Thankful

This year we traveled to my sister's house in Albany for Thanksgiving. W had to work on Friday but was able to get finished fairly early on Wednesday so we could get on the road. Unfortunately, they were expecting a snow storm so our last hour (at least) of the drive was quite slow going. The girl were so great in the car and that helped a lot.

Traveling isn't quite what it used to be. We now have to pack for 4 people rather than 2. We need to find someone to watch and feed the pets. Remembering to bring everything important is always exciting too.  

Then there's staying at my sister's house. My sister tries, but she really is a bit of a slob. She has 3 cats (one of which peed on our suitcase), a dog, and a toddler. The room they give us to sleep in is an open loft. There's no door. And, the living room is directly below. My BiL loves his TV and video games so they're always on and loud. I love spending time with my sister, but it's stressful at her house. 

Also, my BiL's aunt passed away on Monday afternoon. Because they are Jewish, they bury their dead in a certain timeframe. This meant my sister and BiL had to attend a funeral Thanksgiving day. My dad came over early to start cooking and we went for a walk to visit my childhood friend.

My sister lives in the same neighborhood that we grew up in. From her driveway you can look down at the house that we grew up in. It's also where my sister was born. So, visiting K means I can visit our old neighbors. My best childhood friend was my next door neighbor. She now lives in NYC, but on Thursday morning W and I went down to her parent's house for a visit. It was so nice to see her and her family, and she got to meet Lucy and Clara for the first time. I really enjoyed visiting with her and miss her like crazy. Over time we've fallen out of touch some, but we are Facebook friends so stay somewhat connected that way. 

When we returned to K's house W and I put the girls down for their nap. Then I logged onto my blog and read my Thanksgiving posts for the past few years. Last year's post had me seriously tearing up. 

It's amazing everything we went through. Some days I'm amazed I kept going and pushed through all of the sadness and hurt. I had no idea how strong I was at the time, but looking back it's amazing. 

Some days it's easy to lose track of all the things to be thankful for in life. There are days that the stress of caring for twins and the house builds up. W and I aren't always wonderful to each other, but we're working on it. Life is definitely different, but I wouldn't change it for the world. 

I'm so thankful and grateful for my husband and partner in life. He leaves every day and works so hard for our family. He loves his girls and tells me how much he misses them on Monday when he has to go back to work. He listens to me and gives me breaks when needed and I can always count on him to laugh at my jokes. On the weekends he picks up the slack with the girls and does most of the care for them, giving me a much needed break. He sings to them, dances with them, and snuggles with them in bed. Recently we've been working hard on our relationship. It's crazy that something that was so easy and important in the past has taken a bit of a back seat. Now, we realize we need to work on our marriage and make time to make it a priority, something that isn't always easy when raising twins. 

I'm so thankful for my children. They made me a mama and have taught me so much about myself, love, and patience the past 14 months. Their little faces light up any room and bring smiles everywhere we go. The love they have for each other is amazing and so fun to watch as well. 

I'm thankful for my supportive family. My mom who lives a few minutes up the road and often watches the girls. How they love her so much and crawl full speed to the door when they see her. My in-laws who are always so helpful and supportive. My FiL who will drop anything to help us at any given moment. My sister who I love but wish lived closer. My nephew who loves his babies (Lucy and Clara) and asks about them constantly. 

My pets who continue to love me and stay loyal despite my lack of attention for them.

Our beautiful house that is so full with bodies and love. The large yard we have for our dogs to roam and for our girls to play in. 

My job that allows me to work just a little in order to stay involved and contribute to our "vacation fund". The chance it gives me to get out some and help others. 

There's so much to be thankful and grateful for and I know I just scratched the surface.  

This was Lucy and Clara's second Thanksgiving. As I watched their big cousin Benny show off for them, help them walk by holding their hands, and give them eskimo kisses and hugs I knew every year will just get better. These cousins will grow up together and cause lots of trouble together. The love I have for my family will expand and grow as my children do. I'm just so thankful to be able to live this life!

3 Months Old

The girls turned 3 months old on Tuesday. I honestly have no idea where November went. I can't believe how soon Christmas will be here. The babies are doing really well and I'm loving being their mommy. It really is the hardest yet best job in the world.

We are getting out and about more often with the girls. We've been to friends houses, the mall, restaurants, and lots of different stores. I'm getting out more by myself and working on my "twinceps" aka the muscles you gain from carrying 2 carseats. We have a double snap and go stroller that is a lifesaver. I can't recommend it highly enough for future twin mommies.

