It's a.....

BOY! We went to this awesome ultrasound place at 16 weeks. They guarantee everything and we wanted it to seem less doctor office like. It was great! We brought my mom and then had Jaci's parents on the phone while viewing a live link. There was a huge big screen that we could see everything on, a comfy bed for me, a comfy couch for everyone else and lullaby music playing. We knew within a couple minutes that it was a boy! It was very obvious. I definitely cried my eyes out. We also got a great DVD of him as well. He was licking the placenta! So gross! And he was also waving using his left hand. He uses that hand a lot. 

Originally, we wanted a little girl in the family because I have 3 nephews and she has 2 but I guess we just rounded it to 6. After a while, we got REALLY excited at the idea of having a boy and now we want to buy him everything of course. We got our crib ordered and are going through the process of picking out bedding. Here was our Facebook announcement!

Boy or Girl?

No, we don't know yet! But we get to find out Friday at 16 weeks! We are going to one of those 3D places, but not getting a 3D picture, just doing gender determination. They also send a link to Jaci's parents so they can see and hear everything live. We loved the idea. So I decided to make a list of all the gender prediction myths and theories and then see what everyone else thinks!

Old Wives Tale #1: Heart Rate 
If the baby's heart rate is above 140 bpm, it is said that the baby will be a girl. If it is under 140 bpm, then it will be a boy. (The heartbeat has ranged from 146-170) Prediction outcome: GIRL

Old Wives Tale #2: Shape of Belly
If you are carrying high with a big, round belly, you are having a girl. If you are carrying low with a smaller belly that sticks straight out, it’s a boy. (I am definitely carrying low and all belly) Prediction outcome: BOY

Old Wives Tale #3: Ring Test
Using a string, hang your wedding ring over your pregnant belly. You are having a girl if the ring swings back and forth and it’s a boy if it swings in a circle. (It was definitely a circle) Prediction outcome: GIRL

Old Wives Tale #4: Acne
If you have acne while pregnant, it’s a girl. It’s thought that acne during pregnancy is caused by the extra hormones. ( I have a little bit of acne all of the time) Prediction outcome:  INCONCLUSIVE

Old Wives Tale #5: Cravings
People believe that if you are craving salty foods while pregnant, you can count on having a boy. If you crave sweets, fruit, and orange juice, you are having a little girl. (This one is hard. I have definitely been craving salty foods and don't want sweets at all, but want fruit more than anything!) Prediction outcome: INCONCLUSIVE

Old Wives Tale #6: Skin under Left Eye
The eye test is when a “V” or “branches” appear when you pull down the skin under your left eye. If you see a “V” or “branches” in the white part, you’re having a girl. I have a “V”, so one more point for a girl. (This is a weird one but I definitely have a V in the white part) Prediction outcome: GIRL

Old Wives Tale #7: Time of Conception
The person that is most aggressive in bed at the time of conception is the opposite of what the baby will be. (Ummmm... well since we conceived through IUI, this one won't work) Prediction outcome: INCONCLUSIVE

Old Wives Tale #8: Legs
If your legs get really big, you’re having a boy. If your legs stay in shape and lean, it’s a girl. I think it’s too early for me to tell on this one. (My chicken legs are still chicken legs) Prediction outcome: GIRL

Old Wives Tale #9: Chinese Gender Chart
The Chinese Gender Chart claims to have an accuracy rate of over 90%. It is based on how old the mother is at conception and the month that she conceived. Prediction outcome: GIRL

Old Wives Tale #10: Mom’s Beauty
Basically you are having a girl if your beauty disappears during pregnancy. It is said that the girl “steals” the mother’s beauty. If you think that pregnancy has never made you look more beautiful, a little boy it is. (Well I certainly don't feel more beautiful at all.) Prediction outcome: GIRL

Old Wives Tale #11: Dream of Sex of Baby
If you have dreams that you are having a boy, you will have a girl. If you dream about having a girl, it will be a boy. Dreams show the opposite of what you are having. (I haven't had any dreams about the sex of the baby!) Prediction outcome: INCONCLUSIVE

Old Wives Tale #12: Clumsy vs. Graceful
If the pregnant woman is graceful throughout her pregnancy, she’s having a girl. If she becomes clumsy, she’s having a boy. (I don't think I've been clumsy at all) Prediction outcome: GIRL

