2010 IN REVIEW

I saw this on Holly's blog and thought it was a wonderful idea! I must admit I haven't copied all questions as some of them I couldn't think of answers to so I narrowed it down to 19. So here goes:

1. What did you do in 2010 that you'd never done before?:

I went through an egg collection (not fun!) for the first time, flew to Australia and of course, got pregnant.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?:

My New Years Resolution of 2010 was to be pregnant by Christmas which I did achieve. I haven't made any for this year unless you count seeing my friends who are still battling for their BFP's to be pregnant by the end of this year.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Lot's! You can't be on a forum of women TTC and not know people who succeed and have beautiful babies.

4. Did anyone close to you die?:

Not this year, thank God! Although I did have friends who lost their precious bundles  which was devastating.

5. What countries did you visit?:

Only Australia this year! Had never been before and had a wonderful visit (although wasn't too keen on the spiders . . .)

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?:

To give birth to a healthy baby.

7. What date from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?: 

Labour Day which is the day we found out our third IVF cycle had worked. I was in shock and cried so much that day.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?:

Other than getting pregnant, getting my drivers license (at last!) after years of procrastinating. I'd spent so much time apartment living in the city where there are no carparks and traveling that I had never got around to it and the longer I left it the scarier it got. But I passed! 

9. What was your biggest failure?:

I don't know that I would call it a failure per se but having my first IVF cycle cancelled due to over response and then a BFN on the second attempt was devastating.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?:

I had mild OHSS after the second IVF attempt and that really knocked me around for a good week or so and was really painful.

11. Where did most of your money go?:

Honestly, probably on acupuncture. Fortnightly treatments get expensive fast!

12. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Getting pregnant of course!

13. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or more sad?: Much happier
ii. thinner or fatter?: Fatter (and proud of it!)
iii. richer or poorer?: Poorer (just until I get my credit card sorted!)

14. What was your favourite TV programme?:

Lost, Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice. Was so gutted to see Lost come to an end.

15. What was the best book you read?:

The Twilight Saga (yes, sad but true!)

16. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?:

I was 28 and for the life of me I can't remember what I did! Can't have been much . . .

17. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?:

Boring! I brought hardly any new clothes as all my focus was on achieving our dream and getting through the IVF cycles.

18. What kept you sane?:

Losing myself in books, this blog, my husband and my friends.

19. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010:

Not to give up no matter how hard or impossible it seems.

 

GREAT START TO 2011!

I'm afraid I have to disappoint you with only words and no photo's (my bad, forgot the camera) but I caught my first snapper this morning! I am so excited! I have been out on the boat with the HG a few times and never caught much so I was thrilled to catch one today. We had only been out on the water and anchored up for about 30 minutes before I caught my very first one (and reeled it in all by myself!) but before I had a chance to celebrate I had put my line back down and immediately felt the tug . . . reeling up three of the suckers at once! Within an hour we had our limit and I had caught 13 of the 20. I think this baby is a lucky charm, clearly it is going to take after it's daddy in the fishing department cos mummy has never been much good at this fishing stuff . . . until now! And not even a teeny bit of nausea. SUCCESS! A wonderful start to 2011, succeeding at something new and spending some quality time with the HG. He has now gone off to dive for some crayfish and I plan to spend the rest of the day laxed out on the couch after my 4.30am wake up call.

Happy 2011 everyone! May you all be truly blessed.

HAPPY NEW YEARS!

Just wanted to wish you all a happy new year! I won't be having a late one tonight as the HG and I have decided to go fishing in the morning (yep, I'm going fishing! Wish me luck!) I'm a wee bit cautious about these plans given my morning sickness but it hasn't bothered me at all the last day or two which is why I have been brave enough to agree to go, but still . . . I am also cautious about this 4.30am wake up and having to ride in the boat down the hill to the beach being towed by the tractor! Given it'll be 5am though I think we should be safe! I haven't been out on the boat with the HG for yonks so I am actually quite looking forward to it and hoping to catch my very first snapper. Will be sure to take a photo if I do! Spent a couple of hours at the beach today too and got a wee bit sunburnt (lesson learnt - DO NOT let you husband apply the sunscreen! Do it yourself. I am now patchy!) Not bad enough to concern me though, should fade by tomorrow (hopefully!) 

