Sunday, October 30, 2011

Me Against the Fish

This past week I decided to try and master cooking fish at home for Rhett and I since I'm making more of an effort to incorporate it into my diet. It's funny how many people have told me they about fell out of their chair when they heard that I tried fish.. the things we do for our kids (or future kids). Anyways, I digress. So I go to Whole Foods and I buy the fish from the counter and the guy tells me he de-boned it and all that good stuff. I come home, ready to make a delicious dinner (with a little help from my girl, Giada) I brush one side with olive oil and then flip it over to brush the other side when GASP! (I think I actually said something else) the entire side was covered in fish skin... gross! You see, when I'm eating fish I keep trying to tell myself I'm not actually eating a fish, but that scaly sight made it harder to believe my delusions. So I grabbed by knife and tackled it as best I could ( in-between gags, of course). Good news is, it turned out really good! I think I'm over the initial shock and ready to tackle it again.
I went to see my nutritionist again this past weekend and got some more really great advice! She helped me think of more ways to incorporate protein into my diet and advised me against most canned goods besides a brand called "Eden's Organics" due to the fact that most cans are lined with a chemical called BPA which I'm sure you've heard in recent years getting a bad rep for causing hormonal disturbances in our bodies. I had a relaxing acupuncture treatment and a great yoga class today! I love the time with fellow women who truly understand how I feel. It's a great way to vent, grow, and further learn the yoga technique. Next week is my last class and I really hope to enroll in Fertility for Yoga Phase 2 with my yoga buddies, and continue our journey together! I've felt like I'm dealing with stress much better and have a more positive outlook on life and our pursuit towards parenthood. This week we learned meditation and I'm excited to practice this new skill this week.

23 days until transfer!! I can't wait for our three little snow babies to come home! There's no place like home! There's no place like home! There's no place like home!

Monday, October 24, 2011

Third Time's a Charm!

Today I had my ultra sound and blood work to see if my hormones have been suppressed from the birth control pill and if it's time to start the shots and.... all looked GREAT! We start our first round of shots tonight and I can't wait to get this ball rolling! I had a great, optimistic feeling in the doctor's office and I texted Rhett and told him this. He said, "Third time's a charm." I think he may be on to something, third IVF and 3 embies? Sounds likes a recipe for success!
Check back often for updates! I go for ultra sound and blood work again next Wednesday! I can't wait for November 22nd! My mom is coming to help take care of me on bedrest and make sure Rhett gets a proper Thanksgiving dinner! I don't think she knows what she signed up for, there may or may not be a dog eared copy of southern living waiting for her upon her arrival! Haha, she's the best!
Have a good night everyone and please keep your amazing thoughts and prayers coming our way!

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Week in Review and Pots and Pans Too!

This past week has been filled with lots of happenings! Rhett's mom and dad have been in town since August and are headed back to Arizona tomorrow so we went out for a nice dinner to a french restaurant called Mon Ami Gabi. Rhett and I were actually doing a rating there for a secret diner program we do, and our coordinator let us bring them along! It was nice to be able to catch up and spend some time together!

On Saturday we had our niece, Lucy's first birthday! It's hard to believe she was born a year ago! The party was great and we got to play with lots of adorable babies. I kept thinking about how this time next year Rhett and I will hopefully be bringing our little one or ones to Lucy's second birthday party! We're less than a month away now from our transfer and we're getting so excited! I go tomorrow to the doctor for an ultra sound and blood work to see if we can stop the pill and start some shots! It will be here before we know it!!!

In other exciting news Rhett bought me some new stainless steel pots and pans!! My nutritionist advised me that using non-stick (as I have for years) is actually not good practice because after a while it can start to break apart and the chemicals can get in the food you're cooking causes further hormonal disturbance, which I don't need! She also said that when using nonstick you use less olive oil to cook with, and right now she's been having me work on increasing my intake of healthy fats into my diet. When those pots and pans came I was so excited, I was like a kid in a candy shop! My brothers and I used to tease my mom about her obsession with new pots and pans, but now that I'm an adult I totally get it... when did I grow up?





Sunday, October 16, 2011

Yoga, and Needles, and Fish? Oh my!

I've been meaning to blog all week, but here it is Sunday already and I am just now sitting down to do it! It has been quite an eventful week and I'm excited to share the latest developments. So take a seat (seriously, sit down for this), grab a cup of coffee in my honor (since I no longer drink it...sigh) and be ready to be floored!
In my last blog I stated that I started seeing an acupuncturist again and that I was going to be seeing a nutritionist this week. My acupuncturist and nutritioist had highly suggested that I incorporate fish into my strictly 17 year vegetarian diet. I obviously was not pleased by this news, but I want a baby more than anything in the world, so if they told me shaving my head and sleeping on the floor would do it, then I'd be a bald lady with a sore back, so I figured what the hell..
As many of you know, Rhett and I participate in a rating program for Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants. This week we rated Shaw's, which is a fine dining seafood restaurant, so I figured if I'm gonna do this, this is the place to start... I ordered salmon and drumroll please.... I LIKED IT!! Also, even better, I didn't puke!!! Rhett was so proud of me and I was proud of myself, if I'm going to be a mommy I have to put those little one's needs ahead of my own, so I thought, first step in the right direction!