Old Wives Tale #13: Side You Most Rest On
If a pregnant woman prefers to lay on her left side, she’s having a boy. If she prefers resting on her right side, she’s having a girl. Prediction outcome: BOY

Old Wives Tale #14: Partner's Weight Gain
If the partner-to-be gains weight while you are pregnant, it’s a girl. If he doesn’t gain weight, you’re having a boy. (she thinks she has gained weight, but I'm not sure) Prediction outcome: GIRL

Old Wives Tale #15: Breast Test
If a pregnant woman’s left breast is larger than the right breast, she’s having a girl. If the right breast is larger, it’s a boy.  Prediction outcome: GIRL

Old Wives Tale #16: What Do You Think?
71% of the time, the mom-to-be knows what she is having. Prediction outcome: BOY

Old Wives Tale #17: Morning Sickness
If you had a smooth pregnancy with no morning sickness, it’s a boy. If you were sick or felt really nauseous during your pregnancy, count on a girl. (UGH. Horrible nausea) Prediction outcome: GIRL

Old Wives Tale #18: Areolae
If your areolae (the part around your nips) have darkened, it’s a boy. If they haven't, its a girl. Prediction outcome: GIRL

Old Wives Tale #19: Protein
When a pregnant woman craves meat and cheese, count on a boy. (I pretty much hate meat. Cheese isn't sooo bad) Prediction outcome: GIRL

Old Wives Tale #20: Feet
Are your feet colder now that you are pregnant? If so, you just might be having a boy. If your feet have stayed the same before pregnancy and during, you’re having a little girl. Prediction outcome: GIRL

Old Wives Tale #21: Headaches
If you are having headaches, you might be carrying a boy. Prediction outcome: GIRL

Old Wives Tale #22: Baby Names
It is said that when you can only think of specific names for a boy or a girl, you will have that particularly baby. (we love our girls name but not sold on any boys names) Prediction outcome: GIRL

Old Wives Tale #23: Urine
What color is your pee? If it is bright yellow, you will have a little boy. If your urine is a dull yellow, plan on a girl. Prediction outcome: GIRL

TOTAL GIRL: 16
TOTAL BOY: 3
TOTAL INCONCLUSIVE: 4

Here is a picture of my recent bump. What does everyone think we are having?!

13 Weeks Tomorrow

I'm trying to catch up to the blog now that I have announced! Here was our Facebook announcement.

Of course it had some great words to go with it too. Everyone was super excited. So to let you guys know how I've been feeling. Oh boy.... From the end of week 5 to about the beginning of this week, I was SOOOO nauseous. I NEVER threw up, but I definitely had some dry heaving in my trash can at work a couple times haha. The worst thing has been acid reflux/heartburn. I have never had it before and it has hit me bad. My OB said it was just going to get worse. Ugh Great.... My food aversions have been crazy. I basically don't want meat... especially chicken. I HATE chicken. I have been okay with meatloaf and all I want is potatoes and veggies. No cravings for anything sweet except chocolate milk, which I have been drinking since the coffee makes me acids awful.

 

We just had our NT Scan on 10/28. We went back and forth on whether or not to do this, but figured we get an ultrasound out of it. We are SO glad we did. My mother-in-law got to come and see it too, which is great since she lives out of state. She and my father-in-law are here helping us with our crazy yard and starting to finish the basement. Our hopes are to have it done by May when the baby gets here. Here is our little baby sucking his/her thumb.

 

He/She was SOOOO active. Jumping and waving with the left hand. It was just the best thing to see. Especially since the baby has just looked like a blob lately. The heart rate was 150 this time. It was 160 about a week ago and then 170 a few weeks before that. The next time we get to see the baby is November 21st. That's when we are finding out the gender! So excited.

 

The wife and I get to go to Vegas in 9 days! It will be a good baby moon/anniversary trip. I have a conference to go to for work so everything is pretty much paid for besides Jaci's flight. We needed a trip!

 

Well, until next time, who has gender guesses???

 

8 weeks 3 days

9/29/2014

Wow! I'm already 8 weeks 3 days pregnant. We had a 7 week 3 day scan a week ago and heard the most beautiful noise ever! Heartbeat was 146.

