We're excited to announce.....

Warning:  this is a very long post!

Joel and I have both looked at each other more than once in the last few months, and wondered what we're getting ourselves in to.  It's definitely scary and we have asked ourselves the following questions:

How will Ainsley handle a baby brother or sister? 

Can we divide our attention between two babies? 

Are we really going to go through months of little to no sleep with a newborn again? 

Even if we do have some worries and concerns, we know that we're ready to begin our lives as a family of four and can't wait until we can welcome Ainsley a little brother or sister into the world.  

I knew that I wanted to have children close in age, but I always thought it would happen naturally and we'd live happily ever after.  That obviously isn't how it worked out for us, so after going through all the fertility treatments with Ainsley, I knew I wanted to do IVF again relatively quick after Ainsley came along. 

We've been talking about doing IVF for almost a year, but thought we may get lucky and get pregnant on our own.  That didn't happen, so I finally called Dr. Loretdemola's office in April to get the process started again.  It seems like so long ago now that I made the call! 

When I called in April, I was set up for a consultation within weeks.  When the automated service called two nights before our appointment as a reminder and said we would be seeing someone that I'd never heard of instead of Dr. Loretdemola, I immediately started freaking out.  I didn't want to see anyone other than Dr. Loretdemola.  I called the next morning and they told me we were scheduled with the nurse practiononer, and I told them they had to cancel it and schedule me with the doctor.  They scheduled me for that next week, and I felt a lot better.  A few hours later, our phone rang and it was the doctor's office again.  They had once again scheduled me with the nurse practiononer and not the doctor.  I was not a happy camper.  Things were already starting out a mess, and I was looking forward to a streamlined IVF cycle this time.  So, we had to wait another month before we could get in with Dr. Loretdemola.  Our appointment was scheduled for May 15th.

The morning of our appointment, I was nervous, excited, scared, happy, and every other emotion under the sun.  Joel and I got up and dropped Ainsley off at Lisa's before heading to Springfield.  Pulling into the parking lot that morning, my stomach was in knots.  I was so nervous, and I don't even know why.  We had to wait quite a while before being called back to a room.  Once we were called back, the nurse recognized us almost immediately and it felt good to be able to show pictures of Ainsley and brag on her.  We then had to wait a little while longer for the doctor to come in.  It was nice to see him again, and he was still as nice as ever. 

When the 2010 success rates for Dr. Loretdemola's office were published, he was #3 in the United States. Because of this, he's getting calls from women all over the US wanting to get in with him. He's capped the number of IVF's he does each month, and we were lucky enough to get scheduled for August. We needed a few months anyway, to get all the prep work done and for me to get started on the birth control pills and Lupron depot, so it all worked out ok.

He walked us through the steps we would need to take to get ready for another IVF cycle.  We would be using frozen embryo(s) this time, which makes it much easier, but there are still quite a few steps throughout the process.  We both had to get a ton of blood work done.  I had to start Lupron Depot again, which is to suppress my periods and endometriosis.  The doctor said we could either use that or do another laproscopy.  No thanks on the latter, I'll stick with daily shots instead of going through a laproscopy again!!!

The success rates with using frozen embryos are lower than doing IVF with fresh embryos, so we discussed possibly transferring two embryos, depending on the quality.   I was very hesitant about transferring multiple embryos, and was sure we would only transfer one, but it would be a last minute decision.

Because we used frozen embryos, it was much easier than the last time.  All of the grunt work at the beginning was already done.  The medication that I had to take was a lot less and I didn't have to go in for nearly as many scans as I did the first time.  I was going in almost every day for a week or so during our first IVF.  This time, I only had to go in for a total of 2-3 scans.  What a relief!  The daily trips to Springfield at 7:30 in the morning get old!!! 


