All the Sun For You

A mom, two boys, a husband, and a whole lot of adventure!


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Just What I Needed

So yesterday, I had a hefty dose of “the bitters” when the nanny of one of my acquaintance’s told me that they (the acquaintances) are having another baby.  Of course it’s a surprise baby because their sweet little boy just turned one (and the nanny told me it’s an “oopsie baby”).  Their little boy and Matthew are gym buddies together and I really, REALLY love their nanny (and their little boy).  Anyway, I heard this and literally felt sick to my stomach.  The reason being that when I was thinking of staying home with Matthew, I ran into this acquaintance and very excitedly told her that I was thinking of being a SAHM and she literally asked, “why would you want to do that?” while holding her 2 month old baby.  She questioned my desire to be a SAHM and at that moment, I thought, “we are not the same type of mother.”  I’m not judging her, but we are different, and she questioned my very excited choice.  I didn’t like that.  And now she gets a surprise baby?  BITTERNESS.

But then today happened.

I went to our RE’s office for my sonohystogram.

I love this place – I am not kidding.

I walked in with a skip to my step!  I couldn’t wait to see if the receptionist, who I love and used to trade chatty emails with while we were cycling, had had her baby yet.  She had – a girl – two weeks early – everyone’s happy and healthy!  This made my day!  I must now go buy her a gift!

Then I caught a glimpse of my favorite embryologist, H, and made a mental note to ask to see her before I left so I could say hello.  This woman single-handedly got me through our miscarriage after our FET and then did the biggest favor for me during our next fresh cycle (our Matthew cycle).  She got me in to test 2 days early because she felt that I had been through the wringer and deserved an early beta before the weekend.  She didn’t ask the doctor – she just scheduled it for me.  What a nice woman!  She was the one who cried with me when we were getting such terrible betas during our FET and also called me after our positive beta for Matthew just to tell me how happy she was for us.  Yes – I just HAD to see her before I left today!

Then I was called back and met a new nurse  who is a very nice gal and we joked about how much we love going to the doctor or dentist so that we can catch up on our Hollywood gossip via Peo.ple magazine.

And then I got to see my RE, Dr. Y, and OMG he was so relaxed and easy-going!  I joke all the time that I make him uncomfortable with my direct and controlling style, but today he was just so laid back (and just like when we saw him in March for our consult, actually).  I took the opportunity to ask if we could deviate from his plan (FET and then fresh cycle if the FET fails) and I quickly explained that of course I’m hopeful that the first FET will work, but if not, can we do another FET so that I don’t add more frozen embryos to my stash with another fresh cycle?  And he said YES!  Not only did he say yes, but when I said that I just don’t want a bunch of embryos leftover when we’re done building our family, he said (with a very warm smile), “neither do I – we’ll do your plan.”  We chatted and laughed about how times have changed – that in the past – B accompanied me to every appointment but now I actually asked him to stay home with Matthew and I was totally fine with it.  Dr. Y mentioned that most husbands don’t come to every appointment like B did, even on the first few cycles, and that that was so nice of him.  I agree 100%

Then we did the mock transfer and sonohystogram and everything looked just fine.  He took the opportunity to use me (or my uterus) to show the nurse my c-section scar and knew me well enough to turn the screen towards me so I could see too.  We discussed the timing of this cycle with the healing scar and he has no concerns with a pregnancy so close to the section.  I had read that you should wait 2 years before getting pregnant again after a c-section and when I told him that, he said that it’s not a problem and that my uterus healed up perfectly, so we’re good to go.  Dr. Y knows that I’ve usually done my homework before coming in and that all he has to do is validate my concern or question and tell me enough to calm my nerves, and I won’t question him.  He also knows that I will drop the issue or question if I’m happy with his response and he always responds in a very thoughtful, kind way.  I love this doctor!

And then, when I left the room, H (my favorite embryologist) and K (my co-favorite nurse) were waiting in the hallway for me!  They said they heard I was there and wanted to see me.  We hugged, reminisced, talked about each others’ kids, and talked about how excited I am to be back.  It was wonderful!  It was hard to leave!  And then S, my other co-favorite nurse, came by to chat and my visit was complete!

I accomplished everything I wanted to accomplish, and I saw all the people I wanted to see.

And I thanked my lucky stars that I do not have an “oopsie baby” on the way.  That I need these people to help me grow my family.  That I’ve made connections with these wonderful people who make building other people’s families their life’s work.

