We've been talking about getting set up to save for college for this little boy, and J's father, who does financial stuff, gave us good advice. He told us that, instead of a 529 (in the kid's name), we could start a Roth IRA (in J's name). Unless I have a Doogie Howser in my belly, J will be old enough to draw on it without penalty when the kid is college-age. If the money doesn't get used for college, it's easily repurposed.
So, whaddya know? As much as I wanted to start this party YEARS ago, it's nice to discover some of the benefits of how things actually unfolded.
Reality has really been working for me lately!
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Friday, December 24, 2010
The envelope please ...
It's a boy!
Y'know, it's weird. I seem to remember hoping for a girl, and I think I even posted it, but now it seems like I wanted a boy all along. I love it when the reality is somehow more perfect than the hypothetical.
After the big reveal we tucked into the birthday cake (It's J's birthday today). After rapidly serving pieces to everyone, I settled down with my own. And (I'm sort of giving away J's full first name here) I looked at my piece, and it said "son" on it.
Y'know, it's weird. I seem to remember hoping for a girl, and I think I even posted it, but now it seems like I wanted a boy all along. I love it when the reality is somehow more perfect than the hypothetical.
After the big reveal we tucked into the birthday cake (It's J's birthday today). After rapidly serving pieces to everyone, I settled down with my own. And (I'm sort of giving away J's full first name here) I looked at my piece, and it said "son" on it.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Gender reveal tomorrow (and a pregnancy milestone)
Tomorrow is (obviously) Christmas Eve and also J's birthday. As some of you may recall, back at the anatomical u/s in week 20 we asked the sonographer to write the sex down on a card we brought. We sealed it up and posted it on the fridge. Tomorrow night we open it. Yes, I'll post about the results -- I promise. I'll go on record now saying that I've been hoping for a girl, but my intuition seems to be telling me that it's a boy.
I can also report that I've reached a little discussed pregnancy milestone. I had an OB appointment a couple days ago, and, as always, I had to give a urine sample. I got all set up on the toilet holding the cup, but where I felt I had to hold it, I COULDN'T SEE IT. I kept bending forward more and more, but my belly was perpetually in the way. I finally had to kind of guess. I succeeded, but, yikes. I've got a few more appointments to go!
I can also report that I've reached a little discussed pregnancy milestone. I had an OB appointment a couple days ago, and, as always, I had to give a urine sample. I got all set up on the toilet holding the cup, but where I felt I had to hold it, I COULDN'T SEE IT. I kept bending forward more and more, but my belly was perpetually in the way. I finally had to kind of guess. I succeeded, but, yikes. I've got a few more appointments to go!
Friday, December 17, 2010
Looking WAY ahead
As is my wont, I've been getting ahead of myself and thinking about when to try for number 2 and how long to try before choosing a plan B, and what that plan B might be. The ongoing story of Rebecca K and her husband who pursued embryo adoption some months after losing their beautiful daughter to preterm labor at 22 weeks has touched me in a way I wouldn't have predicted. Rebecca beautifully describes the wonderful connection they now have with the donor family. Update: she got a BFP yesterday with a high three-digit beta!
I also just came across an interesting article on FitPregnancy.com about donor eggs. It's mostly a first-person account of her infertility journey and the arrival of her twin sons, but the author also emphasizes that talking about donor eggs is still taboo (like IVF used to be). She also reports that 12% of IVF cycles use donor eggs. That's higher than I would have guessed, which, I suppose, supports her claim that donor eggs aren't talked about as much as their use would warrant.
She's also puts IF into perspective in a funny way:
I have to admit, if you asked me a few years ago, I would have said that I associated donor eggs and embryos with a worrisome designer-baby trend. I clearly did not get it. Now I've been thinking about it as akin to adoption: once a child is yours in your heart, you want your child to come home as soon as possible. And, hey, it doesn't get any sooner than coming home as an embryo to the womb!
I'd been thinking that plan B would almost definitely be adoption through foster care, but now I think donor gametes will also be a path to consider. At any rate, it's something we'll have to decide together when we get to that point.
I also just came across an interesting article on FitPregnancy.com about donor eggs. It's mostly a first-person account of her infertility journey and the arrival of her twin sons, but the author also emphasizes that talking about donor eggs is still taboo (like IVF used to be). She also reports that 12% of IVF cycles use donor eggs. That's higher than I would have guessed, which, I suppose, supports her claim that donor eggs aren't talked about as much as their use would warrant.
She's also puts IF into perspective in a funny way:
Besides, becoming parents was still well within our control, something I had decidedly lacked during my quest for a mate. Sure, infertility sucked, but it sucked a lot less than my years of dating guys with the emotional depth of a dust mite. After all, there aren't any adoption agencies for husbands.
I have to admit, if you asked me a few years ago, I would have said that I associated donor eggs and embryos with a worrisome designer-baby trend. I clearly did not get it. Now I've been thinking about it as akin to adoption: once a child is yours in your heart, you want your child to come home as soon as possible. And, hey, it doesn't get any sooner than coming home as an embryo to the womb!
I'd been thinking that plan B would almost definitely be adoption through foster care, but now I think donor gametes will also be a path to consider. At any rate, it's something we'll have to decide together when we get to that point.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Getting closer
Today is the start of week 31. Only nine weeks until the EDD. Yikes! It's time to get busy with the baby room. And less than two weeks until we open the envelope to learn the sex. I'm looking forward to that.
Yesterday was a work shower. It was really nice. I'm not all that comfortable being the center of attention at an event like that, but I had a great time. We got lots of super-cute clothes and blankets (rather than the practical stuff). There's also a family shower coming up when I'm home after Christmas.
"Getting closer" also refers to J and I. IF brought us closer, and now impending parenthood is doing so in a different direction. He's such a gem. It's been really sweet. I can't wait until we've both wrapped up our semesters!
Yesterday was a work shower. It was really nice. I'm not all that comfortable being the center of attention at an event like that, but I had a great time. We got lots of super-cute clothes and blankets (rather than the practical stuff). There's also a family shower coming up when I'm home after Christmas.
"Getting closer" also refers to J and I. IF brought us closer, and now impending parenthood is doing so in a different direction. He's such a gem. It's been really sweet. I can't wait until we've both wrapped up our semesters!
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