Not much new......

So not a whole lot new here just wanted to post and say I'm still around. I've been feeling not too bad, the usual first trimester issues tired and sometimes a little queasy. For the most part though I'm hanging in there. Mexican cravings as usual. Not sure what it is about Mexican food but I crave it every pregnancy. Must be the combo of salt and cheese, I don't know. I've given in a few times already but I haven't gotten as bad as I was with Thomas eating a whole jar of queso dip and tortilla chips in one sitting a couple times a week. LOL. Hopefully I'm able to keep my self control on that one. I think that's what did me in for weight gain with him. I gained the most being pregnant the first time with Thomas. Benji and Jake I didn't do too badly.
I'm having a hard time being patient for the next u/s. A little less than 2wks. away but it feels like an eternity. I just love seeing the growth and that little heartbeat and it makes me feel so much better to see them and know everything is ok. It's much more stressful being pregnant for someone else than just for yourself. I pray each and every day that I'll make it to at least 37wks with two healthy babies for Ellen and Kevin. I know they will be awesome parents and I couldn't have asked for better IPs!

E & K (Joint Post)...

Well, it's a wild and crazy Saturday night and we are doing a joint post. Ellen is typing and Kevin is chiming in. We had an exciting week with our u/s and the news was good. It was so nice to have an experienced u/s technician and a doc with plenty of facts and stats to calm us. We will be 8 weeks tomorrow and each day is a new milestone for a skittish couple. We have to fight the negative thoughts on a daily basis due to our history. It is a bummer but it is a reality. We have been slowly trying to make our way from the dark side and each day it gets a little better. We are looking forward to making it out of the first trimester!!
We are certainly grateful for where we are now and don't want diminish how far we have come, one bit. We want nothing more than to start to worry about names, color of the room and other fun things!

We can't end this post without paying tribute to our great GC and her supportive husband!!

Happy (early) birthday to Brooke!

Another step closer.........

So yesterday was u/s #2. Dan and I made the 2hr. trip to Shady Grove to meet up with Ellen and Kevin and have an u/s with their RE. I'll have to admit I was nervous again. I don't know why because I've had nothing out of the ordinary, but I guess it's just a natural feeling. We didn't have to wait long for them to call us back and then not long at all for the RE to come in with the u/s tech. She did a great job showing us everything and explaining everything. She asked me if I'd had some spotting and I said yes. She could see a little spot in the uterus and it has a name, but now I forget it what it was. It is almost like a blood clot. It is seperate from either placenta so all is good and she said it will most likely get reasorbed into the uterus. I guess it's a common thing too so no worries there. We still have two beautiful little ones growing in there. Baby A had a heartbeat of 161 and measured exactly on schedule and Baby B had a heartbeat of 160 and is measuring just a few days small, but they said that is also normal for one to be a little smaller. So we made it one step closer. Next appt is not until Nov.9th and that is here with my OB. So until then.......

IP -- Dad Here

Hello, just me, the IP-Dad checking in. Can't figure out how to blog on this site, so using the IP-Mom username (Ellen -- oh, and I am Kevin). Yes, after reading the last posting, it was a bit of a crazy time. I had just finished playing an indoor soccer game (we won) and I called Ellen and she told me the concerning news. Needless to say, it was a tough night. We have been through so many troubles, this just seemed par for the course for us. But, all turned out well (so far -- notice how I am still being cautious?).

And, since it seems to be fine, maybe I can make some comments on the doctor we saw. Yes, he was just monitoring, but he had the bedside manner of, well, a bedside table. Really. This guy basically gave "yes" or "no" answers, and when we started to stress over the different sizes of the fetuses (sp), he slowly caught on and finally said "looks normal, but it is early". Great, thanks for the insight -- no statistics, no thoughts or anything.

Well, Ellen talked to our nurse and she gave some good insight and statistics about our current issues (very normal issues). Then, we talked to our RE doctor, and he shed even more light on the condition and we felt much better. I can't say enough about how lucky we are to have him as our RE. Insightful, knowledgeable, people related, and full of statistics/information (yes, yes, I know, the three types of lies are: lies, damn lies, and statistics). Still, he is the head of the practice and knows his stuff.

We are still very cautious, our path has been very difficult. I think the next ultrasound will ease our thoughts, but I really don't see us being totally at ease until we see the little ones in person.

It certainly is different to have more than just Ellen and myself having a vested interested in us having a child (children). Little did I know the stress that would fall on Brooke for all of this. It is very re-assuring to have someone as dedicated as Brooke helping us through this process.

Well, just my few cents in this whole thing. I can't thank Brooke and her family enough for what they are helping us achieve.

- Kevin

And I breathe another sigh of relief......