I’m lucky!


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Memorable Moment Monday – Daddy’s Boy Edition

It’s time for another installment of Memorable Moment Monday over at Pail Bloggers.

Matthew is quite the “Daddy’s Boy” lately.  When B left this morning, it was hard getting Matthew out of his arms without tears.  It was hard on both of them.  There has been recent talk of B maybe needing to travel more for work, and that’s been weighing on him.  Having that on his mind as he left today made this  morning’s episode even harder on B.  But he found out just a bit ago that there won’t be more travel at work – so that’s good!

When I told Matthew that Daddy just found out that he doesn’t need to travel more, this is what I got:

Good stuff!

And then he went to snuggle his favorite kitty cat (after a wardrobe change because, well, his nap time diaper leaked)!


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Where We’ve Been

I haven’t posted forever – and it’s not because things are moving slowly.  Things are crazy busy right now, but great!  Matthew is growing up so much each day and I can’t believe it.  He’s napping only once a day now for 2.5-3 hours so he’s getting 13-14 hours of sleep each day/night which is right on target.  And he’s very, very happy!

We’re looking at new cars for me (we buy used vehicles) because a dealership is offering us too much money for the one I have now and we do need something bigger.  We want to get rid of the current car before it becomes a problem for us.  It’s an Acu.ra, so there really shouldn’t be problems, but given how hard I’ve been on it, it’s time to move onto something else.

I am very optimistic about our upcoming cycle – not so much that it will work (and hey – it may), but with the timing of it.  I am just so very happy with the timing of it.  A huge weight was lifted when the nurse told me last week that we’d start next cycle, or the cycle after that.  I have relaxed so much since hearing that.

My sister and I are working on the business stuff, and I got our products into my favorite children’s boutique a month ago so we’re working on samples for the store.  We’re also doing the main store sign which is super exciting – great exposure!  Linds is super busy with Et.sy orders and we don’t know what will come in from the boutique, but it could be insane so we’re ramping up for that.  We may even hire someone to help us!  We re-branded the company, got it setup as an LLC (thanks, Dad!), got all of the taxation stuff sorted out (thanks again, Dad!), got wholesale pricing from a ton of vendors which cuts our costs almost in half (thanks, Linds!), re-named it (I came up with the idea which I’m proud of), and got the logo done (thanks, cousin Sarah!).  Now – we just need to expand.  We have lots of ideas but we need to go slowly because we’re just not sure how much there could be to do.  It’s exciting, yet daunting at the same time.

Our neighbor found a stray kitty today so of course I asked B if we could feed her – and of course – he said yes  😉  We are both softies when it comes to the animals (example – we wanted to use the hot tub tonight but found a bird nest with babies in it right above the hot tub so our relaxation will have to wait until the birdies have left the nest!).  We haven’t seen her since we put food out but she’s a really friendly girl who would make a nice pet for someone, so my goal is to coax her into the garage and then take her to a no-kill shelter.  I’ve done this in the past (it’s how we got our sweet, sweet Janie) and it took 2 weeks from start to finish – but this kitty is going to be easy to catch if she would just come back.  She let us pet her and probably would have been happy to be picked up.  I won’t do that without long sleeves and a box close by to put her in – so that will have to wait.  I am now worried sick about her.  She’s skinny and needs food, so we’ll keep feeding and watering her (and probably the entire neighborhood’s population of raccoons – ha!) until we can get her to a safe place.  I have promised B that I won’t ask to keep her.  We have 3 kitties – there’s no room in the inn  😉

Other good things are going on but I won’t bore anyone with them.

Photos?  I haven’t posted any photos in a while (aside from Wordless Wednesday and MMM).  Here is our week in review.  Before you see the one photo, let me just say that I had my worst parenting experience of all time this past week.  I was switching the car seat from one trial vehicle to the other when Matthew fell out of the back seat onto the pavement – head first.  It was awful.  AWFUL.  I will never forget it.  He’s just fine and already looks way better today than he did two days ago when it happened, but it seriously looked like he had been in a fight or something (and lost).  I was devastated.  Ugh.  My poor baby.

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(Almost) Wordless Wednesday – Bring Your Kid to Work Edition

B had to go to the Minneapolis office yesterday so we made the trip up with him.  We stopped in to see the cool stuff going on there and Matthew got his own visitor’s badge.  Good stuff!  Then, we were down to one vehicle today so Matthew and I had to pick B up from work this afternoon.  We stopped in to see the team and stretch our legs.

