Xanax Anyone?

Disclaimer: There is quite a bit of whining in this post.  Please...just go with it...Mama needs to vent.  :) 

Happy 36 weeks my friends!  36 weeks...wow!  Since we will likely be inducing Ashley's labor, Hope will probably be here sometime in the next two or three weeks!  When George and I first learned that Ashley was pregnant, we thought the pregnancy would last an eternity (No time is wasted in IVF world - Ashley's home pregnancy tests started to show the positive line around the sixth or seventh day post-transfer, and, the doctor confirmed her pregnancy somewhere around the 2 week mark.  For those who don't know, pregnancy is estimated to last 40 weeks, so when we learned we were expecting, we still had 38 more weeks to go!).  Our friends were quick to point out that our family would be going through a lot of busy work during this pregnancy that would likely make the time fly by, and, boy did it ever!  During the pregnancy we spent four months traveling to Maddy's cheerleading competitions, spent many weekends at the baseball field watching Nick's team play fall ball (and now regular season baseball), we flew to Texas to visit Ashley's family and participate in Hope's anatomy ultrasound, and, oh yeah...we practically knocked down and rebuilt our home.  All of this combined with unexpected bumps along the way (sadly, the ailing health of Ashley's father tops this list), and, I think it is safe to say this pregnancy had many unpredictable moments for both Ashley and me.  It's gone from nerve-wracking (are we really pregnant?), to nervousness (surviving the first trimester and fear of the unknown since neither Ashley or I have ever done this before), to being super excited, confident, and ready to meet our little miracle and bring her home to her loving family who will be at our house, waiting for grand entrance when our plane lands back home in Philly.

Hope will be arriving home from Texas in style with this custom carseat cover designed by my colleague Basia, who owns Nollie Covers.  To learn more about the benefits of Nollie Covers and to see the designer's collection at my boutique, click here!

What Ails You Child?

Sigh...To say the last few weeks have been emotionally draining would be an understatement.  Nobody wants to read an essay of the challenges we have (and are continuing to) faced, so, I figured I'd spare you all and condense this to a numbered list (you're welcome!).

1. First and foremost, there is nothing more important to me than the health, happiness, and safety of my children.  I pray to God for these blessings every night (and often throughout the day).  Unfortunately, Maddy broke her index finger during her private tumbling lesson last week. To make matters worse, she required surgery to pin her broken finger back into place on Friday, and, she woke up feeling sick on Saturday morning, leading to a trip to the pediatrician...where she tested positive for strep throat.  That's just not fair - no child should get sick the day after surgery!  So, the mommy in me had an achy heart for my daughter over the past week.  My friend Steph recently went through something similar when her husband suffered a horrendous leg injury.  One question she asked was, "When are the grownups coming?"  She hit the nail on the head with that one; I wanted my own parents to be at the hospital with me for Maddy's surgery, but, they had to work, and, just like Steph did, I had to wake up and realize I am the grownup now.  (Side Note: Steph is the author of an awesome, hilarious blog, Life According to Steph.  Click the link is here and check out her blog - her humor will leave you in stitches!)

   

   Maddy leaving the Emergency Room in her temporary wrapping that was used to hold her over until her surgery a week later.  At least she was smiling!

2. My house!  George and I are leaving for Texas in two weeks...which means we have two weeks to get our house in order before we leave.  I actually lose sleep over this at night!  Our second story is a few tweaks away from being done and will be completed before we leave, and, phase two of our project (our master bedroom) will begin next week, with construction forging on while George and I are in Texas for Hope's birth.  Can you say, "terrified?"  That is how I feel about leaving my house in the hands of contractors.  I am honestly petrified of the condition of the home I will be bringing my newborn baby into.  Between all of the dust and ick that comes with construction, I have become certifiable at this point and am terrified I will burst into tears when Hope makes her grand entrance into our home for the first time.  If the cleanliness of our current crew is any indicator of what to expect, we're in trouble. 

   

   Before & After!  We are still waiting on two more shutters that had to be custom-ordered, but, even I didn't realize just how much our house was transformed until I compared these before and after shots.  I'm in love...

   
   

3. Nick has his first national karate tournament next week...AHHHHHH!!!!  Back to my protective mama bear instincts...my son will be competing in board breaking and sparring.  Need I say more?  

