Changed my Siggy

From this:


To this:


By the way...the summerhouse has been cleaned and treated AND when she checked Jules, there was nothing! Great news.

3rd and final Beta

638! So, it's more than doubled every time. We are looking good, barring any crazy abdomen pain like last time:(

My 1st u/s is scheduled for Monday, March 10th. Then we should be able to make sure the embie is where it's supposed to be. Keep on praying/hoping/wishing/whatever you do!

I know i shouldn't even be writing this again, but i'm thinking it, so might as well: My numbers still coorespond with some of those twin mommies:) Can you imagine? I might have to be sent to the looney bin-or take up K TAY on her offer.

The Perils of the Summerhouse

Sorry, Ally...you know i had to.

So, before today i considered it a pretty safe place, even with the wild animals, occasional flooding, body rash attacks. I even keep my car unlocked. And even though i might die in a propane explosion :) nothing quite compares to the newest: LICE! Ewwww!

Julia's been safe for about a week, but the evil little classmates finally got to her. (I really feel bad for the teachers.) I'm getting flashbacks of the last time i had them in high school. From babysitting. My neck hurt from having it in my mom's lap for hours while she picked through my hair, threatening to cut it-SHORT-if it happened again :(

I don't think i have any but, of course, i'm itchy now. I was checking out RID's website. Did you know the singular form of lice is louse. I don't know why that cracks me up.

A little unrelated announcement. No matter how annoying she used to be (or still is) I LOVE RACHAEL RAY! I'm watching my old dvr'ed episodes and she just had a Meal or No Meal game on. HA!

PS-I guess i will start locking my doors now since i just told everyone on the Internet to come steal my stuff.

Good Question, Chris

Dr.'s count preg weeks starting from the date of your last period...this is because MOST people do not know when they ovulate and most with "normal" 28 day cycles ovulate on day 14ish. (Of course the clomid regulated me and so i actually did O on day 14.) So even though i'm *really* only 2 weeks pregnant, Dr's would count from the 1st day of my last period, Jan 31st. I just double-checked and this was a Thursday, so i'll actually be 4 weeks tomorrow.

Also, notice that 40 weeks of pregnancy is actually 10 months! Not 9...i think those extra 2 weeks are factored in there. This is another reason why babies are considered "full term" and ready to come at 38 weeks (because the 1st 2 weeks of pregnancy, you were not really pregnant).

I just winged this answer so if any of you already-had-a-baby people have a better answer, please comment.

Oh, so according to my software, based on my O date, my Estimated Due Date is November 5th. If my Dr. changes it, i'll let you know.

Who-Hoo!!! Beta #2

This just in...a reminder that Monday, 12dpo it was 95 and we wanted it to double. Today, 14dpo it's 250! We are in good shape.

A little excited that my numbers kinda correspond with some twin mommy numbers (see link):
http://boards.thenest.com/boards/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=43715040
YIKES!?!

I go back Friday for my last one (as long as it doubles again) then Duffy will estimate when my number will reach 5000. Then she can do an ultrasound to make sure it's where it's supossed to be. Yes, of course i've already estimated it. It will either be Friday the 7th or Monday the 10th.

So, i guess it's official. Today is day 28, so i'm 4 weeks :) Wow!

In other news...just so you guys know that i'm still me and being prego won't change that...i am still a very well-rounded individual. How many friends do you have to goes to Babies R Us and Hearts in the same day?

-2 days pregnant

And fully pretending to be completely pregnant. Fred's not even late yet. Got to love impatience.

So, i'm on all the message boards and you have to check this out:
http://boards.thenest.com/boards/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=43712766&PageIndex=1
And if you know what MUD means, please enlighten me. Is it like "slinging mud?" Not sure. What i do love is when some chick starts drama someone says, "Someone pass the popcorn!" HA!

Other things i've done include:
-checking out the baby section @ walmart
-figuring out how to cancel my tanning membership
-taking my 1st belly pic (this was so scary even steven said, "Ew" and took another, not-so-close-up shot...glad you people think i'm so skinny...steven really said Ew.)
-complaining about what i can't have
Funny story, actually: Clyde and I were cooking alligator a la chimes on Sunday so I wanted to make their dipping sauce. I actually called them and found out it’s honey mustard and horseradish. While I’m mixing in the horseradish in I suddenly realize that I can’t have raw oysters. I say “Aw, man. I’m done with this.” He says something like, "You’ve got 9 months. It’s only been 12 hours and you're done?"