 

We go back this Friday for a 9 week scan. That will be our last one at the RE. Kinda depressing. Then we won't have one until around 12 weeks. We will definitely be going through withdrawal!

BFP OMG!

I am actually 12 weeks today! but I'll be sharing some of the posts I wrote already!


Im so excited to be writing this. The wife and I had an appointment with our RE yesterday morning to talk about other options if this 3rd round didn't work. Well we were 12dpo and Jaci decided we should just test. Well we tested and this came up!

The line was super dark! So when we got to the office, we told our doctor and he was so happy! Then he told our nurse and she started dancing! She was just dancing around doing the cabbage patch. It was great to have all of these people be happy for us. So we were originally going to take a BETA test on 14dpo, but the doctor said to just do one while we were here. Beta was 97.4 and Progesterone was 40! We go back in tomorrow for the 2nd beta. Woohooooo!

CD18 IUI#2 is done!

So this experience was a lot different than IUI#1! We got there early because last time we were stressed trying to figure out where this office was and were late. So we checked in, went to get blood work done, then to the cafeteria to hae a little breakfast. Once the waiting time was up, we went to the office and signed in. One of the nurses called us back to go over the vial info. She told us the total motile sperm was 84.6 million. We were in shock! Then she said, "and we didn't need to wash it since it was pre-washed." We said, "wait, what? It wasn't pre-washed. It needs to be washed." So she checked on it and saw that we were correct and that got us thinking about our first IUI. If they made a mistake this time, did they do the same last time. Sure enough, they didn't wash it last time. So the 68.5 million total motile was before the wash. She also said that she is glad I didn't have horrible cramping last time because that normally happens if you put unwashed sperm straight into the uterus. She said I would've had to get a shot in office if my cramping was bad. So she was very nice and credited our account the amount of the vial plus the extra we paid for higher motility. I'm 99.9% sure that I ovulated 24 hours after my 1st iui and it wouldn't have worked anyway.

Back to the total motile. So if last time the total motile was 68.5 before washing, then it probably would've been like 20-30 million after wash. Our total motile after wash this time was 49.06 million. We have good feelings about this time.

1. It was my father-in-law's birthday

2. My wife's good friend had a baby that day.

3. Jaci got to push the plunger this time! 

4. It was 3 years from the day that we got engaged.

The nurse called me later that day to check in and also let me know that according to my blood work, I was definitely ovulating. So it's perfect timing. Im glad I said something to my nurse about going in 36 hours after trigger instead of 24. So we got back in next week to do progesterone testing and then a week after that for pregnancy test. We will likely test on the 30th before we go into the office for bloodwork. Crossing our fingers!!!

CD 13 IUI#3

We went the the RE yesterday on CD13 to check out the growth of the follicles. We usually go around this time and they are on the smaller side. Like 12-16. This time there were 2 mature follicles at 18 and 21.5! I honestly think it has something to do with the HSG. My lining is definitely being affected by the clomid. It was at 6. Luckily, it was triple striped/feather patterned. Needless to say, we triggered sooner than we normally do! We did the trigger shot last night around 9. The insemintation will be around 35-36 hours past trigger at about 8:15-8:30 am tomorrow morning. 

Bfn#2

I really thought we had everything perfect this time, but it was a BFN! Onto try#3. Since the HSG in office was only done with saline and they weren't able to get a good read on my left tube, we scheduled an HSG in the hospital with my doctor. I always get so nervous with tests like this, but it wasn't bad. Jaci was able to come back and see the x-Ray and everything flowing through my tubes great! The nurse told us that this procedure "clears out the cobwebs" and they see a lot of people get pregnant afterwards. Hoping that happens on our third try! Tomorrow is my CD13 ultrasound and blood work. Crossing our fingers for a lot of good size follicles. We also have a meeting with our doctor in a couple weeks to talk about other options if this time doesn't work. The nurse mentioned injectables and the fact that it doubles the risk of multiples. Jaci didn't like that part haha! We will see how things go!

