Labor Negotiations

Mommy's Juice Box

D and I have a drinking problem. We can't seem to finish a bottle of wine anymore. To remedy this problem and yet still indulge in our love of the grape, we have been investing in stock buying Black Box wines. The Cab and Merlot aren't too bad, and the Chard is ok, too. I'm more of a Pinot Noir drinker, but I'll takes what I can gets.

Yesterday, I skipped my "juice" and had a Boulevard "Irish Ale." Not bad, either, and just what I needed to go with our Corned Beef and Cabbage dinner. The Irish Soda Bread was good, too, and marks the occasion of my first baking attempt since the twins birth. Not exactly Irish, but we're having Reubens tonight with the leftovers. D is out of town the next three days, so we had to move our traditional St. Pat's dinner and next day dinner up by a day. My dad came over and finally spent some quality time with the girls, which was nice, too.

By the way, Nicole? Why did you push your warm corned beef off of your high chair last night, but today at lunch, you couldn't get enough of the cold corned beef I was noshing on straight from the fridge?

Red Hot Poker

Soon I will be back to my newly reformed blogging status, but I am currently unable to look at a computer for very long. Or TV. Or a book. Or out a window. You see, Julia decided, that since I had a right cornea, an extra if you will, I wouldn't mind being scratched in the left one. Oh my god...the pain...the blurriness...This happened on Monday, and it is still not fully healed. On antibiotic drops and occasional Percocet, as needed. Oh and did I mention they gave me their cold? I'm outnumbered and possibly outflanked but not outranked.

Channeling Evel (sic)

Yesterday, I received a catalog in the mail from this toy company. I noticed right away that they sold a reproduction of a toy my brother had in the mid-70's, and laughed about it. "Oh, the dorky crap we played with! And it DAMN sure wasn't a hundred bucks!" The catalog was worth showing to D when he got home. I asked him if he remembered the Evel Knievel action figure set from way back when. Not only did he remember it, but he had a little, "I'm still bitter because my cousin had it and I didn't," story to relate about it. I laughed and said maybe he'd get it for Christmas this year. It was the one toy we talked about from the catalog. I don't remember ever talking about Evel Knievel at any other time in the 11 years we have been together. So anyway, that was last night. This morning, I showed him a kitchen playset that I had been coveting and was going to buy for a future twin gift, since it was on clearance. He said, "That's fine, as long as I get my Evel Knievel." We both laughed.

Evel Knievel died today.

Maybe I should get a 900 number.

RIP, Evel.

I knew it would happen someday...

I finally poured formula on my cereal this morning. Luckily, I noticed what I was doing after I poured about an ounce or two. I shrugged and ate it anyway. Not sure if I would have, had it been breastmilk. Probably depends on how much coffee I had in me, and how much cereal was in the house at the time.

Note to self: Drink coffee first. Don't stray from the routine.

Forty

Long time, no writey. Sorry. I've been in Colorful Colorado for the last week, visiting my friends, including the one with cancer. Her pathology report came back yesterday, from her exploratory surgery, and it was all negative. Yay, a BFN! She has a follow-up with her oncologist today to find out her next steps. Probably just bloodwork, every six months. She also made us feel like "World's Worst Wives," when she told us, she gave her DH a hand job less than a week after her diagnosis. The hell? How did that come up in conversation, anyway, A? Needless to say, with the braces and the scary spotting a few short weeks ago (ok, a month and a half ago) D hasn't seen much action in a looong time. Guess I'm going to have to work on that one...

A and my other friend D2 threw me a "way too early," shower. Everyone brought their favorite children's books and we had a lot of fun. It was nice to put some faces to the ivfconnections girls I had been "talking to," for 3 1/2 years. I was one of the last of this group to get pregnant, most are on #2 or are done. That's how good my US clinic is (when they really try, anyway...) It was weird to see all those embyros walking around and talking.

Monday, I came down with a cold, and couldn't take anything stronger than Tylenol, lost a crown on my molar (with the band, too) and threw my back out.

This morning I'm spending my 40th birthday at the Holiday Inn Express in Topeka, Kansas. With. my. mom. Nobody trusted me to drive 850 miles, each way, by myself, so I had to bring a chaperone. I think she forgot it was my birthday and was anxious to get down to the free continental breakfast. Ok. D just called to see if he needed to let the dogs out at lunch, and HE forgot it was my birthday, too. Wah!

The basement carpet was strategically laid as I was leaving town last week, so I wouldn't have to breath the smell. We almost passed the building inspection, but I stupidly forgot the handrail on the stairs. I was busy having a "redneck fight," in my driveway, with the worst drywaller in the world. So D installed that, while I was gone. He also painted the laundry room floor, and installed closet shelves. It's what I wanted for my birthday. I'm a very practical Virgo. If I get off this hotel bed soon, we should make it home by this afternoon, in time to go to my favorite tapas restaurant for a birthday dinner.

