Five on Friday

One.  Blueprints!

So, so, so, excited that we got our finalized blueprints on Monday!  Now we can officially start getting bids & really start making some big decisions about this house.  I know we have a long road ahead of us, but I’m ecstatic that we are finally, after almost 4 years of owning the lot, going to start BUILDING OUR FOREVER HOME!  It still doesn't seem real & I don’t think it will until we break ground & things star progressing, but I know it won’t be long until Spring!

just FYI... the garage is going to be at an angle that's why it looks funny on the print

Two. IUI #3

Today is our ultrasound appointment.  They will determine whether or not we have the procedure done tomorrow or Monday.  I’m really hoping for tomorrow, but if they want to wait a few more days then I’m fine with that too, whichever is going to give us a better chance of getting pregnant.  Injections have been going fine.  If all goes according to plan then I will be doing the Ganirelix and the Ovidrel tonight.  Fingers crossed that we have some really nice follies growing in there!  I’m feeling really good about things this time, but will never forget what happened last round either.  I have been doing a few things different already, I started taking 3mg Melatonin every night as recommended by The Fertility Advisor.  I also was lucky enough to receive a whole ton of vitamins from a fellow blogger (thank you so much Beth!) that I’ll be working into my daily routine.  Trying to stay positive and optimistic!

 

Three.  Salem’s Lot

My mom is getting rid of probably a thousand books now that she has had her Kindle for a few years.  I took all of her Stephen King books and was so excited I had no idea which one I would start with, The Shining, Secret Window Secret Garden, The Dead Zone?  I decided on Salem’s Lot.  I haven’t read much over the last few years.  My mom doesn't understand how someone with a Bachelor’s in English doesn't read, but I just fell out of the habit.  Hopefully these Stephen King books will get me back into the swing.

Four.  Ready for Spring

Seriously, between the snow that we already had, the snow we got last weekend, & the snow we got this week, there’s several feet on the ground and nowhere to put it!  This is a true Illinois winter, but one we have been lucky enough not to have to endure the last few years.   I guess Mother Nature decided not to let us off the hook again this year! Boo!  I am so ready for Spring.  I made my first spring wardrobe purchase, an ADORABLE Aztec print chiffon tank top from CNJ Style on Monday and I’m dying to wear it!  My nails are painted pink & my hair has been freshly highlighted the perfect shade of blonde, bring on the summer!

Elephantasitc pink & the adorable tank (and adorable mom & daughter models!) from CNJ

Five. Naked Pure Fruit Juice

I’m trying to be more conscious of not only what I eat, but what I drink.  I start every day with one cup of coffee & that’s it, I never have more than one, one is perfect.  I usually drink a few tumblers of ice water each day as well at work.  At home is sometimes a little trickier.  I like a little flavor in my day and everything used to flavor water is loaded with artificial stuff & so are the sparkling waters that I drink at home.  “Made with Splenda” is right on the label & I’m really trying to avoid that stuff if I can.  This week I decided to try these Naked Pure Fruit Juices.  A little pricey, but really good.  Flavorful, filling, no sugar added, no preservatives, non-GMO, gluten free, vegan, & filled with a ton of fruit.  The sugar is high, but it’s natural sugar not aspartame.  For water I decided to try the Perrier flavored water.  They have pink grapefruit, lemon, & lime flavors, and it’s mineral water.  I read a lot of good and not so much bad about the stuff so I’m  hopeful it will be a healthy alternative to what I’m currently doing.  Hyvee has a beautiful organic section so I’m trying to do more shopping there, the prices can be killer though!

Happy Friday Lovlies!

It's the Little Things Link-Up

I noticed last Wednesdays link up the theme seemed to be babies and children.  So many adorable little ones out there, some playing in the snow (some for the first time!).  Some playing in warm weather, some strolling through Target, some asleep on the couch with dad, lots of adorable little faces to look at!

I found myself thinking about what my next Little Things post would be about, my dog? My husband?  Of course there's millions of little things about them that I could talk about, but then I started thinking about the day we would have our own "little thing" that I'll be able to write about.  For now, here is my "little thing", and I might be taking the "little" part a bit literally, but it seems to be working for me so far...

This little thing is what will hopefully soon be the cause of our own little miracle. This tiny needle, this tiny dose of medicine... A simple process, a simple stick in the stomach, a press of the plunger, and voila!! FSH city in my ovaries. Some people may not understand how this could be something a person would find pleasure in, or find comforting, or peaceful, but to me, it is.  I count down the hours every day til 6:30 pm when I can give myself the injection & cross a day off of my calendar.  It may seem strange to some, but this is my life right now just like someones child or baby is their life.  I would've never in a million years thought that we would be going through this, but it is our reality.  I try to keep the theme of my posts tied to infertility if I can because everything my life revolves around right now is this.  The house, the job opportunities, vacations, day trips, all being decided around what will happen if this treatment works.  It is hard sometimes not to let it hold you back, but it does.  

If this link up spans the life of some others I've participated in, then maybe one day I'll be posting those little moments with my little miracle my bundle of joy, who with just a smile, a cry, a breath will be able to melt my heart and again remind me of how important and special the little things really are!

Happy Wednesday!

The Fertility Advisor Review

One thing that I learned pretty quickly about myself through this process, before I even started seeing a fertility specialist was that I was/am willing to do about anything to increase my chances of getting pregnant. I mean I stood on my head in the middle of my living room, I had Reiki-ssage done, I took different vitamins, every little piece of advice that people would give me to try I would do it whether it be purely anecdotal or backed by years of research.  

Thanks to the wonderful world of social media I've been able to connect with so many unbelievable women with such powerful stories and experiences.  One woman that I connected with via Instagram is Dr. Smita Parikh, also known as The Fertility Advisor.  She reached out to me after seeing some of my posts & we talked about doing a consultation to see if there was more information that she could provide me about my own infertility journey and alternative treatments.  I'll give you a little back story and some information on Smita before I go any farther with my experience.

Dr. Smita Parikh received her MD from Tufts School of Medicine in Boston and trained in Internal Medicine.  She also completed a fellowship in Clinical Innovation where she learned about the best ways to use technology to activate and engage patients in their own healthcare.  On a personal level, she struggled with infertility and explored numerous treatments including both natural and medical therapies to get pregnant. This girl knows her stuff!  

Young and beautiful too!

As soon as we started talking on the phone I immediately loved her.  You feel like you're talking to a super smart, close friend.  She doesn't scare you with medical terms that you can't understand, everything that she said I understood.  Right off the bat I started taking notes & one of the first things she said to me was "don't worry about taking notes, I will send you an overview of everything we discuss".  She had already won me over!  The information was given in a very organized fashion.  She went from her story, to my story, then to different supplements I could try, other alternative treatments, diet, exercise, & stress levels.  Her entire presentation of information transitioned very well.  Her goals were clear, she wants to educate her patients and be a reliable resource to them and she accomplishes that very well.  

Overall, I was very pleased with the information that I received from Smita.  I would highly recommend her to anyone who is going through the infertility process.  Even if you are happy with your doctor and the way the process is going, I guarantee she will have some suggestions that your doctor hasn't told you.  If you are an IVF patient or considering IVF then I would recommend her even more because she has been through it and has been successful.  Remember, she's Dr. Smita Parikh so she really knows her stuff.  

You can check out her website here for more information.  For a free 30 minute consultation email Smita at info@thefertilityadvisor.com.  She will provide you with a full list of her services and fees.  

I would like to thank her for the opportunity for the consultation and introduce her as my newest sponsor on the blog.  She will be a great edition.  If you are on an infertility journey of your own I urge you to check out her website and shoot her an email.