Two Kids At Once

Family Expansion, The Nontraditional Way(s)

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It feels like the beginning of a new chapter! The last of my body jewelry came out this morning. Second round of blood tests came back today. HCG is doubling nicely and progesterone is staying high. Now I guess I just take care of myself and wait patiently for that first ultrasound at the end of the month.

This weekend we visited the big kid. She earned an 8 hour pass from her facility. We tried on wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses. She was pretty excited about it. We had a lot of fun and she’s still talking about the mac & cheese she got while we were out. Our next visit will be an overnight, which will be the longest visit yet.

We haven’t told big kid yet that I’m growing a little one. Maybe this week in family therapy? I’m hoping that will feel like a safe place to talk about whatever she feels about it.

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Check it out! That’s a big fat positive! I was feeling a little down after our first IUI not working, and was trying not to focus on the two week wait as much as possible. I couldn’t tell if I was feeling things because I was pregnant, or feeling things because of the progesterone supplements. I’m thrilled, and now my fingers are crossed, hoping this sticks.

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Saturday kinship placement class. A little more reading and learning to do.

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This has to be filled out for the big kid this week. 21 pages of personal history so they know they're not placing a kid in a home with unfit adults. I laughed at the section that said "describe in detail what it was like growing up in your home." And there are two lines provided. Ha! My Childhood, A Short Story: 2 parents, stable home, knew we were loved. Guess that's the important stuff.

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Well that's not how I wanted to start the morning.  I guess there's always hope until AF comes.  And she hasn't.  2 days late.  Here's hoping I'm just a little slow on the hormone production. 

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Last week there was an ultrasound to make sure I was growing a good egg, more blood work, this ovulation trigger shot (administered by my brave partner), AND AN INSEMINATION! Whoa. Today I'm seven days post IUI. I've been feeling.... things... all week. Every time I feel a cramp, get a headache, etc., the first thing through my mind is "Does this mean anything? Is this an early pregnancy symptom? Is it just a coincidence?" I'm feeling awfully superstitious. I'm afraid to jinx it. We'll just leave it at "I'm feeling things." 

Today was another blood draw to check progesterone, and an acupuncture appointment. My acupuncturist says my pulse is just where it should be for a person who is pregnant, but I'm reserving my excitement for next Friday (the 21st), which is the day I'm actually allowed to take a pregnancy test. This two week wait before being able to test is positively painful!

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We've started to figure out how to child-proof the house. There are lots of rules for families with foster kids.  Our little old city house doesn't have that much storage, so we're trying to figure out where we're going to lock up medicines, cleaning supplies, tools, and all of the dangerous things that didn't seem that dangerous in a house with no kids.

[twokidsatonce-blog]

Today I'm starting Clomid to stimulate my ovaries.  My doctor says some women do just fine on this medicine. Other people tell me they couldn't stop crying for the duration of their Clomid cycle. We'll see what happens, I guess. There's also a prenatal vitamin, baby aspirin, and an antibiotic that was prescribed with the Clomid. Down the hatch!

[twokidsatonce-blog]

Step one, kid two. From zero kids to a teenager and hopefully a baby in one year.  At our house we go big or not at all. We're doing a little light reading in order to become licensed foster parents.

[twokidsatonce-blog]

Step one. At least step one for the sake of this blog. Step one for the tiny human.  The other kid has a different start. Yesterday my spouse and I ordered what could be the makings of a baby. Our first (and only) baby. It should arrive next Wednesday. I had blood tests done last Thursday, this Monday, and have another set scheduled for next Monday.  Next Wednesday will be my second ultrasound, and then sometime late next week, if all these tests turn out the way they're supposed to, will be our first insemination at our doctor's office. Both of us are feeling pretty excited and nervous.