I know, i know, it took 2 years for this to happen (if this is really happening)...i shouldn't have the right to complain about anything. Ahhhh, but you are forgetting one important detail. I AM a woman :)

Steven also made fun of me because i'm only 2 days pregnant and i've got a pillow on my chair. To my credit, i write at the kitchen table and the chairs are hard. I like to sit cross-legged and it hurts my ankles. I did this BEFORE i was prego.

Beta #1 is in!!!

And it's 95! That's seems REALLY high to me considering it's only 12dpo :) Last time @ 12dpo i was 26, so here's hoping this will work out better. According to most websites, average is 50.

I had some good luck at the lab this morning. While the tech was trying to find my vein (it was obvious she was not as practiced as the usual ladies), Duffy walked in! I said,”Good News.” While she was there she told the lab lady to go ahead and test for progesterone, too. So, for a crazy impatient like me…great news…more numbers to analyze until I’m sick(or happy in this case). Duffy said that Dr. Peek likes a progesterone level anywhere above 2000 and mine was 4500!

Cannot wait until Wed for 2nd beta. It needs to double-at least 190 in case you don't have a calculator handy:)

But I need to remember that even if the betas do what they are supposed to, it can still be growing in my tube again. So, I will not be picking out baby furniture until after the 8 week u/s that shows a healthy heartbeat where it’s supposed to be.

I keep wanting to shake ma booty to make sure that sucker gets out of my tube to where it belongs :)

I told you so...

This is NOT an ovulation test!

The line is super-light, i know, but that's because it's only 11dpo, but you can see it huh? Even on a camera phone picture :)


Ok, so i know you want to get excited and that's ok, but like always be prepared for the worst...just in case.


The fertility bracelet worked! HA! I wonder if that means i should wear it for the rest of the time. Might really be good luck. I doubt it, but it's on now just in case.


I'll get my bloodwork tomorrow and will post as soon as I know something.


Aren't you glad you read my blog? Otherwise you would have never known:)

This is it.

I'm pregnant.

Well, it's not confirmed, but i've got them. Yes! Sore bewbies.

Ok, so now it's your job to convince me that i'm wrong. Maybe it was from last night :) Bow-chicka-bow-bow!

So do it already...convince me.

I'm Dumb

Just came back from my monthly trip to Dollar Tree.

It's 9dpo and i'm impatient. Yes, i tested and yes, it was negative. Of course.

It was only a dollar :)

We're getting RAPED!

Yes, raped. And i had no idea.

[Go ahead and insert raunchy joke here...]

Told ya about the new budget yesterday. Well. Steven and i both have a WaMu card (formerly Providian) with rates OVER 30%!!! WTF? I can't believe i haven't been paying attention. I'm sure we paid late or went over the limit somewhere down the line, but DAMN! Lately our credit score has been very good so we're gonna have to do something about that. Quickly! One of those balances is high as giraffe p*ssy!

I'm a Shlumpadinka!

Ok, so if the word hasn't already been added to Websters, then it will soon. By Oprah's decree, I am a shlumpadinka.
From her website: "Do you run errands in your pajamas? Are your husband's sweats a staple in your wardrobe? If the answer is yes, you may be a shlumpadinka." Wait!! There's more:
"I made this word up a long time ago," she says. "It represents, for me, a woman who dresses like she has completely given up…and it shows."
Ouch! In my opinion, wearing sweatpants to run errands does NOT mean i have given up. When i go out, i still look FINE:) By the way, has anyone noticed that the sparkle in her eye is gone? And, no, i'm not so petty as to insult her just because i dress poorly:) But, pay attention next time. I guess it's hard to get excited about anything when you have the world at your fingertips.

So, today i was wearing the same capri sweatpants as yesterday (Oh GOD, I'm dormroom Stacie!) and i didn't put a bra on until 3pm, BUT i had good reason. I almost forgot about my fertility bracelet, too:( Almost.

