Fall is here but no baby yet!

Today is October 20, 2012 one day past Blake's due date!  We are eagerly awaiting this little guy's arrival as each day passes.  Everything is still looking good, he just hasn't decided to make his appearance to the world yet!  As i have posted before we have everything prepared, the house is in shape for us to run off to the hospital and we are just waiting....

In the past two weeks i have been trying to get him to come naturally through pressure point massage and acupuncture but no luck thus far.  We are hoping to go on without having to induce this little guy and have a successful delivery resulting in one happy little boy!  We are on pins and needles to introduce this little one to the world and in the mean time trying to keep ourselves busy.

Lucky for us, the weather has finally cooled off a bit in AZ, the mornings are beautiful and i am looking to taking walks with Blake while on my 3 months off from work!  Getting through the holidays with a little one should be fun and we are looking forward to next holiday season where he will have a better idea of what is going on around him :)  I hope you are all enjoying the Fall, and more to come once baby Blake arrives!

39 weeks pregnant and still waiting!

On another note, October 23rd Brian and I will celebrate our 3 year wedding anniversary.  What a wonderful day that was filled with family, friends and fun!  We are so grateful to have such wonderful memories of our wedding day and the past 3 years have just added to those memories....who knew 3 years later we would be waiting for our son to arrive!  Happy Anniversary Brian, I love you!

Still Counting Down.....2 weeks!

Yesterday marked 38 weeks this baby has been cooking inside of me.  We are anxiously awaiting his arrival with each fetal monitoring and doctors appointment we have.  Baby update:  he is still head down far into my pelvis, completely thinned out but only 1/2 cm dilated so far.  The heartbeat yesterday was 132 and he is doing great in there with plenty of fluid still!  Any day now the doctor said, or in a few weeks, just depends on when he wants to come out of there, but the good news is when he comes he will be full term :)  After the start of this journey I are very grateful to have had an easy pregnancy and had no major issues along the way with our precious little guy!

Last weekend I spent time cleaning things around the house, getting anything and everything around the house washed, wiping base boards, washing dishes, reorganizing, etc.  I cooked things i could easily freeze and then defrost for dinner easily once baby arrives, i think i might be doing more of that this weekend!  There is nothing left to prepare for the little guy, just keeping our minds busy until he turns up!  This could be our last weekend with out a baby in my arms, i might take in a movie, spend some time with my husband and try to relax :)

37 weeks Belly Photo!

4D photo of Baby Boy week 37!

Let the Countdown Begin....

As of today baby has been growing for 37 weeks, we are heading to the doctor today for our check up and then to the hospital for some additional fetal monitoring.  We had a growth check last week and little guy is measuring in the 35%, 5 lbs. 11oz. but they said it could be +/- 1lb. so much for jumbo baby!  It is amazing how slow the IVF process for us seemed and then after that time has just flown by.  With many of my girlfriends expecting we have started to see some of the babies since May of this year and will continue to meet many little ones in the future, it makes this time in my life so special to have mommies-to-be to share it with as well as those who are already mommies and sharing their advice!

I feel as if my belly cannot grow any more and the little guy is fighting to get out with all the elbowing of my left side he is doing :)  I know it is only a matter of time until he makes his debut but I have really enjoyed my pregnancy and experienced very little issues along the journey.  It has been a blessing that we were able to have this child and it will be a miracle when he comes into the world.  We have purchased everything, washed all the clothes, sterilized all the toys, stroller, etc. the car seat is installed and we are ready to meet him.  In the mean time, i will continue to watch my feet swell everyday, enjoy staying in bed when i am not feeling 100%, and going on my own schedule.  Until then....we will be waiting!

Baby Belly Week 36 photo:

Baby Boy will be named after my favorite Great-Uncle, Sander the most loving, kind, caring and genuine man i have ever known.

Aunt Diane and Uncle Sander at our Wedding 3 years ago.

Baby Shower and Maternity Photos of Blake

We are in the final stretch of this long awaited pregnancy.  Our due date is rapidly approaching with just less than 5 weeks until Blake's expected arrival!  I am not sure if he will come early or come late but one thing is for sure he is coming soon!

We have been very blessed to have such wonderful friends and family surrounding us during this time in our lives and everyone is excited and welcoming of this little guy!  My baby shower was a few weeks back and we had a wonderful time with all the ladies in my life from friends, to family, to friends who are family celebrating little baby boy!  It was so fun to have everyone in one room and with all their generosity we were able to fill up Blake's room with toys, burp cloths, diapers, and everything else a little one will need.  I am so grateful to have all these people in our lives.  Brian was able to celebrate with the guys by having a Diaper, Wings and Beer party and all the guys were equally as generous in bringing diapers and wipes for us to stock up before the little guy arrives!  Thank you to all our friends and family!

