Wow! Time flies

As I mentioned, I have been really busy with work so my apologies for not blogging.

All is still going well. I did break down and go get an ultrasound at that private place near me about a week and a half ago. Just wanted to see that little heartbeat. I was glad I did! All looked good and the tech said it was a girl. She didn't seem to have any doubt! :)

I don't regret it because I had to rescehdule my BIG ultrasound because M has to leave suddenly for a business trip to New York and would miss it. I would rather have him there with me than have it sooner -- so I will have to wait.

I have been feeling good and am growing. At approx 17.5 weeks I have gained almost 10 lbs. Yikes! It appears to be all in the belly though and I think that is about right. Last night I am pretty sure I felt the baby. It was like a popping and I could see mt stomach move almost like a twitch. Exciting! It becomes more real every day!

She Works Hard for the Money

It seems as I get further along and the stress starts to subside I blog less and less. (Sorry - I will be better.) I also stop browsing the Internet message boards as much as well. I let my Fertility Friend subscription expire long ago and I never visit WebMD or Babycenter anymore. I think that is a good thing. Obsessing is never good (I know you know what I mean Josefina!)

I do still keep up with the Blogs I read because they are all extremely interesting women and I care about what happens to them.

I won't say I am totally relaxed. I have to wait a full month between appts this time as my Big u/s is scheduled 7/19. It was so reassuring seeing the baby so often, I miss it and catch myself worrying. A friend gave me the # of a private location that does u/s for $25. I have tucked the # away in case I feel really strongly that I need to take another peak before the 19th. But, I am trying to wait. I also have a great fear of finding something wrong when I am not at the Dr's office. Not only will they be strangers, but I would have to admit my impatience and that I was ultrasounding behind everyone's backs to my Dr, husband, etc. Of course, that would probably be my last concern if something was wrong, but I can't help thinking it now.

One reassuring thing is that I am starting to obviously show now at 15.5 weeks. It is very obvious to me and my husband (and even my Mom and best friend noticed). But, most people dismiss it because I am not very big. I had a very flat stomach before so to me it is a big change, but other just say "that's a pooch?" or "its about time you looked normal." I am normally thin but not painfully so at all. I think some of my friends who gained quite a bit of weight with their pregnancies are a bit disappointed that I haven't gained 20 lbs already. But, I know how difficult body image issues can be so I understand. All in due time I think.

Aside from the baby watch, I have been very busy with work. My "day job" is packed and the extra consulting work I picked up keeps me chained to my desk at night. Argh! I keep walking around the house singing "She Works Hard for the Money..." I am not sure if M is amused. It is all worth it though because the proceeds will be used for my new "nesting" projects. I had a plantation shutter installed in the soon to be nursery and just ordered new carpet for all bedrooms. I am also going to have our bathrooms redone as I have been planning for years. The extra work is paying for almost all of it, so it feels good to know we aren't cracking into our savings which we will really need when the baby comes.

I My work has been incredibly supportive about my pregnancy and upcoming leave. I am very grateful. My boss also submitted me for a promotion effective in January (while I am in leave!) It doesn't get better than that. I think they are trying to make sure I don't leave. And, because I work from home, I don't think I will be going anywhere anytime soon.

So, all in all, things are good. Better get back to work!

"....she works hard for the money...so hard for it honey..." - Who sings that? Donna Summer?

Officially relaxing - I promised I would

OK, so I made it to the 14 week mark. I had another ultrasound yesterday (I am an u/s junkie it seems) and the all looked good with a HB of 156 bpm. I had the same u/s tech as last time but this time she took it back that she thinks it is a girl and says it is inconclusive at this point. (M has hope for his boy, yet!) Also, my Dad's fiance who is a psychic and medium (no kidding) says it is a boy. Now, I take her "predictions" with a grain of salt because I am still not convinced of her abilities, but M says he will choose to believe that one.

