day 4 of 2WW

Yesterday, the man and I were thinking of squeezing a matinee movie in before I had to go to work.  Of course, the show times were not accommodating.  So I looked online for Sunday movie times and noticed they are doing $6.00 movies from 6:00a-11:00a.  Holy wow!! We're talking half price movies. Yes, tickets for 3D shows go up to $16 a piece during primetime (plus $1 service fee if you buy online, which you should do to guarantee a spot if it's a new one)! So instead of going to the movies yesterday, we ran to the mall instead and purchased tickets for the Sunday (11:00a) showing of Morning Glory.  As far as predictable movies go, it was really cute. At least totally worth the $12 we paid to get in.  After we purchased our tickets on Saturday, we traipsed around the baby/maternity section of the mall. Yes, they have a 'wing' in the mall dedicated to all that jazz.  Of course, my favorite store is still Janie and Jack and I believe it always will be. Will I ever be able to afford anything there? Not likely. But man... their clothes are way to cute.

We had visitation from about 3:30-6:30 at work today.  Got a couple new clients in, too.  Time went by super quick at work on account of all the visitors keeping me pretty busy.  I ate my first meal from the kitchen (5 months later)--I had been scared up until tonight. I... was... starving.  I have heard nothing but horror stories or really great reviews, so I was a little nervous to try it. Carbo overload. I ended up just eating the chicken, cauliflower and some carrots and ranch dip.  My meal was served with (I kid you not) about a pound of potato salad, of which I had a bite of.  I have to say, according to a staff member the 'crappy cook' was in tonight and I found the food decent enough! Hell, it's free.  It would have to be pretty terrible for free food to be a no-go for me.  When I got home, I fixed my home version of a fast food meal (for Sebastian, not me), harnessed up the pup and took him and the hubby on a brisk 30 minute stroll.  It was refreshing.  We haven't done that since we moved and it was long overdue.  I forgot how much a walk helps me to unwind. 


I've been reading that What to Expect When You're Expecting shenanigans and I'm on month 2 of pregnancy.  I feel like when we finally get pregnant I will be an expert on nipple changes and lube ducts (also on your nipples). Seriously. This lady talks about large areolas and nipple changes at least 2 out of every 5 pages. No joke. In all honesty, I feel at least more informed than I was to begin with when we started on our journey of TTC.  Some things in the book as I've mentioned previously are a little overboard for me, but there really is quite a bit in it (so far) that I didn't know.  


I'm not sure if I've ever said anything about this, but I was googling two week wait and very early pregnancy symptoms and of course, I feel as though I have every single one of the symptoms.  Apparently, implantation can happen as early as 6 days after ovulation and as long as 12 days past ovulation.  The norm is about 9 days.  Realistically, I can't possibly be having any of these symptoms.  I used to think it was really nice having the ability (if we conceive this cycle) to know exactly when we conceived, but now I'm not so sure! It would be so much nicer just missing my perfectly timed, never late period (ha!) by a few days, testing and getting a big fat positive result.  ;)

I hope what I'm getting in regards to 'symptoms' is anything but my period coming.  Crappily (yes, it's now a word), I've noticed period symptoms and early pregnancy symptoms are extremely similar if not just downright identical. My back has been sore, but I have back problems and have had 3 surgeries so I suppose it happens occasionally.  I'm very, very tired.  Nix that. More like exhausted. But, I've also been working 7 days a week, 2 times a day and doing a lot of driving on top of my tons of driving.  I get up early and get home after a normal dinner time.  So that could very well have something to do with that.  The only thing I can't explain away is the nausea.  Now, I know it's possibly way to early for that symptom but... nausea is something I never, ever have.  I'm nauseous whenever I eat or am preparing food to eat,  It revolves mostly around food, actually.  When I woke up this morning I was sick to my stomach and food had nothing to do with it.  Right now my stomach is doing somersaults... slowly. 


That much I know is not in my head! Sure, there could be another reason and there probably is.. but a girl can dream, right? Probably the first and last time in my life I'm wishing for more nausea.


