Still positive.

My hCG level came back as 30 from Thursday's 48 hour later blood draw. That's not exactly a double in 48-72 hours... it's more like 82 hours. So I'm worried about that being off... but, I was (and still am!) happy the number increased. I go back tomorrow to have another blood test to see where the number is at then.

But, my tests are still coming back as positive... and, in fact, the test line is getting darker. And my bleeding has stopped as of Friday. All this is good, good, good news!

Here's the most recent two tests I took. The top being from yesterday morning... and the bottom being from today... which just so happens to be my 30th birthday. :)

It's definitely getting darker.

So now one of my main worries is that the baby itself is fine, but it's implanted in my tube.

I really need to just stop analyzing and thinking... and wait until I hear the results from the blood work tomorrow. That'll give me a much clearer picture than anything else has/can at this point.

Keep sending me those good, positive, sticky vibes!

... I'm still in the game, right?

I'm still taking HPT's to make sure they are getting darker... which is a good sign that my hCG is increasing... which is a good sign that the baby is ok.

Here is a (crappy) picture of the test I took this morning with FMU (first morning urine) and last night around 6pm. This morning is on the left... and last night on the right.

I also got a positive CBE Digital test this morning.

Keep praying... I'll know more later today.

I'm a POASaholic.

Did you really think I'd be able to wait until 4th of July? I mean, really?

So the test I took today is a bit suspicious. I'm pretty sure it's an evap line, but I can't help but feel helpful. The line showed up around 10-15 after I dipped it... which is past the time they tell you to read the test. BUT. It was still plenty moist when the faint faint FAINT line showed up. So, my head tells me to read it as an evaporation line... but my heart wants to read it as a faint positive.

Here's a picture of it... with the colors inverted.

(Click photo to enlarge.)

That's 7 DPO right there.

So yeah. We'll see how that progresses over the next couple of days.

LH Testing has begun!

Yup, I'm still alive. :) Work keeps me busy, busy, busy.

So I bought some LH (ovulation) tests... and some HPT's. I started LH testing the other day... so that I can get a good grip on how it all works. I'm still waiting on the beginning of my next cycle... so, once that begins, I'll hold off on the LH tests until after it stops... but here are my first three tests (and one HPT - see reason below) I've taken thus far.

Okay. So that's my tests. Being totally new to LH tests, as I didn't use them with SJ, I kinda freaked out when I saw two lines on the first one. I thought that you only got 2 when you were ovulating. So, being on day #33... and pretty much knowing I wasn't ovulating, yeeeeeah... freaked out. I immediately hopped on the computer and looked up LH tests... and got on a few message boards to ask about them. A few girls told me how they worked... but (here's the story of the HPT) suggested I take a HPT because OPK's can be used as pregnancy tests. But, as you can see, I am not pregnant... and I am not ovulating as the test line is not as dark or darker than the control line.

So yeah. That's my update for now. :)

It's me again.

In addition to keeping this online journal (which I'll print out and bind after I've had the baby), I like to keep a "real" journal, too. Whenever I had our daughter, S.J., I kept an online journal... and wrote in this one, too.

This time will be no different.

In fact... I've already ordered my next pregnancy journal.

The Belly Book!

Speaking of things I've bought, I've also already ordered 25 pregnancy test strips. *grin* You can't beat the price--$6.49! That's way cheaper than the Dollar Store brand... AND... it detects a lower level of hCG (20 mIU/mL).

Since this next pregnancy will be my last, I'm going to go all out... and do the things I didn't get the chance to do with S.J. (like a belly cast and maternity pictures, for example).

I'd also like to have my mom more involved. Even though she was in the room when S.J. was born, up until that point she'd not really been a big part of my pregnancy. She didn't feel the baby move... nor did she go to any of my doctor's appointments (my grandmother went to almost every one of them with me, actually). This next time I want Mom to be there more... and be a bigger part of my pregnancy. I think it's important for a daughter to have her mother there with her... helping her and guiding her through a very important part of her life.

Just like the last time we were trying to conceive, we're not sharing the news with anyone until after we've had a (few!) positive home pregnancy test(s) and after our first doctor's appointment (that way we're sure everything is okay). But. Because of that fact, this journal is my only outlet to talk about my adventures in TTC. So it'll probably fill up quickly before I've even gotten pregnant. But that'll be nice to look back on later, I think. If nothing else, it keeps me from driving the husband crazy with constant baby talk. :)