The things we do...

So far in order to make a baby, we've tried....

• Pre-natals (had to quit those b/c they were making me nauseous)
• Flintstone vitamins (still take them daily)
• Temping (did it every day from the beginning of the year for almost exactly 6 months...still do it for about 10-15 days per month. This means waking up at 6:15 every single morning to stick the thermometer in my mouth)
• OPKs (used OPKs during May cycle)
• CBEFM (have been using since June cycle--I'm getting good at POAS. Used a few times away from home, which means dragging monitor to the restroom for FMU and being discreet with disposing of sticks)
• Pineapple (tried during a couple of cycles--the core is supposed to have bromelain in it, which is supposed to help with implantation)
• B6 supplements with B super complex vitamin (started at the beginning of this cycle--makes me nauseous, gassy, and acid-y every once in awhile, but not if I take it in the middle of dinner and took it the night before)
• Timing BDing (of course)
• Pre-Seed (a sperm-friendly lubricant which is supposed to simulate CM)
• Laying down for at least 45 minutes after BDing
• Elevating hips
• Legs in the air
• And finally....a conception cap (a friend sent them to me b/c she ended up not needing them! Scary, yes...but we'll see if it was worth it! If it didn't work this cycle, we'll try it again next cycle with a more voluminous "sample" from DH--it was his 3rd "sample" in 24 hours...I assumed I'd O on 1st Peak day, but didn't until 2nd Peak day)
  
  So yeah, if this kid ever claims we didn't want him or her, I just might show them this list.

Guess what I'm wearing

And no, this isn't the beginning of some erotic post.... What I'm meaning to announce is that I'm finally wearing size 14 again! I was wearing a 12 when I graduated HS (maybe actually a 10, but I never bought any besides my prom dress), so maybe I'm getting sort of close! I have a feeling I'll be in 14s for a long time since my thighs will have to slim down considerably before I can fit into 12s and not look like a sausage casing stuff too full. But I still feel really good about myself!

Relatedly, for those who have been following my weight ticker recently, I gained this week...it was bad. Gained 2.4, actually. Ugh. The most frustrating part is that I was exceptionally good. We were at some friends' house, so I had little control over what I was eating. I had a salad when we went out Friday night with grilled chicken and very little dressing. I even didn't eat the shell to the salad (it was one of those deep-fried taco-salad type of bowls). I was proud. The next day I had a 4-point breakfast (cereal), a small lunch (ham sandwich), and avoided an Italian dip they had b/c I was sure it was made with full-fat cream cheese and full-fat mozzarella and know it was served with full-fat crackers. It killed me not to dig into that. And it actually made me a little pissy.

I was doing all this so I could indulge in a bratwurst. I hadn't had one in a really long time, but found that some aren't *that* bad. I tried filling up on fruit along with my bratwurst and then just sampling some of the goodies that we had. But as the Buckeyes didn't do so well, my diet took a hit as well. I indulged in way too much fruit pizza (I always love that shit)...but still don't think I used *too* many flex points.

So then Sunday was my family reunion. I had a McDonald's fruit & yogurt for breakfast, ate very small portions of everything at the reunion (was still overly full), then had a grilled chicken sandwich for dinner.

Monday night SIL and BIL invited us over for dinner. We have FF hot dogs (1 point apiece) and light potato chips. But then their other friends brought puppy chow. Damn, I love that stuff. I probably took a little too much of it, too.

Okay, so I overate some, but really, 2.4 pounds???? Ridiculous.

So now I've been weighing myself this weekend (as I always do--I'm fascinated by the natural fluctuation of weight) and since my meeting Wednesday night, as of last night, I have lost over 4 pounds. Who knows if that will hold. If it does, it sounds like my gain last week was mostly water weight from all the sodium. Or someting like that.

Either way, in the mornings I'm now seeing 190.4. Wow. Almost to the 180s???? How exciting! I am starting to feel like I should take a pic of the scale so my OB believes me when I tell her "no, really, I was down around 190 when I got pg!" lol The last time she saw me, I think I was still around 225. I don't remember--it's somewhere in my blog. But I dont' want to jinx myself, so I won't, but I will once we get a BFP!!!

