Brief

[Just scroll down to the bottom if you want to know what the beta was today. You KNOW I can't just start with it. I've tried but it conflicts with my prime directive or something.]

Steve's theory is that somehow the first hot days of the season cause the satellite on our roof to shift slightly, pointing it NNESW instead of NNWSE so that our internet connection must first bounce off Mars. In sum: our ability to communicate with the outside world has been shot to holy hell today. So I am sorry for the delay in posting, although even with (drool) DSL or (drool drool slurp drool) a T1 line I would not have gotten here much sooner.

I left at 7:45 this morning to spend four hours hauling plants around a parking lot for the preschool plant sale. Would you like to know how many other parents volunteered? Zero. They all waved cheerfully as they dropped off their charges and then zipped away again. Probably en route to Target, the creeps. I finished organizing the plants just in time to leave for my blood draw; and then got out of my OB's office just in time to drive back to the school to get Patrick and all the plants I had ordered for myself. Never give me an order form for anything. Or rather, if your church is in need of a new roof, I'm your one-woman stop. I am completely without self-control when handed a sheet full of little blank boxes headed "Product Number" and "Qty". The neighbor kids sold me enough gift wrap last year to adorn the entire exterior of the house and so much candy I have not yet eaten half of it (Me! Candy-face!) And despite the fact that I already have enough Boy Scout popcorn to keep America's cinemas afloat for six months to a year and I do not actually like popcorn; I always order more.

I had not realized quite how crazy I got with the plant sale, though, until I calculated how many trips it was going to take to get it all to our house and how many little holes I was going to need to dig. Shoot me. Why is everything in Minnesota a goddamned annual? Snapdragons? Annual. Violas? Lobelia? Creeping Phlox? Campanula? An every year refresh. So after feeding Patrick a truly half-assed lunch (ham torn into pieces and strawberries) he and I trudged out to start putting all the plants in the ground before they die. As a four-almost-five-year-old Patrick is great. The best. Unsurpassed. As an undergardener, however, he sucks. Just for reference, the LAST thing you want your assistant to do as you are working perilously close to an ant-hill of unknown friendliness is poke a long stick into it.

Speaking of preschool, I have been asked repeatedly about what happened with the aggressive kid and the ineffectual teacher. And I promise I will tell you all about it next. This week. I swear. It's sort of complicated and I have shifted in my view of things slightly since I first started talking about it and I want to make sure I get it right; so it is taking me a while to write about it.

Now I desperately need a bath. I have dirt... everywhere.

But before I go, the beta was great. Monday 837, two days later 2104. I am pleased and extremely hopeful about this one, I must say. Not to sound all superstitious but good betas are so much more promising than bad ones. My levels with Patrick were high (and the other pregnancies that did not display abnormalities until much later in their development) so I do think I tend to metabolize quickly, or something, but I still believe both embryos implanted. I just... feel like it, you know? I do not for an instant believe that we will actually have two twin double more-than-one babies, however. Eleven failures (including multiple sacs that one time) and all of a sudden we are going to get to keep BOTH? No way. I don't say that to sound negative I just honestly do not believe it is possible. But that's ok. I feel lucky to even be able to dismiss it as a possibility.

I feel really lucky right now.

[Oops, sorry. Having just googled this very data point myself:

11dp5dt - 837

13dp5dt - 2104]

Comments

[drm]

Thrilled is too weak of a word, so I'll just say yippee! Hooray! Go babies, go babies!

[Nancy]

Congrats! Hope this is the one!

[Diatryma]

Many annuals aren't as annual as you'd think-- snapdragons will reseed once they get going. Alyssum and moss roses do the same, and four o'clocks just go on and on. If you spend a little time each day with them, you'll notice the seed heads and can scatter them at will. Then you'll have tons of flowers. I think dianthus is technically a biannual-- two years-- but we have mounds of it every year, even lasting through mild winters.
This is why my family's yard was a sunflower forest for years. We bought perennials, certain annuals, and then certain others said, "Hey! Let's reproduce!" and suddenly they were everywhere.

(I do not know pregnancy nearly as well as I know plants. May your garden be filled with flowers.)

[Lisa V]

With beta's that high, I think you may be channeling Michelle Duggar, 'cept all at once.

Congratulations on those great numbers!

