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

[SarahD]

Oh, I am the same way about plants. Just do not let me near a plant sale! And moving into an apartment hasn't stopped me, either. I just buy all the plants I want and drop them off in my parents' garden, and tend them on the weekend.

Great beta!

[Jb]

wooooooohooooooooooooooooooo!

[Lauren]

So excited for you. Congrats on such good betas! Maybe this time? I sure hope so.

[caro]

Glad you are liking the numbers. They sure look pretty to me.

Will they let you keep the Redbook job if this all goes well? Getting someone to finally pay you for being infertile could end up being the best yet Murphy's Law way to overcome infertility.

[Amy]

Those are some impressive betas for sure! Many congratulations and sticky-grow-grOW-GROW wishes! I was just wondering about the Murphy's law thing this AM like caro mentioned before...I had finally gotten to sit down long enough to peruse my REDBOOK AND then I got to get on here for your happy, hapPY, HAPPY update, too! Singleton, twins, what have you, it's high time for you and yours, Julia. Amen! Crossing whatever can be crossed!

[Elaina]

Congrats on the high betas!!! :)

For what it's worth, my four-almost-five-year-old would have done the exact same thing to the ant hill. And then he would have asked me to catch the ants so we could bring them inside.

[MichelleL]

Absolutely super beta numbers. That's a 36 hour doubling time. And you're even on the upper end of the multiples chart. Hmmmm . . . I wonder if one of those embroys split?

In any case, I really, really, really hope this is your time.

[WendyP]

Let Patrick's imitations of you yacking up commence! I'm super double extra plus happy for you guys.

[Jennifer]

Go baby Hippogriffs GO!!!!!!!!! ;0)

[Celeste]

Amazing numbers!!! Congrats on your kick-ass, high beta number, probably multiple pregnancy! Now that you are a big time infertility writer and all... REDBOOK will need to find a replacement!

I'm having a glass of pinot for you.

[Stacie]

Congratulations.

[midlife mommy]

So very, very happy for you.

[winecat]

YEAH!!! for good numbers and for new plants. At least your undergardener works, the cats just lay and watch me dig the holes then point out I spoil all the fun when I fill them.

[mellie]

OY!

[Peggy]

I love planting flowers. I jst don't like to weed them.

Great numbers. Fingers crossed that the news continues to be good:)

[Hetty_Fauxvert]

A cautious WOO WOO!! Sure hope this is it for you. Though frankly, my mind reels at the thought of THREE Patricks (or Patricias) in your household....

BTW, ditto re four o'clocks as perennials. My grandmother had them in Kansas where it is also Very Very Cold every winter, and she would just whack off the grubby tops after they had wilted every fall, but leave the roots in place. New bushes came up from the roots every spring, and they got bigger and bigger as the roots grew older. And four o'clock blossoms are lots of fun for kids because you can turn them upside down and pretend they are ladies in ballgowns. Or float them on a birdbath. Or pretend they are ladies in ballgowns walking on water, if the child has a theological bent. :)

[Kim]

Hey Julia! I've been with you since the IP days (Patrick was born a few weeks after my Gracie). I am soooooooooooooooooo happy for you!!!! Just take care of yourself (have Steve make dinner every night - you know, maybe you just need to take to your couch for awhile and rest each afternoon, since your body is working so hard right now and all....) =)

Blessings!
Kim

[reenie]

Oh happy day indeed. And knowing your history with morning sickness, I hope that double the baby doesn't mean double the sickness. I'm thrilled for you. I hope the lucky feeling lasts...you deserve it.

[Denise]

Way too cool!!!!!

[maggie]

Holy Moly! Way cool and hoping it stays good.

Love the crack about Patrick the poor undergardener. I tried to get my kid to pick up sticks from the lawn - no dice. They just don't have that work ethic we need in toddlers.

[Laura K.]

ROCK ON!!!!!!

[Tertia]

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Annette]

Congratulations!! I haven't visited your blog in awhile and was so pleasantly surprised to see your news. I'd bet my house that you're carrying twins. FWIW, I'm just over 12 weeks pregnant with twins and my betas were as follows:

14dpo: 385
20dpo: 3208

So thrilled for you and saying a prayer for a healthy, happy pregnancy!

[the aitch]

Very happy for you:)