Exhausted!

What a weekend!

Left town pretty much right after work on Friday and drove 2 1/2 hours to Cleveland to hang out. Went out to dinner, hung out, went to bed. DH and I were then kept up almost all night by their cat who sat outside our door meowing all night long.

Got up, went to Costco to look for healthier food (got some strawberries) and propane. Got the food, no propane. Drove all over town looking for propane--apparently they're not allowed to sell in that suburb. So we ended up at a BP. Went back to the house to watch some football. Went shopping with a friend, returned to find our other friends there! Ate good food, watched bad football. Late night.

Got up early to get back in the car. Said goodbye to friends and got in the car. Drove 3 1/2 hours to my parents' house for a family reunion. Went inside, loaded up mom's car, got back in the car and rode another 1/2 hour to the reunion. Hung out at reunion--had a great time. Got back in the car, rode 1/2 hour to Walmart. Ran in and bought a cord to transfer files from parents' old computer to new computer. Back in car to drive to parents' house. Went in, started messing with computer. Power goes out. Damn. Sit around dining room table and play Hands and Feet (a card game). Game over, DH and Dad win. Still no power. Went and sat on deck and watched the wind blow (it was blocked by the house, so we didn't blow anywhere). About 7 p.m., still no power, DH and I need to get home. Get in car for 1 hour drive home, blowing all over the highway. Got to our exit--there's power! Tried to get Wendy's, but waited through 5 light cycles and gave up. Went to McDonald's. Long line, but got out pretty quickly. Went home. Pitch black. Found flashlights and candles, inspected damage (there wasn't much), DH dragged the futon mattress up from the basement, took battery out of scale to put in clock radio and listen to the Browns game. Power came on around midnight.

Alarm went off at 6. Time to start the day. *yawn* What a long weekend that seemed too short!

One thing to say...

Go Bucks!

May tonight not be nearly as bad as I fear... (sorry, feeling a bit pessimistic right now)

B6 Update

Yes, it's only been a few days, but I already have an update on the B6.

I started taking both the B6 and the B supercomplex vitamins last week (today is CD 6--I waited until AF showed to start it). Since I have problems with vitamins sometimes, I need to take the pill with my dinner. So the first night (CD 2) I forgot and took it after dinner with a slice of bread. I also didn't take my normal Zantac that night (it's for allergies...at least that's why I started it). The next day I had horrible acid and nausea. Yuck. So I took my Zantac that morning and took the pills in the middle of dinner that night and all was well the next day. I forgot to take it the next night (CD 4) and remembered again last night. I got it ready and had it sitting next to me during dinner...and still forgot until I'd eaten it all. So I took the pills immediately following dinner. And today I've felt horribly bloated and slightly nauseous. Yuck.

I have no idea how long this is going to last. I don't think I'm going to feel much like BDing if I keep feeling all bloated and gross if I don't take the vitamin in the middle of dinner. This is ridiculous. There was food in my stomach already--shouldn't that be enough? Is this vitamin really going to make that much of a difference anyway? All I'm hoping it will do is reduce the amount of spotting I have before AF...maybe that isn't causing any problems anyway. Who knows.

Post #100!

I've been trying to come up with something really clever to post for post #100, but I can't come up with anything. Shows how clever I am.

So what I really want to say is thank you. Thank you to those of you out there who have shown your support and love through comments and emails and just by reading my blog. Knowing that you're all out there, listening, makes me feel better than you can ever imagine. And sometimes that's just the push I need to get through the day. So thank you.

And now that the pressure for a great post #100 is gone, I'm going to get back to my regularly scheduled whining. ;)

She's heeeerrrre.

Well la di freakin' da. She's here. Onto cycle #6. Stupid bitch.

