threw together a gypsy get-upCasee is The Queen of HeartsAngela (Spencer's Aunt) is a beautiful cow.We did… -
Makes My Monday - Abby Dancing
2 Nov 2009 | 9:13 amThe Abby Dance is what we call this. Whenever we say "Abby Dance!" she goes into a fit of stomping and laughing while she tries to dance. Follow along with Cheryl at Twinfatuation. -
National Blog Posting Month
1 Nov 2009 | 2:16 pmAh, yes...Here it is again. The month of November. Dare I even try for a post a day?? Oh yes...yes, I do dare.I did this last year. It was so fun and I never ran out of things to blog about. I am hoping this will get me out of my blogging slump. I have SO many things I need to share, not only for YOU, dear readers, but myself for record keeping purposes.What?? Are you surprised the baby books are still empty?? Yeah, I thought not.So here we go again. Let's have fun, shall we?? And if you want to join in the fun...go here for all the info. P.S. If you read my blog in your email or in a reader,…
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Two Years and Counting
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Update on dr. appt.
5 Nov 2009 | 11:08 amUpdate after my appt yesterday: Due to the antibody I have and the heparin I’m on because of that antibody, as well as the tiny possibility the baby is growth restricted (even though she said her gut says that’s not the case), Dr G wants to induce labor before 40 weeks. I’m still only at 1 cm and about 60% effaced. She suggested inducing on Monday morning, but coming in on Sunday and having a cervical catheter put in to increase dilation to prepare for induction. I said since we’re planning and scheduling this thing, would it be possible to do it a bit later in the… -
38 weeks
2 Nov 2009 | 11:27 amJust a quick update to say no baby yet. I’ve officially entered the pretty miserable stage. And I feel sort of guilty saying that because my belly doesn’t look that big, so when people ask how I”m feeling and I say something to the effect of “Oh I’m making it,” I feel like they’re having to restrain themselves from rolling their eyes. But it’s what you can’t see! This baby dropped down low into my pelvis several weeks ago, and I think she’s dropped down even lower a couple times since then. Right now, if I’m up and active… -
35 1/2 weeks
13 Oct 2009 | 12:30 pm**Below is what I posted today on our family blog. The only other thing I’ll add right now is that we were extremely frustrated with the appt with the maternal fetal specialist yesterday. Our copay for specialists is $50, and basicallyw e paid him $50 to tell us what we already knew ourselves. He just repeated himself about 4 times, saying the same thing over and over, and when he left, M and I both looked at each other with “what the heck was that?” faces. The ultrasound that the nurse did was helpful and reassuring since everything looked good and there was nothing that… -
Random Tidbits
17 Sep 2009 | 8:29 amThings are rolling along. I haven’t had anymore issues with too many contractions, and the bad pain hasn’t come back. Kate is kicking like a soccer player though, which is funny to me. Except at night when she starts moving and sometimes hits a certain spot low on my left side that hurts pretty bad. But it’s not excruciating. I’d rather her be kicking than not, of course. I had our first baby shower last weekend, and it felt so special. My girlfriends really went all out for it. Most special of all, several of them made comments about how excited they were for us,… -
Almost 31 weeks
9 Sep 2009 | 9:36 amAfter my last post where I said it’s been a mostly easy pregnancy, it seems like things fell apart for a week or so! Thankfully things have settled down mostly, but last week was not fun. M and I went to visit my parents about 4 hours away for the weekend. Totally normal thing for us to do. We go all the time. That Friday evening in the car, I was having more BH contractions than is typical, but I figured it was just because of the position I was in, and the fact that I wasn’t drinking a lot of water (because I didn’t want to stop at every single gas station to pee!)…
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Weebles Wobblog
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Show & Tell: Wedding invitation
4 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pmThis past week, Roger and I marked the 15th anniversary of our engagement (click all images to magnify).As longtime readers may guess, we are not the traditional type that would have a traditional wedding. Or traditional wedding invitations.And before we had children, we were big film aficionados.These were the RSVP cards.And, as if out of a time capsule, our closing arguments in why invitees -
Moments in Open Adoption Parenting, part 73
3 Nov 2009 | 6:00 amTessa was distraught, after a Halloween party, for not getting the nod for a sleepover at her aunt's house. The excitement of the kid-oriented haunted house, the disappointment about the sleepover and a sugar high made for a meltdown.I got her into the car and she continued to wail about how mean her dad and I are. Roger and Reed were in the other car (long logistical explanation), so Tessa and I -
Perfect Moment Monday: The calgonification of me
1 Nov 2009 | 11:01 pmPerfect Moment Monday is about noticing a perfect moment rather than creating one. Perfect moments can be momentous or ordinary or somewhere in between.We gather once a week to engage in mindfulness about something that is right with our world. Everyone is welcome to join. Details on how to participate are at the bottom of this post, complete with bloggy bling.Please visit the links of the -
Shout Out Sunday: A sense of humor
1 Nov 2009 | 12:34 pmThe amazingly fabulous Melissa at Full Circle has created a new meme, which she kicked-off today (how appropriate that I am watching my Broncos at time of kick off. How sucky that they are losing).It's called Shout Out Sunday, and I'm all in.Here's the deal, from Melissa:Choose a blog that has moved you. A daily must read. One you stalk. One that makes you laugh, cry or scream at the monitor. A -
Hallowinter
30 Oct 2009 | 6:00 amDue to Mother Nature's recent cold flash, I am subjecting you to another slide show, so soon after the last.(By the way, Manly Man is not Roger. He's a guy we saw at the sledding hill. As far as I could tell, he was not high.)Also, for those of you who were worried, I GOT MORE WINE!We had a BLAST, and I laughed my abs off. Snow days CAN be fun when you're all grown up.
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Our Family Beginnings
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I have to share
6 Nov 2009 | 10:29 amI gave up on monitoring my statcounter, because I know that they’re reading and frankly, if they want to read, that’s their business. What’s it to me, honestly? As a result, I don’t know what weird things people are searching on to find my blog. But I never seemed to be the type to get things that were too off the wall. Some of you really get doozies. That being said, I was going through my spam comment folder and had a good laugh today, literally. It seems that amongst the “Free Ci.ali.s 4u” spam were a bunch of joke spams. Seriously, actual… -
Oh crap, I forgot to post today.
5 Nov 2009 | 6:43 pmBusy day. Yesterday I got a ticket for not having my registration sticker on the plates, so today I had to go to the DMV to prove I wasn’t out of compliance. I will say, I was impressed with how efficient the process was. I came into the information desk, said I wanted to contest a ticket. I got a number (they batched types of issues with a letter, so all of the parking violations, for example started with F5xx), and V and I sat in a very clean and bright waiting room with the rest of the people. No lines to worry about. We were then shuttled off into a room for a hearing where… -
Wordless Wednesday: The Cats Have it Right.
4 Nov 2009 | 3:07 pm -
Why other moms suck, or Hell Is Other Women
3 Nov 2009 | 12:16 pmWhat a provocative little header I put up there, no? Let me put out there that a) No, I do not actually think all other mothers suck b) that the story I am going to tell is unique to moms. However, I do think that men waging wars all over the globe over the size of their dicks have nothing on catty mothers. Mothers can be the atomic freaking bomb of interpersonal relations. I do this workout outside and in bad/cold weather at the local mall before it opens. Moms bring their strollers and resistance bands and little ones, and we do a 1-hour cardio and resistance class. It’s fun,… -
Perfect Moment Monday: Snug.
2 Nov 2009 | 5:04 amThe end of daylight savings time was wonderful pre-baby because we got an extra hour of sleep. Now I see how rough it is, because we were terrified that V would get up at 5:30am instead of 6:30. I have a tough but brilliant plan that seemed to have worked. Visit the next time zone over for a few days. When V and I went to visit my person last week, he was wired. His sleep schedule was so off, it wasn’t funny. However, when we came back, we kept V on Central time more or less. While he got a little sleepy early last night, we kept him playing until he was almost giddily delirious. When…
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China Adopt Talk
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Quiet, and a discussion about making waves
6 Nov 2009 | 5:17 amThe only rumor I see out there is the one agency saying that the CCAA is preparing to match. I went through three scenarios on my When post. The third scenario is now pretty much trashed at this point, which means there is a good possibility the CCAA is stretching things out until they figure out [...] -
Halloween Pictures – The Sequel
5 Nov 2009 | 4:07 amWe have a video! Isn’t this little one adorable? I love the monster face about a third of the way through. The pictures just kept coming in. Thank you to everyone who sent a picture. I just loved looking at all of these little ones! Kenna (14 mos) held by Taiyler (8) Soxfan’s Daughter [...] -
A Rumor
4 Nov 2009 | 2:04 pmAn agency says the CCAA is preparing to work on matches. Hopefully we’ll start seeing some cut off rumors soon. -
The best laid plans…
4 Nov 2009 | 6:12 amLast night my intention was to come home from GG’s extracurricular stuff, do the next picture blog post, and then read the next Nalini Singh book, which was released yesterday (and delivered to my door yesterday, as well). Reality? I had to take TT with us to GG’s extracurricular stuff because RK worked late last night. [...] -
Halloween Pictures
3 Nov 2009 | 3:08 amWhat beautiful (and happy) kids! You can click on most of the pictures to see a larger version of the picture, and if a label is a website then you can click it to go to that family’s website (or blog). The labels for a picture are under the picture. If I mislabeled a [...]
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Journeywoman
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My Thirteen favorite Sesame Street Moments
4 Nov 2009 | 7:48 pmToday is Sesame Street's 40th Anniversary. In honor of it, I am compiling a list of my thirteen favorite Sesame Street moments. I loved Sesame Street--PRE-Elmo. I grew up with it. I felt like I lost a friend when Jim Henson died. 1) Big Bird's Alphabet2) Abc--cookiemonster. --You have to watch to the end. Rumor has it that the little girl is Jim Henson's Daughter. 3) I don't want to live on the moon --Ernie at his most sweet. After Jim Henson died, this song made me cry.4) I'm going to miss you Mr. Hooper--I… -
Note to the pundits
3 Nov 2009 | 8:47 pmFor those who say that because Governor Corzine lost in NJ they think it was some kind of referendum on President Obama--means they don't know NJ.Governor Corzine didn't do much for NJ. Really, nothing at all. The most NJ got accomplished was when after his accident while Acting Governor Codey was in charge. Doesn't mean that I won't be working my ass off to get President Obama reelected. It just means that I don't care for Governor Corzine. -
Vote
2 Nov 2009 | 7:19 pmTuesday November 3 is election day. It isn't a big election, but it is an important one. "What?" you ask. "It's not the senate, or congress? It's the little local elections.Yeah, the little local elections. These are the people who decide how much money is budgeted for salt removal. These are the people who will put a traffic light at that intersection where you had an accident last year. They decide whether the town picks up your trash or you have to hold on to it and deliver it to a dumpster or a private… -
Nanoblopo-and Candy
1 Nov 2009 | 2:05 pmSo, Halloween sucked. Thinking we were going to the parade we bought WAY too much candy. (We like to give out candy)I was thinking that I was going to send most of it to my nieces at college. And then I found this.Operation Gratitude/California Army National Guard17330 Victory BoulevardVan Nuys, California 91406ATTN: Charlie OtholdIf you have more halloween candy then 4 out of 5 dentists recommend. Send it to the troops. The candy helps them make friends in the war zones (especially from the kids) and lets them know that those… -
And sometimes life just sucks
31 Oct 2009 | 4:08 pmSince 2003 D and I have had a halloween tradition. The Greenwich Village Halloween parade. Halloween has become all about the cute 'ittle kiddies in the halloween costumes. At the Greenwich Village Halloween parade you can be adults in the costumes and it is amazing. Since 2003 there were 2 years we didn't go. Once when I had just had my egg retrieval for IVF # 1 (IVF2 is to be scheduled) and we all know how THAT turned out. And now this year. We were sick this week. VERY damn sick. I went to work on Friday--okay dragged my ass in to…
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The Sweet Life
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A Beautiful Day
2 Nov 2009 | 1:17 amDoudous Christening was a huge success yesterday, it was a beautiful special day. He was just amazing he gave every one lots of smiles and he lapped up all the attention loving every cuddle and kiss....unlike the day before where he was screaming in pain. I can't work out what it is whether it is his silent reflux or tummy pain but I anticipated a nightmare of a day if it was going to be like -
TinTin
28 Oct 2009 | 3:30 amDoudou has many names but one that he has been given since he was born by strangers and friends and family is TinTin. Can you you see the resemblance ?? He has the biggest cowlick at the front of his head, he is going to hate it I am sure when he gets older...but for now we think it's pretty darn cute. Max and I don't mind because we are both huge fans of TinTin.Can you tell he loves the camera ? -
Another post in points.