[kathleen999]

It's all random chance. You have had a lot of really bad luck, all in a row (except for Patrick, of course). Far more than the percentages for your genetic issues would indicate statistically, if I have understood your posts correctly. So if/when the balance swings the other way, it can certainly result in two or more babies. I'm betting on two healthy babies. It might sound like too much to hope for to you, but I don't see any reason why the odds couldn't swing in your favor this time.

[Beth]

I am as thrilled by your betas as if they were my own (oh how I wish!).

The tide has to turn sometime, why not now? :-)

[Emmie (Better Make It A Double)]

That's wonderful news. Hope is good. Plant sales are evil though. My back has been sore for a week since I went to the Friends School one at the State Fairgrounds. Phlox does not have to be an annual, BTW...

[Sheridan]

Feeling lucky for you, too. Fingers crossed on this one! or two!

Great betas. with my current twin pregnancy my beta was 782 (13dp3dt) and went up to 2797 after 4 days. Here's to percolating 2 healthy babies in there. Fingers crossed for you.

[Aurelia]

Well, I'm going to wish you many healthy babies, and that beta level is awesome, truly. And as for that silly just one hcg level idea....puh-leeze, what are they smoking?
And people wonder why I keep extra blood and U/S requisitions in my purse....

[Lisa]

Wonderful news about the betas. I am optimistic about this pregnancy for you. Just seems like the one that is supposed to work.

Jumping way ahead here but I am curious. Since you know from PGD that these embryos do not carry the translocation will you still do a CVS? Or will you go with less invasive testing? I was so, so sick with my last pregnancy that I could not bring myself to do CVS or an amnio (I was 37 at time of delivery so one or the other was recommended). Given my propensity to miscarry I just couldn't risk anything that might (it is a big "might" - odds are very low) contribute towards that end again. Just continued to puke and pray that the baby was healthy.

[laughing mommy]

I'm so hopeful for you. Hope hope hope. Wish for a baby.

Good luck!

[JuliaKB]

These numbers are so pretty, I just want to buy them a drink and then... well, you know.

[Wavery]

Fellow plant sale sucker, I love that you're feeling it. All my best!

[ProfessorDog]

Cautious congratulations...hope it continues to go well for you. (I'm doing serious vegetable gardening, aka waging battle with Bambi and Phil (the groundhog).)

[Pam L]

See now, I took our new-ish neighbor to my favorite nursery today and only bought tomatoe and pepper plants myself, no flowers,no annuals, no perennials, no vines.. I was good. BUT, if some child, any child, but especially my own, is selling plants, bulbs or seeds I totally rationalize to the point where it's downright noble of me to buy at least one of everything. It's for a good cause. My son is also a Scout and has had as many as 4 fundraisers going at one time in the past between sports and school and Scouts. I still have some Unbelievable Butter and some Caramel Corn from last October in the cupboard. 2104 is great, but, since I don't know, how high do these numbers go? DO they level out at some point? I have no clue, but it sounds really really good.

[Schnozz]

Oh, I don't know. I've been around the Internet for a while, and I'd say eleven miscarriages followed by twins would be exactly par for the course. The Internet has taught me that life is most definitely stranger than fiction.

I'll be thinking of you!

[Tonya]

Excellent doubling! It appears the indwellers are overachievers. I am rooting for you! (And no, I was not trying to make a cheesy plant joke there.)

[Jen A]

That is wonderful news! (And I have a four-year-old tub of Boy Scout popcorn that I still haven't opened...)

[Drowned Girl]

Wow wow wow wow wow.

Oh and I so hope this can be yet another pregnancy we share together, but this time it turns out good! You're my talisman.

Not that we even had our fertilisation report yet. But, you know... why not be optimistic?

Love to you xx

[Toni]

Thinking wonderful, double thoughts. It would be cool though - if the world gave you twins after everything...seems fitting - doesn't it?

[Rachel]

Congratulations, Julia. This is a long time coming and it's just so wonderful and exciting. A nice, strong doubling beta is a very good sign. Keep up the happy feelings!

[Kim]

What a beautiful beta! I admit I skipped to the bottom of the post to see if you updated it. Here's hoping for one (or two) babies that you get to bring home.

[Shandra]

Yay! and nothing bad has happened yet. :)

[Jody]

Congrats on the beta!

