The BSL Graduate/Stalking Thread Spring/Summer 2012 - Page 3

[lavatea]

Wow, I missed the action until the last post. So glad to see all of you ladies. I was just thinking of you the other day and thinking that I should come post a picture.

Originally Posted by Emaya 


I hope folks will continue to update. I think that having a baby after infertility is very special and it's a special bond between women too.

ITA! I think about you guys all of the time. It's so funny how big a part of my life the BSLs really were/are.

And oh my! your twins are so beautiful. I understand baby heaven. For the most part, I'm so there, too!

Originally Posted by miriam_bat_avraham 

I'm a way in-your-face mom and constantly smooching their cheeks and necks with kisses. I have no boundaries, lol.

Ha, ha, that's so me and Asher. He smells a bit like spit sometimes b/c I kiss him too much, lol. TMI.

Originally Posted by Sweet.Bee 

Emaya, regarding periods... I'm feeling kind of weird wondering about birth control, too. The thing is we think we're done at 2 children. It's just so expensive to live where we do, plus we don't want to be outnumbered.   I had postpartum bleeding for about 2 months, then had my first period just a couple of weeks ago (baby girl is 4 months old). She is exclusively breastfed and eats like crazy, so I have no idea how that happened. Did you decide what form of birth control you will be doing? I'd like to avoid anything hormonal until she is done breastfeeding.

I'm doing NFP, but it's nerve wracking without a post-partum AF as a starting point. There is a method, but I just don't trust it as much as when I have regular cycles. And as much as I'd love another baby, I'm really not ready just yet, and DH plus my family (who is helping out A LOT lately) would die.

Originally Posted by miriam_bat_avraham 

And here is a photo from Sunday!



That's about the best photo we can get these days

PS-- my little girls were 5lb5oz (on the left) and 4lb12oz (on the right). CHECK OUT THOSE FAT LEGS! Yesterday at the doctors they were 17lb13oz and 15lb8oz! That's all breast milk, folks! I must make cream or something...

Dang, you must! They are so cute and chunky. And so happy!!

Originally Posted by Nanette56 

Blast from the past! Oh my goodness, so glad to see you ladies are still here! Oh how I've missed you! And how did all these babies get so big?! It happened over night! I have been terrible at keeping up with everyone, I just keep up with Liz via FB. If any of you are on, please feel free to friend me, as I'm a much better FB friend than MDC buddy :/ (DamarisClaude) It really makes me feel good to see all the smiling pics, and to see how our TTC journeys all brought us here. There were lots of tears, but lots of smiles too!
Anyway, I will be visiting more frequently, I promise!
My boys ( the two smallest) are now 14 months old, can you believe it?! They're growing like weeds, and happy to say we are still nursing here is a family pic, sorry, on my iPad, so no other way to post :/
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150872349908886&l=7823c43e83
They come to the office with me every day, and my clients love them, win-win!
My eldest is now 8 and we are starting virtual school this coming year, we are gonna have some fun
Oh and did I mention I just found out I'm preggo with number 4????? Completely unexpected miracle after the nightmare of fertility treatments we had to endure with Tristan and Cael, but feeling blessed. I think I'm 11 weeks, but not sure. I literally had no idea I was pregnant until Wednesday when I realized I hadn't had AF since MARCH! After 2 digis and 6 Answers, I figured there was no denying, especially since the test line was so much darker than the control Lol Still cautiously optimistic, going in for an ultrasound tomorrow to make sure we have a sticky bean. No bleeding spotting cramping, but 0 symptoms and that's scary both pregnancies with my boys, i was sick from weeks 8-16!! After a loss, you get completely jaded with this pregnancy experience, no?
Anyway, glad to see you all again, I'm going back to stalk some other people now- keep posting cute baby pics please!!

Good for you on the extended BFing. I <3 that! And congrats on #4!! That's so awesome that you didn't even have to try!


AFM - I <3 my little happy boy. He loves to be held, which can be frustrating, but he has such a sweet personality. He smiles and coos, and my heart just bursts.

Anyone else have trouble with being a worry-wart? I don't know if it's a by-product of the m/cs, but I think I worry about Asher more than I ever did the older two. I will say I worry about DS1 more than DD, which I think may have something to do with him being a preemie. But I worry the most about DS2. I just don't think I could survive something happening to him, he's such a miracle to me.

So here he is on Mother's Day. I'm so in love!

[lavatea]

I think I forgot to mention Kyamo's cutie pie. I got carried away with the multi-quotes and missed him completely!

