Oh Happy Miracle...

Once you go Facebook Official, there’s no going back. Mission 00hiding pregnancy is O-V-E-R.

10-4. Roger.

~K

We literally decided about 4 hrs before the Halloween party that we were even going.  For some reason I do this every year.  I wait until the very last minute to make the decision and then have a few hours to put an outfit together.  Luckily our neighbor, Alana, had a few items and then I bought the vampire teeth and red lipstick. (Note: I’m kinda digging red lipstick now, so that might be my new winter color for special occasions). 

Mama got a little scary this year, didn’t she? I’m a glam vampire (or at least that’s what daddy said all night).

This is my artistic approach to a glam vampire.  Don’t ask.

Daddy gets grumpy whenever I tell him he has to dress up for anything.  So at the last minute I ran to CVS and purchased this cape and devil ears.  He reluctantly put them on, but was soon in character. What a sport.

You were even able to join in the fun!

My neighbors and friends had to give you a shout out :)

It was a good time by all, and you were such a good little little.

Love mom.

Calling all mothers, expecting mothers, or mothers to be.  Sign up for babysteals.com if you haven’t already.  They send you daily deals.  Some are just, eh, but other items rock.  Just like these Bellybuds.  On Amazon they’re going for $49.99, but on babysteals they were selling for $24.99.  Great deal!

I’m proud to say that this is my first purchase that I’ve ordered for myself and the little little to get groovy with together.  John and I have agreed to play a lot of classical music. 

I guess the jury is still out on whether music affects the baby’s brain or not? But I’ve heard several women say their baby goes bananas in the womb when they plug it up to their belly.  I’ll take the chance :)

~K

Dear Little Little,

I’m still not sure why I’ve chosen that nickname.  For obvious reasons I guess— you are itty bitty.

Big things have been happening to my body this week.  Every time I feel a cramp, I know it’s my body making room for you.  I can tell that you are warm and snugly, as my cravings for food have become more intense.  I think you plan to stay in there for a while, and just want to make sure you’re eating the yummiest foods during your stay.  So far you have been incredibly pleasant to share this body with and have made this transition for me as easy as pie.  I sometimes wonder if this is just my break, as the past two years have almost been unbearable. 

I want to thank you for being so sweet and quiet these past few weeks.  My symptoms have been minor. The BIGGEST change are the incredible curves, in my hips, that are definitely making a statement as of late.  As Shakira would say, “My hips don’t lie”, that’s for sure.  Something’s happening.

I’m just so grateful that you are apart of me and I promise that I will do everything in my power to comfort you and nourish you for the coming months.

Love mom.

Whenever I search for nursery ideas my eye always zeros in to the yellow, gray and white pictures.  There’s something about a yellow and gray coupling that just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. I know it’s a new trend that many are following, but I can’t help but to want to sprint on over and jump on the bandwagon.

Yes Please.

Check.

Love you.

I’ll take one of each.

I’m also really intrigued by mismatched furniture.  Your daddy, being the software developing, perfectionist that he is, isn’t so enthusiastic.  I tested him a bit by purchasing two picture frames that didn’t match.  They compliment eachother nicely, but he can’t stand the fact that they don’t match.  He literally said it drives him crazy and he hates it. He’s a work in progress. 

I would love to fill your nursery with a white crib, a yellow or green dresser with a gray glider. Perfection.  We shall see. I am very well aware that if you are indeed a little boy scout that we will have to do an aviation theme.  It was never an option for me.  Your dada wins.

Love mom.

**Note: I realize this post contradicts my last post.  But a girl can dream!**

I have been feeling really overwhelmed about all the things we need to purchase before the little little comes.  I know I have plenty of time, but whenever I google cribs, decor, baby bags, etc, I end up panicking.  I feel like there is just so much to do— and everything is sooo expensive!  I know I will get there, and I’m sure every pregnant mama goes through this, but it’s a lot to take on. I seriously never knew we would even get to this point, so I haven’t prepared for this step.

So yes, I’m having a moment, and then I tell John how overwhelmed I feel.  Of course John brings me back down to reality and says, “What’s the baby gonna say, mama, where’s my crib?  Or, I hate that wall color.  Relax.”  I guess it’s more amusing if you could hear the baby voice he used. But he’s right.  The baby is going to come whether we have everything together or not. And the baby is going to love me, whether he/she has the perfect sheets or not.  It’s not about all the “things” I can fill his/her life with.  It’s about the love that I will smother him/her with for an eternity. And yes, I do mean smother.  Get ready baby!

Love mom.

I’ve spent almost the entire past hour balling.  On Oprah today there was a story about one of the most tragic, yet beautiful, stories I’ve ever heard.

This mother was in a car accident with her three children: 1 boy and 2 girls.  All three children passed away.  The mother miraculously survived.  After months of grieving, they decided to try to get pregnant.  For medical reasons, they had to do IVF.

Get this— they got pregnant…with triplets!  It gets better— 1 boy and 2 girls!!! 

If InVitro is not a miracle to us, I don’t know what is.

~K

I may or may not have just made 3 different meals for lunch.  I may or may not have made spaghetti, then popped in a frozen dinner, and now am cooking mac-n-cheese with a salad. 

Don’t worry, I didn’t eat all of it.  As I made the first one, I realized I didn’t want it, so then tried the second one, and realized I didn’t want it.  You can never go wrong with mac-n-cheese.  Never.

