7 Weeks Update

Weight:  +5 lbs. (pre-pregnancy weight)

Fitness:  10 mins. of pre-natal yoga DVD (it's a start)

Food Cravings:  Cheez Whiz (seem to be getting my appetite back)

Sleep Count:  10 hrs. nightly, 3 hrs. afternoon nap

I like this picture better than the 6 weeks one.  Looks more like a human forming in my belly.  I'm slowly learning how to handle the all-day queasiness (last week was rough).  As for the fact we are having twins. . . well, rational Emily is supremely thrilled (irrational Emily is shaking in her boots)!

Dave is being awesome!  On Monday he said his next car should probably be some family-oriented SUV.  If you know my husband, than you know how amazing this statement really is (he loves high performance sports cars).   Additionally, he puts up with my new found hypochondriac behavior ('Is that meat thoroughly cooked?', 'Did you wash your hands before preparing the shot?', etc).  

Happy Thanksgiving folks!!!  

Camp Quinn: The Remake

Dave and I went to Florence, SC this past weekend to chaperon my baby sister's 17th birthday party.  Well, it was mostly Dave chaperoning. . . I spent most of the night feeling like crap in the back bedroom (all-day morning sickness has officially set in).

The party theme was 'Camp Quinn' in honor of the original camp Quinn my dad created in our backyard about 10 years ago.  Here's a picture of the original camp (notice the painted sign that says: 'Camp Quinn').  

My parent's willingly went out of town for the weekend (much to Quinn's relief).  In fact, they told us they were leaving so Dave and I could take full legal responsibility for anything that goes wrong (loving parents).  

Here's a picture of the new 'Camp Quinn' the kids were making smores.  

Happy Birthday Quinnie!  Hope you had fun at your party.

Introducing Our New Babies!

It's official, we got two babies growing right now. We could hear the heartbeat for the one on the right, but we couldn't really see or hear anything for the one on the left.

It was kinda cool. I would be more enthusiastic but I'm perpetually queasy which makes me cranky (poor Dave). We go back in on December 1st for another ultrasound. I still have to stay on all my medications (which is the nightly butt shot and the estrogen patch).

Dr. Skywalker said not to overeat (no worries there, I don't like food right now) and drink plenty of water (I could probably drink more than I currently do). And like everyone else, he said feeling crappy is a good thing, it means you are pregnant (can't help it, still cranky).

Happy weekend to all!!

2 Dogs: 4 Sale!

If I'm ready to get rid of my dogs when they do something bad, does that make me a future unfit mother?

The only time I can get both dogs to pose for a picture is to lock them outside.  Notice the back door has a ton of scratch marks.  That's because Bailey (on the right with the big antennas) doesn't like being locked outside.  She will scratch relentlessly at the door until you let her back in (this is our second door, we had to replace the first cause it got so bad).  Lavender, on the other hand, will just lick the door repeatedly in her efforts to be let inside (for those of you who've met Lavender, she redefines the term 'licker').

Well, one of them has a bladder problem right now.  We suspect it's Lavender (which is very unusual for her).  Last night we think she peed in her sleep.  She never pees in the house (Bailey will do it out of spite. . . she's the mean one).  

Here's the concern, Lavender had a tumor removed two years ago.  It was cancerous and the vet said there was an 80% chance more would grow back.  She seems healthy.  She likes to chase squirrels, bark at anything that steps near her property, reminds me at promptly 5:00p it's time for feeding, etc.  We don't feel any growths on her fur; but that doesn't count any tumors that might be growing inside her.  

Dave and I both agreed not to spend the money on vet bills to try and have her scanned, etc.  We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE our first baby girl--but not enough to go into debt.  So we enjoy her until she starts showing signs of something serious.  

We're hoping her 'accident' last night was a one time thing.  Which is highly possible, she only spontaneously pees when Dave puts on my old Halloween wigs and walks the house in them.  Maybe she was dreaming last night of Dave in a wig. . . 

