A little bit of fabulous to end the week

I found this artwork by Megan Whitmarsh on the Hither and Thither blog and I think it's way beyond fabulous. I mean this is embroidered! The patience that this would take is well beyond me - this I know.

Although I have been learning a LOT of patience in life over the last couple of years...still don't think I could do it.  LOVE love it though and would happily have this framed on my wall.   

Color Dance Bomb, 2009, 36” x 36”, embroidery thread on fabric
By Megan Whitmarsh 

How pretty is this...

It's one of those blah days, so to cheer myself up, I got myself a bunch of e-flowers. This gorgeous purply greeny viney grapey pattern was designed by Ros from Pink Blossom Tree.

Which reminds me that I am currently in that blessed (although unasked for) window of time when I am allowed to indulge in a little vino.  A think a glass is called for tonight!

A story to tell the grandchildren

I've been given the word that my next IVF round is going to include the use of Clexane... *shivers* ohhh say it again...Clexane (sorry, you have to be a Lion King fan to get that one).

Now this lovely injectable thins the blood which is supposed to help quell those natural born killer cells (have I got that right...isn't that a movie?) and decrease the chance of miscarriage.  Well I've had experience with these before, and although they are used for a good cause, and at the risk of putting people off, they hurt! I had to psych myself up every time to inject that sucker into my belly.

So in short I am not looking forward to it.  However, of course you do what you need to do.  I'd probably inject myself, doing a handstand against the wall, reciting quotes from Wayne's World if it would help!?

Now that would be a story worth telling the grandchildren!

How cute is this print by Duda Daze on Etsy? I think it's time I reverted to my pre-teen handstanding self.

Valentino, brownies and beachball tummies

Today I went to the Valentino Retrospective Exhibition at the Queensland Art Gallery and loved it! I felt like the world's greatest fashion critic as I walked from dress to dress proclaiming a) whether I would wear it or not b) whether I thought it was wonderful or not and c) what was he thinking!? 

It was like my own personal hot or not commentary...just ignoring the fact that Valentino is in fact a well known fashion genius and there is no way I could ever come up with those designs in a blue fit.

I took this photo trying to be sneaky on my iPhone (no photography allowed) so please appreciate the artistry of a quick shot in the dark!  I did get in trouble after I took this one, so that was the end of that.

A good friend of mine who is 36 weeks pregnant was my date for the show and helped me turn what could potentially have been a day wallowing in my jammies on the couch into a fabulous day out.

We had coffee and cake (well she had a juice and cake and I had coffee and a brownie...seriously the best brownie full of white chocolate bits.  I got two thirds through it and my eyes were saying yes but my stomach was saying no....so sad), a good gossip and I was reminded that successful pregnancies can and do tend to happen.  And I loved feeling little knobs of knees (maybe elbows?) through her gorgeous beach ball of a tummy.  He even kicked when I said goodbye!

So I found a bit of hope, and a lot of unexpected fun (with a very pregnant friend) on the day after a very disappointing result to our last IVF round. 

Life just goes on doesn't it. Onwards to Round 4!

Back on the bike

Well, today was the day the 'waiting to know' was over. And sadly these little scraps of life for whatever reason were unable to stay and play. A negative 'home' test this morning, ye olde periode has  kicked in with a vengeance and I'm back to square one.

I really thought that it was going to work this time....*sigh*

But you've gotta have hope and a pinch (or fistful!) of positivity I guess because otherwise there's no point to it all.  So I'll be sad and disappointed for a while, but then I'll get back on the bike and do it all over again with a smile - and maybe put some bright red flowers in my handlebar basket for the ride!

Only because I think I think it's oh so worth it. 

Image source: Jenny Downing, Flickr

Egg testing 101

Today is Friday and I'm very thankful that it's the end of the week because I'm closer to 'the day I know whether I'm making up any supposed pregnancy symptoms in my head or not'. Which will be a relief one way or the other and ensure that my mental badminton is 'game, set, and match' once and for all!

In the meantime, I'm contemplating the omlette that is sitting rather badly in my stomach. In my defence I was really hungry when I woke up, and thought that egg was definitely on the menu. Unfortunately my insides have not agreed at all and have reminded me of this poor decision all morning.

I've been quaffing peppermint tea by the 'mug-load'  to settle things down, but to no avail. And now my ever resourceful brain is wondering if the eggs were bad or......

Although, I know the eggs were fine because I did the water test.  Fun Fact: If eggs are bad, they will float when you put them in a glass of water. If they are good, they will sink.  Both my eggs sank this morning. 

Now at the risk of sounding neurotic, I ALWAYS test my eggs before cracking them open.  It's a little trick my dad taught me very early in life. And in my opinion it's entirely worth 'floating the egg' to avoid cracking open that one rotton sucker that will inevitably come along. Who seriously wants to clean up that smelly mess!?

So I might put my eggs to better use and create something a little less eggy - like these soft cakey pumpkin cookies full of yummy spices, chocolate and goodness from Poppytalk. I have no doubt that my stomach will agree with these.

