The Buschbach's

Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-24T18:51:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we went to the Pumpkin Patch with grandpa, grandma, Auntie Erica, Uncle Bob, and cousin Dylan. We had a blast! Next year, we will REALLY have our hands FULL! Here are a few pictures from our little adventure. Daddy picked out the Carhartt's and "Aunt" Lorie C. made the adorable pumpkin hats. Thanks "Aunt" Lorie, the kids loved their hats and they kept them nice and warm. Enjoy!

Finally.....

2010-07-03T09:18:00.001-07:00

I know it's been a while since I posted, I apologize. Between work, the girls, and keeping up the house, I NEVER seem to have time to do anything I want to do. At any rate, I have a quick minute this morning (the girls are napping) before we head out with my parents for a little boating and BBQing and wanted to share a picture. I am very excited to say my palsy is finally starting to heal!!! Slowly I am regaining function of my face. I honestly can't put into words how excited I am or how hard the last three months have been. As many of you know, I didn't allow anyone to take pictures of me for nearly the first three and a half months the girls were born, but last weekend at church I decided I was finally ready to take a family picture. I feel blessed that I am starting to heal and even more blessed that I finally have a family photo to share. Its not perfect, but it will do!!

(Steve is holding Sydney and I'm holding Morgan)

2 Months

2010-05-29T15:11:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, May 5th was your two month checkup. Wow, have time is flying by!! Here's what's new....

Sydney
Head:
Height:
Weight: 8lbs 3oz, 2%

Your development continues to be right on track. You started smiling more socially and you are holding your head up a little better. The doctor was a little concerned that you are not gaining weight quite as fast as they would like to see. He asked mommy to start putting a teaspoon of formula in your bottles of breastmilk. This will give you a few extra calories and hopefully help you start gaining weight a little faster. Today your vaccinations included two shots (one in each leg) and a to drink that you didn't seem to mind at all. The doctor is going to have you come back in a couple of weeks to have a weight check to see if the formula is helping you gain weight any faster. Here are a few highlights from month two....

Wearing newborn size diaper
Wearing newborn size clothes (grandma tried 0-3 months, but you were SWIMMING in them)
You are smiling socially.
You are starting to make cooing noises.
You are sleeping from about 10pm until 5am!! (mommy and daddy are VERY happy about this)
You have found your hands and love to suck on your fingers.
Grandpa Dan calls you the ceiling inspector because you have a real fascination with the ceiling!
You love to mimic sissy's crying but you don't quite have the lungs she does. Your cry is quite cute.
Drum roll please....you rolled over for the first time on Sunday, May 9th (2 months old)!

Morgan
Head:
Height:
Weight: 9lbs 9oz

The doctor gave you a glowing review! You are a healthy, growing, and meeting all of your developmental milestones. You did get a bit of a cold, but that is to be expected because all of the adults around you were sick (daddy, Auntie Erica, grandpa, and grandma). It didn't last long and you still slept like a champion! You also got 2 shots in your leg and the nurse was quite impressed when you sucked down the 3rd vaccination (the drink) in a matter of seconds! Here are a few highlights from month two....

Wearing size 1 diapers.
Wearing newborn and a few 0-3 month clothes.
You are smiling socially.
You make very cute cooing noises.
You have definitely found your hands and you love to chew on them!
You have a little bit of a temper - if you are mad or hungry, you let it be known!
You do not like tummy time!
You are drinking 4-5 oz every 4-5 hours.
You are have some real stinky gas and can actually clear a room (daddy thinks it is quite impressive)!
You are sleeping from 10pm until 5am (mommy and daddy think you would sleep even longer but sissy wakes up and needs to eat)!!

A Few Firsts...

2010-04-28T09:46:00.000-07:00

I thought I would share a few "firsts" from the last few weeks.

The weather was beautiful a few Sundays ago, so Grandma, Auntie Erica, and I decided to take the girls on their first walk. Notice Morgan in the front carrier (thank you April and Grey). Frustrating story...Steve and I purchased a brand new stroller from Baby Jogger that was just released at the beginning of this year and unfortunately, we have only received ONE seat. Makes the stroller a little useless with twins. (Don't worry, mommy has been on the phone constantly with the customer service rep!)

The girls' first trip to Grandpa's new office. It's beautiful! They should be moved in by the end of May. I'm sure the girls will get LOTS of playtime there in the future!

On April 17th, we celebrated Erica's birthday and attended her shower for baby Dylan (due June 20th). Lots of friends and family got to meet the girls for the first time! Doesn't Auntie Erica look beautiful!!

Yesterday, we took the girls on their first road trip to Seattle for mommy's doctors appointment. Grandpa rented a minivan, so that we would all fit. The girls did so well, they never cried while we were in the car (unless we were at a stoplight), and they completed one whole feeding in their carseats without fussing. We were so proud of them!

Grandpa and daddy got a little bored while mommy was at her 4 hour doctor appointment. While Grandma and mommy were finishing up with the doctor, daddy sent us a picture to let us know the girls had their first trip to get some "chicken wings." Needless to say, I'm sure Grandpa and daddy were a huge hit at the restaurant, as twin baby girls can definitely attract female attention!!

