Thanks and welcome!

Hello ladies!  I've officially made my blog private, so if you requested access, hopefully you can read this.  A big thank you to everyone who wrote to me such nice things about our journey and what you get from reading my blog.  It means a lot that you find it helpful, or at least mildly entertaining.

Not much exciting happening other than the inevitable nausea that decided to show when we were out to dinner with friends on Friday night, and Saturday for DH's work dinner, and again yesterday that pretty much knocked me out for the weekend.  But today, I feel fine.  Go figure.  We are super excited for our ultrasound tomorrow.  Wish us luck!!

Summertime

Summer is so glorious here (today was a true Bermuda day), but as I'm sure it probably does for everyone, it seems to disappear in a flash.  Assuming everything continues to go well with this pregnancy (a girl can hope) and we start the 2nd tri in early July, we've got a lot on our plates, as usual...

Travel:
-Brooklyn to visit sister Jen and Gary in their new apt., also my friend Shelby and her new baby boy, and step-sister Alyssa and her bakery.  (We don't want to get stuck in the hot city again like we did last summer, so we're off to the beach/The Hamptons!  DH also wants to see "The Book of Mormon" on Broadway.)
-WI for cousin Chelsie's wedding, stopping at Taliesin in Spring Green on return trip for tour/dinner
-Long weekend in Saugatuck, MI
-Italy for 5th anniversary! :)  (Tuscany and Rome, side trip to see DH's friend Deepak in Maranello)
-A week or two in WI to hang out with G-ma K... (she's also giving me her new Husqvarna sewing machine)

Around town:
-Go kayaking through LLB
-Go sailing on Lake Michigan w/DH's boss, Robert et al
-Frequent Green City and other local farmer's markets
-White Sox v. Red Sox game (our respective alma mater's neighborhood teams)

Around the house:
-Have my dad, the carpenter, build out wall in den for extra bedroom
-Choose furniture and decor and begin work on nursery

Exercise:
-Get to our outdoor pool as often as possible
-Use home gym (treadmill & bike) and do yoga as often as tolerated
-Use Harper gym, if feeling particularly ambitious ;)

Outdoor Concerts:
-U2 @ Soldier Field (rescheduled from last summer)
-Ravinia corner concerts (Ramsey Lewis/Pink Martini, Yo-Yo Ma, Gipsy Kings, etc.)
-Get to Millenium Park concerts at least once

School:
-Taking summer school class on Green Design @ Harper (online)

Work:
-Do contract consulting as good opportunities arise
-Continue to lunch and cultivate client work with professional contacts

Taking my blog private and six weeks!

I have decided to make my blog private, as I've realized my election to not be picked up in Google searches was somehow recently deactivated and I've had thousands of hits in the last few weeks (8697 to be exact) from people who don't know me or presumably care about our journey.  Ah, the joys of the internets...  A bit too creepy for this non-AW pregnant lady...

If you'd like to continue reading about our journey, please e-mail me at kthappy76@gmail.com so I can give you access. 

How your baby's growing at six weeks: (from BabyCenter.com)

This week's major developments: The nose, mouth, and ears are all beginning to take shape. If you could see into your uterus, you'd find an oversize head and dark spots where your baby's eyes and nostrils are starting to form. His emerging ears are marked by small depressions on the sides of the head, and his arms and legs by protruding buds. His heart is beating about 100 to 160 times a minute — almost twice as fast as yours — and blood is beginning to course through his body. His intestines are developing, and the bud of tissue that will give rise to his lungs has appeared. His pituitary gland is forming, as are the rest of his brain, muscles, and bones. Right now, your baby is a quarter of an inch long, about the size of a lentil. :)

Still feeling really good, just thankful I can sleep as much as my overheated body decides it wants to, as it's not necessarily through the night.  No nausea at all, yet...  So much different than last time.

Calling all infertiles! (and those who love them)

It's show time people!  One of the most frustrating things for me over the last three years (besides of course not being able to get pregnant without LOTS of medical help), is the current state of awareness and support for those who are dealing with the disease of infertility.  I think we still need more high profile people (i.e. celebrities) who are willing to tell their stories and advocate for the cause (especially after they've had their babies), much like breast cancer had in the 1970's with First Lady Betty Ford, which was then followed by the formation of numerous high profile charities who were and are focused solely on the cause.  Before this time, it was terribly taboo to even discuss this form of cancer and research and support were few and far between.  Hard to imagine now with everything bathed in pink for the entire month of October...

