5 weeks

I'm 5 weeks pregnant today. It feels really weird to say it...but it will probably be really weird to be 10 weeks pregnant...or 22 if I should get that far. I even FEEL pregnant, which is weirder still, because I don't think I've ever really felt pregnant at 5 weeks before. Usually 5 weeks is the calm before the storm, the first symptoms of pregnancy have settled down, and the second bout that happens after 6 weeks has yet to kick in. But the last couple of days I have started to get a serious aversion to food, steady nausea, and a crazy sense of smell. Not to mention 'the girls'. They are so sensitive that the slightest cold draft makes them ache, which in this house is just about all the time. I'm wearing a sweater in the house 24/7, even though it has been unseasonably warm here in the North East.

Normally this would make me feel good about things. Pregnancy is progressing as expected...check. But I live in 'opposite world' where good embryos, good numbers, and good symptoms don't necessarily mean good outcomes...but where ugly embryos, low and non doubling betas, and no symptoms do. The last time I started out with a first beta like this and a good, solid doubling I ended up with a miscarriage. I guess I just don't know what to expect when I'm expecting anymore. But I'm still smiling :)

Beta 2

Whew! My second beta came in at 289, a little bit higher than doubling. I can't believe it took them until 4:30 to call today! I was about ready to crawl out of my skin by the time the phone rang. Progesterone looks good, too, for once at 29.5. (it is usually too low and I have to supplement with suppositories on top of the shots).

My ultrasound has been scheduled for November 29th, the twins' 6 birthday. I also have another blood check in between, next Tuesday I think.

Thanks to everyone who has weighed in on the dining room. There seems to be a lot of grey votes :) Ironically, I was just checking out a video of a beautiful Federal mansion where they had painted the entire first floor a pretty dove grey with bright white trim on the woodwork. Now THAT place was unbelievable! I wouldn't want to heat it though *shudder*. I'm checking out that website, too, Chon, every little bit helps! And wallpaper isn't a bad idea either... Maybe one with yellow and grey?

Now with pictures

This is the dining room in all of its green glory. And a gratuitous shot of the kidlets in their Halloween costumes. Please disregard the crazy hallway mess, it is mostly furniture, curtains, and odds and ends from the parlor, and assorted junk which collects on tables that are being ignored.

There were supposed to be a couple more shots from the other direction but it seems that the camera battery went belly up.

I have been perusing Pinterest and getting a few ideas. I have got to be careful of that site, I could spend all day there! Anyway... feed back much appreciated. Even if it is only "My g-d those are some butt ugly '70s chairs you've got there!" (yes, they are, and wickedly uncomfortable to boot).

call for help from the artistic designer types

I've got a dining room dilemma. I really, really wanted our dark cave of a dining room to be painted before the dark months of Winter, but I'm all out of ideas. My husband and I have three huge, beautiful wide boards that were being used as a work bench in our garage that we plan to re purpose as a dining table. Other than that, though, I'm stumped. If we are going to paint soon, and I really want to paint soon, I need color ideas and design ideas and I'm drawing a complete blank.

This room is pretty big and in the center-back of our house. It has only two windows that face East, but there are doors that are open to the parlor and front hallway that get good afternoon light. There is a chair rail around the entire room. The ceiling height is nice at around 11 feet, but the former owners painted the ceiling the same color as the walls, which is all a dark, greyish green.
The chandelier could also use to be replaced. It is older in style, but it has a modern finish, and feels heavy and clunky. I know they were going for intimate and cozy, not a bad idea for a dining room, but what we got is dark, depressing and cave like.

I was thinking blue at one point, and blue would still be nice, but I haven't been inspired by the blues I've seen. If anyone out there has any ideas, dining rooms they've seen, things they think would work, web sites to point me too...I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks in advance!

Beta day :)

First numbers look good. HCG came in at 69, which is a good 'singleton' number for me. Progesterone came in at a respectable 25. Whew! My only gripe is that my clinic no longer does a follow up beta until four days now because some insurance companies griped, so I won't know if this pregnancy is going in the right direction until Tuesday. But for now, I'm solidly pregnant, and feeling it! I'll take that! :)

I'm feeling pretty queasy in the stomach between meals and the smell sensitivity is starting to kick in. As familiar as it all is, I am every bit as happy this time around as I've ever been. I want to go out and celebrate with virgin cocktails! But I'll have to settle for celebrating by cleaning up the play room and cleaning a bathroom or two YIPPEEEE!!! At least I'll be doing it with a huge grin on my face :) Happy Day!!!

Future perfect

Today, according to the IVF pregnancy calendar I used, I am almost 4 weeks pregnant. I find it amazing that two weeks ago while I was having my eggs removed from my body, I was already 2 weeks pregnant. It seems unbelievably optimistic to call the bunch of cells that only started to stick about a week ago 4 weeks old already. While they are fast forwarding, can't we fly straight though to 8 weeks? 11? I want to go past these weeks of uncertainty and vulnerability.

Yes, I looked at a due date calendar. I may have even perused gender neutral baby clothes on Amazo.n. It isn't naivete or optimism, but sanity survival mode. And hope, it is also a boat load of hope. And we all know what a two headed bitch hope can be.

For now, the future is bright. I'm pregnant with a zygote-future baby that is the size of a poppy seed. How can so much happiness hang on something the size of a poppy seed? I guess I'll just wait and see. I'll keep counting my symptoms and keeping track like they are clutch of baby chicks, and peeing on sticks to make sure that in fact, yes, I did see a second line and that it is in fact darker than yesterday. I'm just relieved that along with my giant portion of uncertainty I have been given a whopping side dish of happy.

Two Lines!!!

I went and bought a two pack tests this morning. I figured I would test today, get a negative, and try again Friday morning before my beta. Buuuuuut......No, two lines instead!!! The second is a little fainter than the control line, but it is definitely there, even without squinting :) I'm pregnant, y'all!

I have never, ever had a positive on a stick before. I also almost hurled in the sink this morning, and that has never happened to me before 6 weeks. :) Hmmmm.....