27 Oct 2009 | 1:29 am- I am very tired.- The Christening plans are getting there.Godparents chosen √ (we have asked my sisters children, my nephew and niece to be Doudous Godparents, they are very excited!)Church booked √Cake ordered √Godparents Gifts purchased √Christening outfit ordered √Christening Candle purchased√Restaurant booked √Bomboniere - Still working on them !!!- The in-laws have been challenging. Trying -
Too tired to think of a title.
20 Oct 2009 | 1:58 pmWow over a week since my last post, that is unlike me......It has just been crazy around here. We are ok, I am very tired but ok. Here is an update in points.-Mother-in-law and Stepfather-in-law have arrived, we have been busy with them. MIL is a bit challenging as she has good days and bad days mentally and you just never know what you are going to get. But they are absolutely in love with -
Here we are.
11 Oct 2009 | 3:54 amI am frightened to speak too soon but my boys seem to be more settled.Doudou is doing much better with his reflux and colic, he isn't screaming down the house like he was last week. I am not sure I can pinpoint exactly what has helped because we made a few changes at the one time....so we will continue with everything. I started him on Infacol and he has had a few sessions of cranial osteopathy,
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Bee in the Bonnet
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Just Some Pictures
5 Nov 2009 | 12:51 pmPhotos from my recent hike...Upper Cascade FallsFall colorMy new zoom lens has a macro function. Sweet!Love the contrasting color here...These are just a few. For the rest, click here to see Kate's flickr page. Still fighting with the mouse, but have been promised a trip to Best Buy this evening to rectify the situation. YAY!. -
Of Mice and Man, I'm Bloated
4 Nov 2009 | 4:38 pmHee, hee, hee. Hoo, hoo. Oh, dear. Eight Pound Man Removed From Woman's Vagina(In case you missed it in the recent issue of the Onion...)In other news, ProgesteRage and a jacked up computer mouse have combined to the tedious result of REFUSING TO USE THE EMTHEREFKING COMPUTER IF IT'S GOING TO GO AND ACT LIKE THAT. That'll show the computer. If the mouse wants to act up, I just won't use the computer AT ALL. Yeah. Logic has flown the coop, and I am left here wondering what my damage is that I did not just go and buy a new mouse a month or two ago when it started to go all wonky. Ah, well. -
The Wait Continues...
3 Nov 2009 | 5:20 amNext time a conversation comes up about me and working and whether or not I should pimp myself out for a few extra bucks, I want you all to remind me that I HATE working. I mean, I really, really hate it. I used to think that I just hated almost every job I've ever had, but truthfully, I just hate any form of bureaucracy, and even if you are self-employed, you are subject to the "rules" set forth by clients or customers. I'm really just not cut out to work. Some people really love what they do, it fulfills them in some manner beyond their bank account, and it excites them in some way. Not me. -
Effin' Pregnant Whiner
1 Nov 2009 | 3:28 amYeah, so shortly after my last post, my world exploded a bit, in the form of a major clutch problem in my little old Hyundai. When you are a one car family, and that one car is jacked up in some way, things become difficult to say the least. My brother was due to arrive Thursday late, but their flight was delayed leaving Texas to the point that they would miss their connection, so they ended up coming Friday morning instead (except that their connection was delayed leaving Atlanta on Friday, and so they didn't end up getting here till noon...). Anyhow, I'm glad that their flight was… -
zwillinge...
29 Oct 2009 | 8:57 amOh, dear. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. Two. TWO. Two, for now, at least. One was textbook perfect, with it's tiny little 5 week 1 day yolk sac, and the other was either in a slightly less cooperative position (taking after me already), or it had a slightly less organized yolk sac. Baby A at the top there you can see has the clearly defined circle off to the right-- that's the yolk sac. And Baby B, from most angles, has a... something. A shadowy, slightly less defined something that is likely the yolk sac, but couldn't clearly be imaged at this stage. Both are delightfully positioned in a…
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Sarah Solitaire
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The Infertility Book
11 Oct 2009 | 5:37 amWhat, wait, where did a whole month go since I last posted?Sorry about that. Well, not that many people care, but hey. I feel that I don't really have all that much to say. I don't have a kid I can post regular updates on, and it's not like I suddenly have any great insight into how to fix infertility. I mean, I'm learning more each week about acupuncture theories and about the points, and how to tie it together into treatments, but am not yet in any position to really pull everything together in a cogent way. And there's only so many times I can post "I'm really busy" before it gets… -
The school food hierarchy
11 Sep 2009 | 6:35 pmIt seems at an alternative health type school, we are all a bit freaky about our eating. Or perhaps we all just only pretend to be uber-healthy when in public, and secretly scarf down pints of ice cream at home (as I did tonight, but I don't mind telling you guys because I freakin' enjoyed it, damn it). Anyway, it seems to be a cool acupuncture student you must:Only eat home-cooked food (commercially prepared food is so last century).Only eat organic food (duh).Only eat Chinese-style food (because we're studying Chinese medicine, after all).Only eat out of pyrex containers (because plastic is… -
Scheduling
7 Sep 2009 | 8:29 amSo, all that house cleaning that I was determined I was going to do on my break? Yeah, it didn't happen. I mean, some cleaning happened. Some closet clearing and such. But not the big spring clean that it really needed. And it is back to school tomorrow, so it is back to the time crunch.Of course, instead of actually cleaning the whole house today, I have written myself out a detailed chore schedule, which I'm going to print and stick on the fridge. And oh yes, you betcha it has spaces for check marks to fill in when I have completed something.Despite my love of study schedules, I am really… -
I used to be a blogger
29 Aug 2009 | 4:30 pmWhenever I read about how another blogger, no, let me correct myself, a blogger is feeling bad because she's out of touch, and then goes on to explain in detail why, it reminds me just how out of touch I am now. Because I'm always way more out of touch than they are. Way, way more. I basically read about three blogs now. No, strike that. At any one time I may, on a good day, read three blogs. But that covers about 10 actual blogs - it's just that some of them may only get read once in three months, whereas others I might read, ooh, as often as once every three days. Not three times a day as I… -
Refreshed?
22 Aug 2009 | 2:45 pmI am home. Tired, but home. I made the possibly mistaken decision to drive all the way home from Asheville, NC to So. Fla. in one day. Through a giant rainstorm that lasted all through Georgia. So today, I ache. And I feel depleted. And all kinds of tired.But I had a lovely time. I feel renewed and refreshed. I feel ready to tackle projects around the house, and projects in my life. Why, I even started on an online dating profile. Whether I actually complete any of these projects is another matter of course, but I took the opportunity of being on vacation to take lots of photos of…
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Infertility SUCKS!
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Growing Up
22 Oct 2009 | 7:20 amAnd the suck-fest continues, folks.We got a phone call on Sunday night (whilst at dinner at G&A's)-my mom was rushed to the ER (ironically, the one where she's a supervisor) after having a stroke. They gave her tPA (a "clot buster") and airlifted her to a hospital in Trenton, where the AWESOMEST neurosurgeon is (like, he's in the top 10 neurosurgeon's IN THE NATION. And he's single and good looking, which doesn't hurt, either). She was doing okay on Monday, then started becoming lethargic and more unresponsive. The ICU nurse immediately rushed her for a CT scan, where they found a huge… -
Bitter And Not Really Liking It.
13 Oct 2009 | 3:16 pmThank you, all of you out there on the 'Net, for your words of comfort. You get it, and I know that-you don't have to say anything more than "Shit, that sucks. Sorry" and I know that you truly understand. And, a special thanks goes out to Shelli-you're such a wonderful, giving, caring person, and I love you lots. LOTS!I'm doing okay. I have moments that I'm so fucking angry that I want to scream and throw things (last night I looked at Sean and had the almost irresistable urge to punch him squarely in the face. Obviously I didn't do that, because then I'd be blogging from a prison common area… -
13dp5dt
7 Oct 2009 | 12:35 pmYeah, well.....it's not a good ending.Beta 9.9 I have to stop progesterone, be back on Friday for more bloodwork to make sure that the beta is going down, and make a follow-up with the doctor.I also get to do the Rhogam therapy tomorrow at the hospital, due to being Rh negative. Yay....another sick day taken due to this. Wonderfuckingful.Oh, did I mention it's also my anniversary? Yeah. Happy Anniversary Sean. Too bad my gift to you is another dead baby. Who knew we'd be having THIS MUCH FUN nine years later.What. The. Fuck. -
11dp5dt-Beta Hell
5 Oct 2009 | 4:12 pmToday's beta shows that my levels did go up, however, not as much as they hoped. The nurse said it was "20" (as to the exact number I don't know...guess I'll have to find that out tomorrow). So....from 15.6 to 20 pretty much sucks big monkey ass, right? The nurse who called me said that Dr. Pipsqueak still wants me to continue on the meds for two more days, then come in for Beta #3. When I asked her how realistic this pregnancy could be, she replied that "it doesn't look too good", but then again, sometimes things actually work out (which is why they're keeping me on the meds, I suppose). On… -
9dp5dt-Beta Day
3 Oct 2009 | 9:35 amI did two more Evil Pee Sticks of Anxiety this morning, and the faint positives are still there, probably a little bit darker than yesterday. Beta came back at 15.9, Progesterone at 27. I stay on meds for another two days, then go back on Monday for a repeat to see if the numbers have doubled.I'm trying to stay positive and focused, because Nurse Blondie said that it isn't necessarily a bad number (lower than they'd like to see, but still better than a single-digit). I personally don't give a fiddler's fart-as long as it consistently doubles, that's enough for me. It's going to be difficult,…
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Forever Reaching
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About my career
21 Oct 2009 | 11:56 amMaybe today isn’t the best day to update about my job because I am in a really crappy mood but I don’t want any more time to pass here goes. I’m supervising a chidlrne’s cousneling program within a dometic violence organization. The agency is great, very supportive of its staff, nice benefits, good people. I don’t like it. I came in insecure, frightened about doing counseling again after a ten year hiatus, and with two counselors who had applied for the job I was hired for. And coming in getting all triggered because of my own past of domestic violence. It was… -
About relocating ETA
13 Oct 2009 | 9:09 pmA view of our sky Summer 2009 A couple of posts back Mikey and I talked about Relocating. We did some preliminary research and have pretty much come up with…not much. Challenge 1: We live in a subsidized co-op Mikey bought 15 years ago in cash. There is no mortgage. This co-op has no taxes because its funded by a housing program. Maintenance is based on income of occupants. So the good news is that our maintenance is a pittance. It’s a pittance for any city. And there is no mortgage and no taxes. The bad news: We gain no equity. If we move , Mikey gets back only what she bought… -
About a cat ETA
12 Oct 2009 | 8:17 pmMousie is still alive and well loved This is our fuzzy, our foosa (term coined from a kid’s movie), Florencio aka Flo much to the confusion of many people who believe Flo is a girl’s name. Flo is quiet and gnetle and doesn’t attack or scratch any furniture except for one corner of the kitchen cabinet where the kitty treats are stored and metal door hinges. He doesn’t like any human food and 98% of canned cat food. He does enjoy occasionally licking tortilla chips and plastic. And occasional dress hem. He has chronic slow digestion which means pumpkin and extra water… -
About a Butch
12 Oct 2009 | 8:06 pmHugging a hotel vase from the Palmer House, Chicago So yeah um its been a while, huh. Hence the next series of posts will be “about” posts as a means to catch the two people left reading this blog. The butch mentioned in the title is of course my partner, Maribelle or Mikey as I call her sometimes. Mikey continues to be unemployed. She did some real estate during the summer but its just not somehting she liked to do in the long term. She has some arthritis now and a skeery breast biopsy that thankfully came out benign. So she continues to collect unemployment, looking for work… -
Crash
20 Sep 2009 | 6:34 pmSo we woke up all stoked for IVF III and we go for bloodworl and ultrasound and the order goes to the pharmacy. The pahrmacy calls us stating that the insurance is rejecting the gonal-f prescription because it needs pre-authorization. You can’t get authorization on the weekend. The pharmacy suggested selling us 2 days of gonal-f until I can call the insurance company on Monday and then get reimbursed minus copay. total cost: over 1200 dollars! When I regained consciousness, we said we didn’t have the money. A call to the nurse confirmed that stims had to start Saturday. So…
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Apron Strings for Emily
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If The Shoe Fits …
6 Nov 2009 | 6:57 pmWhew. What a month. And while Autumn is my absolute favorite time of the year, I am happy to say that I’m glad last month went by fast. Even though I didn’t even get to make a run to the cider mill and get my freshly made donuts and cider. Or my once-a-year Granny Smith caramel apple. Boo-hoo. I’ve been swamped with work lately that last Sunday I hadn’t realized it was Daylight Savings “Fall Back” Time until 3:30 in the afternoon. While I typically relish the extra hour we get every year, I’ve never had the urge to say that I was glad to have the… -
Go To The Back of the Class
2 Oct 2009 | 12:33 am“Poor Me” … that was the headband that Sr. Barbara, the Third Grade teacher at my small Catholic school, would make one of 25 or so kids in my class wear for an entire day at any given moment. It was “awarded” to any classmate whose behavior she deemed appalling. Imagine a headband like this, sans feathers, that had "Poor Me" written across it ... Lucky for me, I only found myself wearing that headband maybe once or twice during that year. Okay … maybe three times. There was that incident where Sr. Barbara caught me jump-roping outside during recess without my school… -
Hook, Line and Sinker
14 Sep 2009 | 5:00 amIt’s that time of year again for me. College Football Saturdays, fresh apple cider and hot donuts, and fall TV season premieres. Oh, and knitting. For some reason, I tend to pick up the “sticks” (aka knitting needles) and a fresh “batch” of yarn around this time of the year. This year, instead of sticks I’ve picked up the “hooker.” Uh … I didn’t say A hooker … I said THE “hooker.” As in a crochet needle. Geesh. Get your mind out of the gutter. Crocheting always reminds me of my Grandma Rose. In the years that she… -
Today’s Gonna Be A Good Day
12 Sep 2009 | 6:37 amJust wanted to quickly share the video from Oprah’s season opening performance by the Black Eyed Peas. This was Frickin. Amazing. Just to see how they got close to 21,000 people to do this dance was amazing! And now I’ve got this song playing over and over in my mind. BUT … I suppose if I had to have a song stuck in my head, this is a good one to have! (To see the “official version” for better picture quality, click here!) -
Meet Me Halfway
8 Sep 2009 | 8:14 pmI used to think that the more “hits” I had on my blog a day signified how much of an impact I was making in the infertility world. I thought that the more people I “reached” through my writing, the more people would relate to my struggle. Of course now that this blog is more that two years old, I know the real truth. Today Hubby and I hung out downtown after I got off work today. Oprah had conveniently closed down Michigan Avenue to celebrate her 24th season opener. And — even though I’d love to say Hubby and I went down there because we’re such…
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Maybe If You Just Relax
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Jennepper's Must Have Baybee Gifts for 2009
2 Nov 2009 | 8:39 amThere are 8 weeks left before Christmas.Listen, I know how hard it is to think of gifts for your preshus baybee - especially those pesky little 6-12 month-ers. Sure, they won't remember their first Christmas, and will be more interested in the paper and packaging and OHHHH LIGHTS than anything you actually buy.But! We have an economy to stimulate here, people! And plus, you've got to spend more -
I love an excuse to eat candy
30 Oct 2009 | 3:48 amHappy Halloween!!!!!!As it turns out, I cannot stop taking Olivia for cheesy photo shoots and putting weird things on her head. Also? I cannot stop spending an unholy amount of money on said photos.Olivia is going to be a ladybug for Halloween.I'm going to be a First Time Mom Who Has No Sense of Style and Needs a Root Job and Possibly (Definitely) Some Lip Gloss. It was incredibly easy to put -
The day I struck my mother blind with my Lady Business.
