Addie's BFF

I think Addie and Baby W are going to be the best of friends.   Baby W loves "chasing" Addie around the house and watching her play.   He constantly laughs and smiles at her.  A couple nights ago, during W's bath, W was making funny noises.   Addie thought W was in trouble. She freaked out and nearly jumped in to save him.   We actually had to take him out of the bath to prove to her he was ok.  She was ready to tackle me to get to him - jumping, sniffing, licking...  She wouldn't leave him alone until she got lots of kisses in and realized he was indeed fine. 

Lately Addie will not stop kissing W's face.  It's driving me a bit crazy.  I can't figure out if she wants him to play, is showing affection, is worried about him, thinks he's a puppy?  Just watch out Addie, he'll be mobile very soon and he'll be after you. :)  Those kisses will be reciprocated.

 

 

IVF 1: BFN

In December 2011, I had a saline infusion sonohystogram and a mock transfer.  I friend warned me that it may be uncomfortable, even painful.  It was definitely uncomfortable, but luckily I had no pain.  The RE had trouble with the mock transfer and I had to drink a couple glasses of water.  With a full bladder, he was able to complete the mock transfer.  My RE was very optimistic and confident about the impending January IVF and I was very hopeful and excited about expanding our family.

I was told I’d be following the antagonist protocol.  I began receiving all my IVF meds in the mail and was surprised by the amount of drugs.  I’m not sure on the exact dates, but I began injections in very early January – possibly 1/1/12.  The first injection was the hardest.  I thought I was ready.  I never really had trouble receiving shots and wasn’t very worried.  But then again, I was never giving them to myself!  The night I did the first injection, I stood at the kitchen sink for several minutes with the needle aimed at my abdomen.  A stood next to me encouraging me.  I had watched YouTube videos and thought I was prepared, but suddenly I was terrified.  With tears in my eyes, I told A that I didn’t want to do it.  I started to panic.  A asked me if I wanted him to give the injection.  Absolutely not.  If anyone was going to stab me with a needle, it was going to be me.  After a few several minutes, I asked A to leave.  For some reason, it was easier to do the injection alone.  I finally worked up the courage, gave myself the injection, and yelled to A, “I did it; I did it!”.  There were several more injections over an approximate 10 day span.  There were also many ultrasounds and blood draws in between.  I believe I was on Menopur, Ganirelex, Follistim, and Lupron at some point, but I’d have to review the paperwork to be sure (there were so many meds to keep track of).

Finally the day of retrieval arrived.  I was scared out of my mind.  I like being in control of situations and was terrified of being asleep during the procedure.  A was with me as I prepped for surgery (is it technically a surgery??).  The anesthesiologist came for me.  He told me sit a certain way and I remember staring at him blankly.  I was so scared I couldn’t even comprehend what he was saying.  He actually had to take hold of my shoulders and move me to the correct position.  The procedure was uneventful and 17 eggs were retrieved.  I was so relieved when it was over and A laughed at me as I came out of anesthesia.  We were both happy and hopeful.  I asked the nurse if I could take off the cap because “it wasn’t very fashionable” and I was very excited about my ginger ale… “my favorite!!”.

A couple days later, I received a call from the clinic and was told that 11 eggs fertilized and I’d have a 5 day transfer.  Great news!  I envisioned having lots of frozen embryos left over in case this transfer was unsuccessful.  I also assumed the transfer would be relatively easy and told A there was no need for him to take the day off of work to be with me during transfer.  I would go by myself.  Looking back, this was a huge mistake.

I went in for transfer nervous, but optimistic.  The embryologist came in to discuss the procedure.  She told me that we only had one embryo reach the blastocyst stage.  Wait, what?!?!  I was shocked.  What did they mean only one?  We had started with 11 embryos.  How did we only have 1?!?!  Everything had been going so well until this point.  The plan was to transfer the 1 blast and 1 morula.  They would wait one more day to see if the other embryos continued to develop and become blastocysts.  If not, we’d have none to freeze.

Transfer was really difficult.  The RE had trouble getting the catheter in place and had to try several times.  It was extremely uncomfortable.  Even more so with a full bladder.  He was eventually successful.  I think a lot of clinics have you rest after transfer?  Mine did not and I was on my way home soon after the procedure was complete.

