Happy Birthday to Me

Well, as I turn a yr older (26 now), I usually like to recap the last year and remember what all I'm thankful for. (I was born on Thanksgiving afterall). Of course, this year has made it a little harder to count my blessings.

Nevertheless, I know it's important to remember that I am still blessed in many ways.

Over the last year as a 25 yr old, I got to know what it's like to be a mother. I was blessed to get to share last Thanksgiving and Christmas with the ones I love, including my daughter. I was blessed to have taken so many pictures to remember her as well.

After losing Sophi, I was blessed with an overflowing of love from family, friends, and neighbors. I learned how devoted and patient my family and friends truly are. I have been blessed by growing even closer to my wonderful husband despite of and through our grief.

I'm thankful to be blessed with another year on this Earth, and I can only hope that I can somehow make life a little better for someone while I'm here. That is, in fact, what living is all about.

More Waiting

Waiting, waiting, and more waiting.

My surgery was rescheduled AGAIN for some bloodwork issues. They think I probably had a chemical pregnancy (ie: early miscarriage). So now I'm waiting for surgery on Dec 11th.

I decided it would be a good idea to get a 2nd opinion on all this polyp surgery stuff, especially since a polyp never showed up in any ultrasounds. My biopsy is the only thing indicating a polyp right now, so I'll see what this new Dr has to say on Dec 2nd. We'll call him Dr B.

So how will I pass the time? At least Thanksgiving is next week...meaning I get Thurs & Fri off work. We'll most likely travel to East TX for the long weekend. Then the next week should be my 2nd opinion appt. Then the next week is surgery! (As long as Dr B agrees with Dr A).

Breastfeeding in America

Does this picture make you uncomfortable?

If so, you're not alone. Public breastfeeding in America is taboo at best. Why is something so natural, so controversial? Why do women's breasts (even when supplying food for a baby) need to be covered, while men are free to go shirtless?

These are questions I'd always wondered, but they were forced to the forefront when I had the blessing of breastfeeding my daughter, Sophia, for 4 months and 3 days (until she passed away).

If I had company coming, I would try to get her to eat early so we would be done before people showed up. If she got hungry while around company, we would take ourselves into her room or another private area (like the dressing room in a store).

I do have to admit that the excuse to usher myself and my daughter away into a quiet room came in handy more than once... if one of us was getting tired or I just wanted some alone time with her. But many times I felt left out of the conversation.

Yes, I had a nursing cover, but honestly, getting a young baby to breastfeed requires work for the first few months: work that is difficult to do with a piece of fabric between mother and child.

I can only hope and pray that I will one day be able to participate again in the miraculous bond that breastfeeding offers. I can promise you that when that time comes, I will be more open, and more upfront about doing so. I have since found nursing covers from Bebe Au Lait (Hooter Hiders) that offer a ribbed neckline to allow the mother access to view her child while breastfeeding. I will have to try this out next time, as it sounds like a good compromise while out in a public area like a park or mall.

Crafting ideas... Transfer inkjet pics onto wood!

This will be the first of many Craft blogs (probably disbursed randomly through my personal updates). Right now I'm focusing on ideas for Christmas presents. We all know it's coming up, with the stores trying to commercialize the holiday a full 2 months before the date.

My goal this yr is to MAKE (by hand), all of my Christmas presents.

Ok, you may need to go get the Mod Podge if you're not a crazy craft person like me, but the rest of the materials you should already have on hand.

This awesome idea comes from Katie at Matsutake: [click here for tutorial]
Transfer inkjet images simply and easily onto wood, using only:

• Wooden cube, scrap, whatever you have or can get cheaply
  
• Elmer’s Washable Glue
  
• Mod Podge
• Piece of cardstock

***Remember to leave a comment with your ideas of what to make with this craft! I'm thinking about personalizing some little wooden jewelry boxes for my niece's Christmas present (always looking for ideas with 4 nieces and 1 nephew now!)

Prayer Requests

So, I figured I was out this cycle since my surgery was rescheduled too late for me to try Clomid or Femara again. Well, at my Follie check ultrasound on Tuesday, my body surprised everyone by making an egg all by itself! 19.6mm follicle and a nice thick uterine lining.

I'm trying not to be*too* hopeful (since we know how that usually turns out for me), but the last time I ovulated on my own (with no medicine) was Dec 2007 when I got pregnant with Sophia.

Today I go back to Dr Pinto for a followup ultrasound to make sure I'm releasing the egg, but according to my nice temp drop today, I'm pretty sure today will be O day.

What can you do to help, you ask? PRAY. Pray with all you've got, and then some.

I also have a prayer request for my very close friend Abby. I'm not free to share the details, but just pray for her to have strength for whatever comes her way. She is the sweetest, kindest, and most selfless person I think I've ever met. She deserves everything good in life, and I still pray that everything will work out for her.