Just a Pair of Moms (in training)

December-we headed down to Toledo to visit B's work BFF and her family. We ate at Tony Paco's and saw the lights at the Toledo Zoo. My work BFF came too!

Guess what I did today? I started temping again.
Woot!
We got B's car back from the shop yesterday(did I mention here that we have been without her vehicle since before Christmas?) and it was just a teeny bit less than expected, which was a nice surprise. We still have 2 more wheels to fix, but we will get it done.

I am feeling very positive about 2009. It has to be better than 2008, and I fully expect it to be.
I'm excited that on January 6th I am starting a Biggest Loser club at work. I am hoping to have to drop out of it because of pregnancy, but if not, at least I will begin a pregnancy thinner than now.

I am also excited about getting our known donor contract all set. I combined one from our previous KD and one from our PNKD into one document. I sent it over to him for review last night, and all is well. We will (hopefully) be meeting up in the next week or so to get everything signed.

I am all paid up at the RE's office (except for a $400 insurance balance, that I will fight if I need to) and once everything is signed, will go back for monitoring. I am feeling more relaxed about everything since we are back to using fresh sperm.

I also know I am ready to hop back on this TTC train because I am actually enjoying reading about other peoples' pregnancies and babies. There was a while there when I was dreading each post, and I didn't like the person I was turning into.

There is hope in my heart again, and I love it.

Speaking of hope, our Obama sign is still outside our house. We refuse to take it down until he is sworn in. Apparently a few of our neighbors have the same idea.

Tomorrow I will do my annual Year in Pictures Review.

Today marks 8 years since B and I made our relationship official. We had been chatting online and seeing each other casually for a month or so, but in the wee hours of Christmas Eve 2000, at a local lesbian bar, we became "girlfriends."
I can't imagine my life without her. She is amazing and wonderful and beautiful and hilarious and my everything.
I look forward to the day when we can grow our family together.
Happy Anniversary BMH!
YAMGFAYAB!

• Call ATT to get a lower rate/change plans
• Call T-Mo_bile to get a lower rate/change plans
• Call local cable companies to see if they can beat plans from above

B's car died again. We really run our cars til the end because of our far commutes. This time she needs 3 wheels fixed (but not tires, something is bent) and a front suspension rod. Once all that is fixed they can reevaluate and see if that takes care of the grinding. We are looking at between $450-$1000. 2 days before Christmas. Who am I kidding, we wouldn't have that kind of money 2 weeks before Halloween. At least not in 2008. 2008 was a rough year. Things didn't go our way much at all. I am expecting 2009 to be so much better. It has to be.

So in the meantime, I don't know what we are going to do if the mechanic does not agree to a payment plan. So our plan so far is, scrounge up the lower end of the range, and get the F*cus driveable. Get it back to our side of town (B left it by her work last night and I went to go pick her up). Then every 2 weeks get something else fixed on it. It will be realtight for the next few months, but we can make it work. We have to.

Then, perhaps after tax return, look into leasing a third vehicle to put in our driving rotation. It seems excessive, but it would help on the wear and tear of our other old(er) vehicles. Our friends, J and S, do this and they have it worked down to a science.

So now, I work out another budget. We just started paying back my student loans from grad school....eek. And this is the first year we have been without the extra cash from student loans, so its a double hit. We will make it work.

I forgot that in January our 403b company is switching. I refuse to be the guinea pig in the switch, so I am holding off putting any money into my account until next fall. Because of this, we will have a little bit of extra money coming home. This will help.

Any other suggestions would be welcome. I have a ton of things ready for a garage sale in the spring and I am babysitting during winter break to earn some more cash. I work Homework Club after school 2 days a week and tutor on a 3rd. I feel like I am just treading water right now. We are very fortunate to have food, shelter, love, etc, and I have to keep that in mind.

Now I'm rambling and I have to go get ready for the munchkins to arrive. B will be home with us for the majority of the day, which is awesome. It's so much easier with 2 adults!

Things to do once the kiddos leave:

• Dishes
• Shoveling
• Straighten up

Today is a snow day and, coincidentally, my first day of Winter Break!
I have to do a proper update later, but I wanted to send a big THANK YOU out to Maeby for the lovely black and white striped socks. I wore them yesterday and they brought me a snow day!
Also, the period stopped on CD22. Thank God. I have an ultrasound scheduled for tomorrow, but I am debating canceling it, due to the weather and my aching back from shoveling (and I still cannot get the van out of the driveway.)

Good News

• Joey got his feeding tube out today! Hooray!
• I think tomorrow will be my last day on this 22 day period.
• B's anniversary gift arrived in the mail today.
• 4 days left of school until Winter Break.

Not So Good News-But Not Bad News

• B's anniversary gift is personalized, and it came with someone else's personalizations for their 10 year anniversary. The company is expediting a new gift to me for free.

I liked these suggestions from ParentDish

Still going..CD18.

I had a dream last night that we did an insemination in an office with an older male doctor with white hair. He mixed some things together before giving me a test tube of orange sperm to insert myself. Weird. No syringe or anything.

6 more school days until Holiday Break!

I went to the Ob/Gyn today. (Since both B and I took the day off for "A Day Without Gays") She did an exam and sent bloodaway to be tested. I have an ultrasound on next Saturday to check the lining. As much as I love our Ob/Gyn's office, I truly appreciate the facilities of the RE. At the RE's office they always have the ultrasound techs there and they have a lab right on the premises. I will have to wait for at least 5 days until the bloodwork comes back.
So we will see...

In other sad news, our dear friend and former KD lost his younger brother suddenly last week. The funeral was yesterday. Although we were happy to see him, we were so sad that it was under these unfortunate circumstances. Please keep him and his family in your prayers.

So I am CD12 and still bleeding.
EEK.
I figure if it lasts through the weekend I will call some sort of medical professional.
What do you think, should I call my RE or my ob/gyn?
I'm leaning toward the RE, but it might be easier to get in at the ob/gyn...
Any advice would be lovely!

This is me, (J), playing in the snow in my backyard. My parents still live in this house.

B's holiday photo is already on our sidebar. =) (from B) That is my Christening pic. Here is a holiday photo for y'all:

It's hard to keep up with this baby-making journal when you are "on a break."
"We were ON A BREAK." I can't help but think of the Friends episode.
In TTC news, I have been working on a piece of artwork for our PNKD. I am about a 1/3 of the way done and if I really dedicate some time to it this weekend, I could possibly finish.
July 30th was my last medicated cycle. Our first IUI at the RE's office. That cycle lasted 29 days.
August 29th was my first unmedicated cycle. We didn't try that month and my temps were all over the map. I don't think I ovulated at all. The cycle lasted 59 days.
October 27th was last month. No meds. I didn't temp, but I bled for 9 days and then had a 29 day cycle.
This current cycle started on Nov 25th. No meds. I am still bleeding. CD9. I usually start temping once AF has hit the road, so hopefully I will get to do that soon.
I don't remember ever having a 9 day cycle. And now its two months in a row. Ugh.

In other news, our little guy Joey is doing so much better. He still has his feeding tube, but now he only needs feedings twice a day. Yesterday was his first day at home without having to go to the vet for kitty daycare. He did great. He just has to keep gaining weight now and we will be all set! In fact, I am late to feed him, so I must skidaddle!

I just had my first 30 day, un-medicated, cycle in what seems like years.
It's nice to be "normal" without drugs.
Perhaps my body is getting itself ready to throw on some boots and try again...

I scored a 273. I needed a 275. Because the scores are weighted, I did not get my certification by a fraction of a point.
Luckily, I can redo a section. (For $350)
60% of people do not pass it their first time. I just wanted to be one of the 40% that do...

National Board results get released tomorrow "mid-morning" ...