It is crazy that my Dad is marrying a medium. She is actually the "Crossing Over w/John Edwards" type in that she claims to get images and messages from those who have passed. As you can tell, I am a skeptic. I am not all that skeptical of psychic powers in general, it is just that her "messages" thus far have been very general, nothing convincing. And, I went to her "church" once and it was really laughable. I got a few "messages" that were so far off AND some where they stated the obvious. (i.e., I am sitting next to my sister who looks just like me -- people often think we are twins. And a "psychic" says..."I sense a bridge of family over you two." Well no she%$! Anyone could have told you that.) as far as her gender prediction, she has a 50/50 chance just like everyone else. Well, the suspense will end in 4 weeks.

So, it is actually setting in that I will be having a baby in December. Now on to the projects! Nursery is my favorite upcoming one although I will wait until i know the gender. I do know that I would like to create a very cheerful room with a sock monkey or two in it. For some reason I love those darn sock monkeys!

I haven't had much time to concentrate on baby things because I have been busy with work and took a consulting job with my husband's company on the side. I develop training and my husband asked me to do product training (on the web) for his company. It is great extra $$ but it is hard to work all day then work some more. But, I keep thinking that having a bigger savings will be needed once Baby C comes so I will be busting my butt for the next 2 months. Hopefully I have some time for fun.

We do have our vacation to Hawaii planned for August 5th (Big Island) so I am really looking forward to that! We wanted to squeeze in a vacation in the 2nd trimester since I had to cancel the trip to Tokyo and who knows when we will be able to get away again.

An Inconvenient Truth

M and I recently saw An Inconvenient Truth in the theatre. I strongly recommend seeing it regardless of your political views. Although it is narrated by Al Gore and there is some undeniable campaigning going on, the scientific evidence is compelling, disturbing, and undeniable.

Please do not disregard it as a "liberal" or "Democratic" film.

Great odds!

Well, I had typed a very lengthy post last Wed after my 1st trimester screening only to have troubles posting. Then I lost it all. After spending so much time writing it, I just couldn't re-write the entire post. So, my apologies for a lag in my Blog.

Well the 1st trimester screening last week went well and the u/s tech even said she *thinks* it looks like a girl. (But not to go painting any walls pink.) I know that 12.5 weeks is far too early so I am taking that with a grain of salt. I will be happy either way but I did note some disappointment in M's eyes when I told him the prediction. Men just always want boys! It so funny. But, every father I know with daughters love it.

I got the results of the screening back and the odds were great. 1 in 2800 for Downs (negative is anything over 1 in 220) and 1 in 10,000 for Trisomy 18. I will take those odds! I have my next appt on Monday at 14 weeks. I think I will have another u/s so am excited for that. I am still apprehensive about telling some people, I keep saying "after Monday I will tell." I think 14 weeks will be a good point for me to totally relax.

On another positive note, M has been playing in a golf tournament the past 2 weekends. And, he made it to the semi-finals. He is in the top 8 out of 130! He never even thought he would make it to the 2nd weekend. This weekend he may have to play 36 holes each day. I have been his lucky caddie and have accompanied him on each round. (I have not been carrying the bag, I push it in my golf push cart.) It has been really great to be there for him. And, he loves having me there so we are really having fun winning together. :) I must admit though, walking 36 holes is tough. On Sunday, I got a cart for the last 18, I just couldn't do it. Walking one round of golf is over 5 miles. Luckily, it hasn't been too hot or that would have been horrible.

Wish him luck!

Goodbye RE...hello 2nd trimester!

Well, yesterday morning I had my final appt with Dr. A. Baby C measured 56 mm and 12 weeks 1 day. Right on track! He/she was particularly active and squirming around all over the place. Dr. A congratulated me and told me I was officially out of the first trimester. I guess he goes by the 12 week mark (which technically is the end of the 12th week.) He said I now fall under the probably more relaxed rules of my OB. What this means for me is 1) I can resume moderate exercise - yea! and 2) I can get some lovin, finally, after 9 long weeks!

