How I spilled the news.....

Sort of a fun/interesting story to spill the beans on how I told Blair and family that I was expecting Baby #2. So a few days before my beta bloodwork I was on the line with my gf Allie who has also been trying to get pregnant for several years with her first. She and her husband had similar issues, with his low morphology being the concern. Her husband however, is/was not a fan of seeking out any fertility assistance and felt that in due time it would "just happen". Somewhere along the lines I think he beat Allie down because she sort of threw her hands up for awhile and gave up on the RE journey as well. But deep down, she was still doing everything she could do try and conceive that baby. Sooooo... on this particular day it was the Solar Eclipse. I was on the line with her around the time it was happening and she knew I was in the TWW, so she didn't mention the fact that she was two weeks LATE until then. We were talking about if I would wait until the beta or if I would pee stick at home again, and she happened to mention how terrified she was to pee herself because of how late she was. Insert me FREAKING out because she didn't tell me she was late, and also convincing her that it would be SO COOL to find out on such a monumental day such as a Solar Eclipse. Sooooo.... I told her to get her butt to the market and get an HPT. We then hung up.

 

I sat there thinking to myself, "it WOULD be really cool to find out that you're pregnant today. I'm entirely too early so when it's negative, there will be no need to freak out, as I still have plenty of time before the embryo should even be excreting HCG into my system".....I broke open an HPT and within seconds saw a faint line. I stood there, well actually I began jumping up and down in sheer SHOCK, yelling, "no....no way. NO WAY!! WHAAAT??" I then got my friend Shelley on Marco Polo to show her the test and record it all while continuing to jump up and down in shock. I did NOT expect a faint positive at all. Ironically enough, about an hour later, Allie sends me a picture of her + HPT and we got to share this happy day together. Pretty cool, eh?

 

 

SOOOO... when Blair got home we began talking about the Eclipse and I told him I stepped outside and got a really cool pic of it. He's totally not expecting a thing because again, I wasn't supposed to even cheat and find out for another few days. I pulled out my cell and showed him this..... 

then proceeded to text it to family members as well and surprise them. It was fabulous. Such a fun story and way to share with our loved ones!! 

12 Weeks!

Woohoo! We made it little nug. 12 week mark is here, and although it feels much longer than that with how sick I've felt since week 5, I'm so thankful we're here!! I'll probably announce it to all soon, especially because Adlee is already taking the liberty to. Yesterday at church she was shaking everyone's hands saying, "Hello! Good Morning, how are you? Mommy has a baby in her belly!!" HA! I mean..... what a little sweetpea. She doesn't miss a beat. I told her teachers this morning she was going to be a big sister in April, and one replied, "So that's why last week she asked Jacob if he wanted  a little sister, or a little brother?" That girl is one of a kind, and will make THE BEST Big Sissy! I'm excited to see their love for eachother unfold throughout the years.

 

I try to remind myself I'm pregnant most days. Not because I don't feel it, but because this pregnancy is just so much different than the first when it comes to having time to rest, think and bond. I started a new job 3 months ago with LifeVest and it's been a whirlwind of training and getting to know my accounts which has helped to distract, but made it extra challenging some days. Now that I'm entering second trimester, I'm hoping the fatigue and other first trimester aversions begin to subside a little bit. Last week was my last week of PIO shots and Estrace, so knowing those additional hormones aren't entering my body is a relief and has also helped quell some of the symptoms.

 

With Adlee we waited to find out the gender and it was SO AWESOME. I absolutely loved waiting to find out. However, this time I think we'll switch it up and do a fun gender reveal and give ourselves a bit of time to prepare. Either unpack all of Adlee's clothes since this baby will be born the same month as her, or do a little prep work on the bathroom and nursery to make it a little more masculine if it's a boy. Adlee will move over to her toddler room we are in the process of putting together, and baby will have her nursery. I'm excited to find out, and think that may help a bit with the bonding since pregnancy + work + toddler Mommin' and exhaustion doesn't leave alot of room for thinking about it. I will say though this baby is WAY more active than Adlee was and I can already feel pressure in certain parts of my pelvic area where baby is. I'm so excited to feel the flutters and movement soon too.