Anyway, in other news, Friday is just a day away!  Dave told me this morning he can't wait (how cute)!  Our appointment is at 1:00p.  So for those of you just dying to know the results, we'll try to post by 3:00p before heading out of town.

Thanks for all the stroller advice!  And all the excitement!!!  Till tomorrow. . . 

6 Weeks Update

Weight:  +4 lbs. (pre-pregnancy weight)

Fitness:  opened packaging on pre-natal yoga DVD (does sleeping a lot count?)

Food Aversions:  V8 juice, junk food, sweets, anything greasy/fatty

Sleep Count:  10 hrs. nightly, 2 hrs. afternoon nap

Apparently, this is what our babies look like right now (hmmm. . . hard to feel maternal towards this picture).  It looks like a cross between a lizard and a tadpole (maybe a tadard?).  We'll know for sure on Friday how many tadards we're having.

Alright, so Dave and I have been trying to prepare ourselves for the news that we are having twins (for those of you on Facebook who bet on more than 2. . . I'm seriously considering un-friending you).  I know we've been all for twins this whole time. . . until we went fantasy shopping at Babies R Us last weekend.  Twin strollers are just hideous (it's not fair)!

Then we got into a debate over whether both our cars needed to be equipped for two baby carriers (I said 'yes', Dave said 'why').  I'm guessing the idea of buying 4 car carriers was overwhelming for him.  Don't worry folks, we're just going through that initial parental panic stage.  All in all we are still very, very excited about everything.  

I will say, it already feels like the longest pregnancy ever.  Most couples don't start finding out they are pregnant until at 6 weeks.  We've been focused on ours for 2 centuries (okay, just 2 months).  

Friday, after the ultrasound, we are heading to Flo-town to chaperon little Quinnie's birthday party.  The theme this year is 'Camp Quinn'.  There will be tents, a bon fire, smores, etc.  My baby sister is turning 17 (translation:  the rest of us are getting really old)!

Sweet Dreams Are Made Of These. . .

I've always been an avid dreamer so I'm not sure if these dreams are normal or a by-product of pregnancy.  Apparently 'they' (the pregnancy world) say pregnant women experience more vivid dreams during pregnancy.  

Possible causes include:

• frequently waking up in the middle of dream-rich REM sleep (to change positions, pee, etc.)

• Increased anxiety because you are pregnant and might be having twins (okay, I added the twin part)

Regardless, I'm having some funky dreams.  No nightmares, just better-than-watching-a-movie-because-I'm-starring-in-them dreams. Here's some highlights:

• I'm at the YMCA and overhear the Hip Hop aerobic instructor complaining about how I ruin the flow of the class because I'm so uncoordinated.  This prompted me to reach for the intercom and make an announcement to the entire YMCA.  I said something similar to:

  "Excuse me please.  It has come to my attention that the YMCA would like only those members with coordination to enjoy the Hip Hop aerobics classes.  Please discontinue attending these classes if you cannot keep up with the instruction." 

• I'm attending some huge conference at a hotel.  I become the unwitting third wheel to some government secret agency investigation.  Kerri Russell and Ryan Gosling were the romantic leads (don't ask me why).  I got to dodge bullets, jump from high buildings and play dumb (such a stretch).

• Dave and I are browsing through Babies R Us and in the middle of the store he grabs my boobies and says 'You think there's enough juice in there for twins?'  (Wait!  That wasn't a dream, that actually happened on Sunday. . .)

In other news, my dear girl Sarah and her charmingly rustic husband, Peter, are the proud parents of one little baby boy!!!  Her friend Amanda posted the details:

Cullen Peter Gerace

November 16, 2008

4:02a

6 lbs. 10 oz.

19" long

13.5" head

Congratulations Team Gerace!!!  Good luck with your little bundle of perfection.  Sarah, you are my hero!

photo courtesy of Meghan Whitney

How Do You Feel About Twins?

