Well I couldn't wait..................

Pat called this morning and woke me up :) I had just happened to have a pregnancy test sitting out on the counter.... and of course best time to take it first thing in the morning so I figured I would do it with him on the phone, he protested a bit saying it was to early (we have been here before and he hates to hear me cry) but stubborn me I did it anyway............ and after two short minutes I said "there is a line! there is a line! I cant believe its positive" and ran up stairs to wake up his mom and show her :)

I am over the moon happy!!! The line is faint but there is no mistaken it is there. I am still very early so it will get darker as the days pass. I am only 12 days past ovulation so this is great for where I am in this cycle :)

Pat and I are so lucky, blessed and super happy with the news I just couldn't wait to share!!!

Here is the picture of my first positive pregnancy test!!!!

Tic Tock Tic Tock

The wait has got to be the hardest part of IVF..... I have 8 days left until my BETA (blood pregnancy test) and it is realllllllllllllly dragging along, which is pretty amazing considering I have been busy.

Pat leaves early tomorrow morning for Washington DC. So I will be on my own for the results.... not REALLY on my own because of course I still have my family and friends here but it just wont be the same as either celebrating with him or crying on his shoulder... (celebrating, celebrating, celebrating-positive thinking) But he will be the first call I make....

Of course there is the whole home pregnancy test debate. You can get an answer right away and not have to wait nearly as long, probably accurate by Sunday. That would give a pregnancy enough time to produce the hormones to show positive.. but the RE gives you a date for a reason--- I am sure its not just to torture us? Right????

The problem with taking the home test really is more mental... if its positive you then worry if its accurate, if its strong and not just a chemical pregnancy (which wouldnt show till BETA) and if its negative.... you end up sad, heartbroken and then comes denial--- big time denial-- "Its just too early" and you torture yourself again and again re-testing. I know this stinks because I did it last time. I am really really wanting to wait till next Friday, but boy oh boy do those sticks yell out come pee on me--- I will tell you---" . Then there is the fact that I just don't know if I can make it through seeing yet another negative test, I have had probably close to a hundred of those in the last three years just waiting for one positive.... crossing my fingers that I have enough self control to hold out till March 5th :)

As for symptoms so far, there aren't to many because it is still really early and I am still on hormone injections that can do all kinds of weird things to your body... but I have had lots of little cramps so I am really hoping thats a good sign of the baby (babies) getting cozy in there... We will see..... hmmmmmm March 5th.....

~Heather

Our babies first picture

What do you think? I think they look like their daddy :)

Oh my!!! Final report on our embryos

I think I am in shock just a little--------- I was hoping for the call today to find out that 2 embryos made it to freeze...... Well......... WE HAVE 9!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can not believe how great this cycle has gone for us. This is way more then I could have hoped for or imagined.

I am hoping and praying that the babies I have now stick but it is such a comfort to know that if for some reason it doesn't or if we would like to have more babies in a few years we don't have to do the whole stimulation process again.

Pat and I are truly blessed..... and excited :)

Yesterday my wonderful husband was a great nurse, he took great care of me and even cooked lunch (I gave him step by step instructions from the other room hehehe) his mom and Aunt Debbie babied and spoiled me... dinner on the couch served on a tray, reading material and lots of treats. Better not get too used to it :)

~Heather

Babies are in!!!

Today was one of the best days I have had. I was so worried about our little ones and what was happening when I got up today and on our drive to the clinic. Would they survive? Would they be good quality?

On the drive over we have to go over a long bridge that crosses the Tampa Bay. I look for dolphins every time that I have been on it. Today was the first time since I moved here in 1999 that I saw one :) I told pat maybe it was a good sign....

So we get to the clinic, get settled and the Dr. came in along with our Embryologist and said, "Well I have a good report for you" the Embryologist stood behind him nodding her had and giving the two thumbs up sign. I was sooooooo incredibly happy I got teary-eyed. So here is what we have..

2) Grade1 AB perfect little Blast!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! More then I hoped for.

It gets better------ Embryologist said she was watching "lots" of them and she will let us know tomorrow "how many" they were able to freeze!!! I was so happy it was "how many" and not "we will watch and see if we can" which I heard last time.

On the ride home we went back over the bridge, we saw another dolphin :) Perfect!

This cycle has been so great for us so far, we have been truly blessed. Not only do we have two great little beans hopefully getting cozy in their momma I will have some frozen which would give us another opportunity to expand our family :)

Here it to the two week wait. March 5th will tell all :)

~Heather

Embryo update #2

I still can not believe we are already at our embryo transfer! In less then 3 weeks I will officially have a blood pregnancy test(BETA) and be pregnant...............or heart broken.............. but I will not go there .... so in less then 3 weeks, I WILL BE OFFICIALLY PREGNANT :)

This cycle has just gone by so fast... but please remind me of this when I am in the two week wait of my pregnancy test, because that will drag on forever I am sure.

Yesterdays update on my 8 all-stars

4) 8 cell embryos
3) 7 cell embryos
1) 6 cell embryo

All we grade BB, which pretty great. The 4 8-cells are exactly what you want to see on this day, but the 7 & 6 cells are good too. Still no news on the 12 others, as I know they are all alive but getting no updates on them.... I will have a different nurse tomorrow I am sure I can get all the goods and details from her :)

Tomorrow we are looking for Blastocyst. Morula's are ok but really we want the Blastocyst. This is where the embryo begins to split and start making cells that will eventually form the baby and the other half will form the placenta. I am praying for two nice Blast to transfer and crossing my fingers for one or two to freeze.

As of 7:00 tomorrow I will be pregnant, please let these little babies stick :) I will update when we get back and let you know how the transfer went.

~Heather

Embryo update

Well I got the call today and here is where we are :)

8 embryos are 4-5 cells and are A-B grade- These little guys are who I am pulling for to bring us home a baby

12 embryos are still alive but they are a bit behind and are C-D grades (nurse kinda wrote these little ones off)

The good news is with this many we will be doing a 5 day transfer which will truly show us which embryo will give us the best shot (actually at this stage they will be called a blastocyst).

The bad news is I am having some mixed feelings... I am super happy I have 8 strong embryos but of course I was hoping for a few more. I just have to keep thinking positive, that this will be it for us, but it is just plain...........HARD.

Lets go with my good friend ratio/statistics.... (average) 20-25 % of fertilized eggs will have genetic capabilities to become babies, so theoretically I will only have approx 4 blast from my original 20--- so 8 is great.. but I still wanted more at this point, but in the end I really am only expecting 4. Hmmm maybe I am just an over-achiever, Pat must be rubbing off on me :) It only takes one I know..... hopefully it will be a grade A (like its father)

I will have another update tomorrow morning. Till then please keep my little "babies" in your prayers

~Heather