Next check-up on Monday. We found out at the last visit, that we are having two girls! Did you notice I changed the ticker color two weeks ago? It was a little early, but lets just say, my girls were VERY cooperative. All hamburgers, no mushrooms. We're very excited. It gets more and more real every time. Now I'm anxious for another peek, though, since I feel like I may have overdone it, this past week. Still haven't felt movement. Happy birthday to my bud Millie, too! Hope to catch up on my blogs this week.

Better this year...

6 weeks 6 days

Today is the 4th of July. Also, the 7th anniversary of our formal wedding ceremony. Happy Anniversary, sweetie! This year, I find myself in a better position than last year,
and I'm thankful for that. I'm still petrified of the ultrasound on Friday. The last three weeks since the first beta have given me time to start fantasizing. And I'd be kidding myself if I didn't tell you part of that fantasy is twins. Not having any frozen embryos left, means no full biological siblings, and that was one of the main reasons I wanted to try donor eggs. Selfish, I know. I don't know how you pick yourself up from bad or even ambiguous ultrasound news. A negative beta, I can handle, but I'm swimming in uncharted territory here. I find myself snapping at well-meaning family and friends who want to "make plans," or "shop." Nobody gets the stress. In my mind, there is a whole list of things that can go wrong, and I let my mother-in-law "in on it," last night.

1. There will be no heartbeat
2. There will be a heartbeat, but it will be slow
3. There will be a vanishing (or close to vanishing) twin
4. One embryo will be small for the dates
5. Two embryos will be small for the dates
6. One embryo will be attached to my cervix
7. Two embryos will be attached to my cervix
8. One will be attached to the cornual part of my uterus
9. Two will be attached to the cornual part of my uterus

I can make this list go on and on, but I'll spare you. I think my mother-in-law went off to say a few rosaries after I got done with her. I'm trying to concentrate on the positive signs.

1. I am losing my appetite
2. I have waves of fleeting nausea
3. My boobs are huge and sore, now
4. The "other" boob changes are apparent
5. I have definite cravings that must be met (a story for another post!)
6. I can't fit into any of my pants, and have given up trying

The house is a mess, and I barely get through the day. We're going to try and clean today, but I'm already thinking about lunch. Luckily, I have had friends to occupy my time, and take me out for hot pastrami (is that allowed, by the way? Hot dogs??) and the basement remodel is coming along. The framing should be done by the end of the week, and then the electrician and plumber can come in to finish their jobs. Finally, drywall, paint and carpet, hopefully, before August, because I hope to have houseguests come to watch the Brewers LOSE. Maybe we will even get around to the finishing touches on the kitchen. I'll update right away on Friday if we have good or ambiguous news. The appointment is at 8:00 a.m. CST

Vegas, baby...

Today is our 7th "technical" Las Vegas anniversary.* It is also our 6th anniversary of trying to conceive. We wanted to wait for three months off the pill, but got a little carried away after our anniversary dinner. Unprotected sex. What a joke! Would have been nice to have a five year-old by now, but at least I have D. The movers are coming on Monday. I'm at the old house now, and feeling a little down. Spring is everywhere, and I have to leave this little slice of Paradise and self-inflicted isolation that I've carved out for us. We have coincidentally lived in this state for seven years this month, as well. Our whole married life. Inlaws, nieces, nephews, my mother and guilt trips are my future. I'll try to update next week, when things settle a bit more. Lots to talk about, I just don't have the time.

*we had a formal ceremony, as planned, on the 4th of July, three months later. D got transferred, and we decided to do the Vegas thing, so I'd have continued health coverage. Also, easier to just get my driver's license, bank accounts, etc. with my new name. We celebrate both dates.

Randomness (or, not enough for one post, but together, pretty substantial)

I have a bunch of entries floating around in my head. They are all short, yet, deserve their own space. So I am going to "power blog" for a few minutes. Please read all entries for October 13th (happy 9th 1st Date Anniversary, D!) for the full picture:

Update: OK, they didn't wind up in the order I wanted them in, but I don't have the energy to fix it now. It's 12:15 and I'm still in my PJ's.

I love the 80's

D and I will be out of town for our 20th (!) High School Reunion this weekend. (same class) Maybe they won't notice how fat we've gotten...yeah, right. Toodles!  P.S. No more current pictures...I've had a weird publicity incident in the hometown of my GC's...

The Critic's Corner

This - BAD on so many levels. To complain, write to nbcshows@nbcuni.com

This - GOOD for so many reasons. My RE is even quoted in the egg freezing article. I think I'll order all the back issues, and leave copies around my mother-in-law's house. Click  here to order.