Fresh start

Today was my appointment with the nutritionist.
Nothing earth shattering...all things I know, but it was good for someone to tell me, and to be accountable with. She was really good with making sure to set realistic goals. Nothing to extreme to start, or I would feel "demotivated" if I couldn't follow through.

So - 5 goals we set, and discussed some ideas on what to eat to help stay fuller.

1. Eat more vegges and fruit. (recommend 7-8 servings a day, currently eating only 1-2, so goal is to up to about 4-5 servings to start)
2. Try hummas to have with vegatbles and I will try cottage cheese to see if I like it. (would be good to have with fruit)
3. Decrease grains. (my major weakness)
4. Increase intake of water.
5. Increase exercise. Get out for at 3 walks a week - 1/2 hour - 60 minutes each.

SO it's very doable...I just have to do it. So off too the grocery store tonight...thinking about our discussion today.

Oh, and I got a little peak at my blood work, that will be discussed in more detail at the appointment I have in April with the OB. Cholesterol was fine. Good cholestorol was a little low though. Vitamin B12 is slightly decreased (hardly at all though), glucose was fine. So nothing major there...we'll see how my hormones turned out.

Yeah to hopefully starting off a healthier lifestyle?

Some people!!

I know this blog is turning more into a venting blog...but honestly I feel better after I vent so bare with me.

Today when I went to pick up my hubby from our mutual workplace I went in for a short visit.
Everyone was commenting on how blonde her hair is. I don't see it. I think its turning a lighter brown, but not blonde...whatever, its not a big thing.
That is until 2 people start to make comments like, "how can she have blonde hair...your DH has dark hair, and so do you...hmm, interesting"

WTF?? Maybe you need too know these people and their passive aggressive ways, but they were definetly implying, that she wasn't my DH's child! They know we used IVF to conceive her, and in the past I've heard them talk badly of someone else that used fertility treatments. I never would have discussed the particulars with them though. (they are nosy and like to dis people behind their backs). I found myself getting defensive, which I am sure made it seem like they were on the right track. I am sure the rumours at work must be that she isn't his.

I'm not sure why this bugs me so much. We know that she is his, and that is all that should matter. Maybe it's because we almost had to use donor sperm. We even had to go through the process of talking to a counsellor to make sure we were really ok with it. We even had it ordered, and ready to use the day of the retrieval. We were very fortunate though that the sperm frozen from his surgery survived the thaw, and we didn't have to use plan B.

DH says to just ignore them. They have been getting in everyone's business lately. He said if he (yes, one of the busy bodies is a him!) makes any remarks to him tomorrow, he is going to tell him off. (GO DH!)

This really makes me not want to go back to work even more. I don't mind he work, it's the stupid politics in this place that drive me crazy.

ahhhh.....ok, better now :)

2 weeks of Heaven

I was wondering why I was starting to feel a bit better today, in terms of emotions, and feeling more like me again. Now I have my answer.... AF just arrived :) So in a couple days, if my evaluations of late are correct, my hormones should be evened out, and I'll be in an overall good mood until ovulation time.

On that note, today was a good day. Went to the baby/aquafit classes today. It has been a while since we made it there, so I was glad to have gone. Little OHHH seemed to handle the cold better then the last time, and was able to last the entire class. It was also a great workout today!

Then we went to Ikea. Oh how I wish I had money to spend on all things Ikea, but still it was nice to look! Then I took little OHH to another petsmart. Again, she was in love with the birds.

Well it's game night/American Idol watching with the step kids again today. These Tuesday nights have really been a great bonding time with them!

Well, till next time!

No news...yet

Well no real information from my Dr's today, but glad he took me seriously and has sent me for some bloodwork. Then I am to get a referral to the OB that delivered my baby, too discuss my concerns in more detail. Now I'm not quite sure why. I thought she was just a baby Dr. (and usually just for high risk patients), and not for this kind of thing, but I guess I'll find out when I go. Plus I have an appointment with a nutritionist in a couple of months. Was hoping it would be sooner...but oh well at least I got the ball rolling.

He did kinda have me a bit worried with all the health problems that can be caused by PCOS. Any metabolic diseases, like Diabetes is number one. Also high cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease along with kidney disease etc etc...well you get the point.

I'm in that 2 week time before my period, and I can totally feel it. Almost had road rage today over something stupid, getting super mad at my husband for nothing really. Just waiting for the big crying fits to come on sometime within the next week.....Blah!! Can't wait to get this sorted out.