CD 16

Went to the RE this morning and there is a 22 on the right and a 20 on the left. Options were to trigger then and come in 29 hours later at 1 tomorrow or trigger tonight and come in Wednesday at 8:30am. That would make it like 35-36 hours. I know for sure that I came in too early last IUI and that was around 27 hours after. Since I don't have and EWCM and OPKs are negative, we picked the Wednesday time. I'm hoping I made the right decision! Jaci pointed out that it Wednesday is our engagement date so I think that would be a good day to do the IUI. 

In other news, the in laws and nephews are in town and we took them to NYC this weekend. Although it was pretty hot, it was a great trip! 

Anyway, crossing my fingers for Wednesday! Also hoping not to be crazy during the TWW. 

IUI#2 CD 13

Onto the 2nd try! We went to the RE this morning and were ecstatic because our favorite nurse was there. This is the nurse that actually goes through every motion and measurement with us. We love her. This cycle is way different! I have 2 large follicles on the right and 2-3 large ones on the left. Last cycle I had only 1 total. Needless to say, we are feeling a lot more optomistic this go around. If I remember correctly, I think she said they were in the 12-16 range. My lining was only at 4 though, which makes sense because I am a late ovulater. So by Monday we are hoping for some 18s and 20s! If all goes well, we will either trigger Monday morning or Monday night. I let the nurse know that I ovulated the day after the IUI and my concerns with that. She said that we could definitely do a 36 hour instead of a 24. Yay! That would put us maybe Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday morning, which I think would be better. Wish us luck!

BFN!

Yep. Unfortunately IUI#1 was a no go. I did ovulate the day after the insemination just like I thought. I think for he next IUI, I'll be trying to get closer to the 36th hour than the 24th like my office does normally does. Here was my chart: 

I had a ton of what I though were pregnancy symptoms. I also though maybe I had an implantation dip on 11dpo. 

On another note, we had a blast in Hawaii.

Oh, and we brought our dogs home some gifts. :)

Our girl dog doesn't look pleased with her dress! Now I'm looking forward to my holiday weekend hanging out with friends and these pups. 

First IUI!

So we went into the RE on CD16 to check things out again. Ultrasound showed a follicle at 21.5mm. So that was pretty good growth from Monday! She gave me the trigger shot and then I went to work as usual. Thursday was insemination day. The IUI was at a different place than our normal RE because of where they store the specimen. It was chaotic because the nurse didn't give us very good directions, so we were stressed. Thankfully, we had about 45 minutes to go to the cafeteria while they were preparing the specimen. We get to the office and they call us back. The nurse was SOOOO nice! She let us know that they normally look for 5 million motile and our donor was at 68.51 million AFTER they washed it! Today, we are on our way to Hawaii and I have A LOT of ewcm. It makes me think that maybe I ovulated this morning instead of yesterday. We will see what my FF chart ends up saying but I know the lifetime of frozen sperm is a lot less than fresh, so I just hope timing worked out. We go back in on 6/25 for a beta. We have decided to test at home on 6/23. Crossing our fingers. In the meantime, we are going to be in Hawaii until 6/21 so I'm going to try to relax and not think about it! Here are some pics to remember everything by.

This was 2 hours after the trigger. It was a flashing smiley. Then a few hours later, it was a solid smiley. I know the trigger shot would make these positive, but I've never seen a positive so this made me happy!

Getting ready!!

The wife and I! 

And the TWW begins...

CD14

Went in for another ultrasound this morning and more blood work yesterday. I had a bunch of little follicles and 1 bigger one measuring at 17mm. LH didn't move much from Friday when it was at 10. So we are going in tomorrow for another Ultrasoud and more blood work. I am hoping my follicle is at 20mm at least! If all looks well, we will trigger tomorrow and inseminate on Thursday morning! We leave for Hawaii on Friday morning around 7 so I'm excited about the possibility of getting our first IUI in before we leave. I knew yesterday that I wasn't getting close to ovulation. But today, I have some sensations in my right ovary and definite EWCM. Wish me luck!

CD3 testing on CD4

Went in this morning for the baseline ultrasound and blood work! It's technically CD4, not CD3. Last night I went to another acupuncture appointment as well. Super relaxing! Tomorrow I start clomid until Wednesday. I leave for a work trip to Florida from Monday to Thursday. And then I have another ultrasound and blood work Friday! It's going to be a super busy week for me. It will be interesting being on clomid and traveling. Last time, I was lucky enough to not have any side effects, but who knows what will happen!  I'm trying to stay calm and relax, but we have our housewarming party tomorrow and I feel like we have a ton of stuff to do. At least it's Friday!