I realized today how many things I imagined would happen while I was pregnant. I thought I'd be pregnant for football season (not a big drinker, so that doesn't matter much to me). I thought I'd be pregnant by my birthday (we'll find out the results of cycle #6 two days before my birthday). I thought I'd be noticeably pregnant by the holidays. I thought I'd be pregnant by bowl season (if we were to go to a bowl I would have to think about travelling while pregnant).

So now I'm looking forward to some of the things on my calendar and not really thinking about whether I'll be pregnant by then. Next weekend we're going to Cleveland for a house-warming party and to watch the USC game (yes, next weekend...CD 10-12...there's something oh so romantic about conceiving your child on an air mattress on the floor of a friend's guest bedroom). I have book club on September 23rd. My birthday is October 3rd. I'm hosting a Tupperware party on October 16th. We're going to an away football game in November. Then the holidays...I have a hard time imagining getting through those not pregnant.

So I guess cycle #6 is just going to have to work. Going to take my B6 vitamin now.

Oh, and I need to come up with a good post for my next one since it's post #100!!

Waiting....

Of COURSE I know she's coming...but that becomes less and less evident every passing hour that she doesn't show.

I was thinking, though, I'm cramping like she's coming. If, by some miracle, she didn't show, wouldn't that be bad news anyway?

Eh, I'm sure she'll show right around lunchtime...will either post when she does show or post results of POAS.

Stupid AF

The bitch just needs to get the hell here. I know she's coming, so what is she waiting for? The longer she waits, the more I start to think that maybe I *could* be one of "those" women who are sure AF is on her way and then get a BFP. And then that just means more heartbreak for me when she does show. I'm definitely crampy...have been spotting for 5 days...today is 14 dpo (my LP is usually 13-14 days)...so I know she's coming. But damn I still want to believe and get my hopes up, which only leads to more tears and frustration and sadness when she does show.

Stupid bitch.

It hurt to laugh

Yup, you read it right. I was just walking back from the bathroom (where, of course, my TP was tinted brown...) and was talking and joking with a co-worker as I passed her. And as soon as she passed, tears welled up in my eyes and it took everything inside me not to cry right then and there. My heart just hurts so badly...first bad news from my friend Kristen, then this.

Another failed cycle seems to be in our future. And I just don't know how to handle it. I try to just mourn it for a little while and then try to see the good in it, but I'm having a harder and harder time doing that the more it happens. I know 5 failed cycles doesn't seem like all that much to a lot of people, but that doesn't make it any easier. I still feel like my heart is being ripped from my chest.

And many of you will think "don't give up hope yet", but I'm having a really hard time with that, knowing my body and the fact that spotting at 9 dpo (tomorrow) means AF is on her way (in 4-5 days...ugh). And, really, what's the point in holding onto the hope? Why mourn later when I can just get it out of the way right now?

A friend asked me if my spotting so early was normal. I started reading online (I know, I know...) that spotting that early could be a sign of a luteal phase defect (LPD). I had no idea. So I'm thinking about getting some B6 for next cycle. But that just leads me back to my whole "letting go" thing. What does God really have in store for me? He's given me free will to do whatever I want...and he put whoever isolated this vitamin here on the earth...so should I take it? What if I keep just letting Him do whatever is His will and never ask a doctor or try any fixes? Will I be childless forever? At what point can I take it into my own hands and not be defying God? What a confusing, exhausting thought process.

I thought I was okay

..but now I'm not so sure. 8 dpo and I'm now back to overanalyzing every single thing. I guess I'm having a harder time letting go than I thought. Of course, I do realize that I can't control anything, but I'm listening to my body like crazy (and not of my own will), trying to decipher every pang and everything going on. I'm tired. I'm totally tired of doing this, but my being overly aware of my body isn't something I feel like I can control--I try not to think about it and I try to think about everything else...but it just isn't working today.

It doesn't help that some of the women on a local message board are posting about how they thought AF was on her way the cycle they got their BFP. It would just be easier for me to be let down when I see the spotting tomorrow than to keep believing it could happen. Good thing I'm not a huge drinker, because once the spotting starts I could go on a bender...lol!!! Right!