Although excited about #2, I must say I am a bit anxious about it. In my head I know that sex is just fine. But, after the restriction (and everything going so well) I worry. But, I know that people have been having sex while pg for 100s of years so I will join the ranks (much to my husband's delight...and mine too.) I will just emphasize the "be gentle" factor since we do tend to have aggressive, rough (in a good way) sex. Any advice on how to "get back on the horse" so to speak from others who have had the restriction or just have been pg before would be much appreciated!

So, now I feel free to tell more people. Although, I haven't really done it yet. Just thought I would announce as I interact with people and not make specific calls. Those who have known now seem to be obsessed with the sex question and names. Of course, I have thought about it but not too much. It is funny how everyone asks what you want. Girl or boy? I always answer: "I want a healthy baby." But then you inevitably get..."But if you had to choose? What is your preference?" Geez, is this Sophie's Choice? When pressured I usually say a boy since that had been my preference before. But, I really don't care.

I do have the DVD of my latest ultrasound and when replaying it to my 14 and 15 year old brother and sister I told them that they are on "Weiner Watch 2006"! They loved that but agreed, we just can't tell yet. :)

Anyway, first trimester screening (nuchal translucency) is tomorrow. Wish me luck!

Entering a new phase

11 weeks and 1 day today (Baby C measured exactly 11 weeks at today's ultraound). I am off the progesterone as of today (no more white messy pants - yea!) and only have 1 more appt with Dr. A. The close monitoring has been great. And luckily, it will continue for a week weeks since I have my first trimester screening with my regular OB next Wed and then my 14 week appt and u/s less than 2 weeks later. Then, I will have the AFP at 16 weeks and the level 2 u/s (where you usually get to know the sex) at 18 weeks. So, no long periods of waiting between visits -- phew!

I have found that I now truly believe I am pregnant and feel free to make plans as if I am. M and I are are looking into getting a more baby friendly car (I have a 2 door SUV that isn't convenient -- not to mention a gas guzzler) and I ordered plantation shutters for the guest room which will soon be a nursery.

Just last week I took some new pajamas up to the checkout counter and quickly put them back when I realized they were maternity. I wasn't even in the maternity section, they just looked cute and comfy. But, I dropped them like a hot potato because I didn't want to jinx anything. My Mom asked,"What is jinx?" Which is so cute since you think she would know by now having had 4 kids, two of which are only 13 and 15 (my 1/2 bro and sister).

I haven't started telling everyone yet, but a few more people know. My boss for one. We had a meeting and she wanted to map out my time and schedule until Feb 07! She had me completing all of these major projects in Feb when I will be on maternity leave, so I had to spill the beans. She was great and supportive as I expected. I am very lucky to have a flexible job where I work from home. I am deadline driven (not a 9 to 5er) so I can really work around my own schedule. This will be great (although tiring) when the baby comes because we are not quite able to live off a single income -- not in Southern California where we are from, at least.

So, anyway, I am still waiting until I leave the first trimester to tell more people (although me not having a glass of wine at dinner or margarita on a Sat afternoon has been a dead giveaway!) When does this magical trimester end? End of the 12th week at officially 13 weeks? Why did someone say 14 weeks? I am going with the end of the 12th week -- sounds good to me.

Getting Close!

Well the end of first trimester mark is coming up and I can't wait!

Appt this week showed an active little Baby C with a big head, body, and moving arms and legs. He/she measured 30 mm.

I also had my first appt with my OB/GYN and scheduled a first trimester screening (u/s and blood test). Hopefully, this and the AFP will all I need and I won't have to even consider an amino or CVS. (I probably wouldn't consider a CVS either way.)

