Birthday Festivities

My birthday was Wednesday, but the celebrations lasted almost all week. On Wednesday (my birthday) my hubby and I went out for a great Italian dinner. We had delicious food and he got me a great present. A huge bouquet of beautiful flowers and a blue-ray player that can stream off of the internet with surround sound. We have really been enjoying that! 

On Thursday we had dinner with my parents and brother. The family tradition is a lobster dinner for my birthday and it is always delicious. We had ice cream cake and it was nice to see them and spend some time at their house. We talked about an upcoming wedding (Sep 3rd) where we are going to Cape Cod. I am super excited to see all of my step-father's family and have a great time. Hopefully I won't be drinking at that wedding : )

Friday afternoon I went for a walk with co-worker C. She is the one who had baby Max a few months ago and is one of the few people completely in the loop about my fertility treatments. We were able to talk for a while and hang out with Max. He is really growing into his cheeks and was fun to hold. He is smiling and cooing and is super cute. Friday night we had my B friend over and we rented a movie through our new blue-ray player and drank some wine. We stayed up late talking and laughing. 

Last night my in-laws took us out for an AMAZING dinner. It was the best meal I've had in over a year and was so indulgent (as if every other dinner this week wasn't). After that we met up with B and her new guy interest at a bar and had some drinks. Her birthday is today so we were able to celebrate some after it hit midnight. I don't think W and I have been to a bar even a handful of times since we have been married. Definitely different for us, but still very fun. 

Today we went over to my in-laws house and went swimming. My in-laws have been great about asking what is new in the treatment area and my FIL was super excited that I had extra syringes he could use for house projects. 

Tomorrow is my appointment. I'm not nervous about it. It will be quick and I expect to hear from the nurse or my RE later in the day. I will know what my lining measures tomorrow and that is all that is important right now. I did find out from the nurse at my clinic that my estradiol levels were 23 on day 5 of my cycle. This means although there were cysts, that they weren't producing estrogen. I don't expect them to be gone since I have felt them from time-to-time, but I also don't think they are much of an issue. The estradiol patches have been going fine. When I changed from one patch every two days to two, I got pretty bad headaches. Tomorrow afternoon I change from 2 patches to 4 and am expecting some more headaches. I joke that the brand is Vivelle and that it sounds sexy. Not sure, don't ask. I have definitely been feeling more feisty and irritable this week, but W is great about it all. I am really hoping my transfer will be moved up to this week, but I should have a better idea tomorrow. Right now it is scheduled for a week from tomorrow. 

In terms of eating healthy and exercising, that part hasn't been going well. It doesn't even feel like I am doing a cycle since I haven't had many appointments. Yoga was cancelled last week and I didn't go the week before that. I haven't been to acupuncture at all. I said to W it felt very similar to the cycle we did Clomid and an IUI for. It was basically one ultrasound and an appointment. This cycle is a little more than that (likely 3 ultrasounds) and will hopefully be much more successful. I am mixed in my feelings about the FET. I know our embryos aren't the best quality, but I really want it to work.  I'm so sick of fighting for this, that I have days where I wonder if it's all worth it. I know it will be, but I just want to not have to fight any longer. I think there are times where I lose track of what exactly I am fighting for, I just know I haven't won yet and need to continue.