26 Oct 2009 | 3:24 pmI wish I was kidding.Last week, I went for my Annual Exam. For the Lady Business.We all know that every Lady Doctor in Northeast Ohio has seen (and probably had an arm elbow deep in) my Lady Business in the past two years. But still. I've gotten kind of used to that region going back to being one of the least publicly viewed parts of my body. Call me crazy.I was feeling a little apprehensive, and -
So, how 'bout that swine flu?
22 Oct 2009 | 4:25 pmI had a few ideas for blog topics this week, but some of them required thought. And I have a cold. And it's been at least a week since I pissed off the Internet. So I'm going to leave this up to you and the comments section, and just hope that someone calls me a disgusting human being because I simply CANNOT HEAR THAT ENOUGH, thank you.Here's the short of it: We aren't getting the H1N1 -
Eight Months. And by eight I mean ate.
15 Oct 2009 | 5:36 amWAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Olivia is eight months old. EIGHT.MONTHS. And full of The Cute. That picture was taken while Olivia was "winding down" for bed time. Yes those are Christmas jammies, by the way. Because I was behind on laundry and so I thought, meh, nobody will see these jammies and ho ho ho who cares if its October. Then of course, Olivia starts with The Cute, and then
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glow in the woods
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running on the spot
29 Oct 2009 | 12:25 pmInside is a mile-long glossy bar holding up various suits and skirts and a slew of dewy cocktails. The light is perfectly dim and golden, flattering. Our friendly Australian bartender has moved on after having slung us five perfectly mixed martinis of the pink variety. We cheers and clink, smile for a photo taken with someone’s Crackberry. I end up at the head of the table. We’re sitting on the patio against a black glass wall that shows our reflections like a mirror in a darkened room. I see one, two, four faces sitting opposite each other, mostly blonde, mostly under 35. -
why me?
26 Oct 2009 | 5:01 amThroughout the journey of losing my child, I have never asked myself, Why me? Honestly, it’s just not a question I ask. Not because I wonder but won’t let myself ask. But because I could just as easily ask, Why not me? And because I already know the answer(s). Why me? Because Tikva needed me as her mother, to love and hold her on her BIG journey. Why me? Because there was a part deep inside me that was calling out – even if I didn’t know it – to be cracked open, stretched and expanded in this way. Why me? Because even when I doubted it, Life knew I could do this. -
the land on which i stand
21 Oct 2009 | 5:00 amI am an Incognito Disaster. You can't see the mayhem only millimeters out, but it's there, inside. You can't see my toes curl as I cringe when I re-live the day Silas was born.Cars swerve around my thoughts as I drive. You can't hear the breath the deep, deep breath when you trundle in, laden with newborn and bags and Hope. The Hope smells like crushed pine needles and jasmine covered in maple syrup, honey and soy. It makes me sick to my soul because I can't swallow that anymore. Today: Pregnant lady holding the door for a n00b mom with n00born and they passed a look that gutted my… -
Foreign Language
15 Oct 2009 | 6:36 amDuring our kitchen renovation last year, we moved one of our favorite paintings out of the way, but stupidly not off the floor. And when the reno was done, we clearly didn't hang it back up fast enough because one day we discovered the glass had shattered. My husband had given me a bunch of old maps of our neighborhood for Christmas '06 -- two months before Maddy died -- and told me the map store guy recommended a small, "doesn't really have a storefront" framer. Said he was the best in town. Of course, I never took my maps in, they just sat and collected dust, but I dug up the name of the… -
Ti(ieieie)me is going by...
7 Oct 2009 | 12:47 pmI made coffee on the first day of school. Right into my shiny new travel mug. It only takes a few minutes in the morning-- pop pod into the machine, put mug under spigot, wait for green light, press button; meanwhile, get milk out of the fridge, pour into a glass, pop into microwave (milk jug back into the fridge), start; after the coffee is done, add Splenda, wait for milk, pour that in, stir, screw the travel mug's top on, and done. As it turns out, that day I made the coffee only to forget it on the kitchen table. Not the first time, and not the last, of course. But as the emotions started…
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Infertility on the Brain!
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I Have Decided...
6 Nov 2009 | 2:41 pmI have decided that I am indecisive. I thank you all for your many and varied advice. I haven't requested HCG or an ultrasound, but I may. My center is on the smallish side, and I think they would fit me in next week if I'm wigging out. The big answer I want of course, is whether there is a heartbeat. That's really the only thing that would make me feel a whole lot better.Not to be cliche, but it will be what it will be. It's out of my hands. I'm trying really hard to keep myself busy and not to think about it.I'm taking some small comfort in the fact that I get waves of nausea/gagginess. -
Lend me your Opinion
4 Nov 2009 | 2:15 pmI'm doubting myself.Do I go for a 3rd beta? If so, then when? I could go tomorrow (21dpo). Or I could go sometime next week.Do I go in for a 5 week ultrasound next week? It wouldn't tell me anything but how many there are. Do I just hold out until the 16th when I should be able to see a heartbeat?Um.... yes, I have NOOOOO kind of anxiety whatsoever about this, as you can tell.I think I felt some rumblings today, as in some mild crampiness. I'm still very tired and sleepy. I've been napping and going to bed early. I'm a big fan of sleep in general though, so that all works out. I'm sure this… -
Beta #2
2 Nov 2009 | 1:56 pmBeta #1 454 15dpo or 10dp5dtBeta #2 1164 18dpo or 13dp5dtDoubling time was 87%, which is decent. I can't help but associate that with a "B", but I'll take it. The babymed site that has the fancy schmancy HCG Calculator says that once it hits around 1200, it takes 72-96 hours to double. Plus, um... it's still a really nice number for a 2nd beta!My sweet nurse said that I could come in again next week to get another beta if I wanted to - for my own reassurance. Of course, that won't tell me whether there's a baby. The problem I keep having is that when I go in for the ultrasound, there's just a… -
Four Pee Sticks and a Beta
30 Oct 2009 | 11:23 amNot to be confused with Three Weddings and a Funeral.I am the proud owner of four pee sticks that were taken on four consecutive days, and were each nicely darker than the last. I stare at them fondly every time I go into the bathroom. And yesterday, when I was feeling sorry for myself because:1. MASSIVE and ugly mother of a bruise from the Lovenox injections (seriously, the size of a baseball). I must have gone through a vein.2. nausea (although I somewhat welcome it, kind of a love/hate thing there)3. unidentifiable rash (heat rash, probably)4. both buttocks HURT because of PIO shots5. I… -
The Peeing has Commenced!
27 Oct 2009 | 1:31 pmI'm so classy. I know.Yesterday the pee sticks were taunting me, early in the morning. So I gave in. I got a nice faint positive. It was 6dp5dt, or to uncomplicate things... 11dpo. So gratifying.I held out on posting because I wanted to be sure it wasn't an evaporation line or something crazy like that.At 1AM this morning I got up to use the bathroom and again, the pee sticks taunted me--literally begging me to use them. So, 20 hours after the first stick, I peed on another. I think the line is almost twice as dark. So lovely. Sorry the picture isn't great. But you get the idea!Half of me is…
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life from here: musings from the edge
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open adoption roundtable: on openness
5 Nov 2009 | 9:41 pmThe most recent prompt by Heather at the Open Adoption Roundtable asks open adoption bloggers whether they agree with some common critiques about openness in adoption. The views cited share one thing in common, “a certain point-of-view: that direct contact during early childhood between birth families and children placed for adoption may not be the best idea” and that adoptees, not their parents, should be able to decide if and when to initiate contact on their own timetable. As a new adoptive mother in a fully open adoption, I obviously disagree with this view for many of the… -
creepy crawly web
30 Oct 2009 | 1:17 pm~ Happy Halloween!~ … may you have more treats than tricks this year! image courtesy of the Amazing M -
sweet patch
27 Oct 2009 | 11:20 pmSo much to say, so little time… and not sure how much to share. It’s been a busy week here and we are recovering from our weekend away. Another post will have to be forthcoming on that, as I am still processing. It was all good, really. It’s just that there is so much to ponder. But now ’tis the season to think of spiders and witches and little goblins. And pumpkins. This time last year, we were moving full steam ahead with our adoption outreach when I had a major setback one fall Sunday afternoon. We had gone to our local pumpkin patch for some harvest fun, yet it was… -
grand contact
20 Oct 2009 | 12:33 amWe’ve had lots of activity this past week with Baby J’s birth family that has left us feeling really positive. Last weekend, M and I took a drive to K’s hometown, where Baby J was born, and had a wonderful lunch. We visited with K’s mom, Baby J’s first grandmother. She simply adores this baby, her first grandchild. We are closer with her than anyone next to K and our time together is easy and comfortable. We genuinely enjoy her as a person, as mom to K, and as Baby J’s first (and closest in proximity) grandparent. We keep in touch by email and phone, and we… -
adoption book tour: the primal wound
20 Oct 2009 | 12:21 amIn honor of National Adoption Month in November, Lori of Weebles Wobblog has launched an experiment over at the Open Adoption Examiner: a new adoption cross-triad book tour Beginning with the controversial landmark book The Primal Wound by Nancy Verrier, the tour promises to highlight the adoptee voice, often absent or marginalized from adoption discourse. Written by an adoptive mother interested in the psyche of the adoptee, the book was the first to explore in depth the adoptee perspective when it was published in 1993. Truth be told, The Primal Wound is not an easy read. Nevertheless, it…
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Reproductive Jeans
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Brought to you by: The Letter A
5 Nov 2009 | 5:31 pmSo I wont admit to you how many times I had to count the number of days in the calendar to match up with the letters in the alphabet.See, Ive had this plan for 30 posts in 30 days since I remembered it was NaBloPo month--but, of course....there are 30 days in the month, and there are only 26 letters in the alphabet.Like I said, I wont tell you how long it took me to work it all out.Anyway!And in honor of my most favoritest childhood show, Sesame Street, I wanted to do my part in honoring the 40th anniversary. I dont know what I would have done with out Big Bird and Grover...but much as Sesame… -
Wordless Wednesday: Best Buds
4 Nov 2009 | 6:18 pm -
Professor O-man
3 Nov 2009 | 5:27 pmA philosophical break down of my day:I started the day by proving to my dear mother, that no matter how manyextra ribbons she adds to my bumper pad, I will still pull it downduring my early morning pilates.I was bored with my noise makers, so I decided to crawl after a lovely cord hangingout of the wall, thus causing my mother to spill her morning coffee. Delightful!I practiced my aquatic exercises with ease--I quite enjoy being in the water,and look forward to going back to our next class on Thursday.I did some light afternoon reading--Wall Street Journal to start,and finished with The Cat… -
On Location
2 Nov 2009 | 7:17 pmGood evening! This is O-man reporting in for tonight's 11 o'clock news.I'm on location tonight in the wilderness of my living room, and have Mr. Wobble Penguin here with me to talk about his experiences in the water. He may just wobble and bobble here in my house, but he has great adventures when Im asleep at night.O-man: So, Mr. Penguin, I am starting swimming lessons tomorrow with Mommy. What are some key things I need to know when learning to swim?Mr. Penguin: Wobble, bobble, bobble, bobble, wobble, bobble, bobble.O-man: I see. So don't breathe under water and no splashing Mommy in the… -
Nightly News
1 Nov 2009 | 7:33 pmGood evening, this is O-man reporting for the 11 o'clock news.Let's get to our top stories:Breaking news this evening from the Jeans household: Mommy-JJ has vowed to participate in 30 posts in 30 days. She could not be reached for comment, but our sources say this will be verified in days to come.In financial news: Mommy JJ and Daddy Mook have been going through some big changes with their jobs so things are beginning to settle with our new routine. It's been a bit of a rocky market, but the trends seem to be positive.In sports news: I am officially crawling. Everywhere. I enjoy scooting,…
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Sell Crazy Someplace Else
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Healthy Fat Giveaway
30 Oct 2009 | 3:09 pmSo, in my quest towards Real Food, otherwise known as SOLE (sustainable, organic, local, ethical) food, I've been investigating healthy fats. I have moved almost entirely away from all vegetable oils and margarine. For us, it's cold expeller-pressed olive oil and butter from grass-fed cows all the way, baby.Something that I have wanted to try though is frying in beef tallow. Did you know that beef tallow (rendered fat from cows) can be a healthy fat? If you get your meat or tallow from happy cows raised in a healthy environment, the fat is good-for-you! Per U.S. Wellness Meats' blog, one of… -
HA!