The girls get lots of attention when we go out and about. We went to a play date at a friends house and everyone wanted to hold them and get their picture taken with them. I'm always happy to have extra hands to hold them though.

My mom comes over most afternoons when I am home. She is a huge help and loves to cuddle with the girls. I've starting working a little bit doing evaluations. W and I went to a movie on Sunday and left the girls with his parents. It's hard to leave them but I also enjoy a little time to myself or just with W.

Lucy- You are still such a little peanut. You weighed 7 pounds 8 ounces on Monday at your appointment, were 20 1/2 inches long, and your head was 14 1/2 cm around. You open your eyes so wide and do it when we blow raspberries. It's one of the cutest and funniest things ever. You love your paci so much and won't fall asleep at night without it. The past few weeks you've given your mommy a lot of stress with your eating. It seems like we've solved the problem with reflux medication and you are making up for all those bad feedings the past few weeks. You adore your daddy and can't take your eyes off of him when he is within your line of sight. You will even crane your neck to watch him if he moves across the room. You track objects and faces, stand up on your feet, hold your head so high during tummy time, and smile at times. It's not consistent yet, but you've definitely done it quite a few times. You are cooing and are generally a very mellow baby. You love your mobile I made you above your crib and will stare and talk to it for quite a while. You are finally enjoying your carseat rather than screaming your head off and foaming at the mouth while in it. When you cry you have the saddest face ever and real tears often come out. You found your hands and are obsessed with them. They are almost always up around your face or in your mouth and you love to flail your arms around. Sometimes when I nurse you you will wave your arms around or hit me or yourself by accident with them. You are such a cutie and we love you so much!

Clara- You are getting so big! You weighed 9 pounds 7 ounces on Monday, were 22 inches long, and your head was 14 1/4 cm around. You are smiling like crazy and love when we kiss or squeeze your cheeks. You love peek-a-boo and music. Singing to you almost always calms you down. You don't like to sleep during the day but are a champion sleeper at night. You go right to sleep without any problem most nights. You love looking at faces and eating. Even if you are asleep you will wake up and pig out. No wonder you are gaining weight so quickly. Your eyelashes are so long and thick and we are hoping your eyes stay blue. You like your swing but prefer to be held. You aren't a big fan of tummy time and will often fuss when we put you on your belly. Your reflux is so much better and you are much happier. You track people and things, stretch your arms out and grab onto my clothes, stand up on your feet, smile all the time, and you lose quite a bit of head control when you are milk drunk. You look like a bobble head when you do that. You are starting to fuss when your diaper is wet and are so dramatic over little things. We call you a tea kettle as you squeal in such a high pitch when you're upset. You look almost identical to my baby pictures with your daddy's chin. You are so amazing and we are so lucky to have you.

The girls have very distinct personalities. They are definitely individuals. I can't wait to see how they will grow and change over time. 

We celebrated Lucy and Clara's first Thanksgiving surrounded by family. We hosted at our house and had my mom, step-dad, brother, sister, brother-in-law, nephew Benny, dad, mother-in-law, and father-in-law. My dad did most of the cooking but the guests also brought food. The girls got to meet their cousin Benny for the first time. He is 6 months older than them and I know they will all cause lots of trouble together in the future. We took the babies to a photo studio to get their pictures taken and they came out really cute. 

I've started to work a little bit here and there doing evaluations. When I go I'm only away for a few hours at a time and I miss the girls terribly. Getting a little break does help a bit with my sanity and it's nice to feel like I can contribute a little. 

The girls are sleeping pretty well at night. They go down around 10:30 after an extra long feeding. They then sleep for about 6-7 hours, wake up to eat again, and sleep another 3-4 hours. It so much better than at first. During the day they eat every 2-3 hours, typically closer to 2. 

Time has a whole new concept. For the longest time I wished for the days to pass. I counted down to the next shot, appointment, cycle, or test. I crossed each day off on the calendar. Now I wish time would slow down. The girls are already growing and changing so much. I want to soak up every baby moment because I know these days are fleeting. 

I'm a different person than I was last year. We were both at the bottom last year. I was ready to give up trying for a baby. Last Christmas was tough. I just read this post from last year and teared up. It's crazy how much things can change in a year. I find myself singing Christmas carols to the girls. Songs I haven't sang since I was a child. The magic of Christmas has returned. I have 2 beautiful girls in my life, something I really wasn't sure was going to happen last year. I'm really truly happy for the first time since W and I first got married. My heart is healed and I feel complete with my little family. It's amazing the difference a year makes. 