You see, Steven suggested we make a new budget tonight(pretty smart considering our huge drop in income) so i was getting all the bills together for the task. I decided since i was doing that i'd do my taxes just to see how scary they would be. Boy was i pleasantly surprised! It took all of my energy, so i rewarded myself:) I think what prompted this is I keep talking about in vitro and he never has money even though he makes enough. I think it will be good. Hard, but good.

Mom and Farrel came by yesterday and it was a pretty cool visit. He was not even close to the asshole i remember :) Hey Chris-is it Farrel or Farell? He even told me not to post the link with the dead baby jokes, so i wouldn't upset my sister. Isn't that sweet:) I guess now that i said that i need to tell the rest of the story...

I was researching IVF and ectopics because there is still a small chance(~2%) that the embryo can somehow move from the uterus to the tube before it implants (IVF pregnancy bypasses the tubes by getting embies right into uterus). Apparently this happens more than i thought :( I was none too happy since it's so expensive...i figured one time and i'd be done. Maybe not. Anywho...i come across some messageboard with the REALLY angry woman. I mean REALLY. Her story was kinda crappy: apparently two other women she knows gave birth on the same day, which would have been her due date has she not miscarried:( Actually sounded fake it was so coincidental. She was dropping F bombs and at the end put a link to dead baby jokes. Seriously. SO, me being my father's child, had to check it out. They are actually pretty funny, however, in case any of my TTTC girls lurk my blog, i will not post. They may not have the same (i.e. sick) sense of humor.

That woman's post got me thinking....i'm not angry. There was a time when i was. I was angry and sad and confused. I think now i'm just annoyed. I also know that the longer it's put off the better off i'll be (money and maturity-wise). It's probably because i keep thinking "i'm still young." Maybe the anger will come when i'm post-30 and childless.

The Surreal Life

For those who were wondering...i saw Jr. on the news last night. Funny, really...A just asked me if i heard anything new and i say, "No." Then there it comes on the bottom of the screen: 14 yr old livingston girl returned to her family. They were found in Houston and it showed the charges he's facing. That was one thing. But, then, the story's time had come and there he was. Being led by the cops just like you always see on tv. But those are strangers. I felt a mixture of justice, pity, sadness. If inevitability is a feeling that's the perfect descriptor. My stomach lurched and i started tearing up. Normally, Steven and i don't watch the news...but we were at the summerhouse. Just another reason not to.

Ok, let's change the pace here...
I think i need a whole new post to shake off this tone.

OMG

I just submitted an application to Ascension and Central Schools!?!

Sorry for the short and non witty posts today. When i can find the right words i'll describe Monday night's dream which seemed to include all of my worst fears.

Now i have to go google myself. I hope working doesn't mean i have to get rid of my blog or censor it even more :(

7dpo

And i already have zits!

F*ck!

Are you kidding me???

Is this some kind of sign or something?

Now there's a new tv show on called "My Dad is Better than your Dad."

Emotional eating here i come...

Good thing i don't feel like drinking or Steven might come home to find me passed out on the bathroom floor in my wedding dress:)

Movies make me want to do things

All the way home, hell, even while i was still watching i was thinking about what i'd write about in my blog. How i would start this. Here's the winner.

After seeing Definitely, Maybe i want to:
-Have children even more
-Read Jane Eyre
-Visit a used bookstore
-Maybe get a master's degree (do you love the non-commital "maybe"?)
-Go to Life Rehab and/or get a job

Don't want to ruin it for anyone, so i won't say much more than this: it was a total daddy/daughter movie and anyone who knows anything about me should know that those are the best...or worst. No, the best. There is something so special about that relationship. I hope one day i can explain it properly. Sometimes i miss him so much.

I also thought about Mr. Skin. Yes, the website that tells you in which movie certain stars are nude. Maybe i can start a site that reviews movies based on how long into it before i start crying, or how long i cry afterwards:) Ok, so maybe not such a good idea, but it works for me.

Definitely, Maybe --8 tears
So far this year PS I Love You is in the lead with 10 tears. But that's just the tear factor. I really missed Ryan Reynolds. DM is a much better date movie.