CD1! Finally!

On day 58, I finally started! Immediately called the RE to leave a message that I started. I go in on Friday for ultrasound and blood work. Then I'll start taking Clomid on Saturday until Wednesday. I let the RE know that we leave for Hawaii on June 13th, which is my CD 18. So it's possible that we may not have a chance to do our first IUI before we leave. We are totally fine with that. If we are able to, then great. If not, we will try the next month. I also have a work trip scheduled from CD7-CD10. I know that traveling can sometimes cause you to ovulate later as well so I'm fully prepared to not be able to try. But it's possible that the Clomid will work it's magic beforehand. Also going to acupuncture tomorrow night! Woohoo! So I'm hoping that stimulates some egg growth as well. We shall see!

The Waiting Game

No, I'm not talking about your typical TWW. I'm talking about the 53 day wait! That's right. I'm on CD 53. Yes, I have longer than normal cycles, but they are more like 36, 37, 38 days. I started a new job in April and the first couple weeks I was transitioning. It was beyond stressful. I'm assuming that is the problem. I was also traveling, so that didn't help either. Now I'm in the long stretch just waiting to start so we can attempt our first IUI! Problem is, I'm traveling June 2-5 and June 13-21. The only way we will be able to fit in an IUI is if  I ovulate between CD 11 and CD 17. The good thing is that I will be on Clomid. So hopefully that pushes my ovulation up otherwise, no big deal. We will wait for the next round!

We're Married! (Legally)

Yes, we already got married. Twice. But today is an amazing day for us. I get tears in my eyes as I write this. Same-sex couples can finally marry in our good old state of Pennsylvania!

While I had hoped and prayed that this day would come before we had a baby, I never knew it would be this quick! My wife and I are so incredibly happy. I'm on my way home to her so we can celebrate tonight! Oh happy day!!!

Okay, I guess it's my turn...

Hi everyone!

Well, I decided that I have spent enough time in the shadows of our blog and needed to come forward so everyone knew there actually IS someone else in the equation.  Sorry it has taken so long, but in all honesty, it’s intimidating for me with this topic. I’m not as well-versed on the terminology as Kerry, nor am I as educated as most of the viewers of our blog.  So to save face, and not feel embarrassed, I’ve just hung out in the shadows.  The reality, though, is that I DO have value to add – and I’m ready to attempt to do just that.

I have blood work to complete and then we are ready to order our donor specimen.  We are getting so close to our first IUI procedure, and it’s exciting and scary all at once.  WOW, this is really happening!!  We’re going to be parents before we know it. 

I feel as though I have the outsider’s perspective on this entire process, and am likely experiencing some of the feelings that a lot of people in our shoes have experienced: 

Will I be affected emotionally by NOT having any biological tie to our child? 

Will our child love me the same, even though I didn’t birth him/her? 

Will I have the answers to the questions he/she will undoubtedly ask about their father?

Will my family feel connected to our child since there is no biological tie to me?

I sometimes feel like the innocent bystander to an accident that happens out on the street.  I see everything that is happening, and I have an understanding of what it all means, but I’m just standing idly by on the sidewalk, waiting for the accident to happen.  How am I going to TIE myself to the process and involvement so that I’m NOT that person?

 

Well…in my mind it’s easy:   Love.

A house full of love.  Answers full of honesty and love. Family and friends that share their love. 

Does that answer every question?  No, it doesn’t, but we aren’t delusional enough to think so either.  We just want to raise our child in love, honesty, and surrounded by people willing to offer their support at any time.  We will have a child that is blessed with two moms, and we’ll ensure he/she is also blessed with a positive, male influence throughout life.  

Typically, this is the point that a lot of people fear most:  no dad.

Well, I have a cousin who calls her step-father “Dad,” and views him as her father.  No biological tie there.  I have friends whose fathers were absent, yet they turned out just fine.  Our child will as well.

Are there other factors that will set them apart from their friends and classmates?  Of course, but it’s our job as PARENTS to ensure they feel safe, happy, loved, and have an understanding that there are many differences in people and life….and whatever they may feel about that is “OK” and acceptable!  And most importantly, we love and support them – always!