29 Oct 2009 | 1:35 pmEveryone I know must read this. NOW. It made me spit out my drink and most of my internal organs with laughter.Then, come back here and tell me your thoughts on: a) how it absolutely stinks that Glee was not on this week, b) this week's episode of Top Chef, and c) my inability to keep off any of the weight I lose. -
Donor Insemination Research Project
28 Oct 2009 | 7:40 amH/t to Somewhat Ordinary (she has a private blog) for the idea.Recently, Mel posted in the LFCA about a donor insemination research project. In case you missed the blurb, I'll repost it here.This is "a research project examining the way in which the Internet is used to facilitate donor insemination; to negotiate access to donor sperm, to establish kinship ties or as a support network, for example. The experiences of anyone invested in sperm donation are sought: this could be women/couples who have been recipients of donor sperm, children from donor sperm or the sperm donors themselves."I… -
It Was Negative
26 Oct 2009 | 12:35 pmI went in for my beta at 8:30 AM. I did not receive a call until 3:30 PM. They made me wait all fucking day for this.All these symptoms and it means absolutely nothing. I really thought this was it. It was all for nothing. -
Giant289Pig
23 Oct 2009 | 8:38 amPlease forgive me for interrupting the current programming with a surprise part 3 of our four hundred thousand, seven hundred and ninety two part series...People Who Hate MeSo, I had to reset a password. The site sent me a temporary password to log in with. Yeah. The title above is my temporary password. They don't even know me and they're calling me a giant pig. Effers._________________In other news, I commented at:The Pitter-Patter (on her BFN)The Baby Chase (on her pregnancy after IF)On (In)fertile Ground (on being lapped)Local Nourishment (on an awesome reusable grocery bag)Into the Light…
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Outlandish Notions
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He’s here
5 Nov 2009 | 10:46 amIf you haven’t already heard, the Boy is here with us — he joined our family last Thursday night. 8 lb 3 oz, 20 inches long and absolutely beautiful. I’ve been trying to piece things together for a real post, but that looks like it’s a while off now. Cliff notes version, short easy labor (with the epidural which was totally worth it), followed by jaundice, milk coming in latelate, and finally things starting to look like they’ll sort themselves out. I’ll be around, and hopefully get to finish up my birth story post which got half-done in the hospital… -
No, I haven’t had the baby yet.
23 Oct 2009 | 7:45 pmSome choice quotes from the other night with my husband’s family: Gramma: Why, you’re not nearly as big as I thought you’d be by now! Aunt: Oh, she’s ready to deliver any day now — just look at her nose! SIL: Let me break it to you, you won’t be getting your belly back any time soon. Thanks. Just thanks. I started having contractions Tuesday afternoon, which freaked me out enough to call Manly and ask him to keep his phone nearby, which freaked him out enough to come home and stay with me even though all I did was go upstairs to take a nap. Since then… -
37 weeks
19 Oct 2009 | 4:54 pmAnother quickie since I’m supposed to be helping someone else with a project… 37 weeks is considered full-term at their office, and they would not do anything to stop labor at this point 3+ cm dialated (almost 4) 25% effaced -2 station negative for group b strep blood pressure 114/64 no weight gain since last visit (up total of 24 lb at this point) baby’s heart beat 154 bpm quote, “If I was a betting man, I’d bet that you won’t make it til next week’s appointment.” Sharah’s note: remember, this is the same guy who told me I… -
Checking in
16 Oct 2009 | 5:56 pmNow I appear to have reached “that” point. The point where random friends and family have started checking in to make sure I haven’t had the baby and we decided to keep it a secret from all and sundry. Really, peeps, when the baby is here, we will be shouting it from the rooftop. The hospital has wireless internet for a reason. We have an appointment tomorrow at the local photography place to get a formal sitting of me and Manly before the baby comes. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while, but the last few weeks I’ve been afraid that the baby… -
No news is … no news, I guess.
13 Oct 2009 | 3:41 pmI’ve apparently reached “that” point — where all the women in my office (especially those about my mother’s age) pass me in the hall, look at me with pity, and go “Oh, honey, when are you due?” My boss even said that he could tell I was there when I waddled into his office yesterday. My pelvis feels like it’s trying to split down the joint in the front (depending on how far down he’s curled up) and it hurts to get up and walk. My hands ache in the joints because they’ve gotten so swollen. I keep seeing mucus-y stuff when I go…
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Production, Not Reproduction
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EnviroMom Meatless Supper Club: Spicy Black Beans & Rice
5 Nov 2009 | 12:40 amThis has been one of Those Weeks. The kind in which just making it to the dinner table at the end of the day feels like an accomplishment. So any meals hav to be (1) fast and (2) made of ingredients already in our pantry or freezer. Our trusty black beans and rice recipe fit the bill on both counts. You'd probably never serve it guests--it's too ugly for that. But it's warm, comforting, filling and beyond easy to make. The most complicated step is chopping up an onion. It's really not that spicy, despite its name. I use a minimum of cayenne pepper to keep it kid-friendly. Upping the… -
Open Adoption Roundtable #9
4 Nov 2009 | 1:32 pmThe Open Adoption Roundtable is a series of occasional writing prompts about open adoption. It's designed to showcase of the diversity of thought and experience in the open adoption community. You don't need to be part of the Open Adoption Bloggers list to participate, or even be in a traditional open adoption. If you're thinking about openness in adoption, you have a place at the table. Publish your response during the next two weeks--linking back here so we can all find one other--and leave a link to your post in the comments. If you don't blog, you can always leave your thoughts directly… -
Quick Birthday Follow-up
2 Nov 2009 | 11:55 pmI forgot to tell you we came home one night last week to a message from Ray saying that he wanted to wish Puppy a happy birthday. Just to close the birth parent birthday loop that I thought was closed but was apparently half-dangling. It was late, so Todd called him back on another evening. Ray and Puppy had one of those five-sentence conversations before Puppy decided he was done, which is so typical of his phone skills right now. Very charmed by the idea of talking on the phone, not so great with the execution. My reaction was...neutral, I guess? Relieved a call eventually come,… -
Obligatory Halloween Post-Mortem
1 Nov 2009 | 11:55 pmFor Halloween, Puppy dressed up as a Holy Crusader and Firefly went as a monkey. I kid, I kid! Puppy was a wizard, Firefly was a cat and it was all quite fun. Although Todd tells me the wizard costume would not have flown with his parents during his childhood years. Too evil, apparently. But they actually did dress him as a Crusader one year. The calculus on that one is a little fuzzy for me. This year was the first time we tried that popular candy swap/fairy/game/bribe thing in which the kid gets a toy in exchange for their candy. Firefly turns into an itchy, miserable mess (or worse)… -
An Adoption Photo
29 Oct 2009 | 2:17 pmFootball has always been something Ray and Todd shared in common. They were both coaching high school teams the year Puppy was born; I remember Ray coming back to the hospital room late one night after a game (which he and Todd promptly spent the good part of an hour dissecting play by play). Every phone call between them eventually turns to football. Puppy recognized this commonality early on. Not surprising, given that it's nearly impossible to miss. I think it's important to him as a way he can connect with his two dads at the same time. Footballs and football teams and football shirts and…
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Weebles Wobblog
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Show & Tell: Wedding invitation
4 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pmThis past week, Roger and I marked the 15th anniversary of our engagement (click all images to magnify).As longtime readers may guess, we are not the traditional type that would have a traditional wedding. Or traditional wedding invitations.And before we had children, we were big film aficionados.These were the RSVP cards.And, as if out of a time capsule, our closing arguments in why invitees -
Moments in Open Adoption Parenting, part 73
3 Nov 2009 | 6:00 amTessa was distraught, after a Halloween party, for not getting the nod for a sleepover at her aunt's house. The excitement of the kid-oriented haunted house, the disappointment about the sleepover and a sugar high made for a meltdown.I got her into the car and she continued to wail about how mean her dad and I are. Roger and Reed were in the other car (long logistical explanation), so Tessa and I -
Perfect Moment Monday: The calgonification of me
1 Nov 2009 | 11:01 pmPerfect Moment Monday is about noticing a perfect moment rather than creating one. Perfect moments can be momentous or ordinary or somewhere in between.We gather once a week to engage in mindfulness about something that is right with our world. Everyone is welcome to join. Details on how to participate are at the bottom of this post, complete with bloggy bling.Please visit the links of the -
Shout Out Sunday: A sense of humor
1 Nov 2009 | 12:34 pmThe amazingly fabulous Melissa at Full Circle has created a new meme, which she kicked-off today (how appropriate that I am watching my Broncos at time of kick off. How sucky that they are losing).It's called Shout Out Sunday, and I'm all in.Here's the deal, from Melissa:Choose a blog that has moved you. A daily must read. One you stalk. One that makes you laugh, cry or scream at the monitor. A -
Hallowinter
30 Oct 2009 | 6:00 amDue to Mother Nature's recent cold flash, I am subjecting you to another slide show, so soon after the last.(By the way, Manly Man is not Roger. He's a guy we saw at the sledding hill. As far as I could tell, he was not high.)Also, for those of you who were worried, I GOT MORE WINE!We had a BLAST, and I laughed my abs off. Snow days CAN be fun when you're all grown up.
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Welcome To The Dollhouse
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That’s Much Better
4 Nov 2009 | 10:32 pmLast year’s Halloween photos: This year’s photos: I’d say this constitutes improvement! Real post coming soon…I promise. -
Bee-yotch Squared
20 Oct 2009 | 10:00 amI’ll admit it. I’ve never really understood or gotten along well with most women. Except for my shoe fetishism, I just don’t have the female hardwiring. I never have. Evil Mother socialized me in a more gender neutral manner (though there was occasional emphasis on being ladylike…something I never heeded). So all the fawning over fashion mags, giggling and screaming, nice-to-your-face-but-talk-about-you-behind-your-back passive-aggressive crap was never part of my experience. I’d watch the female goings-on with puzzled detachment, wondering whether I was missing… -
Vote for Zara
14 Oct 2009 | 12:32 pm’ve finally gone and lost my mind. I’ve become that mom. What did I do now, you ask? Well I’ve entered Zara in the Gap Casting Call contest. Start throwing the tomatoes now. At least it wasn’t Toddlers and Tiaras! This decision is probably a combination of wanting to show off my beauteous daughter and feeling pretty pleased with my photographic skills. Whatever it is, I think Zizi deserves your votes. Come on…she’s saddled with me for a mother, after all! Zara C. Baby Girl ID: 98151649 Philadelphia, PA Fan Favorite Votes: 0 Vote for me so I can be the Fan… -
Do Divas Drive Mommobiles?