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CD

I am so tired but have to report two things.

1) I had to call our RE’s office today to report my CD1!  I will go in for a sonohystogram next week and we will start our FET next cycle (end of August setting us up for a transfer in October) – this one was too close to the end of nursing.  I am just fine with it.  They did tell me that depending on when I get my next period, that their annual week off for a big RE conference could interfere and we may have to push until the following cycle.  Surprisingly, I was just fine with that.  We conceived Matthew in October and if our first FET works, I would like for it to not result in a shared birthday for either of our children.  Beggars can’t be choosers, but I’d be perfectly happy with a month delay if they’d like to give it to me for this very reason.  I’d also be happy getting started as soon as possible.  I’ll take what they give me!

Is it weird that I really enjoyed my conversation with the nurse?  She’s new since we’ve been there and I’ve wanted to get to know her before going in.  We hit it off over the phone – so now I can’t wait until I meet her next week!  I love everyone at this clinic and look forward to seeing them all again!

2) I’m happy to report that we are so on-board with CD-ing (cloth diapering) that I purchased 5 more diapers last week and they’re here!  There was a buy 4 get 1 free deal so I did it.  I now have enough to definitely only wash them every 4th day.  They have the vel.cro closures and I like those.  I only had one like that and I really liked it and that prompted me to buy more.  Exciting times over here!  They better not release any new prints or I’ll need to buy more.  I think CD’s are just so cute and addictive.  Seriously!

Love that padded tushie!


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Alone

I am alone for the 5th night in a row – only one left and B will be home on Saturday afternoon.  I usually love the alone time, but a week is a LONG time.  Alone time is good in small doses – no more than 3 nights for me.

Matthew is sleeping so well this week, it’s like he knows I need the break.  He’s such an easy baby, but when it’s just me, it’s a lot of work.  When he naps, all I want to do is watch TV so that the house isn’t silent.  I also want to fall asleep to that TV and get some rest since I know I’ll need it when he wakes up.  He’s sleeping 11 hours each night.  ELEVEN!  This is unprecedented and I wonder if it’s here to stay.  He’s such a good boy!  By the time he wakes up at 7:45, I’m more than ready to play and be up with him!

I’m working on a banner for my friend’s baby shower on Saturday.  It’s almost done – not much left to do.  I am off to do that after I post this.  I have a movie all ready to go downstairs while I work on the banner.  I do not like basements – not even my own  😉  I need something to entice me to go down there, and without a TV and DVD player on the main floor of our house, and my need for noise in the house right now – I’m heading downstairs.  It will be fun.  I’ve done this the last three nights in a row and it’s been fun.  I watched “The Vow” last night and “Young Adult” the night before.  I usually rent “no-brainers” for craft time so I don’t need to focus on them.  HA!

I just got done folding/stuffing Matthew’s diapers.  Is it weird that I like washing and organizing his nappies?  Ha!  Stuffing and folding his diapers has always calmed me, even when he was a newborn.  It’s so soothing.  Weird!

I am off to work on a banner.  YAY!  I’ll be glad to have this one done… it’s very limited in the color department and it’s been hard!  I have another one right after this one for a special little guy in Canada and it’s way funner!  It’s actually half done, but his mama hasn’t seen it yet.  I’m anxious to get that one done!


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Birthday Photos Are Here!

My friend, Denise, is awesome!  She’s my close friend who does all of Matthew’s photos (and you know I love photos) and she is VERY good to us!  I can’t say enough nice things about her and her girls who have become the most special of special friends to us.  Matthew and I went out for dinner with her and the girls last night and we all just had a ball.  The girls love Matthew, and he loves them like he loves no other kids in the world!   He knows that C and R are special  🙂

Denise photographed Matthew’s party for us – and she is a perfectionist who would not let me see the photos until they were done.  I get that.  I do  😉  But I have been dying with anticipation and the wait was worth it!  Denise went above and beyond and put Matthew’s birthday party photos into a slide show so that everyone could see them… and it’s precious!  She always picks the BEST music to go with the mood of the event!

Birthday Party!

To my surprise, she also made a slide show of Matthew’s first birthday photos.  YAY!

The Big 1!

So there you have it – birthday #1 is officially in the books as we now count down the months to birthday #2.  I already have the theme picked out  😉