I hope you all have far more exciting plans for ringing in the NY! For those of you who can drink, please have a glass of bubbles for me! I will toast you with my grape juice sometime tomorrow. 

And to finish off - below is a poem I found which I think is appropriate for many of you:

 

Happy New Year

If it didn't bring you joy
just leave it behind
Let's ring in the new year
with good things in mind

Let every bad memory
that brought heartache and pain
And let's turn a new leaf
with the smell of new rain

Let's forget past mistakes
making amends for this year
Sending you these greetings
to bring you hope and cheer

 
Happy New Year!

xox

See you in 2011!

PROCRASTINATING

Sorry I have been such a slack blogger! Quite simply, I really haven't had much of interest to report! I had a wonderful Christmas with family and the MS buggered off long enough for me to have a nausea free day and eat to my hearts content, which I may have done too well as Boxing Day was a disaster! I felt so ill again and vomited my heart out (and probably most of Christmas lunch) and felt pretty darn miserable. BUT it only lasted one day and the last few have been great (phew!) on that front. I think it might actually be starting to go away which is such a relief. I know it probably irks to have someone who is pregnant and should be embracing all that comes with it including the miserable reality of MS moaning about it, but I have since learnt that it is difficult to embrace something that takes over your life and makes you feel so miserable. Having said that though, I certainly appreciate the fact that I am pregnant! I am a few days away from the second trimester now (currently 13w3d) and super excited to jump into the next part of this pregnancy and out of the critical danger zone. I don't think I am ever going to fully relax until this baby is in my arms though. 

 

I have spent the past few days really relaxing and not doing much at all except a bit of housework but it's been good and probably what my body has been craving. God knows I couldn't wait till work had finished so I could just have a break and put my feet up. Now though I am starting to get a little restless and should really tackle the spare bedroom (AKA the nursery to be) and start clearing it out but it is such a daunting task that I am procrastinating like crazy! It is currently our spare bedroom aka the HG's fishing/diving/surf gear storage room. Problem is we only have a 2 bedroom house and no storage (we don't have a garage and can't afford to build one at this time) so the task ahead of me is almost impossible. We really need to figure something out and soon. Not only that but I accumulated so much stuff when my mum died that was precious to her but I personally don't know what to do with it all. So many beautiful linens (she was really into her luxury and antique type stuff) that you couldn't possibly actually use it as it's far too nice so it sits in drawers untouched. Also scrap books of her gardens, craft ideas etc that she pored over and spent hours on that are of no interest to me particularly but I feel disloyal to part with. So hard. Anyway, I will procrastinate another day and worry about it tomorrow!

 

Oh, and a little birdie mentioned on their blog that next year is the Year of the Rabbit so I have a good feeling about 2011 and the remainder of my friends getting their long awaited BFP's!! Bring it on!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Merry Christmas everyone! I just want to thank you all for your valuable support this year. It's sure been one hell of a rollarcoaster. 3 fresh IVF cycles in the space of 10 months - one cancelled, one BFN combined with OHSS and finally our little miracle. I have no complaints. I am just so over the moon to be having a baby at long last and to finally have my Christmas wish come true. My hope is that for all of you who are still trying to get here that 2011 will be your year and I am just fervently praying that all your dreams come true. I hope you can draw some inspiration from the fact that we got there in the end with so many obstacles - 3 years TTC, 2 ops, a blocked tube, suspected PCOS, hormone imbalance, recurring uterine polyps, 9 cycles of clomid and 3 cycles of IVF. You can do this ladies!! And on that note . . . below is a photo of my bump at 12w3d. It may look like the dog is gazing adoringly at my bump but unfortunately he is actually gazing at his Christmas stocking hanging above my head containing one giant rawhide bone wrapped in bright red wrapping paper! 

Merry Christmas and many happy returns!

I hope you all have a wonderful day!