We were also able to schedule our embryo transfer and won't have to wait until the last minute to know when it will be.  The morning of our transfer, the lab would thaw one embryo and look at the quality.  If the quality was good, we would use that one and only transfer one.  If the quality of the first embryo was only ok, then they would thaw a second and hope for two "ok" embryos and they would transfer both.  But, this would be a last minute decision on the both the doctor and our part.

I went the last week of June and got my shot of Lupron Depot, which lasted one month.  Of course, I had most of the side effects of the Lupron, which include headaches, insomnia, and hot flashes.  I had hot flashes the last time with it, and they are not fun. 

We both had to have lots of bloodwork done before we could do the transfer, so we went on the 25th of July to get it all done.  The labs you have done prior to IVF are only good for a year, so we had to get all of them re-done.  I then went back for my first baseline scan.  We were lucky to get Holly as our sonographer, and Joel wanted her to check to see if I was pregnant (which was very highly unlikely since I'd been on Lupron for a month) and of course, I wasn't.  She got all the measurements she needed and then the doctor came in.  Dr. Loretdemola then did a mock transfer and saline sonogram.  It hurt just as much as I remember from the last time.  Everything looked good  and I was given my medication instructions and was told I needed to come back on the 6th or 7th of August for my next scan.  The next scan would determine how much estrace I would need to take, which is slowly increased every few days leading up to the transfer. 

I got a call that afternoon from the nurse, and she said my pregnancy test from the bloodwork they took earlier came back positive the first time they ran it.  The lab then re ran it again on the same machine and it was negative, but they were sending it to Memorial for them to check it on a different machine.  Of course, we were leaving the next morning for vacation, so they were going to try to get the results that night before we left.  We didn't get them that night, but as we were sitting at the terminal in the airport Thursday morning, the nurse called and said when they ran it at Memorial, it was negative.  They're not for sure why the first sample they did was positive, but I could proceed as instructed with my medication.  (I swear, these things only happen to me.  I have the worst luck with doctors!)

I started my daily Lupron injection on Wednesday night (the night before we left for vacation) and then had to take it all with me to do every day while on vacation.  I didn't have any trouble getting my syringes or medicine through security at either St. Louis or Cancun, which was nice.  I also started my estrace on Saturday in Mexico.  I started doing a daily injection of Lupron and one estrace pill a day in Mexico.

Our vacation was just what I needed and almost at the perfect time with everything going on. It was nice to get away from the stress of work, IVF, and just everyday life. Even having to do my daily shot while we were on vacation wasn't that bad. Giving myself the shot came back to me in no time and it doesn't seem nearly as bad as it did the last time. I remember working myself up before each shot the last time and it would take ten minutes before I would actually be able to give myself the shot. This time, I didn't have that problem and did the shot in a few seconds and was done with it.

When we got back from Mexico, I then started taking two estrace pills a day and continued with my Lupron shot.

I went in the next week for my next scan and bloodwork.  I then started taking 3 estrace pills a day in addition to my daily Lupron.  It's nice to only have to go for a couple scans and have less medication than the last time we did IVF.  I wish I would have taken a picture of all my medications when we did IVF in 2010, but I didn't.  I did take one this time, which you can see below.  The syringes were included in the picture as well as the medication, and of course, it didn't include my Crinone or multiple refills of Estrace and progesterone.

I was able to stop my Lupron a week before our transfer, but stopping the Lupron meant starting the daily progesterone shots.  The progesterone shots are the worst!  I would put an ice pack on my butt about half an hour before Joel gave me the shot to get it good and numb, which really helped.  After a few days of the progesterone shots, my butt was covered in bruises.  I haven't done a progesterone shot in over a month and my butt is still a little bruised, but it gets better every day. 

During the week leading up to the transfer, I was taking 9 pills a day and doing one injection. 