In addition, I have been spot free for almost 2 weeks. Things are looking good... (knock on wood)

Arms and legs and a big 'ol head

Well, I had my 9 week ultrasound this morning and Dr. A said "Things couldn't look better." The baby measures 21mm and approx. 8wk 5 days -- a little behind but well within normal ranges. I teased M that that means I need to chow down even more. I like to tease him about all the weight I will gain. I always tell him my butt will be the size of Wisconsin, he doesn't really laugh at that. :) My Dr has said no exercise for the first trimester and that has been tough for me. But a small sacrifice. And, although I do have an appetite, I haven't really gained much, maybe 2 pounds. I am bloated, however, I don't button my jeans much of the time.

The no sex thing is getting difficult. It is hard to "be creative" when no sex also means no orgasms for me also. So, of course, our sex life is really lacking right now. The idea of making out like teens sounds fun, but it doesn't quite cut it. I really miss the closeness and intimacy. Only 3-4 more weeks!

Every week brings a bigger sense of relief. I had barely any spotting this past week (but I did have a little for one day) so I felt a but more calm. And, as the weeks go by I know my chances get better and better. I am really starting to get excited about the prospect of being a mother.

Next week, on Monday, I will see my OB/Gyn for the first time at 10 weeks. I know I will have to start thinking about all of the genetic testing they offer. I am 34 so I am right on the cusp of that magic 35. Last pregnancy I had decided not to do the first trimester screening for Downs, but I may just do it this time. My only fear is the too high rate of false positives I have heard about. I would hate to get a scare that was unfounded. I put myself through enough, I would hate an external influence feeding my fire.

I am confident I will make the right decision for me.

Still Tickin...

I had my weekly ultrasound this AM and all looks good. We saw a much bigger baby (15 mm), the umbilical cord, and the little heartbeat. He/she really looked like a little shrimp today. It was quite a milestone for me since my miscarriage last time showed that development stopped at approx. 7.5 weeks. I am now officially 8 weeks, just 1 more month until I leave the first trimester, I can't wait!

I was so nervous before the appt (as always) and my heart was racing. (A bit if spotting this weekend did not help the anxiety). M is still in Japan so I went it alone which makes it harder, but I kept it together and left very pleased. The Dr said all looked good, the heartbeat was in the target range, and there was no apparent bleeding in my uterus. (He thinks that the spotting is cervical irritation from the suppositories.)

I am starting to feel quite optimistic that this baby is a keeper. Yea!

Feeling BLAH

Well, I must say that I definitely feel more pregnant than I did the last time around. I am tired (I slept 10 hrs last night!) and I just feel kind of icky all of the time. I don't have my usual energy and not much motivation to engage in my usual projects.

I haven't really even cracked my pregnancy books yet since I think I am still apprehensive to totally admit to myself I am truly pregnant and will have a baby here in December. I just want these 12 weeks to fly past.

Actually, today I feel a bit better today than usual. I should be happy about that, but that makes me a bit nervous. I think I will be nervous for every ultrasound, that will just be the way it goes. But, I have made it a point this week to be positive, stay off the message boards, and I think I will let my Fertility Friend membership expire. (Plus, no spotting this week!) Sometimes it all just feeds the fire of worry and overanalyzing.

Oh, my boobs are getting a bit bigger. At least bigger for me. I have been looking forward to that since it will be quite a change for me. :)

So, M is in China now. He had a mix up and "forgot" his Chinese visa so couldn't enter China from Hong Kong. (It was in his expired passport) luckily he was able to purchase one there and get it in 5 hours. So, his delay wasn't too bad. His cell phone works in China so he is easy to get a hold of if you time it right. Modern technology! He will go to Tokyo on Sat. I am sad I won't see my good friend who is living there. She is one of those friends that I really enjoy. We only met about 5 years ago, so it is a newer friendship, but we always have so much fun and so much to talk about.

