Pregnancy Thus Far

I cannot believe how fast this pregnancy is going- I am already 11 weeks! I am rather excited to get to my second trimester... I have heard it is loads better than the first.

I do not know how many people were really aware of this, but Brad and I have had difficulty getting pregnant. We have been trying for three years when we finally got pregnant. We couldn't really afford infertility treatment, and the insurances we had in Utah were ridiculous. They did not cover any infertility, which I think is just sad.

It was a huge blessing that we moved home to California last year because I got great health coverage through Kaiser. I got even better coverage once Brad worked full-time for the temple. I have been poked and prodded more than I can say- and I know it is not going to stop now that I am pregnant, but at least there is a reason this time!

At the beginning of the year, we started going to the main Sacramento office for Kaiser because they have a special infertility program there, which is awesome. The first meeting is a group meeting, then you wait for your period the next month and get ALL this blood work done and they evaluate you on a one-on-one basis. We went in March and they did an ultrasound of my uterus to see if there were any abnormalities, and thank goodness it looked all good. I had to wait a month for any infertility treatment because of where I was in my cycle, but the nurse went over the steps we would take anyways.

First would be a prescription for Clomid. You take this on a certain day of your period, so it's kind of a precise taking. This increases your chance of multiples because what it basically does is trick your mind into thinking you aren't producing enough hormones, so the body releases extra hormones so you could be releasing multiple eggs.

Next up would of been artificial insemination, which has even a greater possibility of conceiving multiples. After that, I think was IVF. Anyhow, they told me that they really didn't want to go past artificial insemination, if they would even want to do that, because they were concerned about my body being able to carry anything beyond twins. Luckily, I don't have to worry as of yet!

In April we got my prescription for Clomid. I was scared TO DEATH to take this medicine- it can make you... moody. I was up and down with birth control, so I can just imagine my 'wonderfulness' on Clomid. We got it like a week before we moved and I just did not feel good about taking it. I didn't want to be a witch during moving, plus seeing my in-laws in Utah. Brad was a little freaked I wasn't taking it, but I was just going to wait till May. At this appointment they said everything was fine, too. Well, why can't I get pregnant???? Two perfectly healthy people... didn't add up. On the drive home, it just hit me that life is just not in my hands. Heavenly Father has a plan for me, and I may not get it, but I knew after that appointment that it was all in Heavenly Father's hands and I was fine by that.

Well, May came and I waited... and waited for my period. It was the Friday before Mother's Day and I had an extra test from a few months ago so I thought, Hey why not. I can always buy more. It was one of those digital ones, so right after you pee on it it starts to blink. Very nerve-wracking! I had to put it out of eye-range because I was convinced these tests were never going to be positive for me. I saw out of the corner of my eye that it had stopped blinking. Great... another test to tell me what I knew. I looked. "Pregnant". Can't really misinterpret the word, now can you. I gawked at it for a bit, then ran into our bedroom where Brad was taking a nap. I yelled at him, and was just like, "LOOK! LOOK!" And I thrust the test into his hands. He looked at the test, looked up at me, "Are you serious?!" We went to Wal-Mart and I bought a cheapo second test. Positive too. Needless to say, we were in schock for the rest of the day, if not longer. And Brad couldn't stop laughing out of no where for the rest of the weekend- so cute.

Long story, but oh well. It's important to me because I feel like all the pain and waiting has finally ended. I was so scared for our first appointment because I was almost completely convinced they were going to tell me I was empty. And I am still a tiny bit scared it's just going to 'go away'. But it's all a part of life, right? I'm just grateful I get to be pregnant right now.

I have had some people be concerned with how I am feeling so I figured I would make a list of little pregnancy tidbits, thus far.

• Morning sickness: only nausea, so far. I pray and pray that it will remain this way. I am deathly scared of vomiting (which is ironic, since people have accused me of being bulimic) and my mom only had nausea for her pregnancies, so looks like I'm taking after my dear mom! Phew! The mornings are mediocre, lunch can only have snacks, and dinner is my time to eat!
• Food adversions: none really, except the smell of raw seafood. Blech. And past cravings don't sound very appealing either.
• Cravings: the first obvious one was anything with cheddar cheese or just any cheese available on it. I made quesadillas almost daily, bagels toasted with melted cheese, parmesan cheese toast. Loved it. Now... not so much. Right now my thing is chips and dip. I don't know why but they are amazing! But I buy the dry dip to add to sour cream so I'm not eating raw eggs in the pre-made dip. Also, popsicles- more specifically, AstroPops. And guess what: NO ONE HAS THEM IN IDAHO!!!!! Oh, that's another thing- California food I am craving. In-n-Out, Chubby's, Main Street Cafe... anything only found in California and I've eaten, I want. And if anybody mentions something I haven't had in a while, I start to crave it.
• I am tired a lot. "Funny" thing is though I have a really hard time staying asleep at night. Sad news, I sleep on the couch every night. I love Brad, but there is something about my bedroom that I cannot sleep in. We are both hoping this stage passes quickly so we can share a bed again.
• At my first appointment I had lost 2 pounds, but that is really amazing! I went to my appointment right before I hit 9 weeks and the 8th week I started to feel better. My morning sickness was bad nausea for the 5-8 weeks. Now it's up and down. But usually when I don't eat that much the pounds just fall off- but only 2 did! I'm hoping I've gained some by next week.
• Showing: I can tell that my tummy is 'rounder' slightly and so can Brad, but I highly doubt anybody else can unless I lifted up my shirt to everybody. Which I don't. I'm so excited to get bigger and gain weight! Sadly, other parts of my body that are supposed to be growing by now haven't, if you catch my drift. I'm hoping it'll happen within the next month or two. I'm excited to see that as well.
• I've lost most of my natural curl. I kept trying to do my hair curly and it just wasn't working! Could not figure it out. I was getting rather frustrated and was telling Brad and my brother, Sam, when Sam piped in with, "It's probably because your body is changing with the pregnancy." Oooh... did not think of that. I'm waiting till I go to California in September to get my hair cut and styled so they can help me with what I am left with- waves. I've really grown attached to my natural curls!
• I don't get how people 'feel' they are having one gender or the other. I have no clue as to what is brewing up inside of me. It seriously changes daily, if not twice daily. I switch between 'he' and 'she' a lot... I should just say 'shim'. Haha... no. I'm leaning more towards one gender, but I cannot say 100% what it will be. Maybe it's just my indecisiveness rearing it's ugly head or I'll 'feel' it's something later. It's a baby, that is all I know. And that is all that matters right now.
• I was already a slight klutz, but now I really am. Luckily it's mainly with my coordination of where my arms or hands or going, so they get pretty banged up. I haven't fell down our stairs and I am definitely not planning on it.
• I am so emotional. I am an emotional individual anyhow, but now at the dumbest things I start to cry. But it isn't at obvious crying moments, like someone dying or whatever. It is at sentimental moments. For instance, I was watching 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' on TV. It's the end part of the reception, and her father gives them the lease to the house he bought for them. I start crying!!!! What?? Crying at that?? I forced myself to stop and I had to change the channel! Dumb, I know. And other silly moments I start crying.

My next doctor's appointment is next week and I am pretty excited, though I doubt it's going to be anything special. Probably just blood work. But I am really grateful that Brad and I have been blessed to get pregnant. It's going to be fun!