 

So far so good on all of the scans, and we're hoping and praying no high risk previa's or need for MFM this time. A smooth sailing, healthy pregnancy would be lovely but we're prepared for the punches too. I still pinch myself when I think Adlee gets to have a sibling and we get another one to love. Although we have no embryo left, and I'm at peace with this child being my last pregnancy, there's just something about this part of life that's so magical that I continue to thank God for the chance to grow another human and to expand our hearts capacity to love another child.

 

Until next update!

 

 

XOX,

Andi 

End of an Era

"I've paid my dues

Time after time.

I've done my sentence

But committed no crime.

And bad mistakes ‒

I've made a few.

I've had my share of sand kicked in my face

But I've come through.

We are the champions, my friends,

And we'll keep on fighting 'til the end.

We are the champions.

We are the champions.

No time for losers

'Cause we are the champions of the world.

I've taken my bows

And my curtain calls.

You brought me fame and fortune, and everything that goes with it.

I thank you all.

But it's been no bed of roses,

No pleasure cruise.

I consider it a challenge before the whole human race,

And I ain't gonna lose"..... 

"We are The Champions" -QUEEN 

All the shots have been taken, and the chapter in this hellish journey today has finally closed! Bye bye PIO!! 🙌🏻👏🏻 See ya, wouldn't wanna be ya! This 6 year IVF/FET Journey is finally over, and all 5 of my embabies are with their Mama. 2/5 pregnancies is exactly what we'd hoped for, and continued prayers this baby continues to thrive and be born healthy. We are so grateful. 

God Gave us Two!!

.....it's been hard to keep it a secret, but the last time I posted the news here my cousin told my own Grandmother before I had a chance to, ha!! So this time we covered our bases before putting it out there on the interwebs. We'll still give it until the second trimester to go FB/IG official, but our last embryo transfer WORKED and I am 8.5 weeks pregnant! Yay!!

There are a few reasons I attribute this time to working. Medically, the endo scrapes certainly helped and I think the baby aspirin didn't hurt. Lots of prayers of course & our Maker gets all the cred, but if I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing. 

Our goal was to have two healthy children and so far we are on that path! I'm still shocked that Adlee gets to be a big sister, even though I feel like absolute crap & am for sure feeling very pregnant! I'm also feeling so so blessed. 

Baby will be due the end of April (same as Adlee) so although we waited to find out the gender with her, I think this time we'll try to prepare a little bit and find out at the 20 week scan. Stay tuned for all the exciting announcements to follow!! 

#TheBabyAlbright #dos is ON THE WAY!! 

Xoxo,

Andi 

Beta Day! 3 years to the date of embryo conception!

Today is such a special day. First off, it's BETA day! Eeeek!! I'll find out how much HCG is in my system today and if I'm pregnant. It's even more monumental in that it's also to the date, 3 years ago, that we conceived all of our (5) embryo! How COOL is that? Obviously I didn't plan it that way, although this time of year is the same time of year we conceived Adlee, it does seem like it's all too familiar with all the same happenings around me. The same season, same events are coming up (Alumni Game, Van Morrison Concert) it just HAS to be. I had a lot of signs with Adlee's pregnancy of a positive and to keep the faith, and this time has been the same way. Bunnies in the back yard, a bush of Queen Anne's Lace popped out of nowhere in our yard, and Blair couldn't cut a pepper without finding pregnant ones. He'd leave the "fetus" by my meds for inspiration, ha! Infertile couple humor at it's finest. So, I'm feeling really good about it this time and just trusting in the unseen.

 

For some reason the second transfer, I was SO SURE that I was pregnant. I felt it, I believed in it 100% and then I was knocked on my arse when it was negative. I couldn't believe that it didn't work! But, I trusted. I kept the faith that God had a plan for us, and He is always good. So we shall soon see.

 

2 KINGS 22:19

 

"Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the Lord, I also have heard you, declares the Lord"

 

COME ON LUCKY NUMBER 5!!! 

 

XOXO,

Andi

 



Transfer Day!