She actually said she would be uncomfortable if I visited while pregnant because she hasn't really navigated the medical system and their approach seems quite different than the US. She has chosen to wait to have another child until they return to the US (could be 2-3 years) because she does not want to go through her pregnancy and have a baby there. She is overly cautious because her son (now almost 3) was born premature at 7 mos. and she is afraid of pre-term labor again. I can understand that.

Here is to relaxing and feeling blah...

Sayonara Tokyo...Hello Heartbeat!

Well, I had my 7 week ultrasound this morning and saw the beautiful heartbeat. The baby measures 9mm and the Dr says all looks great! I feel so happy and relieved. Although I did see the heartbeat at 6wk 4 days last time and still miscarried, I do know that the chances of miscarriage now drop to 5% or less. So, I am optimistic that I will not be incredibly unlucky twice in a row.

Dr. A did not measure the heartbeat in beats per minute. I am kind of grateful for that because I would hate to find myself researching "good ranges" for HBs at 7 weeks. And, oh, you know I would. Dr A. is a straight shooter and I like that. During the u/s when we were seeing the HB, I probed and asked, "Does it look like a strong HB?" And he said, "Its either there or its not. It's there so it looks good." I can't help but think he does not look for babies at 6wks, and doesn't measure the HBs at 7 wks for a reason. He has probably dealt with many overanalyzers and doesn't want to cause any undue stress. I am very thankful.

So, no Tokyo for me (yea!). M leaves tomorrow AM for China the Tokyo. So, I will have to plan a special dinner to see him off. I must say that this "no sex" thing is starting to get difficult. I just feel bad as if I am neglecting my man. I know it is for good reason, and I am a rule follower but M and I have always had a very active sex life so going cold turkey and just saying "Goodnight honey" is very strange. We are trying workarounds, but they are just not the same. Just 5 more weeks...

On another note, M and I played golf on Sunday and I thought maybe this would be the day to break 100, but it was not to be. I did shoot well on a more difficult course but still scored 106. M says my game is much improved (he is a tough customer so that is quite a compliment) so I am happy about. I need to devote my time to more practice...

Seeing Tan

Well, more spotting this week. Very, very minimal so I have been pretty calm. If I was not using progesterone suppositories, I doubt I would even know there was spotting. But, the leakage from the suppositories is tinged with brown blood so I am seeing tan. I have been pretty calm this time since my Dr really minimized my concerns, and the last u/s looked good as far as the Dr was concerned.

I just want Monday to come so I see the HB and can sigh a breath of relief.

I think my miscarriage has really made me jaded. I don't allow myself to get too excited, I refuse to talk about baby names when asked by overzealous friedns (too early!), I am not ready to think about a baby friendly car (although it is sweet that M wants to start planning), and I haven't yet cancelled by airline reservation to Tokyo.

I am supposed to leave next Thurs, May 4th. And, I can't help but want the option to take a vacation if I get bad news on Monday. Is that morbid? My husband is leaving Tuesday, May 2nd for China and we were to meet in Tokyo at the end of the week. He is still going on the trip.

My thought is, what if I get bad news on Monday? Do I want to be all alone for a week while my husband is on vacation knowing that I could be there too? Wouldn't I just mope around feeling bad? Wouldn't a trip to an exotic locale to see good friends be a good option? Of course, I would love to cancel the reservation Monday morning after seeing a string HB and getting the all looks good for Dr A. That is what I am banking on. But, I am cautious.

Let's hope I never go to Tokyo!

I've Been Tagged

A fellow blogger, What's Meant To Be, has tagged me.

Here's the rules:

1. Go write 6 random or weird facts/things/etc. about yourself in my comment box and on your blog, then tag six more people!
2. Then leave a comment that says "You are tagged" in their comments telling them to read your blog.