[jillc512]

Nanette, congratulations on your surprise baby #4!  I'm still chugging along with MY surprise #4 -- 17 weeks now.  I still can't quite wrap my head around this pregnancy, and occasionally forget I'm pregnant.  I try not to think too hard about having 4 children, because it sort of makes me dizzy.  I'm interested to hear how your surprise pregnancy is different after a very planned pregnancy.

ADORABLE babies everyone!

[monkeyscience]

Okay, I feel like someone asked me to update something on the front page, and I totally missed it. I've been dealing with a computer that doesn't edit well for quite awhile now, but we finally have our desktop up and running again, so hopefully I can make edits! Also, do our ladies expecting their surprise babies want to be added to the roster?? I'm so excited to hear about surprise babies. We definitely want more than one, and I am hopeful that future babies will not be so difficult to come by! On the other hand, if I have another pregnancy that starts like this one did, we may seriously be done with two. Or I may just cry my eyes out when I get a third BFP. Because that is more like how my life goes!

I'm kind of tired and out of it, so I'm not going to go back and try to catch everyone individually, but yay for all the cute baby pictures! What an adorable crew we have here!!

sweetest - Baby?? What's the report? hope you are doing well!

CACG & LTB - This is your month!! Can't wait to hear your LOs are here!

AFM, almost 30 weeks and starting to feel panicky that we don't have birth classes scheduled yet (waiting to hear back from the instructor on dates) or really anything ready for baby (waiting till after my shower, which is June 30th). I am finally starting to believe I will really get a baby out of this thing, though. Which is sort of terrifying. I'm kind of used to having a big belly now, as far as movement goes, but I'm still a little surprised when I see it in the mirror.

[CA Country Girl]

Still here Monkey!  36.5 weeks and counting down.  I am almost ready.  Have co-sleeper set up, baby clothes washed, bag packed,  birth plan written.  I even bought a pack of diapers today.  For some weird reason I was having a block to buying newborn diapers.  Having more contractions.  My non-stress test yesterday registered a number of them.  I am already 10 pounds heavier than I was at term for my daughter.  I think that means this one is a little bigger, although I think I did start up a few pounds.  Feeling the need to stay close to home even though I have a few things planned a couple hours away in the next couple of weeks.  Will let you ladies know as soon as baby decides to appear.  Hugs.

[LessTraveledBy]

I am 37 weeks and my guess would be that the baby will be born in just a bit over 3 weeks. I might be totally wrong, of course. Mainly, I am just so very thankful to get to do this again!!

[lavatea]

It makes me so happy to have little updates more regularly in this thread. I'll be thinking of you two in the next few weeks. Can't wait to see the birth updates!

I took care of a post d&c patient today. I cried a little in her room sharing the brief version of my story. I don't know if it was helpful for her to hear it or not. I hope so. So thankful to be standing on the other side of those experiences.

[kparker]

Wow so many GORGEOUS kidlets in here! I'm so happy to see them all. MBA those are some stinkin' cute little chubs!

[Emaya]

A whole lot of stinkin' cuteness going on in here! I'm pretty excited for CA country girl and LTB... coming soon, coming soon. And I'm dying to hear from Sweetest! Sweetest, please just check in really quick and let us know how you are and if you've met your little guy yet (I can't remember when in May you were due, but if it was late, it could be he's still camping out). 

Lavatea, I can see why you're in love. What a beauty of a boy. MBA, those legs on your girls are to die for. I would be seriously pressed not to take tiny little bites. After three skinny-minnies I finally get to experience the joy of chubby legs on my Emmeline. I put her in stalkings all the time (it's still cold here!) so I can see the contours of all that loveliness all day. 

Sweetbee, we haven't decided on birth control yet. The few times it's been an issue, we've used condoms (not a fan, but on the other hand, it's kind of funny to feel like I'm 19 again, rather than an old married woman ha ha). What have you decided? I don't want to do anything drastic just in case, like five years from now, I have a deep desire to have one-more-tiny-promise-this-is-it-very-last baby (don't tell my husband, he's not really ripe for even talking about it). I don't think I'd want to do that just as things get a little quieter around here, but you never know.