(x-posted from my lj)

On the way home tonight, I was struck by a story aired during All Things Considered on NPR about "Milk", a new movie starring Sean Penn about openly gay 70's politician Harvey Milk. I have always known of Harvey Milk, but never knew much detail. I knew he was an LGBT rights activist, the first gay elected official in the nation, and that he was assassinated in '78. What I didn't know is just how much of a voicebox he was for our community. He helped strike down Proposal 6, which was aimed at keeping the LGBT from teaching in public schools. He encouraged the LGBT community to come out of the closet so that the general public could see that we really are just like everyone else, we just love differently.

It got me thinking about Prop 8 and the other anti-gay amendments passed recently, as well as all of the anti-gay marriage amendments passed in 2004 - including in Michigan. I am inspired and moved by the wave of outrage after Prop 8 passed in California, but I think we are too easily forgetting the measures that were also passed in Arizona, Arkansas and Florida. Should we not be equally as outraged for what happened in those states? And furthermore, where was this outrage and series of protests in 2004 when Michigan and several other states added discrimination to their state constitutions? Don't we deserve some protest and media coverage? Aren't the measures passed in our states just as outrageous, or is it only because California is supposedly a more "progressive" state and the rest of us are supposed to lie down and take it (no pun intended) just because our states were at one time considered more "conservative"?

Where is OUR Harvey Milk? Sure there's Barney Frank, Rosie O'Donnell, Ellen Degeneres and Melissa Etheridge, but they're more like celebrities that happen to be gay. I don't feel like the LGBT community has one person to unify our movement and bring us to equality. The religious right has James Dobson and mormons. Black civil rights leaders include Martin Luther King Jr and Jesse Jackson. We had Harvey Milk until he was assassinated. Where is our Harvey Milk of today?

I've read several articles and blogs written by members of the LGBT community recently and there seems be one resounding message: indifference. We were all so pre-occupied with getting Obama elected (which is fantastic by the way, and by no means am I trying to take away from its importance) that we stupidly assumed the LGBT equality movement could survive on the back-burner. Now everyone's up in arms about Prop 8 passing. I feel like if we had a Harvey Milk, our fight for equality would have NEVER been a backseat issue this election.

/soapbox.

Comments? Theories?

P.S. If you haven't yet seen it go watch Keith Olberman's commentary on the passing of Prop 8 in California on YouTube. It brought tears to my eyes.

Vote Vote Vote

Oh how I pray that this election turns out the way we NEED it to.

Vote Vote Vote

Like many of you out there, my birthday is right around the corner. I turn 29 on November 9th.
If you have been reading here for a while, you know that money is always tight in our household. Therefore, when B asked what I wanted for my birthday, I said I would love to go see Wicked or Avenue Q, but only if we could afford it (knowing full well we couldn't). She asked me, "If you had to choose, which one would you want to go to more?" As much as I love Wicked, I had to say Avenue Q.

Apparently, she started talking with my mom and sister.

Meanwhile, my friend Marney called me when she saw the advertisement for the show in Detroit. She remembered how much I loved the show and asked if we were going because her and her husband would go with us. I told her about finances and how I was hoping to get tickets for my birthday from my mom or sister. She told me she had lots of connections at the country club and would try to find us free tickets. Awesome.

Fast forward a week or two. (During which Marney, B, and my sister are all emailing back and forth)

Marney could not get tickets, so my sis bought 2 online. (After much hassle with her credit card/Ticketmaster) The next day, B receives an email from a local radio station informing her that we won 2 tickets to opening night with dinner before hand, a shuttle to the show, and an afterglow reception with the cast!

They were hoping to wait until closer to my birthday to let me in on the surprise, but B told me on Wednesday. I am so excited!

We are going to see Avenue Q on Wednesday, November 5th. Opening Night! With dinner at a fancy restaurant before hand and an afterglow with the cast at the same restaurant. I cannot believe it! I have such awesome friends and family.

Everything happens for a reason has always been my mantra throughout life.
Now, more than ever, I can see the truth in the statement.

Dealing with day-to-day life AND Joey (our sick cat) has been quite stressful. He has feedings every 4 hours and is very nauseous all of the time. We take him to kitty day care every day when we are both working. We try to go on with our regular days, but we are always thinking about how he is doing, not to mention the guilt that creeps in for not giving the other animals the attention they deserve. Needless to say, I cannot imagine having a little one right now (we would already have our baby if our first or second tries worked), or even being pregnant (subsequent tries).
God has a plan, and He knew that having a baby/pregnancy right now, would be too much to handle.
So, another break it is. For a cycle or two. We need to get Joey in a better place, as well as our finances. Eventhough last cycle was anovulatory, I began to bleed on CD59. Currently I am CD6. I will begin temping again when AF jumps ship. Hopefully our PNKD is still interested and we can get everything lined up (contract signed, etc) to be ready when we're ready.
I hate taking breaks, but I know it is the best thing for our family, both human and non.

Today will be day 4 of our new routine.
4:30am wake-up, give Joey 2ml of anti-nausea medicine, feed Maggie
4:50 start preparing Joey's medicine, water, and antibiotic syringes. (We have to heat up the food)
5:00-5:20ish Feed Joey. We have to take our time when feeding him, or he will get sick.
5:20-5:25 shower. quickly.
5:25-5:35 get dressed and get ready.
5:35-5:45 eat breakfast, if time.
5:45-shoes and socks and a kiss for B (who has hit the snooze button twice by this time)
5:50/6:00 out the door for school.

(Then B takes over the home routine)

School ends at 2:30. Most days I have a meeting/tutoring/homework club until at least 3:30.
After all of that, I head to the vet to pick the little man up. Usually we get home around 6pm. At that point, this is the schedule.

6pm Get Joey in the spare room, open his carrier and run out the room without him following. Shut the back door to the basement and let the dogs outside. Feed Maggie. Get the mail, answering machine messages, and go to the bathroom.
6:15-6:30 Check email/journals while eating some sort of snack
6:30 Joey gets 2 ml anti-nausea, dogs back inside and fed
6:40-7:00 Computer time with dogs in office
7:00 Dogs back outside, feed Joey and give him antibiotics
(Then hopefully by now, B is home.-It is so much easier with two of us here, especially since the dogs make Joey nervous.)

If we are lucky, we get an hour together in the living room. I'm usually checking papers, or falling asleep though...B falls asleep in her recliner until its time for more medicine and food for out little guy, then joins me upstairs for a few hours before we repeat.

(copied from my LJ)

Joey had his check-up yesterday with the vet. She seemed to be pleased with his progress, but told me that his road to recovery is likely to be a long one. Here's a rundown of what we discussed, good and not so good:

• He's not dehydrated any more
• He lost an ounce from his discharge weight (ugh!). He's currently 7lbs, 9oz. Normally he ranges anywhere from 10-12lbs.
  
• His energy is up a little
• He's still not eating on his own yet
• They call him "polite Joey" because the other Joey cat they were watching is apparently a jerk. You know your animal spends too much time at the vet when they start giving it nicknames. Although it's very sweet that they all love him so much (it's kind of hard not to).
• His "girlfriends" all came in to see us while we were there - I told you this cat is a ladies man!
• The vet gave him an orange bandage and a pumpkin sticker for Halloween. Cute!
• The vet also told me that we can drop him off for kitty daycare to help out with his feedings during the day. This will help us immensely.
  

As for us, we are both exhausted. I might win the least amount of sleep award though, because I've been the one waking up for his midnight feedings for the past 5 nights. That has meant a total of about 4 hours of sleep per night on the days I work. I'm off today, and J took the early morning feeding (God bless her) so I could catch up a little. She's also taking over the midnight feeding tonight because I work tomorrow and she is off. She's so wonderful.

In other news, Maggie, Jake and Gracie all realize there is a shift in the house - Maggie especially. She's been so antsy without her buddy to play with, so I've been trying to go out of my way to give her a little more attention and playtime when the rest are asleep. I think she appreciates it, especially when she climbs onto my lap at the end of the night to thank me with her big warm belly spread across my legs. Jake & Grace just want to know what's up with the weird smell coming out of the spare room (Joey's still not quite bathing himself completely, but he's getting better at it).

