Home Again

I cannot believe I am agreeing with this old chestnut, but a dry heat really IS less unpleasant than a humid one. Tuscon (no, wait. Tucson. shouldn't that word look right-er one way than the other?) was 104 degrees this weekend but it actually wasn't all that bad. Compared to, say, Charleston or Florida over 85 it was downright pleasant. I say this, of course, because my hair behaved beautifully in the desert air. You know, one of these days I am just going to give up the charade and admit that this blog is really about my hair. I think we'll all be happier.

It was a good trip. Patrick and I had reviewed a website on Things To Do in Tucson before we left and he had identified a few places that he really wanted to visit. My father and step-mother seemed happy to accommodate him in every little thing, so it was sort of a Patrick-a-thon for four days. We went on a cave tour that pleased him enormously. We went to the science museum at the university and saw a planetarium show about Saturn and two of her moons. He and Steve and my father explored the desert and saw fascinating desert-y things. My Dad brought out his telescope so that Patrick could look at the planets for himself (I've mentioned that I am surrounded by space geeks, yes?) The rest of the time Patrick spent swimming in the pool (all hail the orange arm floaties) or eating black olives. Patrick would trade anything in the world for just a few black olives (brined, preferably) and my step-mother kept bringing him little bowls full of them. All day long. It reminded me of my favorite part in Starring Sally J Freeman as Herself (loved that book) in which she goes to a restaurant in Miami for her (twelfth?) birthday and the waiter brings over an entire bowl of whipped cream for her to eat with a spoon if she pleases. This made a profound impression upon me when I first read the book because it seemed like the height of decadent ambition. What more could any reasonable person want than to be allowed unlimited access to whipped cream? That is how Patrick feels about olives. 

And, since it was that side of the family, no one at any time felt the slightest urge to DISCUSS anything, like why we hadn't seen them for four years. So Patrick was happy and I was happy. Steve is always happy. And the food was good.

If there was any possible way I could have posted about this while I was gone, without the risk of alerting my father to the existence of my blog, I would have done so. But I could not. So, a little late, sorry, but I did put a REDBOOK post up on Friday (by tapping it out my my weensy pocket PC, saving the file on an SD card, asking to go to Walgreens for cough medicine and peppermint patties, and then zipping into Kinko's instead to email the file to the good people of online publishing) and I will have another one up this afternoon. The gist of the last one was that my HPTs never turned negative while I tested for the trigger (!) so I seem to be pregnant (!!) and the gist of the next one will be my first beta result (that I don't have yet, although the draw for it this morning has left a swollen bruise inside my elbow the size of a Sacajawea dollar). And yes, I realize my need for privacy in this area is absurd in light of the fact that my moon-faced photo is next to the heading "My struggle to get pregnant" or something like that in this month's REDBOOK magazine (they let me have three whole pages. well, one and two halves but still. I was flattered) with a link to here (hello REDBOOK readers) but there it is. What can I say? I just don't think my Dad reads REDBOOK (ps. the all caps thing is killing me.)      

OK. I was hoping that the phone would ring while I wrote this but I guess it is not to be.

Update at Infertility Diaries later today. I'm nervous about the beta, actually. The last two IVF cycles the betas were less than stellar, and look how they turned out. Of course I had great betas with those other pregnancies and... nevermind. I think everyone is just always nervous, regardless.

Comments

[Isabel]

Fingers and toes, and everything in between crossed for you!

XOXO
Isabel

[Slim]

So glad the morula delivered (because don't we all believe it was the morula?)!

Does REDBOOK like you better the more comments you get? Because I will do anything to ensure that they love you as much as the rest of us do, unless it involve complimenting the Diary of E.

Anyway, I shall be refreshing up a storm to find out your beta.

[Marsha]

So much to say, so little desire to bogart your comments:

- Hair: having just spend a week in Orlando, I understand. Will check out vacation possibilities in the South West stat.

