Checking In: One Week Until FET#5 Ultrasound #2

Yesterday I was 8 weeks pregnant.  Many people have been asking how I am feeling lately and the truth is that how I feel changes on a daily basis.  Some days I feel totally normal physically while other days I feel plenty of first trimester symptoms (mostly nausea, exhaustion, and some ligament pulling/stretching).  Just two days ago I was feeling especially worried that our baby isn't going to make it after hearing bad news about three other embryo adoption families who have lost their babies in the last week.  We have had a few first trimester losses before and I would rather not have to endure that kind of loss again.  I hadn't felt any "changes" lately and that was scaring me a little.  I felt tired and a little nauseous but with out the belly stretching it is easy to write off the other symptoms as medically induced.  Then there was yesterday and today...I feel super pregnant.  I feel awful...I LOVE IT!  The morning sickness is getting stronger and I have felt the discomfort in my belly again which is good.  I am usually a person who gets 7 hours of sleep and then I am good but lately I have been getting closer to 9 or 10 hours of sleep and could probably sleep more if Lena would let me.  There is one more week before my next ultrasound (on January 6th).  We are just doing our best to enjoy this pregnancy, stay cautiously optimistic, and pray daily for our little miracle baby to keep fighting and grow, grow, grow!

FET #5: The First Ultrasound...Meet Our Miracle!

Today we got to see our new baby again and this time we heard his/her heartbeat!  

Dan was super calm before and I was too up until my wait in the ultrasound room.  It was the longest 10 minutes of my life waiting for Dr. K to come in after I got ready for my ultrasound.

Right before the ultrasound...can you tell I am just a little anxious?

Dr. K quickly sensed my nerves and got right to the ultrasound and was fast to point out the beating heart of our new baby!  

 

 I felt so many feelings during those few minutes:  I was excited and so very relieved to see a heartbeat, I was sad we lost the other two babies although not surprised considering my low BETA numbers, I was exhausted from the emotional toll of the day, I was thankful that our miracle baby had made it this far when he/she wasn't even supposed to survive being thawed, and still nervous about this baby's future.  I am totally spent after this day.  It was a wonderful day and we are so thankful!

Dan gives a thumbs up by the picture of Shack Baby #2!

After our ultrasound we made the drive back across town and had a nice late lunch before we headed back to pickup Lena at my parent's house.  Our next ultrasound is in a few weeks on January 6th when I will be 9w1d.  It will likely be my last appointment before I get released to my OB/GYN and also when I get to stop taking my daily injections!

Shack Baby #2 has a heartbeat of 122bpm.

Our baby is measuring 6 weeks and 3 days at 7.4mm.

Snuggles and Songs - A Haiku

Rain and cold outside

Cozy snuggle on the couch

Daddy sings fun songs

Lena Makes Cookies

Rolling out the dough was her favorite part...can you tell?

 Last night Lena and I had a great time making Christmas cookies for the first time.  First we got on our aprons.  Lena wore her Blue's Clues apron that Grandma Joanne had made her before she was born.  (I really wish she was alive to see her making cookies in this cute little apron.  She would have LOVED it.)  Lena helped me place all the ingredients into the mixer and had fun watching them beat all together.  After a short break to let the dough chill we got out all my cookie cutters and got ready to roll out the dough.  Lena loved using the rolling pin.

It took her a little bit to get the hang of it but she did great cutting out the shapes.

 Then I had to teach her how to dip the cookie cutters in flour and cut out a cookie and place it on the baking sheet.  It was interesting to see which cutters she wanted to use.  Her favorites were the star, the Christmas tree, the butterfly, and the heart.  Once she got a taste of the cookie dough I had to keep her from sneaking the cut out dough off the cookie sheet for a taste.  It was maddening and yet fun and funny at the same time.

Adding some sprinkles!

Almost done!

 Once our cookies were cut out Lena walked with me over to the hot oven and I turned on the oven light so she could watch her cookies bake.  We whisked together a simple glaze (1 cup powder sugar, 2 tbsp milk, 1/2 tsp flavoring like vanilla, lemon, or almond) and then I brushed it on the baked cookies while she put on some sprinkles which was another one of her favorite parts.

We made a plate of cookies for Daddy.

Time to taste!

Daddy gave us his approval and Lena enjoyed sharing her cookies with us.  While there were a few crazy toddler moments and messes we had a great time and Lena was a fantastic little baker!

Six Weeks

Today I am six weeks pregnant.  It is still sinking in and we are looking forward to our ultrasound this Friday.  There are very few pregnancy symptoms that I can trust this early in the process but this past week a few strong first trimester symptoms that can't be attributed to my medications have begun to emerge.  I am cold, no freezing really, all the time!  I have to sleep with extra blankets,wear extra clothing, and turn up the heater while my poor husband sweats bullets.  I have to pee constantly and I am thirsty all day and night.  Just yesterday my chest has begun to get twinges and soreness (although this can be caused by my medications I haven't had any soreness until recently).  The bloating and stretchy feeling I had a lot a few weeks ago has subsided considerably but that is pretty normal.  Occasionally I will have cramping and pressure in my lower abdomen but it comes and goes.  So it seems all is well but it will be nice to see that little heartbeat on the ultrasound monitor on Friday just to know for sure.

FET #5 - BETA #3 Results

BETA #1 - 50 at 9dp5dt (6 hours shy of 10dp5dt)

BETA #2 - 84 at 11dp5dt (6 hours shy of 12dp5dt)

BETA #3 - 514 at 15dp5dt (5 hours shy of 16dp5dt)

The good news is in!  Nurse A just called to say that my third BETA (which measures the HCG pregnancy hormone) has come in at 514!  We were hoping to see the BETA double every 48 hours which would make my BETA at least 336 today so to hear that it was much higher than that was exciting news to say the least.  Our little miracle baby/babies are holding on and growing fast!  We are so relieved, so excited, and SO THANKFUL!!!

Our first ultrasound has been scheduled for Friday, December 20th when I will be 6 weeks and 5 days pregnant and we will verify how many babies have made it and hope to see a heartbeat.  It will be a long 12 day wait for that day but if I can make it through the last two weeks I can make through the next 12 days.  It would be safe to assume that this has been and will be a character building experience for our family.  With Lena's pregnancy my very first BETA at 10dp5dt was 425 and BETA #2 was 1121.  With FET #4 my first BETA was 17 and then BETA #2 was back to 0.  To have the BETA process with this FET be so drawn out and dramatic was new to us and very emotional and scary. 

So here we go...Shack baby #2 is on the way!   I still can't believe it!  Thank you Lord for this amazing gift!

FET #5 Update...keep these babies in your prayers!

"Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?...For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength...But God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong...so that no one may boast before him...Therefore, let the one who boasts boast in the Lord."    
- 1 Corinthians 1

All today I felt really strong pulling, bloating, and cramping (the right kind).  The strongest I've felt in several days.  I thought to myself a few times, "This baby is growing!"  I feel pregnant.  I know I can't pay attention to any other symptoms other than those pregnant belly sensations because of the medications I am on so I was so incredibly thankful to have the gift of those feelings today to keep the hope alive.  I've been taking the cheap Wondfo tests every morning and evening to see if the test line got darker or lighter.  After how I felt today I took two tests tonight and this is what I saw...

Tonight's test is the bottom one.  When I took the top test my HCG was 50.

Tonight's test is the bottom one.  The one right above it was from early this morning and at the "9dp 5am" test my HCG was 50.

Our miracle baby/babies are fighting and the Lord is sustaining their lives.  I am humbled before the Lord.  Keep praying friends and family.