In other news, election day in the US is just around the corner and things are getting down to the wire. I really hope that two things happen on November 4th. First, I don't think it's any secret that we are big time Obama fans in this house. We need him to win and start turning this country around. (And I'm not just saying this because Sarah Palin makes me want to stick hot pokers into my ears everytime I hear her speak.) Secondly, we need California to maintain their equality so that other states can follow suit and eventually we may all be protected. Our families deserve protection everywhere, but it has to start somewhere. So, here's my plea to you, dear interets, to please Barack The Vote on November 4th. Or I will Rick-roll your comment sections. Heh.

/soapbox.

Starting with the good news: My mom came home from the hospital yesterday.

The not-so-good news (copied and pasted from B's other journal):

Feline Hepatic Lipidosis. Joey's disease. Google it, I dare you. The internet is full of info. Tonight I googled variations of "feline tube feeding" to see how long it generally takes for cats to respond to the forced calories. Because our little guy is not doing well at all. Our poor little Joey.

He's been home since yesterday and is still struggling, even just to lift his little head. We feed him 4-5x a day, 15ml at a time through his feeding tube. He gets meds every 12 hours, also through the tube. After he eats he gets very uncomfortable and
lethargic. All he wants to do is sleep. He's not bathing himself either, which means J and I have been wiping him down with a warm washcloth every so often.The worst part is that he can't purr because of the tube down his throat. It is incredibly heartbreaking to hear him try.

The mortality rate for a cat in Joey's condition is high. We didn't notice a significant change in his health until it was nearly too late. Thank God we have an amazing vet who sprung into action immediately.

Right now he's asleep in his favorite spot downstairs, on top of one of the dog's blankets we have folded and stored. I am scared to let him sleep alone, and will probably bring him back upstairs before I go to bed.

I'll have to take a partial day tomorrow, and probably again throughout the week so that I can come home to check and feed him. I'll probably do quite a bit of working from home, if not going back to work in the evenings so that I can maintain my hours.
Hopefully I can work out an arrangement for the next couple of weeks or at least until he starts eating on his own again. Unfortunately because I live so far from my work, it's not as simple as taking a longer lunch. It takes me at least 45 minutes to drive to work, most of the time it takes an hour.

I knew the first few days home for him were going to be hard, but this is unbelievably difficult. He is not himself and I keep praying that we've made the right decision. Seeing him in this state - it's awful. I can't even describe it. The one animal we own who has the most spunk and love in his heart is the one hit with this awful, shiteous disease.

Our little man is home. He has a feeding tube and bandages and has lost lots of weight.
He's not back to normal, nor would I consider him "better," but if Dr. Bonnie said it was ok for him to come home, then I believe her. She said he was grooming himself and being a little frisky and was doing much better than before.
He's still slow moving and sometimes sits in an uncomfortable looking crouch, but other times he sprawls out or curls up in our laps. We have to feed him through the tube every 4-6 hours.
I never knew that animals could become anorexic. =(

In related news, my mom is still in the hospital. She passed out when her blood sugar level dropped to 40. Luckily my dad was there and he was able to get the nurses. She was all dressed and ready for discharge. So now she is not in for her leg, but to stabilize her blood sugar. They took blood at 2pm yesterday afternoon to run further tests, and it can take anywhere from 24-48 hours to get results, so I am not confident that she is coming home today either, perhaps tomorrow though.

• My mom's in the hospital. She had an angioplasty on Tuesday and had some complications. She is in a lot of pain and cannot walk, but is doing much better everyday.
• Our little man, Joey, is at the kitty hospital. He stopped eating, got a liver infection, jaundiced, and then was hospitalized. He will be there until tomorrow at least. My sister, God love her, offered to help us cover the $650+ vet bill that is expected and we can pay her back weekly.
• I'm on CD43 and I started temping again this week.
• Next week will we most likely sign a new donor agreement with PNKD.
• After the agreement is signed, if I haven't started yet, I will hit up the RE for a not-needed-why-am-i-paying-for-this pregnancy test and a prescription for pro.vera to jump start my cycle.
• Then CD3 ultrasound, clo.mid, and trigger.
• Then home insems. =)
• I'm sure we will be in the TWW before we know it...

I can't believe its been almost a year since we started this blog and the ride on the TTC train. We had actually started before October 2007 with research and charting, but we got our donor on board in October and did our first insem in November 2007. Wow. A year. I know that many of you have done way more than that, but still, a year. Hmm.
Somehow, with the grace of God, we were able to pay the $501 to have B's car fixed. I had been tucking some money away in the credit union and I guess it adds up quicker than I thought. Plus we both had uncashed checks in our respective purses, so it worked out. Thank God.
Another positive note is we have been talking to a possible new known donor. (PNKD?) We have been emailing back and forth and he seems great, so now we wait for references. He's pretty local and already has 3 kids from his marriage and 3 pregnancies on the way. Sounds good to me. =)
B was off today and put up all of our fall decorations. I. Love. It. Fall is my favorite season and to come home to the house smelling like autumn was fantabulous. What a great start to the weekend!
I'm also kind of itching to get back to temping...crazy, I tell ya!

Perhaps one of these days I will have time to complete an adequate update. But as of right now, its 5:15am..and I am late for the shower!
In "the world sometimes hates us" news: B's car died yesterday. Alternator. $469 including tow and labor.

since our last blog.
Sorry about the absence.
It makes the heart grow fonder..no?
Its getting harder and harder to read about positive pregnancy tests and growing babies. I never wanted to allow TTC to get me jaded..but I think it has and I am totally bummed about that and sometimes I feel real guilty for not being so happy for all those pregnant mommies out there.
I had to turn on the CBEFM to see what CD I was on. CD24 in case anyone is keeping track. Our financial situation hasn't changed, so I don't know if we will be able to attempt another IUI next cycle or not. It depends on if we get our insurance reimbursement in time.
Other than not TTC and taking a unwanted break, school has kept me busy as has debating our living situation.

What can any of you tell me about Springfield, MA and the surrounding areas?

Edit: Okay, so maybe Springfield is not our best option. We're looking into the possibility of relocating to MA if J gets her national certification in teaching. We both agreed that we want to live someplace that will put us in a better position legally (hello, we could get married!) once we have a family. Of course we would also like to live in a more progressive, LGBT-friendly state without moving as far away as California.

We can't go anywhere until J gets her national certification. And even then we don't know if districts in MA would be hiring, so a relo probably won't happen for a while down the road. But it would be nice to know the communities that are compatible with the kind of neighborhood we would like to eventually move to. Since neither of us has ever been to MA, it would be great if we could get a feel for where we should start looking.

Here's our list of things we are looking for in a place to live:
-Affordable housing in the 'burbs or quiet outskirts of a city. We need a relatively large back yard b/c of our dogs and a quiet, kid-friendly neighborhood.
-LGBT-friendly, of course.
-Shorter commute (20 miles or less). We both currently spend up to 2 hours a day driving to and from work, which ends up being around $700 in gas a month - RIDICULOUS.
-Low crime rate (remind me to tell you about the gunshots that woke us up at 6:30 this morning!)
-Cultured, artistic, hippy, liberal goodness. We used to live just outside of Ann Arbor and loved the down-to-earth feel. We'd love to see more peace signs and rainbow flags in front yards.

I may have just described an environment that does not exist, but that's okay. We'll just look for something as close to this as possible. Things that we won't compromise on are quiet neighborhoods, low crime and a shorter commute. The rest of it we can live without as long as we're close enough to drive to places that fit the bill.

So, we'd appreciate a heads-up on places you think we should investigate. Thanks to CCB and TwoMoms for suggesting Northampton - it's definitely on the radar! :)

Today I found out that the 6th grade teacher who is almost 6 months along, lost her baby last night.
So sad. I took it a lot harder than I thought.
We also took the entire school to the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Moving Wall.
Also sad...and moving.

