The Time Is Now

I don't know how well I will do at this whole blogging thing (I really dislike writing), obviously the date of my last post indicates how awesome I have been at it! But...I have decided that since I don't keep a journal or scrapbook and I am beginning a new journey in life "the time is now".

So backtracking to the start of our "beginning a family" discussion

Beginning (late Summer of '09)

-We went to a couples retreat held by the Multiple Sclerosis Society at the Provo Marriot and spent an evening and the following afternoon discussing communication. Colby and I have been good at communicating for the most part but this conference encouraged us to "LISTEN" to the other person and to build a safe and trusting environment. Before we went to our rooms for the evening we were encouraged to bring up an uncomfortable/unspoken question or concern to discuss privately.

-Well, I asked Colby how he felt about kids and when he might want to start a family. To my suprise he was very ready! It took me by shock to say the least, but I had been thinking about it myself, especially since my diagnosis in February. Could we, should we start a family? These questions were on my mind. I was being plagued by thoughts of, will I have enough energy, will I be a good mom, will my MS get worse, will I only be able to care for just one, etc... There is nothing quite as scary as being diagnosed with a chronic illness, when you have been so healthy in the past, and no one knowing what course your illness will take. So, when Colby said he was ready I felt it was the right time for us to start a family.

Preparations (early Fall of '09)

-Looking at our "life" schedules; school, work, age etc. and when I wanted our child to be born we decided on a starting point. I knew I wasn't getting any younger and by the time we would have a child born in the fall I would be 27, it was time to get cracking. Knowing that I may only be able to handle one child (depending on the course that my illness might take in the future) instead of the four we are hoping for, I wanted to try my hardest for a little girl. I had always dreamed of doing silly things like doing her hair, having girl chats, arts and crafts, dancing, and planning her wedding. Looking at the odds; Colby comes from a family of all boys as does his dad and I even think his grandpa (he might be an only child though), and looking at my own family I had one niece, three nephews and one more nephew on the way, I was dying to even the odds, fulfill my fairytale and try anything.

-So to have our little one born in the fall we decided we would need to start trying in November, giving us a little wiggle room for unsucessful tries. So off the birthcontrol I went! I started to monitor my basal body temperature so that I would know my cycle and be prepared to try the "scientific method" of trying for a girl. After reading books and articles to understand the scientific process of "baby making" and thoughts about the X vs. Y sperm, a plan was devised!

Conception (November '09)

November came...we tried the tricks/hints and suggestions for a girl...then December came with no sign of Aunt Flow. Had we succeeded? OMG! I couldn't believe it when the second pink line showed up! I was so not prepared for that after the first try. I know my sisters had always commented about being "Fertile Myrtles", I had never really believed it. Until then.