The Photo Session with Doreen

2010-04-19T18:46:00.000-07:00

At my baby shower, I received a wonderful gift from one of my mom's dearest friends, Nikki. It was a photo session with her friend, Doreen. I must say, the pictures are fabulous! Below is a link to the gallery which is open until May 3rd. Enjoy!

Dear "Grandma" Nikki,
We just wanted to send you a special thank you. The pictures Doreen took make us look like baby models and we love them. We also know our mommy will cherish these pictures forever. Thanks for the wonderful gift, we love you!!

http://www.doreenbeers-michel.com/Buschbach/index.html

One Month Checkup

2010-04-10T10:07:00.000-07:00

Thursday, April 8th was your one month checkup with the pediatrician. Your last appointment was March 8th (7 days old). Here are the highlights...

Morgan
Head: 36 1/2 cm, 25% - up from 34 cm, 10-25%
Height: 20 1/2 inches, 17% - up from 18 1/2 inches, < 10%
Weight: 8 lbs 2 oz, 15% - up from 5 lbs 8 oz, < 5%

The doctor assessed your tummy issues and decided to try you on a 3 week trial of Prevacid. He said that your episodes, crying after eating, are likely caused by reflux or you may have colic. He said that if it is reflux, we should notice a marked decrease in your episodes over the next three weeks. If we don't notice a change, it's likely colic and will just need to let it run its course. We picked up the prescription for the Prevacid and surprisingly, you love it and suck it right down!! (It smells like bubble gum...I wonder if it tastes like bubble gum??) You had to get your second Hepatitis B shot in your thigh and you did not like it. You cried and it made mommy very sad. Other than the tummy issues, he said you are very healthy and he couldn't be happier with your growth and development!

Sydney
Head: 35 cm, 4% - up from 31 1/2 cm, 1%
Height: 19 3/4 inches, 4 % - up from 18 inches, 1%
Weight: 7 lbs 4 oz, 4% - up from 5 lbs 0 oz, 1%

The doctor said your growth and development was right on track. He was a little concerned because your skin tone still has a yellow tinge to it, which can be a sign of jaundice. He decided to do a blood test to make sure your Billirubin levels were not too high. (We got the results the next day and they were slightly elevated. The doctor said not to worry, the level is continuing to drop from when you were in the hospital, which is just what they want to see.) You also had to have your second Hepatitis B shot. For the first time mommy heard you cry (you never cry) and you even held your breath for a few second. It was very hard for mommy to watch. I can't believe you had to be poked twice in one day, mommy is very sorry!

Here are a few pictures from your visit to the pediatrician....

Waiting in the lobby. (Mommy loved your cute outfits that day)

Morgan on the scale.

Sydney on the scale.

Lactation Specialist

2010-04-07T10:27:00.000-07:00

My last post from yesterday was quite long so I decided to make a separate post about our feeding issues. As I mentioned in my post on 03/18/2010, since we left the hospital I had been able to give the girls 100% breastmilk, either from the breast or the bottle. About a week and a half ago, I noticed that my supply was decreasing and I was barely pumping enough for a single feeding {insert panic and despair}. I decided to contact the lactation specialist at the hospital for some guidance. She indicated that there could be a few issues at play: the fact that my immune system was weakened and the fact that I was taking steroids and an antiviral medication for my Bell's Palsy. I guess both of these issues can cause a drop in your milk supply. She suggested that I contact my physician and request a prescription for Reglan (I believe it is an anti-nausea medication). Reglan is believed to increase milk supply in breastfeeding mothers. The doctor called in the prescription for the medication and I started taking it on 03/28/2010. Within two days my supply was back and I felt a HUGE sense of relief!

In an effort to prevent my supply from dropping again, I scheduled an appointment to meet in person with the lactation specialist. I scheduled our appointment with the WONDERFUL lactation specialist we met in the hospital, Kristin. One of the reasons I had not been solely breastfeeding the girls was the fact that they were inefficient nursers after birth and we weren't sure how my milk supply would do, given my previous breast surgery for fibroidadnoma's. At our postpartum appointment (two days after discharge from the hospital), both girls nursed for 30 minutes - Morgan only took in 5mL and Sydney took in 30mL. Because of these numbers, they suggested that I continue to offer them bottles of breastmilk to ensure their intake was adequate and they continued to gain weight. At our appointment with Kristin on 04/02/2010 both girls nursed for 20 minutes. This time, Morgan took in 90mL and Sydney took in 78mL. Essentially both girls were taking in their recommended amounts - they officially graduated to EFFICIENT nursers!! With this information the lactation specialist assured me that I can nurse them without hesitation and even start working towards tandem nursing (two at a time)! I'm still a little nervous to tandem nurse, but when I have someone around to help, I give it a shot. For the most part, I try when I can during the day to nurse them and then give them bottles at night. There are two reasons for the bottles at night: 1) I know how much they are getting and hope that means they will sleep for at least 4 hours and 2) I'm not yet confident at nursing and when I'm tired and sleep deprived, I get frustrated and then the girls get frustrated. So, for the time being we continue to bottle feed the girls breastmilk and I nurse them when I can. For the most part, both girls will take between 90-100mL at each feeding and they are feeding every 3.5 to 4.5 hours. Mommy really couldn't be happier!! Our girls truly are VERY GOOD babies, Steve and I truly feel blessed. God is Good!!

