I started to get really nervous at the idea of dealing with Alex AND another child. Did we even want more kids? Did we each have a microscopic chance of having a baby and Alex was that one random fluke? But gradually, the nerves subsided. I figured that it was better to get the IUD out and let everything start getting back to how it was before, and we could take our time and start when we were good and ready. So that's what we did!
Eric and Craig are more than four years apart, so he always thought that was a better gap. We realized that it probably wasn't going to happen as soon as we started trying, so I argued for starting when Alex turned 2. Eric didn't want to start that early, since he wasn't sure if he'd be kept around for Phase 2 of his project at work and wanted to security of knowing before we started trying. So we compromised on starting in April, when Phase 2 was set to start.
I got the IUD out and started on the pill until we were ready to start. However, the pill just wasn't agreeing with me. I'd never had any problem with it before, but I'd also never taken this particular kind before. After two months of misery, I decided I didn't want to be on this one any more, but it wasn't worth it to go back to the doctor to experiment with pills for just a few months. Eric asked me if I was really truly ready for another baby, and by that point, I was 99.9% certain. So we decided to go for it!
We both had high hopes for that first month, February. Alex and I headed to Colorado to visit Gigi for her birthday at the end of the month, and I just *knew* that I would get that positive on her birthday. Alas, the end of the month came and went, and so did negative after negative.
The second month, I again *knew* that this would be the month. We had tried all the different "get pregnant quick" suggestions posted online, and then I started getting all those lovely early pregnancy symptoms that I had with Alex - fatigue, sore breasts, a little bit of queasiness, and random cravings for cilantro, which I absolutely can't stand. But it was another month of disappointment.
The third month, we took a break. A baby conceived in April would have had a due date of early January, and we didn't want to risk a Christmas baby. We didn't really get back into the swing of things the following month, but I was still charting my temperatures - if nothing else, it let me know when my cycle would be ending, since nobody likes that kind of surprise! I was updating my chart when I realized that was my due date. My temperature hadn't dropped yet, like it usually does, so I figured I may as well throw caution to the wind and pee on a stick. I had no symptoms up to that point, so I knew I was just humoring myself. Well, guess my surprise when the faintest line appeared!
Like with Alex's text, I kept going back into the bathroom and looking again, not sure I could believe my eyes. We were heading to the park for a playdate, so I figured I'd take another one when we got home. Yeah, right, like I could wait that long!
So somehow I managed to squeeze out enough pee for TWO more tests, including a digital. Well, the digital ones don't leave much open to interpretation! When I read that beautiful word, I got so excited! I called Eric, then stuffed Alex into a "big brother" shirt we'd bought for a friend as a baby shower gift and headed to the park.
It took about 30 minutes before anyone noticed Alex's shirt! Everyone was very excited...we expected nothing less, of course!
I took another test when we got home, just to double check. It was still positive! I called the doctor to make the first appointment, and thus our adventure began...
I calculated the due date to be February 3rd, based on the charting. The doctor will confirm the date, or give us an updated date! It'll be around then, anyway.
And I'm planning to be MUCH better with taking pictures and documenting the journey than I was with Alex...so as a starting point, here's my baby belly at 4 weeks! I swear, the second line appeared and my belly popped out just a bit :)
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