Everything today went off without a hitch! Better yet, Nurse Patty was in with us for the transfer and she's been around for both my sister and my transfers. She was with the original gang of nurses and my old doctor that my sister and I both conceived previously with, so it felt like home. A good luck charm of sorts! Nothing to report out of the ordinary with the transfer but this beauty who we hope and pray is here to stay. Gorgeous eh? ❤️

Also gorge are these lovely flowers my sister in laws sent me. They are so supportive through this (and 2/3 are currently pregnant!) and it's very appreciated. I'm sure as fertile as they are, it's hard to know what to say, but they always support me & for that I'm so very grateful. 

My day started with another great sign from a Daily Devotional I've been reading. I turned to today's page and yesterday and today were pretty fitting to what's going on with us. God works in mysterious ways, and I sure am praying that this is a sign for patience in the waiting because he's busy working on our next little Miracle Baby. 

He is good all the time, so whatever outcome we hear, I will trust that it's what's meant to be for our family. Easier said than done, but it really helps me in this process (that is SO HARD TO NOT WANT TO CONTROL) to just give it to God. I have done every single thing I can, so now we wait, and enjoy knowing that this little baby of mine is tucked in tight. So....stick baby stick! 

XOXOX,

Andi 

Endometrial scrape behind, new job, & learning center/daycare ahead!

"Cha Cha Cha changes".....

Lets start with the bad and get it over with, the Endo Scrape. It sounds about as fun as it was! This cycle, since again it's our last, I requested they pull out all the stops. This included a scrape. In short, research has shown that it can increase the chances for implantation so I'm all for anything that increases our chances, even if it sounds about as fun as eating a pile of dog poop. The scrape itself wasn't too terrible since I was so distracted by the pain of them using a cervical clamp to clamp my cervix while they got the catheter in. Apparently she made four nice scrapes and we are all set! Frickin' miz. Good news is, we are one step closer! Next to continuing meds, and an US to confirm uterus looks good, we will be all set to transfer mid August! We transferred the end of August with our successful "Adlee cycle", so I'm feeling really good about it.  Come onnnnnn embaby!

Next up, job sitch! I accepted an offer from Zoll Medical last week selling LifeVest here in the Kettering area. No more 2 state coverage, hundreds of products to juggle (if they aren't on allocation or backorder) and selling direct again vs. through distribution! WOO HOO! The product is fabulous to boot; it's literally a life saving vest (a wearable DFib) for pts who have suffered SCD (Sudden Cardiac Death). Typically they await an implantable device, or at the very least for their medications to be regulated and effective, so this LifeVest is worn to shock them back to life if they become unresponsive. Pretty dang cool! It's a lot on my plate right now, but it feels really meant to be so I'm really excited to be closer to home and learn a new call point and product. 

Lastly, Adlee starts at her new "school", aka learning center/daycare/eventual preschool this year! Agh! #holdme  It was really hard to leave her in home sitter, but she is so social and in need of structure that I think this is going to be the very best thing for her. It's also nice that it's close to Blair's school and a lot of the coaches kids already go there. Sad that she's so young and already parting in some ways, but as hard as it is to see her grow up, in the same breath I just remind myself how blessed I am to GET to see her grow up. 

As we approach transfer month, and the awareness that our last shot at parents is upon is, the pressure and stress certainly feels HIGH. There was a saying I saw last week that I identified with strongly with this whole experience and it was something like, "Everyone thinks I have it altogether when really I'm walking around with the sock in my shoe sliding down my heel"....because EVERYONE can relate to that annoying, pesky, uncomfortable and distracting comparison. It's spot on for what infertility and these cycles feel like. I can't just unlace my shoe and fix my sock and move on, it's a constant nag that consumes you everyday, until it doesn't any longer. I'm afraid of what that will look like if this cycle doesn't take. When that sock is fixed, it means it's The End. Each time there's been more embryo. More hope. This is the finale and that scares me to death. 

God has blessed us with more than we deserve and we will forever be grateful for little Miss AJ, but it sure would feel perfect & we would feel complete if we were able to conceive and parent one more. So, all we can do is try and pray and keep putting one foot in front of the other. I know deep down that what is meant to be for our family will be, so I'm just trusting the process and trusting that it will work. At the end of the day I'm doing all I can, and that's really all that can be expected. 

COME ON AUGUST! Hoping it's a repeat of what August 2014 brought to us. Because it's turned out to be the most magical blessing of all....

XOX,

Andi