1 Month Update...(a little late)

2010-04-06T17:10:00.000-07:00

Wow, all the twin blog moms were right...time is really flying by! I can't believe that our girls are already 5 weeks old (as of yesterday). April 1st marked their 1 month "birthday" and they celebrated by being tortured by Grandma Laurie taking pictures. Well, let me clarify...Morgan was tortured - nothing ever seems to bother Sydney, she simply goes with the flow.

We are keeping this blog, not only to update friends and family about our family, but to document our memories of the girls. So I apologize if some if this information is boring. I know that if I don't document it, I won't remember! Here are a few highlights:

Sydney
As of 4/2/2010 you weighed 6 lbs, 12.2 oz
You are wearing all newborn clothes
You are eating about 100mL of breastmilk (by bottle or breast) every 3.5 to 4 hours
At night, you sleep in the co-sleeper in our room, you prefer to be swaddled. you sleep on the Boppy, and are sleeping about 4 hours
**Mom and dad are trying to break you of sleeping on the Boppy, but you really don't like to sleep flat on your back - mom is paranoid that sleeping on the Boppy isn't safe**
We started trying to have you take your daytime naps in your crib. You did great and slept for about an hour!
You continue to be very "easy going" (like your daddy).
Rarely, do we hear you cry - only if you are VERY hungry.
You only really take a binky when you are hungry. Otherwise, you have no interest in it.
Things you love - stretching out on the floor, swinging in your swing, staring at the lights, being snuggled, and bathtime!
Things you're not so fond of - being strapped into your carseat, being given your binky when you don't want it, and the bouncy seat.

Morgan
As of 4/2/2010 you weighed 7 lbs, 9 oz
You are wearing all newborn clothes
You are eating about 100mL of breastmilk (by bottle or breast) every 3.5 to 4 hours
At night, you sleep in the co-sleeper in our room, you prefer to be swaddled, you sleep on the Boppy, and are sleeping about 4 hours
**Mom and dad are trying to break you of sleeping on the Boppy, but you really don't like to sleep flat on your back - mom is paranoid that sleeping on the Boppy isn't safe**
We started trying to have you take your daytime naps in your crib. You didn't really like it and spent most of the time crying - we're going to keep working on it though!
I think you and mommy may have VERY similar personalities! You are slightly impatient, a little dramatic, but love to be snuggled and loved.
You have been having some tummy issues. It seems to mommy and daddy that every time you eat, you are in pain afterwards and spend quite a bit of time crying and stiffening your body. We started giving you Mylicon drops before each feeding and that seems to have helped a little. We will ask the pediatrician about it at our next appointment (4/8/2010).
You are a binky girl. Often times, giving you your binky will soothe and calm you.
Things you love - stretching out on the floor (for a short time), being snuggled, walking around while being held, swinging in your swing, and sitting in your bouncy seat (but only with the vibration on).
Things you're not so fond of - bathtime, changing your diaper or clothes, being strapped into your carseat, and being put down when you want to be held.

Update on Mommy and Daddy
Steve went back to work two weeks after the girls were born, boy was that an adjustment for mom. I really loved having him around to help every day - he is a great dad and helps with feedings, changing diapers, and dressing the girls (he's not too sure about bathtime yet)!

Right now Steve is working a very difficult schedule: one day shift, two swing shifts, and two night shifts. Needless to say it is an exhausting schedule for someone without kids, not to mention someone with newborn twins! On the days that he works night shift, the girls and I have been staying the night at my mom and dad's house. My mom is a gem, she sleeps with me and helps me with the nighttime feedings! Side note - we tried one night using the baby monitors (one in the guest room, where the cribs are, and the other in my parents room). Needless to say that only lasted one night because grandpa didn't get any sleep! Grandma now sleeps with me in the guest room - after two nights of helping with the girls, grandma is definitely exhausted! I must say, we are getting LOTS of help from both sets of grandparents, Auntie Erica, and Uncle Bob. Without our family, I'm not sure what we would do. We always have family that is willing to come over and watch the girls so we can sleep, run errands, or just take a bath! We truly feel blessed to have such a wonderful, supportive family - thank you mom, dad, Dave, Norene, Bob, and Erica - we could not do this without you guys!!

Lastly, a quick update on me. I still have Bell's Palsy, hence why we still have no family pictures. It's a little depressing to think its been four weeks and there hasn't been a significant change for the better. I'm trying to stay positive though and hope that in time it will get better. My speech articulation is still impacted, I can't smile, and I can't blink. I must say, it is a little frustrating and makes me somewhat self-conscious, but again, I'm trying to stay positive. With all the family support (time to sleep). I have managed to get and stay healthy, which is a HUGE relief!! Being sick and raising twins is NO FUN!

Sorry for the long post! For those of you that read all of that, I'll leave you with a few photos of the girls, taken by grandma Laurie on their 1 month "birthday." (In all the photos, Morgan is on the left and Sydney is on the right)

Thank you to my friend Liz who made these adorable tutu's! She is also the mother of adorable twin girls, "Thank you Liz, we have gotten lots of use out of the tutu's!"

