Wiggler! (9w1d ultrasound)

We've decided to call baby "Wiggler", on account of his wiggling.

During the US, we saw him move a few times.  That's not uncommon, but you usually can't see the movement at 9 weeks. 

Praise God!  Everything looks perfect!  Our little Wiggler :)

"Catan" for a middle name?

Mat just suggested "Catan" for our child's middle name.

As in the board game "Settlers of Catan"

I will love him forever.  :)

Merry Christmas! :)

Yes, It's still Christmas until Epiphany in my book.  Do you think they stopped celebrating when He was born on the first Christmas?  No!  That's when the celebration began!

We never take down decorations until after Epiphany, which coincidentally is the new member Sunday at our new church when we'll become members :)

My symptoms are fading- which is good.  I only actually threw up a few times, but I was nauseous most of the time.  Now It's primarily right when I get up and in the evening.  I've read this is normal and I'm one of the lucky ones who's body gets used to the hormones before the first trimester is over.  I really feel much better about it since we had that wonderful 6w4d US, but we have another on Monday, at 9w1d.

***Afternoon update***
Ha!  So much for symptoms fading!  I had to lay down I was so sick... then Mat made me some food and I gradually got a bit better.  But wow, that was the worst I've had it.

Friday night scare

On Friday night, we were rushing to prepare for our 7 hours in the car on Saturday (driving out to WI to Mat's brother's house).  I took a shower before bed, was putting on lotion while sitting on the bed, and when I got up I noticed a reddish pink spot on the sheets.

***FREAK OUT!!!!***

So I ran to the bathroom to check, and yep, it was definitely coming from the baby spot- not some bizarro cut on my thigh or something.  I  somehow managed to keep calm until Mat came in from burning the garbage- I think I was in shock.  When he got in, just a few minutes later, I called "honey", my voice cracked and then I started bawling.

He came and calmed me down.  He just told me that everything would be all right and prayed with me.  He's such an amazing blessing!  We decided not to go anywhere this weekend and just stay home and relax.  We were supposed to meet up with my family Sunday in the twin cities.  Mat texted them and they were all very understanding... it would have been great to see baby nephew, but we just weren't up to it this weekend.

***TMI alert***
Anyway, turns out that it was just a few drops, which of course I didn't know at the time it started.  It most likely was just an injury to my cervix, which are exceedingly common in the first trimester.  Because the body has so much more blood, it makes bleeding easier at the slightest irritation.

I have absolutely no cramping and haven't for a weeks.  Which was a wonderful sign. 

First OB was cancelled :(

The Dr is sick today... and she'll be out for the next 2 weeks for vacation.  Poo.

I rescheduled it for 1/11/13 at 4:00, that way we're almost certain that Mat can make it.  Not as certain as we were about today (because his company is closed) but we have to do it.

I've been pretty nauseous lately.  Brushing my teeth makes gag and/or throw up... but then not brushing my teeth makes me ill from the rotten taste in my mouth.

But, it's all for baby, and it's worth it!

We have the 9 week US scheduled 12/31/12.  We know Mat will be able to make it because his company is closed that day :)

Pregnancy brain...

I have pregnancy brain hard core.

Many examples... but the most recent one was about 5 minutes ago.  Katie called from Dr Keenan's office and I thought she was calling from my clinic up here.

Katie-"Hi Malia.  Just calling to ask about your 6 week labs and US.  We haven't received any results yet."
me-"I had the labs done Tuesday during my OB intake"
Katie- "OK, well we haven't received them yet.  Or your US"
me-"well... I'm coming in tomorrow, I'm sure you'll have the results by then.  And I had my US done at the hospital that you told me to go to... I can bring a CD of it with if you want."
Katie-"you're coming here?!?"
me "wha... phtdnkescnulkd?"

That is not ver batim, but it was something along those lines.  My already not great at remembering what I hear brain is now pregnant.  And people wonder why I prefer email so much?

Yeah.  Pregnancy brain.

As I typed this my maternity yoga pants and leggings arrived :)

OB intake

I had my OB intake today.  It went rather smoothly, just a lot of questions to answer and some lab tests.  The nurse doing the intake was very nice.  She seemed somewhat interested in the fact that we had adopted the embryos...

After the appointment I went through a drive through and met Mat for a lunch date in his work parking lot.  It was pretty nice :)

I realized as we were eating lunch that I had not taken my morning pills (estrace and B6) so I took my estrace then and my B6 as soon as I got home.  Wow... I'm really sorry that I forgot it!  I feel so nauseous!