The girls with their friend Carmine. He's quite the ladies man!

Benny the ham

They weren't too into our photo shoot

Transfer Eve

Tomorrow is the day I've been looking forward to for months. I met with Dr. Br.averman for the first time at the end of July and started stims September 24th. To say its been a long time coming feels like an understatement.

We did make the final decision to thaw and transfer two embryos. That was based on my gut instinct as well as input from Dr. B. I really hope the first two that they pick survive the thaw.

This past week flew by. I worked Mon-Wed and we left for Albany on Wednesday night. We stayed at my sister's house both Wed and Thurs night. Wednesday night was nice to just hang out with my sis and BiL. They moved the guest room since they are turning the old guest room into the nursery so we slept in the loft. It's a really nice room but is open so has zero privacy. It made doing my shots interesting. We managed to hide out in the corner of the room.

Thanksgiving itself was really nice. There were ten people total and I got to spend some time with my BIL's parents. My mom and my sister's MIL wouldn't leave her alone with trying to take pictures of her baby bump. She's definitely at the cute basketball stage, but hated the idea of any pictures. Us IF women take weekly photos once pregnant but my sister said she doesn't want a single photo. To each his own.

Thursday night we went out to Target around 11. I always enjoy watching the crowds and it really wasn't that crazy. We had picked up a few blue ray movies but quickly put them back once we saw the line. I've never seen anything like it. Literally it would have taken hours to buy some movies. So, we left empty handed and headed home to bed.

W and I got up super early Friday morning and he drove while I slept. Unfortunately he had to work that day. I spent most of the day relaxing and catching up on sleep.

Friday night was my ten year high school reunion in town. I waiting until about two hours before to buy tickets but was glad in the end that I did. I definitely had way to much to drink, but it did help to ease the awkwardness. One of my best friends from high school was in town from Seattle so it was really nice to spend time with her. Another bonus? No pregnant girls at the reunion.

Saturday was spent recovering from my crazy night on Friday and then today we went to the christening for our friend's baby. He was screaming his little head off for most of the church service, poor little guy.

I'm really glad to have had the holiday week before my transfer. It helped to pass the time and took all of the focus off so things. I'm feeling relaxed and hopeful for our little embryos that will be headed where they belong tomorrow.

So Thankful

I know I'm a bit late with it being a day after Thanksgiving, but there's never a bad time to recognize how thankful I am for everything I have. Despite not having everything I want, I'm still so happy and grateful for everything that I do have.

The thing I am most thankful for this year is my husband. He's such a amazing person and I'm so lucky to have him as my partner in everything. He's always there to laugh at my jokes, listen to me ramble, and to offer a hug when I'm having a bad day. I can't imagine my life without him.

I'm also incredibly grateful for my family, both extended and immediate. My sister and I have grown really close over the years and she's now in the loop about everything. She's always cheering for us and has even offered to be a surrogate if we needed. When we were little and through our teen years we fought constantly, so our relationship has really grown. We talk most days and support each other in so many ways. 

I'm happy that I can celebrate holidays with both of my parents, despite them getting divorced when we were little. I'm glad they both have someone in their lives who makes them happy. I'm thankful that my mom and step-dad decided to adopt my little brother, that my family expanded, and that I got to become a big sister at age 24.

I'm incredibly lucky to also have my in-laws. They are so supportive of everything we have gone through and are always hoping and praying for us. My FIL will drop anything on a given day to help us with a house project or dog sit for us.

I thankful for my two nephews, one who turned five in October, and one who is still cooking in my sister's belly. I love taking our nephew O overnights and having him all to ourselves. Being an aunt really is great.

I'm so happy to have my fur babies. Our two dogs are best buds and get so excited to start every new day. I can't imagine greeting each day with such enthusiasm, so I'm glad to have them to show me it's possible. I love snuggling with my cat and sleep so much more soundly when he is curled up next to me. When he starts walking all over us at 4 AM it's a much different story. In those situations I'm thankful to have a lock on our bedroom door.

I'm thankful I have a rewarding and great paying job. I love teaching children how to communicate and watching their little faces light up when they are successful. Watching children develop and progress is amazing.

