13 Chromosomes does not a father make....

I'm impressing myself by posting twice in 24 hours. This is like pre-pregnancy blogging for me!!!

First, just a few updates on the home front...

• Just got back from the Dr today and everything is looking fine. Sweet little girl's heart rate is great and she was very active for the Dr.
• I've been having excessive itchiness...all over...head to toe...want to rip my skin off itchiness. He said this was pretty normal but did a blood test for Pupps just to be safe. I'm promising myself not to stress about it.
• I'm 33 weeks today, which means that in 2 weeks if I start contracting or anything they will not stop labor. WHAT? OMG...I have so much to do...better get motivated in the world of work so I can actually take maternity leave :)
• My back has been hurting so I've been visiting the chiropractor...I think the man is a genius...although, I could live without the questions on vaccinations, etc. But, hey, everyone has their own opinion, right?
• Baby girl's nursery is about complete - we need to get a couple of shelves to hang on the walls and the tub/toilet room of the bathroom still needs painting...but, for the most part, we're good to go :)
• OMG - could we really have this baby in 2 weeks? hahahahaha....It's crazy that this is finally, really happening!!!!

So, for the subject of the title to this post...

My "little" cousin, A, got married this past weekend. She's 4 years younger than me and we were very close growing up. The years have put distance between us, but, when we're together, it's like we have never missed a beat. She's sort of like a little sister to me...and I'm pretty protective of her. She was a beautiful bride and I cried like a fool when she walked down the isle. Weddings can be so emotional (even when you aren't pregnant!). It was a wonderful celebration of love and I truly believe she has married a man that will make her happy.

She is a product of her mom's first, very short lived, marriage. Her mom babysat me when A was a new born and I can remember her laying in the center of a king sized bed napping and she was soooo tiny! I loved being with her. When the marriage ended, my grandmother babysat A and her mom went back to work. She met a WONDERFUL man and married him...I have no idea of the time line...I was 4 when A was born :). Anyhow, the man her mom married has long since legally adopted her and has been her Father. He has been the man who was there when she broke her ankle at the neighbors, who taught her how to play basketball (which I never got since she's like 5ft2...), taught her how to drive and bought her a car, sent her off on her first date, consoled her first heartbreak, put her through college...and gave her away at her wedding. HE is her FATHER, her DAD.

A did invite her biological father to the wedding after severe pressure she received. She does not keep in touch with him, but does vaguely keep in touch with his mother. So, at the wedding, people kept saying - well, that's her real dad...

I don't know. It just bothered me. How insulting to her and to her Father. The man who is biologically her father was, in my mind, basically a sperm donor. That's all he ever gave her. 13 chromosomes. That's it. Her REAL Dad gave her life experiences, love, compassion, education, a relationship. That's what makes him her parent. The man who gave her life is not her parent and doesn't deserve to ever be called her "real dad". I was so insulted for her and her Dad when I heard people say that at the wedding.

Just because someone gave you life, does not make them your parent.

This post is not as eloquent as it sounded in my head...I just wanted to get it off my chest.

Looking forward and behind...

I hadn't been inspired to write a New Year's post until today. 2009 was a long year that, thankfully, ended very well for us. Murgdan inspired me tonight and I'm just going to copy her basic format....We are so very thankful that 2010 is the Year of the Baby for us, as well. While 2009 was quite a bumpy ride, I can reflect with an understanding mind and a thankful heart.

January we began with our new RE - Dr. K and I was certain he was our knight in shining armor that would save us from the depths of our infertility hell. This post pretty well sums up my mindset for the beginning of the year. I was (still am...) so angry at my last RE and really excited about the new clinic. Hope hadn't quite yet set in, but I was anxious to move forward with Dr. K and IVF #3.

February began with hope and ended in sorrow. The posts from that month bring back such raw emtotion that I still cry when I read through.

March began my decline in posts and was filled with mixed days of sadness, anger and some glimpses of happiness.

In April, we had our WTF appointment with Dr. K, decided to go all in on one last cycle and I realized my pathway was broken...the signs were unclear...but I knew there was a reason He had brought me there.

May brought on our last IVF attempt, a new hobbie for me (sewing) and the Month of Mothers...

June 2009 was quite possibly the best month of our life, as we had a BFP at 10dp5dt just one day before our 5 year wedding anniversary. I became boring, pregnant blogger.

July through December I was basically the world's worst blogger and mostly just posted updates about how wonderful the world is and how some days Infertility is still a total bitch.

All in all, 2009 was a wonderful year. My Dad is recovering from his broken foot, has beaten prostate cancer, his surgery in February found only a benign tumor, my sister and I are both expecting. Who could ask for more, right? I still have days where I can't believe that in 7 weeks we'll have a little girl of our very own!

To all of my blogger friends, thank you for your comments, support and real life friendships. You have made my life more bearable on unbearable days and have added to the happiness we've been blessed to have bestowed upon us. May 2010 bring us all health, happiness and dreams that come true.

Here's to an even better 2010.