Dr. Appt Update

2010-03-18T17:20:00.001-07:00

Playing Dress Up at Grandma's

Waiting for the Doctor

Sydney

Morgan

This is a quick post because I am supposed to be taking a nap!! Today the girls went back to the Dr. for a quick check up to make sure they were still gaining weight and that their jaundice looked better. Mommy is proud to say that they both passed with flying colors!!

Here are the stats and a feeding update:

Sydney

At the last appt, she weighed 5 lbs - today, she weighed in at 5 lbs, 12 oz. She also grew 1 1/4 inches...she's now 19 1/4 inches long!

Morgan

At the last appt, she weighed 5 lbs, 8 oz - today she weighed in at 6 lbs, 8 oz.

Feeding Update

Currently, I am able to provide enough expressed breast milk for the girls and we are not having to supplement with formula. I will be honest though, I am only nursing a couple times a day because it unfortunately leaves no time for me to sleep or get anything done around the house. Right now the girls are getting expressed breast milk from a bottle and then nurse a couple times throughout the day....and I must say I am very pleased with this. I wish that I had more hours in the day that I could just nurse them both exclusively, but I am happy that I can provide enough breast milk for them, even if its from a bottle.

We're Home!!

2010-03-12T17:39:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the delay in posting...to say the least, things have been exhausting and chaotic! Let's start with the update on the girls....

Morgan was discharged from the NICU on Wednesday evening (3/3/10) and Sydney was discharged from the NICU on Thursday morning (3/4/10). On Thursday evening, I was discharged from Labor and Delivery and Steve and I moved rooms to stay with the girls in the Pediatric Unit at the hospital. The girls weren't quite ready to go home on Thursday evening. The doctors took the girls off the Billirubin lights on Thursday evening and told us that if their levels remained stable, we would all be going home on Friday. The girls passed with flying colors and we were discharged Friday by lunch time!

The girls are doing really well here at home. We went to the Pediatrician on Monday (3/8/10) and Morgan was almost back to her birth weight, she weighed in at 5 lbs, 8oz. Sydney weighed in at 5 lbs even! The girls are eating every 3 hours and keeping mom, dad, grandparents, aunts and uncles very busy changing diapers!

I've had lots of requests to update on how I am doing, so here goes.... I woke up the morning of the C-Section with a slight cough. By Tuesday, I had a full fledged bronchial infection - does not feel very good after abdominal surgery. As the week progressed, I came down with a viral infection on top of the bronchial infection. Needless to say, I felt miserable! Not to mention I was trying to breast feed both girls while they were in the NICU, every three hours, then go back to my room pump, eat, and try to take a nap. By about day 5, I was running on VERY LITTLE sleep. Thankfully, this wonderful RN on the Pediatric Unit offered to babysit the girls during the night shift so Steve and I could get nearly 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep - it was wonderful and much needed prior to discharge. We got home Friday afternoon and I was still battling both the bronchial infection and viral infection, on top of the sleep deprivation. On Sunday afternoon, I noticed that my tongue was going numb and I was having ear pain. By bedtime on Sunday, I went to take a drink of water and it started pouring out the side of my mouth. I called Steve into the room to show him, he said smile and I couldn't. He then told me that he thought I had Bell's Palsy. Sure enough, I do have Bell's Palsy - the left side of my face is paralyzed. My left eye will not close all the way, and I cannot smile or drink out of a cup....it's WONDERFUL!!

For now, I'll leave you with a picture of the girls - more to come I promise....

(Morgan on the left - Sydney on the right)

THE GIRLS ARE HERE!!!!!

2010-03-01T17:47:00.000-08:00

Announcing.......

Morgan Danielle - born at 1:02pm
5 lbs, 9.9 oz
18 inches

Sydney Camille - born at 1:03pm
5 lbs, 6.5 oz
19 inches

First, both girls are doing VERY well! They are however spending their first night in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). At birth, Morgan was suffering from anemia and Sydney was having difficulty managing her blood sugars.

Morgan received a blood transfusion earlier this afternoon and is currently being nourished by IV Dextrose. We are hoping to start feedings with Morgan tomorrow. Her color is looking much better this evening and she REALLY loves her daddy!

Sydney was able to attempt breast feeding for the first time around 8pm and did great! She finished the remainder of her feeding on the bottle but then gave mom and dad quite the scare. She started to spit up and then stopped breathing. The NICU staff came right over, used the bulb to suction, gave her some oxygen, and she bounced back beautifully! They said that perhaps she needed a smaller nipple on the bottle, with less flow; and they reiterated that she is still learning to suck, swallow, and breathe at the same time.

Tomorrow I promise to post and update with more pictures!! Thank you everyone for your thoughts, prayers, and kind words. Steve and I truly feel so blessed.

5 more days.....

2010-02-24T11:50:00.000-08:00

Yes, the title of this entry says it all....we have, AT MOST...5 MORE DAYS until we meet the girls!! Our doctor has rescheduled the C-Section for Monday, March 1st at 12:30pm (and he will be back from his vacation). Let me explain how this all came about...

First, rewind to Sunday. I spent most of day at Labor and Delivery as the girls decided to decrease their movement. After nearly 5 and a 1/2 hours of monitoring and a biophysical profile, both girls finally decided to cooperate and we were released to go home. Before parting ways at Labor and Delivery, the on call OB explained to us that he would be surprised if we made it through the rest of this week, given the girls are positioned VERY low in my pelvis, I am beginning to efface and dilate, and my contractions are starting to intensify.

