Wow! 16 weeks...4 months

It seems like so long ago that Hubby & I were sorting through our thoughts on IVF. Me, on the one side, wondering if it would work and if not, if we would do a round 2. Wondering if it failed, how I could even begin to ask him to fork over the 12k+ to try again. Him, quiet and reserved, my rock.

Although I had my doubts, I also was very optimistic. I had a new nutritionist I was working with, I had the faith I placed in my RE, and of course, Him, to whom I prayed everyday. I had "techniques" to work with, meditation, yoga & breathing. But above all, I had a wonderful husband by my side every day, willing to go in this direction, through the halls of modern medicine....it would be a journey that required both of our committment.

It all seems like a whirlwind now, birth control pills, baby aspirin, subcutaneous needles, injections, Gonal-F, microdose Ovidrel, ultrasounds and bloodwork. Genetics counseling. intramuscular injection, IVF, andrology visits, Egg retrieval, ICSI, fertilization report, PGD, Egg transfer, Estradiol patches and Progesterone suppositories. Intertwined in all this was alot of waiting, wondering, praying, meditating.....and more waiting.

I can rattle it all off now as if singing an old favorite song. Looking back now, I know that in the future when we decide to have another child, its straight to IVF for us. No dawdling with minor league fertility drugs.

So, today I am 16 weeks pregnant. Babies are, of couse, 14 weeks gestationally.

Babies:

This seems to be the same pic as 15 weeks...harder and harder to find good weekly pics nowawadays!

Your baby is preparing himself/herself for a growth spurt over the next several weeks. Your baby’s head is more erect now than it has been in the previous weeks of pregnancy. His/her ears and eyes are situated in their final positions. These three things are giving your baby a more “normal” appearance than he/she has had up to this point.
Several of the more complicated body systems are also beginning to function including your child’s urinary and circulatory system. Your baby’s heart pumps around 25 quarts of blood per day. However, by week 40 this amount will increase to 1,900 quarts per day!
--American Pregnancy Association.

Mommy to be:

Belly pic 16 weeks...

Went out this weekend, bought a pair of maternity slacks for trial, much needed. This weekend also marked another milestone. My 37th birthday. Thirty-seven. I type it and read it but it doesn't quite register. WOW.
Weight: 134 1/2 --steadily climbing!

Daddy to be:

DH was wonderful this weekend as usual. Took me to the Galleria & the Cheesecake Factory. Nordstroms for my Chanel No. 19 (I'd been wanting for a while) We went to get my Versace Woman but they didn't have it in stock! I so wanted that one as I ran out of my other one last week! Victoria's Secret netted me my Very Sexy perfume and lotsa note taking on the robe & slippers I'll wear while in the hospital etc. Light blue if its two boys, smurf blue. :) He also got me the newest Calvin Klein scent Euphoria. Had a small birthday bash at the office Friday. Breakfast, juices, cake. We let the staff go at noon, my birthday thank you to them. They all got together and bought me 2 beautiful gifts from Things Remembered. A Mommy to be journal & an engraved bookmark. As well as an engraved silver photoalbum. The engraving says "The Gaitan Twins" There it is, etched in writing. The Gaitan twins. WOW! I'll post a pic later!

I'm 8 days from knowing if I'll be having two sons or a son & a daughter. My gut says 2 boys. My heart says two healthy babies will do just fine.

Mommy in training...