It's going to be a great Memorial Day this year!

**These were saved posts that I created before anyone knew we were expecting!**

Addy is going to be a big sister!!!!

 A pretty good positive line considering I'm not even "late" yet!!!

It's been a long journey in my mind, which isn't really fare to say, since I know there are women that try for years before getting a positive test.  We have been trying since the beginning of December, which was when we could, after our ectopic we had in late Sept. early October 2011. The last couple of months I have been tracking my ovulation with OPK's (ovulation predictor kits)  just to make sure we were timing things right. January and February my cycle was very off and  I wasn't sure what my body was doing let alone when I was ovulating.  Not that I was trying to be very technical about it but come on, you do have to do things at the right time.  You only have a small window of when your egg is actually released. 

So last month when we first used the OPK and I got 2 positives 2 days in a row,(CD 15&CD 16, so many days after my last period) I was beyond thrilled!!!  My body was working!  That helped my stress level greatly!  So when the time came to test and it was negative I was a little sad but I was happy that I was ovulating and that it had to be a matter of time. 

So onto the next cycle with another round of OPK's.  I got a positive on CD 14 & CD 15 this month so I am pretty consistent!  This was Saturday and Sunday over Mother's day weekend!  Our timing could not have been more perfect!  Sunday afternoon while we were at my dad's mom's house for dinner, I had the worst ovulation cramps of my life!  It was a very intense bloated feeling and I almost didn't eat because I already felt so full.  But secretly I was super excited!!  So the week continued on and I was pretty calm.  I even attended a happy hour the following Friday to celebrate our awesome student teacher that we had for the past 6 weeks.  I had a couple drinks.  I wasn't going to hyperfocus on what wasn't in my control! 

So that Sunday, I got period cramps at 7 days post ovulation and I am not going to lie, I was really really sad.  I vented to Justin and he tried to understand and said try not to think about it, it will happen when it's time.  But I felt so defeated.  I called my sister because I remember she had went through something similiar before she found out she was expecting.  So I called her up and she told me to not to worry, to try and relax, and that on Christmas Day she was crying her eyes out because she thought she was getting her cycle.  She cramped for a few days and then she ended up have a positive pregancy test!  So I tried to chalk it up to implantation cramping which I never really had with Addyson.  I had more of one big intense cramp with a little spotting with her. 

So I went onto my message board that I religiously belong to and asked the question:  Trying to concieve and cramping; how many of you had cramping 6 days before period was due and ended up being pregnant?  I got so many great responses from the most supportive women I know.  They had fingers crossed for me, they gave me "baby dust", they were praying this was implantation cramping, and so many of them really thought that they were going to get their cycles at any moment and then didn't! 

By Tuesday the cramping eased up and nothing was starting :)  Yay!  I was so happy.  That evening Justin went to get gas at Shell and asked if I wanted anything, I said yes, and to get me my favorite grape water.  When I drank it, it tasted like hairspray. ICK!  I drank most of it but it didn't taste right.  I kind of got hopeful but wasn't trying to read into it too much.  I also had a dream before the cramping started that I took a pregnancy test and it was a positive one!  It's funny how your body can try to tell you what the future might hold and just how soon it could actually be! 

So for some reason Wednesday night, I decided that I should test Thursday morning even though I wouldn't be late until Sunday.  Before I went to bed I had really strange heartburn that I never ever get unless I am pregnant, so maybe that was my one reason for testing. 

Well when I got up to take a shower I did my thing and I was shocked to see the first test at the top of the page!  I was shaking and crying in the shower, thanking God for the miracle growing inside me and to protect us.  I took a picture with Justin's phone because his is much better than mine so I would have one.  When he got out of the shower, I asked him if he saw the new picture I took with his phone.  He said no, and so I brought it up and said here, take a look!  He looked at is and read what it meant on the side of the test windows, and said, "No way!  Really!!"  and we hugged!  We are so happy!

After talking about whether to call the dr. right away, we decided to just enjoy this and to wait until after the weekend. I'm not even late yet, so what is the point in rushing to have blood work done?!  Plus I have a good feeling that everything is where is should be and it's not in my tube.  I never got a line darker than the one I got when it was ectopic and to get a positive on a digital early on is a really good thing!  It means my numbers are good, hormonally!  So I will call the dr. on Tuesday and I'm sure I will have to have at least 2 trips to ACL to make sure my numbers are doubling, which indicates a normal healthy pregnancy.  Because I had an ectopic they will keep a closer eye on me early on. 

But I am already queezy, have heartburn, and am hungry every hour on the hour. To the point where my stomach makes the strangest noises!!! 

So I am extremely happy that today I am pregnant and today my baby is healthy.  I have to take it one day at a time! 

Love,
Jamie Lynne