It disappoints me greatly that not one, but the last THREE of the last first ladies (Clinton, Bush, and Obama) had to deal with infertility in order to have their daughters, but not a one of them (to my knowledge) have done anything more than to mention their difficulties in passing in interviews or memoirs.  I wonder how much farther along we would be in our evolution as a society if more people were brave enough to step out and make this an important issue for anyone who has or wants a family, which I think most people agree is one of the most fundamental aspects of life.

Thankfully there are some advocacy groups actively working to promote the rights of the infertile, who often struggle in silence and are forced to make decisions about their medical care and whether or not they have children based on what their family is able to afford.  A new bill called The Family Act of 2011 has now been introduced in the U.S. Senate (as of last Friday) by Sen. Kristin Gillibrand of NY (D) and it needs co-sponsors and supporters in the only slightly Democratically controlled Senate.  The aim of the bill is to make equitable the ability of those treating infertility (or preserving fertility due to cancer) and those who have chosen to adopt to receive tax credits for the costs associated with building their families.  I have always said that no one should have to mortgage their future to have a family, it just doesn't make sense.  It is rare to have any indication in advance that you will have to deal with infertility, so it's not like you know to start saving before you are in the midst of the storm.

Please take the time to write to your two U.S. Senators (see link above, Resolve has made it super easy but please add your story) to ask them to support (and co-sponsor) this bill.  Even if we are not able to get this passed, then at least we are making progress in educating our legislators about the importance of helping those who, through no fault of their own, are faced with large medical expenses (often uncovered by insurance) in order to try to have a family.  Thank you.

Family Act FAQ
Overview of The Family Act

FET beta #3

7078!!!  Holy crap!!!  I can't begin to tell you how happy I am to have nice strong number today, as it seriously puts my mind at ease as we enter our last week of waiting before our first u/s, which is next Tuesday.

The funny thing is that my beta actually and thankfully picked up speed from last Monday, which is unusual, with a doubling time of less than two days.

Just for comparison, my betas at 14dpo, 17dpo, and 24dpo last time were: 104, 490, and 3764 (all slightly above the beta base median for a singleton (which are 102, 296, and 3408, respectively)). 

This time for the same days my betas were: 197, 480, 7078 (bumping right along the median for twins :), which are 206, 582, and 6842...).

Learning to sew

Something I've been meaning to do for some time is learn to sew.  It's funny because my mother knows how, and I remember in my early years she'd sew us four all dresses in similar fabrics, but she never taught any of us (me and my sisters) how to sew.  She also didn't teach us how to cook, which she acknowledges is pretty much dropping the ball with all of us.  But after she went back to school and work, ours was more of a do well in school so you can take care of yourself kind of household than let's sit around and learn to be a homemaker.

I asked for her help in sewing a cushion cover for a mudroom bench that I bought five years ago, and I'm still waiting.  I bought the fabric, padding and everything she needed and while my sister E was still pregnant with her first (who is now 4) she thought she'd get it done.  But then #1 arrived, and then #2 and then #3, who she watches when my sister and BIL are both working.  Now she is caring for my 94 yr old ailing grandmother (who now lives with her) and my sister Sara and her chemo.  So it's time for me to start doing my own sewing.

I took my first class today and I must say I did quite well.  I'm thinking I'll take another next week.  I've of course been looking at fabrics for the nursery for awhile and again, and am very excited that I could actually start making things all by myself.  I feel like such a big girl... ;)  Now I just need to get a machine of my own and I'll be real trouble.  Stay tuned...

Five weeks!

Time is crawling, but we are 5 weeks today!  It is so strange how different I feel than the last time.  I've had no nausea (not that I'm complaining) and generally feel pretty good.  Everyone I talk to attributes this to the fact that I haven't been working, which I think is probably pretty accurate.  I can't do much about my anxiety, other than just try to remain optimistic, but it certainly doesn't hurt getting rid of all that unnecessary stress.

I am going in on Monday for my optional third beta just to make sure that everything is still progressing and so I can drive myself crazy if it's not as high as last time @ 24dpo. ;)  We are aiming for the high 3000's.  It's only a week and a half until our first u/s and to say that I am excited is a massive understatement.

The weather has been amazing here and I've finally gotten all my annuals in.  I am especially excited about all the heirloom tomatoes and strawberries.  Now I just have to wait for them to fruit already.

I can't believe it's only two weeks until Memorial Day weekend.  We'll be headed up to WI again to see the fam, celebrate my mom and BIL's shared b-day and also my g-ma G's 89th! And my sister finishing chemo!  Should be fun!