10 Oct 2009 | 7:21 pmLet me start out by saying that this is definitely a high rent problem to have. No question there. I’m fortunate to be able to even have this bit of a whine-fest. I know this and I know it well. Yet and still, I’m feeling an assault to my divatude that I must address. So I hope you are able to read what follows with the understanding that my whining is just a minor microscopic blip on society’s dysfunction radar. But since this is my blog, I still get to whine about the very small stuff. So what’s all this about? Well, it seems it’s time for me to get a new car. My little Bimmer… -
Back Into The Kitchen She Goes
4 Oct 2009 | 8:21 pmor some reason (I am unclear as to why), I’ve been doing a lot more cooking than usual these days. I’ve always liked to cook, but in recent months, I’ve had the energy level of a hibernating giant sloth (that is if giant sloths do indeed hibernate). So the fact that I’ve found my way back to the kitchen feels strange and interesting at the same time. Maybe it’s the ease at which I’m able to conjure up a recipe in the parking lot of the grocery store using my Epicurious iPhone app. Let’s see…search for kid friendly + quick + dinner, then bingo, a…
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Artificially Sweetened
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Apropos of absolutely nothing
6 Nov 2009 | 10:32 amThere seems to be something that draws unusual vanity plates to the block in front of my work. Seen in the past few months. PLZVOTE S1NG 1T HDSHRNKR SENILE1 And on a tow truck nearby: NEXT WEEK -
One very small example of why we need healthcare reform
3 Nov 2009 | 1:30 pmAbout a month ago, I checked online to see when my supplies were coming from Minimed. Everything looked fine, except for the test strips, which said “cash pricing” $360 Every other time I’ve ordered them from MM, they have been covered by insurance. I spent about 45 minutes on the phone with a representative from MM who finally assured me that yes, they were covered. Guess what happened next? Test strips arrive, I start using them and… then Bill. For $360. I call Minimed back (another 30 minutes on hold) only to be told that at some point this year (in the middle of… -
To daycare with love
14 Oct 2009 | 7:11 pmHow do you thank someone… who has taught your son to hold his p*nis and aim it successfully in the potty? That’s a lot to learn But what can I give you in return? -
CSA FAIL or I may never eat lettuce again
7 Oct 2009 | 8:47 pmI had a lovely salad earlier, composed of lettuce and peppers from our CSA. A few minutes ago I was taking the rest of the unused but washed lettuce out of the salad spinner to put in the fridge and I popped a little handful of lettuce into my mouth. It had an unusually crunchy texture, followed by a nasty taste. I spat it out and this is what I saw (after the break, for the weak of stomach or heart) Bug in Salad Spinner ETA, about an hour later: oh god, it is still there, in the salad spinner, but it has moved. It is not dead. It is undead. Dear Internets, I had an inch+ long live… -
Memo to self
30 Sep 2009 | 1:06 pmWhen you are wondering why it feels like your blood sugar is sky high at 4pm, please ask yourself whether you actually bolused for lunch or whether you just thought about bolusing for lunch. And just because
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omegamom.com
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A lesson unlearned
6 Nov 2009 | 9:51 pmRemember this? It happened again, this evening. So, instead of relaxing and watching some nice dark science fiction (aka Stargate Universe), OmegaDad and I have spent the past 40 minutes dealing with OmegaDotter’s social life–or, currently, lack thereof. Once again, she started making plans with A.–as in, “We’ll pick you up at…”–without sitting down and asking us first. It’s not a lot to ask, I think. I’d like to have her request that a friend can spend the night, and actually talk about it with us, before she starts making… -
Hey, jealousy
5 Nov 2009 | 4:42 pmOur neighborhood is filled with dogs. Big dogs. Little dogs. Dogs that go on walks with their humans. On the whole, I find myself thinking of Kai less and less, though when the dotter brought home “Our Daily News” (in which the kids write a snippet, it gets compiled into a sheet, and the teacher copies the sheet and sends it home with the kids) where she had not one, but two snippets, about how our dog died…well. That one made it suddenly come back again. Anyway, I see the happy people walking their dogs and am wracked with jealousy. “How… -
A night at the (Chinese) opera
4 Nov 2009 | 1:42 amUniversity of Alaska-Big City recently opened a branch of Major Chinese Philosopher Institute, whose mission is to foster Amurrikan-Chinese relations and promote Chinese language learning for K-12 schools. This means that we have more Chinese events to go to, put on by MCP Institute, if we’re willing to drive an hour each way. (It also seems that we may end up having Chinese lessons here! in Suburban Alaska! coming up after January 1! This is majorly exciting; the classes in Big City run from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday nights, which doesn’t work very well for… -
I knew her when…
3 Nov 2009 | 10:16 amWhen the dotter becomes a famous artist, I am going to go around being such a mom. “Did you see that new painting she did?! Isn’t it awesome?!” “You need to buy that sculpture of hers. Did you know she was making sculptures out of construction paper when she was a tiny girl? It’s only $3,000! C’mon!” Really. I am in awe of her talent. My mom, GrannyJ, is very artsy; she was always doodling and drawing and making hooked rugs and making psychodelic creatures out of papier mache. I, however, find… -
I succumb to temptation
2 Nov 2009 | 4:01 pmSaturday night, OmegaDad snuck into my office, opened up a plastic bag from the local grocery store, and showed me the bag of miniature Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups that was inside. “These were on sale–half off! Hide this!” he commanded. So I slid it into the drawer to the left of my computer. The plan was, of course, that he and I could share it, and it would be safe from the dotter. In the picture above, you see the reality of things. OmegaDad should be a pusher. I can see him now, dressed in a trenchcoat, leaning against an alley…
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Life in the Soupbowl
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Trick or Treat!
1 Nov 2009 | 6:18 pmWhew. Where to begin. Halloween WEEKEND was a blur of fun around here. Nana and Papa came down (Dale & Di) and we enjoyed a dinner out Friday night. Nana brought Kyla a new pumpkin hat and we paired it with a bib I found in the $1 bin at Target! Perfect! I called this our "Cute Little Pumpkin" dressed in as a "firework". LOL. She is seriously the sweetest, best little baby ever - honestly! It's all Papa Dale could say all weekend!Saturday AM rolled around, and Mama, Daddy and Papa took K1 to the zoo- where there was a "HallZOOween " fun time to be had. Too bad the weather wasn't so… -
The monster mask?
30 Oct 2009 | 4:51 amSunday of this past weekend, I started getting a really bad headache and had a slight temperature of 99.6. I was nervous that the flu was going to hit me, so I laid down to take a nap and ended up sleeping the entire afternoon away. Monday, I still felt a bit off, but went to work, did my job, and took Keifer to our Ballroom class. That night, as I was feeding Kyla at around 1AM, I suddenly felt like I was going to vomit. I laid down Kyla (luckily she was done with her bottle!) and made it to the bathroom in time to be sick. What? This had hit me out of nowhere, so of course I was nervous… -
Cutest Little Witch & her sissy
30 Oct 2009 | 4:34 amWho IS this big girl? Man, my heart just about stopped when I saw these pictures after I took them. Keifer is looking so much more like a "little girl" vs. a toddler! I wish I could slow down time! Showing off one of her Oscar the Grouch socks that she picked out herself to wear Showing off both socks! And what post wouldn't be complete without a picture of our angel girl #2? Kyla enjoying a chew on her toy -
Little Ballroom Dancer
28 Oct 2009 | 2:09 pmOur dancer girl is improving her ballroom dancing skills. She loves to pretend to be on the show, and has some pretty dramatic moves. Swinging her hair, doing some drops, rolling around: it's all in the dance routines for her!This is part 2 of this session right here, and here is her doing some of the jitterbug the other night. She was really doing more jittering but we didn't get too much of it on video! Enjoy!Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing -
Wordless Wednesday: Hey Mister, she's my lovey sister!!!
28 Oct 2009 | 5:18 am
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No swimmers in the tubes, no bun in the oven
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Professional photos
4 Nov 2009 | 1:52 pmLast week B, Blake, and I had our first professional photos taken. I was a little weary, still feeling quite cow-like, but I LOVE the way they turned out. Sister Song did an amazing job and I highly recommend them to anyone!We even had a picture of Blake's feet with the girls ring. So precious.Anyway, check out our pics here. * * * In other news, Tiffany has won the Sherbie birth game! She was the closest to the actual birth date/time, with a guess of September 15th at 7pm. Congrats Tiffany! Send me an email at noswimmers@gmail.com and we'll get your RESOLVE membership going. Yay! And a big… -
Halloween
2 Nov 2009 | 8:43 amBlake decided to be a pea pod for his first Halloween. Not that he really had a choice. Mabel and Tungsten cowered in a corner, afraid they were next (they hate getting dressed up). Once they figured out the little human was the recipient of such torture, they laughed their doggie asses off.A pissed-off pea pod:He gave up after a while:Two peas in a pod: See what I live with?A pooped-out pea pod: -
Tuesday night randomness
27 Oct 2009 | 6:47 pmBirth announcement:Thank you all so much for your help with the birth announcement! It's one of those things I really couldn't figure out. I haven't written it yet, but I'll share it when I do.The Sherbie baby pool:I didn't forget about the giveaway, promise! I've just been a bit distracted by a little screaming, eating, pooping human.There is a bit of a dilemma, though. I didn't clarify how the winner would be determined. Each guess (birth date, time, weight, etc.) is given a point value. I could either go with the person closest to the birth date, or I could go with the person who had the… -
newspaper announcement
20 Oct 2009 | 6:48 pmI need help...and y'all are the smartest ladies I know! How can I incorporate Kar.is and Ad.dison into Blake's birth announcement? I can't find wording anywhere, and I'm just not creative (nor do I have the tact) to write it myself.Any suggestions?Usually the announcement would say something like: "Blake joins sisters Ka.ris and Ad.dison." Obviously this wording doesn't work for us. Or should this just be about Blake? "What the heck is this thing??" -
Remembering
15 Oct 2009 | 7:41 amToday is National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day.Thinking about, and missing, my beautiful little girls.Much love to those of you remembering your little angels.Ka.ris:Addi.son:Addis.on's last ultrasound. Kar.is, the TTTS "donor" was stuck up against the uterine wall, so we only have a shot of her foot.I will be lighting a candle at 7pm in remembrance of Kar.is, Ad.dison, and all the other babies taken away much too soon. Bla.ke will get to hear all about his big sisters.
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a little pregnant
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Three things that make me feel queasy
30 Oct 2009 | 9:53 amFrom antiangie on Twitter: "I'm not sure what you should do with this, just telling you it exists." Jerry O'Connell is writing a memoir about parenthood. Its title: Cry, Feed, (Make Love to Wife), Burp. I for one can't wait... -
I bet they'd come if I made the frightening hand
28 Oct 2009 | 9:03 amI'd been toying with the idea for a couple of weeks, to invite people over for a casual gathering before Saturday night trick-or-treating. I'd order pizza for the kids, put together a few amusing edibles for the adults — certainly... -
Your invitation is in the mail
21 Oct 2009 | 8:09 amThis morning's breakfast conversation: Charlie: When Ben and I are grown men, we'll still be brothers. But we won't live in the same house. Julie, thinking, I hope not, because that'll mean both of you are in prison: You could... -
Truing up
17 Oct 2009 | 7:42 pmI just want you to know that at no time has any agent affiliated with the TSA relieved me of either of my children during an airport security screening. This is kind of odd when you consider that until recently... -
New rule: Don't read comments, ever
12 Oct 2009 | 7:59 pmNew rule! Every time someone declares that infertile people should accept their lot in life and adopt, they should be required by law to adopt a child themselves. To put their money where their mouth is. Shouldn't be a problem,...