I'm also thankful for all of the doctors I have in my life. Even though I would prefer to get pregnant without them, I'm thankful that they are on my team pulling for me. I'm thankful for the personal relationships I have built with so many people on this journey. I'm so grateful for our seven frozen embryos that we get to use starting Monday. I'm so thankful that we can afford and attempt all of these treatments. It may not be fun, but I know it will all be worth it. 

And last but not least my friends. My friends who I met through yoga for fertility who totally "get it". My friends who I work with and can relate to on so many levels, and my friends from growing up. Life without friends would be much less bearable and I'm so thankful to have them all. 

It's posts like these that we all need to revisit on a bad day. I try to remember how lucky I am every day and to appreciate everything I have more than once a year. Some days it's harder than others. 

I hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving that celebrated. If not, I'm glad it's at least Friday for those people who didn't get a few days off this week. 

What's Going On

The weekend always goes by too fast. How did we get to Sunday night already?

Last week went by fairly quickly. I worked a lot more than I have been working for the past few weeks and was exhausted by Friday night. I felt like such a bum Friday night when I napped while W did two loads of laundry, bathed the dogs, did all the dishes, and started dinner. Whoops!

Last Tuesday night I got together with my friend after yoga and we went out for Thai food. Of course we talked a bunch and had fun so I ended up getting home pretty late. 

Staying out late on Tuesday night made my Wednesday 6:45 appointment feel extra early. My lining measured at 7.78 and my estradiol levels were 746. We scheduled my transfer for the 26th at 10:15. We haven't made a final decision about how many embryos to transfer, but I think it will be two. I emailed Dr. Br.averman to get his opinion and it seemed to be two. He said he rarely recommends three unless the embryos quality is poor, the woman is over forty, or there have been repeated failures. We only fit into one of those categories and I'm not ready to fly through our best embryos. He also told me about the blood work he plans to repeat at my beta. Unfortunately, they were mostly tests that were only done at the out of network lab and are they were super pricey the first time around. I am going to email him to find out more about this. I don't understand the purpose of repeating these tests if my levels were within normal limits the first time. I guess to see how I responded to the new meds?

On Thursday W and I went to a vinyasa yoga class with my mom and then we went out for Indian food after. The class went much better than the previous Sunday. I felt strong and got a great workout. That one instructor is amazing. 

I had a nice friend-filled weekend. I saw my friend T on Saturday and we got lunch, walked around the mall, shopped a little bit, and got pedicures. I'm pretty excited about my new pajama pants and the festive dog collars I bough. T is due with her little boy in eight weeks! I can't wait to meet him. Her baby shower is coming up on December 8th so I really need to finish the binding on the quilt I made and then get it machine quilted by someone. The binding is intimidating me a bit which is why I haven't done it yet. I watched a little video on You Tube this weekend but still am not sure about it. I better get sure about it soon. 

Today we went to yoga and then hung out with our friends C, J, and their little girl E after. The yoga class had a sub instructor and I didn't love it. It wasn't very dynamic or fast moving. Little E wasn't feeling well and was being super sweet and snuggly. It made me want a little one that much more. We made plans with them to go cut down Christmas trees the first weekend in December like we did two years ago. 

I've feeling really hopeful and positive about our transfer. I am excited for it to be here and know the next week should fly by with Thanksgiving. I'm still bruising quite a bit. On Friday I ended up with a dark purple bruise that is bigger than a quarter. It's super attractive, trust me. I also bled for a long time when they took my blood. The Lovenox is definitely working. 

I'm really looking forward to the short work week and seeing all my family on Thursday. Then we have our transfer in eight days! It feels like it's taken a long time to get this close. Let's hope this is it!

It's the Little Things in Life

I've feeling much better than I did Friday night. I slept for almost 12 hours on Friday night and took a nap Saturday during the day. That definitely helped. 

On Sunday W came with me to yoga. It was a hot vinyasa class and it kicked my butt! At first I was directly under the heat vent and was sweating so much I couldn't hold any pose long for fear of slipping off my mat. I eventually moved a little further away and that helped, but I just didn't feel strong during the class. I think fighting off the cold and having my period took it's toll on my body. Last week I felt really great during the same class but this week it was super challenging for me. 

I still enjoyed going and especially enjoyed the hot tub, sauna, and steam shower after. 

I recently found out all yoga classes are free there for us because we are patients at the fertility center. They buildings are connected and there also have massage and acupuncture available there. They offer one free acupuncture session with a transfer, so I usually take them up on that offer. I haven't been going to acupuncture regularly because it didn't seem to make a huge difference for me. Sure, I enjoyed it, but it didn't seem worth all the money. 

