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It's Friday and I'm so glad!!! It's been a long week - busy, busy. Tomorrow I have my first shower...and I'm soooo excited!!! R and I finished painting stripes in Butterbean's room last night (below the chair rail that is yet to be put up :)). It looks super cute. We did pink on pink...just a super glossy on top of regular paint. I'm really excited about it.

I met Murgdan and Amy for dinner this week with a girl friend who isn't a blogger. She started her first IVF cycle this week...and I'm so excited for her. It's so weird...you do all this to get pregnant, and then, once you are - it's a LOT of waiting. Don't get me wrong...I'd much rather wait with a baby in utero than still be trying to get pregnant...but, it's hard to make the transition from daily/weekly (feeling like hourly) doctor appointments, shots, protocols, etc. to waiting 4 weeks in between appointments and having nothing really to do during that time. The time seems to be passing us by more quickly with each week of this pregnancy and it seems like I was just at the OB and we go again next week. Anyway, I was soooo thrilled that my friend could finally get on the roller coaster that is IVF. She's had several set backs with endometriosis and has been patiently just waiting for almost 6 months. I really hope she's a one hit wonder.

Bottoms Off had a post this week called the Colors of Infertility. It really resonated with me and I've been thinking about it for a few days. She says,"So I tested. And it was negative. And as I looked at the stark whiteness where a pink line should be I thought, "That would make an interesting paint color...'negative pregnancy test white.'"" That statement really took me back to some of our darkest days. The negative pregnancy test white is one of the most difficult images I've had to process time and time again.

Our struggles with IF consumed 30 months of our life...and now, at 25 weeks gestation, it feels like it all happened a lifetime ago. Some days, I feel like taking a pregnancy test again just to see that 2nd line. The positive pregnancy test pink lines, if a paint color, would be called 'most perfect pink' in my world.

I'm so overjoyed that the IF chapter of my life seems to be behind me, but I have already been planning what we will do for child #2. How far will I take it? Can I survive IVF with a child at home? Do I *want* to survive IVF again with a child at home? It seems this infertile can only look forward so far...because I even said the other night...maybe 1 child will be enough. Maybe I want to spare myself the heartache of negative pregnancy test white for the rest of my life.

Here is to hoping all of my IF sisters get a 'most perfect pink' sighting in the near future.

How am I?

I am copying the idea of this post from my good friend, Murgdan!

My girlfriend called me the other day and said, "Um...you need to either email me pictures of your growing tummy or update your blog. I have a lot of prayer investment in this baby!" It was so sweet!!! We are so truly blessed to have so many people who care about us and who have been praying and cheering us on through this difficult chapter in our lives.

So, no belly shots for your viewing pleasure...I just feel weird doing those! So, you ask - How am I? I'm good :) I'm 24 weeks today...that means 16 weeks to go! WOW! Saying 16 weeks to go seems like such a short time. That's less than 4 months. I must admit, I'm not positive I have really let this sink in.

R and my Mom have felt her kick - and of course, I feel her moving around all the time. It's a bizarre, wonderful feeling. It was really validating for my Mom and R to feel her - it made me feel like "Ok, I'm not making this up. Those aren't gas bubbles rolling around...that's really my kid...".


Yes, still crazy as ever here in my corner of the earth!!


I have my first shower this weekend! So exciting. It's kind of early, but with the holidays and all, I guess they just wanted to have it early. I have my outfit picked out and hair is freshly highlighted. I'm good to go.


I've only gained about 5 pounds through these 24 weeks...which I would think was odd, but I'd gained about 10 pounds leading up to this, so, I think I'm good. My tummy isn't huge, but it's starting to poke. I definitely only wear maternity clothes - my normal clothes wouldn't dare try to button over this belly. I'm pretty obsessed with looking at it, touching it, feeling her move.


We've been working on the nursery...it's pink, of course. (If you know me in real life, this color choice is clearly a no-brainer!). R is going to hang chair rail and is striping with glaze underneath the chair rail. Who knew measuring and taping off stripes would be such a lesson in patience??? We have an armoire and a changing table - we're doing black furniture. I still need to order the crib - that's on the list for next week.


Life is pretty good :) We're just waiting on this little girl and doing the best we can to make sure we've prepared properly by the time she arrives!