I don't really have the time to go into everything, but I am more confident than ever that everything happens for a reason.
Maybe a month (or two) break is what we need right now. You see, when we don't have money to pour into TTC, another vortex opens up and we have to pour money into fixing our vehicles. Yes, that is plural.
On Wednesday night, the van was acting up on the way home from work. We commuted together on Thursday and took it to a place on Thursday evening. Friday we also commuted together (with B going way out of her way to drop me off at school so she could have the car for deliveries during the day).
Well, on Friday, around 2pm, I get a call from my secretary that I am to call B on her cell phone because HER car was acting up. It was squealing and smelled bad. GREAT. The van, in the meantime, is still in the shop (and they can't find anything wrong with it...AGAIN..more on this later). She made it to my school alright and we drove it to the local mechanic. $299 and 2 hours later, the water pump was replaced and we were free to go home.
The van is still not fixed (although it did not act up on the way home from the shop), but B will be taking it to another place tomorrow. Thank goodness she is on vacation this week.
I'll let her post about this shady place we took the van to...grrr.

One of my friends from school, Melissa, (also one of the 4 women that received the email) told me she had a dream about me last night. She said she normally has very vivid dreams, but doesn't usually remember them. She also told me that her dreams usually come true. So, on with the dream:

Apparently I was very pregnant and in her classroom. My water broke, but not just a little water, more like a flood. We knew we had to get to the hospital. However, the secretary was arguing with me (and Melissa) that she had to check my emergency card to find out what hospital to take me to (side note-every year we have to fill out an emergency card and list our dr and preferred hospital...if there is ever an emergency..I just want to go to the closest one!)..so I was arguing with the secretary to just take me to the closest one. We got to the hospital and for some reason, B was in China, so Melissa stayed with me and was my labor coach. After the baby was born, I passed it off to her and gave her all of the baby things. I then proceeded to put on a bunch of make-up (not like me at all!) and get all fancied up. When we walked out of the hospital, the paparazzi was there. Melissa asked me what the deal was. I replied, "don't you know, I am _______" Her alarm went off before she heard my answer.

Isn't that a fun dream!?

Below is the email I sent to 4 of my coworkers last night.

The chosen few, that's who you are. You four lucky women that get to
know all about our baby-makin process...=)
Anyway, as I told you all last week, our first medically assisted insem did not work. (This is the one they do in the doctor's office with a long catheter and thawed
swimmers.)
You see, our known donor moved away to Boston, so we could not longer do the insems at home. Total bummer, but we thought that with the medical intervention, our chances of a positive pregnancy might increase. Yeah, not so much.
Although we love our RE (reproductive endocrinologist), and all the monitoring, it is very expensive. Just to get the little swimmers to Michigan costs almost $600 for 5mL. 5mL?! That's not much, let me tell you. And that is not including any
medical costs for the actual procedure. The RE's office hasn't figured out how to code the actual insemination for a lesbian couple. Great. So we might have to pay
that upfront and hope and pray to get reimbursed through B's insurance (her
insurance pays up to $5000 lifetime for infertility). As a result, sadly, we have to sit a cycle out. (Hopefully only one..)We are looking for another local donor, but we
realized we really have no male friends. Anybody know a healthy guy, preferably with known successful swimmers? Let us know. =)
So that's our story.While we wait to get pregnant, I am growing my hair out. I have decided it will be a great distraction for myself and as a bonus it will be a great visual for y'all. That way there is no awkward questions or glances at those mid-year PD days. If the hair is short, congratulate. if not..well..don't say anything....unless you
want a f-emotional basketcase on your hands. Perhaps by the end of this all,
locks of love will get a nice donation. And if for some reason I choose to cut my hair and get sick of it, i'll let you know too.
Sorry if that was TMI. I promise it will be the first and last email on this subject...unless you ask. =)
Have a happy first day of school.
J

Tomorrow is the first day of school for me.
I am looking forward to having 10 less kids than last year (24 instead of 34).
I love all of the new school supplies and the excitement of it all.
I just wish I had a little secret to keep.
I have decided to not cut my hair until we get pregnant.
I am thinking it will drive me crazy soon enough and I may have to cave, but as of right now, the plan stays.
I looked into other sperm banks today. For a local bank, it would be $360 including delivery. Now we just have to check with our RE to see if she will accept swimmers from them. I really don't see why not, unless she has some sort of deal or incentive with the 3 major ones she suggested.
I also filled out my insurance reimbursement paperwork today. All I need is the tax id for the bank and our clinic, which I think I can get tomorrow.
I know we will have to sit this cycle out, but I'm hoping to jump right in on the next.

I'm really bummed.
Tonight we celebrate what seems like our eleventy-billionth BFN with cheese fries, alcohol and a marathon of 24 - Season 5.

We have to take a break next cycle because we can't afford to do another insem.
My insurance does cover a significant portion, but we have to pay up front for a lot of it.
We do still have a car to sell (we have an arrangement with J's parents' neighbor, and we're still waiting for the payment) and our reimbursement from the first insem, but neither will come in time.

I'm trying not to let myself get too down in the dumps, but I keep thinking how this would have been the perfect time to get that BFP. Because both of us are busiest during the school year, we were trying to aim for a late spring/early summer baby. But nature always has other plans.

And these are just my thoughts - I can't even imagine how J is feeling. I think that's what hurts the most, actually. I love her so much and it sucks to know that she's hurting too.

Dammit, Janet. I hate this.

God has perfect timing, right? Well I guess we weren't ready.
I'm totally bummed, sad, devastated, mad, angry, disappointed, etc.
But instead of sulking in yet another BFN, I have to go back to school for our first "teacher day" and be chipper and talk about my summer and hear about everyones' vacations.
Of course yesterday I heard that one of our 6th grade teachers is pregnant. I'm sure there will be more pregnancy news for me to hear today. Just what I need.
I guess it wouldn't be so hard if we had the money to order more sperm and try again in a couple of weeks. But it's just not there. We have to fix B's car again and since we have no credit cards, there is just no extra. Free sperm was so much easier.
Am I wrong to seriously consider egg donation to raise some baby-making cash?
Anyway, I know many of you will want to leave the "I'm so sorry..." type comments. And I would totally appreciate them on a different day or for a different cycle, but today I can't handle them. I check my email at school and to see those comments would not do well for my emotional state. So just assume I know you are bummed and sorry for us too. I know y'all hate AF as much as we do. If you want to leave a comment, leave one that will make me laugh.
Thanks for understanding.

A local drug store is going out of business, and has been for a while, so a few months ago I scored some of those fancy HPT. You know the ones that spell it right out for you. A little harsh first thing on a 12DPO morning. Remind me not to do that again.

Temp was still up this morning (98.3), but I can't help but feel a little discouraged. I don't know why, but I am. My mood is typical of PMS, but no other symptoms. For anything..pregnancy or AF.

I'm trying to keep JKC's comment in mind that the average +HPT on FF took place at 13.6DPO. So I know there is still hope. My positive thinking is losing steam though...

Current cycle is in orange. The test this morning was not positive. I figure it's still early, so I'm not sweating it. I just need my temps to stay up a few ore days. I will probably test again tomorrow if my temp is still up.

• Last night was the second night in a row that I dreamt that we had a baby and were trying for #2 (even though the babies in my dreams were not that old).
• I woke up thinking I was 10DPO..nope. 9DPO.
• My temps have remained high, so please keep those fingers crossed.
• The Olympic closing ceremony is making me cry. Why? I have no idea. I can't even distinguish if they are tears of joy or tears of sadness.
• I only wish NBC was airing the ceremony live, instead I have to watch it on CBC, which doesn't come in very clearly. Oh, the joy of no cable.
• Yesterday I was a little obsessed with taking my resting pulse. Anyone have stories about this during early pregnancy?
• For the past 4 days or so, I have been very clumsy. I don't know what my deal is, and I don't think I could blame that on hormones..lol. Today I almost fell down the stairs letting the dogs out. It is a good thing I thought to jump to the landing. Eek!

