Not Just a Mom

Hello and happy Monday!

It’s already the second Monday of the month, so I’m co-hosting the Not Just a Mom link up with the other ladies.

So far this year, we’ve discussed:

• Introductions in January
• House rules in February
• Day in the life (weekend edition) in March
• Cleaning hacks in April
• Pet Peeves in May

This month’s topic is how we became a mom.

I’ve been looking forward to this post because I know everyone’s story will be different, and I can’t wait to read them.

While our journey to become parents wasn’t too long of a road, it did have a few twists and turns and bumps along the way.

We’d been married a couple of years when we decided to try to start a family in 2007, I wasn’t sure what to expect and I was always really private about it all. After about six months, I had an OBGYN appointment, and started medicine to help regulate my cycle and eventually started a low dose of Clomid. After six months of using Clomid as well as other medications, she sent me to a fertility specialist.

He was really nice, and I had other friends who had used him as well. The next step was a test/procedure called HSG. It’s where the doctor injects dye through the cervix into the uterus. This checks to see if the dye can move through the uterus and into the tubes. While this procedure wasn’t super painful, it also wasn’t pleasant. During that procedure, he did say the dye moved through my tubes but very slowly. He joked that the HSG test was like an oil change.

What I liked about him was that there was no pressure to jump into other fertility measures like IUI and IVF. He suggested a few more months of Clomid, and we’d go from there.

During all of this time, I was never really down. I had friends who had successfully started their families using IUI and IVF, so I felt like if we needed to do that, it would work for us too. Also, I wasn’t even 30 yet, so I knew time was on my side in that regard. That being said, there were a lot of appointments and medicines. I had a pocket calendar that I kept in my bathroom to track my cycle and medications and other things.

After a couple of months, I felt a little off…I was really tired. So, I took a pregnancy test, but it was negative. I remember feeling defeated a bit at that point. Then, it was Easter. On the ride home from Easter with Trav’s side of the family, I cried. A few people had asked when we were going to have kids, and it finally got to me. They weren’t being insensitive by an means, and I’d been asked those questions before, but it just got to me.

Well, a week or so later I was still feeling really off…so I took another test. I couldn’t believe that it was positive. So, while I was apparently “in my feelings” at Easter…I guess maybe it was hormones!

I was so excited, and showed Travis the positive test that morning. He was excited for us too.

I called the fertility doctor, and they had me come in for blood work. When the nurse called to confirm I was pregnant, she said my numbers looked “really, really…really good.” I thanked her and set up the appointment to see the doctor.

We went to the appointment the next week, and apparently I was so excited, that I misunderstood, and we were a week early! They still had me see the doctor, and when he walked in, he said, “Let’s see how many are in there!” We just nervously laughed, but I guess from my hormone levels with the blood work, he knew we were having multiples. Fun fact about Clomid: while taking it, the chance of having multiples is 5-10(ish)%…and we fell in that percentage.

As soon as I looked at the screen, I could see the two sacs. Obviously we were shocked. The first thing I wondered was if we’d have to buy them each a car when they turned sixteen. haha –I’m not sure why I skipped over things like sleepless nights, changing diapers, and more…

Since I was early in my pregnancy, only baby B (Hadley) had a heartbeat. He told us not to worry and come back in two weeks. We did, and baby A (Hayden) also had a heartbeat. We saw the fertility doctor one more time before being released to my OB.

We told family pretty early on, but waited a bit to tell others.

Throughout my pregnancy, we had many doctors appointments. One of my best friends was pregnant at the same time I was with a singleton, and she, I think, only had a couple of ultrasounds. We saw the kids at almost every appointment.

At our 14 week appointment, we found out that baby A was a boy and baby B was a girl.

Back then, there were no gender reveal parties…not sure we would have gone over the top, but feels like a missed opportunity for me to have a party. Haha

Whenever I see these sonogram photos (from later in the pregnancy,) I’m always blown away at home they really do look like the kids!

I also saw a high risk doctor throughout my pregnancy. My OB always sends pregnant women with multiples to a high risk doctor.

There was a point in my pregnancy where the high risk doctor had some concerns about Hayden. That was a stressful time for us…but especially for me. Around that time, we were meeting with pediatricians. The doctor that we felt the most comfortable with is who we still take the kids to. During that time in my pregnancy, when I felt stressed, both the doctors in the practice reassured us that they thought everything would be just fine.

I was due on December 18th, but by 36 weeks, I was so tired and Friday, November 20 was going to be my last day of work. Honestly, I was so excited for a week or two at home before the kids came…and we had big plans to go to a movie and Cracker Barrel for Thanksgiving the next week.

On November 19th, I wasn’t feeling great, and I finished up some things at school and called the doctor. They had me go to the hospital, and Travis took me. They checked everything out, and we were there for a couple of hours. They sent me home.

There was a basketball game on that Travis wanted to watch, so we picked up dinner and headed home. He said my car needed gas, but he’d get it in the morning…

Well, surprise…my water broke that next morning! We called the doctor, and I showered while Travis went and got gas in the car. I was exactly 36 weeks, and there was no turning back. We arrived at the hospital, and I had a c-section. Funny story — in the operating room, Travis had on the gown and kept mentioning how hot he was. The anesthesiologist asked him a couple of times if he was ok…and he said yes. I could tell he looked a little pale and told him if he fainted, I’d be mad…this was my moment. 😆

The nurse gave him some water, and he was just fine. The kids arrived at 12:08 and 12:09 pm.

Hayden was delivered first, and as soon as they showed him to me, I got tears in my eyes. He looked like Travis from day one. When Hadley was born, they only showed her to me briefly…and then rushed her off to take care of her. Travis went with them while the doctor finished with my c-section.

I could tell that something was going on with Hadley. When they said their weights — Hayden was 4 lbs 7 oz and Hadley was 4 lbs, I remember thinking that couldn’t be right because at my 34 week appointment, they were estimated to be over five pounds.

While in recovery, Travis and the NICU doctor came to see me, and they said both kids were doing fine, but Hadley would be in the NICU for 12-14 days.

I could probably write a whole post about those two weeks when she was in the hospital and we were home…but I need to wrap this up.

We stayed four nights in the hospital, and the kids were reunited for a couple of photos before we headed home.

I always wish we had a family photo in the hospital, but we finally got one when Hadley came home, thirteen days later, on December 3rd.

It’s so crazy to think they were ever this little.

I received quite a few “bless your hearts” when we were out and about. 😂

If I thought I was tired back then…

Oh…the things I could tell that new mom now!

This post could have been so much longer, but I’m typing it really late on Sunday after a really busy day….Hadley had two dance recitals, so we were gone most of the day.

If you wrote about how you became a mom, we hope you’ll link up with us.

Also, I’m pretty sure my “target audience” is in the throes of motherhood, but please know that I know how it feels to want to start a family and be a mom when it wasn’t necessarily easy. I always have extra prayers for those who are struggling with infertility.

Next month we are sharing Top 5 Favorite Family Activities

Make sure to check out the other ladies’ posts! Have a great week.

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