Snowmageddon~ Winter 2014

It has been one heck of a winter around here in the Hudson Valley! 

Living in New York, you expect snow in winter. It's a given... but oh my goodness, we have been getting hit with SO many snowstorms, and there's still another month+ left until spring officially starts! We've had about 10 storms to date, all ranging in different accumulations, mostly all the typical stuff we expect. Some on weekends, some not amounting to much, but again, typical winter.

At school, we have 3 snow days built into our calendar. We sometimes get more, but it depends on holiday breaks, how the calendar falls, and what our union votes on. We actually had the chance to have 5 this year, and it got voted down, so 3 it was. Blah! To date, we've used 7 snow days (6 for kids, 1 for staff only). It's safe to say spring break is no more... it's a distant memory of the past, I'm not sure when we last had a full spring break... Boo Hoo!

I am so not a winter person. Give me warm spring or fall days with sunshine and blue skies 3/4 of the year and I will be one happy person. I seriously think I have SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) because I get the winter blues when it's cold, dark, and dreary outside. Take away my spring break and I am one major crankypants. I can't totally complain, though, because although 5 snow days got voted down, we got 3 AND a full week for winter break (this coming week, around Presidents' Day). So, a break is still a break, however I am stuck inside for those snow days when I'd rather be spending them outside on a nice day. Oh well, not in the cards.

So back to the snow... it's been insane lately. We made it all the way to mid-December before the first real storm around here, and we stupidly thought we'd be in good shape at school. It didn't snow at all over Christmas break (we actually had a day in the 50s!), and then January hit. We had a few in January and started to wipe through our snow days. Right when we returned from break, the first day back was an early dismissal, followed by a snow day. We got hit with more later in the month and had a few delays , early dismissals, and snow days. We didn't have one full week of school with a normal schedule/routine. We either had a holiday, a snow disruption, or a school-wide event that threw off our schedule. I also got sick, had some fertility appointments, and went to visit a neighboring school. Complete craziness. Maybe February has more promise?... haha!

The first week of February, we had a 2 systems of snow... we got 2 snow days (Monday and Wednesday) and about a foot of snow. Scott happened to be off the second day, so it was kind of a nice freebie day for us! :) Because of the 2 snow days, there went any chance of having a normal week at school. We were out, there, out, there... crazy! So much for trying to sustain routines with 5-year olds! We haven't had a "normal" and full week since maybe the beginning of December?? And that's a big maybe. The second week of February (this past week), was not any better. It was already a short week because kids had off Valentine's Day~ it was a staff development day. With valentine excitement, our annual spelling bee, and constant indoor recess because of the cold temps, the kids were getting VERY hyped early on in the week. We hoped we might just make it through Thursday, and a GIANT storm hit Thursday into Friday, bringing on 2 more snow days. We wiped through 4 snow days in a 2-week span. Not good.

The irony of it is that I got observed by the Superintendent this week (the day before the storm hit) and I chose to read The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats. When I met with him earlier in the week, he joked and asked if I chose the story on purpose with the probable snow day for Thursday. It was purely coincidence because I had chosen it the week before and wrote my lesson plans up well before the storm was even in the forecast. We joked about it, and although a snow day was very likely, I hadn't realized just how big the storm was going to be.

The lesson went well, the kids loved the story, and we talked about what they could do on the snowy day that was clearly coming full speed ahead. Sure enough, we got a snow day on Thursday as snow kept falling... and falling... and falling. I measured the new snow in our front walkway to be 16.5 inches when it had paused in the evening, before round 2 started. Round 2 brought another 7-8 inches, so our total was 24 inches of snow... on top of the foot we had out there last week! Snow drifts and mounds from snowblowers and plows are ridiculous, and our back deck has more snow than I have ever seen on it, since we moved in three and a half years ago. 