On a positive note though, had a good day with OHH today after my appointment. Tomorrow will be another busy day. Mother goose, then off to stars and strollers.

I will blog soon about her changes in eating and sleeping lately. It's changed once again, and I have to find out what will work for us again.

k, off to spend the night with the step kids...it's game night!

What is it?

What is it that I need to figure out exactly.

I have been putting off dealing with any personal health issues over the course of the last 2 years due to trying to have a baby, and then being pregnant and having one. But now I think I need to focus on me a bit.

I am trying to get myself sorted out before I go back to work.

So I'm having some pretty extensive dental work/surgery done sometime in the next few months. Not something I am looking forward too, but something I need to do. (thanks goodness for insurance!) Basically it's due to bad home care, and years of not flossing. Bad Bad me! So they'll end up cutting my gums and reattaching them. 4 hours of surgery, and needles in my mouth, and a liquid diet for a few days after, and some tylenol threes. Oh Joy...I can hardly wait!

I am trying to lose weight, and exercise more. Yuck! I am getting better at not eating junk, and trying to walk more...but still need to work on this.

So now I've made a Dr's appointment to talk about some things. But what exactly do I need to talk to him about. I really have the feeling that I'm not going to get anything that will help me out, so is there any point really?

1. Going to ask for a referral to a nutritionist. Maybe she will have some advice for a good diet when you have PCOS, and you are afraid of getting diabetes. (Mom was just diagnosed) I bet they will just say to follow the Canadian food guide.

2. Going to ask if I need any treatment for my PCOS. I think the only tx he would offer is going on the pill, and I don't think that is a good idea. I get so emotional on that.

3. Going to ask if there is anything I can do for my stupid PMS. I really need to get it under control. PMS is driving me crazy. I'll have to write a whole blog on it! Am I the only one who hates the 2 weeks after ovulation?
Again, I think the pill (specifically YAZ) will be suggested, but again, I've tried that, and it was awful. I've also tried antidepressents, and well, I don't want to be all spacy, and that just made my libido crash!


4. Which brings me to a decreased libido. Yes I admit it, my libido sucks. It has for a long time. But I really want to get it fixed. But not sure that there is any magic pill out there. I think its because of my PCOS??

So other then #1, I'm not sure if there is any real point to asking about the other 3. And talking to someone about low libido, especially my male Dr, feels kinda strange for me. But I think I should. Hmm, I keep changing my mind, even as I type this.

Got some thinkin to do.

Family Tree

Can I just say I am loving the site Ancestry.ca!

I was into genealogy many years ago, and have just gotten back into it. I am loving researching and finding all this information about my ancestors. Seeing their names on old census's or birth records is fun. It's like solving some type of mystery and following the clues you find with each new document. I should have been a detective! :)

So far I have being using the the internet for my research, and I can't believe what I have found so far. I am sure that if I go to the local library I will find even more since I have found out that part of my family was actually from this area. Very strange since I didn't grow up here, and just moved here about 5 years ago.

Last spring I dragged my husband to a cemetery in a city we were visiting and I took pictures of relatives graves. Once this spring hits I plan on taking him and Alexis on some cemetery runs so I can find out more information.

Do you think it would be too creepy to take a then 9-10 month old to a cemetery? Maybe she's too young. hmm, I'll have to think about that. It might be a solo event.

So if anyone wants something looked up on the site about your family let me know, and I will see what I can find for you!


Back to some searching!

Vitamin D

Just a reminder to myself to keep taking Vitamin D! I try to take 2 of these a day, but I have been forgetting lately.
I have a history of SAD (seasonal affective disorder), which usually shows up in January/February. Since vitamin D is supposed to help, I really should get on taking them to see if it helps this year.
Does anyone suffer from this? Do you have any tips on prevention?

My little munchin!

My little OHH, up and ready to crawl. It won't be too long now! Right now she can only go backwards. She gets so mad when she's trying to get something in front of her, and she ends up getting further and further away!
She also likes to sleep with her bum up in the air...so cute!

