Birthday Boy

Big Brother,

A wonderful 32nd birthday, I hope you have.
Love you!

The Big 4-0

Celebrating CD40.

If you're anovulatory and you know it, clap your hands!

::clap, clap::

Best. Invite. Ever.

I'm so lucky that I'm surrounded by brilliantly creative people all day. Often, I'm in awe of the skills that allow these ideas to come to life.

This is the greatest baby shower invitation I've ever seen (click on the pic for a larger image):

The genius who created this is one of my theatre's board members. Her baby (dubbed "Prince of Peace") is due on Christmas Day. The theme of her baby shower is a "Hollywood Premiere" and the movie poster is the front of her invitations. Adorable. Can't wait to steal, ahem, use it for inspiration one day.

Almost Famous

Two design blogs have featured products from my etsy site this week-- I am so honored be included in their list of favorite things. Please take a look at these ladies' beautiful blogs!

I Dreamed I Saw

The Old Post Road

I hope to make some time for sewing soon-- I have some wonderful new fabric that I haven't had a chance to work with, and would love to put some new items in the shop!

Make A Wish!

Kate over at This Place Is Now a Home reminded me that today is 11/11! I still, even as an adult, yell, "Make a wish!" every time I notice that the clock says 11:11... So in honor of today's date, I'm finally getting around to making my holiday wish list. (My parents and Rob have been asking for ideas for months, so it's time for me to get to it.)

Tiffany's Blue Box Charm: Would look great with the charm that my mom got me for my birthday!

Coach Penelope Wallet...

...would look great with the Coach Tote that I already know Santa is bringing!

As for some things for the house, we could really use a set of Corningware:

And I love these Peugeot Salt and Pepper Mills from Crate & Barrel:

Oh, and Santa? Could you throw in one of these?

We've been really good this year.

Game Over.

Dear Dr. Ob/Gyn,

You probably don't remember me, but I'm the girl that you've been seeing a lot of recently-- and your nurses have heard from me far more often that you have. I started seeing you a year and a half ago when we moved here because two family members were patients of yours and recommended you to me. Plus, you work in the hospital where I want to deliver. While I didn't instantly fall in love with you, I felt like you were "nice enough" because, really, how often could you and I possibly spend time together?

Well, as it turns out, we've been spending a lot of time together lately, and to be honest, I've been less than thrilled with the care you've been giving me.

Strike 1: When I came to your office for my "Trouble Trying to Conceive Appointment" no one seemed to have any clue what my appointment was for, or what they should do with me. I was shuffled into three different waiting rooms before taking a seat in your office. After waiting an hour and a half past my appointment time, you only spent 5 minutes with me. You barely glanced at my charts and barely heard a word I said... then just started tossing out words like "Clomid" before you had done a single test.

Strike 2: Your nurse last week informed me that based on my progesterone blood work that I didn't ovulate. True. She then told me that, if I hadn't ovulated by CD21, that I should give up hope for ovulating at all this cycle, because it wouldn't happen. Not true. I'm not quite sure what bullshit medical school she went to, but it's quite possible to ovulate late-- and since progesterone levels peak approximately 7-10 dpo, I could have ovulated CD18, CD19, CD20, etc and still had very low progesterone levels because the test was done too early. (I didn't ovulate any of those days...but she didn't know that.) Speaking with nurses that have always been polite, but don't know what they are talking about does not speak well for you.

Strike 3: While speaking with (another) nurse today, I was asked if I needed a prescription for Prometrium or Provera. (Is it not there in my file?!) When I answered "Prometrium" I was then asked if I'm allergic to peanuts. "No, I'm not, but if I was, would it matter?" The nurse replied, "Yes!! Prometrium has peanut oil in it and you shouldn't take it if you have a peanut allergy." Well, good to know that-- no one bothered to ask me that the last time they prescribed it. What if I had been allergic? Lots of people are! Thank God your little medical mishap didn't kill me.

I'll be asking the RE for her recommendations for a new ob/gyn. Three strikes and you're out. Game over.

XOXO,
Stef

No, We Ain't Gonna Take It

I guess my body didn't get the memo that the temp shift is supposed to go from low to high, not high to low.

After the conversation with my doc's nurse last week, she recommended that if I didn't get my period by CD35 (which since I didn't ovulate, isn't technically a "period" but whatever...) that I should call and get a prescription for progesterone to get this cycle over with.

I called this morning, but I'm not going to take it. Not yet, anyway.

Last month it was about 15 days from the day I started the pills until the cycle ended. If I start taking the pills now, I should get my "period" about six days before our RE appointment. Not good. I imagine the very first thing that the RE will do is order CD3 bloodwork (which my ob/gyn should have done when I asked about it last cycle) and if I'm already on CD6 at the time of the appointment, I'll have to wait until the next cycle (and Lord knows how long that will take) to start our testing. I don't want to do that, so I'm going to hold off another week or so before I start taking progesterone.

It's exhausing to have to constantly think about this stuff & be one step ahead, but hopefully, it will be worth it.