We were supposed to have a staff development day at school on Friday (yesterday), and we received an email from the Superintendent mid-day on Thursday with updates that we would probably have a delayed start, unless part 2 of the storm made it impossible. In the email, he referenced my class by saying, "This is my fault. I was reading A Snowy Day with some kindergarten students yesterday." HA!! Some coworkers and I thought the shoutout was hysterical, and then I kept thinking how funny it was that the book was coming true. By the time we heard forecasts for part 2 and that it was bringing up to another foot of snow in addition, we had a feeling school wouldn't be open, and sure enough, we closed yesterday, too. Although the snow had stopped, cleanup was impossible to keep up with, and every school in the area was closed. It was just too much. I looked through the book again yesterday, thinking how funny it was that I somewhat predicted it and brought on the storm with my read aloud choice, I began to think of a few more weird similarities with the book... In the story, it snows so much that the boy climbs a snow mountain and slides down (Yup, mounds are so high, even I could do that!). Also, it snows all day, then the boy dreams that it all melts that night, but he wakes up to see that it's snowing again (It snowed twice here too, part 2 overnight, so we had new snow yesterday morning)!! Planned? Of course not~ I do not have superpowers, despite the fact that some coworkers are now making sure they stay on my good side. It is kind of funny, and maybe I have some psychic abilities through the choosing of books I read about in school. If that's the case, I better start reading about spring ASAP!! :) 

Part 1 of the storm~ 2/13/14

Part 1~ add another foot to this, and huge plow mounds... Our mailbox is practically buried!

Thankfully, we have a snowblower, so our typical routine is that if Scott's at work, I shovel 2 tire tracks for him to get in, do the steps and walkway, and he does the rest. I help clean up a few tracks if needed, and after doing so for part 1 on Thursday, I took a break to make a quick snow angel. :) I can't tell you the last time I did this! I wanted to make a snowman the next morning, but he got called into work early, so it hasn't happened yet.

I'm such a kid at heart. <3

Then we went inside to relax, drink, and play some UNO. :) 

Part 2 dropped another 8 inches, and it wasn't light and fluffy like Thursday's snow was. It was much heavier, slushy, and crunchy... basically a pain!! But, the sun came out and the skies were blue, so it was like a beautiful calm after the storm. 

If it wasn't so cold or windy, I would've sat out there! 

In the middle of part 1 of the storm, I was shocked to see the mail truck arrive, and it was a fun mail day!! Actually, even Wednesday night, I had received another package, so it was 3 packages from my ttc sister-friends. I had sent out 4 packages last week~ 1 for a 30th birthday/good luck with pregnancy results, 1 blue-themed package for a mama expecting a boy, 1 pink-themed package for a mama expecting a girl any day now, and 1 neutral-themed package for another mama-to-be! I didn't want a thing in return, and just wanted to send some excitement for all their celebrations. When I saw the first on Wed, I assumed it was a pay-back and I felt bad bc it's not why I sent it. If anything, they can wait til it's our turn, but it isn't yet, so I didn't want a payback. When I opened it up Thursday, I realized I was wrong, and was happily surprised...

Allison, sent me a valentine card and this super cute card with the glue on the front. After reading her note inside, I realized that the entire package was not to say thank you, but to cheer me on for our upcoming IUI cycle. Once she knew we had the green light to proceed, she went out and bought everything to send some encouragement. I had beaten her to the punch, so when she got my baby package, she sent mine off. In reality, it had been a sweet coincidence. :) I don't know if you're familiar with Love You Forever, but it's a tear-jerker... and now it's Baby Ricci's first official book for his/her library! I cried so many happy tears with the realization that things are becoming a reality (hopefully) very soon! I was so touched by her kindness, and I am forever grateful for her friendship and support. This community I have found on IG is amazing~ remember, it's people I've never even met in person, but we just all have an instant bond and I've formed a lot of friendships with girls who I now text pretty regularly with. It's been a beautiful blessing in disguise.

The next day, in the snowstorm, this is what arrived from Vanessa &  Kristen. You two are amazing and I love you both so much!! Thank you!!! Both are pregnant and I know they will each be WONDERFUL mamas! What lucky babies!! :) :) xoxo

So, what does one do on a double snow day, that's attached to a week-long vacation? Normally, I am lazy and waste all my time doing nothing but laying on the couch. Lately, I've been more active, working out again, and eating a little better, so I've had a lot more energy this week. I've put off cleaning out and organizing the office and some of the upstairs rooms for a while, so I finally got to it. Here's my side of the office, aka my crafty zone, and I'm so excited to have it back in order!! I guess 2 extra snow days wasn't such a bad deal right now because it forced me to stay in and do something productive!

