The Road of TTC #2

On my "private blog" I had about 30 posts over TTC #2.  Truth be told, they're just too darn personal to put on this blog.  They were very detailed and like I said, personal! However, since the private blog will soon be no more, I wanted to write a post to summarize it all so I can have a place to collect my memories.

I want to start this post off by saying I know Evan and I are VERY VERY fortunate that we have been able to conceive our children so easily (both were conceived first month off the pill).  We REALIZE we are blessed and we know that people struggle with infertility.  I do not want to come off sounding selfish.  I am just rejoicing in the fortune and blessings we've been given.

SO ... this post might be long ... and there is DEFINITELY TMI, but here goes:

I remember sometime in October, Evan and I went on a date night to our favorite burger joint in town. While we were sitting there, I looked up at him and said, "you know, i've been thinking."  I really wouldn't have had to say more.  I think Evan wanted to start trying that day!  Evan LOVES being a Dad and I could convince him to have 5 kiddos without a problem.  But, we did talk it through.  A LOT.  I told him Liliana was getting to an age where I was handling her without issues even without his help because he works so much.  I told him that if we had one THEN, I would be due at the end of June (that ends up changing, but read more to discover why).  that would be WONDERFUL for my job because we wouldn't have to lose out on 6 weeks of pay!  Another factor: if we had the second before September they would be 2 school years apart which is GREAT.  That way, we only have MIDDLE SCHOOL games to go to while they're in 6th and 8th instead of dealing with middle school AND upper school events. Sure, the next year it won't be as easy, but this way, we give ourselves one more year of less activities.  Being in the school environment this year has taught me that a parent can literally live at the school with all the crap your kids get in to, so I'm just trying to think about making life more manageable.  We agreed, however, we didn't go off the pill until a week later (after we had given each other more time to mull it over).

If you recall, conceiving the daughter wasn't intentional.  We were told I had PCOS and would need fertility to conceive so we thought we'd just save the birth control pill money and deal with that when the time was right.  Turns out, I could conceive just fine and we were pregnant a month later.  However, I have historically had VERY long cycles in my life (we're talking about 100 day cycles).  With Liliana, I ovulated it turns out, on day 23.  This time, since we KNEW we were TTC, I started charting AND I bought OPKs (stands for ovulation predictor kits).

I peed on those dumb things every darn day.  And sure enough, 28 days in to my cycle, no positive.  I thought it was another of those 100 day cycles.

I saw an OB/GYN and he reconfirmed the PCOS diagnosis.  He told us the chances of conceiving with this are MUCH more difficult and it takes couples on average 18 months. 

I left the office DEFEATED thinking we got our lucky break with Liliana and this time wouldn't be lucky.

that night, as I cried and peed on to the OPK at the same time, a miraculous thing happened: it was positive!  I was ovulating!

I sent Evan a picture (b/c he was at the hospital of course) and we were excited to let the baby making begin!  Since we didn't know we were making Liliana, Evan was quite adamant about not timing everything and making it stressful.  He said "it worked with Liliana so we know we're ok."

9 days later, I took a pregnancy test with one that was supposed to tell me 6 days past ovulation.

It was negative.

I remained defeated.

But, the saving grace?  My boobs.

They hurt so much that I actually SCREAMED a few times.  SCREAMED I tell you.

Evan was CONVINCED I was pregnant.

And, damn it if he wasn't right.

11 days past ovulation, I tested and the rest is history!

I do want to add a story that I will NEVER forget.  At our first appointment, the nurse and doctor were in the room and the nurse turned around and told me "I have to tell you something.  I think you're the first patient I've ever heard of with PCOS that gets pregnant on the first month two times in a row.  You are SO lucky."  And at that moment, I felt SO incredibly blessed.  SO SO blessed.  We are so fortunate to have Liliana and are SO fortunate to have BITO in our lives. 

It was a happy day and I've been smiling (aside from the puking of course) ever since.