It took me a few days to realize that this is what I am supposed to do, but better late than never. Here goes:

1. I have a Masters Degree in Latin American and Iberian Studies. No, I am not doing anything with that degree in my current career. Most people get confused by the "Iberian" part, but it just refers to the Iberian peninsula which is Spain and Portugal. Why choose such a field of study? Well, my mother is from Bolivia and I went through a long period in my life where I was fascinated by all things Latin American/South American, specifically politics and 3rd world development. I wrote my Masters thesis on revolutionary cinema. I loved every minute of it and am grateful I studies something that truly interested me. An MA has helped my career regardless of the field. Funny with my liberal beginnings that I work with a truckload of extremely conservative people. I don't discuss politics much at cocktail parties. :)

2. I love Project Runway and Americas Next Top Model. The latter is much more embarrassing. But, we all need a guilty, mindless pleasure, right?

3. I have traveled to 6 of the 7 continents. One of my friends is challenging me for all 7 but I really have no desire to go to Antarctica. I think she will go just to chalk up the 7th, and more power to her. I am not competing. I always tell her that Morocco doesn't really count as Africa and she gets so pissed. :)

4. I cry often. I always have. I am a very happy person. Most people think I never get sad. But, I well up easily...movies, books, TV shows, commercials, award shows, you name it. It feels good most of the time. My mom says it releases toxins and I believe her.

5. I am really fear aging. I feel 22 inside so it is difficult to come to terms with the fact that, in my 30s, I am no spring chicken. This was made very clear when trying to conceive. I constantly faced the fact that I am almost 35. For the most part, I don;t worry about my health. I am active and fit. I do worry about looking old. Shallow, I know, but I live in Southern California near the beach where everyone is botoxed and faked boobed. It starts to have an effect. I will not become one, but I can't help but start to get a distorted self image. Heck, if I moved to Texas I may scoff now but in 18 months I would have Wranglers too. Here is to holding out. Power to the A cup!

6. I love my miniature dachshund Rueben more than I can imagine. I have about 50 songs about him and I constantly talk to him. (I work from home so we have a lot of together time.) he is a good listener. Boy will he be sad when Baby C comes.

So, there you go. Now, I am off to tag!

Feeling "kinda" better

That's it. I am destined to worry about every little thing with this pregnancy. If it is not one thing, it is the other. Someone please save me from my own mind!

The good news is,the spotting stopped as quickly as it started. I really only spotted some brown on Friday morning however it tinged the leakage from my progesterone suppositories until Saturday. By Sat night it was gone and I was happy to see the white leakage from the lovely suppositories.

This AM I had my 2nd u/s at 6wk0d. Based on a lot of others' experiences, I thought we may see the HB today. Because of the spotting I was super nervous and took my husband M for moral support. My RE assured me spotting was normal and said, "If you worry about every spot you are going to have a very long 9 months."

At the u/s we saw a clear gestational sac (much larger than last week) and a perfect yolk sac. My RE said that it is too early to see the HB and I would see that next week. My Dr said he saw a swelling that indicates a fetal pole, I couldn't really make that out and I definitely don't see it in my pic I took home. My RE said all looks good and we should see more next week.

I know he knows a lot more than I do but can't help but be concerned. I wanted to see it today! It seems many other people see HBs and clear babies at their 6 week u/s.

I keep telling myself that 6wk 0d is as early as you can get in the 6th week. (I saw the HB last time at 6wk5d). And, my RE and the nurse said oh no, that is next week like it is no big deal. M was there to witness this so I know he will not tolerate any stressing or second guessing the Dr. So, I must be confident, trust the expert and wait until next week.

Sometimes I curse the internet with its access to ultrasound galleries (where I can compare pics) and information on everything from blighted ovums, to missed miscarriages, to any doomsday prophecy you want to choose for yourself. I must stop and try to enjoy this pregnancy. That is my goal this week.

Breathe...breathe... :)

Trying to stay calm and positive

Well, I woke up this morning to some spotting on the TP. It had mixed with the progesterone suppositories so it looked like much more than I felt comfortable with. Of course, my heart sank.

I called the nurse and she assured me that some spotting was very normal and not to worry. My progesterone was high yesterday at 49 so that is a good thing. But, I can't help but worry.

