Waiting Game

 Waiting is something I have never been good at, and when it comes to knowing about what's going on with your pregnancy it's unbearable. We went to the doctor today hoping to see confirmation that the pregnancy is in the uterus where it should be and not in the fallopian tubes, but they couldn't tell either way via ultrasound because they said it is probably too early. They usually don't do a scan until 6 weeks, but because my numbers were so low, they wanted to do a scan early. So now I have to wait another week to go back and have the scan again. The doctor said my lining is very thick which makes him believe the pregnancy is in my uterus, but we can't know for sure until we see it, a "seeing is believing" kind of situation. He also said we aren't giving up, but with my numbers having started out so low, he would be surprised if this was a "good pregnancy" meaning, he doubts a baby will come of it, but is keeping hope. He said in his experience he had one woman with a beginning HCG of 16 go on to have a baby, and mine was at 15.8. So if our precious little one or ones make it, we will be setting a new record for the clinic. I really hope they do. I try to stay positive but am pretty upset today. Hearing those words felt like a dagger in my heart. We've worked so hard for this pregnancy, and I don't want to give up on it, but I also don't want to give out false hope. Please pray for us! There are miracles and I hoping we experience one.

Voting Time

 So I went to the doctor yesterday for repeat bloodwork and my HcG way more than doubled since Friday. My progesterone on the other hand, has gone down a bit. I have been getting hard masses on my skin after the injections and the nurse said it is possible it isn't getting absorbed all the way because it is building up in one lump spot. So now I am applying heat for even longer than normal afterwards to try and avoid this from happening. I didn't get a mass last night, so hopefully more was absorbed and my levels start to climb back up. Progesterone is an essential element to sustain a healthy pregnancy. The nurse said once we've had the ultrasound tomorrow we'll be able to know a lot more about the pregnancy and know what steps to take and adjustments to make if needed. I am very pleased with my hormone levels rising but am a bit concerned about the progesterone, so please pray for us, that it starts to rise again!

On a more positive note, I am really excited for the scan tomorrow and hope and pray to see great things! I thought it might be fun to take a vote on how many you think they are going to find in there!

One Bambino?

Or two?

I'll be sure to update tomorrow! Please keep the prayers coming!

First Weekend with the Lil One(s)!

 So this has been our first weekend with baby(ies) well, the first weekend we knew we are preggers. It's been so fun knowing we are carrying around some very precious cargo everywhere we go! The doctor has put me on some pretty limited physical restrictions, no exercise, lifting, exerting myself at all really. So my solo grocery shopping trips have now become a couple's outing so Rhett can carry my bags! He's such a trooper though! He never complains and carted me all over town to get all the necessities. I have been trying to eat a wide variety of foods that the acupuncturist has recommended to help with blood flow to the uterus and of course foods that are good for baby(ies). Something else I have started doing is drinking  tea that the acupuncturist recommended for the first trimester. It is a special blend made by "Pulling Down the Moon" ( my acu. office) and it is a loose leaf tea. I came home from "Pulling Down the Moon" on Thursday so excited to make some delicious tea and realized I had no idea how to make loose leaf tea ( I have been a coffee drinker most of my life, but retired this habit months ago)! It came to my attention you can't just pour the leaves in the water and I clearly didn't have the proper tools. While we were out I told Rhett I think I need a tea tumbler, and 3 stops later still hadn't found one. He was bound and determined to help me find one... and carted me to an Argo Tea and I finally got the prized possession!

 

 

My new tea tumbler!

After all the running around, and no lifting on my part, I was still pretty tired! We came home, I drank some tea and watched some dvrerd shows! Not too shabby for the first saturday with the lil one(s).