The following night, the embryologist called.  We’d been waiting all day for the phone call.  We finally got it at 9 pm and I knew in my heart that it was bad news.  A answered and received the news.  No embryos to freeze.  Not even one.  I was devastated.  More than devastated, really.  Shattered.  Crushed.  I cried and cried.  It seemed like all those injections, blood draws, ultrasounds were for nothing.  A complete waste of time and money.  Out of 17 eggs and 11 embryos, we had only 1 blastocyst and nothing to freeze.  I tried to tell myself we wouldn’t need frozen embryos if the transfer worked, but I was still upset.  I didn’t even make it to the pregnancy test… my cycle started early.  Those who’ve battled infertility know that BFN stands for big fat negative, but I never even saw my big fat negative.  I had been so sure this IVF was going to work.  So sure we’d be celebrating a positive pregnancy test and planning for a baby.  And now we were back at square one.

For me, there’s nothing worse than building my hopes up and letting me down.  And this was the ultimate disappointment. 

Baby W Lately...

Baby W has amazed me lately.  He’s always amazing, but this past weekend he seemed to grow up before my eyes.  His grandma noticed he was getting his first tooth on Wednesday.  The bottom right tooth had started to poke through his gum line.  Two days later, I noticed the top left tooth coming in.  I know the poor guy is uncomfortable.  He woke up 3 times on Friday night.  But for the most part, he’s handled it like a champ.  He seems to be his typical content, mellow self during the day.  He just has trouble sleeping at night.  Then, this past weekend, he was all over the place… scooting backwards across the living room, rocking on his hands and knees – so close to crawling, and he even sat himself up from laying down.  All that in one weekend.  I’m constantly astonished how fast babies grow and learn.  From a helpless newborn to a mobile baby in a just a few months… remarkable.

Friday Favorites

August is winding down and I'm getting super excited for my favorite season... Fall!  So this Friday, I'm focusing on two things I love... Fall and baby fashion!!  Sidenote: when I was pregnant, lots of people told me not to buy too many clothes.  Well, I'm here to tell you, buy what you want.  I've had so much fun dressing baby W and he always looks so stylish. :)  I buy lots of clothes on sale between seasons and hold onto them until the following year.  I've found that Baby Gap, Old Navy, and Gymboree are pretty true to size, while Carters and Oshkosh tend to run small.

My favorite items tend to be preppy, simple, and classic.  And I'm obsessed with stripes!

Without further ado... Fall favorites for my little man.

 

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8 Months of Baby W

I started doing monthly updates for baby W on Facebook (similar to what you see in my previous post).  The updates evolved and became more detailed with each passing months.  I love looking back at these and remembering the milestones and events.  I just cannot believe how fast these past 8 months have gone.

7 Months

Happy 7 months!!  Say what?!?!  7 months??  That means you’re closer to 1 than newborn.  Closer to being a toddler than my little baby.  Noooooo!  Just the thought makes me want to cry.  So we’ll focus on the positives.  Another very eventful month filled with lots of firsts… First Cubs game (you loved it!), first time meeting Da Bears head coach (you were asleep, but still counts), first time on an airplane and first trip away from home, first time in a pool, first time meeting your friend, Kellan, first time using a sippy cup (you haven’t mastered it, but A for effort).  You’re sitting up really well with only an occasional tumble.  You’ve tried lots of new foods and like nearly everything.  Exceptions include bananas and avocado.  You’re not quite used to textures and prefer purees.  We suspect you’ll begin to crawl soon because you move and squirm all over the place when we hold you.  I suppose mom and dad should start baby proofing.  Yet another amazing month in the books.  We love you!!

6 Months

Happy half birthday!!  Wow, 6 months!  Already!  The best 6 months of my life.  I think your dad would agree.  This past month, you began taking long naps in your crib (thank you Grandma W!), started sitting unassisted (but often topple over), started noticing Addie (and laughed hysterically at her), tried solid food (you LOVE pears), and you went to the zoo (the penguins were your favorite).   You still put EVERYTHING in your mouth… including those cute toes!  You’ve also started visiting your grandmas at their houses every week and it sounds like you have a blast.

It’s also worth mentioning that mommy survived an important milestone… being away from you, in a completely different state, several hours away.  Whew!

Hard to believe that just 6 months ago, we met you for the first time. You’ve grown so much since then – from a tiny newborn who wasn’t gaining weight fast enough to a strong little man who rolls, babbles (shrieks), laughs, grabs, and eats a ton!!  We love you so much and are so happy/grateful to be your parents!!  You are our everything!