The day we went in for the transfer, I was nervous, anxious, and excited.  It seemed like we had just done it not long ago with Ainsley and all the emotions came back.  They like for  you to have a full bladder during the transfer, so they can see everything better with the ultrasound.  I had been drinking a bottle of water a little while before we got there and by the time I finally got called back for the actual transfer, I literally couldn't hold it any longer.  I felt terrible, because I knew I'd have to wait again, but I knew I wouldn't have been able to hold it for the ten to fifteen minutes it takes for the transfer.  Of course, I couldn't stop going once I did go, so I ended up with a completely empty bladder and instructions to drink more water and let my bladder get full again.  I was so mad at myself because I couldn't hold it, and at that point it was going to take a good while for my bladder to fill back up.  After about an hour or so, my bladder was full again and we went through with the transfer.

Joel with the pants he had to wear during the procedure

We're ready for IVF!

They thaw the embryos the morning of your transfer.  They thawed one first and it didn't survive.  They then thawed two more embryos and both survived.  We had the option to transfer one or two embryos, with the recommendation that we transfer two.  Using frozen embryos, your success rate goes down, and by transferring two, we would have a better chance of getting pregnant than only transferring one and it not surviving.  We also couldn't re-freeze the embryos that had already been thawed, so we would have lost it.  We ended up transferring both embryos. 

The wait while laying in the hospital bed after the transfer is the worst thing ever.  I would much rather give birth a hundred times over than have to lay on a hospital bed for 1-2 hours after an embryo transfer.  Even though they empty your bladder once the transfer is complete, for some reason, your bladder fills up quite quickly again and you have to go to the bathroom something fierce while laying there.  After the transfer with Ainsley and again after this transfer, as soon as the nurse finally came into my room to tell me I could get up, I literally sat straight up (which the nurses don't like....you're suppose to sit up slowly, blah, blah, blah) and ran down the hallway to the bathroom.  It's the worst feeling ever. 

Ready to be wheeled out to the car after IVF

We had to wait a week and a half after the transfer to get a pregnancy test.  I went that morning to get my blood drawn, and was expecting to hear back from them later that afternoon, but they called right after noon.  It was good news!!!  I was pregnant!!!  I had been having cramps ever since the transfer, which made me very nervous, so I really didn't know if I was pregnant or not.  This time has been so much different than with Ainsley because of the hyper-stimulation I had with her.  I was miserable the first few weeks with her, but I feel pretty good so far with this one.  They gave me my count that day and it was at 288, which they said most likely means that it's just one baby, but we wouldn't know for sure until my first ultrasound, which was scheduled for Sept. 17th. 

Day we found out I was pregnant

I had to go back two days later for more bloodwork, and they called and said my counts had gone up, which is what they expected and it was then at 588.  I then went back a few days later for more bloodwork and my counts were up to 2,300 which was good news!  Everything was going good.

My due date is May 5, 2013.

At the beginning, I was craving salt and vinegar potato chips and chocolate and caramel.  Carmello candy bars are the best!  I have never liked salt and vinegar chips.  I was walking through Walgreens the morning after my first blood test and was picking up some Funyons for Ainsley and saw the salt and vinegar chips and I just had to have them.   Joel actually had some salt and vinegar chips one day at lunch and I turned my nose up at them and even tasted one and made a sour face.  Joel couldn't believe it when I told him I wanted salt and vinegar chips because it hasn't even been two months ago that I thought they were disgusting.
I haven't wanted salt and vinegar chips for a few weeks now, but anything sweet is on my radar.  Of course, chips and salsa (but only from the Mexican restaurant) are also on my "gotta have" list.  I was craving Italian food last weekend, and was lucky enough to convince Joel into going to Lonzeratti's while Mom watched Ainsley for us.

I'm still feeling pretty good.  I felt nauseous a few days a few weeks ago, but that only lasted a little bit.  I was never sick with Ainsley, just exhausted, and that's pretty much how it's been this time around.  The exhaustion is thankfully starting to let up, but it doesn't help when Ainsley gets up every night at 2-3 a.m. and doesn't fall back asleep!