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Barren Mare
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Trifecta
5 Nov 2009 | 1:09 pmTo complete a trilogy of posts debating having a second child, I bring you some of the random, stream of thought musings that pass through my head on the subject, on a more or less hourly basis. Sleep. I don't... -
Sun signs
28 Oct 2009 | 2:21 pmWe changed the clocks back on Sunday, and already it feels like a sudden plummet into winter. The dark, it makes me sleepy. And cold. Already I feel the urge to huddle around the radiator for warmth (since my fireplace... -
Clean slate
21 Oct 2009 | 1:31 pmI'm reading all your comments on the last post with great interest; many thanks to those who took the time to respond and share your own experiences. Since several people asked, I think I may as well address the infertility... -
The arguments for and against
14 Oct 2009 | 2:05 pmHaving struggled to compose something coherent, I came to the conclusion that my feelings on having a second child are proving difficult and big and complicated (read: long-winded)- too much so to be dealt with in a single post. So... -
Tweeting with my coat on
7 Oct 2009 | 10:38 amWhen I was a kid, I vividly remember coming home from being out somewhere with my mother- probably from one of the endless trips to ballet lessons, flute lessons, voice lessons, Girl Scouts, drama club, gymnastics or visiting one of...
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Barren Mare
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Trifecta
5 Nov 2009 | 1:09 pmTo complete a trilogy of posts debating having a second child, I bring you some of the random, stream of thought musings that pass through my head on the subject, on a more or less hourly basis. Sleep. I don't... -
Sun signs
28 Oct 2009 | 2:21 pmWe changed the clocks back on Sunday, and already it feels like a sudden plummet into winter. The dark, it makes me sleepy. And cold. Already I feel the urge to huddle around the radiator for warmth (since my fireplace... -
Clean slate
21 Oct 2009 | 1:31 pmI'm reading all your comments on the last post with great interest; many thanks to those who took the time to respond and share your own experiences. Since several people asked, I think I may as well address the infertility... -
The arguments for and against
14 Oct 2009 | 2:05 pmHaving struggled to compose something coherent, I came to the conclusion that my feelings on having a second child are proving difficult and big and complicated (read: long-winded)- too much so to be dealt with in a single post. So... -
Tweeting with my coat on
7 Oct 2009 | 10:38 amWhen I was a kid, I vividly remember coming home from being out somewhere with my mother- probably from one of the endless trips to ballet lessons, flute lessons, voice lessons, Girl Scouts, drama club, gymnastics or visiting one of...
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Flotsam
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Pip Pip! Cheerio!
2 Nov 2009 | 3:41 pmIn honour of the fact that I appeared yesterday in the Sunday Times, I am going to insert the letter U and replace the letter Z as necessary to make any new British readers feel at home. I don’t foresee a part of the entry in which I mention the back storage compartment of a car, but if there is one, I shall use the term “bonnet” “boot” (thank you, intrepid reader!) You can read the article online, but only those of you who have access to the hard copy will be able to see the lovely layout, with pictures, including one of my beloved Waffle HOLDING a waffle. There was one… -
The Cock-Eyed Optimism Would be Refreshing, if it Weren’t So Wildly Unfounded.
29 Oct 2009 | 9:46 amAt Simone’s appointment last week, her blood pressure was very high. Pediatric blood pressure is confusing, to me, but for those of you who know about these things, it was 114 over 67, otherwise known as HOLY SHIT over MEH. It has been getting progressively higher over the past several months, and as high blood pressure is the complication her nephrologist warned us to look for, this was Trouble. Trouble with a capital T that rhymes with P that stands for Pediatric Renal Failure. Or something. It has been impressed upon me that getting an accurate blood pressure reading from a toddler… -
Patience is a Virtue, One that Would be Easier to Sustain if it Were Possible to Get Out of the Pediatrician’s Office in Less Than Two Hours.
20 Oct 2009 | 5:53 pmI think it goes without saying that I would never hit my child. BUT. If I WERE going to hit her—which of course I am not, would never—it would almost certainly be while we were visiting her doctor. You might think this is because I figure I should at least make sure she’ll receive prompt medical attention, but no. It wouldn’t be while we were in the waiting room, and she is racing around asking complete strangers to pick her up and then shrieking and going boneless when I—for the record, her mother—try to do so (in order to spare the copy of TIME she has… -
Star Signs.
19 Oct 2009 | 3:43 pmDo you know what you should do, if you need amusing? Read your baby’s horoscope. I don’t know why this is funny, but trust me, it is. Last weekend, Simone’s forecast said: “Experiment with unusual activities and different types of entertainment, especially if your life feels out of your control. It’s all about recapturing that sense of individuality. Granted, you can’t change certain things, so figure out what those are and don’t give them a second thought. Open your eyes a little wider — expose yourself to new ways of doing things. You’ll… -
Of Things Past.
15 Oct 2009 | 7:47 pmThis is my favorite picture of Ames. It’s a strange favorite to have, I suppose. The pictures taken after his birth are hard to look at, but I have other ultrasound photos taken much further along, after 20 weeks. I have the requisite adorable profile shots, his tiny nose and chin visible, his arm in the air. I even have some in 3D, and some of him with his sister. But this one—taken just a bit less than two years ago, well before I knew he was Ames, before I knew he was a he—is the one I look at most often. In case you can’t tell, it is a shot of his legs extended…
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Julia
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My Cash Drawer
6 Nov 2009 | 1:25 pmI have watched enough Tom & Jerry to last me the rest of my natural life so it is not surprising that I am thinking in cartoon visuals. Right now I am picturing a dust cloud and from it emerges... -
H1NWhatever
1 Nov 2009 | 3:48 pmPatrick came home from school on Wednesday with a blinding headache and the need to fall asleep at five in the afternoon. By Thursday morning he was throwing up. A trip to the doctor on Thursday afternoon landed him with... -
1X1
28 Oct 2009 | 9:13 amPatrick's school had some sort of peace ceremony the other day and he came home all saintly and thoughtful. At bedtime that night he said, "I have just written a message of peace. Would you like to hear it?" So... -
Resolutions
25 Oct 2009 | 6:59 pmAbout a year ago I posted a picture of Caroline and observed that through her I could finally see Steve's Russian heritage (this is the picture - I said I wanted to keep cracking her open until I reached the...
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Serenity Now!
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On moving past IF.
5 Nov 2009 | 8:40 amI suppose when I say that I want to move past infertility for good, I should clarify. I mean this. I want to move past BATTLING infertility. To planning going back to the RE. To scheduling the HSG, the blood draws. J’s next SA, which will confirm that yes, we are still infertile. I am fully aware that I will always have a sense of shock when I think that there are people who can get pregnant just by having sex. In their bedrooms. Where some people can actually do this without really even PLANNING for it. I can’t say I’ll ever really LIKE going to baby showers. I’ll… -
Wordless Wednesday: Child Labor.
4 Nov 2009 | 5:15 amClick here for more WW participants. -
Shoe leather. And wanting.
3 Nov 2009 | 9:01 amSo, as it turns out? My level of mental Zen is directly proportional to the amount of sleep I’m getting. Now that O’s better, he’s sleeping more. And more importantly, LONGER. As in, through the night. WOO. And so I’ve managed to catch up on my OWN sleep. So I’m feeling good. He’s still exhausting and exciting, and physical, and playful, and fun, and every day I spend with him I collapse into my bed at the day’s end, utterly exhausted. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. This weekend we went to a baby shower. For a girl who has gone to EVERY… -
Perfect Moments.
2 Nov 2009 | 6:59 am(My first foray into Perfect Moment Monday.) First night of standard time. It’s dark outside. Our kitchen is warm with light and dinner cooking. O and I are playing “Ring Around the Rosie.” When it comes to the part where we all fall down, I sit down on the floor, and he runs over to me, throws his arms around me, and we fall down together, giggling. He stands, up, tugs at my hands, and says “UP!” And we play it again. ___________________________ It’s 3am, and I hear him on the monitor. He’s in light pajamas, and I’ve turned the overnight heat… -
On music appreciation.
30 Oct 2009 | 6:50 amNote to self: Really, Serenity – it’s okay NOT to post if you have nothing but whining to post about. Really. No one wants to read your complaining. “Wah, my life is so hard.” When really it’s pretty damn good. I actually got to leave work on TIME yesterday in order to pick up O. And we had a great night – Lots of giggles and fun. He ate a good dinner, we sang songs on the way home from daycare, he chased me around the house, bathtime was good (and wet!) fun, and he snuggled with be before bed and gave me eskimo kisses before he went to sleep. And last…
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So Close
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Max snacking on his favourite meal (toes)
3 Nov 2009 | 10:16 amSuperb picture quality thanks to the excellent -0,25 megapixel camera on my BB. (^*%*&^! -
Why it is easier being a sinner
2 Nov 2009 | 6:37 amI don't want to get into a whole religious debate, but I do want to say this: Sometimes you Lordy folk make it very difficult for even the Lordy to be Lordy.Look, I know that not all Christians are fanatical, judgmental, nasty, exclusive, ugly, condemnatory, critical finger-pointers. I know that most Christians are loving, caring good people who live their lives in faith and kindness. I know this because my sister is one of the nice ones who tries to live a good, godly life (whatever that might be) and hope that others might be persuaded to see the light or find the truth etc by seeing… -
Trick or treat straight to hell?
1 Nov 2009 | 1:12 amJudging from the tweets and FB updates, Halloween is HUUUUUUGE in the USA? I read somewhere that it is your second biggest holiday in the US? It is not a big thing in South Africa at all. A few kids go around trick or treating, but there isn't any hype about it.Last year, when we stayed in our old house, one of the moms arranged for her kids and mine to go for a stroll down the road trick or treating. Her kids are a year older and two years younger than mine, so the 4 of them and the two of us knocked on a few doors. The kids loved it.Adam has been asking me for a whole year… -
Max
29 Oct 2009 | 12:14 pmI had Max's passport done today. Isn't he just the cutest baby in the Whole Wide World? I am so fond of that chap. -
Bon Voyage to the Fokkers
28 Oct 2009 | 12:12 pmMy parents (aka the Fokkers) depart on their maiden voyage in Roxanne, their RV camper van thing tomorrow morning. My mom got her all clear on her cancer check up this morning (wooohooo!) and my dad got the thumbs up from his stroke doctor a few days ago. They are going away for 2.5 looooong weeks and although I will miss them terribly (extremely selfish of them), I am so happy and excited for them. This is something my dad has always wanted to do.Enjoy yourselves dear Mother and Father, have fun and look after yourselves. Lock yourself in at night, don't talk to strangers,…
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Thalia's fertility journey
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Pob snippets no. 3
24 Oct 2009 | 2:20 am"Put the dummy there, just in case I need it" While watching what looked like a rather fun art activity with a tennis ball, paint, and a lot of newspaper on CBeebies: "Do that tomorrow please" "Poo in the potty, no, pee in the potty, yes!" When I had to brake suddenly: "Going too fast Mummy!" When H and I were both cuddling her and pretending to eat her ears: "Silly Mummy! Silly Daddy!" "Going to the park, Mummy, Daddy, Junior and Pob all together!" "Go to the park soon, after sleep" She is taking great care with pronunciation, particularly... -
I know tomorrow you'll find better things
22 Oct 2009 | 2:23 amThank you for the sympathy. Yesterday was better and today is doing ok so far. Yesterday: I took Junior out for his post-breakfast nap, so I got a walk. He only slept for 30 minutes but when he woke was happy to look at the passing clouds and leaves so it was quite pleasant We walked to the post office where I kicked up enough fuss (and enough money) that they decided to release my domperidone On the way home I sat in Starbucks for 10 minutes, read the paper, ate a cheese and Marmite panini and had a few... -
Bad day
20 Oct 2009 | 1:21 pmToday I: Listened to my baby scream on and off for most of the morning while I tried to get him to nap, gave up but then could not constantly hold him but put him down occasionally to answer the phone/make myself a sandwich/eat the sandwich/brush my teeth etc. Dealt with some work crap Tried to get a hair appointment booked for the first time in 5 months, involving juggling my temperamental colourist, my hair cutter, my MIL for baby-sitting, and my own timing. Plus the salon reception Heard from a nanny agency that they don't have anyone else to... -
Losing it
19 Oct 2009 | 2:32 amThere are several posts which traditionally show up in the few months after a baby is born. That is if you are a common-or-garden blogger like me, rather than if you are a superstar creative writer like, say, Julie, or Alexa. And even they have been known to write one or two of these. Some experiences are . To my reckoning, those posts are: I have a baby, he/she is the best thing that ever happened to me The baby doesn't sleep, what do I do? Breastfeeding is awful/wonderful/stressful/impossible (delete as appropriate) I'm so utterly sleep deprived I just [insert... -
Pob at two
17 Oct 2009 | 4:05 amThree weeks ago Pob became a two-year old. I'll spare you the "oh my goodness it was only yesterday she was a tiny baby" speech, but it does feel a bit that way. We had a lovely party for her. I had doubted my sanity, inviting people round to a house with a toddler and a non-sleeping baby, but I felt more strongly that we needed to recognise her birthday. And once I started inviting people, it rapidly got to 30 guests, when we included family, gdparents, and my college friends and their children. It went incredibly well, thanks to...
