"she" isn't a "she"!!!!!!!!!

Crazy as it is, we learned on Saturday the 4th that our little bean is a BOY! Of course, we will have this confirmed at the anatomy scan, but wow were we all shocked! The scan was on the fuzzy side, but I really don't think there is any chance it will turn out to NOT be a boy! LOL It appeared very obvious on the screen, The picture she printed for us isn't quite so clear though. Little Jackson Riley will be joining our family in January/February!!

Help Abby be a good example!

So we entered this contest on FaceBook with Bye-Bye with Baby. The theme was "on the go" and is supposed to be your child in the car ready to go. Well, after I entered Abby I began to look at all the other entries (gotta check out competition, right?) Well I was totally appalled at the horrible misuse of car seats!! I would guess that 90% of these kids are buckled improperly and are NOT safe in their travels!! I am so sickened and worried for these little ones. Most of the mistakes are just common sense....come on...how many of you buckle your little ones up with twisted straps? How about straps so loose they fall of the shoulders? You NEVER know when you will be involved in an accident....don't you want to be prepared if you find yourself in that awful situation? I know that I make sure Abby (and the rest of my kids!!) are as safe as I can possibly make them. I want Abby to win this contest, so we can be the face of GOOD car seat use. Please help us, as there are only a couple of days of voting left!!

If you are on Facebook go to Bye-Bye With Baby and "like" them. Then go to the photo album labeled "Traveling Kids"  Abby is the first picture (rear facing in her pink and brown MyRide 65, wearing purple sun glasses) "like" her photo. Thank you so much!!

9 week scan

Today gummy was dancing all around and had a heartbeat of 183!! "She" was really excited about something! My previa is no longer bleeding, so that is great news! I get to stop my progesterone shots Thursday! My rear end will be so happy!!! I love seeing my little bean swimming around so happy. I have my first OB appt tomorrow.

Gestating right along.....

So tomorrow marks 9 weeks (actually 7 weeks gestationally) that Gummy has been incubating and growing. Last monday we had a scare with bleeding. Luckily I was already scheduled for another U/S with the clinic that morning. Gummy was just perfect with a heartbeat of 164! I have a placenta previa, but the doc assured me that most of the time these early previas resolve themselves. At the u/s Abby pointed and yelled out "Baby!" as she signed it. The doctor and the nurse both let out an AWWW and tears welled up ion my eyes. We have another scan this monday.

Introducing Gummy Bean Balcer

It just dawned on me that I totally forgot to post the embryo pic from the transfer! Gummy was transferred on day 3 as a grade 4 8 cell embryo.

Gummy was gummy!!!!!

I am in disbelief......even though I have taken six, yes six pregnancy tests that have all come up positive. Tomorrow is the blood draw...I am so anxious to know my numbers! Who knows, maybe the strangest will happen and little gummy split into two!! hahahaha!

Here is pictorial proof of my madness!!!






 


Yes, I have a problem. I full admit it!! I love to pee on sticks!!

Why must they grow up so fast??

My sweet little Abby is 15 months old now. She's a tiny 20 lbs 10 oz and 29 inches. She is so beautiful it just takes my breath away sometimes! She is looking and acting more and more like a little girl and less like a baby. It's bitter sweet. I love seeing her learn and develop, but I am sad that her baby days are rapidly dissolving. She is speaking in sentences (both verbally and in sign) and to this point I have lost count of all of her words. She LOVES to color and of course, read. She sometimes like to play with her blocks and build, but mostly she likes mommy to build and she plays Abbyzilla. She thinks it is hilarious.

Here we go again!

After ending up with a chemical pregnancy from our FET in April  I have been nervous about our latest IVF cycle. I had my first appointment since starting the stims 5 days ago. Things are right on track and I add a third shot tomorrow. I am expecting egg retrieval to be around Sunday. That means I need to get my butt in gear and get Memorial Flowers cleaned and ready to go out to the graves on Saturday. I am tying to keep my normally positive attitude about all of this, but the truth is I am scared this time! When we did our first IVF cycle it was unfamiliar and I had no idea what to expect, and never thought, not once, that it wouldn't work. Coming away from a failed FET changes everything. What do we do if this doesn't work? Do we attempt to save the money and try one more time, or do we just leave it alone and spoil our little princess? We really want her to have a sibling that is closer to her age than her big brothers.
I go back for another follicle check on Thursday, so lets pray they are growing and developing just right!

Holy Signing babby Batman!

We have been signing to Abby since she was 4 months old. She began signing "milk" at around 5-6 months old. She is now 14 months and she is picking signs up at an amazing rate! She currently has a 20 word sign vocabulary and a 20 word vocal vocabulary. That's even more than her genius brother!! She is showing some early reading skills emerging also! Because Signing Time shows the printed word as well, it's teaching her to read! I am so amazed at her ability to learn so rapidly.


Her current sign list is:
Eat
milk
more
play
water
flower
mom
dad
baby
ball
dog
bye
all done
fish
bath
bird
sign
time
shoes
sleepy

Life as the Easter Bunny

After spending about an hour putting together three Easter baskets I stopped to ponder the purpose of the Easter Bunny. Who started this silly tradition? What does it have to do with the REAL meaning of Easter? The boys were happy to have candy, but they are a little old for Easter Eggs and such. Abby wasn't impressed either. She liked opening the eggs and finding a small snack of Cheerios, Fruit Loops or Animal Crackers. Then she thought they were balls and wanted to throw them. She did like the book and hairbows from her grandma.

She isn't a baby anymore!

We picked up Abby's one year portraits today. It's official, she isn't a baby any more. She is a little girl. I only blinked for a second. She is currently sitting beside me doing the hand gestures to twinkle twinkle while it is being sung in french.....a baby couldn't do that!

Remembering Granny

My Granny was the most honest, spare-no-feelings, Godly woman I have ever known. She lived her life with only one purpose,and that was to serve God and get to heaven some day. Job well done, Granny. My Granny and Poppy were like parents to me. They took me when no one else would. They cared for me, taught me, and loved me. There will never be two dearer people in this world than the two of them. They spent the last ten years apart since Poppy passed in October of 1999. Together again at last!!! I know that Granny had missed him terribly, especially after her stroke. She still needed his strength and encouragement....much like I still need hers. I love the fact that she is with him now. That makes it a little less painful. I actually envisioned Poppy waiting for her at the entrance to heaven with his arms outstretched and saying "I've missed you, Wanda." Gosh I miss them both terribly!

My Granny didn't think much about material possessions, with exception to shoes. She gave Imelda Marcos a run for her money! She had an unwavering faith that was simply astounding. Even in her darkest hour she had faith that God would deliver her. Ultimately, he did. She loved all of her great grand children, but Abigail came at a time that she needed a little one the most. She had lost her ability to work in the daycare that she so loved because of her stroke. She watched Abigail grow from the time she was in my belly. She adored Abby, and Abby adored her. It was heart breaking to see Abigail wave at her Granny for the last time, saying "up, up!" because she wanted her to wake up and play. I will tell Abby about her amazing great grandmother, and I will aspire to replicate the way she lived her life the best that I can.