I went to my first ever Mom-to-mom sale today with my friend Jamie.
First of all, it was a bajillion degrees in there and there were people everywhere.
Some of those moms mean serious business. Do. Not. Get. In. Their. Way.
Secondly, no strollers were allowed, so I carried Mr. Brayden the whole time while Jamie fought the crowds with Saph.
I did walk away with 2 perfectly new hard cover books. I paid 50 cents each. Score!
We would have looked a little more, but it was just too hot and Saph was getting a little whiny.
Overall it was a good time and Jamie got a lot of great deals. I'm sure we will be hitting them up a lot when we finally have a little one on the way.
I'm so exhausted. I think I need to take a nap before I head out to the fruit market and run some errands. I am so glad we have air conditioning. This heat is really bothering me...and it's not even that hot!
In other news, tomorrow we are going to the Mich.igan Renais.sance Fes.tival! I haven't been since high school, so I am excited to go. It will be B's first time. =)

Its 4:53AM and I cannot go back to sleep because I am so effin hot.
My BBT this morning (alarm set for 4:30) was 98.6.
So. Hot.
So I didn't get the nice implantation dip I was hoping for, but instead a temp rise. I'll take it.

I had my bloodwork done today (6DPO) and my progesterone level was 17. The nurse told me they look for anything over 10, so I'm in good shape.
No extra progesterone needed here.
Other than that, I have been a bit emotional these past two nights. I'll chalk it up to the hormones.
I'm hoping for a nice implantation dip tomorrow, or another high temperature. The only way I will be a little disappointed is if it is somewhere in between. Keep those fingers crossed!

5DPO.

There is this wonderful graphic I stole form someone else's blog ages ago, and I refer to it everyday of the TWW.
Today we just happen to be at the same place where the original poster was the day they posted. Early Blastocyst.

My temps are high, and higher than usual, but who knows what effect the clo.mid could still be having, or the HCG shot.

We will wait until 11DPO or 12DPO to test, in order to assure that the trigger doesn't give us any false positives.

Tomorrow I go for my progesterone test. Hopefully all levels are good and I won't have to take extra. I hear horror stories of the progesterone kind...

Today I am spending the afternoon in my classroom, getting ready, and then to play pokeno at another teacher's house. Last month I was the big winner! Let's hope my luck continues. Today also marks the end of B's vacation. It's back to the grind tomorrow...and then her normal day off on Friday. What a work week for her!

Perhaps the days of this long TWW will go quicker when we are not together for the entire days...but I sure will miss not having her here all the time.

I know you guys know this already, but we're still waiting.
I asked J today if she felt pregnant, but she doesn't feel any different yet.
It's only been 3 days. August 29 feels like lightyears away.
I don't want to rush, not really interested in testing too early, but I'm SO anxious.
We're working on staying busy and fortunately we're both back to work soon so that will help.
Until then we try to stay occupied with books and the Olympics (wtg Phelps!) and babysitting the kiddos.

But being around that baby - ohhhh boy does it make it hard to wait two whole weeks.

/thumb twiddle

We had a busy weekend since the IUI on Friday. The whole day of Friday was sort of surreal. We weren't sure if it was going to be a go, and were thrilled, excited, and surprised when we found out. The RE's office was crazy busy (and the Dr. has been on vay-cay for the past 2 weeks, so everyone was there for labs or ultrasounds). After our scan we were asked to come back in 45 minutes so they had time to prepare and analyze the swimmers. We got some gas, picked up an SD card at Meijer, and headed back.
Speaking of the SD card, I purchased a new camera for B for her birthday. Have I mentioned that her birthday was Saturday? So on Saturday I ran out in the morning to pick up breakfast, then we went to our local outdoor mall to walk around, then a little more shopping before we headed home to relax and read (I'm trying to zip through the Twilight series and I am almost done with Eclipse). Around 6 we started getting ready for dinner. I took her to a nice Italian restaurant on the water. Very yummy, but also very crowded. I am glad we had reservations, but it was still very crowded and loud in there. The restaurant sits next to a marina with a little canal that leads to a boat garage. While we were eating, B says to me "There is a man over there with a mask on and carrying a small silver object that looks like a gun." Clearly she has been watching too many episodes of Alias and 24, because when the man appeared again, I could see that the "mask" was his beard and mustache and the "gun" was his stainless steel coffee mug. I told her she was cut off from her Pinot! (even though she only had one glass!) We were going to go to a bar or even to our local 24-hour super store, but instead decided on heading home. We read, watched the Olympics, and went to bed. She had a good birthday.
Yesterday, (Sunday) we had a pretty lazy morning and then spent the afternoon and evening at her mom's house for another birthday celebration.
So all that activity and we are still only 3DPO.
I added my own crosshairs on FF because I wanted to see the count, and they were going to say I O'ed on CD15, when clearly with the monitored scans, I knew I O'ed on CD17.
I am still temping. My temp went up the day after the trigger shot. Is that normal? It's been up ever since, but I didn't O until 3 days later. Any ideas?
Thursday I go for a progesterone check.

Today was our first and only IUI. I say only because as J posted previously, this is the one that we firmly believe will work.

After driving 2+ hours back and forth from summer school to the RE's office, we were pretty disappointed that we weren't able to try yesterday. But as we sat in the exam room after the procedure giggling with excitement today, I know that once again there is a reason for everything. Everything feels so RIGHT this time, from beginning to end. The ultrasound tech held nothing back and said almost immediately, "yep, that egg sure did drop". After short trip to Meijer to kill time, the ovulation specialist told us that not only did our sperm have excellent count but also great motility (25% classified as "high motility").

So, now we wait. For the last time.

Oh, and J wanted me to post this picture. She wore her rainbow socks for good luck. :)

That is what I am going to call this IUI.
At 11:30am, our little swimmers were shot into eggville.
The count was good, the motility was good. The timing was excellent.
I'm sure I will have more to say about it later, but for now, that's it. =)

The TWW has officially begun.

I am so glad that they did a quick ultrasound before doing the insemination, because my egg was just hanging out still. No ovulation yet. I did get a peak on my CBEFM this morning, so hopefully I will ovulate this evening and we will be set for the 9:30am appointment tomorrow.
Today we celebrated B's birthday with my family. She also opened her gifts from me. (2 days early, but we have a tendency to do that in this house...)
A perfectly timed IUI is a wonderful present for her too. =)

We shoot-em up tonight between the hours of 7pm-9pm. My ultrasound today went beautifully. I have a 19.5 follicle on my left side and my lining is at a 10. Woot!
Thursday morning is our first ever IUI (and hopefully only..one can dream, right?)
B took the van to work today to make a delivery, so I had to switch vehicles on my way home from summer school because I was going to pick up the kids. When I got to the van, there was a super cute card and a single pink rose. She is such a sweetie. I love her.
So Thursday, our schedule looks like this:
7:00am Jamie drops off Saph and Brayden at our house.
7:15am We leave for summer school (all 4 of us-B starts her vacation on Thursday!)
10:00am Mrs. Holtz takes over my summer school class so B, Brayden and I can head to the RE's office. We will have an ultrasound scan and then the IUI.
1:30pm. Hopefully back to the school. Thursday is the last day for summer school and our end of the summer picnic, Saph didn't want to miss the picnic, so she is staying at school and Mrs. Holtz will watch her after school dismisses (at noon) until we arrive.
Pack up the classroom, head over to the middle school to unpack and perhaps spend an hour or two at the metropark with the kids...all of course, depending on how I feel.
We are both very excited, and thinking positively. This will work.
TWW officially starts on Thursday. =)

So yesterday was my last day on Clo.mid, but today was my first hot flash...weird eh?
I have had little to no side effects this time, contrary to last month's sobfest.
The hot flash, which decided to rear it's ugly head again as I type this, started in Target. At first I just thought it was hot in the store. I repeatedly asked B, but she was totally fine. I didn't even put two and two together until she reminded me.
In other TTC news, my left ovary has been pinching and cramping today. Hopefully she's just cooking away some nice eggs.
My CD14 ultrasound is on Tuesday and I am getting excited. This cycle better not get canceled...
I am hopeful though, because my CBEFM has given me a high reading these past two days (CD9 and CD10). The last time I had a high on day 9, I ovulated at a semi-regular time. I start the OPKs tomorrow...oh, and I've been temping too. Gotta love that 4:20am BBT alarm!

when a woman is on any kind of hormone medication.
For example, I should be banned from reading all TTC (and even non-TTC) blogs.
Why does everyone have to be getting pregnant RIGHT NOW?
There is this one woman, who I have met once (she actually came and hung out at our house a few years back). She is super sweet and a fellow teacher. She and her husband have been trying for about 3 months. I have been hoping and praying for her each month. Well, this was the month for them. She just posted her beautiful HPT and I'm happy for them, really, but seriously...I would be so much happier if I wasn't popping 100mgs of Clo.mid for the past 4 days.
I'm not bitter, just sad, but happy at the same time.
Am I making sense?
The more I think about it, the feeling inside of me is jealousy. Not particularly the jealousy of pregnancy, but the jealousy of having fresh, live (and free!) sperm. Perhaps this is why I am so thrilled when a nice lesbian couple gets knocked up, and aren't really saddened at all.
I feel like I am rambling now, so I'll shut up and go take my Met.formin like a good little girl.

