Yay we have a scan booked for the 17th February :) We get to have another better look at Bruiser and see how they are growing. We will also find out if little one is a boy or a girl!!! V thinks LB is a girl, I think LB is a girl and Adrian is not sure but I think is batting for the boys on this just to be different. Either way we win! :) 5 weeks is going to take forever!!
 
Adrian and I are starting to get used to the idea that in a few months there will be a little one with us. The walls are coming down and we are actually looking at baby things rather than turning away because it hurts too much. There is hope again. This little one is already so loved and it going to bring so much happiness to our lives. We cannot wait to share it with them.
 
On the home front we have had a busy month. Of course the silly season was upon us and we had a lot of family stay with us. It was lovely to have our house full, lot of people coming and going and the air filled with laughter.
 
We also added to our menagerie. We adopted Zippah the last Black Lab we rescued as Bella fell in love with him. He actually went to a family and came back to us as their cat was launching itself at him and he was terrified! So we saw that as a sign and the fact that Bella was soooo happy having him around to keep him. But that also meant we cannot foster for a while. Sammy who is now 14 (over 100 in Lab years) is getting really old now and we want her to enjoy her time rather than hide when more fosters come through. She is chilling most days in her fav spot near our side gate where it's cool and she can see everything happening out the front! This decision also led us to our next addition.
 
Guinness a gorgeous 10 week old Black Kitten who was dumped and hand raised by the local vet. He has slotted in perfectly, not phased by the dogs and lovvvves the rabbits, especially Tilly! He is also a BIG sook and loves to cuddle every chance he gets (after playing and eating of course) which I especially love! Today though Guinness woke up not playing and very sick. He ignored milk and CHICKEN! A trip to the vet revealed a urinary tract blockage (only small thankfully) which could have been lethal if not fixed. Maxi had the same thing at 18 months old 8 years ago and has since been on a strict non preservative diet.. Guinness will be on it now… pretty bad for a 12 week old kitten. Hopefully he will be home tonight :)
 
Let’s not forget Tilly who is going really well! She had a huge operation just before Christmas to remove cysts from her jaw. It’s often fatal for a rabbit but after drains and squeezing twice a day for a month she seems to be on the mend (crossing everything!!). There is still a lot of gunk coming out but it’s less than before and she is happy and hopping around everywhere.. and she loves Guinness :)
 
Our house is ‘semi’ back to normal. Our visitors have gone. Bella, Ziggy and Emma are all well and the beautiful King Parrot baby who popped in on us on Sunday has sadly moved on.
 

NT scan at 13 weeks!

We are now all breathing a sign of relief :) LB is doing wonderfully! She wiggled and moved around so much the sonographer had trouble getting some of the measurements at first. Then she held her had to her face and kept it there just to annoy her! It took to the end of the session for the sonographer to get a look at her nasal bone but we got there.


Nuchal translucency ultrasound today can be scary.. measuring and lots of silences. The sonographer had never done a surrogacy case and was a little confused about how it all worked. Regardless the measurements were within the normal range, and the crown-rump length put her at 13w gestation with a Heart rate of 155bpm. So exciting!!
A perfect picture for a perfect little one (V is conviced LB is a girl)!! Either is perfect with us :)



We can't wait to see you next time little one!

7 week scan

Seriously do we care about what bits are where on the ultrasound?? The sonographer pushed us to the limit and gave us NOTHING for what seemed like an eternity. Then she turned the screen and showed V where all her internals are and what ovary she ovulated from... ahhhemmmmm... WT?? HURRY THE HELL UP! We know it's all healthy.. that's how we all got here!

The news was great :) Bruiser is pushing out a heart beat at 132bpm and it looked wonderful.. not that you can really tell at that point, but finally there was a smile from her and it was all good. PHEW... the tension really sucked! There was the beautiful heartbeat, pump, pump, pump... then the scan was over! They didn't spend half as much time on it as they did with LT... I guess because Bruiser is healthier :)

I cried... V cried.. and I cried a whole lot more... How can you not when you see the very real possibility right in front of you.