 Since this is the last time in our lives it will ever be just Brian and Lindsay we decided to do a maternity photo session and the pictures turned out beautifully!  Cristi Owen Photography is amazing and she does such a wonderful job capturing your moments. (www.cristiowen.com)  We spent an afternoon just before sunset in Gilbert, AZ at the Gilbert Riparian Reserve which had a nice green landscape mixed with the desert we are used to and a little water in the area.  We had such a fun tie with Cristi and we couldn't be happier with the photos we have to remember this time in our lives. Now the question remains, will he be a Wildcat, Lumberjack or ???

Wrapping up this exciting time in our lives of being parents-to-be and becoming parents is just on the horizon.  We made sure to do all the things our friends have warned us to do, travel, go to the movies, spend time together, spend time on your hobbies, going out to a nice dinner, and we have enjoyed it all.  We just can't wait to meet this little guy, see his face and learn his personality as our family gets ready to expand.

Last Trip without the 3rd Hudson

We just got back from our last weekend out of state before our little guy makes his appearance!  Brian and I are lucky enough to have some friends that live within driving distance and in a much cooler place than AZ!  We headed out Thursday night to Redondo Beach, CA to see Nick and Lynsey!  What a wonderful weekend to get away and sort of forget about all the baby craziness going on at our house, relax and enjoy some great company!  Friday the boys decided to hit up the local Trump golf course and the two ladies relaxed with a day at a beautiful spa, Terranea.  We had wonderful spa treatments, I indulged in a facial and relaxed near the pool with our ocean view, cucumber water and beautiful weather!
http://www.terranea.com/spas-southern-california.php

We decided to try out some of the local food stops and did we find some great ones!  We try to go local when we are on vacation instead of the same chains as are here in Phoenix.  Some of the ones we tried are below:

The Original Pancake House- Omelettes are Huge and the pancakes are tasty!
Tin Roof Bistro- Brian and Nick for for the Simmzy's burger while i had the wood fired pizza!
The Manhattan Beach Creamery- You knew i would go for ice cream!  They have homemade ice cream and ice cream sandwiches!  http://www.mbcreamery.com/
The Manhattan Beach Post- For brunch we tried a little of everything, the fruit, sticky bun, bacon, and the truffle honey laced fried chicken were delish!

We spent Saturday going to brunch and hanging out at the beach, unfortunately we didn't take our camera but Brian got some shots from Nick and Lynsey's balcony.  It was so nice to be away from the 100+ degree temps here in AZ and to enjoy some cooler weather, ocean breezes, a few rounds of couples Taboo and a nice 6 hour car ride each way with my one and only :)  Now on to the countdown of 8 weeks before we meet Baby Hudson, starting to be known as Blake Sander Hudson.  We are looking forward to our birthing class this Saturday followed my a maternity photo session on Sunday to capture this growing belly and the two of us before we have a little tag along.

11 weeks until baby!

Oh my, I can't believe it is already August!  The time flies when you have a little one growing!  I can't believe that in less than 11 weeks we will probably have this little guy in our arms.  Our baby shower is just around the corner where we can celebrate with family and friends the expected arrival of our first child!  The time is now coming for me to put down the baby books and go to some infant and expecting mom classes.  As i think about all the infants and children i have looked after, babysat and watched grow up over the years it makes me wonder all the things i still don't know, what situations will i run into with my little guy and wow time flies by!

Preparing to be a parents, as everyone says "You are never totally prepared", I ponder what life has in store for me.  We can buy all the necessities, toys, books, baby medicine, read the books and talk to the dr. but you still don't know what the personality will be like of your little one, how will they interact with you, how will they make you laugh, love and cry over the years.  I am sitting back thinking about my future and it makes me smile to think of all the times I had with my dad and how many good memories i will be able to experience with my children.  I suppose after being as prepared as you can be, all you can ask for is a healthy child and a life filled with good memories, family and friends along the way.  Lucky for us and this little one we have plenty of good family and friends in our lives and supporting us!

The next 11 weeks I imagine will be a busy time, baby shower, trips to see friends in LA, child birthing classes, researching day cares, checking out Pediatricians, packing a hospital bag, buying diapers and getting some rest before the big day approaches, whenever he decides that will be.  I just sit back and look at the past 5 years since meeting Brian and while I have so many wonderful memories, I can't believe time has flown right by us, 4 years ago this month we bought this house, 3 years ago in October we go married, went on a wonderful honeymoon, we have both grown in our careers, experienced some amazing vacations, 1 year ago we decided to try IVF for our first child and began the testing process, and now i have had to get rid of my "cool car" and moved on to a mommy mobile, where does the time go?