On Tuesday, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that my doctor had not left for his vacation yet and would be able to see us after our routine testing (NST, BPP, and growth scan). After he reviewed our test results, he made the decision that our C-Section should be rescheduled to Monday, March 1st. He said there is essentially 0% chance of making it to Monday, March 8th and didn't give me a percentage for making it to Monday, March 1st. He just reiterated that I need to STAY OFF MY FEET. Here are the highlights from the testing....

Both girls passed the non-stress test and it was confirmed that I am having contractions, which are increasing in intensity and frequency.
Both girls passed their bio-physical profiles, but it took nearly the entire hour - I think they are definitely running out of room!
Morgan was estimated to weigh 5 lbs, 9 oz. Sydney was estimated to weigh 5 lbs, 7 oz.

In other news, I am FINALLY packed for the hospital and last night Steve cleaned out our car and installed the girls' car seats. Wow, I can't believe its almost time!!! Now we just wait and see if they come on their own or if we make it to Monday at 12:30pm. Updates to follow, stay tuned....

35 Weeks....

2010-02-19T18:37:00.000-08:00

Before I update about the girls, Steve and I would like to thank everyone for your kind words, notes, messages, and prayers during the past few weeks - they have really meant a lot to us during this very difficult time. We laid my grandmother to rest and had a very lovely memorial service for her on Tuesday. My grandpa is still in the hospital, but we are hoping that he will be discharged home next week!!

We had our weekly doctor appointment on Thursday and once again, the babies looked great! Our doctor (whom I adore) actually said I could be the poster child for a twin pregnancy. Here are the facts:

Both girls passed their biophysical profile ultrasound and non-stress test with flying colors.
I am 50% effaced and dilated externally a finger tip. He also said he could feel Morgan's head.
Both girls are head down and sitting right on top of my cervix.
My fundal height was measured at 39 cm, which was a little small. The doctor did say that could be due to the fact that both girls may have dropped and are low in my pelvis. We have a growth scan next week and will make certain they are still gaining weight and growing.
We parted ways by him telling me that I should "STAY OFF MY FEET" if I want him to deliver the babies. He is going to be out of town next week....I really, really would like him to be able to deliver the girls, so I am trying my best to keep my feet up!!

Our next appointment is on Tuesday and the girls will have another growth ultrasound at that appointment (fingers crossed both girls will be estimated to weigh over 5lbs). I think the reality is starting to set in that we are going to have two children sometime in the next 17 days!!

Dorothy J. Aden ~ 11/29/1920 - 02/10/2010

2010-02-10T16:36:00.000-08:00

In loving memory of my Grandma Dot, aka "G. Dot".....this November would have marked her 90th birthday! Steve and I are very saddened that she will not be able to meet Sydney and Morgan, but we are finding comfort in the fact that she is now in heaven with my Grandpa Sam. We love you Grandma and promise to tell the girls all about you! Here are a few recent photos of Steve and I with G. Dot.

Taken at our wedding in Cle Elum, WA (02/07/2009)

Taken Christmas Day (December 25th, 2009)

33 1/2 Weeks - When it rains, it pours.....

2010-02-08T14:23:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the long absence from posting, our world has been in upheaval for the past few weeks. It all started on January 25th...

My grandparents, Cloid and Pat (my mom's parents), were down visiting family in Nevada and on the evening of January 25th, my grandfather fell and broke his hip. He is 84 years old and is considered to be in poor health due to blockages in his heart, diabetes, and a host of other issues. Anyhow, he was flown back to Washington on Tuesday and admitted to a hospital here in the Tri-Cities. I won't get into all the details, but he finally underwent hip surgery on Friday, January 29th. We were told the surgery was VERY risky as his heart was very weak, but he's a fighter and our family had faith in him. He shocked all the doctors and sailed through surgery with flying colors! The next day, things took a turn for the worse, we were told his heart had been placed under a lot of stress and "it could go either way." He appeared to be entering the first stages of organ failure and we would just have to wait it out and see if he could fight his way back. Our family held vigil by his bedside, prayed, and talked to him all through the day on Saturday. He again shocked us all and started talking and was back with us on Sunday. By all accounts, God answered our prayers. It was a miracle. He has worked very hard and as of today, he is being transferred to the inpatient rehab unit at the hospital where he will undergo extensive, daily therapy to try and regain some of his strength and hopefully get out of the hospital. All in all, as of today, he is stable and fighting to regain his mobility and get home!

Just when we thought we had weathered our family crisis and were on our way to getting things back to normal, we were hit again. On Friday, February 5th my parents received a phone call from my grandmothers caretaker - this time it was regarding my dad's mom, Dorothy. Apparently my grandmother had fallen and hit her head and when the caretaker founder her, she was laying in a pool of blood, in her bed. The paramedics were called and she was transported to yet a different area hospital (we now have two family members, at two different hospitals). They ended up admitting her as she was suffering from a very bad urinary tract infection and she has congestive heart failure. We were told that she was going to be watched and treated for the infection and the plan was for her to be released today. At about 6am this morning, my parents received a phone call that her heart had stopped. She is now on life support and this prognosis is not good. The next 24 hours are in God's hands.