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Uppercase Woman
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A Thousands Balls in the Air, ALL AT ONCE
5 Nov 2009 | 7:02 pmRight now, I feel a bit... unnerved. I'm in the middle of some discussions with a series of work-type people that are all offering a variety of awesome opportunities, all at once. IF everything falls into place, all at one time, there will be much hard work (but much very interesting work, and some work very different then what I've been doing recently, but would really enjoy) but there will also be substantial financial reward and we will, quite possibly, as a family, achieve financial security for the first time in ages. I can't talk too much about it. It's making me nuts, but of course as… -
Aging Gracefully?
4 Nov 2009 | 7:09 amDaylight savings time -- or WHATever, the switch back to Standard Time -- is kicking my ass. For some reason -- probably orchestrated by Satan -- Tori now gets up around 5:30am; before the time change, she generally slept until 7:30am or so, which means she is now getting up an hour earlier than she used to. What the hell? She goes to bed at the same time. I don't get it.I know I'm very lucky; Charlie and I alternate mornings with Tori (as we also alternate bed time duty) so every other day we get to stay in bed for as long as we need to (although, admittedly, Tori's morning volume combined… -
Presenting Tank
2 Nov 2009 | 12:36 pmSo this morning I opened up the door and the new dog ran outside, down the porch steps, and took off down the street like a shot.Wait. I didn't tell you about the new dog, did I?Okay.So. About a week ago, I started looking at the doggie personals that animal shelters and rescue sites place on places like Craig's List and Petfinder. I wasn't intending to do anything (yeah, I know, I know, shut up) although I placed a couple of calls about possibly being a temporary foster home, and trying to find out if certain dogs were good with kids or cats. Nothing came of those calls, and I kept perusing… -
Vote! (with bonus Halloween photos)
1 Nov 2009 | 6:58 amSo many of us have elections coming up this week. It's not a particularly sexy election, but it's still an important one. For instance, everyone is watching Virginia this year. A reader sent this to me because her husband is running:My husband, Stevens Miller, is running for the Virginia House of Delegates against an anti-choice Republican incumbant. NARAL has endorsed my husband in the race and I am just so proud. [You can donate to his campaign, although now it's a bit late (sorry!) here.] Stevens' opponent, Delegate Rust (R), along with his slate-mates McDonnell, Bolling, and Cuccinelli… -
Pity Party, Table for one?
30 Oct 2009 | 11:17 amI am seriously fighting the blues today. No new reasons; just the chronic money troubles. On Wednesday I went to a (free) party in New York City (riding the very cheap NJ Transit Train with the awesome Corina and Kelly) thrown by the lovely ladies of Aiming Low, but while using the HP printers there to print out some photos I managed to somehow break my beautiful camera. You remember? The lovely camera that you guys bought me as part of my baby shower so that I'd take lots of photos of Tori for you?Yeah, that one.I really shouldn't be depressed; my freelance writing career is soaring. No,…
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Busted Babymaker
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Another Doodle Quilt!
1 Nov 2009 | 6:58 pmEDITED: Hopefully the pics are working now...I wanted to share this beautiful gift we received from blog reader and fellow blogger Kristin: She made this quilt for us out of the clothes my mom had bought us for the Doodles that were never used. I blogged a while back (last time we moved - I swear we don't normally move once a year) that DH had sadly come upon the bag of Doodles' clothes and how sad it made me, and Kristin emailed and generously offered to make us a quilt out of these clothes. The cubes are made up of their onesies, the bibs hang from a ribbon clothesline that came from one of… -
I suck!
29 Oct 2009 | 2:30 pmWith packing, moving, unpacking, et cetera...I had 0ver 200 unread posts in my google reader and with 30+ new ones a day, there's no way I'd ever catch up...so I missed a lot of posts. If there's anything fun or exciting or important about which you posted and I missed it, let me know in comments here so I'm sure to check in! -
In Remembrance
15 Oct 2009 | 5:09 pmWe just lit our candles, and took their picture in front of the Doodle blanket, the only unpacked memento. And the pic was taken with my blackberry since the camera upload cord is also packed. But we lit our candles, and got a picture, and that's what counts.As we watch the candles burn, we'll remember our beautiful Noah and Talia. While today was exciting, finally closing on our new house, it's also bittersweet as we move forward with a life without our Doodles.Also remembering so many others, including (but certainly not limited to - these are just the ones I thought of at first, partly due… -
October 15
14 Oct 2009 | 4:52 pmJust a reminder that tomorrow (October 15) is pregnancy and infant loss awareness day.We're going to try and participate in the wave of light tomorrow (I say try because we have a very busy day as we close on our new house tomorrow and then have to finish packing up). I encourage everyone else to participate too!Thanks to all for remembering our Doodles and all of the other little ones honored by this day. -
Hindsight
12 Oct 2009 | 5:52 pmMy greatest regret in life, more than anything else, is not holding our little Noah, Doodle B, for the brief time he was alive. At the time it was just too painful to even contemplate, and I can't properly explain the conflicting emotions I was feeling at the time.So you can imagine the pain I felt reading this story. Yes, I recognize that it's an extreme case, certainly not the norm. Most micro-preemies cannot be saved by mere skin to skin contact...and yet, I was hysterical for some time after reading this. It's one thing to feel guilt over not holding him, quite another to wonder if that…
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The Twinkies
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The illness hits just keep coming
4 Nov 2009 | 3:44 pmJames may have strep. He was exposed at school and now he has a low fever and won’t eat. I’m taking him in for a swab tomorrow. Maybe I can sneak in a flu vax while I’m there. -
Things you don’t want to hear from upstairs…
4 Nov 2009 | 3:38 pmWhy is there pee in the bathtub? -
More Pictures
29 Oct 2009 | 7:11 pmhttp://www.stacieturnerphotography.com/2009/my-kidlets/ -
Who is this child? She cannot be mine!
29 Oct 2009 | 6:03 pm“Can I have your broccoli, Mama? Because I ate all my broccoli…” -
Fiona’s Halloween Costume
29 Oct 2009 | 6:01 pmShe’s a “Blue Moo” girl, after her favorite song on the most recent Sandra Boynton album. We went out for malts today so I could shoot her in her costume in a 50’s-esque diner.
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soulbliss
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my soul (6 mos)...
4 Nov 2009 | 2:30 pmMy daughter.My Soul.My soul.She is 6 months today and time is so unfair how it flies by with your children.She is crawling for the past week or two, and she is talking up a dang storm.But this post is about something else. This is a love letter.To compare my feelings to relationships, for that is what we have, my children and I, relationships. With Bliss it was like an intense one night stand that turned out to be the best choice ever made. He was very planned but happened so easily and all was so intense from the moment he arrived.With Soul it was like a long slow courtship with all the… -
more halloween week...
3 Nov 2009 | 7:30 pmI forgot to post these. -
happy halloween/samhain
1 Nov 2009 | 4:38 pmThings are still crazy. I am late with this post partly because of that and mostly because of the damn dial up. Soon they tell me but it cannot be soon enough. I have soooo many posts I want to write and post but it just takes so long and lately any time spent online is with business stuff.After fun decorating at home we started our week of celebrations with a visit to a corn maze. Another day a nearby tiny mall had a "witches brew" where local businesses gave out treats which was lots of fun. Halloween day began with a small party at a nearby town hall with some friends.And lastly, in our… -
three years...
13 Oct 2009 | 10:20 amToday is three years since I began this blog. It amazes me. So much has happened since then. I began this blog because I was facing infertility and needed support to get through it. I knew if I was to be able to deal with it I would need the support of other women who "got it" and understood what I was going through. It was not something I could find in my circle of friends and I knew if I was to make it through the long haul I had to get what I needed to survive.I found Mel's blog and found my lifeline. Looking back I am proud of myself for knowing what I needed and seeking it out. It makes… -
Happy Thanksgiving...
12 Oct 2009 | 4:11 pmHappy Thanksgiving Canada!!!We had a wonderful first thanksgiving here with great food, some wonderful new friends and our awesome family. I am so very grateful for everything I have. I couldn't ask for more.I hope everyone celebrating today had a wonderful day as well.
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Mrs. Spit . . . Still Spouting Off
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Paper
6 Nov 2009 | 6:00 amI went to Audrey's, our local book store, last night, to buy a copy of Sense and Sensibility. I am only buying this book because I bought Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, and I started reading that, and I realized that I don't think I've read Sense and Sensibility, and I think, in the entire spirit of parody, you should read one before the other. (Also, this explanation for Mr. Spit, who -
It is not
5 Nov 2009 | 6:00 amIt is not the sheer physicality of another miscarriage that's distressing me. It's not all this damn blood and the wincing pain and the hormone induced emotional crash. I cry, but tears of frustration and rage as much as sorrow. Probably, if I am honest, more frustration and rage. All of this is but a nuisance. It's not pleasant and I could do without it, but that's not the thing of it, at least -
Even Now.
3 Nov 2009 | 8:01 pmThere are times, even now, that I have to stop myself. I have to stop myself from typing Anna's name into Outlook, stop myself from picking up my work phone and calling her. We have an instant message client at work now, and I can imagine sending her random smilies.There are times, even now, when I wonder what she thinks about something, and I am so very close to asking her, that I can almost -
Go to Nait and be a Plumber.
3 Nov 2009 | 6:00 amAnyway, the story starts with a grumpy faculty chair and ends with a furnace dying on Easter.As I talked about a while back, I stumbled my way through University, from start to finish. Maybe by 3rd year I had made some friends, and I knew and was known by my prof's. I had certainly established that 8 am classes were of the devil, and that existentialist philosophers had way too much time on their -
Monday Miscellany
2 Nov 2009 | 6:00 amWe could call this the "I have enough enviro-guilt to share" episode.I would rather buy stuff that's made to last. Mostly, I think it's what I grew up with. Our TV lasted 25 years. Our microwave 15. My mother retired her old Electrolux vacuum just 2 years old. The vacuum was a present from her first marriage, making it over 35 years old.I wasn't raised to throw stuff out. I was raised to buy
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Our Own Creation
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Ask Allison
5 Nov 2009 | 2:54 pmSometimes the search terms that bring people to this blog just seem to demand a response of some sort. And since I have nothing else to write about these days…. Oh, and the usual disclaimer. I AM NOT A DOCTOR!!! I’m just someone who has been going through infertility treatment for four years [...] -
National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day
15 Oct 2009 | 7:15 amPlease take a moment to remember the little ones who aren’t here and the families who deal every day with the loss. Whether a pregnancy lasted only days or went to full term, whether a baby was stillborn, never made it out of the NICU or went home for a time, chances are [...] -
hurdles
13 Oct 2009 | 8:35 amSo, I had almost enough frequent flier miles to get a free ticket. It cost less to buy additional miles than it would have to purchase the ticket outright. Then, I found out there’s an “Animal Fibers Fair” in Asheville and I’ve really wanted to find some nice wool to do some fancier [...] -
and knitting, and knitting, and knitting….
12 Oct 2009 | 10:18 amWell, crocheting really. I tried for years to learn how to knit. Let’s just say the cats were always very accepting of my final product. After all, it doesn’t matter if it’s more trapezoid than rectangle if you’re just going to lie on it in the sun. Crocheting, though, that’s a fiber art [...] -
Food for thought
2 Oct 2009 | 3:22 pm“Fear not what is not real, never was and never will be. What is real, always was and cannot be destroyed.” ~Bhagavad Gita Deep thoughts on a birthday eve.
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Bloorb
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The Last Worry
6 Nov 2009 | 8:58 amSuffering and recovering from this cold in the last week has fortunately and unfortunately, forced me to slow down a little. And while taking some time to rest, to get more sleep, and to stop running around like a lunatic has probably been GOOD for me (I'm feeling much better), it's also been a little too MUCH time.Because suddenly, with time on my hands, I've of course had time to THINK. And no, -
Busy Little Baker
4 Nov 2009 | 7:38 amYea, in the last couple days I've done diddly-squat because of this damn cold (not cuz it's killing me, but cuz I'm trying to REST so it doesn't get any worse, and so I can be better BEFORE labor), and yea it's driving me INSANE cuz I'm someone who NEEDS to be BUSY (even if it IS with menial tasks), but if I take a deep breath, and try to just SUCK IT UP (cuz I DO want to be better PRE-labor), in -
Looking For A Way Out
3 Nov 2009 | 8:20 amLast week, before I got sick, this kid was going CRAZY trying to find his way out. And I say "trying to find his way out" because there's no other explanation (at least in MY head) for the stuff he was doing, and for how frequently he was doing it. Unless the little bastard was flipping himself back to breech... which I'll find out at the OB today if he did or not.This movement though, it was -
How Pregnancy Changes the Common Cold
1 Nov 2009 | 8:04 amIn the last few weeks, I have been INUNDATED by people asking me whether or not I was going to get vaccinated for H1N1. And while I refuse to get into that answer here (because the debate that will undoubtedly ensue in the comments is NOT something I'm interested in getting into), the thing that's been weird for me is how because I'm 38 weeks pregnant, my opinion isn't just about ME -
Are YOU Nervous?
