The hardest thing to start about my “BLOG”...was what to write about first. The issue was not lack of ideas, but rather so many to choose from, that I decided to start at the beginning. Not day by day events, but rather important information we came across in our search for a healthy pregnancy and baby.

First off, I was given the great wisdom of a good friend to buy my pregnancy tests at the dollar store (believe it or not.) #1 They are one dollar, #2 They work!! #3 We know ONE test is never enough no matter what it reads...and #4 They are ONLY one dollar. Stock up.

For all the times you take a test and hope you don't see double lines...plus/minus...whichever your preference of testing...when trying to get pregnant, it's nice to know that if you see double, it's the real deal. Of course, since you are used to seeing negative...you are not sure what a positive would look like...and when it is positive you think you are seeing something that's not there and need a second opinion. The first time we got pregnant...I told my husband on Valentine’s Day...awww....over Chinese food at our favorite place. But it was more like “I think". He asked what I meant when I said “I think”. I explained that it was kiiind of pink. So of course we spent the extra money after dinner to buy a NON dollar store test...he then saw my point...it was kiiind of pink. The following day we bought 3 more to be sure...and it was darker. We learned that no matter the shade of pink, a slight positive is still a positive. Monday, I called the doctor very excited and said I think I was pregnant. Upon hearing I had a test done...they made an appointment for my 9 week gestation...meaning I'd be 9 wks pregnant.

To make a long story short...once the appointment came it was a long consultation followed by a much anticipated ultrasound that showed no baby...an empty sac...something once there...but no longer. The OB was terribly unprofessional as we waiting to hear what was wrong. She looked at my chart, weight, last period...congratulated me...declared my due date...and THEN looked at the sonogram picture paper clipped to the back and said, "Ohhh! Hmmm...I don’t SEE a baby? Hmm? Yeah there is no baby? We were dumbfounded...and of course devastated. She said we can schedule a D&C right away...or wait...or I could miscarry on my own. I said I wanted another ultra sound in a week just in case we missed something. I spent the next week searching online for hope...reading how sometimes a baby is missed and seen in a later ultrasound. Not wanting a D&C, which is pretty invasive, I decided to allow nature to try to take its course. I miscarried on my own around what would have been week 12. We trusted there was a higher reasoning for why it didn’t work out and believed it truly wasn’t meant to be. We mutually decided to tell no one...for the simple reason we wanted to surprise them when it did happen...and I am not good with sharing my vulnerability, ironically as I write this. We waited the suggested time...and then round two. This time we banked on the dollar store test and were thrilled to see those double PINK lines staring back at us once again. When we saw the ultrasound with a little being with arm buds, no one could take away the joy in our faces as we walked out of the office that day.

A whole new world lay ahead of us. This was just the beginning. I learned much from that experience. Not only did it bring my husband and I even closer, if that was even possible, but also made us leery of being just the idle patient, and taking a more assertive role in preparing for the miracle who is sleeping soundly in her crib as I write this.