The spotting is not red or plentiful, I would call it a rust color since it is diluted with the medication. And it is not flowing in anyway.

I have an ultraound scheduled for Monday...can I make it through the weekend? I pray that the spotting stops and all is well. Oh please let me see a little heartbeat on Monday.

In the Frequently Asked Questions section of the packet my RE gave me it says:

"Q: Is brown spotting normal? A: Yes, this is common in the 1st trimester but please call the office to inform the nurse."

I am thinking if it is in the FAQ it must certainly be common.

I did not have any spotting with my last miscarriage, not sure how I can twist that to apply to this situation.

Please send good juju my way, I really need it today.

Up, up, and away!

My progesterone that is...

After only 3 1/2 days of using the progesterone suppositories my blood progesterone level went from 17 to 49! Since my RE is only looking for a level over 20, this is great news. I will continue to use them for many weeks but that is OK. Whatever it takes for a healthy, growing baby.

Well, this weekend I am golfing with my husband, Dad, and father-in-law. My Dad has just taken up golf which is great BUT he is very, very competitive with me particularly. To me, golf is not a game in which you complete against someone else, you compete with yourself. But, he keeps score like a hawk and is not always the most "accurate" while scoring himself. It really tries my patience and I tend not to enjoy the round. I do not feel competitive with him, but when someone is goading you and you are already hard on yourself, it just sucks.

Last time we played together I told him I did not like him trying to compete with me. He said he understood and was great that round. I was hoping for the same for Sat. But, when I talked to him today he said, "I am going to golf today so I can practice and be ready for our big match." Argh...oh well. Grant me the patience and tolerance to smile, let it go, and not call him out when he takes a mulligan, "forgets" 2 strokes, calls a put close enough then claims he beat me on the hole.

I do love my Dad, just not his sportsmanship. :)

1st u/s - Houston we have a sac

I went in for my first ultrasound today. From my calculations I am 5 weeks 2 days pregnant. This early, all they expected to see was the gestational sac. And, yep, there it was. We could also make out the yolk sac within. The Dr. says that all looks good. I will go in again on Thursday to test my progesterone and again on Monday for my 6 week ultrasound. We should see more by then.

With my last pregnancy we saw a heartbeat at 6 wk 4 days so I am hoping we may get lucky and see that again. I plan to take my husband on the next one. I get very nervous right before the ultrasound. I guess I just can't forget when I went in last year and the Dr said, "Oh, this doesn't look very good. The baby is too small. And there doesn't appear to be any cardiac activity." I couldn't believe it. The thought had not entered my mind. And, I was alone in the office with my husband in Memphis on a business trip. It was awful.

I asked my Dr if I should be concerned about the progesterone and he said that the majority of his patients are taking supplementation. It is a rare person that produces enough on their own to meet the office's high standards. That was very reassuring. I am hoping for high #'s on Thursday.

Well, that is the update. No picture to post but it wasn't very exciting....just a dark spot in my uterus. Well not exciting for you. :)

Update from Dr

I just got the results of my 4th beta: 3,996! That sounds great to me. I have an ultrasound scheduled for tomorrow!

One bit of bad news, my progesterone dropped to 17. But, I am goin in right now to pick up progesterone suppositories, so hopefully that will do the trick. Funny, I have been worrying about progesterone all weekend since I have read so much about its link to early miscarriages. I am glad we will address it now and hopefully in plenty of time.

Off to the Dr.'s!

828!

That is a doubling time of 35 hours, so I am very happy with that. So, I now have to stick to the deal with myself and relax completely.

As a side note, we got the results of my husband's semen analysis today and they weren't particularly good. The count was good and very high but low concentration, motilty, and morphology. But as the nurse said, it doesn't really natter now because it worked! :)

I guess what we lacked in quality we made up for in quantity.

Anyway...828...yea!