Yesterday was a crazy day! I was getting ready drying my hair and felt something warm, sat down to go to the bathroom and I was bleeding. It was red so immediately I paniced, started crying and then gathered myself together enough to call the clinic. I laid down on the bed just waiting for them to call back. I had left messages with both clinics, the one I've been going to here in Richmond and the clinic that Ellen and Kevin have been using, also where I had my transfer. Their clinic called me back almost immediately and told me to relax, take it easy for the rest of the day and go to the ER if I had any major pain or bleeding got really heavy. About 20mins. later the local clinic called and the on call doctor there told me to head to the ER. Not exactly what I wanted to do. I hate Emergency Rooms. So I spent a few hours there only to have a little piece of mind and really no certainty. I did quit bleeding shortly after it began and never had any cramping so I was a little positive.
I waited until all had calmed down at my house including myself before I called Ellen. While I tried to stay positive I was very nervous. I didn't want to scare her or upset her unnecessarily. So fast forward to today. I met Ellen and Kevin outside the doctor's office and we all waited impatiently for them to call us back for our first u/s which was already scheduled for today. It was definitely nerve wracking sitting in the exam room with Dan, Ellen and Kevin just waiting on the doctor to come in and tell us everything was ok. We thought at first that he was going to say something negative by the look on his face, but he announced, "There's two!" And then Dan asked if they both had heartbeats and he said yes they did. So we've got two little beans growing in there with heartbeats right now. One is measuring a little smaller, but I'm no sure how much smaller because he didn't take any measurements which I found odd. So while we went in not sure what to expect today it ended up absolutely wonderful and I breathe yet another sigh of relief. Now we wait again for the next u/s....

3 days to go...........

Not much new to report. The tiredness is starting to set in. Not many afternoons go by that I don't lay down and take a little nap. If I don't nap I usually at least rest and read for a little bit. There are those days when the boys refuse to rest so I don't though. Just counting down the days til the first u/s. Hopefully this weekend goes by fast. Thankfully it is scheduled in the morning so I don't have to wait all day for it to be time once the day is finally here. I know Ellen is as anxious as I am if not more so. I feel confident things will look great! So yet another countdown begins.......... 3days to go!

A Small Sigh...

Ellen posting



I've been lurking and not posting lately. I suppose it was generally just the pressure and anxiety of everything that has gone on since the transfer. We have been holding our breath since we got the first positive on the HPT Brooke took. There has been a small sigh of relief (hence the title of the post) since we have since gotten three strong betas but are once again holding our breath until we see a heartbeat from the little bean (or beans).



Brooke has been an amazing support to me during this time and I feel like she is my long lost sister sometimes when we agree on how long we will wait to get a call from the nurse or what our next steps should be! Now it might not be a good thing when we want the nurse to call us back within minutes, but it helps to know that I have someone on my side (and we discovered we both aren't all that patient in this area...LOL).


Now I take another deep breath and try to figure out how to wait until next Monday for our ultrasound.

Things are looking good!

Well I had my 3rd BETA done yesterday morning. For some reason it took longer than usual to get the results and I was sweating it. I don't know why because I feel pregnant and I feel positive that things are going well but I guess it's always nice to have that medical confirmation too. So yesterday's BETA was an excellent number at 3734. Sounds like we've got a strong one growing in there. So far here's our stats -
12dp5dt - 446
14dp5dt - 962
17dp5dt - 3734

Our numbers are doing exactly what they are supposed to. I'm feeling great except for a little tired and  a sore booty from all the shots. No nausea so far (knock on wood). Just a little when I smell something really strong. Took Jake to the park yesterday and the cleaner in the bathroom made me get out of there real quickly because it was potent! Also, my pants are already getting snug, but I have a feeling that's not really baby that's making them tight but the PIO shots. Of course about the time I stop them and am no longer bloated I'll be gaining weight from the pregnancy so I guess there's no winning there. The maternity clothes will just have to be brought out a little earlier this time I guess. Oh well, there's much worse things. Now it's another wait. Monday is our first u/s so we will get to find out if it's one or two little beans in there. I'm kinda on the fence with this one. Not real sure what to think. Guess we'll find out in less than a week! Boy am I anxious!

What a relief!

Well, 2nd BETA is in and it was 962! So we're doubling as we're supposed to. One more BETA on Monday and then u/s the following week. I can't wait to see our little bean in a little over a week! Not much else new to report besides the BETA. I'm so glad to see our numbers are doing what they are supposed to. It's a relief to not only have the HPT but the medical data to support it! I guess I'm a little nervous because I want this to work the first time so bad for Ellen and Kevin. I know how much that want a little one and I know what it's like to be a mom. I can't wait for Ellen to experience that. If there was a way to speed up the days for her to make it happen more quickly I would. I know the waiting between each step is difficult for me but I can't imagine what it's like for them.
On a side note the fatigue of the first trimester is setting in. I didn't want to get out of bed this am. I was definitely dragging. Thank goodness this part only lasts 12wks!