For those of you reading and thinking I'm being negative...I'm really not. I still have SO much hope in my heart that this could be the cycle, but I'm trying to be realistic and guard my heart so I don't feel so much pain when I realize that this isn't the cycle.

At 8 dpo I'm feeling some very sporadic pains in my lower right and lower left quadrants (one lasted for awhile right around where my leg and torso meet). No breast tenderness. Some heartburn last night and this morning. Right now I feel like I've got a lump in my tummy in the upper left quadrant, but I know that has nothing to do with it...still doesn't keep me from thinking about it. Oh, and I'm breaking out on my chin like I always do this time of the month.

So I say this prayer: God, please let this be the cycle. Yes, I realize that whatever happens is Your will and I will do my best to accept it and find the good in it. I know You will be there for me no matter what the outcome and I know there is a reason behind everything. But please let this be it. Amen.

New Layout!

How do you like the new layout? I thought it was cute. I normally read everyone's blogs on Google Reader, so I don't get to enjoy the layouts. I stole the source from another Nestie. It's from LeeLou Blogs. Let me know if you have any comments about it :)

6 dpo...and still overanalyzing

Have I ever said how much I hate the 2ww? 'Cause I do. Yup. HATE IT.

I'm 6 dpo today. Pretty much the absolute earliest that someone could have implantation. Yet for the last 24 hours I've been analyzing every twinge I feel.

I'm still trying very hard to just let go and let God take care of everything, but the control freak in me has a really hard time with that. So I think most of the time I'm doing a pretty good job, but any normal pang I feel, I start to think about what it could be.

I'm trying to come up with stuff DH and I could do in the evenings to help me take my mind off of it all...but I come up with nothing. Eating decisions just stress me out, so going out to eat wouldn't do it. Now that the Olympics is done, I suppose we could go back to playing Wii more often... :) Gotta find something, because as much as I want to "just relax" and let go, I can't help but wonder what's going on in there!

Well, I should know by sometime Thursday, which is 9 dpo and when my spotting normally starts. If the spotting doesn't start, then I'll probably test on Saturday morning, 11 dpo. Keep fingers crossed!!!!

Learning

I received the following comment on one of my recent posts:

I am glad to see your updates...b/c honestly you're blogging has taught me tons, so when it wasn't there, I was missin' it..

This made me feel so good--thanks, Amy! So, I thought I'd add a post welcoming ANY questions that anyone has about TTC or even just about me. I'm an open book and am very, very happy that this blog is serving a purpose other than just a place for me to vent!

I have spent a bit of time learning about TTC over the last year or so. I started out lurking on Babies on the Brain, a board on The Nest. After awhile, I felt like I had a good handle on things, so I started lurking elsewhere. I ended up finding the Trouble Trying to Conceive board and have learned a TON of things about fertility treatments there, which, in turn has taught me a lot of general TTC things. I ended up reading Taking Charge of Your Ferility, as well, to learn a lot about charting. Then I started charting back in December 2007 and have learned a lot about my own body and my body's tendencies from there.

I drove by myself to work today. This is significant because that means I wasn't chatting with DH on the drive and it gave me time to think. More specifically, it gave me time to pray. I haven't prayed regularly in a loooong time, but have been making a point to do it whenever I'm in the car alone. I prayed for all the people I know who are sick or hurting (emotionally and physically) and then took the time to thank God for my fortunes. All that then led me to start considering why I ended up lurking on the TTTC board and why I was drawn there. I decided that it could be one of four reasons. Either 1) God wanted to help me inform myself about TTC, 2) God wanted to prepare me for something to come in my future, 3) God wanted to make me a better friend to the people I know who are going through/have gone through fertility treatments or 4) God wanted to help me appreciate the fact that it's only been 4 failed cycles for us. Only time will tell which (if not all of these) will be true, but it really gave me something to think about (and pray about).

