way to go, Iowa!

It's such sweet news that Iowa has recognized the need for marriage equality today -- and I'm more than a little excited to be friends with the lead couple (the Varnum in Varnum v. Brien)! I'm so glad that my wonderful midwest is part of the progressive front in this issue...

Of course, life has continued along, and quite blessedly for me, I have to say. The short version:

1. I'm now 18 weeks pregnant (totally showing, and now wearing maternity clothes!), and it's been smooth sailing so far. 

2. I also got a job as a congregational rabbi, which I'm so happy about. Graduating at the end of May, and then I imagine I'll start work at the end of June or beginning of July.

3. H and I are buying a house, and it's sweet and old and has a fireplace and a yard with a garden.

4. H and I are getting married! July 5th.

Really, the only thing that I could heap on top of this would be to win the lottery... 

ok, I have been an absent blogger. I'm still loving the PB and honey on toast, but holy smokes, I'm already at 13w 3d! In the meantime: I have heart the babe's lovely HB several times, and I had a CVS done last week, which showed a chromosomally healthy little baby -- GIRL. More than anything, the gender thing just makes it so much more real. 

I've continued to be hungry all the time, and still tired, but a bit less perhaps, and am just realizing today that I'm either getting fussier about my coffee (as in, only I can make it right!), or I'm just not loving coffee as much right now. Which is a bummer. Coffee is to mornings what mint chip ice cream is to evenings, only *way* more so, and with a much longer history. Coffee and I have been together, for, oh, forever...

I'm definitely porkier -- a friend who does know I'm pregnant said that if he didn't know, he'd just say that I'm looking portly. um, thanks. Anyway, my hope is to get through job interviews without being obviously pregnant, but I'm thinking that is going to get more tricky very soon. 

In other news, H and I have put in an offer on a house to buy, and she told her daughter last night about the prospect of moving. It was finally time to help her put together the idea of our getting married with the implication of a bigger place. Her response: as long as she can stay at her current school and bring her Wii to the new house, she's game. :) So we'll see what happens on the house front, and meanwhile I had better get cracking on my homework. 

one hungry gal!

So, it would seem that all it takes to bring me blissful happiness the last couple of days is PB and honey on toast. or sometimes melted cheese on toast. I do wish for a tinge more symptom-ness (tremendous puking not so much), just so I'd have a better sense of being pregnant. My first MW appointment isn't until Feb 2 -- oh, the long wait...

Today I am writing a paper on Jewish mysticism -- ah, yes, the end of last semester! -- and then I will get more on board with my project of bringing organic, grass-finished, sustainably-sourced beef and lamb to Providence (available kosher or not, halal-process too)! I bet you weren't expecting me to say that, eh? 

one hungry caterpillar!

I am very relieved to say that there is one little bean in there, which H and I saw on my first ultrasound yesterday! Stunning, really, to realize that there is a heart beating deep inside me, that two little cells have evolved to this point and godwilling will continue to do so. The little blob we saw looked like the bean was *all* heart :) -- because the whole blob was whomping around in the sac. This means that I've graduated from the RE office and now need to choose a midwife, also stunning.

Amidst all this, I am enjoying getting to be a bit of the earth mama I hope to be. Which at the moment, other than making my own yogurt, mostly means eating very well/organic/nothing processed, being calm, listening to soothing music, trying to get enough exercise and water and omega-3s, sleep, yadda. It's not as challenging at this point as I imagine it would be with a human on the outside! 

And gosh, I am HUNGRY ALL THE TIME! I woke up in the night restless and feeling hungry, and I thought "hunger and thirst often feel the same; I'll start with a large glass of water" (so I don't eat every single time the thought occurs to me) -- but lo and behold, after the water and some reading, I was still definitely hungry. Ate some walnuts, and woke up at 7 AM...hungry.

well, a little update: my betas have been good -- a bit too good, I fear! -- 12 DPO: 53; 14 DPO: 150; 23 DPO: 7800 (that last one was today). So, yes, I'm clearly pregnant for now...I really want this to be a healthy singleton pregnancy, and I'm beginning to wonder whether I have a whole preschool in there!

Well, for the moment I seem to be pregnant -- two pink lines this morning!! Now, I just keep praying hard...

The photo on the left there isn't actually *my* pregnancy test, as I seem to have thrown out the cord that connects my camera to my computer, alas. But you get the idea. 

Blood test tomorrow...

ok, I know I'm a bad poster, but at the moment, I want to add that I had 3 embryos transferred on Saturday, and today the lab said that one little ball of cells made to totsicle stage! I now have 3 in the deep freeze.

otherwise, it's just 6DPO/3dp3dt, so I'm going slowly crazy...

:)

well, it seems round 2 is here! I got a bit lazy about posting, because this is what I would have said: "wishing I were pregnant. having a hard time getting any schoolwork done."

so, my ER was Wednesday, and although there were just 6 eggs (17 last time!), all 6 fertilized, and the woman at the lab I spoke to yesterday was so nice and helpful and reassuring and offering me good information all around. later today, I'll find out how the little buds are doing, and if they're doing well, I'll probably have the transfer tomorrow.

meanwhile, I do have other news, which is that H (the gf) and I have decided to get hitched! ring and all! it happened just before Thanksgiving, at an Italian restaurant in my neighborhood (I had puttanesca; she had ravioli), and just after saying 'yes' church bells starting play Christmas carols. ah, the beauty of life. :)

yea! onto round 2 indeed. have I mentioned how much I like my RE practice? I very much do. Anyway, tomorrow I'll go back to the BCP and then onto the injections. Dr. B is quite hopeful -- though I didn't get pregnant with my first IVF, all of the numbers were good and there isn't reason to worry, other than the fact that I'm 41...

well, it's time for round 2. no dice on the first IVF, alas. seeing Dr. B. in the AM. more soon.