- Space geeks: In case you don't know or are trying not to notice, all manner of Nova and IMAX shows are available on Netflix. "If we had no moon" has been popular here for months and months and I highly recommend it.

- Betas: It'll be all I can do to not hit refresh over and over, so I'll try to just go with "I'll be thinking of you today" and leave it at that.

- Fathers: My dad recently learned of my blog. I survived my sister and a friend finding mine but this latest discovery could be a fatal blow. As long as your father doesn't have a Gladys Kravitz-type neighbor who could recognize you in your walks from the car to the house, you should be fine. Right?

[LisaR]

It would be just like you to start this big ol' REDBOOK infertility blog thing, and then go off and get pg. Probably with twins no less.

I know, let's not get ahead of ourselves and all that. I can just see it happening so clearly.

Your fellow BT pal. (bt 13;21)

[JennyK]

Just waiting here with you. Ring, damn phone, ring!

[JuliaKB]

You know how obsessive I am? Before commenting, I clicked over to that book that is of a particular color site to see if you posted beta there yet. Hehe.
Good thing I have to go do something away from the computer for a little bit, or I would never stop refreshing.
Everything is crossed, still.
Oh, and btw, you got yourself a Thinking Blogger Award (http://wontfearlove.blogspot.com/2007/05/that-thinking-business.html). Wishing there was one for the Sneaky Blogger, cause that little spy act with Walgreen's and Kinko's certainly qualifies you for that one too.

[LisaR]

I forgot to say g/l and I'll be refreshing madly!

[Beth]

Crossing fingers and toes. I want you to be pregnant as much as I want *me* to be pregnant. **sigh**

**joins the obsessive refreshers**

[maggie]

Welcome home, good luck, and everything is crossed several times for you.

[kimberly/tippytoes]

Woot!

This post would have made me happier if you had said you also visited my MIL in Tucson. I've been avoiding that trip for almost four years.

[alchemilla]

I am here, poised, hat in hand. Just give us the beta and I'll hurl the thing into the air with immense joy.

[Amber]

checking here and REDBOOK like a bonafide stalker.

welcome back

[LMM]

Here's hoping for a beta safely in the range of what's normal for a normal pregnancy under normal circumstances.
And generally nothing but kittens and rainbows for the next 9 months as you are met with nicely doubling betas, normal boring ultrasounds, a normal CVS (or test of your choice) and an easy breezy labor the likes of which will make other women turn green with envy for the rest of your life.
That is what I wish for you.

[Pam L]

Although I still insist hot is hot, I must agree on the humidity factor. My poor deluded husband thinks we are retiring in FLA, where his sister and Dad now live. I have been there in April when 90 was totally unbearable. Then, last year we went to Ohio in July, I kid you not. It was a wedding and 50th birthday we were required to attend and it was miserable, and why is the sky always grey or white, but never blue there, really? Also,re. the black olives and whipped cream bowl item, the only birthday present from a friend I remember from grade school and the days of girls in party dresses, was a box, a WHOLE box of candy bars from my friend Margaret Brown. She was late and I was afraid she wasn't coming. She must have picked them up on the way as it wasn't wrapped. I was truly a candy-holic and it was the most decadent, delicious, favorite present I ever got.

[Another BT Wife]

I already cheered emphatically at REDBOOK but am glad to see by the comments here that I'm not the only one whose main hobby today is refreshing your 2 blogs. Really rooting for a beautifully strong beta and an uneventful pregnancy from here on out!

[melissa]

Oh man! I'd forgotten about the
"Starring Sally J..." book! I've been building up my kids' book collection in preparation for adoption, but this one slipped my memory -- thank you!

[MichelleL]

Wow -- good luck. Keeping all fingers crossed.

[karyn]

My Clare feels the exact same way about black olives.

Waiting with beta-ed breath for the results. (groan)

[Vanessa]

Psst-well done, you.