All fine here. Still "no boundries" as MBA put it -- all up in my babies' necks and faces and bellies and legs etc. etc. all day long. I got one boy - Forest - who will lie absolutely still and half close his eyes while I meticulously kiss every inch of his neck and face. I can't tell if he's actually enjoying it or if he thinks I'm a hungry bear that's about to rip out his larynx and he's playing dead. But I enjoy it, so that's the main thing. Before I had kids, I thought that kisses were mainly for the person on the receiving end; now I realize, as my kids sometimes try to squirm away from me, that I'm getting the lion's share of the pleasure out of this kissy thing.

My little girl has gone from giving me a quick smile and then closing her eyes and going to sleep when I put her down in her bed (all within literally 15 seconds) to crying and fighting sleep with all her might. We don't do CIO around here, but I'm a bit concerned about how this is going to work if she gets used to being carried and bounced to sleep. (Of course, she's our heavy one too). We might need to loosen up on our crying standards, we'll see how things develop. I try to remember the panic I felt as my dd1 rotated through different stages and phases -- 'Oh my GOODNESS what the hell is she doing NOW?!' -- and how meaningless and short most of those phases were. A waste of stress on my part. I'm keeping my cool most of the time.

Keep the pictures coming.

[Emaya]

And Monkey, I'm so glad you are feeling well - even if you're freaking a little bit with the realness of what's going to happen soon (get those classes in! Practice that relaxing breathing!). I'm also so pleased when I hear about surprise babies - congratulations, Nanette! 

[Sweet.Bee]

Originally Posted by Emaya 

My little girl has gone from giving me a quick smile and then closing her eyes and going to sleep when I put her down in her bed (all within literally 15 seconds) to crying and fighting sleep with all her might. We don't do CIO around here, but I'm a bit concerned about how this is going to work if she gets used to being carried and bounced to sleep.

Emaya, our girl is a sleep fighter, too. She will only fall asleep in her Ergo or (sometimes) after being fed. I spend half the day on my feet, carrying her around because she will not nap any other way no matter how tired she is. Some nights (like tonight, which is why I am awake at half past midnight with a baby on me ) I need to walk around for hours to get her into a deep enough sleep that she does not wake up when I put her down. Even then, she needs to be pressed up against me in the bed.

Have you found a solution in your case? She has been this way almost since birth (now almost 5 months old). I love her to bits, but it is getting quite exhausting, especially with another child who needs my attention. I don't think I could just let her cry. That would make me cry, and she would still not sleep!

Oh, and we're sticking to condoms for now, too.

Quick labor vibes to everyone having babies soon!

[Emaya]

Watch out everyone who is having babies soon - you just got quick labor vides from the 1-hour labor mama, Sweetbee! Maybe you should call your midwives NOW so they get to you in time :)

I'm sending you all "lagom" (a Swedish adjective meaning "not-too-much-and-not-too-little") labor vibes.

Sweetbee, I put my girl in the boys' "baby shaker" (sorry for the stupid name, that's just what we called the thing as a bad joke in the early days) yesterday, and that solved it. It's a horrible invention that I would never dream of using on a singleton, but it worked wonders in the early weeks when the boys wouldn't sleep without some vibration/movement. I can't recommend the contraption because it is such bad quality that it has been very unreliable after 2 months of use (and if there's anything I hate, it's electronics/plastic sh*t/consumer goods that have in-programmed planned obsolescence or are just generally meant to be thrown away). They’re actually called Lullabub, from Australia, and they fit on the crib-legs and shake it (plugged in) to give a feeling of a car ride or boat ride. But again, not an endorsement.

Does she like movement in general (have you taken her in a car? Has she fallen asleep there?)? Then maybe something like this (it swings and bounces at the same time)? (there’s got to be a Dutch equivalent): http://mawok.se/ -- 

You could give it a really good swing and a little bounce and maybe that would do the trick? Though with all the skin-to-skin you're giving her now, I suspect that is going to be one very happy, independent, self-assured, strong young woman some day! That said, 5 months of carrying your little one sounds tough! I'm so impressed with you.

[lavatea]

Originally Posted by Emaya 

Then maybe something like this (it swings and bounces at the same time)? (there’s got to be a Dutch equivalent): http://mawok.se/ -- 
You could give it a really good swing and a little bounce and maybe that would do the trick?

Oh my gosh, I want one of those! Anyone know a US retailer? I'm having trouble reading the Swedish, lol.

