25 Things

Rules: Once you've been tagged, write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.

(To do this, go to “notes” under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.)

1. I hate being cold and I hate being tired. Therefore, waking up in the morning to a shower that won't warm up in the worst.

2. I love my job more than anything in the world. I teach the best group of kids anywhere.

3. I have always wanted to have four kids. The best order would be a boy, twin boy and girl, and a girl. Right now, however, I'll take what I can get.

4. I am completely obsessed with all things Australian and Hawaiian.

5. I hate needles in every shape, form, and size. Something about plunging a length of metal into your skin seems horribly wrong.

6. I am painfully shy among all but a small handful of people. It's something I've always tried to overcome, but haven't been able to. Unfortunately I think it gives some people the wrong impression about me.

7. When I was in Australia participating in the Outdoor Ed camps I was leaning against a wall only to find out later that I was leaning on a Funnel Web Spider nest. They have enough venom in them to kill a child.

8. I can't wait until I can have a dog of my own. I want to have some type of lab- either a yellow or a chocolate lab.

9. Although I love my job, I want nothing more than to be a stay-at-home mom for a few years once I have kids. The idea of teaching other people's kids while mine are being cared for by someone else seems a little crazy.

10. I'm just starting my grad school classes for my Reading and Language degree and I can't believe how much I miss school.

11. Growing up we went to New Hampshire every single year. Usually we camped in Lancaster for a week or so. Without fail we always went to Santa's Village. As a Father's Day gift a few years ago, my brothers and I brought my dad to Santa's Village one last time. We were the only group of all-over-20-year-olds there. But we had fun.

12. My goal is to some day run a marathon. I'll start off small first, but I love running around the pond at school. It's such a great way to clear my head after a crazy day with my kiddies.

13. I love to travel.

14. Growing up we didn't have cable. Johnny makes fun of me all the time because I often don't know kids shows he talks about. I, however, have fond memories of doing things other than watching tv when I was little-- I'm proud that tv didn't rule my life when I was younger.

15. Growing up my parents let me participate in a whole host of activities-- I took flute and organ lessons and I did After School options, Summer Program, girl scouts, dance, baseball, softball, gymnastics, swim team, swim lessons, synchronized swimming, soccer, art class, color-guard, and floor hockey. I never found anything that I was especially great at, but I had fun just the same.

16. I have always worked with kids. I started babysitting sophomore year in high school and have continued ever since. The only time I did something not kid-related was when I worked for Johnny's company the summer before we got married. I answered phones, filed paper work, and HATED IT.

17. Johnny and I were supposed to get married on a Friday night. We eventually decided on a Saturday because Johnny convinced me that, if we had it on the Friday- which happened to be a Sox-Yankees game- then all of the guys would be at the bar and not at the wedding.

18. When I was 4 or 5 I spilled a scalding hot plate of spaghetti on my arm. My arm was burned from my wrist to my elbow. I don't remember the pain or my mom taking care of it. I only remember being sad because I couldn't play catch outside with my dad and brother.

19. The only bone I have ever broken was my right middle finger. I did it before 1st period in 6th grade by somehow banging my hand on the side of my desk. I didn't want to tell anyone, so I spent the day with a broken finger that swelled progressively larger and larger. I finally showed it to my mom when I got home.

20. Throughout school I only went to the nurse 3 times. Once in kindergarten because I got a bloody nose, once in 4th grade because the teacher noticed I had a high fever, and once in 8th grade because I was so cold I was turning purple. For some reason I had some sort of fear associated with the nurse.

21. I have a birth mark on my left wrist. I swear that if you trace the perimeter of the mark it looks like a buffalo. I learned this during some lecture in college. And Johnny didn't realize until recently that I have this birthmark.

22. Johnny and I got engaged the day after I came back from Australia. He almost didn't propose because I made him mad when I was stranded in Pittsburg with Chris and my parents. The day after we had to spend the night (the morning of our flight) I called him and said "Woops, the flight was cancelled again! I won't be home today." He didn't find it funny... but I did and so did my mom and brother.

23. I hate driving in crowded places. Cities, parking lots- anywhere there are a lot of cars. I avoid driving around here- except to work- at all costs. And driving into Boston? Forget about it.

24. I don't know where I want my future house to be, but I know that I want a bay window with a window seat, an island, and a wrap-around porch.

25. When I'm hot my knees turn red and when I'm cold they turn purple.




I actually found it really hard to stop at 25! Maybe I'll have to do the 100 things that I've seen before... :)

I forgot to mention this the day of the retrieval. 