Ah. So, 1st the daddy/daughter movie, then on the way home a daddy/daughter song-Ready, Set, Don't Go. Don't judge just because it's Billy Ray:)

PS-Thanks, B, KT saved me from my tears tonight.

The Sweet Seduction of Sofia

***As promised...one of my writing course exercises. This was SO much fun. We were to pick a number between 100 and 999. Each number was represented by a word on a chart. I picked 993; my words were actioneer, violin and hotel. The assignment was to write a paragraph about these three things. For me, this was the first REAL writing i've done. Everything up til now has been more like journaling...and that's easy. I had no idea how this story would turn out when i started it and i had no idea i could write about things i dont' know about. (Oh, and i already apologized to Barbara for using her name.)***

Another day at the office. Another day of describing some beautiful, and some not-so-beautiful pieces to God-awful, pretentious, rich folk. I hate the speed talking. Most find me entertaining in that clown-here-to-amuse-you kind of way. It makes me sick. But I have to work, and I was “blessed” with this speed-speak, so here I am. Coming up on my 25th anniversary, too. That’s about 9000 days give or take a few of droning on about this painting or that vaaazzz. Why is it that rich people can’t say vase, anyhow? Here comes the next piece I have to make “sexy.” A violin. An early 18th century Stradivari made. What a beauty. The extended neck and the curve of the wooden waist transport me back almost instantly to a lazy summer afternoon with Sofia. That tiny hotel in the coastal Napoli had become our regular meeting place whenever we could get away. Sofia was the only one, with her dark hair and darker eyes, who could ever make me deceive Barbara. Afternoons with Sofia were heaven. Lying, half clothed, with the afterglow of forbidden love, she’d reach for the violin. The sounds that came next were so sweet and delicious; they provoked a worship that I’d never feel for another woman.

Superstitions

I’m usually not superstitious, but yesterday I decided that maybe if I wear my fertility bracelet every day until I test, I’ll be prego :)

That’s only like 10 more days. Piece of cake.

***Putting it on now***

My father lives through me

Wait. First a little social commentary:
Damn those meth-lab makers or the kids who get drunk on cough syrup or the Man who puts the rules in place...
Did you know you have to be 18 to buy Nyquil? Well, you do. I actually got carded at self checkout. WHat if i was too sick to even drive and wanted my 16 year old to go get me some? Hmphf!
I sure as hell never had to drink nyquil to get drunk. There was always someone overage to buy my stuff for me. These kids need some friends with older siblings. It would make my life easier.

I left Walmart and headed south down Siegen. Just before the bridge i noticed something red and shiny flapping in the wind. By the time i realized what it was it was too late to stop, so i made a quick U-ey and drove around by St. George. Before I turned around all could think was, "My Dad would go get that Valentine's Day balloon." So I had to. This was the guy who stole, er, picked flowers from our neighbors' yards for my Mom. Of course, they were always more beautiful than the store bought ones, but as a teenager i thought this was lame. This reminds me of the times when, on the way back to the eastbank from my aunt and uncle's house (shed, really), he'd have to stop and pick the wildflowers on the levee. He was drunk as hell and at the time it scared the crap out of me. But now i have a little better understanding of what he was doing. I think he just wanted to impulsively enjoy life in whatever way he could. Since he had no money-it was the wildflowers on the banks of the Mississippi. I wish I could talk to him about this now that I'm older :-(

As usual i digress. So there i am, hazards on, running across the feeder street up the side of the overpass hill. I quickly untangle the string and i'm off! I'm so excited that i got a free balloon for steven and that i did something my Dad would have done, that i almost dont' look to see if cars are coming. One was but i couldnt' stop the downhill momentum so i just sped up:) I was out of breath probably until i got to Perkins:)

So it turns out that i am my father incarnate and not just for the drinking, partying, and appreciation of good food and roadside flowers...i might be a little cheap, too. I'll call it "in it for the thrill."

Great News!

According to the chinese birth calendar, i we conceive this month...

It's a BOY!

He'll find his way better than the girls:)

Yeah, yeah, yeah...shut up!