I blame the baby.

~K

(Don’t worry, this was taken about a year ago.)

John asked me a few days ago if I wanted to go for a ride.  “Ummmm, really?!  Sorry pal, I don’t think you realize that my riding days are O-V-E-R for a long time.”  I know it slipped his mind, you know, the whole pregnant thing, but geez. I’ve got precious cargo in here!

Since I’m on the topic…  We see this guy ride around all the time…look really hard, keep looking….yes, that is his dog on the back!  Is that not the coolest thing ever?

~K

I am definitely not one to sit back and hold things in. But there was a time, in the beginning of this journey, that I was sworn to secrecy.  John was serious about it.  He looked at me, when we first found out about his morphology issue, with fear in his eyes, and said “You are not to tell a soul.  No one can know this.  You cannot tell your family, friends, NO ONE.” 

It killed me.  Not because I wanted to tell our business to the world; I just needed to release the stress of knowing.  I needed to talk to someone that was outside of our little bubble of misery.  I have always felt that by keeping an open dialogue with family and friends, that I end up making better decisions and am a stronger person because of it.

For several weeks I kept my mouth shut.  And each day that passed, I felt a piece of me disappear.  John walked around like a zombie.  He was completely drained and depressed.  In his mind, his entire manhood was taken from him.

Eventually, as the days grew more and John had time to absorb his “tragedy”, he realized he needed to let go. And that’s just what he did.

John is such a different person now.  I almost feel like a proud mama watching him talk about it so openly with friends and family.  It’s now to the point where I can’t get him to stop talking about it.  He tells everyone.  It’s so refreshing to see him blossom and act almost as if he’s proud of what he has gone through to get us to this point.

My point is to encourage you to open up if you’re struggling— it doesn’t even have to be fertility related.  Free yourself of your fears and secrets.  I can promise you that the people who really love you will never turn their back on you.

Just let it go…

~K

I think I’m coming down with something: headache, sore throat, stuffy nose, congestion.  It started last night.  Now I’m mainly congested and have a headache. 

Any safe remedies for a pregnant lady? I know I could just google it, but y’all always seem to have good advice, and I’d love to hear what you’ve tried while pregnant.

I have NeilMed Sinus Rinse (It’s like Neti Pot), and let me tell you, this kept me healthy and sick free all last year.  I’m not sure if I can use this while pregnant though.

And mom, if you’re reading, I know what you would say, “Gargle hot salt water.”  It’s the fix all in her book :)

~K

Anonymous asked: From time to time in posts, you’ve mentioned how expensive this journey has been. Now, I’ve heard stories of friends of friends who’ve had IVF covered by their insurance (though I have no details aside from someone saying, “Their insurance covered it.”). I’ve just been wondering if this really comes down to some plans covering IVF and others not?

Unfortunately that is the case.  Our insurance only covers the medication.  Which is great because that can cost anywhere from $3,000 - $5,000 each try.  We’ve paid for two IUI’s, two IVF’s, a testicular biopsy, and all the doctor’s visits in between. 

I’ve heard of a few companies that cover up to a certain dollar amount, or will cover up to 3 IVF attempts, and so on.  A lot of companies are beginning to see that this is something we cannot control, so they are making it a part of their insurance plan. 

I’m confident that one day this will all be covered.  So many couples are struggling with infertility that it is becoming more and more of a topic of conversation. 

I am proud to say that I am trying to be apart of the solution, rather than the problem, and plan to speak out whenever necessary.

~K

Bellamina’s Owl Pillow- by karensagez

Aristotle The Owl Hoody- by joeyandaleethea

Teeny Tiny Sweetie Pie Tutu- by sweetiepietutus

Berry Good Blueberry Booties- by SweetCityKnits

I think these are my ALL TIME FAVORITE booties I’ve ever seen!! And they’re only $8!!!

Lowfat Pasta Carbonara by Bethenny Frankel

Please please please try this dish!  I have already announced to the world that I’m a work in progress when it comes to cooking.  I found this recipe online several months ago and it has proven to be a house favorite.  I have to admit that I switched the recipe around a bit and don’t follow all the low fat suggestions, but this recipe will not let you down.  It will last the two of us several lunches and maybe an extra dinner.  And it’s great for you mommy’s looking for something homemade, that doesn’t take you the entire day to prepare for a house full of kids. It’s Amazing with a capital “A”. 

My suggestions are in bold:

• 1 pound whole wheat spaghetti
• 3/4 cup soy milk- I use regular milk
• 2 whole eggs- I completely took this out of the recipe, since I’m pregnant and can’t have raw eggs, and it tasted exactly the same
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan- I just buy the packaged parm
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 2 tablespoons butter (regular or vegan/soy)
• 8 slices organic turkey bacon, cooked until crispy- We use the real stuff
• 1-1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
• add fresh tomato, peas, and broccoli for extra nutrition

1. Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the soy milk, eggs (remember you can take the egg out of the recipe) and yolks, parmesan cheese, half the garlic salt, and half the pepper.
3. When the pasta is done, drain it and quickly put it directly into the bowl with the egg mixture.  Toss to coat.  The hot pasta will cook the eggs.
4. When the pasta is coated with the egg mixture, mix in the butter, bacon, red pepper flakes, and the remaining garlic salt and pepper.  Serve immediately.

BON APPETIT!

~K