Through all of this, the babies are holding strong inside mommy, which is where I need them to stay. At our last appointment (32 1/2 weeks), Morgan weighed approximately 4lbs, 14oz and Sydney weighed approximately 4lbs, 4oz. My blood pressure was holding low and stable - thank goodness! And they passed their non-stress test with flying colors. I am supposed to go back to the doctor tomorrow, but given today's turn of events, the appointment may need to be postponed.

Sorry again for the delay in posting, if I could ask....please keep my family in your prayers. We could really use them right now.

Oh....I almost forgot in the midst of all this mayhem....Steve and I celebrated our 1st Anniversary yesterday! We have had a wonderful first year together and I know for sure, without him, I couldn't get through all of this. He truly is my best friend, he gives me strength and courage, and I love him so much. I know he is going to be an amazing father!!

Baby Shower

2010-01-23T09:58:00.000-08:00

I'm finally getting around to posting about my baby shower. I have literally been "under the weather" for nearly 3 weeks! I must say that I had been looking forward to this day for so long. My baby shower was Saturday, January 9th. Sometime around New Years I came down with a TERRIBLE cold. Needless to say the day of my actual shower I barely had a voice and felt like I was running at about 5%, I was so bummed; although, nothing was going to stop me from attending my own baby shower. It was an AMAZING shower! My two cousins, Crystal and April, and my Aunt Darla hosted the event and I was blown away. The decorations were adorable, the food was delicious, and seeing everyone was great! Unfortunately, because I was functioning at about 5%, I didn't take A SINGLE PICTURE. Thankfully, my cousin Crystal (also one of the hostesses) took some picture. I don't know what I would have done if she would not have snapped these pictures, "thank you so much Crystal!"

The hostesses: my cousin, Crystal; my Aunt Darla; and my cousin, April.
The next two pictures are of the beautiful cupcakes. It was almost hard to eat them, they were so pretty! The butterflies on top were edible - I loved them!!

The table centerpieces. These trees were actually used at our wedding and it was so cool to see them re-used at the baby shower. This time the trees were adorned with butterflies that my cousin's and aunt cut out!!

Me, enjoying the delicious food!!

My sister, Erica and my friends, Wendy and Heather.

A diaper cake made by one of my friends, Christy. Is this not adorable!?! I think the girls will love the toys on top as well!

My cousin April made the owl applique's that are on the front of these onesies!

Two pairs of sheep slippers that were given to us by Steve's parents neighbor, Marcia. Marcia and her husband raise sheep (and..Steve spent MANY years helping out Marcia and her husband with their sheep - Steve also did 4H). The picture doesn't really do these slippers justice, they are ABSOLUTELY the MOST ADORABLE slippers!! Steve and I thank you very much Marcia!!

Sofia Grace Watts

2010-01-12T19:16:00.000-08:00

Today my cousin Donnie and his wife Meghan welcomed their daughter Sofia Grace Watts in this world. She weighed 8lbs 12oz and was 21 inches long. Meghan and Sofie are doing great. Steve and I are very excited for Donnie and Meghan and wish them all the best!!

Is she not the cutest baby??? Precious....

28 Week Update

2010-01-04T16:59:00.000-08:00

We hope you all are enjoying the New Year!! This may be a long post, I apologize....I wanted to share a few photos and give our 28 week update...

I realized I hadn't posted any pictures in a while, so I pulled some together for this post!! The first picture is from New Years. (I woke up at 11:58 to take this photo and promptly went back to sleep. Oh the joys of pregnancy!)

The second picture is of the diaper cake that my co-workers had made for me, for my work shower - I honestly work with the BEST group of people, I will miss them so much while I am on maternity leave!! (I just have to say....how adorable is that diaper cake??)

The last few pictures are of the nursery. Obviously, it's no where near completed, but you get the idea....things are happening in the Buschbach House!! (and as you'll see, Sophie isn't quite sure what to think of all the baby furniture - that room has always been her "tree room")

We had our appointment today and overall, it went very well. I passed the glucose test with "flying colors" (according to the nurse). Needless to say, I was quite happy about this! Sydney and Morgan also looked wonderful during our appointment, here were their stats:

Sydney - 2 lbs, 13 oz

Morgan - 2 lbs, 10 oz

With good news I guess there is always a little bit of bummer news..... My cervix shortened since the last measurement. Today it measured at exactly 3cm, during my last visit it was measuring over 4cm. I am now on weekly appointments until the babies arrive. Next week they will repeat the cervix measurement to determine whether or not it is continuing to shorten. Along with the shortened cervix, I have continued to have non-rhythmic, infrequent contractions. Due to the shortened cervix and continued contractions, the doctor has recommended that I work no more than 2 hours per day. So, I am officially on a VERY reduced work schedule. I'm not sure how well I am going to handle this minimal-work/take it easy plan, but we shall see.

In other VERY exciting news.....its only 5 days until the baby shower!! My Aunt Darla, Crystal, and April are throwing me a shower this weekend and I am SO EXCITED - I'm counting down the days/hours!!!! Photos to come (I promise)......

The fall....