Hopefully I didn’t run the course of thoughts as erratically as I feel…but it feels good to get my thoughts on this board now.  If there are questions, ask them...we'll be sure to answer as best we can!

More to come, from both of us, as we continue down this wonderfully crazy road!! 

2 more steps!

After trying to find a psychologist who would take insurance for the counseling we are required to do by out RE, we gave up. Apparently this isn't something really covered by insurance. Not so happy about that... So after a ton of emails and calls to people, we finally found a lady to work with. Granted, it's $100 a session, but since it's something we HAVE to do, we thought we would go with someone who we think would be worth our money. I'm not the type of person who likes to talk to complete strangers about my personal life, but I'm actually excited about it! Jaci is more of the talker in our relationship, which I love because I really do hate talking to people! So next Tuesday is our first session. Hoping there is no more than 2. The last step of our process before buying the goods is that Jaci has to get her blood work done. She will probably do that next week and then we will be ordering! That is the most exciting part for me. 

I have been charting this cycle and started to take prenatals at the beginning of April. I feel like it is all finally coming together. My boss came over to my desk around 3:15 and told me to go home! Wasn't going to argue with that! I am loving my new boss and my new job. Tomorrow we are going to church with our friends who are due in June. I'm excited to see them. Last time we hung out with them, we were at dinner for 3 hours talking nonstop. They were very open about their process and it was really helpful to us. Well, happy Easter all!

Finally, I Can Breathe!

Wow it's been way too long. The wife and I have been extremely busy with our new house, my thesis, and making invitations for a friend's wedding. Now that we have all of that out of the way, we can focus on baby making! We have picked a donor. I think after you pick a donor, everything really starts setting in. It's no longer just about all of the tests to see if everything is functioning correctly... It's REAL! 

I have really begun charting now and trying to nail down my ovulation days since my cycles are so many days. I think the hardest part is trying to figure out how everything is going to work with all of our summer vacations. It's not very convenient to have to go into the RE when you are supposed to start the day you leave for Hawaii. Ugh. Hopefully everything falls into place! I will leave you with a picture of our bathroom remodel. Along with my father-in-law and brother, my wife and I spent a weekend with this project. Cutting the tile was ridiculously tedious! 

Before-

After-

No more mint chocolate chip!

2013

Wow! This year has gone by incredibly fast. Before the recap, I thought I would update you on my Monday appointment. I had 2 follicles measuring at 16cm and 19cm! So the Clomid is definitely doing it's job. 

Here's our year in review:

We went to our first fertility seminar in April! They had a same-sex one the week before the one we went to, but I was clearly too busy getting my gallbladder taken out. Look how fantastic that was!

This is after going through a ton of tests at the beginning of the year like an endoscopy and one of those scans where you have to lay on a table for an hour while they take pictures after they inject you with some crazy dye. I finally just got them to take it out after spending a bunch of money on tests that said I didn't have anything wrong with me, to find out my gallbladder was diseased (I think they should give you your money back if you turn out to be right). 

In June, we had our "2nd wedding" in Key West. That was our most favorite trip ever. It was like we were on vacation with our 50 closest friends and family members. 

Over the rest of 2013, I have sprained my ankle and my wife recently cut her knuckle off with a mandolin. We have had many ailments this year and I'm hoping that we will see a decline in 2014. Haha! We also bought a house but don't officially close until 1/15 so that will be our great start to 2014. 

Some things to look forward to in 2014:

-Our new house

-Some time of snowboarding trip to the Poconos. Even if it's only a day! 

-Starting our TTC process in hopefully March/April/May

-Getting my Master's in Forensic Science!

-Going to Jaci's best friends wedding in Cincinnati in April. (I'm making her invitations)

-Going to Hawaii in June

-Definitely fitting a shore trip in. 

-Going to one of my good friend's weddings near Sonoma, CA in September. 

-Possibly making a stop in my old city of San Diego. Really missing the warmth right about now during snowstorm Hercules!

The next few months will be busy with my thesis and thinking about the TTC process. I'm really thinking about acupuncture. Not only for fertility but for this constant pain in my neck! Anyone do it and love it? Or hate it?