My Husband Rocks and other updates

I haven't done this in many, many weeks, but my husband really has been rocking! So let me start by bragging about my hubby.

Pregnancy is rough. It's rough on me, of course, physically and emotionally, but for him - it's hard in different ways. He's the one picking up the slack, he's the one who has to climb the ladder to paint, he's the one who has to haul around the stuff I go out and buy. Right now, he's in the kitchen cleaning up from the dinner he made. He gets up and fetches things I ask for, he brings the laundry up and down the stairs and he makes me go to bed when I'm nodding off on the couch.

But I think more than anything else, everyday I can look at him, and more and more, I picture our children in his arms. I picture him being a Dad, I see him showing them off, and pushing them around in the stroller. I see him sitting in the glider and rocking a baby to sleep. I picture him teaching them to walk, and laying on the floor and playing and talking to them like he talks to our pets.

I am more excited about making him a Daddy than I am about me becoming a Mommy. Partly because I see him being better at it!

In other news, it's probably about time for some updates. We have now had three baby showers. Three! Early in January, when my best friend was in town my SIL threw me a surprise friends shower. Then, early in February, my other SIL threw our family shower. And on Thursday, our kids "surprised" my teaching partner and I with a shower at school. With 81 6th graders. Oh my.

I'm almost 29 weeks now. 29 weeks! As far as I'm concerned, with twins, it almost seems like anytime after 28 weeks is great. I can't believe I've passed that milestone, and I'm so grateful for every day I can keep these babies cooking. Since our episode in labor and delivery, I haven't had a return of the evil contractions, so the medicine is doing the trick.

Our nursery is coming along, it's kind of a mess right now with all of the shower gifts, but we've added a rug and a lamp, and just a few things to the closet. I blame my SIL's and MIL for most of those clothes!

And apparently pictures will have to come later because Blogger hates me tonight.

He really does rock. . .

But I'm too tired to come up with a long entry to tell why. :-)

He rocks because he is still a trooper giving me my shots every night. Even when I cry, even when I say OW really loud, and even through the week long rash on my butt (who the hell is allergic to alcohol wipes? Me apparently). He has learned to roll it between his hands to warm it up, and remembers (almost) every night to remind me about my shot.

Who knew we would ever be able to get this far?

My Husband Rocks!

I think this is week #4, and my husband still rocks. He always will. He has been my optimism and my hope this cycle, and he gives me my strength. This journey we have been on is so hard for so many couples, and for us, while we've had our ups and downs, I really think we have gotten closer. We have travelled this road, and we will survive.

I have been crashing every night really early. Usually this leaves something left to be done. Cleaning the kitchen up, putting away leftovers, dealing with the cat box, emptying the dishwasher, you name it. My husband has sent me off to bed with a kiss, and dealt with everything that needed to be dealt with.

I appreciate his constant love and support. For better or for worse.

My Husband Rocks!

A little late again, but only by like 15 minutes :-)


This week is very simple - my husband rocks because he has learned how to give me shots in the butt like a pro! I am incredibly grateful to my MIL who taught him the perfect technique so that by tonight's shot, I could barely feel the needle going in. Good job DH!


Also, I should add, he is a very good enforcer of bedrest. He has been taking care of me, and making sure I get my pineapple smoothies, fiber, Gatorade and everything else I need without me having to get off the couch. He has also started this very cute knocking on my belly asking if everything is going okay in there, and talking to the embabies. Very cute, and very sweet.

My Husband Rocks on Saturday, too.

Okay, so with everything going on yesterday, I may have forgotten my Friday pledge to praise my husband. But that's okay because he rocks everyday of the week.

Today, we went out and ran some errands after our early morning, "Yes, your ovaries are still there" appointment. We met with the RE who is going to do my retrieval in the morning, and the new doctor in the practice. She was manning Mr. Wandy today, and made what I thought was a funny comment. "I am having trouble seeing anything other than her right ovary on the screen." That's because righty is MASSIVE!