Nesting Phase

Since we have hit week 20 we have had some free weekends on hand and have started what i have heard referred to as the "nesting" phase.  We are cleaning out the entire house, putting things in the attic to create more storage for baby items in the house and getting out little guy's room ready!  We have chosen a theme of "peek a boo monsters" very cute and cuddly!  The colors of his room are going to be tan on the top, green on the bottom and brown chair rail, but the monsters bring in some light yellow and light blue as well!  Brian is working hard this weekend to turn this white room into something wonderful!  Having this been out storage room at the house and the only room we never painted it is making the reality of a little boy on the way all that more real!  His next project is building the dresser and crib which we picked up last weekend in a Chestnut wood, so excited to see all the pieces come together!

Before the paint went up!

We now have paint, just need the chair rail and decor!

I am now feeling him kick on a regular basis but only on the inside.  Hopefully soon he will be strong enough to kick so dad can feel and share in my thrill of feeling him :)  It is hard to believe we are already at week 22 and working on the baby's room, planning the shower and registering at the hospital! He is currently measuring the size of a papaya and weighing about a pound. There is a lot going to happen in the next few months in preparing for his arrival and before we know it he will be in our arms! And before that day comes we need a name......to be continued......

Week 20 Belly!

Week 21 Belly

Babymoon and Baby BOY!

      Over Memorial Day weekend we had  a lot going on!  Friday was our anatomy scan and gender reveal for our little one, we had an early appointment so we didn't have to wait all day, by 9:30am we knew we were expecting a baby BOY!  There was a big smile across Brian's face when he saw the parts that confirm the gender and tears came to my eyes, knowing the gender makes it all the more real that there is a little one growing in side of me.  How excited we are to be parents to this little guy!  Now there are so many things to do, pick a name, register, set up the nursery....but first was our babymoon!




                                                  We headed off to San Diego for the weekend to spend some time together and it was some much needed time!  The drive out there was fun, but when we got to town we had even more fun!  Day one included a wonderful breakfast in La Jolla called The Cottage, I would highly recommend this place especially for the homemade scones!  Next a visit to Sea World, we made sure to see all the shows, I would highly recommend to Cirque Du Sole show and of course you have to see Shamu!  Walking around in the beautiful weather all day was so enjoyable, we saw all the exhibits from dolphins, to sea lions and even a kangaroo!  Oh the memories being at Sea World brought back being a little girl going with my daddy and having such a good time with all the marine life and shows!  When we were ready for the night time Shamu show I had to go grab a hot cocoa just like dad always got for us!

 Day two we spent the morning hanging out at the hotel, Brian wasn't feeling too well so we let him rest a bit before heading out!  Our first stop was at the San Diego Zoo, which was quite a treat!  We saw everything here from Polar Bears and Penguins to Monkeys and Lions!  The zoo really does have a lot to offer with the sky tour and the guided bus tour that both come free with your ticket so we had to check them out!  Also, we found a pretty good place to eat within the Elephant Odyssey, not just hot dogs here!  There is a set time where you can feed the Giraffes which had two new babies in the exhibit and there are behind the scene tours to take as well.  Once we were worn out at the zoo we headed to Il Fornaio for some yummy Italian food and a beautiful sunset, sit on the terrace :)

Day three we decided to head home and grab some breakfast on the way out, we found a yummy place near the zoo called Park House Eatery, another delicious breakfast spot with homemade white bread and preserves, Brian's pancakes were huge and delicious and my eggs, toast, bacon and get this mashed potatoes was amazing!  Who would have thought of mashed potatoes for breakfast but there were just perfect!  After the long drive home we ran off to register for our baby BOY!  Brian was so excited to check out all the baby must haves and cool items......and that was our babymoon!!!

Pregnancy

Pregnancy...So many things changing and so many things to get ready for baby!  The time is just flying by for Brian and I, already in week 17 and every Friday marks another week closer to meeting our little one!  My belly is starting to grow and i have gained 6 lbs. to date so now that i have a growing belly it feels like there really is something in there :)  We are taking weekly belly pictures for my belly book to track the growth and take notes to share later on with our children.  I can't believe all the changes that occur in baby each week, reading my weekly emails and my pile of books on my night stand i am learning so much about anatomy and my little one!  Right now baby has fingers and toes, two little eyes and ears and is moving its hand to its mouth often, they can start sucking at this point so a thumb sucker we may have based on ultrasounds.  The baby is the size of a naval orange and my uterus is the size of a cantaloupe.