30 Oct 2009 | 2:36 pmAfter the oh-so-lovely, "How are you feeling?" question, the question I get asked the second-most now is, "Are you getting nervous?". Sure, I'm getting nervous about having a BABY, but nervous about the PROCESS that is having a baby? Honestly, not really? And the hard part of the question isn't that I get asked it ALL THE TIME, the hard part is that nobody seems to BELIEVE my answer. They all
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INFERTILITY NEWS - Google News
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doublex: Eggs for sale - Washington Post
6 Nov 2009 | 3:52 pmdoublex: Eggs for saleWashington PostI think it's a sign of the desperation that infertility can spark, and how it can bring people to make these borderline-eugenic demands. -
Hope for Infertile Couples - Tonic
6 Nov 2009 | 11:03 amHope for Infertile CouplesTonicThe experiment could lead to new treatments for infertility, reports the UK's TimesOnline. "Our goal is to understand how you make eggs and sperm," said -
Scottish Oral 05 Nov 09 - DeHavilland (press release) (subscription)
6 Nov 2009 | 1:19 amScottish Oral 05 Nov 09DeHavilland (press release) (subscription)(S3O-8277) The Minister for Public Health and Sport (Shona Robison): In the past six months, we have announced that we are funding Infertility Network Scottish Oral 05 Nov 09DeHavilland (press release) (subscription)all 43 news articles » -
Dems exploit infant deaths to sell ObamaCare - American Thinker
5 Nov 2009 | 10:07 pmDems exploit infant deaths to sell ObamaCareAmerican ThinkerInfertility itself may result in less healthy pregnancies. Thus, not only do such treatments contribute to the higher infant mortality rates, they also skew CDC: US ranks 30th for infant mortalityUnited Press InternationalCDC Study Links Premature Births, High Infant Mortality In USMedical News Today (press release)all 6 news articles » -
The No-Cost Path to Cheaper Health Care - Wall Street Journal
5 Nov 2009 | 4:03 pmThe No-Cost Path to Cheaper Health CareWall Street JournalStates have passed more than 1800 benefit mandates, requiring insurance companies to cover services from hair prostheses (wigs) to infertility treatments to and more »
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Baby or Bust
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Lee Press-on Nails and Porn Star Boobs
4 Nov 2009 | 8:44 pmAhhh, the changes your body goes through to make a baby. It’s glorious, isn’t it? Everyone’s always talking about this miracle and the process. Please! This is such an inconvenience. (not the baby, the body) Look, no one can appreciate being pregnant more than me. I don’t take one ounce of this for granted and I truly am embracing this entire experience because it’s never ever happening again. (Unless this “miracle” baby Shelton keeps talking about happens. You know, the day after our kid moves to college we find out we’re pregnant!) But does it… -
Pregnancy Week 14
2 Nov 2009 | 8:59 pmOK, so it’s official, we are in the second trimester. Woo woo! Huge relief. We both feel like a bit of weight has been lifted, and yet we know we’ve still got a long way to go. The whole thing is still unbelievably surreal to us both. The only thing that slaps us into reality is my ever-expanding belly. Yes, it’s getting rounder and rounder by the day. For now it’s a perfect little bump, nicely centered. I do hope it doesn’t expand on a horizontal plane. Nevertheless, being pregnant still feels foreign and intangible to me at times, and I honestly don’t… -
OB Appointment - Week 14
28 Oct 2009 | 8:12 pmI had my second OB appointment this week with Dr. W. I had planned this one specifically leading in to the lunch hour so that Shelton would finally be able to tag along and meet the doctor. Unfortunately, a last-minute lunch appointment kept him away. I was oddly bummed about it. I think I got so used to him being by my side at every single IVF appointment. I assured him it was OK, and it was, but I couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed he wasn’t there. I wasn’t sure what to expect at this appointment. I thought I’d go in, undress and slide into the gown for my… -
Finding my Mantra in Pre-Natal Yoga
27 Oct 2009 | 7:55 pmI have been waiting so long for last night!! I went to the doctor yesterday for my four-week check-up (and all went well), and since I’m in my 14th week now, asked if I could start yoga. And he gave a resounding yes, and praised the fitness benefits. I didn’t do yoga before. In fact, I’ve only been to maybe three yoga classes ever, and that was during college. And I was too immature for it because I’d snicker every time bodily noises escaped into the room. But being that I’m more in tune with my overall health and wellness than I ever have been before, I… -
Pregnancy Week 13
26 Oct 2009 | 1:48 pmYesterday we started our second trimester, and I cannot even begin to express the sigh of relief that exhaled from my lungs as I woke up. I know we’re not out of the woods completely, but we’re through the thick of it. I won’t consider us out of the woods and 100% until this little monster is at home with us, and I’ve counted all of the appendages ten times. But, this post is not about the second trimester, it’s about the final week of our first trimester. Week 13. I spent Sunday-Saturday in NYC. It’s a trip I take three or four times a year for work, and…
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BagMomma
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Cue Monster
6 Nov 2009 | 12:02 pmThe post I didn't want to write. I don't know where to go from here. You see, there's comfort in having a plan. Even if it's the best or worst plan in the world, HAVING a plan gives you something to hold on to when you are trying to keep your head above water. A point of reference, a direction. A lighthouse on a foggy shore. This is the first time in my life I don't have a plan. I mean, wasn't donor eggs SUPPOSED to be the magic bullet? It sure has been for practically everyone else I know. You would think, in life, that if you are willing to walk the longest and thinnest… -
The last chapter...
3 Nov 2009 | 8:42 amFor the inquiring minds: I tested this morning. I stared back at nothing. Not even a whisper of a line. Please, do not tell me it's too early. It's not. So this is what it feels like to really fail at something. To exhaust every path, to endure every last available technology. To pump myself full of chemicals that have god knows what affect down the road. Almost five years of misery. Five years of loss. Five years of chasing a dream only to come up empty. Empty in mind, body, spirit, and finances. No next step. No back up plan to the back up plan. Just sadness, regret, and… -
A swine Halloween
2 Nov 2009 | 5:03 amSwine flu or no swine flu, we managed to have Halloween here at the BagMomma house after all. It's been a long week, and I am not lying when I tell you I had almost forgotten I had my FET last Tuesday. David being sick was all the diversion I needed. Thankfully, the boy started feeling better at the end of the week, and was awake enough to put on his Halloween costume and venture out for a little while with Daddy while I stayed behind to give out candy. He even stayed in costume when it got dark, and attempted to scare trick-or-treaters by standing still as a statue under the maple tree. Now… -
I Want Candy
28 Oct 2009 | 8:12 amDay two of bedrest. So with the incredibily suck-ass news yesterday, I forgot to update you all on the flu situation here at the house. David, yes, is an H1N1 victim (as is a host of kids in his school). This morning, as I was sipping coffee and eating a peanut butter cup (don't judge me, the coffee was decaf, and the candy, well, wasn't.. it's Halloween week for goodness sakes so what better time to eat candy than 7:30am??) I digress. So, David is starting to feel better. He still has a fever, albeit a low-grade one now. He's out of school for the week, which means he misses all the… -
The Lone Ranger
27 Oct 2009 | 10:54 amMy bad luck follows me like a stray dog. They had to thaw all 7 remaining embryos, and of those, only ONE made it through the thaw. My clinic has a 70% thaw rate. There I go beating the crappy odds once again. I'm disappointed, sad, and generally pissed off. The one that made it is "extremely good quality", so says embryologist. I know it only takes one, but let's face it... the odds are already slim that an FET will work at all, and now I just decreased my odds even further. My journey... it's so close to the end. And now I have 48 hours of bedrest to ponder it over and over.
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The Stork Lawyer®
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Feeling Overwhelmed and the Wonder of Autumn
6 Nov 2009 | 7:39 amI’ve had a lot going on recently — between travelling for work, representing clients, and getting ready to launch an egg donation agency my plate is pretty full — on top of which I have family issues and a back that doesn’t really want to let me stand up straight (a metaphor for my life if ever there was one). I was talking to my coach about how overwhelmed I feel and how does a business owner, lawyer, any professional person in general deal with that. I also feel that a recent visit to Dr. Chung to address my own reproductive issues brought up a lot of memories… -
Registration Issues: Registered Users Please Read!
6 Nov 2009 | 7:11 amHey everyone, while I was away, Kristen and Emily were hard at work trying to figure out why we have all these registered users who cannot seem to be able to post. We had a worm on the site awhile ago and it seems the damage the worm did went a little deeper than we realized. Anyone who has previously registered to be a user on this blog needs to register again. As of today, we have only 4 registered users, down from over a hundred. Please, please, please, take a minute and register again. I am so sorry for the inconvenience. But some mean person corrupted my blog. Once you… -
Resurfacing from all my travels and I have some news!
6 Nov 2009 | 6:54 amI have been off the blog travelling to various meetings for reproductive professionals, including ASRM and moderating a panel for the American Bar Association’s A.R.T. Committee addressing insurance issues in gestational carrier arrangements. I learned tons (for other posts) but came home exhausted and overwhelmed and of course the office was happily insane with new business. Of course the travelling and stress of long hours, on and off planes, in and out of cars, running through (or trying to walk through) convention centers, and tons of work meant my back went out . . . and I… -
I think I need to call Oprah, Suze Orman, and HGTV.
2 Oct 2009 | 6:42 amLast night, after days of trying to unravel what appeared to be a case of identity fraud (one of the things that I think must truly be horrific to live through, putting your life back together after someone has stolen your credit-UGH) I discovered that a person at Citi Cards had made my pay-by-phone payment twice. This was not a small payment. I was paying the card balance off in full. This was a day of celebration. This was a day when my husband and I were to begin life anew. We were finally digging out from years of debt related to our infertility, adoptions, unemployment, and me… -
Adoption Scam in NY
28 Sep 2009 | 7:31 amFrom Today’s New York Law Journal Lawyer Accused of Stealing In Adoption Scheme A Roslyn lawyer already under investigation in connection with real estate fraud was arrested Friday and charged with stealing thousands of dollars from prospective adoptive parents. Nassau District Attorney Kathleen M. Rice said in a statement that Kevin Cohen, 41, promised couples “babies that didn’t exist” and pocketed the money while telling them the funds were in escrow accounts while the adoptions were pending. One couple paid Mr. Cohen $65,000 after he falsely claimed to have located…
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Quips & Tips for Couples Coping With Infertility
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How Endometriosis Affects Pregnancy After Infertility Treatments
5 Nov 2009 | 2:32 pmWomen who have endometriosis who get pregnant through infertility treatments have a higher risk of pregnancy complications, and are more likely to have a Caesarean section. This study analyzes the connection between endometriosis, pregnancy, and assisted reproduction. However, the lead author says that women who have infertility treatments aren’t any more likely to have problems in [...] -
Why Talking About Infertility Makes You Feel Better
3 Nov 2009 | 11:30 amOne of my readers is starting to talk about her infertility, telling people that she can’t get pregnant because of endometriosis and fibroids. This, I believe, will make her feel better and start the healing process… “I’ve got endometriosis and fibroids – and also had a failed IVF,” she wrote in the comments section of Dealing With the Disappointment [...] -
When Your Wife is Depressed Because She Can’t Get Pregnant
29 Oct 2009 | 3:25 pmHusbands, if your wife can’t get pregnant, she may be struggling with infertility depression. It may not matter if the issue is male or female infertility; what matters is she can’t have what she wants most: a baby. And, the worst thing for you as a man is that you can’t give her what she wants. [...] -
How to Increase Sperm Count Naturally – Overcome Male Infertility
27 Oct 2009 | 10:10 amOn my Facts About Sperm Count, Quality, and Production article, a reader asked how to increase his sperm count. I consulted infertility expert Kristen Burris; here’s what she says about overcoming many male infertility problems. “There are many exceptional options to naturally increase sperm count, quality and motility,” says Burris. “My husband and I both have had considerable [...] -
Benefits of Getting Your Period – How Menstruation is Good for You!
20 Oct 2009 | 5:40 amThere are several benefits to getting your period; in fact, menstruation can actually be good for your physical, mental, and emotional health. Good old “Aunt Flo” is actually a helpful monthly visitor. “I’d always considered my period a nuisance,” says Trina Read, author of Till Sex Do Us Part: Make Your Married Sex Irresistible. “When I [...]
