Transfer Day

On Sunday, September 13 - which happened to be Grandparents' Day - we had our second FET.  We transferred one Day 6 Hatching Blastocyst that looks vastly different than Frostie Tess.  Instead of a small island or vaguely egg shaped mass, this one was a perfect figure 8 more than half out of its shell; a real eager beaver, this kid.  We've named it "Ocho" because of its unique shape.

Transfer went more or less the same as last time, though they made us wait until nearly 10 AM to find out what time to report.  We now now why but more on that in a moment.  We arrived at 1:00 PM, updated our consent forms, and then very quickly were ushered downstairs to the surgical waiting area.  Within three minutes, we were taken back to transfer room 2, across the hall from the corner room where we were places in January 2014.  My bladder was full, I got my Valium, and we waited f-o-r-e-v-e-r for the traveling circus.  It was at least 45 minutes of discomfort but it went relatively quickly once we started watching comedy sketches to get the blood flowing. 

When the circus came to town, it was all female.  The sonographer was in first, followed by the embryologist, then the nurse, then Dr. Constantini.  She was very calming and warm, breaking some tough news in the nicest possible way. 

Unfortunately, we learned that we only have one frostie left which means we lost three in the thaw.  It happens...I just never stopped to consider that it could happen to us.  We were overly confident, perhaps, having gotten lucky on our first try and counting on 5 more tries after that.  A 50/50 chance of making it, some clinics say, though typically chromosomallly sound blasts have no trouble surviving the thaw so this is Darwinism at it again protecting from the inevitable loss.  That's how I like to look at it and it's really just a small comfort when faced with the uncertain future.  If this doesn't take...

For now, though, I am pregnant.  I am convinced of this.  I felt twinges within hours of transfer,  through my nap and all last night.  I woke up with more twinges and then full blown cramps.  I went to acupuncture, drifted off a bit, then after I got home, I became nauseous and dizzy.  I was terribly dizzy within days of Tempest implanting.  I think this frostie, far more advanced in the uterine journey, wants to stick around and has already begun the process of homemaking for the next 9 months. 

I took an HPT 6 days post transfer last time and it was a very clear positive.  I'm going to try my luck and take one 4 dpt on Thursday morning to get it over with.  I won't go into the big birthday weekend not knowing.  If it's positive, great!  I'll test again in a few days and find out my numbers on Tuesday.  If it's negative, I'll have a moment to mourn that failure (I'll probably test again on Sunday just to make sure) and then I'll get over it and focus on my newly-minted toddler. 

Toddler!

On Wednesday, we will officially have a toddler in the house.  My goodness.  Goodbye, babyhood.   I can't wait for the birthday festivities to begin with our first trip to the zoo and then family and friends arriving to take part in the celebration.  Here's to you, baby girl! 

Two weeks to go

Today is the first of September.  In two weeks' time, you will turn the big ONE!  You're chatting up a storm, babbling the day away and playing with your plastic fruit with the vigor of a professional baseball pitcher.  I have never seen a child so young whip toys around in your style. 

On Sunday, you took six steps in the kitchen without faltering, your arms held out demanding Pirate's Booty from me.  I was amazed.  Just today, you managed to walk across the room and I only realized it after turning back around to behold you making a beeline for the glider.  Most of the time, though, you scoot around doing the "penitent shuffle" with one knee bent and the other extended parallel to the floor.  It's odd and amusing and totally you.  I suppose you can move faster that way in this half-walk, half-crawl as you gain confidence in taking steps.

Today we ordered your birthday cupcakes and yes, I will be the first to admit, I caved and got you your very own smash cake.  I detest that tradition but it's crowd pleasing and, well, tradition.  Your outfit(s) are chosen and so are ours.  Now all we have to do is order the food, the keg, buy the wine, track down the final few RSVPs and then we're more or less ready for showtime. 

In other news, now is as good a time as any to break it to you: mama is currently in cycle for an FET planned for September 13.  That's right, kiddo: you could be a big sister come June.  It's excited and nerve-wracking, even though we're graduates of the process.  We're planning around your actual birthday and the party so hopefully my uterus cooperates and gets this show on the road.   I have to go two full days without lifting you or doing anything strenuous at all and that's tough with one very active and demanding toddler.  It's going to be so hard but if it works, I'd like to think it's worth the temporary inconvenience for both of us.