So we got the pics and an official letter from CFC saying we have a viable pregnancy... which is AWESOME :)))))))

Bloods in the afternoon came back at 63,357... but after seeing the healthy measurements and heartbeat the hCG which was soooo important in the beginning seemed irrelevant. Still that is what we will be holding onto over the coming weeks to make sure LB is going ok.

Lets just hope V doesn't get too much of the dizziness she has been experiencing over the coming weeks. While it's not great for her, it seems it's a good thing with blood flow to Bruiser. Hopefully there is common ground and it's good for both without too much issue.

We just need to hold our breath until after Christmas for the next scan.

Grow Little Bruiser... we are all sending you the best vibes possible! xo

Not counting really..

Tomorrow is the scan. 10am is the time. I cannot wait to see Bruiser growing strong.

V was sick last night. She was dizzy, faint, nauseous and exhausted. I didn't experience anything like that with my pregnancies but every one is different. After an orange and a rest it went away but it took a few hours. Of course we googled, and we found these symptoms were very common and linked to low blood pressure in the first trimester. Let's hope it was a one off!

The documentary we are participating in popped its head up again yesterday and again there was a mad panick which fizzled. They will hopefully film the big scan at 12 weeks but that will not be at CFC. So I guess we have to go through the whole getting access for the film crew etc. I am sure it will work out in the end.

Am off to visit a few puppies we cuddled and fostered tonight. Very exciting to see their homes and cuddle them some more!

Our focus is on Bruiser right now though.. See you tomorrow little friend :)

Today I have a spring in my step. Some days life can be like that but the last few years those days have been few and far between. I feel good finally.. my flu has gone..I am sleeping again and there is a very real possibility that we will have a baby in July next year!!!! I keep telling myself not to get too excited but it's like something in universe is telling me this is the one!

I can’t believe we are here… (and yes we have been here before) but the scan is next week and Bruiser is growing so well. hCG on Tuesday 25dpo was 11,547.. that is good.. that is great! Bruiser is above the norm and keeping its head above water. Of course the scan will be nerve-wracking but this time we have zero doubts as there have been no concerns. It is so nice not to be Goggling constantly to try and make sense of the unknown.. this time it's been all great simple Goggling for levels.

I am heading to Canberra to visit V and the Kids next week and am looking forward to seeing them. D is overseas at the moment so I can at least help her with rest and try and keep the kids occupied as much as possible.

On another happy not the puppy we have in foster at the moment was behaving badly and we thought he might not be re-home able, but with some great training techniques given to me by 'The Dog Listener' we have made real progress and he’s now up on the web to find a family!! YAYYYY! It has been hard and tedious but it’s working! I am also off to see The Dog Whisperer tonight. I think I got the last ticket in Sydney and I decided at the last minute after working out the week ahead... very excited about that and I hope I learn a few things in his show!

The waiting game..

With IVF you know so early and you follow every step which is excruciating. The next few months can't go fast enough!

Adrian and I have made the decision not to tell anyone about what is going on at the moment. It's really hard.. We want to yell it from the rafters but we have to wait this time.

This weekend was a test. We had my parents down and it was so hard not to tell them!! We were asked and the standard at the moment is we are waiting for the next cycle and are being monitored. It's not a complete fib.. We are being 'monitored' but for post not pre. But this time we will wait. Adrian's mum asks constantly which is hard but her wait will be worth it in the end :)

At least we were kept busy!

Tomorrow is another big day. Next blood work and hopefully a booking for a scan. We should have high enough hCG!! It has to be over 1000 and going on current levels...well lets not get too carried away :)

I have an app on my phone and with V's cycle dates it shows us hitting 6 weeks on Thursday. I think we are a little behind though as Bruiser took a little time to implant. Kylie... Wait!!!!! Patience is seriously required now...

DPO 18

788, 788, 788 and looking fabulous!! Go Bruiser Go :)

Last time with LT the results at 18dpo were only 287 and that was when we knew something may not be right.

The results at this stage are really promising. We are at the high side of normal and fighting fit.

Wonderful wonderful news!