I'm just having fun.

2ww, i think

No, i don't think. I know. I'm just trying to be cautious and not get hopes up (even though they already are).

Today my pee machine went from PEAK to HIGH, so i probably ovulated yesterday. This is the first month my machine actually worked like it was supossed to(no trigger shot to force it aloneg). I thought once i got a PEAK reading it would stop wanting my tasty warm beverage, but it didn't. No, i didn't really taste it, but the machine likes it. This gives me hope that it is still measuring something in there.

My temp really isn't helping me right now because i'm sick. I can't sleep through the night because of all the coughing:( No polls this month; i'll probably test on monday the 25th. That'll be 12 dpo...plenty of time to "get positive." I'm pretty hopeful.

Hey B! If this month works out i'll have a Vday baby. Know what that means for my due date? :) I think you do.

Mardi Gras Pics Here!

Check out the archives: MARDI GRAS MAMBO post.

Thanks Nina!!!

Watson, I think I've got it!

Hey Christine! Our problems are solved.

Some chick on the message board was asking about cutting back on milk. Remember my previous post with the grievance about this? As i was typing my response it hit me! Well, duh!?! Everyone's different, so maybe we've got it backwards.

YOU NEED THE MILK!

I NEED TO QUIT IT!

:) now, there...we'll both be preggo in no time :)

No charge for this diagnosis.

You're welcome. Make sure you have *whole* milk and lots of ice cream.

Got an Eggie!

YAHOOOO! Pee machine gave me an eggie this morning. I did a double take and got very excited-even squeaked a little. I wasn't too confident since this month is just like every other month. Well, that's not entirely true. My E2 level was higher.

It's a shame how cynical i am...before i sent out this message i double-checked last month's chart to see if i got the egg on day 13 or 14. It was 14 (after the trigger shot). SO i figured this month's egg is real and not just the machine simulating last month's hormones (it does take your history into account, so you never know).

Yes, No, Maybe So..

So, I'm trying to stop reading about IF. There are just too many conflicting sources. And they all seem reputable :(

Remember the previous post where i was so excited about DOST and my specialist? Well, a girl on my message boards brought me to my senses. According to the description, DOST is NOT less invasive-the invasive part is harvesting the eggs and DOST does that just like IVF. Harvesting. HA! Reminds me of that time we were playing Taboo and steven acted like harvesting was something he did in his backyard every year. Nina knows what i'm talking about :) Hell, B should, too.

Ahhh, don't you love my tangents? I know that's why you read my blog.

So, DOST. Just as invasive as IVF, but doesn't give the benefits-such as-preimplantation genetic testing (making sure baby wont' have certain diseases), allowing for eggs to be fertilized and embies to start growing so all they have to do is implant, and grading embryos. Yes, grading. Like chicken eggs. Grade A is the best. No, this doesn’t mean that grade A embryos produce better or smarter children, they just have a better chance of implanting and surviving. Now, i don't have prices for DOST, so i imagine that may be the only real advantage. Don't get me wrong, i'll discuss it with my RE, but i'm open minded. (I'm pretty much resigned to the fact that i'll need IVF anyway. I guess that's not a really open-minded statement.)

So, after DOST not being my #1 motivation, talking to Steven and hearing about a friend’s friend's (whoa, jen, tell me about the grammar here...) experience at The Fertility Institute, I changed my mind about the RE office to visit. Now i'm going to go to the office that's right down the hall from my OBGYN. I went there this morning to schedule my 1st appt and to ask about putting up some RESOLVE flyers. It was a very good experience-better than the "curt" receptionist i spoke to at the other place. These people gave me a packet of information and forms to fill out before meeting and also wanted Dr. Peek's records so they can be fully prepared. Already impressed.

After that i went to my usual 2nd date with the dildocam. B/w and u/s. Scan showed 3 big follies and my estrogen level was 800-good enough to have 2 good eggs. The only difference between this month and last month is the E2 level-last time it was 638 (but possibly done after i O'd). Oh, and this time i won't do the trigger shot of HCG.