The nutrionist gave me lots of great pointers and put me on four different supplements. I'm eating all organic, trying to cut out refined sugar, lots of protein, lots of sleep, and no caffeine! I had a few slip-ups this weekend (eating out gets me everytime, good thing we're on a budget and don't do it that often!) but today is a new day! Only 38 days til transfer!! I can't wait! I have it marked in my calendar as the day we get pregnant!!! I'm feeling so positive and ready! I just know we are going to be blessed! This Thanksgiving (even though we won't know the outcome yet) we will have even more to be thankful for! I'm off to Yoga!

Namaste,

Bails

P.S. Here are some pics from the week; my first fish dish, my sweetest day pizza Rhett brought home, I splurged and had one,tiny, little slice, and Boomer "doing" yoga. He says he likes, "downward facing dog"!






Monday, October 10, 2011

Going Granola

Yesterday as Rhett and I were driving out to see my brother-in-law, sister-in-law, father-in-law, and adorable little Lucy (we missed you Jan). I was telling Rhett about my second fertility yoga class and I was sharing what a wonderful experience it was again. I'm learning to find balance within my physical self and the world around me as well as creating relationships with the other wonderful women who are on the fertility journey with me. I feel more positive and in control and am really digging this zen-like feeling! In conjunction to the yoga I have begun acupuncture again and really love this relaxing experience. She suggested I see the nutritionist, and I meet with her Thursday and I'm excited to hear what she has to share. The more I've been reading about the eastern way of thinking, I'm prepared for her to tell me that my 17 years of vegetarianism aren't helping my cause. I will do anything to have a baby and keep it in there for 9 healthy, happy months, and would even consider trying to incorporate fish and maybe even meat (I'm gagging writing that) but a baby is more important to me than my beliefs against harming animals. I'm hoping she will say it isn't necessary, but I'm keeping an open-mind. I told Rhett he probably thinks I'm going all "granola" (hippie) on him but he thinks it's really cool how I'm adopting a new way of thinking and the most positive mindset possible. There is a saying painted on the wall in my yoga studio that has become my daily mantra.

"I am happy, I am healthy, I am whole."


Me and Rhett getting some parenting practice with adorable Lulu!

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Newfound Yogi

All my life my preferred form of exercise has been good old, heart pumping, push-to-the limit, sweat-evoking cardio. Whether it was running, taking a spin class, or going on the eliptical at a good speed, I never really felt like I was getting a work-out unless it involved cardio of some kind. However, as I've been doing a lot of reading on infertility, high impact exercise can actually negatively affect your fertility. Walking and yoga are linked to helping fertility much more than any kind of cardio. Upon reading this I decided that I would no longer do cardio (not that I've been to the gym much anyways) and embark upon a yoga journey to help my body be in a restful and healthy state prior to my embryo transfer in late November. My journey started today!

As some of you may have read in previous postings, I am taking a six week "Fertility for Yoga" class at a holistic center for Fertility called, "Pulling Down the Moon". I will be taking it every Sunday for an hour and a half and I had my first class today. I went into the class excited and nervous, not sure what to expect. It exceeded all my expectations. We practiced yoga positions to acheive balance, create space, and increase bloodflow, but most importantly... we shared. We shared our struggles and feelings about our journey with infertility. This was the first time I had really got to hear and give support in a small group setting with other women who have gone through similar situations. All of our stories were very different but the helpless, frustrated, confusing, feelings were not that far off. It made me realize Rhett and I are not alone and so many other people out there are going through just what we are. I admired the courage and strength of the other women and I can't wait to get to know them and the wonderful world of yoga more in the coming weeks!

Namaste

Saturday, October 1, 2011

New Horizons

As we begin our journey into another IVF cycle we are filled with hope and anticipation. We are gearing up for what we hope to be our most monumental life change yet (probably ever) and have also been blessed with another life change...

Rhett put in his resignation at his current job yesterday and will begin a new job this Monday. It was an offer that he couldn't refuse and will be a wonderful opportunity for our current and future family. We both feel so blessed to have had this opportunity be bestowed upon Rhett at such an important time in our lives. Rhett's dedication to providing for our family never ceases to amaze me. He puts in 110% at his full time job and then works a part-time job as well on the weekends to bring in more money for our baby cause. I have the best husband in the world and I pray everyday that I can grant him his dream of being a daddy someday very soon. He will be the most adoring, caring, and attentive dad. Our snow babies have no idea how lucky they are. Rhett, I love you and I'm sorry for bragging about you, but you make me so happy, and I'm so proud to be your wife!