Only 158 days to go!

Or, so says my tracker gizmo... Yup, four months have ticked by and we're into the fifth. Here's the lowdown on how things have been going thus far, and I'll swing in regularly to keep things as up-to-date as exhaustion allows.

Well, first off, I should give y'all some background. We started 'trying' sometime around the end of August. Interesting experience, after a lifetime of successfully employing a finely honed, multi-dimensional, and somewhat paranoid, pregnancy prevention plan to actually set about to actually get pregnant. So odd.

And, of course, never having tried before, we had no idea what kind of potential obstacles to conception might exist...those eggs have lived, ya know?

So, after we experienced our second round of swinging and missing, I decided it was clearly time for a gadget. Not that kind, got that covered. ;) No, it was time for a fertility monitor...time for some scientific guidance, a technological advantage, a new toy to play with that signified the seriousness of this endeavor. Or, as Ross prefers to look at it: Time to spend some money! In short order, a fertility monitor and packet of test sticks were ordered and delivered to the front porch. Aaaah.

This is when I learned that I am completely untalented in the pee-on-a-stick arena. Sigh. The monitor requires that you adorn a stick with your first morning expellation, and further demands that this occur at roughly the same time every morning. Those who know me well can already predict where this is going. And, yes, twice in a 30-day period I managed to miss my 'pee window' by failing to rise before the close of said window--generously (we thought) set to end at 1pm. (Head bowed in pseudo embarrassment, yet tilted with a small dash of pride.)

My favorite pee-on-stick failure, however, was the time when I was groggily still unwrapping the stick when I realized that the opportunity had passed and was awaiting launch to sewerland. Ah well. Note to self: unwrap sticks before ascending throne. This error, at least, was not repeated.

Anyway, some may not be familiar, but the fertility monitor is pretty useless the first month you use it. During this time it is busy figuring out what hormonal levels are normal and calibrating itself so that starting in the second month it can alert you when fertility time is on the rise, peaking, and waning. So, cool...good to know, right? Meanwhile, during that first month, as far as the monitor is concerned, we were a nice level of high-fertility (not peak, mind you, but definitely high) for weeks on end. Hmmmm.

When the monitor cycle was entering into it's 30th day, we raised an eyebrow, but carried on...I mean, I was never particularly great at tracking these things...a general idea of what was expected to happen when, but not precision-oriented. So, who knows, I could have a 32 day cycle for all I know. Well, after a few more days of this, Ross started suggesting that perhaps I might want to pee on another kind of stick some morning soon.

I resisted...I was pretty sure I was PMS-ing, so why waste a stick? We only bought 3 of those, after all...why blow one when clearly there was no way.

A few days after that, on a whim, and slight twinge of 'maybe,' I decided to indulge the curiosity--if only on the theory that disproving the condition would encourage my monthly cycle to get on with it already. So, I peed on the EPT stick and waited to see what happened. According to instructions, this particular brand gave one line (no) or two (yup, knocked up!). I got one very strong line...and then one very, very faint one. I declared us not pregnant. Ross begged to differ, and went online to gain evidence to back up his argument.

So, next day we went for round 2...this stick said the same, faintly positive, thing. Hmmm... But, I'm good at denial, it turns out--despite a lifetime of stark realism. So, off to the Dr. to see what's what. Even with their confirmation, it did take a while before full coming to terms set in. I'm a Taurus, we're stubborn. ;)

This all went down during the week between xmas and New Year's. During this time, and still, to a lesser extent, now, I've primarily contended with extreme exhaustion, intense appetite surges, unflagging heartburn, vicious gastric issues, and a preference to remain unmoving on the couch. I've also had bouts of searing pains, sore muscles and hips, intense back pain, migraines, congestion, and 'pregnancy brain.'

On the up side, I've managed to completely avoid any morning sickness whatsoever. Yea! My skin and hair look pretty much the same as ever--maybe slightly better skin, slightly more frustrating hair. And, I've had a great time enjoying the enhanced, somewhat insane dreaming experience that accompanies this condition. I mean, I've always been blessed with intensely detailed, visually stunning, and entertainingly plot-heavy dreams...but, WHOA!, these are some out there dreams I am having. (One of my favorite, and only, baby-related dreams was the one where I gave birth to a golden retriever puppy with a minor birth-defect (one of its nails was malformed and needed corrective nail-optomy performed). So cute!)

To this point, all of our tests have gone very well, come back completely normal and with encouraging odds. We've gotten to see the Peanut swimming and lazing several times, and had heartbeat checks that all sounded great. Our next ultrasound is scheduled for next week--it's the 'big one' where we may learn what gender we're cooking up, assuming Poindexter Peanut wishes to share this info. We won't be surprised if our fetus proves to be a bit of a rebel, and crosses legs and hands over the crotchal area. ;)

Thank goodness I got a bunch of maternity shopping in last week, because I have definitely begun to pop. For weeks it has looked like I've been letting myself go, pigging out and drinking beer by the keg...finally, it's begun to morph into a more rounded protrusion. It is still possible to mistake with a beer belly, but at least the maternity clothing I got (all supremely cute) manages to frame it in a more positive light.

Aside from the new wardrobe, my favorite pregnancy purchase so far is definitely shaping up to be the pregnancy pillow. It has made sleeping SO much more pleasant. And, now that I'm attempting to spend the majority of my time maintaining proper preggo-position (left side), it's a lifesaver. Winston likes it too...he's pretty good about surrendering it to me when it's bed time, but I can tell he wishes it were his. ;)

So, that pretty much brings y'all up to date. I went on a bit more than I planned, if you made it all the way through, you get a Virtual Shower Brownie Point and big hugs from me for being such a caring, supportive friend! Makes me want to cry! Oh, did I mention the occasional tears brought on by sappy movies like--I kid you not--The Cutting Edge?!? Sigh. I try to get a hold of myself, but damn, them hormones are powerful things!

I'll try to keep you updated as things progress!

xoxo
tara