That's what my nurse asked me yesterday on the phone when she called with my 3rd and final pregnancy test results.  My hCG levels were (drum roll please):

8997

Phew!  Looks like a party is brewin' in my belly.  Now none of this is confirmation that we are having twins, but these high levels are pretty good indicators.  We won't know until the ultrasound; which has been moved up to 11/21 (a week from today)!  Dave's taking a half day for the ultrasound.  There is a small possibility we might be able to hear heartbeats at this ultrasound!

Thanks for all the weight advice (I enjoyed a piece of pumpkin pie for lunch today--guilt free)!  Speaking of lunch, I spent the day observing at South Meck High School and got to enjoy something pretty cool.

Friday is Mrs. Dobby's Cafe day.  Apparently South Meck has a culinary arts program (Mrs. Dobby is in charge).  Students prepare lunch on Fridays for teachers and create take-home meals during the week for teachers and their families.  This is not to be confused with Home Economics, the Culinary Arts students work in a full service restaurant-style kitchen.

On the menu today was chicken tetrazzini, side salad and sweet potato or pumpkin pie.  Holy Cow!  It was awesome and only $6 (oh, and the students were the waiters).  It wasn't clear if I was suppose to tip. . . 

Fat-mester

Weight:  + 4 lbs. (pre-pregnancy weight)

Fitness:  purchased pre-natal yoga DVD and Fit Pregnancy magazine

Food Aversions:   BBQ, anything greasy/fatty, most fast food

Sleep Count:  9 hrs. nightly, 2 hrs. afternoon nap

I bought my first pregnancy magazine!!!  It was almost as fun as buying my first bridal magazine when Dave proposed.  Here's the really cute thing, I showed the magazine to Dave and I think he was more excited than I was.  He started reading it immediately (he loves the baby advertisements).

I was somewhat disappointed to read the pregnancy weight gain section (eating-for-two is a myth!?!).  I have a normal BMI which means the current weight gain recommendation is 25 - 35 lbs. for the entire pregnancy.  However, new research is suggesting even this is too much weight and I should only gain 5 - 22 lbs. during my pregnancy (I don't like this particular magazine any more).  

Folks, I'm at 5 weeks and I don't look pregnant, I just look like a sausage (Dave has nicknamed me 'ma petite sausage').  Granted I did suffer from Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome--which caused major bloating and weight gain, but that's over and now I just look thick.  

Enough of my complaining, in other news, my girl Anna is 4 months pregnant!!  It only took her 2 months of trying (but we still love her anyway and are crazy excited for them).  They're even considering starting a blog about their new addition.  I say 'Game On!' you hip and trendy urban New Yorkers!!

I've got to get ready to take my third and final pregnancy test. . . 

Still Very, Very Pregnant!

I went in yesterday for my second hCG blood test.  As I mentioned last week, the nurse wants to see my levels double each visit.  Yesterday's levels were:

3042

Very good levels and way doubled from the initial 1228 on Friday (by the way, I slept for 12 hours last night)!!  

My girl, Shannon, gave me the ubiquitous 'What To Expect When You Are Expecting' how-to-guide to pregnancy a few years ago (unfortunately my copy does not have the hip mom in denim, but some frumpy lady resting in a wooden rocking chair--Shannon, I swear I'm not complaining).  I've been reading a little bit of it each night.  

I'm on 'Chapter 6:  The Second Month:  Approximately 5 to 8 weeks' and enjoy the 'what you may be feeling' section.  Here's a list of physically what I may be feeling:

• Fatigue and sleepiness (yup. . . but that's nothing new, I've always had the sleepy gene--my big sis's term)

• A need to urinate frequently (again nothing new, always felt this way)

• Nausea, with or without vomiting and/or excessive salivation (no, no and yes)

• Constipation (a very cruel symptom. . . and yes)

• Heartburn, indigestion, flatulence, bloating (yes to bloating and probably flatulence. . . now starting to wonder why I decided to share these symptoms with 'ya'll')

• Food aversions and cravings (yup, seems I lost my sweet tooth, don't like greasy and fried right now, all about fresh veggies, fruits and grilled proteins. . . not my typical pre-pregnant diet at all!)