So today is my first day on 100mgs of Clo.mid. I'm following Casey's advice and taking it in the AM (although I think I took it in the AM last cycle too, but at lunch time, not morning).
Let's hope those follies grow nice and big.
I scheduled a CD14 ultrasound (August 12th).
Our van is in the shop, and has been since Thursday. Wanna know why?
On Wednesday, I took it to the shop for a free oil change. Wednesday night we were able to run some errands and then came home. Thursday morning, I get in the car to go pick up Saph before heading to summer school, and the van stalls at the end of my driveway. Thinking it was just a fluke, I start it back up and start driving. It stalls again. I turn it around and park it in front of the house. I found a sub for my summer school class and took B's card to pick up both kids (Saph and her brother, Brayden). I called the shop that did the oil change and he insists that if it was due to the oil change, it would have happened immediately. I begged to differ. He sends a tow truck to pick it up. Of course when tow truck man arrived, it started fine and didn't stall. It didn't stall all day at the shop. So shop-man calls me back and says he would like to keep it overnight to see if it would stall in the morning after sitting. Sure. B would be off all weekend (save the Breaking Dawn party on Friday night at her store that we both worked) so I could be without a car. Saturday he calls and says that it did stall for them on Friday morning, but it wasn't long enough for them to run all the tests and it didn't stall at all on Saturday morning. Since they are closed on Sundays, he wants to keep it until Monday.
Great.
At least my mom is allowing me to borrow her car on Monday to pick up the kids and go to work. I wouldn't want to miss another day of work because of all of this.
Luckily, I have a bumper-to-bumper warranty so I am thinking it will be covered. Let's all keep our fingers crossed.

the CD3 ultrasound was not bad at all!
First of all, since this was a pro.vera induced period, it is much lighter than one of my "normal" periods. Secondly, it was very quick.
The results are good too. My lining is thin, which is good for CD3, and both ovaries look great. No cysts or growths or anything.
I got my prescriptions and scheduled my CD14 ultrasound.
Now its another kind of TWW and we hope for the best on the next u/s.
I will start temping soon and as soon as the CBEFM asks, I will oblige.

I have to have a CD3 ultrasound.
I'm not a fan of this.
Tell me its not as bad as I am imagining...

WOOOOOOOOOOOT!
Back on the baby-makin train!

I will call the RE today and schedule all of the scans and bloodwork and have them call in my prescriptions (100mg of Clo.mid and a Met.formin refill). Hopefully with this increase in Clo.mid, my eggs will grow, grow, grow. I don't want another canceled cycle.

My EDD based on LMP would be May 6th. What a perfect due date for a teacher, right? (It would get me out of going to 5th grade camp too!...evil, I know...)

So wish us luck. It seems the universe has been smiling on a bunch of our kind lately, so lets keep the streak going!

This would be horrible.

As soon as you get a little extra money, all of a sudden...it's gone?
A few days ago, I deposited a $500 check into our checking account.
Yesterday I checked our balance and it was fairly comfortable (we are pretty much a check-to-check living family, with a little in savings here and a little in savings there).
Today, I check the balance (in hopes of hitting up the yearly sidewalk sale in The Village) and its a mere third of what was there yesterday. EEK! Since I have been out of school, finances have been tight...which doesn't quite make total sense, since we should be using less gas. (Now with summer school, I am using lots of gas.)
My hypothesis is whenever we get a little "cush" in our checking, both B and I figure its there, so a little purchase here or there won't matter. However, since we are both making those purchases, it adds up and depletes fast.
I think its time to work out another budget.
Can anyone else feel our financial pain?

*EDIT*
So, I worked out a budget. No wonder we have been tight. We have been spending a little more than budgeted on groceries (buying healthier is more expensive), our gas bill has increased by $150. B has been going to phyiscal therapy, at the tune of $120/month, add net flix ($18) and our home warranty ($24), plus my student loan that we just started to have to pay ($93...I expect a huge increase in this bill in the fall)...and we are lucky we are still ahead at the end of the month.
Luckily, with summer school and my raise in the fall, we should be ok, but, man, I should have reworked this budget a few months ago! No more spending for us!

I have a renewed appreciation for parents...especially single parents...and even more especially teachers who are single parents. My last two days have looked something like this:
4:45 Wake up. Hit snooze several times
5:30 Get out of bed-take care of dogs, eat breakfast
6:15 See B off to work-rearrange vehicles if need be
6:20 Shower/Get ready/Still take care of getting dogs fed, pottied, etc.
7:00 Out the door to pick up Saph (6.5 years old)
7:15-8:15 Drive to school
8:15-9:00 Get ready for students/help Saph with homework
9:00-12:00 Teach(Because it's summer school, I only have 16 1st graders)
12:00-1:00 Commute to pick up Brayden (11 weeks)/Saph eats in the car (Thank God for her mom that packs her a lunch!)
1:00-5:30 Two kids, two dogs, just me.
I'm exhausted. I don't have time to do dishes, and they are starting to pile up. Tonight I am going to go grocery shopping and perhaps tackle the dishes when I get home. We will see though, since I am so tired I could collapse right now.
In TTC news, I had my bloodwork done yesterday and I will start the Pro.vera tonight if I can get to the pharmacy...

...is how I always feel when summer school starts. Well Monday is the official start. I will be working M-Th for the next 4 weeks, 4 hours per day. Its not a lot, but the drive out to work is not so much fun (52 miles). Starting on Monday, I will also have the privelege of watching my friend Jamie's kids (Sapphire-6.5 years and Brayden-2.5 months). The plan is to pick Saph up in the morning at Gramma's and take her with me to summer school. Then, pick up Brayden around 1. I will then have the both of them until 5:30ish. I was even able to score a $10 pack-n-play on crai.gslist. So I'll be all set.
Next week I will have them M-Th, but the following weeks it will only be Mondays and Thursdays. Monday I also have to get some bloodwork done at the RE's office, for them to tell me I'm NOT pregnant again. Love that phone call. And get a pro.vera prescription. So now I just have to figure out how I am going to do that with the 2 kids. Brayden will be fine in his carseat next to me, and I am pretty sure Saph could just stand near by. We will see!
I'm not looking forward to the upped dosage of Clo.mid, but whatever it takes..right?

Does anyone have experience in filling out Health Insurance Claim forms?
I called the insurance company and they cannot process a claim without a procedure and diagnosis code. I called the cryolab and they do not provide procedure and diagnosis codes. They will only send me an invoice.
What do I do?
I have been looking online and have found lists of codes. I just don't know the code for sperm.
Any help would be appreciated...


EDIT
Our insurance does cover sperm. (90% up to $5000). We have Uni.ted Health Care. I called the RE's office and the biller said she has never done it in her 25 years of billing. I did a little investigating online and I think the procedure code of 89343 should work with the standard 628.9 diagnosis. I called and left RE biller a message to see if she thinks that will work.