2009-12-31T12:17:00.000-08:00

Well, the title kind of explains. Yesterday, I was leaving a site visit for work and slipped and fell in the icy parking lot. I had both hands full and wasn't able to catch myself. I got in the car and immediately started crying, after talking to the doctors office, to let them know what happened, they advised me to go to the hospital to be checked out. My mom and I arrived at the hospital around 5pm and again, they hooked me up to the monitors. Steve thankfully arrived shortly after they hooked me up, which made me feel much better.

Unfortunately, this time things didn't look as good, I was having pain (likely caused by the fall) but I was also having consistent, rhythmic contractions. I was scared to death. The good news was, the babies looked great! Both Sydney and Morgan were moving, hiccuping, kicking, and their heart rates looked fantastic. But there was the issue of the contractions...the doctor first tried having me drink about a liter of water over 20 minutes to see if the contractions would ease up, but they didn't. He came back in and explained that as a precaution, they were going to give me a dose of Betamethasone (steroid) to help develop the babies lungs and I was going to be given a dose of Terbutaline to hopefully stop the contractions. As long as they could get the contractions stopped, I could go home. They also sent me down to ultrasound to check my amniotic fluid levels and ensure the placentas weren't damaged during the fall. Thankfully, the ultrasound looked very good and the Terbutaline stopped the contractions within the first 5 minutes. I must say, modern medicine is AMAZING and God is surely watching over Steve, myself, and the girls. Although we didn't get home until 10pm, I was released!

Steve and I do have to go back to the hospital today for my second dose of Betamethasone. But right now, for the time being, I'm trying to stay inside and off my feet. Bummer news - we were issued a winter weather warning for more snow and freezing rain - looks like I'll be staying inside until the weather clears up (except for the trip to the hospital, but I'm sure I'll get curbside service from my dear husband)! I must say, I'm terrified to walk outside if there is a chance it could be slick, So it looks like I'll be relying on someone to walk with me or I'll get curbside service.

Welcome to the 3rd Trimester!

2009-12-26T18:15:00.000-08:00

First according to our tickler, we are in the 3rd Trimester. It's crazy to think that at the most, we have 77 days left until we meet the babies, what a crazy thought! Our Christmas was wonderful - I must say my husband spoiled me this Christmas...I got this beautiful diaper bag that I have been eyeing for sometime (pictures to come).

Today was a somewhat long day as Steve and I spent the afternoon at the hospital. NO WORRIES - the girls and I are fine, we at home watching a movie as I type this! Last night I was having some really bad lower back pain and through the night it spread to my pelvis. As the night went on, it was getting hard and harder to get up and walk to the bathroom (the pain would shoot down my legs, making it hard to stand and walk). This morning I decided to call the doctor to see if there was anything else I could do to relieve the pain and he decided that he wanted to see me at the hospital to rule out a bladder infection and make sure I wasn't having contractions. We got to the hospital and I was hooked up to fetal heart monitors and a contraction monitor. Turns out I was having contractions, but they weren't rhythmic, which is good. He ran some tests on my urine, which looked good, no infection. He did another FFN test, which was negative, whoo hoo. Long of the short, after nearly 5 hours, he let us go and said that he wanted to me start taking Ibuprofen to ease the pain and help "settle down my uterus". Now I am just at home, relaxing and watching a movie with Steve, Stella, and Sophie.

I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas!

Fetal Fibronectin Test

2009-12-18T17:25:00.000-08:00

Today Steve and I went to the doctor for our 26 week appointment. Here are the highlights:

Both girls are head down.
I'm not dilated and my cervix has good length.
And the big news....my fetal fibronectin test came back negative. This negative result means that the chances of going into pre-term labor are VERY slim (at least for the next 10-14 days). Here's some info about fetal fibronectin test if you're not familiar: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fetal-fibronectin/MY00128

We go back to the doctor on January 4th. At this next appointment we will have an ultrasound for growth and a more precise cervix length, and I will do the dreaded gestational diabetes test. I picked the orange flavor, not sure that was the best choice, but we shall see!

Merry Christmas, hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday!!

The Girls...

2009-12-05T18:01:00.000-08:00

Steve and I got to see the girls again on Thursday (via ultrasound that is). Here are the statistics...

I was 23 weeeks 5 days pregnant.
Sydney Camille (baby b) was measuring 1 lb, 4 oz
Morgan Danielle (baby a) was measuring 1 lb, 10 oz

An update through photos....

2009-11-26T19:39:00.000-08:00

On November 10th Steve and I took a trip to Portland. We had tickets to the Elton John and Billy Joel concert but turns out Elton got a small case of Salmonella and had to cancel the concert. We decided to make the trip anyways and do a little early Christmas shopping. Oh and did I mention buy some things for the GIRLS!!! Yep, we found that we are expecting TWO GIRLS!

The nursery furniture arrives and Sophie and Stella were not sure what to think about the new furniture. (Just for clarification...that is Stella on Steve's lap and the Zerba's dog, JD)

My husband is quite the crib constructor. He put together 4 cribs in 24 hours - 2 at our house and 2 at mom and dads. Yep, grandma Laurie is ready for babies!

On November 22nd mom, Erica, and I hosted a baby shower for Donnie's wife, Meghan. The shower was lovely and Meghan looks fabulous!! We are very excited to meet baby Sophia Grace, due in January 2010.

Meghan, Erica, and I at the shower...notice anything strange about this picture??

Bobby and Erica displaying some adorable "baby goods."