5 Months

Happy 5 months!!  I really wish you'd listen every time I tell you to slow down!  Before I know it, you'll be heading off to college.  This was a really fun month!  You laughed for the first time, started rolling quite a bit, met your Great Uncle Bob, and found your feet.  You were also baptized.  It was so very special to have you baptized in the same church mom was baptized in, surrounded by close family and friends.  You also had your first ear infection (boo), but overcame it like a champ!  When we're out and about, people love to comment on your red hair (it gets redder by the day!), how cute you are, and how happy you seem (most of the time).  We love you so much and look forward to new adventures!

4 Months

Happy 4 months!!  I say it every month, but you’re getting so big!  This month, you rolled over for the first time (back to tummy), met your Great Grandma, explored your Exersaucer, watched the Cubs with dad, started to put things in your mouth, and you’ve developed a love for the Cookie Monster song.  Everyone who meets you instantly loves you – church friends, mall shoppers, nursing home residents, people at the grocery store, etc.  Who can blame them?  We have so much fun introducing you to new people and activities and we enjoy watching you learn and grow.  We love you, little man!

3 Months

Happy 3 months!!  We've had quite an eventful month!!  You're quickly growing out of your cute little clothes and turning into a little man!  This month, you started consistently sleeping 8+ hours at night (thank you!), you figured out how to turn your entire body in your crib, you repeatedly roll from side to back and vice versa, you met the Easter bunny, and mom returned to work .  You’re a very mellow guy for the most part and only get angry when you’re hungry or overtired (who can blame you?!?).  I love our "conversations" and the way you “dance”.  I can’t imagine life without you.  I'm so happy to be your mom, little man.

2 Months

Happy 2 months!!  We've really enjoyed getting to know you these past 2 months.  We love learning your personality, your likes and dislikes.  You're such an amazing little guy and we already know you're going to make us so proud.  We love you, little man!!  The world is so much better with you in it!

1 Month

Happy 1 month!!  You’re such a sweet baby.  You’re sleeping 6-7 hours every night.  You’re gaining weight and your bilirubin levels have stabilized, which means less doctor visits… yay!!  We’re having so much fun getting to know you.  You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to us and we love you so much!

 

Happy 8 months Baby W!

8 months already. I can’t believe it. This month, we were busy, busy, busy. Always on the go. Luckily, you are very ‘go with the flow’ and make things easy on mom and dad. This month, you attended your first swim... class with dad and were the only one in your class with perfect attendance (that’s my boy!). We went to the zoo yet again. You attended lots of lunch and dinner outings with mom, dad, and friends. You’re babbling more and love to say neeneenee… You “dance” – this basically consists of you standing and squatting repetitively when I stand you on my legs. It’s hilarious. You recently started scooting and seem to have the pincer grasp down. You’ve gotten really good at feeding yourself baby crackers. You also celebrated mom’s birthday this month. J To our surprise, you’re not crawling yet and still have no teeth, but I’m sure both of these milestones are just around the corner. You’re still a great sleeper and eat almost anything (and you eat A LOT). Nearly every time we’re out and about, someone comments on your red hair. You are our everything and more, little man.

Sayonara Summer

I am lacking all motivation today.  Hubs returned to work, which means summer break is over.  Boo.  I am very excited for fall – my most favorite season.  Pumpkins, cooler temps, corn mazes, apple cider, football, the list goes on… BUT I'm not ready to say goodbye to summer.  No more swim classes, zoo trips, working from home every Friday, and lunch dates with my boys.  Life becomes a lot more hectic again.  Now it’s back to washing bottles every night, preparing bottles for the following day, rushing to get dinner on the table, packing up the diaper bag, and driving baby W to his grandma’s house a couple mornings each week.  Not to mention traffic becomes a heck of a lot worse with the addition of school busses, teachers, and parents back on the road… ugghhh!!  We’re extremely lucky that we both have jobs we enjoy and moms who look after our baby so we can work.  Incredibly, extraordinarily lucky.  And I am very grateful for that.  But right now, I just want to mourn the end of summer.  Excuse me while I sulk…

Friday Favorites

No theme to this Friday Favorites - just a few things I'm loving at the moment.