Learned my lesson

Don't mess with Ohh's routine!
Friday was a fairly busy day which resulted in OHH and me being out for all of it. It was fun taking her to he fire station for a tour of the trucks with a moms group. Although she was really more interested in the other babies and me then she was the trucks. We'll have to try again when she's older.
Then her and I went to several shops looking around. But the highlight had to be petsmart. I took her in too look around, and boy did she love it! Maybe she's taking after her momma!? She was mesmerized many tanks of fish, couldn't get enough of the goldfinches flying around. And seemed to be in love with one particular kitten. They didn't have any dogs. I'd really like her to see some dogs so she isn't frightened of them. Maybe going to the humane society would be a good idea, as long as it doesn't mean she'll be fighting to get one. 2 cats is enough for us right now.

I think we might make this trip to petsmart again, since she loved it so much!

Oh, so back to the problem of the routine. So because we were in and out of so many different stores and stuff, her feeding was all messed up. Just eating bits of a bottle here and there, and napping just about everytime we got back into the car. So basically it ended up that I didn't fill her up enough during the day - so we had a feeding at 2am. It's been a while since I've had to get up to feed her at that time (normally it is just rolling her over, and/or rocking her back to sleep), so it was a bit rough the next day.

So lesson learned - always make sure to feed her lots during the day, if I want her to sleep all night! I think the next month might be tough will all the stuff going on.

ONLY 25 DAYS til CHRISTMAS!

Where is Santa?

This weekend, my husband, Ohhh, and I went to our very first Santa Claus parade together. I hope that it will become one of our family traditions each year!
It really was a lovely day for a parade! We couldn't ask for a better day in the middle of November!

We ended up finding the perfect spot (away from any kids coughing, and parents smoking). And when the parade started I put her into her sling/carrier so she could better watch the parade. She was pretty fussy, and we soon discovered why.

As an aside....

I'm not sure if it's just me, but I still get uncomfortable/worried when we are out in public and she starts to cry or isn't the quiet little baby I am hoping for. I wasn't too bad here since there were kids everywhere, and it's not like we were in a quiet environment. I know all babies cry/fuss, but maybe its because I always remember before having a baby, people around me complaining about crying babies, and I just don't want anyone looking at us, or talking about us in that way. I know, I know, it's just paranoia, and it shouldn't bother me, but it does. I really need to get over it.

Ok, so the reason she was so fussy, was just as we suspected. She was tired. And wouldn't you know, as soon as the parade was starting, she fell asleep in her sling/carrier. She slept through almost the entire thing. Through the horns honking, the sirens, the loud music, marching bands and even the drums!



Near the end (about an hour and a half later!) she started to wake up. And thats when the wind started to pick up and get pretty cold. So we decided to make our way inside the building. We ended up missing the man of the hour, but she still saw him through the glass doors. All that, and we missed what we went there for. We laughed about this all the way home.

Today was spent putting up the tree, and starting to put up some decorations, while listening Christmas music. I'm NEVER this into Christmas, but I guess that's what having a little one does to you!
Only 39 days til Christmas!

Poll # 1 - Infertility

This poll asked: "If you are a mom, did you have difficulty conceiving, and did you need medical interventions to help you (like IUI, IVF)"

90% needed medical intervention to have a child
10% had difficulty conceiving, but didn't need any medical help
0% didn't have problems conceiving

The point I wanted to get across with this poll was that there are probably more people affected by infertility then you might think. Most people suffer in silence, and will not be telling you what they are going through. If nothing else, please just be aware of this, and try be sensitive to topics of pregnancy and babies, and be supportive and nonjudgmental if anyone confides in you about this issue.

**This poll was only from a small number of people, and it is likely biased because it was probably all women that visited from my favourite IVF website. **

How it all began

Our OHHH, is really such a miracle girl.

In a nutshell, here is the journey we have experienced to be able to get where we are today. I plan on expanding more on this later, and share the feelings associated with these steps, but to give you some background I will start here.

• DaDa had a Vasectomy over 10 years ago now. (he has 2 children from a previous marriage)
• He had surgery to attempt to reverse this surgery in Feb 2007
• DaDa and I were married in September 2007.
• December 2007 - we found out the surgery didn't work.
• Moved on to a fertility clinic in March 2008. (lots of testing went on here)
• In September 2008 went through IVF, and became pregnant!!
• June 2009, my little OHHH was born!

All of this was such a roller coaster ride and has really consumed much of my life until little Ohhh was born. I have really tried to move on now with my new life of being a mom, but it will always be a part of me and her so I don't ever want to forget of our struggles. Maybe it will help her one day to realize how much she was truly wanted, and how much she is loved.