No O yet

DH and I worked damn hard yesterday...only to have no O yesterday. Which means that today should be the day. But dangit, we tried so hard yesterday! And I have gone off my daily decongestant, thinking that might help my CM. I'm miserable, but trying really hard! We'll try again once more tonight, then that's it--it's all in God's hands!

Off to a work retreat type thingy! Keep fingers crossed for us!!! :)

Quick cycle update

Trying *not* to focus on the cycle, but wanted to post an update for all those wondering (although I'll end up posting on the TTC update on the local board) about where I'm at.

Today is CD 13. The CBEFM started asking me for sticks on CD 7 and I've gotten a low CD 7 through CD 12. Since I Oed CD 15 most cycles, then CD 13 last cycle, I had thought I'd have gotten a High by now! POAS this morning and...Peak! Straight from Low to Peak (any insight on if this means anything special?)! Woot!

Well, you know what Peak means...gotta FWaP. lol I showed DH the monitor and he just started kissing on me...yeah, we were an hour late for work (and no, it doesn't last that long--it's more about the 45 minutes laying down!).

My temp dipped this morning, which typically happens the day before I O, so I'm guessing I'll O sometime this evening. Bring on the 2ww!

I'm trying my best to "just relax" (as much as I hate that advice--how awful) this cycle and let things happen however they will. That's one thing that does seem different to me--I'm not nearly as stressed headed into the 2ww. There's nothing I can do to change anything, so I'm trying not to worry. Actually, in general, I'm really trying not to let TTC take over my entire life. Which is partially why I haven't been blogging as much.

So that's where I am. We should know by the first football game of the season whether we're pg. Not that I'm counting. :)

Just a reminder

I've heard this song lots and lots of times before, but it hadn't really spoken to me until this past weekend. It's got a great funny twist, but it really does remind you that very little in life is permanent--eventually we'll move past this stage and be onto the next, whether for good or for bad.

From my (currently) favorite musical:


Only for now

PRINCETON:Why does everything have to be so hard?
GARY COLEMAN:Maybe you'll never find your purpose.
CHRISTMAS EVE:Lots of people don't.
PRINCETON:But then- I don't know why I'm even alive!
KATE MONSTER:Well, who does, really?Everyone's a little bit unsatisfied.
BRIAN:Everyone goes 'round a little empty inside.
GARY COLEMAN:Take a breath,Look around,
BRIAN:Swallow your pride,
KATE MONSTER:For now...
BRIAN, KATE, GARY, CHRISTMAS EVE:For now...
NICKY:Nothing lasts,
ROD:Life goes on,
NICKY:Full of surprises.
ROD: You'll be faced with problems of all shapes and sizes.
CHRISTMAS EVE:You're going to have to make a few compromises...For now...
TREKKIE MONSTER:For now...
ALL:But only for now! (For now)
Only for now! (For now)
Only for now! (For now)
Only for now!
LUCY:For now we're healthy.
BRIAN:For now we're employed.
BAD IDEA BEARS:For now we're happy...
KATE MONSTER:If not overjoyed.
PRINCETON:And we'll accept the things we cannot avoid, for now...
GARY COLEMAN:For now...
TREKKIE MONSTER:For now...
KATE MONSTER:For now...
ALL:But only for now! (For now)
Only for now! (For now)
Only for now! (For now)
Only for now!
Only for now!(For now there's life!)
Only for now!(For now there's love!)
Only for now!(For now there's work!)
For now there's happiness!
But only for now!(For now discomfort!)
Only for now!(For now there's friendship!)
Only for now (For now!)
Only for now!
Only for now! (Sex!)
Is only for now! (Your hair!)
Is only for now! (George Bush!)
Is only for now!
Don't stress,
Relax,
Let life roll off your backs
Except for death and paying taxes,
Everything in life is only for now!
NICKY:Each time you smile...
ALL:...Only for now
KATE MONSTER:It'll only last a while.
ALL:...Only for now
PRINCETON:Life may be scary...
ALL:...Only for now
But it's only temporaryBa-dum ba-dumBa-dum ba-dumBa dum ba-dumBa-da da da daba-da da-da da da-daBa-dum ba-da, ba-dum ba-daohhhh-
PRINCETON:Everything in life is only for now.

