Final Cycle: CD9 and Update

Sorry about the lack of posting lately....life seems to have gotten in the way!  This final cycle is plugging along.  I started my stim meds last Monday...a whopping 750 units every night!  I added Luveris on Thursday night and also had my intralipid infusion-which could be considered another possible last if we don't get pregnant.  Other than that, things have been going well.  I feel bloated of course!

Today was my CD9 appt.  I had a blood draw and ultrasound.  My lining was at an 11, so that was good and I had 4 eggs on each ovary.  They ranged in size from 10-13, so still pretty small.  I have 2 more days of meds and go back on Wed for another check.  I'm guessing retrieval will be Friday or Saturday.  Tony is really pulling for Friday because he is in a golf outing on Saturday:)  I told him he could just leave and miss a few holes to make his "deposit" and then go back...don't really need him for anything else!  My mom is on back-up to drive me in case that happens:)  I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens on Wednesday.....

Potty Training: Week 2

Thought I would get on and update about the potty training. After over a week of cleaning up messes, I decided that maybe he still couldn't realize when he had to go. I didn't want to go backwards and put him back into diapers, so I switched to Pull-ups. He still does really well if we take him on a schedule so that is what we have been doing. He did tell Tony one night that he had to go, so Tony rushed him into the bathroom and he did go, so that was exciting and promising! He did well back at Gramma's house this week as well. He woke up dry from his nap a couple of days, so we thought that was promising as well:) If you have noticed...no mention about pooping.....that is because it is still an elusive act that has yet to show up on the potty! So frustrating because he ABSOLUTELY knows when he has to do it! He picks very opportune times to do it as well....during a workout, or when we lay him down for a nap or nighttime, or any other time when he can steal 30 seconds away from us to do the deed. We try to watch him like a hawk too...but to no avail! We will continue to work on things and maybe try underwear again soon....I'll keep you updated:)

Final Cycle: My first "lasts"

This being my final cycle, it has gotten me thinking about some "lasts" that I will experience. This week, I experienced two of them....1. I took my last birth control pill! To think of all the years I wasted $$ buying the darn things too! 2. My last Lupron shot. I switched to Ganirelix on Saturday, so no more Lupron for me. I found it a little silly that I bought this medicine and only took it for a week...what a waste because now that it is opened I can't do anything else with it...but it is all part of the protocol, so what do I know!:)

So far, things have gone ok. I did almost forget to take my Lupron shot one day and had to rush back home to take it before work! I couldn't believe it when I realized it...NEVER have I forgotten to take a shot! I guess having a 2 year-old around makes things a little different now:) I think I have my first "medicine headache" today...so over a week before I got one. I hope it doesn't linger! I had bloodwork done on Friday and it all came back ok...so onward we go! Tony gets to give me a couple of estrogen butt-shots this week, so that's what I'm looking forward too:)

Potty Training: Day 5

Day 5 of Potty Training went pretty well. I forgot to mention that on Day 4 he did not poop when he was with daddy and grandpa in Chicago....so we were waiting for it:) He ran off into the other room (his tell-tale sign) and I was off to get him. He kept telling me that he didn't have to go, but I was persistent. Finally he pooped...YEA!! He was so funny because he stood up and said he made a "big poop snake"!! I couldn't help but laugh:) I tried to get him to poop more but he was persistent that he didn't have to go anymore....so he earned his sucker and went in to sit with daddy while I cleaned up and then took my shots. As I'm finishing my shots I hear Owen tell Tony that he's "alright"...Tony said "ok" and then as we both processed what he said, went running after him, but it was too late....he pooped in his Pull-Up:( Oh well, we got one part! The rest of the day went well, but we were again taking him every 45 mins or so. He even did well at a restaurant when we went to meet some out of town family for dinner. I'm just not sure how this is going to end up before I go back to work....just not sure that he is getting the whole "tell me Before you go" part of it.....I guess only time will tell:)

Final Cycle: Cycle Start

Well, I have officially started my cycle.....I started my Lovenox and Lupron shots yesterday morning, along with my PreNatal vitamins and the dreaded Dex steroid....here's to hoping I don't pack on the pounds and am able to sleep without hot flashes! :)

Potty Training: Day 4 AND Opening Day!!

Well, I mentioned yesterday that Day 4 could be interesting....and it's because Owen, Daddy, and Grandpa Steve (Tony's Dad) all went to the Chicago Cubs Opening Day Game! We had been joking for a while that I would be working hard on potty training for a couple of days and then he was going to take him on Thursday and mess it all up....luckily, it didn't go that way!

