Non Sequitur Chica: Vacation pictures

9.15.2011

Vacation pictures

Sadly, CP forgot his nice camera, so the only thing we had was my iPhone. I think that it still took some good pictures.

California

Mission Inn in Riverside was absolutely beautiful! CP's dad and new wife hosted a brunch for all of the wedding guests here on Sunday morning. (Yesterday when I was catching up on "Bachelor Pad" I saw that one of the couples had a date here!)

Barker Dam hike in Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park

A Joshua Tree

View of San Jacinto Mountain (in Joshua Tree NP)

Chollo Cactus. There were warnings everywhere to not get too close as getting the spikes out of your clothes body is a very painful process!

Chollo Cactus garden in Joshua Tree NP. I had never been down to the southern section of the park and it was completely different!

Santa Rosa and San Jacinto National Monument hike. We kept seeing these plants and thought they were so cool.

Santa Rosa and San Jacinto National Monument hike

Northern Santa Rosa Mountains

Colorado

Air Force Academy chapel in Colorado Springs. The Academy is open to the public and seemed to be having reunion weekend while we were there.

Inside the Air Force Academy chapel.

The ceiling of the Air Force Academy chapel. It was really neat inside.

2 comments:

Alice said...: gorgeous! that chapel is really interesting & beautiful - not like anything else i've seen.

also: i'm super happy with my droid phone and think it's just as good as an iphone..... in everything EXCEPT its photo abilities. iphone pics always look outstanding!!; September 16, 2011 at 10:16 AM
Amy Jo said...: Great pics. That chapel is beautiful and I'm sure it was stunning in real life.; September 16, 2011 at 11:20 AM

Infertility Timeline

Trying for Baby #1

May 2010- Stop taking birth control. Figure that it might take 6-10 months to get pregnant. Do not tell friends or family that we are going to start trying to get pregnant.

October 2010- I start charting and taking my temperature every day.

February 2011- Nine months into trying to conceive with no results, I head to my GYN and discuss our next steps.

March 2011- I have a Hysterosalpingogram (HSG) test which came up negative for any problems.

April 2011- CP has a sperm analysis which indicates a lower percentage of "good sperm" than normal.

May 2011- CP heads to the urologist where they don't find anything and has another sperm analysis which indicates an even lower percentage of "good sperm". After a year of trying we are officially infertile.

August 2011- We have our first meeting with a fertility doctor and SURPRISE I have a big fibroid in my uterus. At the end of the month I was injected with a three-month shot of Lupron to shut down my ovaries/drop my estrogen levels to shrink the fibroid before surgery. Three months of hot flashes and headaches start.

November 2011- I have surgery to remove my fibroid and SURPRISE the doctor also found endometriosis and a cyst. He removes everything and tells us that we must wait three months before trying to have kids.

February 2012- Still waiting for my period to come back- the three-month dose of Lupron in August really messed with my system. Doctor prescribes Provera (a progesterone) to jump start my cycle again. I take 10 days of Provera and then on the 11th day I get my period!

April 2012- IUI #1- Negative despite great sample from CP.

May 2012- IUI #2- Negative despite great sample from CP. This month makes it two years of TTC.

June 2012- IUI #3- Negative despite great sample from CP. Consult with doctor before move to Chicago and decide to pursue IVF using the ICSI technique. TTC put on hold as we are living in two different states for most of the summer.

October 2012- First consult with new doctor in IL. Ultrasound reveals two new fibroids in my uterus. Bloodwork comes back normal.

November 2012- Saline sonogram shows a normal uterus. Surgery to remove fibroids was cancelled.

December 2012- Find out at IVF consult that my CT clinic never told me that my FSH and AMH numbers are showing possible poor egg quality.

January 2013- One-month Lupron shot in preparation for IVF #1.

February 2013- After two weeks on birth control, I start daily Lupron shots for IVF #1.

March 2013- IVF #1 results in 11 eggs retrieved. Fertilization report shows 6 eggs were mature enough for ICSI, only 3 fertilize. Transfer 1 perfect blastocyst and freeze another. Find out on March 26th that I am actually PREGNANT!!

First Trimester Recap

Bump pictures through Week 19

Second Trimester Recap

Bump pictures from Week 20-28

Third Trimester Recap

Bump pictures from Week 28-39

November 29, 2013- Our beautiful daughter was born!

Our Quest to Complete our Family with Baby #2

December 2014- Saline sonogram shows a normal uterus. On the 31st I start daily Lupron shots prior to FET #1.

February 12, 2015- Transfer a BB frozen embryo from our first IVF cycle.

February 22, 2015- BFP! First beta the following day- 55. Next beta- 132. Third beta- 249.

March 6, 2015- First ultrasound didn't go well; gestational sac measuring four days behind. A week later it was confirmed that I had a non-viable pregnancy. That day I took Misoprostol.

Sept 2015- After waiting for an OK to resume treatment after a CMV infection, I start injections after a few months of birth control. I am slow to respond and only have two mature follicles.

Oct 9 & 10, 2015- Cycle has been transferred to an IUI and I am inseminated. BFN.

Nov 2015- I start the flare or "Schoyer" protocol with Minivelle patches and Ganerelix shots. I head into my RE's office on Day 39 to figure out why I don't have my period and the ultrasound tech says that I have either a cyst or a gestational sac! A home pregnancy test confirms that I am pregnant naturally!

First Trimester Recap

First Trimester Bump Pictures

Second Trimester Recap

Second Trimester Bump Pictures

Third Trimester Recap

Third Trimester Bump Pictures

July 15, 2016- Our handsome son was born and our family is now complete!