Having a clean and organized craft space means I can get creative!! Since I couldn't get to the store to get a Valentine's Day card for Scott, I made one instead!! :) Those are the best kind anyway! ;)

So, Snowmageddon proved not so bad after all... except now it's almost over my head in some spots, and our development looks ridiculous with narrow streets and driveways, but whatever. It is winter in NY after all. I don't know the last time we've had this much snow at once, or even built up, but it is a little pretty too. Did I mention it's snowing again right now? Expecting another 1-3 inches today, but in comparison that is a piece of cake!! I now have the next week off, and although we have to make up 4 days of school, I'm enjoying the calm right now. Scott took off the week with me, as of tomorrow, so we have some fun things planned. We're going to a wine & cupcake event tomorrow at one of our favorite local wineries, and then we are going to Boston for a few days for a mini getaway to just relax and have fun in a change of scenery before cycle 1 gets the best of me with hormone fluctuations and appointments. Here's to winter break & new beginnings as cycle 1 of IUI starts this week!!

XOXO~ Stace

Acu-What?! ...Becoming a Human Pincushion

My old thoughts on acupuncture:
... OUCH~ Why?!
... Something I will NEVER do. 
... Something I will always avoid.
... Needles stuck all over my body, voluntarily?! Heck no! 
... Nope, nah-uh, no way Jose. Not Gonna Happen. (See pic above!)

     No surprises here, acupuncture always creeped me out at the sound of it. Remember, I am the girl who cringes at the mere thought of a needle. If someone is talking about one, tell me to cover my ears or walk away. I get all wobbly, woozy, and weird. I can't think about, hear about, see, or handle needles. Grey's Anatomy is one of my favorite TV shows, and I still curse out the TV when they show scalpels, needles, and sharp hospital objects. I can't watch. I can't function. This is why I absolutely hate getting shots and blood tests, too. I can be brave when I have to (sometimes), but if at all costs a needle can be avoided, I avoid it like the plague. For this reason, I will also probably never have a tattoo!

     After hearing about acupuncture helping a lot of women get pregnant, and knowing a few fellow IG/TTC sisters go for it and later be successful with pregnancies, it started to become a little less scary. Lots of friends were posting how much they liked it, how relaxing it was, and how it was helping. Hmmmm??? Can't always knock it 'til you try it, right? In some cases, yes. Other cases, no. But since being a mommy is such a big dream, I'm willing to sacrifice my phobia of needles, to an extent. I started researching local acupuncturists, specifically those with fertility experience. A childhood friend does acupuncture in NYC, and while that's too far to go regularly, I asked her for local recommendations and she found me a clinic in our old hometown, right down the street from my job/school. How convenient!! I emailed the acupuncturist and heard back immediately (a few other clinics near where I now live still haven't responded to my inquiries, 4 months later). I think it was a sign. ;) 

     I made my first appointment in November, and was so nervous. Melissa, the acupuncturist, was very inviting and welcoming. She made me feel comfortable right away, but it was a strange first hour because she was trying to get an idea of why I was there, what I wanted for results, etc. I had to talk about every aspect of my life and get super personal about everything, from easy to awkward: my diet, my sleeping patterns, my physical wellness, exercise, childhood, family, relationship with Scott, our marriage, infertility, my job, stress, headaches, etc. I am not great at speaking to questions on the spot, and never really analyzed these areas of my life before. I've never seen a therapist or spoken out about my feelings and life events to anyone other than close family, friends, or who I choose. Speaking about every corner of your life to a total stranger, within minutes of meeting them, is a little intimidating and scary. But I was here for a reason and this was important, so I did it. 

     Melissa then explained acupuncture, it's history, it's benefits, and everything in between. To be honest, I never really got it. I thought it was just sticking needles into your body to make you feel better for certain reasons.. and while essentially that is close, there's so much more to it. There's such a deep history in the science of it, and it's really kind of magical to me. Basically, acupuncture is placing very fine needles at specific points in the body where vital energy runs. It kind of helps release and promote the flow of your chi, or vital force energy. Energy can get stuck in certain spots in your body, especially if you are tense and stressed, depressed, or sick. Energy is flowing and moving when you are relaxed, happy, and active. A lot of this parallels what I've learned in yoga, too, so it was kind of making sense to me and hitting home to a place I could connect with and understand. I don't know the science behind it and how it works (again, it seems so magical), but placing those little needles in certain spots can alleviate pain, release hormones, increase blood flow, and move around your chi/energy. It's all pretty amazing to me, as this is kind of the spiritual realm I find fascinating. Positivity & energy flow are right up my alley!