I packed a couple of bags for Tony to use on their trip...one for the train trip-they took the Amtrack train up, and then one for the game. They left one bag at a locker at union station so it was less to lug around with them all day. They left bright and early yesterday morning at 6:00 and didn't get home until 10:30. It was a long day, but Tony said Owen did great....and the best thing?.....only 1 wet pull-up ALL DAY!!! Tony said he was going to try and take him to the bathroom every 45 mins or so and for the most part he was able to do that. He said Owen was very cooperative about going and even did well in the new situations (the train bathroom, the wrigley "troughs" as Tony calls them, and different restaurant bathrooms). He said the one pull-up that was wet was hardly so that he actually had to check the little sensor to make sure! I'm so proud of both of my boys! One for a daddy that was so good about taking his little boy to the potty all day long and one for a little boy that did well outside of his home surroundings! So I count Day 4 as a success!

Here are a few pics from their day:

Riding on the CTA train in Chicago-he loves trains!

Daddy and Owen in front of the Marquee:)

Three generations celebrating Opening Day 2012 together!

Grandpa Steve and Owen taking in the surroundings before the game.

Of course he had to have a hot dog!!

Potty Training: Day 3

Day 3 went pretty well. I watched him like a hawk for possible pooping and I caught him about 3 different times....when I asked what he was doing he would answer "I'm doing nothing Mom" (love that!!!) I asked if he was pooping and he said yes, so off to the potty we went. I was a little late one time, but all other times when we went to sit on the potty he miraculously didn't have to go anymore. We sang, we read books, I had the suckers on the counter for him to see...but no poops in the potty. He said his belly hurt by the end of the day....didn't know if he was constipated because of something he ate or by choice:) Peeing, went pretty good....only one accident in the morning.

We had basically been at home for 2 days and I really wanted to take him to Toddler Time at the Library, so I decided to be safe and put him in a pull-up for that. I really didn't want to use them because I felt like they defeated the purpose of him knowing when he was going, but I didn't want a wet carseat again or a mess at the library:) He was pretty excited about the Pull-Ups too, so that was a good thing! So off we went...he peed before we left, when we got there, after story time and another time when we were playing....and he was dry the whole time. He overheard another mom talking about going to the park and he begged me to go too.....I finally gave in and took him. He had a little juice left so I let him have that while he played. We were only there about 45 mins or so and when we got home....he was still dry! Yea!! I had limited his juice a little as well, but I was still very proud of him. He had one other small accident (in a Pull-Up) after his nap, but he told me when he was going so I still praised him......

Day 4 should be interesting....more on that tomorrow:)

Potty Training: Day 2

Let me just start by saying that Day 2 did not go as well as Day 1...but that was probably my fault! I was feeling so good about Day 1, that I decided to try to push the 30 min time limit and see if he could maybe tell me when he had to go....major FAIL! We started off the morning first with another poop in the underwear...I was unloading the dishwasher and literally turned around for 10 seconds and he was gone! I went sprinting through the house to find him and the deed had already been done :( Then I decided to go for a run at the park. He went to the bathroom right before we left and by the time we pulled into the park after I loaded the jogging stroller and dog and put a snack and juice in the car...he had peed :( (and it was less than the original 30 min time limit) so I had a wet carseat and I had to change him before we could run. He did good on the run and when we got home I decided my aging, hot dog needed some fresh water before taking him to the bathroom and he peed again! :( This time he told me "mom, I'm peeing!" as he was doing it. He did go a little more by the time we got to the bathroom so I guess that was good. We went outside after that to play with bubbles and a few things and so I could get the carseat out to be washed...and before we could get back in, he peed again....:( He again told me as he was doing it. He had another peeing while he told me he was doing it episode after his nap...grrr! Why can't he tell me before it starts! I know I shouldn't be upset or discouraged, but I was. I wanted to be one of those moms that trained their kids in two days and said it was a breeze....obviously not!:) Oh well, he did good with a grandma at our house while Tony and I went to our churches Easter Passion Play last night...we had her take him every 30 mins:)

I do wonder if his Kidney issue has anything to do with the peeing before he knows it....or am I just looking for an excuse as to why it didn't happen perfectly in 2 days:) I tried to think what was different about Day 2 and I do think he had a little more to drink than on Day 1. We still give him "juice flavored water" which is about 1/4 juice and 3/4 water so maybe that is why? Again...just looking for excuses:) Onto Day 3!

Potty Training: Day 1

I'm on spring break this week so I thought that I would tackle potty training while I was off. I was a little excited and nervous...wondering how it would go and if he was really ready for it. Overall, Day 1 went extremely well. I put him in underwear when he woke up and took him to the bathroom every 30-35 minutes. I set the timer on the stove so that I would remind myself to take him....I think that's the hardest part sometimes! He did really well and went each time....he earned an M&M or skittle when he went, which he really liked. He did however sneak away and poop two times in his underwear....I told him this made me sad....and because he knows what he is doing when he does it! I pulled out the dum dum suckers for when he pooped...put them in the bathroom, but unfortunately he never pooped again. He even did well at a grandparents house when I had to drop him off when I went for class last night. They also took him every 30 minutes and he stayed dry all night....didn't need any of the 3 extra sets of clothes I left for them:) Needless to say I was feeling pretty encouraged after yesterday! I'll let you know how today is going after we are totally finished with Day 2:)