WARNING: Possible Cutey Overdose

Enter at your own risk! :)

Our little lion went to his school halloween party with his entire fan club in tow! Nana & Mamaw - from East Texas, Granny Nanny & Cap'n Jim (Thanks for making the early trip!) and of course, the fan club presidents- Mom & Dad.

We started off with a little photo op at home before heading to the party.

Then we got the party started!

Cib went fishing and won a prize!

Three generations of loving on lookers!

Cib loved the moon walk!

Cib decorated his very own trick or treat bag.

Well, daddy helped a little.

The real high light of the day began when we sat down with Nana for a lesson in decorating the perfect Halloween sugar cookie.
This was Cibbers idea of decorating.
Nana said it was ok as long as we share!

Nana liked the cookies too!
A theme emerged-

Here is Cib getting his tatoo on his hand - with his cookie.

Here is Cib watching Daddy make his Halloween necklace - with his cookie.
An intervention had to be performed.
The giant vants of pasta were a good distraction and a huge hit!

Then we finished off our fun by decorating our pumpkin!
And the big finish, my new trick...
Drinking out of a straw!!!

At the end of the afternoon - I had one very sleepy Lion on my hands.

Day One of Lupron

Well, it's here - the big ominous box of drugs. It's a little scary to think that over the next six weeks I will use this box plus one more of shots, patches and pills - oh my!

Sorry, it's a little blurry but no need for everyone to have address and phone number along with my reproductive history. :)
This past Monday I was in Dallas for sonohystogram aka trial transfer, which is basically when they take pictures of your uterus filled with water. A little uncomfortable but not bad.
More info here:
http://www.amazingpregnancy.com/pregnancy-articles/241.html

Tonight is day one of Lupron, a little scary but mostly exciting!! Lupron is a drug given in a subcutaneous injection, which basically your lower belly area. This medication basically shuts down the waves from your brain to your reproductive organs. Causing your ovaries and uterus and all the hormones involved to 'rest'. This allows the doctors to take over and manipulate these hormones and their function.

No I did not go to medical school. :) I have had five years of infertility to know WAY too much about my body!

The State Fair

We had a great time at the fair! We saw and pet several rare animals - Cib's favorite was the alpaka.

This is an alpaka if you are curious - I know I was!

After enjoying several fried things inlcuding fried s'mores - yum-o - Cib, covered in marshmallow cream - had a major melt down and fell promptly to sleep when we reached the car.

Chilaxing Monday

IVF - well on our way

Well, it's official! I got my FET calendar today from Dr. Pinto! This is a calendar that lists all my doctor's appts, medications and most importantly my targeted embryo transfer date - which is - drum roll please - Nov. 22nd!

We will have our first pregnancy test on Dec. 1st which will hopefully be good news and a great way to start the holiday season.

Meanwhile I am ordering meds, which come in a big ominous box via fedex, today. I begin Lupron injections - my worst nightmare come to life - next Wednesday the 21st. Yikes! This drug gave me a constant migrane for oh 3 months with my last round of IVF. Prayers that this time - no migranes!

More later.

15 months - my big boy!

WOW! Where did the last 15 months go?
My sweet boy had his 15 month check up and shots ( sad face here ) yesterday.
He is a strapping young guy! Weighing 30 pounds (95%) and 34 inches tall (100%) !
The doctor said he looks excellent! Yea!

We are off to Dallas for Texas/OU weekend tomorrow! I will have lots of fun pics to post upon return.

Daddy Day

This past weekend was lots of fun for Mr. Cib! Saturday was what we call a 'daddy day' and daddy took Cib and I to the zoo. Then we went to our friend Evan's 4th birthday party - which was a wild safari and a very good time!

Cib's favorite animal was the Sea Lion!





I love my Bits!

After the zoo we went to Evan's 4th birthday party!

Cib stole a few cookies from his friends.


He wanted so badly to get in the bounce house with the big boys.

Big boy

Pills, Patches & Shots - Oh My!!!

I am a mother. This evening I gave my son a bath, read him a story and put him to bed while singing our favorite hymn, Come Thou Fount. It was an extraordinary experience. Sure, all moms get their heart strings tugged on daily. But for me I think it is extra special. It is moments like these when I realize what might have never been. You see, I am a mother....but I am also a barren woman. If not for the miracle of modern medicine (Invitro Fertilization to be exact) - and of course the blessing of the Lord - I would have never had children. If I had been born 30 years ago, I would have simply not had children and just the knowledge of that fact shakes me to my core.

It is still hard for me to stomach and some times to say out loud, "I am barren" For five years my husband and I tried and tried and tried with and without medical help to conceive a child with no avail. We then began the journey, the very challenging journey of IVF.

I am truly the most blessed woman! The Lord gave me a beautiful baby boy at the end of that hard journey. Then you must be asking yourself, "why are you writing about infertility when you already have baby?"

Good Question! My husband and I are now graffling again with more treatment to have more children. You see, as an infertile woman, you can't just wait and see how many children you might have out of the joy of making love to your husband or actively plan with assurance for more children. For example, I know that I have two embryos left. There are a predictable amount of outcomes with two embryos. Perhaps I will have twins. Maybe just one. OR Maybe, God forbid, no more children at all.

I am writing this post for those women out there that need a girl friend's guide to infertility. There is plenty of medical advice on the internet but no one to shoot it to you straight. That is what I am here to do.

I have really wrestled with rather or not to do this upcoming Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) publicly or not. I was very open with my friends and family with our first IVF experience. But if my sharing any part of this journey - good or bad - helps one woman feel like she is not alone, then I have accomplished something.

My FET is currently scheduled for November 20, 2009. This date can change a little depending on my cycle but I will begin to make regular entries of all the down low of this process. The good, the bad and the ugly.

We are 'day 3' today. Which means I have been taking birth control for three days now. You might ask, "why are you taking the pill if you are trying to get pregnant?" Good Q!
The doctor needs to basically put me in menopause, shutting down my reproductive system, so that he can take control of it, make it think I am pregnant and then put the embryos back in and hopefully really BE pregnant.

More later....

Bff's

Fun in the sand with our friend Saige

Cib has a cousin!

Baby Caroline is here!

Vermont

I am currently feeling blogger challenged! I have been trying to get this post up for a week!

Vermont was amazing! The weather and foliage was beautiful! Thank you Uncle Bernard for the Southwest passes!

Our first mission when arriving in Albany, NY was food! We stopped in Troy, NY. I can't say it was the best experience of upstate NY but well - they are New Yorkers, bless their hearts. - wink

This made me think of my mom - Nana!

All of the northeast is covered in these beautiful old churches!

After walking for three miles me found a place that had not closed due to recession - it was really sad. But the pizza wasnt too bad.



We stayed in Newfane and West Dover. The Wine festival was in Wilmington
These are similar to the painted cows we had here in Texas a few years ago.



So many breath taking colors

All our dinners were amazing!

Our first stop was Newfane at the Four Columns Inn

Grafton VT Cheese Factory

Vermont Life Wine and Cheese Festival



Wine by the fire before dinner...hhhmmm..
The view from our Inn and our dinner table