THE GUESSING GAME

I am going to put a link to this in my side panel so everyone can have a go. Let's see who's closest when baby is born! We have to start early and all votes will need to be in by the 20 week scan as we will be finding out the sex then (if baby cooperates that is!) 

So how does it work? You comment with the following four guesses:

BABIES SEX

DATE OF DELIVERY (official due date is 4th July 2011)

TIME OF DELIVERY

WEIGHT (in pounds please, not familiar with kilos when it comes to baby weights!)

Whoever get's closest wins! I can't wait to see what everyone predicts! I might even have a go myself and see how close I am but I ALWAYS lose this game at baby showers though so don't like my chances!

I'd like to offer a prize but unfortunately being in NZ and having readers all over the world this could prove tricky . . . we'll just have to play for the title of expert guesser instead! Hehe.

Happy guessing everyone and can't wait to see what you think! Oh, and if you comment under annonymous make sure you put a name at the end so we know who you are!

NAMES

I found a website last night in my search for a checklist online that I could tick things off and be able to refer back to time and time again without searching out a piece of paper. And since an electronic checklist removes the items that are done it makes it easier to keep track. I found one which is excellent and I found something else too and I think it has become my new addiction . . .  it is a Name Adviser and you basically type in the full name you plan to name your child and it tells you the personality traits based on the numerology of that name. I thought it sounded like fun and then I put the HG's name in and it was uncannily accurate. I then put my birth name in and again, uncannily accurate. So I put the girls name we have chosen and I loved the results of that. And then I put in the boys name. Not so much! So I spelt it slightly differently and now I don't know which sounds better. I know I shouldn't read too much into it but I have always had an interest in these things and can't help at the back of my mind taking it into consideration. So here are the two versions of the name description (with the name removed - sorry girls but the name will be a surprise!) and I'm wondering which personality traits you would prefer . . .

SPELLING 1:  

This name is highly sensitive, promotes cooperation and diplomacy, and makes everyone feel safe and appreciated. Flexible and passionate, promotes adaptability and survival against all odds. The name indicates understanding, compassion, and intimacy, and tends to draw support with tact and subtle persuasion rather than force and confrontation. Having an intuitive ability to avoid land mines and pitfalls, and a strong sense of balance, this name promotes a careful and competent decision-making process.

To some people, this name feels weak and incompetent. As a result, it is often underestimated.

Most positive characteristics: Cooperation, tact, flexibility, tolerance, insight into the human psyche.

Most negative characteristics: Fear. Lacks confidence, lacks aggressiveness when needed.

SPELLING 2: 

This name reflects drive, a pioneering spirit, leadership, independence and originality. The energy behind this name is strong and forceful and promotes an unconventional, innovative, and decisive approach. Highly focused and self-reliant, the name carries with it an unmistakable "can do" attitude. It reflects confidence, energy, strength and perseverance. There is a definite sense of danger and risk-taking as well.

This name does not inspire patience and sensitivity, and does not promote cooperation or a diplomatic approach to problem solving. Think of this name as a masculine, aggressive, creative force.

Most positive characteristics: Strength, originality, courage, imagination, creativity, confidence. Good for competitive, high-risk ventures.

Most negative characteristics: Pride, intolerance, excessive aggressiveness. Not good for people-oriented ventures or healing, counseling and retail businesses.

And for the record the girls name we like says this:

This name reflects idealism, the good of mankind. This name is the humanitarian with the power to make things happen and the integrity to stay the course. A mover and a shaker, without a selfish bone in its body; this name attracts respect, support, and devoted fans. It seems even that the Universe tends to support what the name represents. Speaks to people of all walks of life. Tolerant and broad-minded.

This name pursues goals other than money and power. It seeks justice. It wants to feed the hungry and heal the sick. And yet, the resources it needs to do the job seem to always magically appear.

Most positive characteristics: Integrity, love for all, charisma. Encourages the best in people.

Most negative characteristics: Naive, seeks fame, vulnerable to criticism, not a good judge of character.

What do you think?

Finally, since we aren't set in concrete on a boys name at the moment, we are open to suggestions! We want something that is not common but not weird either.