I'm starting to worry about starting school and what I'm going to be able to wear if I'm really bloated. I've tried to pick up a few things over the summer that are "maternity friendly" when they are on sale. Today, I gave up on doing things halfway and actually purchased some items from the maternity sections at Target and Kohls. I feel like I broke some kind of IF club rule, but oh my God, I can't believe I didn't think of it sooner! I am so uncomfortable and bloated, and they make pants with nice wide comfy elastic waistbands, that actually make me look thinner!

I ended up with two pairs of capris and a couple of dresses. I figure if we don't get pregnant this cycle, at least I'll have something to wear when I just get fat from too much dessert :-)

Tonight, I'm offically cooked. I am so sore, bloated, and have a lot of pain on my right side. I'm not moving from this couch until bedtime, and I hope I feel better after retrieval in the morning. I guess the Vicodin will help with that!

What does this have to do with my husband? He very patiently went shopping with me, held my stuff, gave honest opinions in the dressing room (we have hit a point where it is okay to say I look pudgy or pregnant in something), and didn't complain when I picked out a new pair of shoes. Quite a guy, my husband!

My Husband, My Rock

I have seen this link on a few of my nesties blogs, and wanted to start participating. Every Friday, I'm going to try to remember that this infertility battle is not just about me, and I couldn't have found a better support than my husband.



Warning. . .could get mushy



When we first started trying, my DH had all the confidence in the world that it would happen right away. I faced the situation with hope but doubt, but he was our cheerleader from the start. He was interested in my charts, he asked about my temps, and brought me the pillow to prop my butt :-)



When we first start recognizing problems and decided to see a fertility specialist, his attitude became "Whatever it takes". I know that for some men, that MFI diagnosis hits them hard. Not mine. It's just another thing to deal with, nothing to be upset or embarassed about. He would have been ready to start IVF right away if that was what the Dr. wanted because more than anything, he wants this to work. If that was the only way, then that was the only way. Of course, to be fair, he really didn't have any idea what the process entailed :-)



He comes to every appointment I ask him to come to. He stays for the IUIs to hold my hand, and reminds me to take my medicine. When it came to shots, even if he doesn't give me the shot that day, he stands with me, helps with needle disposal, etc. and gives me a kiss. My bruises bother him, I know, because if he could be the one in pain, I know he would be. He takes his vitamins. He turns down beer in front of friends and family, because we want to do whatever it takes to make his samples better.



I am a hormonal mess on fertility drugs. He holds me when I cry, lets me yell and scream and loves me anyway, and has been very patient with the ups and downs I go through. The term we use is "Progesterone Rage" and he deals with it even when I'm at my worst. I have put on 30 pounds since we got married. Most of that weight came from this IF nightmare we're stuck in. Not only do the hormones affect my body, I am stressed and eating too much comfort food. I get upset about it, and even if he might be lying, he always tells me that he loves me just like I am, and I know he knows that it is all part of the process. He is my Rock.



I have always known that he was good with babies and kids. I have seen him with other people's babies, and it makes me sad that this is his dream that is not coming true too. He is going to be a terrific Dad, and through this process I've learned that being a Dad doesn't start when the baby is born. He is an awesome wannabe Dad, who has taken on this challenge to get there.



I do believe that this whole process has made us stronger as a couple. We have gone through what no couple should ever have to, and come out better. I don't know how much I want to believe that our infertility was for a reason, but I've never seen a much better example of the phrase "What doesn't kill us, only makes us stronger." Assuming this doesn't kill us, our marriage will only be stronger, and when we someday do have that baby (or two), we will be able to look back and see how hard we had to work to make that dream a reality. But we did it together, and we did it as a team, and we did it with love.



My husband rocks. How about yours?



As promised, I also did my "Before" belly pics. Ignoring the bloat that just doesn't go away anymore, here is the last belly shot before needles.