:)

[LEB]

That's one mighty fine beta you got there :)

Congrats Julia, I know shit might happen but it couldn't have been a better beginning.

[Linda]

I left a comment over at Redbook, but then I realized you can't tell it's me. And I must be recognized.

Anyway, excellent beta. Very cool.

[LisaR]

OMG. I am so right. You were hired to do a infertility blog and immediately got pg with twins.

Crap. Gotta get me a IF blog.

CONGRATS!

[Jennifer]

Holy freakin' SH*T! Just checked on your REDBOOK site and saw your beta number. Wahoo!!!!! Crossing every possible appendage for you...and how can your internet be hosed on a cloudless, 90+ degree day in Minnesota??

You just made my day!

[Lisa]

Holy crap! Great beta! Congrats :-)

[Danielle]

OH. YEAH.

[Danielle]

OH. YEAH.

[Beth]

837?!?!?

Woot!

:-D

[Kelly]

I popped over to REDBOOK (hmm, yeah, irritating) and those beta's sound great!! I would have commented over there but what with registration and laziness... But still! YAY!

[Genie]

I'm so thrilled for this bit of good news. Hot-cha-cha, indeed! Prayers and good wishes, all around.

[Teenuh]

Congratulations Julia. I am hoping for the best for you this time around. For both the zygotes even!

[daysgoby]

I can't be the first running 'round screaming SQUEE, can I?

I hope for you, honey.

[LMM]

YA-FREAKING-HOO. 837! Damn!
Congrats. And see my post above for what happens next.

[Jessica]

excellent! Will keep everything crossed for you. :)

[Lisa]

Add me to the list of people too lazy to register at Redbook, but YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYY!!!!!!!!!!

I am SO excited for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[meliarobin]

Keeping fingers and toes crossed- have been hoping so hard for success for you. Great beta! Will obsessively watch both blogs for updates.

[Jessica]

Hurray! It all sounds so great.
I'm crossing my fingers and toes for you.

[Aurelia]

So now I want to know if it's the morula AND the hatching blastocyst split into two. (Rumour has it PGD can inspire splitting.) In other words, triplets...(grin)

Another lazy one.

I just knew when you never got a negative pregnancy test that the numbers would be sky high. :). I wonder how high the numbers will be at your next draw.

I have to add of course the Dr is the one to call with the good news it is an ego thing.

[winecat]

Just visited REDBOOK, YEAH!!!

Keeping all fingers and toes crossed that things stay this good.

[Jb]

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

[Becky]

WOOOHOOOO!

[CariP]

Very, very happy for you. I have literally everything crossed for you that the good numbers continue and all is well in there.

[Ali]

My lord, Julia, I just checked out your pic at Redbook. You look like you are twelve (this is a compliment!)! Hoping , hoping, hoping, hoping only the best for you and yours.

[Minnesota Momma]

Well, well, well! Sounds quite promising to me! In my three positive cycles, I don't recall ever having a first beta over 48, and I ended up with twins!

Very, very good news. Makes me smile.

BTW, wasn't it a hot one today? UGH!

[alisa]

Freaken awesome. Fingers crossed!

[CharmingDriver]

NO clue what the numbers mean but as everyone else seems excited (haven't clicked over to Redbook err REDBOOK yet myself for the latest), lemme add my WOO HOO and YAY TEAM!!

Glad the trip went well and the secret squirrel posting trip is too, too funny.

[Heather Ann]

I am going to be a complete ass and say, "Great Beta!!!" but could you maybe do a post on Patrick and the big thug at preschool because I am really dying to hear what you did?! Seriously, CONGRATULATIONS!, and where is my Patrick story?
Glad you didn't have any problems blending back into your family.

[Marsha]

sending prayer, luck, and good mojo. Glad you had a happy reunion without having to discuss it.

[Natalee]

Fan-fucking-tastic!!

Ha-cha-cha!!!

[luolin]

So happy to read about the wonderfully high beta (and still too lazy to register at RB for commenting there).