If I'm keeping track, you're almost done with preschool, one year more at most. Since no one will benefit from your addiction to annuals soon, save yourself the trouble and visit www.bluestoneperennials.com

They have a fantastic "plant search" engine that lets you tell them soil conditions, growing conditions -- the Arbor Day Foundation's updated zone-hardiness search engine at http://tinyurl.com/ytpwcp is your best bet -- plant color, the works. Then they sell you all sorts of tiny but cheap perennials that will grow and grow and save you from annuals for the rest of your life.

Astilbes and alchemilla should do well in Minnesota now, almost all if it is zone 4 thanks to global climate change.

Good luck with the other growing projects, too. Bet they do too stick around.

[Reese]

WOOT!!!

[Denise]

Yay! I read your post at Redbook and thought, duh, how could she not get a follow-up beta--even I thought of that and was specifically checking back for it.

Also, preschool plant sale? Ours just hikes tuition.

[Mandy]

My house is located between an elementary school and a high school, with a middle school about 1/2 a mile away. Mine is the house on the map with the big red circle and a child's handwriting "STOP HERE FIRST!" I almost always know about every possible promotion - Girl Scout cookies, home decor, wrapping paper, popcorn, discount cards, etc etc etc.

I've only said no when someone else already caught me for the same thing. If I went to a plant sale, I'd be in serious trouble. Luckily for my wallet they have not caught on to that one.

As for your betas, I'm very excited for you whether you have one baby or two, and I love that the numbers are so high. I've been reading for a long time and know how different those look from the others. Waiting with you.

[wealhtheow]

Oh Julia! I'm so very very VERY happy for you!

[Lynn-Ashton and John's mom]

yipee!!!! ;)

[JennyK]

Great betas -- just a quick question: wasn't the first one done at one lab, and the second done at your OB's? Just something to keep in mind as we all watch them go up (i.e., that they may not follow the usual trend b/c of differences in the labs).

Mine with twins weren't even that high:

10dp5dt: 421
13dp5dt: 1320
15dp5dt: 2616

So happy for you!

[Kristine]

I am so very happy for you!!!

[Robbi]

That is so awesome. I'm really happy for you!

[CursingMama]

I wish I had known of your propensity to order things earlier this would've come in handy during the daycare center cookie dough program. If they show up again you're first on my list of people to contact.

The numbers do look positive - so I'll be thinking positive thoughts for you.

[Amber]

wow. if you end up with 2, and I pray you do, and then you decide that 2 is alot, you can keep the cuter one, and I will gladly take the other.

:)

[parodie]

Oh hooray! And plants! Nothing distracts like fretting over plants.

[FishyGirl]

awesome numbers - here's hoping they mean happy healthy inhabitants!

[Shannon]

I just hoped over to your infertility diaries. Off topic you spoke about ticks. The worlds best tick control is right here http://www.countrysidemag.com/issues/3_1998.htm

[silene]

Nice betas, plant lady! Here's hoping you end up with a whole crew of lousy undergardeners...

[Donna]

Wow J. Nice betas.
Here are mine. Healthy IVF twins born at 34 weeks 1 day. We transferred 2 blasts and 1 morula.

6dp5dt 58
10dp5dt 283
13dp5dt 1,271
20dp5dt 15,385

Good luck.

[Spacemom]

Betas: Very nice numbers!

Gardening, Ick! I hate gardening. Go figure. My "assitant" always over water and shreek when a bee goes by, And I am the one allergic to bees!

[Amy]

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! I just read REDBOOK. Good for you! Good luck, and what a great way to get the support you need. Best of luck!!!

[Nancy]

Oh happy day! I mean, aside from potentially perilous ant hills. Still: there's gold in them hills! Very pleased for you.

[Libby]

I know, I know...eleven losses, probabilities and blah, blah, blah... I am still hoping (really hard!) for two babies. Like several fine commenters said: the tide has to turn at some point right? Why not now?

[victoria]

NBHHY! Those are some very nice numbers. :-)

[Jen]

Great betas! NBHHY baby!

[liz s]

Wonderful!

BTW, has anyone ever told you that with IVF there is a greater chance of identical twins? That may be what happened. The slow grower may not have implanted, but the other one split. I guess we'll wait and see.

[Stephanie]

say hooray! Take care of yourself!

[Stephanie]

say hooray! Take care of yourself!

[Stephanie]

say hooray! Take care of yourself!