My first sonogram was on the 17th of September and the heartbeat was 128.  Everything looked good and I was released from Dr. Loretdemola and was able to go to my regular ob/gyn, Dr. Huston.  I had my first appointment with him on the 27th and was able to get another sonogram then.  The heartbeat was at 164 that day.  Ainsley's was always pretty high around 150-170, but the 128 at the first appointment really threw me off with this one!  During both sonograms, everything looked good and there was only ONE baby.  I really don't know what we would have done with twins.  I was so nervous about it, because I know how much work one baby is.


Sonogram at 7 weeks

I had major pregnancy brain on one of the days that I had to go back for more bloodwork.  I was having a really bad day at work, and had Ainsley with me all day.  Ainsley and I had went to Springfield for my bloodwork that morning and then back home to work for a few hours before heading to Carrollton for my dentist appointment.  By the time we had to leave for Carrollton, I was flustered and knew I had a million things to do that day and there was no way I was going to get everything done.  Around Manchester, my low gas light came on.  Just one more thing to add to my "to-do" list for the day, I thought.  I stopped at Casey's in Roodhouse and hopped out and swiped my card to pay at the pump.  The pump said to see attendant for some reason.  At this time, Ainsley had fallen asleep in the car, it was close to 100 degrees outside, and I didn't have time to run in to see the attendant to pay for my gas.  I cancelled the transaction, hopped back in my car, and decided I would just get gas in White Hall, which is three miles down the road.  I drove to the Casey's in White Hall to find all the gas pumps had plastic bags over them.  Really?!?  So, I turned around and went to the other gas station in White Hall down the road.  Of course, that one was old school and didn't have pay at the pump, but none of the pumps had plastic bags over them, so I figured since I was already running late for my appointment and since there was noone else around at that gas station, I would be okay leaving Ainsley in the car for a minute while I ran in to pay for the gas.

I got out of the car, and got the gas nozzle out and put it in my car.  I pulled up the lever to start the gas flowing, and nothing happened.  I stood there for a few seconds, thinking the gas station attendant had to start it from the inside, but nothing happened.  I left the nozzle in my gas tank and ran into the gas station to see if the attendant would start my pump so I could be on my way.  When I opened the door, there were people sitting in there in the dark.  The entire town of White Hall didn't have power.  No power meant noone could pump gas.  I was literally on "E" at this point, and knew I wouldn't be able to make it to Carrollton.  My only option was to drive the three miles back to Roodhouse and just go in and see the stupid attendant at Casey's in Roodhouse and pay for my gas inside.  I ran out of the gas station in White Hall, jumped in my car, and took off....with the gas nozzle still in my gas tank!  I heard a thud right after I pulled away from the pump and looked in my mirror to see the gas hose and nozzle laying on the ground and my gas cap hanging from the side of my car.  WHAT.A.DAY!  I'm sure the people inside that gas station thought I was a real piece of work.  I threw my car into park, jumped out, put my gas cap back on, ran over and picked up the gas nozzle (that thankfully, was still attached to the hose and machine) and hurried back in my car and took off.  I called Joel in tears while leaving White Hall and told him he would probably have to come and get me and his daughter in between White Hall and Roodhouse because I was sure I was going to run out of gas.  Luckily, I made it back to Roodhouse, and was able to get gas there.  And, what do you know....my card worked that time and I was able to pay at the pump!

I don't know how people did it in the "old days".  I could never just leave Ainsley in the car while I ran in somewhere to pay or get something.  I would be so worried about her.  I know times have changed and things were different back then, but it sure would have been a lot of work dragging your kids into every store with you.

Joel and his sister made comments the last few days that I'm starting to get a belly, so I probably need to take another picture of my belly to update.

Our computer has officially died, so it will be a week or so before I can get the blog updated again.  I have lots of cute pictures of Ainsley that i need to get posted, and as soon as we get our computer fixed, I'll update!