More reasons for my title:
-My pee machine still says "high." I feel like if i was going to O, it would have shown "Peak" by now. BUT, maybe i can't trust it because it uses first morning urine, when all other OPKs say to use afternoon pee. Crazy how that can make a difference. Well, psycho POASer that i am, i also did a leftover OPK today (in the afternoon) and it didn't even have a 2nd line-wasn't even close to becoming positive:( UGH.
-Those "conflicting" studies i referred to earlier-the one that's been bugging the crap out of me is the dairy study. One study says, "Drink whole milk and eat ice cream." High fat dairy is good. Another one says, "Eliminate all dairy." It contains hormones which can mess with your body.

Well, i have drunk milk all my life with everything from cookies to boiled crawfish. My sister hates milk and barely has it with her cereal. Neither one of us can get pregnant! SO there, stupid studies! Take that.

So, while it seems that the moral of the story could be-try everything because it seems that something different works for each success story, i've decided to just wait and see what the RE says.

I'll appreciate your help, though, when i start saving for in vitro...No more spending like i have money:( Shit!?! But i've done that all my life.

PS-WTF is up with blogger spell check??? Booooooo!

Going to a specialist...

I briefly mentioned this, but now i'm getting very excited.

Last week the u/s tech told me to look into a procedure called DOST. That was the same day i saw my Dr and was really disappointed because she totally dissed the ideas in the "How To Get Pregnant" book. Long story short, i decided to go to an RE. After all, it's been 2 years.

Anywho, when i called to get the appt, the receptionist was not quite like i imagine. Kind of gruff actually. I decided on this guy because of my Dr recommendation and the fact that his office is pretty close by. Well, today after much Internet browsing i started to doubt myself. He works out of Baton Rouge and New Orleans-which means less time for me. The REs over at the tower are right next door to my OBGYN, so my records could be gotten in a flash. Plus, they were the ones that did steven's test, so chances are i won't have to put him through that again. Then on their website they talk about all this info that they collect BEFORE your initial consult-great, right? Super-prepared. They even do some tests that day if appropriate. The guy i called doesn't even get your records beforehand.

So i started researching DOST. Can't find this anywhere online and i dont' know if that's the right acronym or what it even stands for. I finally just looked it up on an abbreviations site and found it!
Googled it and found this:
Direct Oocyte-Sperm Transfer - Involves transvaginal retrieval of eggs from the stimulated ovary, just as in standard IVF. However, following retrieval, instead of inseminating the eggs with sperm and placing them into the incubator, the eggs are inseminated and transferred directly into the uterus nonsurgically two hours later. This allows the eggs to fertilize within the uterus, making it acceptable for women with damaged, nonfunctional or absent fallopian tubes, just as in IVF.

Great, right, because my tubes are apparently f*ed:)

It gets better...
I scroll down my google search results and find this:
Dr. Dunaway distinguished himself by being one of only two individuals to achieve pregnancies by Direct Oocyte Sperm Transfer (DOST).

DR. DUNAWAY IS THE GUY I'M SEEING! How awesome is this? Ok, worried no more. I made the right decision. Can't wait until next friday!

Dammit, Camera!

The smell of the fresh asphalt on Perkins Road must have excited my neurotransmitters because all of a sudden i started remembering other stuff from this weekend that i had great pictures of:

-Hulk Hogan was king of Bacchus, so all the guys around us including Steven and Clyde decided to rip off their undershirts when he passed by. They were afraid of looking stupid and not being able to rip it in front of The Hulk, so they all cut the tops of their shirts to get it started:) Well, here comes float #1! Guys are all lined up to pay hommage to their 80's childhood icon, and just as the float reaches our grandstand, with Hulk Hogan in sight, he leaves to got to the bathroom! You should have heard the cursing...HH is a p***y was my favorite. Because he had to pee...priceless.
-Coach Miles and the senior players and cheerleaders were on float #2. I got a great pic of what could have been a Les Miles O face:) You know what i'm talking about. And if you don't watch this...it's about 30 seconds in.
Speaking of LSU...i saw WAY more purple and gold on mardi gras day riding on that float than i ever expected. It was beautiful!

I wasn't even this upset when i lost my camera when my bachelorette party pics were on it:(

1st RESOLVE Support Group in LA!