• Breast changes:  fullness, heaviness, tenderness, etc. (hallelujah to bigger boobies!)

• Occasional headaches (nope)

• Occasional faintness or dizziness (yup)

• Tightness of clothing around waist and breasts, abdomen may appear enlarged, probably due to bowel distention rather than uterine growth (yup, not a pretty sight right now)

In other news, I'm back in school full-time and only have about 4 more weeks to go before winter break!  I've got a paper to write and some errands to run.  Plus today's my girl Ash's birthday!  Happy Birthday Ashley!!  

Now what?

Well, we've had the weekend to let all this news sink in and now it's back to work for Dave and school for Emily.  We spent most of Friday on the phone with family and friends making sure everyone knew the news.  

Friday night we went to our favorite restaurant, Rooster's, to celebrate.  Dave drank wine, I drank Charlotte tap (that would be water).  With it being a rather emotionally eventful day we called it a night around 8:30p.

Saturday morning Dave played golf (surprise!) with his brother and I slept till noon.  Later that day we went to the mall and walked Pottery Barn Kids just for fun (I think Dave prefers Babies R Us). On the plus side, we did like the same bedding at PB Kids (of course we've got 9 months to figure all that out).  

I've been begging Dave (or as he would describe it--nagging) to write a post for everyone about his thoughts on this news.  He was a little reluctant, so this morning I interviewed him while he got ready for work.  Here's what he has to say:

What did you do after I called you on Friday with the good news?

"I was very happy, very excited.  I called my brother, my buddy James and my parents.  I was useless at work for the rest of the day."

How many babies do you think we will have?

"Well, based on your hCG levels it sounds like we are having 8 babies."

Do you notice any changes in me?

"No change in pregnant Emily verses normal Emily.  You always sleep a lot and ask me to fetch you things."

You put a bell by my side of the bed after transfer, why did you remove it this weekend?

"You don't need the bell any more, you are not on bed rest. . . wait, are you putting that on there too?"

What did you think of Pottery Barn Kids?

"The yuppies and prices scared me.  It seemed very hectic and crazy.  I like Babies R Us better they had babies there and people seemed to smile more.  PB Kids was very claustrophobic."

What do you think our first purchase for the babies should be?

"A new house. . . okay, maybe just a crib. . . or a bassinet, and a new puppy."

How do you think Lavender and Bailey will feel about our babies?

"They are going to be confused and threatened.   It will be competition for our attention."

There you have it folks, Dave's humbling thoughts on our impending parenthood.  As for me, I'm so excited to finally know I'm pregnant.  Of course, now I'm obsessed with all I should do to make sure I stay pregnant, deliver healthy babies, keep them safe, etc.  

All challenges I happily accept!!

Day 16: Moment of Truth

The clinic finally called with my test results.  Here's a transcript from the call:

Nurse:  Emily. . . how are you feeling?

Emily:  (on the verge of tears for the past 4 hours)  I don't know, you tell me.

Nurse:  Well,  you are way pregnant!  We normally like your hCG levels to be at least 100 and yours are 1228.  Those are great numbers, you are very, very pregnant.  We don't know if these high levels mean multiples, all we do know is you are nicely pregnant.

Emily:  (relief slowly taking over)  Okay, what next?

Nurse:  Well, you are 4 weeks and 2 days pregnant.  Your expected due date is July 15, 2009.  We want you back in on Monday and Thursday for more blood work.  We want to see your hCG levels doubling.  Then on November 24th we want you to come in for your first ultrasound.  We'll then know how many embryos implanted.

I'm suppose to continue taking the nightly progesterone shots and Vivelle patches for the next 2 - 3 weeks.

Folks, let me tell you, I've been handling everything relatively okay up until today (no cry-fests, no poor me moments).  The waiting this morning was harder than expected.  I did the blood work at 9:30a and then came home to wait by the phone.  I started going crazy around 12:30p--thank God they called me at 1:00p with the results.  