     When it came time to try a few needles, I was given the choice of laying face up or face down. I didn't want to see anything and I preferred the idea of them going into my back, which I feel is a little less sensitive. I felt Melissa pinpointing different spots on my back, based on my spine and different vertebrae, and then in went the first needle, somewhere in my upper back. I went "Wow, that's it?! That was nothing!" I was thrilled it didn't hurt, and was starting to relax and soak it all in. Melissa reassured me that the needles were so super fine, unlike hypodermic needles. When the 2nd needle was in, I started to feel a strange, but cool, tingly sensation in my back.... Kind of like having a few glasses of wine, is what I told her. She said that's the chi moving, and she wasn't surprised because she could tell from our meeting that I have a lot of positive energy flow. I relaxed as the rest of the needles were placed (I think 10 total, all in different points of my back), and then lay there to relax for about 20 minutes, listening to calm music. The bed was so comfortable, it's like a massage table, and I almost took a nap. It was surprisingly VERY relaxing and not at all what I had feared. I felt so strong and brave, and proud of myself for trying something new and scary, all by myself. 

      My first appointment was at the end of November, and my second was on New Year's Eve. I wasn't going more often because a) it's expensive and not covered by insurance, and b) we hadn't received Scott's results at that point, so we weren't sure what would be happening, or when, so I didn't want to jump into anything more regular. Also, Melissa hadn't suggested anything more, so I was ok with slowly easing into it. The December visit was the same, all in my back. I have been dealing with on and off headaches for many years, so in addition to fertility issues, I did want to try to address this as well. I know I get migraines the week of my period (possibly a hormone rise or dip), and also when I don't work out for a while. So we were trying to help it. She put 1 needle on each side of my head, behind my ears... that was a very tender and sensitive spot that hurt for a bit, but then released almost immediately. Weird! I'm hoping if I keep up with workouts I'll help the headaches because even though it probably helped, I don't necessarily like that needle spot a lot. It's probably a good pressure point, but woa that was kind of a zinger.

     Once we got our results on Scott and learned we would need to move to IUI with donor sperm, I emailed Melissa and said I wanted to have more frequent sessions. I told her I want to beat the odds and increase our chance of conceiving as soon as possible. I've gone twice in the last two weeks, and we have 2 more sessions set up for the next 2 weeks, which will lead up to ovulation and the actual procedure. Now that we're focusing more on fertility assistance, the last 2 sessions I've laid on my back. I have to admit, I was a little scared the first time because now we are getting into more sensitive areas, and I can see it all, which makes my mind anxious.

      I think I counted 14 needles on my front, in various spots: 4 in each leg (one near each knee, two alongside each shin, and 1 in each foot, below the toes), 3 along my abdomen (1 above each ovary and 1 in between), 1 in each hand (the space of loose skin between my thumb and pointer), and 1 in the center of my forehead (third eye area). I have to say, MOST of them didn't hurt a bit. The one in my right foot hurt and made me jump, and sometimes others do twinge for a second. The ones in my hands had me mentally freaked out, and I felt myself getting shaky and anxious, but I breathed through it and was fine. Once they were all in, I relaxed and listened to the music and my thoughts. Before Melissa took them all out, I asked her to snap a few pics so I could show off to Scott. I was so proud of my accomplishment, it's like learning a new trick!

Hard to see, but there's a needle in my forehead... I couldn't help but laugh!

There's a needle in my hand... and keeping my thumb and pointer touching kept me grounded (like yoga!)

     One interesting observation from that first front-side session, is I think it helped move along ovulation, as weird as that sounds. The needle over my left ovary was causing more sensitivity than my right, and there were weird twinges. I told Melissa and she said it could be that ovary gearing up for ovulation. I took note of it and later confirmed that the session was on day 18 of my cycle (I'm typically late in ovulating, and my cycles tend to be a little on the long side at times). The very next day, I felt a lot of twinges in that same spot (like a fluttery feeling, very milk cramps in a sense), and honestly think that was ovulation. I emailed Melissa to tell her the connection I found, and she said it probably was indeed that. We will be using acupuncture over the next few weeks to prepare my body for what's to come, and it could have been stimulating it for ovulation. How cool is that?! This past week when I went, all needles were placed in the exact same spots, and I found that breathing deeply just before, or while each one is placed, helps to not get zapped by any in surprise. 



My new thoughts on acupuncture:
... Something I now do, and love. Go figure! Funny how life changes! 
... Ahhhh :) 
... I've overcome a fear (mostly... there are places I don't want that needle... like in my ear, or my wrists. Eek!)