The headaches are getting a bit better but I am bruising so badly with my shots. I started Lovenox and baby aspirin last week and I don't think that is helping the cause. Any tips to reduce bruising? At this rate my entire stomach will be covered. I've been avoiding the right side of my stomach completely because I can't seem to find a single spot that doesn't bruise. It's not the best look. 

My next appointment is Wednesday morning. Our tentative transfer day is exactly two weeks from today! 

I bought something this week I'm super excited about it. It's really shows how it's the little things in life that make me happy.

 Last year we hosted Thanksgiving and our local supermarket had turkey butter sculptures for sale (it would fit in your hand if you wanted to hold a buttery little turkey). I missed my chance to get one as they sold out quickly. Well, this past week I saw them and snatched one up. I was so excited I even had to tell the cashier. 

Isn't he cute?

The New York State Fair is nearby and one of the main attractions is the giant butter sculpture. Maybe it's an upstate NY thing, but it's something we always have to check out when we go.

The sculpture from 2 years ago at the fair.

While you're in the dairy building, you better get some 25 cent chocolate milk.  Can't you tell I'm excited about it?

 I can't wait for that little buttery turkey to grace the Thanksgiving table with its presence. That is, until someone chops off his little head for their mashed potatoes. 

Thanksgiving success

Our first time hosting Thanksgiving was a complete success. We had my sister, her husband, my mother, my step-father, my little brother, my mom's friend, and my Dad, so 9 people total. This was the first time my parents celebrated Thanksgiving together in 20 years. The turkey came out amazing and wasn't dry at all. All of the food was delicious and I got my appetite back just in time. We did end up forgetting the stuffing on the table, but nobody missed it. Next time we will consult our menu when we put the dishes out on the table. The table looked great, and I got some fun ideas from Pinterest.

I also made a pie. Can you tell what the design is without me telling you?

My sister, her husband and I went black Friday shopping late Thursday night. We went to Wal-Mart (not my favorite place, but my sister's favorite place) and it really wasn't as crazy as I expected. Most people were there to get TV's and I managed to get a good deal on a digital camera for my dad. I also got some DVD's for myself (4/5 seasons of Six Feet Under) cheap. It was so nice to be able to spend time with my sister but not have to be at her house. She and her husband both smoke cigarettes and he loves the T.V to be loud. He also doesn't like bright lights so we often sit in the glow of the T.V. Being at their house means sitting in a smoky, dark and loud environment. It was nice to be able to control things but also spend time with K. 

K and her hubby have been TTC since their wedding in July. When we were in Wal-Mart K had to go to the bathroom. When she came back she said, "I am thankful for my period on Thanksgiving" and I could tell she was super bummed. Although she hasn't been trying for long, I can still feel her disappointment about getting her period instead of a positive pregnancy test. I am feeling better about her trying and the possibility of her getting pregnant first. I think because it didn't happen her first month of trying, I will be OK with it. I really hope we both get pregnant soon so that our babies can have cousins close in age. 

When K came she brought a flash drive with her wedding photos on it. I was able to look through her pictures and am amazed by how ballooned I look from the IVF. Her wedding was July 21 and I had my retrieval the 12th. I look so puffy in all of the photos, and I'm so glad we captured those moments in my life forever. Oh well, no one else knew and no one asked me if I was pregnant at the wedding, so maybe I just see it because I know. 

In other news the bleeding has stopped. I now know it isn't my period, it just isn't the same. I was bleeding heavy on Tuesday and Wednesday and by Thursday it had slowed considerably. Friday and Saturday I had the tiniest bit of spotting and it was brown rather than red or pink like previously. Nothing so far today. W and I have talked a lot about what we want to do and it is difficult. I think the spotting and bleeding will be gone by Monday, but I worry what this has done to my lining. The hardest part it is seems nothing is ever ideal. This month the issue is spotting and bleeding, but next month who knows what it will be. Obviously we want the most ideal situation possible, but I don't think it's ever going to be ideal. We will see what Dr. S's opinion is.

My anxiety has declined tremendously and my nausea is much better. I have an appetite again and know I need to get back to the gym. I'm sad its Sunday, but looking forward to my appointments tomorrow. Hope everyone is relaxing and having a great weekend. 