[Kinza]

Hi everyone! I've been reading, and it's great to get updates about the new babies, and surprise pregnancies, and how everyone is doing. Mostly I feel like crap, so I just don't post. But, I'm 33 weeks and so huge I have my own gravitational field now, I think. My babies were estimated at about 4.5 pounds each last week at my ultrasound (huge, even if they were singletons!), and looked good, except baby B had an echogenic bowel show up. Probably it's nothing to worry about, since there have been no indication of any problems in any of the 20 other ultrasounds I've had, and the perinatologist will check again in two weeks. Also, we missed all but one of our birth classes because I felt awful, so I'm annoyed about that. We don't have time to do another series, though. I went on leave two weeks ago, and being able to lie down most of the time is helping--my heart was trying to pound its way out of my chest when I was working! Anyway, here is a pic of me in all my glory (LOL).

[lavatea]

I it, Kinza! Thanks for the update. I'm glad you were able to go on leave and get some rest. Stock up on it while you can. Although it sounds like Emaya and Julie have had good luck with their multiples, so hopefully that's some BSL luck for you!

[CA Country Girl]

Kinza- you look beautiful!  Can't remember if you decided to find out the gender(s) of those little (or not so little-yeah for nice healthy sized babes) babies.  

Emaya- funny how they surprise you by changing their habits just when you think you have them figured out.  I remember that about my DD.

LTB- Any day now, right?  I hit 38 weeks tomorrow, so ready for this to begin anytime.   I guess we are next.

[LessTraveledBy]

Originally Posted by CA Country Girl 

LTB- Any day now, right?  I hit 38 weeks tomorrow, so ready for this to begin anytime.   I guess we are next.

Yes, only 1.5 weeks until my due date. I am still feeling ridiculously well, though, so whenever he comes, it is okay with me. I did discover last night, though, that I still don't really understand that we will finally have another child. Even with this almost fully baked little boy in my tummy, kicking, moving his little bottom, and digging his head lower and lower, it just does not seem real to me. The mental scars are still there for me, playing their games.

Hoping you will have a beautiful birth, CCG!

[CA Country Girl]

LTB- I am glad you feel so well.  I have been getting increasing pre-labor symptoms, so I am a bit uncomfortable.  And thanks for the well wishes for my birth- the same back to you.  I understand the feeling of unreality of it all.  I was afraid to buy newborn diapers- like making it that real could bring us bad luck (ridiculous I know).  I think struggling to get pregnant has its long lasting affects for sure.  I guess in some ways it will not feel totally real until I hold this baby.

[Emaya]

Exciting times as we wait for CA Country Girl and LTB... One thing about the infertility thing is that you just get so darned excited for other mamas who are fullfilling their dreams with a baby or baby #2 3 or whatever. Just so excited. 

Kinza, that is a very pretty bump. Ok, it's not a bump, it's a mountain of a belly for 33 weeks. But it's round and gorgeous! I hope you're not one of those women who get upset when someone says that her belly is looking big and round -- I was one of those women who got upset if my friends said I was looking small (which I wasn't - they were just trying to make me feel better, which wasn't necessary) I'm BIG, ok? I'm trying my darndest to grow some big fat babies here, pushing 4000 calories down my hatch every day, and I won't have people around saying that my belly doesn't look that big :) If you want, I'll send you a picture of what my belly looked like the night before c-section at week 36 (and by the way, it's not looking too bad now, way better than I thought possible). As lavatea wrote, we have some good luck with multiples around here :)

Sweetbee, how goes it with little sweetkoalabear?

All fine here. Yesterday morning I crashed and felt tired, bored to tears (literally), imprisoned, anxiety-ridden, and just done with this. I went out for a hard run in the rain and came home panting and red, took a long shower, and was back in shipshape. I'm actually terribly out of shape, but that makes jogging so much more theraputic -- you only need like 15 or 20 minutes of super slow painful jogging to turn on the endorphins full blast and make you happy again (maybe it's just the relief of stopping that makes you feel so good in comparison). So the trick is to not get into shape, otherwise I'd have to run fast for like 30 - 45 minutes to get the same effect, see? 

[Kinza]

My babies were born June 19 at 34 was 4 days. Both girls are doing great, and are in NICU until they can regulate temps and coordinate feeding movements. A. G. was 4 lb 14 oz and M. R. was 4 lb 10 oz at birth. They were delivered vaginally, with baby b footling breech. Birth went well, but they took the babies to the nursery with plans for us to follow. I hemorrhaged and just got to see them today for the first time. So breast feeding got off to a rocky start, but both babies managed to get colostrum straight from me today, which pretty much rocked. I'm pumping now and will try nursing again in an hour or so. So, well, I love them. That's pretty much it.