   

   Here's my favorite second baseman fielding right before he got a double on an awesome shot that landed just a few inches shy of the outfield fence.  When I feel stressed, Nick's baseball games are just what the doctor ordered.  :)

   
   

4. As if Ashley wasn't feeling crappy enough as she nears the end of her pregnancy, the poor thing got the stomach flu this week.  I know what you may be thinking..."Big deal, she got sick."  But, when a woman gets the stomach flu so close to the end of her pregnancy, the risk of dehydration is huge, and, dehydration is also a leading cause of pre-term labor.  Did I mention the fact that Ashley, who I care for like a sister at this point, is also carrying my baby...in Texas???  Thankfully the illness was short-lived, and, she was able to hold down fluids in a relatively decent amount of time after the onset of her symptoms.  On a happier note, doesn't she look fabulous for being eight months pregnant? 

   

   Ashley 35 weeks pregnant.  Va-Va-Voom!!!
   

   
   

Quit Your Whining - Tell Us Some Good Stuff!

1. Last weekend my sisters, Renee and Jenna, and my best friend Denise threw me a lovely baby shower to welcome Hope in style!  The shower was small and intimate, which I thought was perfect.  I got to mingle and spend quality time with all of my guests, and, I must admit to being completely blown away by their generosity.  They showered Hope with everything from practical baby gear to gorgeous handmade outfits courtesy of my grandmother and cousin Kate.  It was absolutely perfect, and, I cannot thank Renee, Jenna, and Denise enough for coordinating such a lovely party in honor of Hope's impending arrival.

   

   Hope's delicious cake.  This creative photo was taken by my lifelong childhood friend, Jaime, who has been there for me through thick and thin.  Love her!  :) 
      
   

   2.  Yes, I realize my formatting just go screwed up - I don't have the patience to fix it, so, onward!         This week all of our new bedrooms upstairs got their carpets installed, and, we have begun the        process of moving the kids into their new rooms.  While we're waiting for the kids' bedrooms           to become finished, I figured I'd post some pictures of Hope's bedroom.  Please Note:                The furniture in these pictures is not where it will be staying.  Each furnishing was moved to allow George enough space to install the floor trim today.  I won't be posting any more room shots until her bedroom is complete, but, I will share bits and pieces of the nursery as we go along.  And of course, I promise to share full room shots once installation is complete!

   

   Our starting point: Hope's blank canvas...

   
   

   

   Hope's chandelier: We chose a ladybug medallion in honor of my mother (we want to tell Hope her Grammy is always looking over her), and, we accented the room in cream roses in honor of Maddy, whose middle name is Rose.

   

   More cream roses!  I would like to place a photo of Ashley, Hope, and me in this frame so she always knows how special her birth was.  :)

   
   

   
   

   

   Hope's bedding: I chose solid-colored rosey and buttercream silk fabrics by designer Lulla Smith.  While I want the room to be feminine and elegant, I felt it was best to choose a bedding set in solid colors so we can add meaningful designs such as the roses and ladybugs without risking pattern overkill.  This crib is Bratt Decor's Venetian 3-in-1 crib; it will convert to a toddler bed when Hope is ready for her first big girl bed!
   
   To check out all of the items we have selected for Hope's nursery, check out her Pinterest board here!

    3. Finally, on a somewhat funny note, the 30 pounds I gained during my fertility treatments have begun to take a hike!  Every doctor I've talked to about my weight gain told me it would take about a year for my body to return to normal, and, they weren't kidding!  At this point, I'm still not willing to step on a scale, but, the clothes I purchased to accommodate the weight gain just started falling off one day!  I'll admit; I was absolutely thrilled.  While I don't know how much I weigh, I can say that I am only one size away from where I was before my treatments started.  The weight loss actually started to really pick up last week, and, once that began, it really took off (hooray!!!!).  Every day I now notice a difference. It just happened out of nowhere, but hey - I don't care how it happens - I'm just so thankful it's finally begun!

   

   The last day I attempted to wear my "fat jeans."  I am now one pant size away from my regular, pre-fertility treatment size.  Whoop whoop!

   3.  If you are looking for me over the next two weeks, I'll likely be at this place wrapping up loose ends...

   
   

   
   

   

   My New Home - I love shopping for Hope!

   Thank you friends for letting me vent after a very stressful week!  And, thank you for putting up with Blogger's formatting meltdown which took place as I was in the middle of this post.  I appreciate your support more than you will ever know, and, please keep your own personal stories coming; I love reading them and being there for you as well!  We love supporting our friends, and, when they overcome infertility by either becoming pregnant themselves, via gestational surrogacy, or adoption, their dreams of parenthood are realized, and in my book, that's kicking infertility in the pants!