Today's Appointment

I really need a cure for fertility clinic anxiety. The mix of Metformin, Estradiol and stress/anxiety is not working out so well for me. The estrogen leads to nausea which leads to Liz not eating a whole lot these days. The plus is that this also leads to my pants being a little looser, leaving a little extra room for our Thanksgiving feast. 

Any tips or hints to combat fertility clinic anxiety?

The clinic was empty today and I was the only person there. They had me undress from the waist down, gave me a real sheet to cover myself with, and I waited for Dr. S. He didn't take too long and immediately asked about the bleeding when he entered the room. I told him it's still going on and is heavy like a period. 

He then did the scan. My lining measured 6.5 and had a trilaminar stripe. He said this didn't correspond with me having a period. We talked about the dates I had spotting, how I had a positive OPK in October, and the plan for the future. He was confused that I was bleeding despite what my endometrium looked like. I never cease to have unexpected problems. 

We came up with a plan. The plan is for me to continue on the estradiol (vaginally rather than orally to help reduce nausea) and rescan on Monday. He sent me for blood work to measure progesterone, estrogen, and Vitamin D (per my request). If I am still bleeding or my lining has decreased on Monday we will cancel the cycle and look to do the FET with the Lupron protocol probably some time in January. If the bleeding has stopped and my lining is thicker, we will continue as planned and consider this bleeding "breakthrough bleeding" which apparently sometimes occurs on estrogen. I really don't know what the plan is if my lining stays the same, I guess that isn't very likely. 

So, my Monday will be spend at two different fertility clinics, getting two different ultrasounds. Doesn't that sound like a ton of fun? At least they aren't back-to-back. One appointment is at 8:30 and the other is at 2:00. Hopefully I can get some work done in between those times.

Until then I will be cooking, entertaining, black friday shopping (eek), spending time with family, relaxing, and trying to step away from thinking about this whole thing. I will instead focus on all the positive and great things I have going on in my life. I fully appreciate these things and am incredibly thankful. I got the sweetest card from a family of a little boy I work with today. It literally brought tears to my eyes (maybe hormones played a part) and made my day. A card like that beats any present any day. I hope everyone has a GREAT Thanksgiving!!

Thought Vomit... Monday??!!

Upon completion of this post I realized it was more of  Thought Vomit Thursday (TVT) kind of post, but hey, it's only Monday so I'll leave off the bullets.

Wednesday's ultrasound appointment is looming. I'm trying to stay relaxed and calm about everything and some days I completely forget that we are currently in a "cycle." It doesn't seem real when all you do is pop a little pill at night (estradiol) and then forget about it. 

Speaking of those little pills... holy side effects. Who would think something so small could pack so much feisty?? My mornings are rough and I try not to lose it each day. Little things frustrate me to no end and I have ZERO patience. It goes well with working with 2 year olds, ha yeah right! The mornings are the worse and by the end of the day I feel much less feisty. 

My appointment with Dr. Gere is in less than a week and I really need to get my file sent over. I am hoping to tackle that tomorrow. I was super impressed that when they called to confirm my appointment that they had also called my insurance to see what was covered. Although the information was nothing new, it really was nice that they had taken the time. 

Last weekend I went to the spa with my friend Caitlin. She had a gift certificate for a massage and I had a guest pass so spent the time she was getting a massage running. Totally equivalent experiences. The steam room, sauna and hot tub were thoroughly enjoyed by both of us. 

Caitlin has a 15 month old little girl who W and I adore. We have been spending a lot of time with Caitlin, her husband J, and their little girl E. Most weekends we get together with them. There are times when it is hard to watch them love and kiss their little girl, but E lets W and I love and kiss her too, so it's not all that bad. 

I got a really nice complement at work today which made my day. It's nice to hear positive things about your work performance. Speaking of work, I'm going to try to branch out again and work with another child who had feeding issues. I will have more support this time and I feeling positive about trying again. 

We are hosting Thanksgiving on Thursday. We won't have too many people (9), but my sister is coming out and I am really looking forward to that. We have been in our house 13 months and she has visited 1 time. She is the type who likes to be in her own comfort zone. Even though it is only 3 hours away you would think it was 30. I'm anxiously awaiting her pregnancy announcement, but hopefully it won't be during Thanksgiving. She started trying in August and it's only a matter of time. As long as I'm not far behind her that's fine. 

I had some spotting this evening but it has gone away. I'm hoping it's nothing since it's brownish, so hopefully my lining is getting nice and cozy for our little totsicles.