   I'm so glad I've decided to go for acupuncture. I'm so proud of myself for facing a fear and I'm working to help myself relax and overcome it. The needles are not like those I'm more afraid of, but if I can teach myself to calm down and relax, it might carry over to when I need the scarier needles. I get nervous while all are being placed, and it's a little scary not knowing where they're all going (but I'd rather not know than ask and freak out more), but once they're all in and settle for a second, I'm fine. And I honestly do not get hurt by the majority of them. I am able to relax while I lay there, and this past time I was envisioning the whole IUI cycle, the process I'll be going through, and tried to envision getting a positive pregnancy test, growing a cute baby bump, and even possibly having twins! It's all about positive thinking, relaxing, and just being at peace with it all. I feel GREAT when I leave, and it even keeps me in a great mood for the next few days, plus I feel refreshed and energetic. I recommend it! You don't need to have an injury or illness to go. You can go for general relaxation even. It's pretty amazing and I'm thankful to have found Melissa and her super convenient location!! 

View from acupuncture building~ The Hudson River <3

~*Young Love*~

February is special because of Valentine's Day, but before that came our dating anniversary, and we just celebrated 15 years together!!! (*That's HALF my life!!!*)

Here's a little trip down memory lane... <3

*High School Sweethearts. February 6, 1999~ Winter Semi-Formal, held at Cullum Hall on West Point (US Military Academy, in West Point, NY). We both grew up in neighboring towns, and our high school housed the WP kids, so all of our formals were on WP property, which are all elegant venues where lots of weddings are held. We danced all night together at the formal, and these were our 1st pics together from that night. (I am big in scrapbooking~ haven't created much in a while outside of digital photo books, but I have 2 HUGE binders of our first 6 or 7 years together! That's where I found these little gems!)

*Scott asked me out the next day, on the phone... 2/7/99. <3

*Some of the early years, and the story and importance of 11:11. I love how one of the middle pics is so us~ I'm doing school work in class, taking notes... and Scott's goofing off. Typical!

*One of my favs of us~ I remember almost the exact moment. We were on our senior class trip, 2001, to Disney World. This was at Hollywood Studios (then, MGM Studios), near the Star Wars ride, while we were waiting to meet up with a group of friends. :)

*I went away to college, about 2 hours north of home, in Albany, NY. We would see each other on weekends whenever we could, but Scott would come visit every so often. While in college, I joined the Student Events Board and became Chair of Semi-Formals. This pic was from the first event I planned, at Franklin Plaza, a gorgeous hotel in Troy, NY.

*We became high school sweethearts in 10th grade, stayed strong through my 4 years away at college, and got engaged after I graduated, in June of 2005, in Niagara Falls, Canada. We got married 2 years later, on July 6, 2007. We're just celebrated 15 years of being together, and now are coming up on our 7-year wedding anniversary in a few months.

*Saving the best for last... Scott's main Christmas gift for me, this past Christmas. It's a photo of Neuschwanstein, a castle that we visited in Germany (and a Disney castle, as it inspired Cinderella's castle). Scott wrote his own quote at the bottom, which reads "Team Ricci: For every obstacle we face, for every challenge that comes forward. We will persevere as long as we have each other to lean on!" It's a good reminder that, although we may be boring at times (15 years and being 10000% comfortable with each other), we can and will make it through anything together because we are a team! I love you, Scott. <3

Batter Up!

In a few days, we'll be officially starting our first IUI cycle... "Batter up!"

Quick recap of the last few weeks, since my last post:

     We had our IUI consult with our fertility Dr., also referred to the RE. It was a rather quick meeting~ I had gone in with a whole page of questions in my notebook and literally within 5-10 minutes we were done. I kept thinking of things to ask, but technically she covered all the bases. 

We wait til day 1 of my next cycle (any day now), then I have to call and go in for baseline blood work, as well as an ultrasound. Then, they'll have me take Clomid for a few days. Clomid is a pill that "stimulates an increase in the amount of hormones that support the growth and release of a mature egg." Basically, it will amp up my ovaries and follicles to possibly produce a few eggs prior to ovulation. This part scares me a bit because this is how multiples can happen very easily (think Kate Gosselin~ eeek!! NO, THANK YOU!!), but fear not because the clinic won't go through with the procedure if there are more than 3 follicles. After taking Clomid for a few days, I'll go back in for ultrasounds to track my follicle growth and see how I'm responding to the medicine, and when I should be ready to ovulate. When they're at a good size (and hopefully less than 3 are present so we can proceed), they'll schedule the IUI procedure (i.e. artificial insemination) for probably 2 days later. I'll have one injection that night, 36 hours before the procedure, to help release the eggs and time everything perfectly for the procedure. In theory, this is the idea... then I go in for the procedure, wait 2 weeks, and take a pregnancy test. If negative (likely), we repeat the process all over again until we get a positive pregnancy test. 