Mocha Frappe from McDonalds – I am in love with these.  Yes, I know they are horrible for me, but I allow myself one every week (ok, sometimes twice a week, but only if it’s been a particularly hectic week).  I think I’ve tried all of the frappe flavors, but mocha remains my absolute fave.  They are delicious and I can’t get enough.

 

A2 by Aerosoles – I think I have four pairs of these.  They are incredibly comfortable, cute, and affordable.  Love.  I often wear heels and these are the only ones I can wear all day without discomfort.  I love these for fall: http://www.aerosoles.com/eng/product/becxotic/becxotic and http://www.aerosoles.com/eng/product/streetscape/streetsca

Hollywood Game Night – so much fun.  I rarely watch tv.  I work all day and try to spend as much time as possible with Baby W when I get home.  BUT I make it a point to watch this every week (it comes on right after baby goes to bed).  I love the mini games and am trying to figure out how to play them at home.  The game where they morph two celebrity’s faces is my favorite.  Hilarious.

S’mores cheesecake – this needs no explanation.  OMG… ahhhmazing.  You can find this deliciousness at the Cheesecake Factory.  You’re welcome.  P.S.  It’s so rich, it took me 3 days to finish a single slice.  Yum.

 

 

Baby W – he’s just amazing, awesome, and perfect.  I can’t get enough. J

 

 

Office Politics

I didn’t plan on two posts in one day, but I had to pop on.
 
I’ve mentioned that I work for a pharmaceutical company.  Well, today we were required to attend a meeting with one of our state’s congressmen.  There were some grumblings around the office about boring political presentations and having more important things to do, but I was secretly looking forward to it.  I know next to nothing about politics, but I do enjoy hearing other’s viewpoints, learning about the bills up for debate, the work being accomplished <insert political satire here>.  Anyway, the CEO began his introduction of the congressman.  He talked a bit about our company, how we started off with one person and have grown significantly.  He talked about how small companies were accomplishing big things.  Then he mentioned Vertex Pharmaceuticals!!!!  VERTEX!!  He discussed how they were making huge advancements in the treatment of Cystic Fibrosis!!  One small company achieving life changing discoveries!  I actually teared up.  No one at my office knows A has CF.  We’re very private and I leave it up to A to decide who knows he has CF… that’s a completely different post.  The point is, the word is spreading… this is a disease that needs a CURE.  With more research, there WILL be a cure.  I assumed no one at my company had ever heard of Vertex, and now they all have.  I’m so proud of the company I work for and the industry I work in.  At the end of the day, despite all the politics, we [in the pharma industry] just want to help people, to make them feel better, to improve their lives. <3 <3

Beginning the IVF Journey

I think it was early in 2011 when A and I talked about expanding our family.  I’m the type of person who wants everything in place and the timing to be perfect.  A is much more laid back.  At that time we were both very unsatisfied with our current jobs.  I hated the work I was doing, but the job paid decently.  A didn’t mind the work he was doing, but his job paid next to nothing.  He was very overqualified for the position he was in.  I couldn’t imagine bringing a baby into the world while feeling so miserable at work, but it also felt like I was going to be stuck in that job forever.   We arbitrarily picked January 2012 as our IVF date.  There were numerous tests to be performed and doctors to meet with before we could begin, but that was our goal.  And I was excited that our future baby would arrive right around our anniversary if everything worked out.

It was as if God was listening to our plans.  Towards the end of February 2011, I landed a job interview and by April 2011, I was FINALLY doing work that I enjoyed!  I no longer dreaded going to work every day.  I no longer came home and cried because I was so darn frustrated.  I had been searching for a new job for almost 2 years so this was momentous.  It was as if a huge weight was lifted.

That spring, I had a blood test to determine if I was a carrier for CF.  If I was a carrier, there was a 50% chance our child would have CF.  During the blood test, A held my hand.  I wasn’t fond of needles (I laugh at this now – 50 shots in the stomach and several blood draws cure you of your fear pretty quickly).  The geneticist and nurses seemed to really like us.  They chatted with us for awhile, smiled as A held my hand, and were impressed by A’s health.  A short time later, we found out that I was NOT a carrier.  One hurdle conquered.

After that, A provided a ahem “sample”.  The test results from that sample confirmed a TESE would need to be performed to obtain swimmers and that IVF was our only option for conceiving.  I was a little disappointed, but the results were what we expected.