Finally! My unemployment feels fruitful!

Not sure how much you guys know so i'll give you the lowdown...

RESOLVE is the National Fertility Association. When I quit work i started volunteering with them because I knew they didn't have a presence here in LA. They desperately needed help, so i quickly became Louisiana Coordinator. The go-to girl for all things LA. Yikes! Scary at first, but like i said, there was nothing here, so not much to do.

Then i decided to start up a Peer-Led Support Group. These are the cornerstone of RESOLVE. It's how they started umpteen years ago. Basically it's like my T-TTC message board, but in real life! (Or an AA meeting, but with infertility!) HA! Guess I'll have to lay off the humor until I get to know these girls:) It's very exciting to actually begin meeting locals. Most of the information I get now is from ladies all over the U.S. (which usually means it doesn't apply in backwoods LA) :)

Last night I finally got everything set up. The meetings will be:
the 1st Monday of every month (except Sept, it will be 9/8 b/c of Labor Day) beginning March 3rd
6:30-8:30pm
Bluebonnet Regional Library
9200 Bluebonnet Blvd. 70810

Please pass this on to your friends/acquaintances/etc. I'll email out a flyer, too. By the way, men and/or couples are welcome, too. They all experience infertility.

Yah-Hoo!!!

Mardi Gras Mambo

***PICS ADDED BELOW

Another great weekend. Up 3 lbs to prove it:)

Worst part about this weekend: lost my camera! I finally remember to bring it and took some awesome pics and i leave it on the float! Boooooooo! I'll steal some pics from Nina as sson as she posts them.

So, we did Spanishtown on Saturday, then headed to the Big Easy. Went to Michaul's all day Sunday. It was GREAT. One price for grandstands, a bathroom, food and liquor. We catch bunches to throw on Mardi Gras Day.

About 5 parades pass on Sunday and for the 1st couple i was really bummed...we were in the front and my shirt was NOT low cut, so i didn't catch enough. Sooooo, i bought some fake boobs for Bacchus. They were huge and gross and AWESOME. Started lifting my shirt and had people cracking up. Had great pictures:( sniff, sniff...

Clyde wore them under his shirt on Tuesday and cracked up all the parade-goers. Gave me more bead to throw since he was occupied.

I digress. Monday we sorted beads then took the kids to the Aquarium. Natty was awesome! Sooooo excited. Pointing and yelling at the fish. Sniff, sniff for lost pics...can you tell i'm upset about the camera?

And Tuesday, the day of all days: we wake at 5 (well, 5:30) and head out. Friends remind me that Popeye's serves breakfast so we try for some chicken. It's just traditional, emotional eating for me. Mardi Gras day = Popeye's chicken. God, it was good. We get to the float and wait and wait and wait and finally leave. Just to wait some more. I started early (around 9am) with 2 margaritas. I actually fell asleep for a while and think i worried Nina. She thought i wasnt' having fun. Way different than being tired. That nap was the best thing i could have done. I woke up refreshed and switched to beer and it was all good after that.

Group shot:

So after more than 5 hours of waiting-FINALLY! People! We were very close to the end of the parade, so lots of people were packing up. There were so many beads on the ground...they all looked like dollar signs to me:) There is no other way to do Mardi Gras. Being on the float was so much fun! Everyone wants you:) And when you give someone something cool they are SO happy. Feels good. We figured out we are sappy and nice...it felt the best to throw to the people who looked like they werent' getting anything, or to kids who get so excited. We're funny.

We saw my cousin and steven's family-they had a Barefoot Bandits sign! That was AWESOME! Super cool weekend...and now all of us want to buy our own float:)

More pics:

They get away with being bro and sis...

Not sure what's up with my psycho face here...

Clyde's creepy mask.

She is tiny, but there were A LOT of beads.

Save the best for last.

TTC news...i made my 1st RE (reproductive endocrinologist-i.e. fertility dr.) appt today! Next friday, i go for a consultation. Basically to tell them here's what i've done, here's what happened; what are my options and what are the costs?

In the meantime, i'm being blase about this month. We're just doing clomid again. I'll keep you posted, but don't want to get everyone's hopes up again.

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