Right now we are trying to get the house together for the baby, we have the bedroom cleared out and just have to work on clearing out all Brian's childhood toys from the closet so we have a place to put baby clothes!  We got our floors replaced so there are no longer sharp edges where the pups chewed up the carpet, and hung the living room tv on the wall so the baby can't touch the screen.  Next we have to get a new tv stand so all the electronics and their buttons are behind doors, then replacing the coffee table and side tables which are glass with some wood tables.  Brian is taking the responsibility of putting child safety locks on all the cabinet doors and oven knob covers.  Next thing is that we go to the doctor on May 23rd for a checkup and May 25th for a sonogram and anatomy scan where we will find out if we are having a Boy or a Girl!  Then we can start to buy clothes, decorate the room and register for all the fun baby items we will be needing in the months ahead!  Planning the baby shower and maternity photos in August too!

As the weeks are slowly turning into months I am finding myself adjusting to the idea that I am soon going to be a mommy, responsible for developing and caring for a little one.  I can't believe the excitement that comes with having a baby, every doctor's appointment, every milestone reached is just a stepping stone into our future and all because we had such a wonderful and successful IVF team behind us, we are truly grateful to have a healthy baby on the way!  We cannot wait to meet our little one, but we are enjoying preparing for he or she along the way and spending our last few months ad Brian and Lindsay :)  Memorial Day weekend is a trip for two to San Diego! Thank you all for sharing in our joy and excitement, this is going to be one loved baby!

Getting to the baby!

So we decided to jump in and start the process of conceiving a baby!  Brian and I went ahead and met with Dr. Johnson @ ARMS to discuss the process in which we will be going through to complete PGD (pre-implementation genetic diagnosis) and IVF in order to have a healthy baby.  We started the creation of the probes in August 2011. These probes will allow the Dr. to test a biopsy of the embryos in order to determine if they have the genetic mutation Brian carries.  I received a call from my favorite nurse at the office telling me they think the probes will be ready within the next four weeks!  Wow what a HUGE step for us in expanding our family.  I couldn't really believe it was true, up to this point i have talked about having a baby "next year" as that was always my response and I have been enjoying all my friend's little ones.  This hit home for sure and I realized sooner than later I am going to be a mom.  For me this realization is scary and exciting, having no relationship with my own mother I look to the future to have the relationship with my kids I always longed for in a mother.  I spent years watching my friends have their mom's there for all the joys and sorrows in life and what a gift it is for me to be able to have my own child to develop that relationship with.

The call from our nurse, Kate also included details as to when we could start the process of having a baby.  I began to realize that before this year was over there was a good possibility I could be pregnant.  What a crazy thought, me ready to have a baby or two and carry them in my belly.  Well the test will be done soon and in December we can decide to have the eggs retrieved and then fertilized and tested, then one week later we can do a transfer of one or two embryos and see what happens.  Let's hope fate is on our side!  As it happened we weren't able to start the medicines and egg retrieval until after the first of the year.  I started on medicines right after the first of the year, many shots and blood tests to determine when the follicles would be ready to produce eggs!  On January 27th, the dr. retrieved 18 eggs and that began our journey!

On day 3 the embryos are biopsied and sent to a lab to be tested with the previously developed probes.  By day 3 of the 18 eggs, only 6 had developed into the embryo stage needed.  On day 5 we receive the results and the transfer is scheduled to put in no more than 2 eggs.   Awaiting the results was very concerning and nerve racking, we didn't know if any of the embryos would be viable and all the work we had gone through would have to start over.  On day 5(2-1-12) the call was that 2 embryos had the genetic mutation, 2 were undetermined and 2 would be fine to transfer.  Yay!  We are transferring 2 embryos.....then bed rest for 3 days so they can implant.  This was a trying time, hoping that at least one of these little embryos would take to my body!  Luckily we did get one baby!  The news I have to say was a little disappointing as we had already come to the realization it could be 2 and we wouldn't be going through this process again, however after the news sank in we were overjoyed to have one healthy baby!  

Since all of the testing, shots, medicine the pregnancy has been an easy one so far.  Slight nausea in the evenings and lots of days filled with no energy but all worth it for my little one.

The hard part was our decision to try and keep this between us,  we are there to support one another and this is such a personal choice to pursue PGD and IVF, but we still want to share that moment with our family and friends to tell them..."we are expecting!".  So we kept our lips sealed for 12 weeks and finally were able to share our excitement with friends and family.  We are now eagerly awaiting our baby's arrival on October 19th.