During the summer of 2011, we met with our RE.  He was VERY optimistic and told us I could be pregnant by September.  Whoa!  I wasn’t ready to begin IVF yet, but his enthusiasm was reassuring.  I asked if he had had other patients with CF and he said yes.  Overall, I really liked him and he was on board for our first IVF in January 2012.

That summer, I had the chance to travel for work.  I visited New York often.  It was an amazing opportunity and I felt like things were really looking up.  I had been so unhappy in my previous job and now things were coming together.  I thought this was another sign that we were ready to start a family.  I had always wanted to visit NYC and I finally had the chance.  Another thing checked off my bucket list.

That fall, A had an ultrasound and TESE performed.  The urologist was able to obtain 5 vials of swimmers.  Good news!  A waking up from the procedure was one of the funniest things I’ve ever experienced.  I’ll spare the details, but just know that that husband of mine can be quite entertaining.  I so wish I would have recorded him.

In November of 2011, A landed a teaching job.  He had been waiting over 3 years for this job!! I was so incredibly happy and excited for him, I cried when I found out.  This was such a huge accomplishment and it seemed like yet another sign that things were falling into place.  To be continued…

Dropping the CF Bomb

I distinctly remember the moment A told me he had CF.  It was only a few weeks after we had started dating.  A showed me the large scar on his belly – the result of a surgery that was performed when he was just a tiny baby.  He told me that he had Cystic Fibrosis and gave me the impression that he really didn’t want to talk about it any further; he just wanted me to know.  I was stunned, but refrained from asking any further questions.  A seemed completely healthy to me.  He cleared his throat or coughed every now and then, but I never thought much of it.  I never even noticed the enzymes he took before a meal or snack.  After I left his house that night, I cried during my drive home.  The minimal knowledge I had of CF stemmed from a high school health class.  I only knew that the disease affected breathing and it wasn’t good.  I didn’t know the severity of A’s CF, but I couldn’t believe this new relationship was beginning with such a revelation.  That night as I drove home, I told myself it was fight or flight.  I was either in this relationship for the long run and was willing to deal with the challenges that CF would bring or I had to get out right now.  Complicating my decision was that fact that I had lost my dad unexpectedly just a year prior and I didn’t know if I was strong enough to handle A’s disease.  I might also add that Google is NOT your friend when you’re looking for positive stories regarding CF (Why does Google always seem to highlight the worst possible outcomes?!?!  Any time I Google some random symptom, I’m convinced I have rabies, Lyme Disease, or the bubonic plague.).

Obviously I decided to stick by A.  I figured there were no guarantees in life – we just have to make the most of the relationships we have and the situations we find ourselves in.  We’ve been together ever since and it remains one of the best decisions I ever made.

I’m also proud of A for taking great care of himself.  He’s awesome about his daily vest regimen, keeps up with all his medications/inhalers/nebulizers, and hardly ever misses a doctor’s appointment.  He’s awesome.

IVF Blahs

I had lunch with two of my most favorite people last week.  Close friends who I knew separately at first.  They eventually started dating and became engaged on Christmas Eve.  During lunch, they revealed that they were expecting a baby.  I was so surprised (usually I see these things coming) and I’m beyond happy for them.  No, I’m more than happy… ecstatic, overjoyed, thrilled, elated doesn’t even begin to describe how excited I am for them.  I love them both.  But as excited as I am for them, it's a reminder of what I’ll never experience and it makes me a tiny bit sad.  I wish hubs and I could have a baby the old fashioned way – sans 30ish shots in the tummy, too many blood draws to count, countless trips to and from the clinic, bruises all over my arms and tummy, uncomfortable procedures, a cocktail of medications… but it will never happen and that makes me sad.  It’s hard to accept.  I’d love to be able to experience that hope and excitement of peeing on a stick without having to do all the yucky IVF stuff first.  It’d be amazing to know that it was even POSSIBLE to experience a natural pregnancy.  I don’t like the word ‘impossible’, but for us, a baby without IVF is just that.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m so thankful that IVF exists and I’m incredibly grateful we were able to experience a successful IVF, which resulted in our miracle baby.  But the process is still difficult… knowing I’ll have to go through the process all over again if we want another baby is difficult.  And after going through all the physical stress that accompanies IVF, the emotional stress is a million times worse (at least for me).  The dreaded two week wait, the heartbreak and agony when IVF doesn’t work, the financial burden.  It’s just plain hard.  Anyone who’s gone through IVF is awesome in my book.