Back in the day (2203-2005) I kept an online journal about all the funny things I overheard or heard throughout my day as a teacher. I copied and pasted some of them below:

Overheard by a soon to be third grader in my summer school class:
"I'll forget it by morning because I have a bad rememory."
~Amanda, 7

Today in class we were working on state abbreviations and filling in a map.When I got to California, I heard Tommy singing "Sweet Home, California..."I gently reminded him that it is "Sweet Home, Alabama."

I had my third graders fill in the last word of some common phrases.
Hop, skip, and ____Answers: gallop, run, jump
The butcher, the baker, _______Answers: the muffin man, the bread, the candlestick maker
Hook, line, and ________Answers: mine, bait, boat, pole, (no one got the real answer: sinker)
Wynken, Blynken, and ____Answers: Spankin, Sinkin, Breathin, (even I did not know this one: Nod)

This is not to offend anyone (since I was a young fan myself), just to show the type of town I teach in...
Teacher: Ok class, we need to brainstorm some Valentine's words to write in our Bingo card
Child #1: heart
Teacher: Excellent (Writes word on board)
*This repeats for about 5 minutes with appropriate V-day words*
Teacher: Does anyone else have a word for Valentine's Day?
Child #2: NASCAR
Teacher: NASCAR? How is NASCAR related to Valentine's Day?
Without a drop of a hat, nearly have the class responded with: The Daytona 500 is this weekend.
Well Geez. Sorry I didn't know that one. =)

This is one I heard in the teacher's lounge from a first grade teacher.
Teacher (after giving mother as a spelling word, and hinting at the next word, child): And what does every mother need in order to be a mother?
Child: A vacuum.

We were going around the circle yesterday at Class Meeting, and several of the students wanted to tell the class what they got for Christmas.One little boy mentioned that he got cologne.One of the boys near me asked a friend:"What is cologne?"His reply:"Its that stuff you put under your armpits."

Overheard today while my kids were working in pairs on a problem solving worksheet..."Well, math doesn't lie"

We have a small mobile school store. The students are able to go there before school to buy fun school supplies. One of my third graders bought a clear plastic ruler the other day. I saw him wrapping it in construction paper and asked him what it was."Its a Christmas present for my mom. Moms LOVE rulers."I nodded and agreed "Yes, moms sure do love rulers."


Sometimes what children say is not funny, but heart-wrenching.
Student: Sorry I wasn't here yesterday, my dad died last night.
He said it so nonchalantly. My heart was crying for this little boy that I only see for 25 minutes a day to teach him meaningless spelling words.

At the end of the school year picnic, I was chatting with one of the moms. She told me of a conversation she had with her 2nd grade daughter.
Mikaila: Mom, how come you don't want any more children?
Mom (already mother of 5): Honey, its not that I don't want to have children, but im getting older. Women are born with a certain amount of eggs to have babies and mine are getting old.
(After 10 minutes of quiet driving time)
Mikaila: Mom, do you know why I am crabby sometimes?
Mom: No honey, why?
Mikaila: Because I was born from an old egg.
So cute, Mikaila has an older sister that is 21, there is a range of ages from 21-5 in her family, so Mom's eggs were probably a little old when Mikaila was born =).

I was talking with one of my second graders about the upcoming birth of her baby sister...
"If we don't get her bed built in time, she will have to sleep in her baskinette."

"My brother puts Jell-o in his hair to make it stick up."
I am pretty sure this little kindergartner means gel (unless his brother is a lil wacky)

I am subbing for a kindergarten class all this week and next.
I had just let the children have some free play time and then gathered them on the carpet.
One little guy was holding his neck. When I asked him what was wrong he said.
"I am so hot my neck is blinking."
Apparently all the running around during recess made his pulse race.
Cute.

I was reading a book to Ben, an autistic child I have been working with for the past week. After I finished reading the page and was about to turn to the next one, he tells me:
"You forgot to read the crooked words."
Confused, I asked him to point to what he was referring to.
He then pointed to the captions from the pictures that were written in italics.

I was working in a 2nd grade classroom today at a literacy/making words center.
The children were given the letters:
WSILDEKA
and had to arrange them to make various lettered words. After exhausting the 1 & 2 letter words, I began prompting them for some three letter ones.
"How would you feel if your dog died?"
S-A-D
"Right!"
"What can you find on top of a jar?"
L-I-D
"Right!"
"When two people get married what do they do?"
Divorce?!?
"Not quite sweetie, I was thinking of W-E-D."

This week we are talking about Presidents. (Since we were on break last week.)
I initiated a conversatoin about the topic and one of my bright kids started to eagerly wave his hand in the air.
Austin: "They have President's Choice in Canada."
Me: (Confused) "Explain what you mean."
Austin: "When I visit Canada everything there is President's Choice."
Me: "Oh?"
Austin: "Yeah, on the pop cans, on my cereal, on everything."
Me: (laughing in my head) "Oh right, they have the brand name President's Choice in Canada. Good job reading and observing!"

One of my little first graders has told me more than a few times that she wishes I was her mom. Yesterday, this was our conversation:
Theresa: "Do you have any babies?"
Me: "No."
Theresa: "Will you ever have babies?"
Me: "I don't think so, babies are expensive."
Theresa: (with a puzzled look on her face) "You have to BUY babies?"
I explained my point, and then she said:
"Well, I still wish you were my mom."
So cute.

I am a "cart" teacher. I teach writing once a week to each 3rd and 4th grade class for about an hour.
Yesterday, I was in a third grade classroom waiting to start my lesson. A little "squirrel" of a boy came up to me, nervous that I would be mad because he had been in the bathroom so long and said:
"I have cramps."
I could tell he was not in pain, but had to think of an excuse on the whim to please me. Heh.

I was subbing (as a favor) for 9th grade English and French yesterday. Not only was it Halloween, but it was a half day, AND an assembly. The kids were wired.
Let me explain as well that I look like I am about 12.
Anyhoo, during 6th period French class, I let the kids just chill and talk (the class was only 5 minutes long due to the assembly.) I looked over to the corner of the room and I see a small circle of teenagers trying to tear apart a kids shoe. I questioned what they were doing and the owner of the shoe confirmed that everything was alright, he wanted the sole off his shoe. Okay. The "leader" of the group then interuppted with:
"Some kids do drugs, some kids drink alcohol, the kids in *insert name of small town I teach in* tear apart shoes."
He made me smile.
Shoes are better choices than drugs I guess.

I was testing a second grader today. In Michigan, every student in a public school has to have a Michigan Literacy Profile. In the profile, we put reading tests that determine the students' reading level. I was testing Sammy today on the book entitled, Kwan the Artist. Its about a young immigrant boy that has only been in the country for a few days. One of the comprehension questions ask "Why couldn't Kwan understand his teacher?"
The response from Sammy: "Because in the United States we speak English and in China they speak China Words."

Part of my homework assignment for the mentoring program I volunteer for was to ask 3 children "What do you think adults should know about kids?"
The result from the Kindergarten class I asked was just as expected:
"Adults should know how to feed us and take care of us."
"Adults should know how to keep us safe."
"Adults should know how to read books at night."
"Adults should know how to watch us and take care of us."
I then asked one of my 4th grade groups:
"Adults should know that we are not as strong as we look."
"Adults should know that we don't always like to eat the same things."
and the two responses that made my heart cry:
"Adults should know that we exist, because sometimes I don't even think my parents realize I do." and
"Adults should know that our feelings are hurt easily."


"I dropped my head on the ground"
"Where is my other arm"
"I can't find my hand"
~things you hear while doing a 'people' art project with kindergartners

"You're wearing hairy tights today."
~Kindergartner to his teacher (who thought she could get away with wearing opaque tights without shaving)

Teacher: How old are you?
Student: 6. I will be 8 in three weeks.
Teacher: oh.

