Joyous Birdie: Magical, and strange, 16 weeks

3/25/11

Magical, and strange, 16 weeks

I'm sorry I haven't updated in so long.. I've been away in Florida on vacation for almost two weeks. I only have a moment now to before I get ready for my work day. Being in sunshine and on the beach, seeing dolphins and manatees and all sorts of beautiful birds, herons and pelicans, after this horrible winter has lifted my spirits so that I actually feel normal again. (Tho nothing about pregnancy feels remotely normal).
The most exciting things that have happened in the past 2 weeks are that I can feel the babies moving.. tiny little rolls and pokes almost too faint to feel. It's a very strange experience, let me tell you. I look forward to it, but its also taking some getting used to. I have actually been feeling movement since the 13th week believe it or not, I just wasn't positive.
The other exciting thing is that my belly is getting biiiiig. Like bIIIIIG. One of my clients guessed that I was pregnant. I thought that would not happen yet, because I had a belly that looked a bit pregnant even before I got pregnant. But she caught me rubbing my stomach, the one and only time I have ever done that pregnancy related rub.. she is very observant. She was very happy for me, but I think there will be fallout, especially since I went away on vacation immediately after. And she has abandonment issues. Well, I am off to see her now. Must go.

2 comments:

DandelionBreezeApril 1, 2011 at 10:33 PM
Hi... here from ICLW :)) Congratulations on your pregnancy and great that you can feel them kicking :) Looking forward to hearing all your good news xoxo
ReplyDelete
Replies
LeslieGailApril 6, 2011 at 3:22 PM
Your story is so inspirational! I wish you a happy and blessed pregnancy!
ReplyDelete
Replies

Add comment

A Little History

I didn't feel I was ready to have children until I had done some emotional healing of my own. This took time.

Since I was single I felt, before I had them, I had to be able to support myself and any children I had on my own. Thus, a masters in Social Work.

Post Grad study to become a psychotherapist.

This all took many years, and I was close to 40 by the time I even considered TTC alone.

Joined Single Mothers by Choice.

Asked my two best beloved male friends if they wanted to be a daddy. No, they didn't.

Researched donor sperm. Obsessively. Found the perfect donor.

Started working with a RE on west 59th Street. I was 42.

first IUI cycle canceled, because even though I was in for a sonogram practically every morning at some ungodly hour, they missed my ovulation.

Second IUI cycle. In terrible pain from trigger shot. Dr dismissed this.

Dropped out of the RE's care

Did Eleven unmedicated IUI's, All BFN's.

RE had told me they didn't work with women over 43 for IVF, I was almost 44. I was too burnt out and discouraged by the crappy doctors and feeling alone to pursue some other place.

Started researching adoption. I felt strongly that I only wanted a newborn.

Discovered that a 44 year old single woman who wanted to adopt a newborn has almost zero options.

Found a possible way I could adopt from Pakistan that would have involved me living there for up to a year. Started proceedings.

Met my honey (I was 45) and was overwhelmed with joy and love. I needed time to enjoy being in a real relationship. Postponed adoption (tho he was up for it!).

Started having mixed feelings about adoption. (we'll save that for a blog post)

TTC'd with the honey the old fashioned way for 3 years.. Tho I thought I was too old to conceive, he was hopeful.

I turn 48. I know its not happening with my own eggs. All of a sudden I open up emotionally to the possibility of donor eggs.

4/10 IVF with donor eggs. BFN

Sadly decide to switch donors.. really identified with the first one! She looked and sounded like she could be my sister. Found one who had a better success rate.

12/10 I'm now 49. DE IVF cycle #2
12/21 transfer 2 pretty blastocysts. 2 to freeze.
12/26 pos pee stick
High betas- I'm pregnant!
1/19 oh boy, it's twins!