Friday Favorites

It’s Friday (holla)!!  I’ll get back to the serious stuff next week, but today I’m going to focus on something fun.  My favorite styles/fashion.  I’m not an expert by any means… not even close.  BUT I do love to shop and dress up.  With that said, here are my current fashion favorites:

1.        Skinny pants and flowy shirts.  I’m a curvy girl so skinny pants never really appealed to me – that is until I found a pair of skinny pants that were ACTUALLY flattering.  Wearing a long blousy top with fitted pants makes me feel less self-conscious about my curves.  I highly recommend these pants from the LOFT: http://www.loft.com/marisa-ankle-pants-in-bi-stretch/309007?colorExplode=false&skuId=14109386&catid=catl000014&productPageType=fullPriceProducts&defaultColor=7168

 

 

 

2.       Embellishments.on.everything.  I love me some sequins, beads, bows, and buttons.  Just don’t go overboard.  I usually pick one or two items with embellishment and pair them with plain/simple items.

 

 

3.       Bright colors.  As summer is drawing to a close, I’m wearing all my brights.  Don’t get me wrong, bright colors are still fine during the fall months, but I feel like hot pink and turquoise scream summer.

 

 

Roller Coaster... Continued

So I kept in touch with A through email and instant messenger (remember that thing?!?  I guess that shows my age!)  I decided to return home one weekend in order to work (a girl needs her beer money), but I also hoped to see A.  We decided we’d go out and grab dinner… just the two of us.  A sorta date without labeling it as such.  Well, I ended up getting sick and being on antibiotics.  I was not feeling well at all, but I didn’t want to miss out on the date with A.  I met him at TGI Fridays (classy, no?) and neither one of us had much to say.  After some awkward conversation, A mentioned that he wanted to head out to watch a Cubs game.  As in he wanted to head out by himself… I wasn’t invited.  He didn’t say that, but I was pretty sure that’s what he meant.  The date was an epic failure.  Strike 1.  Maybe we were just meant to be friends?

A and I kept in touch after that weekend, but we didn’t talk as much as we used to.  At one point, he mentioned he had something for me.  I got butterflies!!  What could it be?  Flowers?  Chocolates?  A letter declaring his love for me?!?  Would it make up for our horrible first date?  I kept asking him to mail it to me since I wasn’t planning on coming home soon.  FINALLY, he said he’d mail it.  The “package” arrived and it was… wait for it… a newspaper photo of my favorite baseball player.  Strike 2.

I don’t think I talked to A much after that… haha.  But I don’t give up easily.  I graduated from college (woohoo) and moved back home.  During that time, I learned that one of my theme park coworkers was moving to Texas.  I didn’t know her very well and didn’t really care, but a few friends mentioned that they were going to stop by the theme park to wish her well.  They asked if I’d like to come along.  I thought A might be there, so I decided to go and look extra cute – you know, to show A what he was missing out on.  A was in fact there and I played it cool, only mumbling a polite hello to him.  Well, my plan worked because I received a text message from A a short time later asking if I wanted to grab lunch.  This time, we had a great date.  There was no awkwardness whatsoever.  We talked and talked.  Good thing because had he gotten a strike 3, he would’ve been out. ;)  Soon after we were officially dating and two years later, A proposed.  9+ years after becoming a couple, we’re still going strong.

Ohhhhhh... Crap!

I had planned on doing an entirely different post today, but $#!+ happens.  Haha… just kidding.  Sorta.  Hubs, my mother in law, and baby W offered to take me out for a birthday lunch yesterday.  They even picked me up from work.  Very sweet of them.  When we arrived at the restaurant, my mother in law (who was sitting next to baby W in the back seat) unstrapped the baby and picked him up.  I opened the rear door to grab the diaper bag and noticed a funky smell.  I looked at the car seat and realized it was covered in poop.  I told A and my mil that the baby was going to need a diaper change and began cleaning the car seat.  Then I noticed my poor mil had poop all over her!  On her shirt, skirt, and arms!!  Yuck!!  Luckily we were near a few shops so she was able to go in and purchase a whole new outfit.  Does this ever happen to anyone else?!?  No??  Just me??  We seem to have one of these diaper explosions once a week and it’s usually out the side of the diaper.  I feel like we’re doing something wrong.  Wrong brand of diaper?  Wrong size?  You’d think after 7 months, we’d know how to diaper correctly!  Any suggestions?