A little before I was due in the OR, I was laying in bed talking with the hubby when the nurse came up to me all awkwardly and quietly.  She says, "I have a really personal question for you."  Of course, I'm immediately thinking "WHAT could it be?"  I'm used to answering all sorts of questions of varying degrees of personal-ness, so what could be so awkward and personal that she has to be all shy around me?  She then shows me my chart where she had recorded my weight from that morning.  She points to it and whispers "Is this right?  Because it's a bit lower than your last recorded weight."  My immediate thought was "Lower, how is that possible?"  I had felt like I had been carrying a bowling ball around with me for the past week.  I was thrilled at the prospect of having lost a few pounds in the midst of all the IUI/IVF craziness of the past year.  

So, a couple of pounds lighter... how nice.

But what makes me laugh the most is how weirded out the nurse was about asking me.  Being a part of really personal stuff is the name of their game, isn't it?  So how can a little weight question be considered so personal?  Or perhaps, they realize how much personal privacy you give up going through IF treatments that they figure weight is one of the few things you have left to keep private?

A few thoughts

The PIO injections are getting much better.  I still almost hyperventilate before the injections (I'm lying there, waiting, and the hubby is drawing the syringe, changing the tip, taking his sweet time) and they hurt a little going in, but they're over and we're that much closer to the 9th.  Did I mention that, if (when) I get the + on the 9th (8th), I'm sentenced to 6-8 more WEEKS of PIO injections?  I know, I know, all for the greater good, but... well, you know.

Last night I received a call from a good friend.  She asked "Have you talked to 'x' or 'y' today?"  I hadn't, why, I asked.  "Because 'x's' dad passed away the day before."  I can't even imagine.  I'm only 24, my friend is only 24.  I've known her since I was 6-- and consequently have known her family since I was 6.  I was always pretty close to the family when we were younger-- my friend's parents bought china for my wedding and a vacuum cleaner for the shower.  So basically, I can't get it off my mind.  Like I said.... I can't even imagine.  But I guess, in some way, it helped to remind me that, as bad and bleak as things have seemed lately, they can always be worse.  And I need to count my lucky stars for what I have right now.  Which, to be honest, really is a lot.

Let's see...

Today ended up being a snow day!  Woohoo!  Which meant that I did not have to use a day to stay out today.  Awesome, awesome.

I did use the day to try to get ahead on school work.  I just started my grad classes... I have no idea how people with kids and jobs do this at the same time.  Hopefully I'll find out in October.  :)  So far they are both very interesting, but they look like a lot of work.  I feel like the 3 years I have been out of school may have been a tad too long.   I guess we'll see...

Other than that, I'm having pretty uncomfortable pain in my lower abdomen.  It's to be expected I have been told, so I am not worried.

I am going to try to upload the picture of our embies... I'm not quite sure how to do the scanning though.  I guess that's Johnny's job.

At totally random times (like doing dishes and watching tv) I keep having thoughts like "they put two babies in me yesterday".  It's very, very weird.  But very, very cool too.  The good thing about classes and working and math coaches and everything else?  No time to worry!  At least not yet.  :)

I'm Embryo-ed

I just had the transfer done.  We transferred 2 embryos.  Stats are...

8 celled, A grade fragmentation, fair symmetry

6 celled, B grade fragmentation, fair symmetry

All together, we started with 8 follicles which resulted in 6 eggs.  Of those 6, 3 fertilized naturally.  Of those 3, only the two continued to divide naturally.  Which leads me to the question... how on Earth do people ever get pregnant naturally?  These just seem like sucky odds.  :o)

Overall, I'm very hopeful.  But I just have to say... the worst part of this whole thing?  Worse than the retrieval and the GonalF and the PIO injections?  The WORST part was having such an incredibly painfully full bladder.  It was torture.  So painful.  I felt ridiculous complaining (and I did a lot) because I know actually having a baby will be a million times worse, but OH. MY. GOD.  

Other than that, things are looking good.  So now we start THE wait.  

Tomorrow It Is

I got the call-- transfer tomorrow afternoon (she said they are crazy-busy tomorrow!).  I'm a little nervous... of our 6 eggs, it seems we only have 2 embryos to transfer.  I don't know their stats right now... I'll update tomorrow!  :)

Woohoo!  Mini-vacation from school!

My Hubby

All complaining aside--

My husband is the best ever.  He has been SO good about taking care of me.  I've still been in a bit of pain and he's been there every second to make sure I'm okay, make dinner, do dishes... everything.  He even went out for me today to get a heating pad for after the PIO injections.  (And that is my new best friend.)  Oh, and he gives awesome injections!  They don't hurt at all!!!  And he tolerates my whimpy-ness before the injections!

Therefore, he is the BEST!!!