  Today we went to church to give many thanks for our precious gift! All the kneeling and standing was making my back hurt already! I have felt some cramping/stretching which I am assured is normal! It was kid-central where we were sitting and made me so excited to know this time next year we would have another member sitting in our pew. After church I came home to lay on the couch all day and Rhett headed into work for a while. He came back with some pre-made salads from Whole Foods. One made of Kale, one of beets, and one of Spinach. He was so cute telling me how nutrious they were and said he was asking the opinions of the workers there on what to feed his pregnant wife. He also came back with three pregnancy magazines and some yummy pastas from Noodle and Co! What a guy! I think I am going to like this pregnancy spoiled thing an awful lot!
  I am headed for bloodwork tomorrow morning at my own request and am counting down the days until Wednesday's Ultrasound! Have a great night!

Kale Salad!

Beet Salad

Preggers Mags!!

Go baby!!!

Our lil one is already making us proud! I went in for bloodwork today and I more than doubled again! The nurse said this is wonderful news and I don't have to come Monday if I don't want to because they are happy with how my levels are proceeding. I decided to still go in Monday just for peace of mind. On Wednesday we get to see the baby or babies for the first time! They said we most likely won't see a heartbeat yet, but I am still stoked to see our precious babe! I keep pinching myself or think at any moment I'll wake up from this incredible dream! I can't wait to meet our angel in nine months and look forward to sharing this adventure with my darling hubby and best friend! He already kisses my belly good night! What a cute dad! This lil one is going to have the best daddy ever!

Up, Up, Up

So I went in for bloodwork today and my hcg has more than doubled which is great! The nurse said I still need to come in every few days to check levels to make sure they are doubling, but so far so good. She said we should be cautiously optimistic. Forget that, I am just going to be optimistic! Rhett and I are so over-the-moon with this tremendous blessing. We will continue to pray for our precious little one. It gives us great strength to know your prayers are with us too! You all have been such a great support with your prayers, calls, texts, and comments! We love you all! I head back to the doc on Friday, so I will update after with my new (doubled) number!! This baby will be a fighter!!

And the verdict is......

 PREGGERS! I got the call today and I had a positive pregnancy test! My HcG level ( the pregnancy hormone) was at a 15.8 and anything over a 5 is considered pregnant. My doctor likes to see at level of 25 or above, so I am a little on the low side right now. Me, being the worry wart I am, was asking the nurse, "Should I worry? Is this okay?" She told me she has seen women with as low as a 5 go on and have a healthy pregnancy, so don't worry. They will be having me come in and get my levels checked every few days to ensure they are doubling (which is a sign of a healthy pregnancy). She said sometimes in frozen transfer, hcg levels are slightly lower. I am not going to focus on the levels though, I am going to revel in the fact that we are PREGNANT! The words we have been dying to hear forever!
 Tonight we will be celebrating by going to our orientation for a food rating program we do. We go to restaurants and are "secret diners" where we rate food and service and get free meals! Can't beat it! So today, on our day of fabulous news, we get to go out and have a free meal! Thanks to everyone for your prayers, there really is power in prayer! Keep them coming that our levels double and that we have a happy, healthy pregnancy! I go get my blood drawn on Wednesday so I will keep you updated!!

Special Delivery!

 So, I think I forgot to mention that back when I decided to start this blog I decided that I had to have the care bear's suitcase that is the inspiration for this blog's title back in my possession. Seeing as how the original suitcase I had is now long gone, I went on the search to get the same one I had back then. I searched for a few days and found one on Ebay that is exactly the same as the one I had growing up! So I placed a bid and about a week later.. I won! I was so excited!! My idea is to pack baby or babies first outfit(s) in it to take to the hospital for when they are born! I hope that they enjoy this suitcase as much as I did!

 We had been running some errands yesterday and we came home to find the package had arrived, just in time for our good news tomorrow, perhaps? I was so pumped up and opened it right away, I am very in touch with my inner child! I told Rhett I have another one on the way, that's blue, you know, in case it's twins. He laughed and said he doubts our boy will like care bears, but Rhett didn't get his nickname "Teddy" for nothing!

 Tomorrow is the big day, as it gets closer I am starting to think about it more and more, but am trying to focus my energy else where to not get too anxious about it. We will be sure to let everyone know our (hopefully) wonderful news!!!

Here are some suit case pics:

The boys might think their new siblings are in there...