Now that I feel perfectly pregnant, I think I'll finally get out of bed, take a shower and go window-shopping for something pretty (yes, I allowed myself a day of sloth-ness. . . trust me, it was in societies best interest I not interact with humans this morning).

Phew!!  What a relief!!  I'm so excited and overwhelmed.  You all have been awesome supporters of Dave and I.  Your good wishes really have helped us get through this.  Much love and I'll be keeping everyone posted on the pending details.

Almost There!

We are almost there!!!  After two long weeks of waiting I'll go to the clinic and take a pregnancy test.  I don't need an appointment, I just walk into the lab between 7a - 1p and request a test.  Then I wait for my IVF nurse to call me with the results and further instructions.  This is the first of 3 test and they call it the 'baseline' test.

Election Day Revelations

Dave got up early this morning to go vote, I voted two weeks ago during early voting (along with my baby brother, there he is standing in line).  After Dave voted we talked about our voting methods.  

I voted for Obama and then found myself voting for any feminine sounding name on the ballot regardless of party affiliation (I call it the Hillary-effect).  When I mentioned this to Dave, he told me he did the SAME thing!  

I think his exact words were:

"When I didn't know the candidates I voted for the female, unless her name sounded bitchy like Cherie Berry."  

"Men really haven't been doing that great of a job; why not let women run things for a while.  Plus, men are always doing what their women tell them to do, I don't really see any difference."

"Personally, if electing women to public office means I might get to play more golf--I'm all for that."

Folks,  let's be clear on one thing.  I never influenced Dave's voting decision by promising him golf if he voted for more women (his fantasy world, not mine).  In fact, this was the first real conversation we had about who we voted for outside of the Presidential candidates.  

In other election related news,  my 'guns are cool' baby brother voted for Obama (he had me take a picture of his voting method).

Also, a few weeks ago I got a phone call from Grandma.  She told me she voted for the next President of the United States (via absentee ballot).  When I asked who she voted for she told me Barack Obama (yup, this is the same Grandma that months ago briefly considered voting for Palin)!  

Here is what Grandma had to say about her decision:

"Well, Palin seems to know about as much as I do on the issues and I know I'm not qualified to be Vice President of the United States."

"And did you know that Obama stopped his campaign to go visit his dying Grandmother?  Anyone who would do that has my vote!"

God bless you Grandma!  I love you and your thinking!  

Last night me and the little embryos attended our first Obama rally.  You know, the one in Charlotte that got a ton of national coverage because of Obama's emotional statements about the death of his Grandmother (I was right there).  I stood in line for 2 hours.  Then stood for another 2 hours waiting for Obama to speak.  I stood in light rain, heavy rain, misty fog and probably caught a cold (totally worth it).  

Take a look at my pics!

The back of the line around 3:15p

The line.

Right before the rain.   Waiting for Obama

Jake Tapper from ABC News giving a live report. 

Me taking a picture of Jake Tapper giving his live report on ABC News!

Obama!!!!

Almost iconic 

(if only I'd brought my really good camera)

Day 12: Okay, Fine!!

Irrational Emily has agreed not to take a home pregnancy test--or at least not tell anyone if she does (kidding).  I'm really too lazy to go buy a kit and follow the instructions properly.  The last time I bought a kit was a bit of a disaster.  

Apparently pregnancy tests are considered contraband in Texas.  When I first started Clomid last year I was traveling a lot to Austin, TX.  I was a few days late on my cycle so I decided to buy a test.  Went to Walmart.  Searched the aisles.  Found the tests behind glass casing and under lock and key.  Walked to the pharmacy counter for help.  There were about five workers behind the counter (four of which were female).  Of course they send the only teenage male to open the case.  He's obviously embarrassed.  I felt pressured to make a quick decisions.  Needless to say it was a big waste of money.

In other news, I've got a make-up exam to complete today and Obama is going to be speaking at UNCC this evening!  I'm debating whether to join the masses at the rally or go to my crappy night class (hard choice).  It really depends on if I can physically stand for as long as the rally lasts.  Yesterday Dave and I did lunch and a matinee, I was exhausted by the end of the day.