Yep! After 4 1/2 years of trying, endless prayers by us and by countless friends and family, several doctors and finally one amazing fertility clinic, we are FINALLY PREGNANT!
Here's a little run down of "the story" if you want. (It ended up being a little longer than I intended, sorry.)
Obviously we have been trying to get pregnant again for a long time. I've had Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome since before Hudson was born, which basically means I don't ovulate. My eggs don't get big enough to be released, so they stay inside my ovaries and develop into cysts (which are harmless). So the answer is usually a prescription of Metformin which helps to regulate your hormones and blood sugars, and Clomid, which helps you ovulate. Well, I went to doctor after doctor who have me the same dose of Metformin, and the minimal dose of Clomid. Basically they said, pop some pills and good luck. If it didn't work, the doctors would throw up their hands and send me on my way.
Finally I decided it was time to get serious and see someone who knew what they were doing. We had been hesitant about doing this in the first place, thinking we wouldn't be able to afford it. One day I found an ad in a local magazine for the Utah Fertility Center in Pleasant Grove. I just had a good feeling about it and decided to make an appointment. I was a little worried when they started me on the same path I'd already been on...Metformin and Clomid. BUT, they doubled my dose of Clomid, AND they were going to give me and HCG shot to help "boost" the release of an egg.
I was so impressed my first appointment they did and ultrasound of my ovaries and showed me the cysts which was visual proof I hadn't been ovulating. No one had ever done that before. Everyone there was super nice and I was impressed with everything they did. Even Jeff was impressed and for him to say that about a doctor's office is pretty impressive.
Anyway, I took my medication, and had lots of blood work done (the most expensive part of the whole process I think). Then after a couple of weeks I had to take ovulation predictor tests. After a few days of taking tests, I took one and it was positive, so I called the fertility center, they had me come in so they could give me an ultrasound to confirm ovulation. Once I got there, they told me it was a false positive test, meaning I hadn't ovulated yet. My heart sunk. I figured it meant I wasn't going to ovulate that month. But then she said there was good news. I had an egg growing right on schedule, and if it kept growing according to schedule, I would be ready to ovulate in a couple of days. I went back in a couple of days to check if the egg had developed, and it had. That meant it was time for the HCG shot to help the egg pop out of the ovary and send it's on it's way to be fertilized!
As I left the doctors office that day, I drove home without the radio on. As I was driving, I suddenly got an overwhelming feeling that things were going to work out as we wanted...very quickly. I felt overjoyed and peaceful, and knew that my Heavenly Father knew me and wanted me to know he loved me and was aware of the feelings I had had for the last 4 and a half years. I started to cry but had to hold back since I was driving on the freeway and needed to see! But it was a very special experience for me.
Anway, after that, it was the waiting game. The fertility clinic told me to go the hospital for a blood pregnancy test, then they'd call me with the results. I knew I couldn't wait for that, and didn't want to be told whether I was pregnant or not on the telephone by someone I didn't know. So I took a home pregnancy test. At first I was pretty sure it was negative, then a suspicious second line started to show up. I was suspicious because the HCG shot can stay in your system for up to 2 weeks (I was taking my test on day 15) and can give you a false pregnancy test result. I called Jeff and told him I wasn't sure if it was positive or not, but was starting to feel pretty sure it was positive, but didn't want to get my hopes too high until I had my blood test.
So I went to the hospital for my blood test around 11:00. They told me my results would be in in no longer than an hour. It was the longest wait of my life. An hour came and went...no phone call. Two hours. No phone call. I figured maybe they had gone to lunch and would call me as soon as they got back. Another hour. No phone call. This entire time of waiting I couldn't do anything but look at my home pregnancy test. Finally by 3:00 I couldn't stand it anymore and called the fertility clinic to see if the hospital had called them with the results. They said they hadn't so they would call the hospital and call me right back. A few minutes later I got the phone call.... "You're pregnant!"
I was in shock. And overjoyed. And in shock. Still kind of am.
So, we've had a couple of ultrasounds since then and so far so good! I'm 12 weeks along and due April 26th. I only had a couple of weeks of no appetite, but haven't had any real morning sickness. I've only thrown up once while brushing my teeth from brushing too far back and gagging! Otherwise, I've just been tired a lot.
We are so excited! Hudson has already come up with a few names for the baby. "Horns" if it's a boy, and "Smoothie Pie" if it's a girl!
I just want to say thank you to all of our family and friends who have thought of us and prayed for us all these years. We are so thankful for you!
Hudson was a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle this year. The first year he actually wore the mask to his costume.
Cleaning out pumpkin guts to get ready to carve jack-o-lanterns. Hudson has been asking all week when he could "peel" his pumpkin. I feel bad we never found time until today to get it done.
Checking out his loot.
These are the cupcakes I made for Hudson to take to preschool for his Halloween party.
I went to my first real doctors appointment yesterday (meaning with my OB/GYN, not the fertility center). He said yes, I'm pregnant, and everything looks good! Still 7 more weeks until we find out the gender...I can't wait!
I don't know if this is my favorite picture ever, but I sure love it and it makes me laugh every time I see it. I just love how fat Hudson was back then, and he was such a fun baby.
Oh there are too many to choose from. At this very second it's probably Giuliana & Bill. Kind of random, I know, but they are going through fertility issues, so that's probably why I like it right now. Plus Bill Rancic is totally hot.
I would definitely return to Western Samoa. It's the most wonderful, beautiful place in the world! I would take my love, Jeff!
He had to have a Mario backpack since that's what all his friends were getting. Peer pressure in preschool!?
Always "needing" a drink every 5 minutes.
These 3 hooligan friends thought soccer games were actually wrestling matches. They spent most of the games wrestling each other out on the field! :)