Night kids, got to get to bed. 

follicle check sunday, 11.7.10

Super awesome. It just deleted my whole effing post. I will try to duplicate.

Egg is at 16.4mm, exactly 3mm larger than it was on Friday. It's growing! Slow growing, but still progressing.  It's just a lazy potential-Garcia.

As of now, I've been instructed to grab an OPK (ovulation predictor kit). They're in the neighborhood of $60+, so I'm going to get the week supply, since I only need 2, for $20.  I wish I had time to shop online, I know I could find them cheaper--but I don't have the time. Plus, if this cycle doesn't work out the way we hope, maybe I'll have a use for the other 5.

Dr Chen wants the egg to be at 20mm before the IUI.  My uterine lining surprised us all when she checked it today--it was like a normal ovulating woman's uterine lining! I think it was 5? With that news, (the lining is supposed to thicken when a maturing egg is in the making to prepare for baby/implantation) she thinks I just might ovulate on my own, since the rest of my body is shockingly acting 'normal.' That would be amazing.  I'm a 'natural' type of person, so this process has been a mix of emotions for me.  I'm thankful and excited that we have a real shot at this with the aid of modern technology, but at the same time the more I can 'do' on my own the better I feel, the more grateful I feel.

Backtracking a bit.  The high dose of Clomid (I'm sure I've mentioned this) thins your uterine lining, and you need to be supplemented with estrogen. I'm so happy we're not going to need more estrogen.  Moving forward. Our instructions are to buy the OPK, use one tomorrow morning (Monday, 11-8) and Tuesday morning (at the same time I did it Monday morning).  God willing, it will be positive come Tuesday morning. If it is positive Tuesday morning, I am to call the office, tell them the good news and make an appointment for a Wednesday IUI.  If negative Tuesday morning, I will still call the office, but it will be to make (another!) ultrasound appointment for Tuesday to check the egg's progression.  By this time, at the rate it's been growing, it should be 20mm.. or damn close.  She'll give me the hCg (hGc?) shot to trigger ovulation and we will also make a Wednesday appointment for IUI--though I believe it will be a different time of day as opposed to the positive OPK appointment. Either way! Wednesday is the day, assuming nothing crazy happens. :)

Oh, I've been reading the famously ridiculously informative (and sometimes silly) book 'What to Expect When You're Expecting.'  Many things I knew prior to picking up the book, quite a few that I didn't, and some I laughed at. At any rate, I am much more informed than I was before.  I'm reading it alongside Sebastian and his book, 'What to Expect When Your Wife is Expanding.'  His is mostly just hilarious. I bought them both on Amazon a couple weeks ago for about $11 total (including shipping). Of course, in his book the front page is devoted to a wonderful dedication about what a great dad Ronald was going to be in September, 1993.. but it was a sweet dedication, so I just crossed out Ronald's name and put in Sebastian's. And replaced John and Kim's name with mine.

egg progression

Had my 'egg check up' this morning. There are two eggs (one on each side) that are growing, but not all that great. She figured they'd be farther along now, but she was happy that they were at least bigger than before the Clomid. They're at 6mm and they were at 4 or 5 last week.  They need to be about double what they are now to receive the trigger shot and IUI.  So, here's hoping they double by Friday! I have an appointment Friday at 9:30a to check their progression again.  She's thinking they'll be 11 or 12mm by then, and we'll do the trigger shot Sunday and have the IUI Monday. If things don't look bigger and better, then we know that no amount of Clomid will work for us and we'll move to the injectable medications.

I'm a little bummed, but still hopeful.  You're supposed to ovulate 5-10 days after your last Clomid pill (read it online, not from Dr) which would put us in a range for between this Wednesday and next Monday. I also read that people need trigger shots when they are on high doses of Clomid (150+) but that some people don't need them.  Dr Chen seems to think that I do, and I trust that she knows what she's talking about!

So keep your fingers (and toes!) crossed that we get some serious egg growth by Friday!!