The NeXT StePS

Since I am using my blog as sort of a journal to print out. I figured what better place to document our journey to parenthood than here to hold over our child's head for the rest of its life.

Not very many people read my blog and so this post and any like it to come after are definitely not for facebook conversations. Thanks :)

Ryan and I have begun all our medical appointments towards doing IVF this summer. After doing 6 rounds of fertility medicine and 2 rounds of IUI and still not conceiving we thought hard about it and decided we needed to go see a fertility specialist an run some more tests. We are in the middle of that right now and the doctor preliminary thinks not only is my right tube blocked but the hands at the end of my left tube that grab the egg are damaged. That is not to say it could never work it just means we don't know how long that could be. With Ryan getting ready to start Graduate school (I don't remember if I blogged about this but YEAH my hunny got accepted to grad school in Las Vegas so we are here to stay for a while). Anyways, Ryan starts school in July and it is 3 years straight. He is off school for most of May and June and so we made the decision we don't want to wait any longer and are moving forward with the process of IvF. We are hoping to do a June cycle and get enough eggs to have at least one more child in a few years. We are nervous and excited for the process!(right now more nervous though because I hate needles).

If all goes well with our testing I will begin hormones in the beginning of May when we return from Washington DC and be expecting in June.

I am praying for twins, Ryan is praying not for twins! :)

Here is a pic of our arms after a combined total of 30 vials of blood taken last week to run tests on everything under the sun! (btw me 22, Ryan 8). We look like drug addicts.

I have a feeling my aversion to needles will be cured after this!

BluE, BluE, BluE

My cute friend Rachel is I think at last count 20 days away from labor. And she is counting down to the minutes I think :)

She is having a baby boy named Logan to join his cute brothers Easton and Teegan whom I love.

Her friend Karol and I decided to throw her a baby shower, she was hesitant at first because it's her third. But it's her first since knowing all of us and her first with our friend Jacob. So we insisted.

We had it at my house which is made for a baby boy shower because my house is brown and blue. We had some great food. Played some fun games and Rachel got alot of stuff for baby. It was such a fun day.

I went a little pinterest crazy and made some tissue paper poms poms, a onesies garland and had some cute straws for the mason jars to go along with the Sonic Ice we had because Rachel LOVES Sonic ice.

Here is a few pics. I was so busy I didn't get any, that always happens to me.

I hope Rachel loved it. And this is my last baby shower for 2012 it's only March and I've hosted two :). Maybe some day it will be my turn. Lol

My Maggie

Every morning we give Maggie her medicine for her hips and everynight we give her a treat before we go to bed.   We are such in a habit most times she is in the kitchen before Ryan or I can even get there.  She works those puppy dog eyes on a fairly consistent basis.

Everyone is different some people are dog people and some people aren't, but  I can't imagine not having her in my life.  I think having a dog brings so much love to a person's life,  they are called man's best friend for a reason.   She really is my first love,  I can't count the number of times over the last 9 years where I was having a rough day or was sick and she would curl up on the couch next to me or lay down right in front of me to comfort me.  She has licked tears and danced with me around the house when I have received good news. 

She has her flaws definitely, like once you put tennis shoes on she whines SO loud because she thinks its time for a walk, or the fact she is a moocher who LOVES human food and refuses to eat dry dog food.  So for pretty much 9 years she has gotten rice and chicken mixed in,  spoiled, YES, but I gladly do it because it brings her happiness and the happiness she has brought me is immeasurable.

As I watch her get older and watch her getting slower and slower getting up, I know one day I am going to have to make the difficult decision of when I need to let her go.   I am determined that Maggie will be around to have a baby come into our home, she will make a amazing big sister. 

 So, I am thankful that I don't think that day will be coming for a few more years but I have shed more than one tear just thinking about it.

Since this is a part of my journal I wanted to post some of my favorite pictures of my baby over the years.

In 2008 I wrecked her world by adding a new puppy in the mix,  things were dicy for a few months but then they became best friends.

She is my black beauty...

Maggie - MAMA LOVES YOU!