How to make a baby

People either think it is extremely easy, or extremely difficult to make a baby. I have come to learn that the answer is "both."

Matt and I were married on August 4th, 2007. Sometime in March 2008 I had a UTI and had to take antibiotics. I was completely ignorant to the fact that they affect birth control pills. Then on May 12th, 2008 (my last semester in college) I realized I had not had a period in a while, stopped to get a home pregnancy test on the way to class, took the test in the handicap stall of the bathroom at KSU's social science building, saw that it was positive, and started sobbing. THIS WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN! I had to go to class since it was May-mester and we were not allowed to miss-- red eyes, snotty nose and all. After class, I went home to tell Matt and to my surprise, he was ecstatic! It made me feel even more guilty for being disappointed. That night he took me to Target and bought me a copy of "What to Expect When You're Expecting," looked at baby clothes, got registry information but NOTHING made me feel better. I just knew this wasn't supposed to happen so soon. I wanted to graduate, work for a few years, enjoy being married at LEAST 4 years before I had a baby. But alas, God had other plans. 

Before Ollie was even a year old, I started thinking about having another baby. My brother and I are 16 months apart and I always loved it (except when he threw a pencil in my cheek, kicked me in the mouth when I had braces, and got dad's old Jeep as a first car). I had planned to have children close together and thought getting pregnant a second time would be as easy as the first. Boy was I wrong! 

I never took birth control after Ollie was born. I just thought we would "let nature take its course." But "the course never took." If you know what I mean. I went to my OB/GYN about it and he told me to give it another 6 months... sigh. After 6 months and no pregnancy I went back and he had me do an Hysterosalpingogram to flush the fallopian tubes. There is an increased likelihood of pregnancy after this procedure so I had to try yet another 3 months to get pregnant- with no success, before I finally went back and started taking fertility drugs. 

All those pills are enough to drive a sane person completely crazy! Cycle says 3-7 I had to take 6 estrogen pills, followed by 10 days of clomid (the "infamous" drug), then 10 days of progesterone twice a day (which makes you soooo nauseated)... bleeeeeeh! After 3 months my cycle was still not regulated (I ovulate extremely late in a short menstrual cycle) and I was beginning to come to terms with it all. I was the definition of "infertility." I went from being upset and angry, to being jealous of my pregnant friends who seemed to get pregnant on a whim, to having a complete peace about my future children, or lack thereof. I stopped praying to get pregnant and I once and for all told God that I was completely 100% fine with whatever his plans were for me no matter how heartbroken I felt. I started my 4th month of meds. and decided that if it did not work, I was going back to the doctor to discuss other options. 

  

Then I started getting weird cravings. I could not get enough salsa and black coffee (and I HATE black coffee). I was not expecting my period for more than I week but I decided to take a test anyways. (In the comfort of my own home this time). Sure enough, I saw the faintest little line. Like it was so faint that you had to look at it outside in natural light, out of the corner of you eye to see the line. Matt was skeptical so I took another test the next morning and it was a little pink line for sure! I called the doctor and they wanted to see me immediately so I went it for an exam and blood work, and sure enough-- I'm pregnant!!!

Honestly, I am extremely happy about the age gap my kids will have. If I had a new born or little baby in the midst of: Ollie's sleep issues, throwing everything phase, "mommy hold me" constantly, "I don't wanna poop potty," and most of all-- Ollie not walking until she was 18 months old... I would not be the laid-back mellow person that I am today. Ollie will be almost 3 when the new baby is born and I really wouldn't have it any other way. Imagine that!

This is me and Matt when I was about 4 months pregnant with Ollie. We had so many people at the lake that day, that this was the only life jacket left that would fit me!