   
   

   On that note, I must send out a special congratulations to two of my friends who reached out to me in the past to share their own fertility struggles - through different means, they are expanding their families!  As they reach out to me confidentially I won't post their names on here, but, you two know who you are, and, congratulations on your impending arrivals!!!  George and I could not be happier for you.  :)  

   
   

   Until next time...Cheers!

   

      

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

Holy Hanna...I'll be a Mom Again in Six Weeks!

AHHH!!!!!!  When I have a moment to take a break from the craziness that is wrapping up loose ends before Hope's birth (Practically building a new house anybody?), that is typically the word that races through my mind.  Sometime in the next six to seven weeks, I'm going to become a mother of three, a feat I never dared to dream of achieving.

Every day I am asked the same question..."How much longer???!!!"  Here's the 411 people.  The plan is for George and I to fly to Ashley's home state when she is 38 weeks along.  Ashley turns 38 weeks the day before Mother's Day, so, George and I will be flying to Texas Monday, May 13th to wait for Miss Hopelyn's grand arrival.  If she hasn't arrived by Ashley's 39th week, she will be induced sometime during that week; the dates we have been given have ranged from May 17th-20th.  Either way, my newest princess will be here...SOON!!!

One change in ME that I can't get over is my urge to nest.  Of course, I experienced the famous nesting phase when I had my first two children, but the thought of nesting during this pregnancy never dawned on me to be truthful.  I suppose it's Mother Nature's way of preparing me for new parenthood; I can't stop cleaning, cooking, listening to sappy music, etc.  In the beginning of Ashley's pregnancy I experienced morning sickness with her, so, I can now validate the reality of men feeling sympathy pains for their pregnant wives; it's really a hoot!
 

Nesting 101: Remodel your house just a few weeks before baby is due to reach your maximum stress potential!

As I mentioned, I listen to sappy songs, and, I'm much more sensitive to the miracle that is Hopelyn Jane.  It feels as if the past eight months have flown by, and, when I look at that little picture of two tiny eight-cell embryos I marvel at the wonder of it all; one of those two bodies of cells that were formed in a petri dish is now be a real, live human being I'll have the privilege of cuddling, feeding, nurturing, and raising to become a strong, fearless woman.  It's simply a miracle; I have no other words to describe how lucky George and I feel.

As I said, I'm feeling sappy as we near the end of our pregnancy.  This is Hope's chandelier medallion that will hang in her nursery.  My mother had a "thing" with ladybugs, so, this is my way of telling Hopelyn that Grammy is always looking over her.  Kudos to designer Marie Ricci for making this custom work of art for us!

As for Ashley, she's hanging in there.  She's understandably exhausted, having trouble sleeping, and, is just as nervous/excited for D-Day as George and I are.  I can't imagine what it's like to deliver a baby for a couple who cannot do so themselves; I often think of how lucky she is that she is giving a family the ultimate gift, and, I hope her pain medicine kicks in enough during her delivery that she gets to digest just how much she's blessed our family.  With that in mind, I must admit that I'd be terrified of giving birth in front of a crowd, and, I give her props for taking this huge feat on.

Like me, Ashley is nesting (as much as she can given her family's current circumstances...more on that in a bit).  She laughs as she reads magazines and shops at stores like Target, seeing baby things like cribs, and realizing that, despite the little occupant residing in her belly, she doesn't have to buy anything for the sidekick she's shared her body with over the past eight months. 

Ashley glowing at eight months pregnant. 

One thing Ashley is coming to terms with is the failing health of her father.  Ashley's father has stage IV cancer, and, her family recently made the difficult decision to place him on hospice care.  Every two weeks he has several liters of fluid drained from his abdomen, and, Ashley told me he looks more pregnant than she does.

Given all that Ashley has on her plate, it is understandable that she would need a little (more likely a lot) of support right now.  To add to her emotional stress, her father's medical bills have been astronomical, and, a "Go Fund Me" account has been opened to help Ashley's family pay for her father's medical care.  It would mean the world to me if my blog readers, whom I've come to know and love more than I even did before we embarked on this journey, would consider donating to this account.  All of the funds donated on this website will go directly towards the care of Ashley's father, and, no amount is too big or too small.  To donate simply click on the image below and you'll be all set.  I must say thank you now to anybody who is willing to donate a few bucks to help a friend who has so generously helped me fulfill a dream so great.

Well, this mommy-to-be needs to go clean up more sheet rock dust, but, I'll be back and posting more often like I did in the early days.  As we near the end, we'll be receiving more updates on our journey at a more frequent pace that we can't wait to share with all of you.  Until next time...

Cheers!