HAHA~ too funny, I had to post!

     While at the clinic, I also needed a blood test to check for CMV, Cytomegalovirus. While this sounds rather frightening, it's "a common virus that can infect almost anyone. Most people don't even know they have it because it rarely causes symptoms. However, if you're pregnant or have a weakened immune system, CMV is cause for concern." The RE explained that all sperm donors are tested as part of their screening process, and even if they (or anyone else) is tested positive, it doesn't mean you currently have it, it just means you have been exposed to it in the past. Because we are using donor sperm, I needed to get tested as well, and be aware of the status of the donor because there would be a very small percentage that it could get passed on to me if I were negative, but not to worry. I wasn't totally comprehending (once I heard "we have to take your blood today", I kind of zoned out because of my fear of needles!)... but she said it's just a protocol they need to follow. So I got tested (ouch) and they said I'd get results in a few days, although I didn't really care what the outcome was because she kind of brushed it off like no big deal. 

    We pretty much saw almost every worker in the office that day~ the RE for the consult, the nurse to get blood taken, the patient coordinator to check in with us, and the financial person. We were excited to be switching to IUI in terms of money because it's way more affordable (it's way less invasive with procedures, protocol, etc.). We went in knowing the IUI plan was around $6 thousand for a total of 3 cycles. Big savings compared to the $12 thousand for ONE round of IVF... yep, one. So we were getting 3 cycles for half of that.... but after talking to the rep, we realized our insurance covers IUI!! SCORE!! Team Ricci- 1, Infertility- 0. Take that, sucka! We had forgotten this because we were told IVF was our only shot last year (assuming we would be using Scott), and so we blocked out any and all IUI info. I do now vaguely remember them saying my plan covers it, but a friend on the same plan was told that it didn't, and there were hidden costs. So we were hesitant and asked the rep probably 20 times if she was absolutely sure it was all covered, no hidden costs, and we don't. We have to pay copays, but I don't count that. We have to pay for all the donor sperm, shipping of it, thawing of it, and storage fees if we need more. We also have to pay for Clomid, but for the actual IUI procedures, process, etc, it's covered for unlimited attempts. We were so so soooooo thrilled by this, that we went out for dinner afterward to celebrate! This means we can keep saving for Baby Ricci, rather than putting it all towards the making of Baby Ricci. Yay! 

So, NOW... here's what we do:

*Wait for next cycle to start, and the process begins. 

*Meet with the therapist at the clinic. Now that we are using a donor, we need to have a mandatory meeting to check and see how we are, for support, etc. 

*That's kind of it!! Scott's picked out a donor that he's happy with (blond hair & blue eyes were at the top of the list!), and he ordered it the other day. I got the call that it was shipped yesterday, Valentine's Day... ha, weird.... and it'll arrive at the Norwalk, CT location of our clinic some time on Tuesday, where it'll be stored for the big day. 

Some common questions I've been getting:

*When will the actual IUI procedure happen? 

I don't know. My guess is somewhere in the first week of March, but I have no idea. It's not something we can schedule. It all depends on when my cycle starts, how I respond to Clomid, and when my follicles are a good size to be ready for ovulation. I likely will not know the exact date until 2 days before it happens. It could put a damper on school/social plans because I won't have a choice, but I can't and won't delay the process. We are so ready for this! 

*Could you have multiples?

It's a possibility, yes. Since Clomid can amp up extra egg follicles, it's possible!! I'm extremely nervous to have 3, for lots of health reasons on babies & mama. I would love twins, though! And obviously we would be beyond excited and grateful with one. I have faith that whatever that's meant to be, will be. :)

*How many tries will it take?

Who knows... but I am praying like mad that it happens within the first 3. The chances each try are only about 20%, which actually is the same for couples who don't need fertility assistance and can do it the "normal" way. I know plenty of stories of people conceiving on the first try, and that's all guessed timing. This is so scientifically timed that I will fight like mad for my 1/4 or 1/5 chances! I am so determined to make this happen quickly. 

So, we shall see what the next few months brings. Please send positive thoughts and prayers! 

Thank you for the support of everyone reading. We are extremely grateful!

XOXO