Image source: Jeannette Ordas of Everybody likes Sandwiches via Poppytalk

Trying for babies is like being in real estate

Another day, another person I know gets pregnant. Why is that EVERYONE seems to be pregnant - except for me? Don't get me wrong - I'm entirely happy for anyone who is in the baby making way, and it's an amazing miracle every time it happens. I just wish it was my turn to announce it to the world.

It's a lot like buying houses really.  When we were looking to sell/buy real estate, there suddenly seemed to be so many 'for sale' signs around the place. I'd never really noticed them before.

It's the same while I've been trying to get pregnant. There are big fat wonderful bellies, babies, prams and toddlers everywhere I look these days. Go shopping or out for coffee and I'm surrounded!

Maybe it's just that my brain is so reproductively tuned that I've developed a sort of tunnel vision when I get out and about. 

Which is probably why I was so captured by this great picture I found while cruising the BrisStyle blog.  How cute is this little girl and I LOVE love LOVE the butterfly badge on her hat. If you want one you just need to go to the OZ Wildlife Studio Etsy store or visit the Mayo Festival in Brisbane this weekend (22-23 October) where they will have a stall.

Image source: Oz Wildlife Studio, Etsy

Mental badminton

I woke up this morning feeling a little on the nauseous side - and bloated. And here surfaces the unique torture of the 'week before you know' (if the IVF has worked).  Am I nauseous because I'm unwell? Or is it because those little scraps of life have decided to make a home and I'm starting to feel the effects? Or is it too early? Or am I a victim of an overactive imagination?

Let me tell you, it's a crazy week of mental badminton - back and forth over the net of a possible pregnancy!

I found this super cute print called 'Eloise and Ramona play Badminoton' on Etsy in the Flapperdoodle store and thought it was mighty appropriate for this week.

Come on stay...it'll be fun!

Another day another injection.  At least today is the last of three pregnyl's this week.  I'm pretty good at taking the tops off those glass vials now.  I had to get the man of the house to do them on our first IVF round last December...but I've graduated to little glass vial opener extraordinaire. I also think I could give nurses a run for their money with injection experience...

Also this morning, I've just ticked the next box on this latest IVF adventure, progesterone levels from the transfer day blood test are A-OK. Excellent.  This means no need to boost the progesterone pessary levels = less dollars and less mess!

Wondering how those little blastocysts are getting on in there? Am sending all sorts of positive thoughts and promises of excellent lives with minute details of all the fun things we'll do together if they decide to hang around...

For example, I will bake these delicious Donna Hay polka dot cookies!  Actually, I'm not sure I can wait that long, I might make these on the weekend...

Image source: Donna Hay Kids Magazine, Photography Wiliam Meppem

Garlands of butterflies

How gorgeous are these garlands of butterfiles? I can imagine hanging them on my wall - they'd make a beautiful feature wouldn't they? They are handmade and hand printed by an Australian designer who has an Etsy shop and a blog called 'This neck of the woods'. You should really check her out.

Little scraps of life

 
Today feels like Christmas!  Well almost - just a little more nervewracking I think. It's transfer day and with it comes all the hopes and dreams as well as the beginning of the two week wait. Augh!

All went well this morning, beautiful blastocysts were transferred to the sounds of pan flute.  Was pretty funny really, felt like I should be getting a massage rather than a transfer.  Well that's on the agenda tomorrow...

Now I'm having a 'Queen Muck' afternoon where I'm lying on the couch, surfing the internet, watching Mad Men, chocolates are within reach and there's a new book I'm about to get into. Oh and I also took the day of work...perfect!  Plan is to have tea cooked for me by the man of the house too. What a day!

I think it's important to celebrate this stage, because regardless of the outcome, there are still little scraps of life in me right now, and that's wonderful.

Image source: homelife.com.au

Lucky girl

I've bought a new body wash that smells like coconut and reminds me of summer and I love it!  Everytime I use it I feel happy and remember shimmery golden afternoons and cold drinks.  Which is (quite obviously) how I came up with the name of this blog.

I've been on a bit of a 'baby making' journey the last couple of years which has of course had it's ups and downs, but there is one lesson that I've learned that I think is really important.

Through it all, regardless of the rough times (e.g.miscarriages, ovaries feeling like they are about to burst!, many many many needle jabs) I'm still me, and I'm more than just someone trying to have a baby.

It's very easy to get lost in the whole process and obsess about every little detail (believe me I know), but when it comes down to it, I am still me.  I still have other interests, love other things and get a lot of pleasure out of life.

I can't wait to have kids, and I certainly wouldn't be going to the effort that I am if I didn't, but at the same time, I don't want to be solely defined as the 'poor' girl who has 'fertility issues'.  I'm also the 'lucky' girl who loves cooking, crafty and pretty things, coffee with friends, playing sport, pilates, walks on the beach at sunset followed by fish and chips, travel etc etc etc...

So I'll be blogging about all sorts of things, from baby making to coconut body washes to cooking to traveling! I'd love you to join me.

Amy x