I was subbing yesterday on the fourth day of school so a teacher could witness the birth of her first grandbaby. When I told the class why Mrs. Meade was gone, they chorally said:
"Mrs. Meade is too young to be a grandma."
My reply was:
"I bet Mrs. Meade would love to hear that."
They answered:
"She was the one that told us that."
Kids are so honest. =)


Today was the first day of school. A fisrt grade teacher had taken her kids out to recess, but lost one on the playground. She yelled to her grade level paraprofessional:
"I lost a child on the playground"
To which one of her new first graders said to another teacher in the hall:
"Losing a student is not a good idea."


"My dad is grounded from the car from his doctor."
~Courtani, 2nd/3rd grade


This is B posting for J today. I happened to meet a very interesting little boy at work today, and I thought I'd share the story with you all.
I was ringing on the registers up front, and a mother with 2 boys walked up. The older son was around 7 or 8, and his younger brother (I think about 4 or 5) was harassing him pretty bad. At one point, the younger brother said angrily, "I'll hurt your heart!"
What was the older boy's response?
"You can't hurt my heart if Jesus is in it."
1....2....3....AWWWWWWWWWWW!


Since the school year is coming to a close, I see less and less children everyday. This is from a mom I know. Her 2.5 year old daughter had put all her little Hamtaro figures in a bus.
Mom: "Where are all the Hamtaros going?"
Lexie: "To get beer."

"My brain is kinda steamed up. I've been thinking hard."
~Trevyn, kindergartner


"I heard some people talking mexican up at Polly's (grocery store) once"
~Trevyn, kindergartner


I have been testing children for the past couple of weeks, so I apologize for the lack of updates.
Since today is Friday, I often play games with my reading groups. My first group consisted of 2 first grade boys. We played phonogram bingo.
Me: (saying the sounds of the phonogram) OOH, UH, O
George: Dude, its OO (The name of the phonogram)
Can I please tell you how cute it is to hear a first grader say "Dude"


I walked into the kindergarten classroom during free play time today.
I was standing near the "dress-up' station.
Me: "Wow, that is a beautiful dress you have on."
Little Girl: "Well, this is just a dress-up dress, we have real shirts and pants on underneath."
Me: "Oh, I see."
They are so cute.


Its testing week again. The children read a story to themselves and then read it to me and answer comprehension questions.
What the text really said:
"Come on, Tim." shouted Michael.
What first grader Kelly said:
"Come on, Tim." slut Michael.


Kids are so utterly honest its remarkable.
I used mousse in my hair today..something I havent done in ages.
I got a lot of "Why is your hair wet?" evne from third graders. Explaining mousse to a first grader is hard enough.
Me: "This foam stuff, kind of like shaving cream takes a picture of what me hair looks like when it is wet. My hair is really dry, but the mousse makes it look wet."
Of course they do not believe me until I let them touch it.
My favorite so far today has been from April, a first grader. Her teacher was walking their class back to their classroom and she yells out to me down the hall:
"What happened to your hair?"


I've been testing an amazing kindergartner. I think I have figured her reading level to be the equivalent of a fourth grader at the end of the school year. I asked the principal if she would listen to this young prodigy.
Mrs. Williams: "Would you like to read on the bean bags, at the table, or on my lap."
Meaghan: "I am most comfortable on Daddy's lap, so..."
Mrs. Williams: "The lap it is."
(After getting all situated on the principals lap)
Meaghan: "He.He. I just motorboated."
(Both the principal and I are confused)
Meaghan: "My daddy calls me a motorboat when I pass gas."
(Now the principal and myself are trying real hard not to laugh at the fact that this little five year old just farted in her lap)

"I saw this really cool hippo at the Milwaukee Zoo in Illinois."
~Meaghan, kindergarten


Student: "We had a pizza party in my classroom today."
Teacher: "Cool, I can still smell the pizza."
Student: "I ate TWO pieces of pizza."
Teacher: "Wow! Did you get to drink soda too?"
Student: "Not soda, Sprite."
~Bradley, second grade


three times in one day..geez the kids are on fire today..
Student 1: What happens when you drink too much pop?
Student 2: You get fat like my dad.
~Devin and Elizabeth, first grade


We were making a list of family names so we could make an album. I was writing as the children were dictating.
Teacher: "Who do you live with?"
Student: "Mom, Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Betty, Uncle Carl, Uncle Forrest, Uncle Gump..."
(This child has a lot of family and they do all live together in two little houses)
~Taylor, first grade


Student:"Is Mrs. Roy-Borland going to have a baby bath?"
Teacher:"A what?"
Student: "You know, one of those parties for the baby?"
Teacher:"Oh, a shower? Yes. She will have a baby shower."
~Daeja, kindergarten


Assignment: List off 8 different types of flowers.
Student: "Roses, Tulips, Daisies, scaffodils..."
~Rebecca, first grade


Student 1(bragging): "I can count to a trillion"
Student 2(bragging?): "I can count to *pause* 5."
Overheard outside my classroom door. I think these were pre-school girls.


Sometimes kids make me sad. I found a first grader in the hall crying.
Me: "Whats wrong Chris?"
Chris: "I miss my dad."
Me: "I know sweetie, some days its just hard (hugging him)"
Chris: "I am just a foster kid."
Me: (still hugging) "Your foster family loves you very much."
Chris: "But I still miss my real dad,"
Oh they break my heart sometimes. This child's background is horrendous. I feel so bad for him, and to have a witch for a teacher is not nice. Too bad I only get to see him 2 times a week. =(


"Are you going to borrow me today?"
~George, 1st grade
(The nature of my teaching position allows me to work with children in small groups. I pull them out of their classrooms to do this.)


As Title-One educators, we pull small groups of children for 30 minutes at a time during various parts of the day.
One little girl came up to my paraprofessional I share a room with and said:
Leah: Mrs. Holtz, could you get me around 3 today, I have nothing going on.
Her classroom teacher just smiled and told Mrs. Holtz she better get a palm pilot.
Leah, 1st grade.


Dylan: I had a dream last nite that Britney Spears was my girlfriend.
Me: Well shes a little old for you.
Dylan: I know, but her little sister isnt. What did you dream about last nite Ms. Mc?
Me: I dont really remember.
Dylan: Did you dream that Nick Carter was your boyfriend?
Me: Nope.
~Dylan, 2nd grade


Elizabeth: "Can we just write our missions on the back instead of our whole name?"
Ms. Mc: "Do you mean initials Elizabeth?"
Elizabeth: "Yeah, that's what I meant."
Elizabeth, grade one.

It was Spring Picture day at school on Friday. You know the time of the year when they bring in the outdoor background and make the children hug fake trees? A lot of the children were dressed up.
Elizabeth: "Miss Mc, isn't my dress bee-you-ti-ful." (said just like that)
MMc: "Yes Elizabeth it is bee-you-ti-ful."
Elizabeth: "You just spit on me."
MMc: "Oh, I'm sorry honey. Here, let me wipe it off."
This is the same first grader that told me:
"You are not mean at all, but you are beautiful."


Alexis, grade 1, was talking about her new baby sister that was born yesterday morning (although I need to check with her teacher about this because she said she had a new brother 2 months ago)
"The baby has a scar on her stomach where the electrical cord was."


I was at a Fountas and Pinnell conference today. One of the children on their video tape was making observations about -ing words.
Student One: "There are two T's in sitting."
Teacher: "Yes you are right. There is the word sit plus an extra T and the -ing ending. Do you notice any other words that are like that from our book?"
Student One: "Yes Running is like that too."
Student Two: "Runting?"
The kid was completely serious. =)


We were playing Boggle and listing off the words we had found.
Student: Hor.
Teacher: That is not how you spell whore.
Student: Not the bad word whore. Hor like i watched a Hor movie last nite with a monster.
~Tommy, 3rd grade.
I just wonder how he knew the word whore...


teacher: "where are you going for spring break?"
student: "Narobi, I mean Florida."
~Kellie, 1st grade.


"Russians don't read."
~Alesya, first grade, Russian


(Talking about St. Patrick)
"I think he died in a war and someone ran over him with a tractor."
~Bubby, kindergarten