Christmas Festivities and a Fresh Start

I hope everyone had a great Christmas. We are lucky (and unlucky I guess) in that we get to celebrate three times, so next weekend the festivities will continue with my dad and sister (yay divorce). 

You can barely see Pepper (our other dog) in the right corner, he wasn't cooperating. This is the best shot we got using the timer on my camera. Merry Christmas from our furry family!

Last week we had my mom, step-dad and brother over for dinner to celebrate early. They go to Florida every Christmas to celebrate with my step-dad's mother, so they aren't ever around. It was really nice and relaxing. A few weeks ago I picked up my violin from my mom. I hadn't played in over 6 years but felt I needed a distraction during my 2ww. I have been practicing some and was able to play for my mom while she was over. That made her very happy. I played from second grade through my senior year in high school and was impressed by how easily I was able to pick it back up. We had a great dinner and exchanged gifts. My brother (almost 10) was literally kissing the Game Stop gift certificate we got him so you could say he liked it. 

Last Thursday we got the news that W's grandmother had a heart attack and passed away (3 days from Christmas). She lived to be 91 and was with it cognitively and lived independently up until the end. It happened really quickly so everyone is relived she didn't suffer. She was insanely generous in that she paid for her 7 grandchildren to go to college (Boston University, Yale, Columbia, Syracuse, Bates, Brown, and some art school in D.C.) She also gave us the center stone on my engagement ring which once belonged to her mother. Funeral services will be held on Friday and Saturday so we will be traveling to New Jersey for that. I think we will stop in Albany on the way for a night to stay with my sister and drop off our dogs and then stop on the way back through on Saturday and do Christmas Sunday with my dad and my sister. I hope she's ready to have 3 cats and 3 dogs at her house for a few days. Thanks K!

Due to the death in the family, Christmas Eve dinner was cancelled at the in-law's. We were invited instead to W's aunt and uncle's house and had a nice dinner. On Christmas day my in-law's came over for lunch and then we headed back to the aunt and uncle's for dinner again. I had a great time with W's cousin's boys (ages 5 and 8). D (the 5 year old) was too funny when he said "My most ticklish spot is my weiner." We all had a good laugh over that one. 

This is the painting W and I got each other for Christmas. We have two others by the same artist (who is local) and we really loved this one. It looks great on the wall.

AF arrived last Friday AM early. I knew changing to the white sheets would help. It really hasn't been as bad as I feared so that is good. I called my new clinic and set up a baseline for Monday (today). They were great about answering questions and being accessible (unlike my old clinic). 

We got up early and headed in this morning for my 7:45 appointment. We wrote a huge check which covers 3 IVF cycles and any frozen ones in between. I feel really good and paying up front and not having to worry about the financial piece. I found out we will be able to get a tax deduction for our medical expenses so paying in full before the year ended made the most sense. 

I had blood work and an ultrasound done and everything looked fine. I was able to ask as many questions as needed and talked with the NP about the cycle and meds. I start BCP's tonight and stay on them for 3 weeks. After 2 weeks we add Lupron into the mix. I have an appointment 3 weeks from today for a suppression check. It feels good to start up again and have a fresh start. Can the next 3 weeks just fly by please? 

This work week will be short so that is nice (not nice for the wallet, but oh well). I hope everyone had a great Christmas and was able to enjoy it, baby or no baby. Here's to hoping we all have babies next Christmas!