Baby Lehnertz 6w4d :)

I called on Wednesday to see if they had any openings earlier than Friday, and they did have an afternoon appointment yesterday!  I couldn't wait... and Mat wasn't going to be able to go with me anyway... so I changed it!

That's our baby!  A "perfect" embryo with a "perfect" heartbeat (the US tech actually used the word "perfect"!)

We've never had a successful US of a healthy baby before!  And I was unreasonably nervous... and more so because Mat couldn't go with.  My mom came with, which was awesome, but she came with me to the two times before when I lost babies (twins that I found out I lost at 8 and 10 week US after weak heartbeats at 6 and 7 weeks)

Praise God!  He is so awesome!  Embryo adoption is so awesome!

breathing...

I've been breathing harder... not really short of breath or anything, just breathing more air.  I've read that it's common in pregnancy.  But wow... it's really noticeable!  I'm taking it as a good sign since my breathing didn't change at all in my last pregnancy.

My morning sickness is worse at night.  Odd... but it really calms down in mid afternoon, so that's nice.  No actual puking yet... several close calls in which Mat had to grab a bowl for me quickly.

My ultrasound is set for this Friday.  I scheduled it that way because I wanted Mat to be able to go... but now it looks like he'll have to work anyway.  :(

Oh well, OT hours and OT pay are a good thing, right?  

Adoption tax credit

I received the following email from our SW at CFLS...

Dear Current and Past Adoptive Families,

We need to do all we can to keep the adoption tax credit in place. Here is an opportunity to sign a petition to do just that.  I signed it and am encouraging you to do so also.  You need to create an account to do so, but it is easy to do. It didn’t work when I tried to use my work email, but it did when I used my personal email. I encourage you to send this email on to family members and friends that would be willing to sign also. It seems like we should be able to get the 16,000 signatures needed without much trouble. There is nothing to loss and much to gain if we are able to keep the tax credit!

An online petition for keeping the adoption tax credit--needs a bunch more signatures by Dec. 8th.

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/support-hr-4373-and-s-3616-help-make-adoption-affordable-keep-tax-credit-and-make-it-refundable/GknZZR2H

Thanks for your prompt attention to this,

Nancy

Nancy M. Meyer, MSW

Adoption Social Worker

Christian Family Life Service

I signed, you should too!

A 14 year old in my womb...

Just got off my consult call with Dr Keenan.  He sets them up on the date of the transfer for all his EA patients.  I'm sure it might take a bit longer if a pregnancy hadn't been acheived, but mine was a 5 minute phone call.

I found out that the embryos we adopted were 14 years old!  Wow!  That's pretty amazing that they can be frozen for that long and still be alive!  I am sort of freaking out though... he said that 14 years frozen was among the oldest they'd used... but he said they don't decrease in viability or quality in the frozen state.  My pregnancy is no higher risk than any other of their transfers :)

It's strange because looking at the profile initially I knew that the twins born from this "batch" were born in 99... but I guess it didn't really sink in.

He said there's no reason to do genetic testing... and I'm to let my OB know that the bio mother was 34.

My ultrasound is set up for next Friday afternoon.  I'm so anxious!  I just want to hear a strong heart beat!

The order that NEDC sent me was for anytime next week... but I want Mat to be there to hear the heartbeat for the first time, too (and he wants to be there!) and he has Friday afternoons off... so, next Friday afternoon it is!

Dr Keenan said that that's when we'll know about singleton or twins.  I honestly don't feel like I'm pregnant with twins... but who knows?  We'll be blessed either way!  :)

God is great!

Now the IVF nurse is Katie?!?

I emailed Peggy, at the ivf nurse email, to ask about taking some unisom and B6 for morning sickness and when I would receive my orders for the US...

And Katie, the IVF nurse responded!  Color me shocked.  She's the 4th IVF nurse since I've been dealing with NEDC!  She seems nice... and is prompt in responding to emails.  Maybe she and Peggy are doubling up on the position?  Who knows.

I guess it's a pretty demanding job and they need to find the right person for it.  I think Kelly was quite good at it... but Nancy would be better elsewhere.  I didn't deal with Peggy enough (if she is done) to really have much to say about her.

In addition to morning sickness I've had fatigue, hunger, thirst, and breast tenderness.  Peachy.  But they all mean I'm pregnant, so it's good!  God is good :)