 

Roller Coaster... Of Love...

A and I met during the summer of 2003.  We both worked at a local theme park.  A had recently graduated from college and the theme park management job served as a source of income until he figured out what he really wanted to do.  I was working there to earn some cash before heading back to college to complete my final semester.  Even more pathetic, we met in a store called Totally Tweety.  I know what you’re thinking… it doesn’t get more romantic than that!  A introduced himself and informed me when the morning meeting would take place that day.

As the summer progressed, A pursued “parade girl” and “games chick” while I went on first dates with “ring guy” and possibly a few others that I have blocked from memory.  I got to know A as a friend and enjoyed spending time with him.  We often teased each other about our colleges and argued over which one was better/more fun/superior (mine obviously).  I was happy when he unexpectedly popped into a store I was working in and enjoyed going to after work outings he also attended.  A mutual friend suggested I date A and I laughed it off.  A was my boss and I was heading back to school soon.  Later in the summer I told my friend, Katie, about my cute boss.  I suggested she date him because they both loved the Simpsons (a show I despise).  I introduced her to A and quickly realized that I didn’t want her to date him because I actually had feelings for him.  I’m not sure why it took me so long to realize that.  Luckily Katie noticed our chemistry and mentioned she thought that A was interested in me.  Apparently A lit up when he saw me as I approached to introduce him to Katie.  I’m not sure if that was actually true, but I’d like to think it was.  Unbeknownst to me, a friend of A’s had wanted to ask me out.  A told him that he was interested in me and working on getting to know me.  Basically, he told his friend to back off. ;)  After all that, you’d think we’d be dating by summer’s end, but no…. I headed back to school single and A remained at lame Midwestern theme park.  To be continued…

What You Won't Find

I have so many ideas for blog entries…  I’ve come across some spectacular posts on other blogs – fabulous recipes, ideas for various outfits, interior decorating.  There are some really, really talented people out there in the internet world.  Yeah, this blog won’t be any of that.  Ha!  Chef, I am not.  My idea of a fancy schmancy dinner party involves hiring a caterer and we order in dinner way more than we should.  I do love fashion so maybe you’ll see a bit of that, but I’m not sure my clothes are blog worthy.  I also enjoy decorating, but again, not blog worthy stuff.  So what will you find?  Lots of family stuff – how hubs and I met, what it’s like having a spouse with CF, going through IVF, training learning to live with a crazy dog, sports, fun times with friends, my favorite things, and adventures in parenting.

And So It Begins

I contemplated starting a blog while I was pregnant.  I had been searching for stories that were similar to ours, but I just couldn’t find many (maybe I suck at searching?).  So here I am, nearly a year later, finally writing my very first blog entry.  I’m not sure how often I’ll post.  I’m a pretty busy girl.  But I find writing therapeutic and so I hope to find time to write on a routine basis.  Not to mention, I love reading about others, getting a glimpse into their life, learning about their viewpoints and interests (maybe I’m just really nosey?).   I hope you enjoy learning a little more about me and my family.

So here is the story of a wonderful guy (A, hubs) – he happens to be a great husband, a fabulous father, a teacher, a serious sports fan (particularly a fan of Chicago teams), a Simpsons watcher, and a trivia buff.  He also has Cystic Fibrosis.  Me (C, wifey) – I’m a (super) wife, a (wonderful) mom, a bit of a science geek (I have a degree in Chemistry), an animal lover, and a shopaholic.  And I should warn you that I can be a bit very sarcastic – it often gets me in trouble.  I went through two rounds of IVF in order to have our miracle baby.  Sweet Baby W (little man) – he’s currently 7 months old and perfect in every.single.way.  He is my everything and I’m constantly amazed by him.  Seriously, I don’t have words to describe how awesome he truly is.  Not to mention he is unbelievably adorable.  And last, but not least – Addie.  I’ll use her real name.  She’s our first baby; our fur baby, our rescue dog.  Nearly 6 years old and 25 pounds of crazy.  She’s a Beagle/Jack Russell terrier mix.

I should also mention I’m not yet comfortable with the entire world knowing who we are.  With that said, I will start with very few pictures and will not use names… not yet, anyway… we’ll see how the blog evolves over time.  Enjoy…