Withdrawing

I've received some really personally painful feedback at work, causing me to doubt everything that I stand for and everything that comprises me and my personality. The only way I know how to cope is to withdraw, so I am. You probably won't see me around or hear from me for awhile. I'm hurting a lot and don't want to spread the infectious depression to everyone else. All of you will be in my thoughts and prayers and hopefully by the time I talk to you all again, everyone's lives will be a bit happier.

Tag! I'm it!

I've been tagged by the beautiful Steph, over at Let the Journey Begin

Here are the tag rules:

1. Link to the person who tagged you (i.e. me)
2. Post the rules on your blog
3. Write 6 random things about yourself
4. Tag 6 people at the end of your post and link to them
5. Let each person you have tagged know by leaving a comment on their blog
6. Let the tagger (me) know when your entry is posted

So, my challenge is to share six random things about myself. I can't promise anything, but here goes!
1) Most people know this one, but I graduated HS (and started college) when I was 16. I started kindergarten at age 4 and then skipped 2nd grade. And I wouldn't change and thing, no matter how estranged I felt from my college roommate when they were going to the clubs and trying to sneak drinks when I would have loved to just get in!
2) My mind works on an average of 3 thoughts at a time. I am usually done thinking something through before the thought makes it out of my mouth and, therefore, confuses the hell out of my DH when I start talking about whatever the original thought made me think of...
3) I'm the most ADD crafter that I know. I love to craft and have the knowledge to: knit, crochet, cross-stitch (counted and stamped), latch hook, sew, make cards, scrapbook, and paint. However, it takes a lot for me to finish a project that doesn't take more than a weekend to complete.
4) I took dance classes from kindergarten all the way through 12th grade. I took the normal combination class for the first few years, learning tap, ballet, and acrobatics, then, when I was 6 (the rest of the class was 7), decided to specialize in jazz.
5) I am a game show junkie. I could watch game shows any day or night. Love them. And I think this is the root of my love of reality shows because, really, what is a reality show besides a game show mixed with human interactions?
6) I'm a slob. There, I've admitted it. I have NEVER been a neat person and have had a really hard time finding the motivation to work on cleaning the house. When DH and I met, he was a neat freak--unfortunately, I've rubbed off on him more than he's rubbed off of me! I could go a LONG time without cleaning much of anything--bathrooms, towels, floors...as long as it's my own grime, I'm pretty okay with it. Yes, it grosses me out, but not enough to make me do anything about it. This is one other thing I'm working on changing by the time a baby enters our life.

So now it's time for me to tag some people:

1) My beautiful friend, Kristen, of I Would Diet For That
2) The fabulous new mommy and great friend, Julie, of Fink Bambino 1.0
3) Fantastic mommy of adorable twin little boys, Meghan, of The Adventures of Tader Baby
4) My great friend, Sarah, of TBDBITL OT
5) VERY new mommy of sweet Millie, Kenzi, of TTC our little Baby T
6) Fantastic crafter extraordinaire, Jan, of Jannypie's Craft Blog

Debbie Downer

I want SO badly to try to not be a Debbie Downer, especially after my celebratory post...but I started spotting today. Which, for my body, means cycle #4 TTC is over. So now I just wait for AF, who should show either Tuesday or Wednesday. And I'm incredibly depressed about this entire thing and have no idea how to get through it. I know it's only been four cycles, so it seems ridiculous to me...so many others make it through SO much more. But I just don't feel that strong right now. Right now I feel like spending the entirety of this weekend on the couch with no distractions, not getting dressed, eating like a pig. But that would really be pathetic. And I'm trying my damnedest not to be pathetic. So I just need to come up with some healthy coping mechanism, besides just being perky and masking my feelings all the time.