The First Flutters

After dinner last night (and a little Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream), I was sitting in bed watching the Daily Show and felt a slight popping feeling in my stomach. It was like nothing I had felt before and I can't wait to feel it again. It was amazing to feel the little guy/girl move. I guess Tiny T loves ice cream like his/her mom.

Tiny T's First Pictures

Here are the 1st 4 months of ultrasounds. One of the upsides of IVF is that you get lots and lots of ultrasounds...We are very excited for the BIG ultrasound on April 11th where we'll find out if Tiny T is a girl or boy. My gut is telling me boy but we'll know for sure soon.

First Ultrasound (1-3-2011 - About 6 Weeks)

1-12-2011 (About 7 weeks)

1-19-2011 (About 8 Weeks)

2-4-2011 (About 10 Weeks)

2-17-2011 (About 12 Weeks) And FINALLY Looks like a baby in there!

Belly Shots

While I am starting to feel pretty big...I know it's just beginning! Below is the progress from the day we found out we were pregnant through 24 weeks.

4 Weeks - In Grand Rapids for Christmas

8 Weeks

12 Weeks

16 Weeks - Getting more noticeable

 20 Weeks - We are halfway there!!

 24 Weeks - We have reached 6 months and I feel very pregnant!

 28 Weeks - We are into the 3rd Trimester

 2 months to go (hopefully!) - we need her to cook a little longer

We missed the 36 week due to our move. So here I am 36 weeks and 6 days - looking a little tired and disheveled from the move. We are full term tomorrow!! 

How It All Started

In the spring of 2010 Hung and I decided we were ready to have a baby. After trying for several months, lots of ultrasounds and blood work, we learned that we were going to need some help getting pregnant. We were very lucky to find Dr. Kaplan at the Fertility Centers of Illinois. Dr. Kaplan and his staff were kind, thoughtful and diligent. They made the scary process very manageable. 

The weekend before IVF, I decided to make dozens and dozens of my Grandma Hopkins' Christmas Cookies (They are truly the best!!). I wanted to bring them to the nurses who had been so kind and helpful. My mom came to Chicago to help us during the egg retrieval and transfer process.  On the day of the retrieval, I brought the cookies as planned and gave them to the staff before the procedure. I was put under for the egg retrieval process. When it was over and I was coming to (still drugged up) all I could do was talk about the cookies - along with Rich Rod potentially getting fired and how much I loved the college years of 90210 (not sure how that one got in there). I think every worker that day heard about the cookies - Hung was nice enough to record all of this on his iPhone so I could hear how crazy I sounded! I've ALWAYS loved Grandma's cookies and they were top of mind that day. I think they brought me good luck. I was on bed rest for several days and it was great to have both my mom and Hung there to take care of me. Then we had to wait for 2 weeks to see if it worked.

Hung and I were driving to Grand Rapids for Christmas and stopped to grab lunch at Jimmy John's. While I was in the restroom, the nurse called to give us the good news that I was officially pregnant. I came running out, crying, smiling and nodding my head. Hung picked up on the signals quickly and we sat there, not eating, in shock that we were lucky enough to have this work on the 1st try, that we were actually having a baby and that it was the holidays and we could share the good news with our family in person.  

I never thought we could top Christmas of 2005 when Hung proposed....But I think Christmas 2010 may have a slight lead.

Before Egg Retrieval (See the famous cookies)

After Egg Retrieval (Lots of crazy talk, laughing and crying. I don't remember it)

Before Egg Transfer - A Happy Day

Before Egg Transfer