Time to bring in the reinforcements...

No baby yet. It's been pretty disheartening, to say the least. I feel like a broken record with all of this...

This month makes 2 years of going through this process and I am beginning to lose hope. After last month, when I thought we did everything right and STILL no baby... I decided to go ahead and schedule an appointment with a fertility specialist. The appointment is later today.

I am feeling nervous, excited, hopeful, and yet I'm mentally preparing myself for another disappointment. I've heard tremendous things about the doctor we're going to see so I'm praying that he is able to provide some answers for us or at least give us some direction in this process.

To make things worse, I just left a client's home and there was a relative there who was obviously nearing the end of her pregnancy and she was toking away on her cigarette while I was there. It made me so annoyed and angry. Like... this person can get pregnant? But I can't?! Yeah... It's crazy to me how this world works sometimes.

Anyhow, J is coming with me to the appointment and I am very grateful that he is taking the time off of work to be there to provide some support and also seek some answers. One thing I am very thankful for, is that the nightmare of this "TTC journey" has not ruined us. There have been some stressful points, but, overall, we have really only become stronger as a result of this crap. So, that is something that gives me some faith and hope.

...In other news, J's parents have come down to help us with the house a couple of weekends last month. One weekend, J's mom helped me re-paint the nursery. The initial color I picked seemed kind of dark for the space so we left an accent wall in that color and painted the other 3 a much lighter shade. I know it's odd, but her helping paint the room that will, hopefully, someday hold our little one gave me such joy. It's great that J's parents are so supportive and his mom never even gave me grief when I told her about the "baby mojo" story. She just acted like it was perfectly normal, even though... I know it's not. Lol!

I've been seeing a counselor for a few weeks now and that has helped a lot in so many ways. I, honestly, can't even express how much it has helped me so far!

I'd better get going. I have another client to see. Say prayers for me today! I'll share feedback later...


Until Next Time...

Raw nerves

So, I was right. AF came on Tuesday afternoon/evening. I was kind of bummed about it.

Just yesterday, I was chatting with a co-worker over coffee at Barnes and Noble when she mentioned that she'd been pregnant a few years ago and miscarried at 5 months. I was so sad for her. I confessed to her that hubby and I have been TTC for just under 2 years now to no avail.

I've been really cranky the last few weeks and I realized that might be why. I started crying and had to choke back the tears. There was a nerve that had definitely been struck. I felt raw and exposed.

Anyhow, I think I have decided to seek counseling. That made me realize how much of this stuff I'm not processing through and it's really beginning to get the best of me. I just reached out to a counselor to start seeking services. I wish they had counselors that specialized in fertility kind of issues.

This TTC thing is terribly alienating. I feel like I have to keep it all to myself and that sucks. My husband is super supportive, but it's still hard to even talk to him about it because I don't want it to come off as blaming or guilting him or anything. Even my sister who had her own issues with getting pregnant doesn't really seem to "get" where I am coming from. It's very hard.

I guess I really do just need someone to talk to and work through this crap with...

Another fruitless month

Today I am on CD 30 and 13 DPO. I have been feeling some odd cramps--very mild--today and also feeling very cranky and irritable. I am pretty confident I'm out of the running for a baby this month.

Also, I just went to the restroom and noticed some very light spotting. I don't know if this is breakthrough bleeding or if it's the end of another fruitless cycle. I am feeling like it's the latter, but I just don't want to give up yet.

I'm feeling kind of down and out about this still... and I'm desperately trying to keep it together. I can imagine hubby's eyes lighting up when I tell him we're pregnant. I can envision my in-laws bursting into tears and some playful jabs saying "It's about damn time!" I can see my friends and family jumping for joy. I can see the growing belly and imagine the joy when I feel a little one move for the first time. I can imagine bawling my eyes out the first time I hear the heartbeat. I want it. I want it all. And I just can't have it. It's so gut-wrenching.

Plans

So, my birthday was earlier this week. I'm now 31. It feels weird to say that...

It's crazy how I always had ideas in my head of where I'd be at 30 or what my life would look like and I feel so far from those visions...
I pictured being married and comfortably established in my marriage with a quaint little home and two or three kids bouncing around the house with a couple of dogs playing in the yard. I NEVER thought I'd be 31 and still not even pregnant. I really thought I'd be done with babies by now. I kind of expected to have my first around 22, my second around 25 or 26, and IF I wanted a 3rd that I'd be 28 or so when it was born. I had a plan.

But... plans change.

My first husband ended up being a complete jerk and was abusive in many ways so, ultimately, I knew he could never be "daddy material" much as I tried to hang in there and wait for him to "grow up" and change, it never happened. I finally left his sorry behind when I was 25. I was already 3 years behind schedule. I met my current husband shortly after leaving the ex and, after 2 years of dating, he put a ring on it and I was over the moon because I knew in my heart he'd be a great husband and an awesome dad someday.

It's been 3 and a half years since the proposal and just shy of two years since our wedding and I am still waiting for that someday to come.

I do feel pretty helpless sometimes. I also feel pretty angry. I don't know if anyone else feels this way, I can't imagine I'm alone in this... I think about how much it was beat into my head as a teenager about "one slip up" is all it takes and you're pregnant. Especially when that is EXACTLY what happened with my mom! I am a direct result of her losing her virginity. She literally had sex ONCE and got pregnant. Do you have any idea how infuriating that is for someone in my shoes???

I'm not going to lie. Sometimes it feels like I am being punished in some way or like my mom used all of the good fertility genes. I don't know. I know that sounds ridiculous, but the thought has crossed my mind before.

I also think getting pregnant is WAY more difficult as an adult. There just isn't enough time or energy sometimes to get the baby-dancing in. (At least for me and hubby!)

Anyhow... so here I am 31. No baby. Even worse, the day before my birthday, my cycle comes. Yay. Thanks a lot, Mother Nature. Can't catch a break for trying! Lol!

Well, there's always next month, I guess.

Until Next Time...

My awesome husband

We painted "the nursery" last weekend. It just needs to be painted along the ceiling. It looks great so far.

This cycle I deliberately decided to not baby-dance with the husband when I knew I was close to or ON ovulation day. I am not sure why. I know part of the reason was because I was thinking about finances. We're good, but since I started a new job May 2nd and I wouldn't be eligible for FMLA (12 week maternity leave) until I hit the 1 year mark. 

Anyhow, after the fact, I discussed it with hubby and he pretty much told me to chill and it'll work out. I love that my normally somewhat pessimistic husband has been incredibly positive and encouraging during this process! Every time I feel upset that it hasn't happened yet, he always is very reassuring. 

...Another thing...

After I got out of class today, I decided to do some browsing at the craft stores. I was at JoAnn Fabrics and about to leave empty-handed when I spotted this ADORABLE fabric. It's baby flannel fabric with little woodland creatures on it. Then, I saw it was 60% off. I just couldn't pass it up. I decided to buy a couple of yards. I was really happy and proud of my little find, but I was also feeling a little embarrassed by it. I texted a picture to my best girlfriend... her response was cautionary. I get it, but NOT what I was wanting. Later tonight, hubby called and I told him the story. Once again, he was really open to it and wasn't at all phased by my insanity. Lol!

I texted him the picture following our convo and he told me he liked it. I asked if he thought it was weird for me to buy baby fabric. He said no and was again... just very reaffirming. I think he was more okay with it than I was really. I guess I feel like a crazy person buying stuff and painting a room for a baby that doesn't exist yet. 

Until next time...