Now for the real test....do you notice anything strange about this photo?? Did you say only one baby - you are right!! Steve and I are super excited to share the news that we are going to be auntie Lexie and uncle Steve in June 2010 - Bob and Erica are expecting!!!

And here she is at 10 weeks....

The Wedding of JD and Brianna Buschbach

2009-10-18T15:37:00.000-07:00

Steve and I just returned from his little brothers wedding in Wenatchee. JD and Brianna got married at the Ohme Garden and the reception was at a local winery. Except for the rain, it was a beautiful wedding and the reception was filled with good food and good wine (so I hear...).

Here are a few pictures from the weekend!!

This picture was taken at the Ohme Garden during the ceremony. Funny how the men were all under cover and they left the women to stand in the rain with umbrellas. That just seems wrong to me...

JD and Brianna with Evelyn (Michael and Heidi's daughter).

Steve and his older brother Michael with their Grandma VanOort and Grandpa Buschbach.

Heidi (my sister-in-law) and I displaying our bellies. Heidi's due date is March 10th. Our twin due date is March 6th. We are a mere 4 days apart.

And for fun...Steve and Dave showing off their bellies!!

16 Weeks

2009-10-13T20:33:00.000-07:00

Wow..this is a long awaited update! So much to report.

Last weekend was my birthday and I must say, the greatest part was waking up on Sunday morning and seeing green instead of brown. The day of my birthday we had a team of friends and family laying 9,000 square feet of sod. We were still 500 sqft short. If you ever have to lay sod, they can only fit 9,000 sqft on a semi. I owe my husband a huge thank you - for the past 3 weeks, he has literally worked day and night installing our sprinkler system. He would get up at 7am starting working in the yard and then go to work from 2pm-11pm. I don't know how he did it, but Stella and I are forever greatful. Here is a pseudo-yard photo... Our terrorist puppy Farihah Hayed Shi Thead al Stella has been busy planting SDD's (smelly doggy doodoos) in our yard and pulling up rolls of sod and shredding them. Good puppy! we still love her though.

On Saturday afternoon, after laying sod all day, we headed to Walla Walla to celebrate my

birthday. We started off at Garrison Creek Cellars for wine tasting and a tour - everyone said the wine was AMAZING, I only got to smell, swirl, and spit. (Of note, my mom even enjoyed the wine!) After wine tasting we went to dinner at WhiteHouse Crawford. If you have never been there, I highly recommend it. The steak was, as Bob and I put it, on the top 3 of all times! Here is Steve and I celebrating my birthday at WhiteHouse Crawford...

In baby news - the doctor says they are doing just fine. I'm now on the every other week doctor appointment schedule, which means lots of trips to Richland. At our last appointment, we got the results back of our Down Syndrome screening and the doctor said the results looked great...nothing to worry about. In gender news, I went prepared to my last appointment to beg and plead with the Dr. to tell me what they were. He explained that the ultrasound machine wasn't that great, but after he got done scanning the babies he did offer up his "guess" to which he said "I think pink." Not sure if that means one pink or two pink; but as we all know, I am still holding out hope for one pink and one blue! At any rate, he will take another look with the portable ultrasound on Monday (10/19) and then I have the big gender/anatomy scan on Tuesday, November 3rd! (this must be quite the ultrasound as it is scheduled to last 2 hours...but Steve and I will enjoy every minute of seeing the babies) Just to clarify, the doctor does a portable ultrasound at each appointment because a fetal Doppler monitor is quite difficult with twins. I leave you with my 16 week belly shot (as Steve says, something must be going on in there because my belly is GROWING)....

Ultrasound, ER, and the Doppler

2009-08-30T10:05:00.000-07:00

Let me start this post by saying that the second part of our last post (about our new puppy, Stella) was not written by me...that was written by my dear husband. In no way have I ever thought of putting the twins in a crate!

Steve and I had another ultrasound on Monday (8/24) and it was very quick. She confirmed the heart beats and did a crown to rump measurement on both babies. The crown to rump measurement put both babies at 9 weeks, 1 day...so right on track. Boy, were they bigger than our last ultrasound. The ultrasound tech was not very friendly and I had to request pictures...needless to say, they are a little blurry, but they will do. I was just glad to hear that everything looked, "great!"

Well that was Monday....the rest of the week I began a decline to severe nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. By Friday, I was unable to keep any food or Gatorade down. I told myself if I woke up on Saturday and didn't feel any better, I would call the doctor. On Saturday morning I woke up after being up most of the night in bathroom, I was still very weak and dizzy, but I was starving. I had Steve take me to get breakfast, which I proceeded to eat, but it didn't stay in me for more than about 5 minutes. I broke down and called the doctor and he said to head to the ER. My mom volunteered to go to the ER with me as Steve had worked all night Friday and had not been able to go to sleep yet. The ER staff were wonderful. They did explain that I should never let dehydration get that out of control again. Right before I was discharged, this wonderful nurse asked if I had heard the heartbeats yet (with a Doppler), which I hadn't. She said she used to be an OB RN and said that at 10 weeks you can "sometimes" hear the heart beat with a Doppler and if I wanted, she would try. I of course said "YES" - I was exactly 10 weeks yesterday (Saturday). It took a few minutes but eventually, we heard the galloping of the babies heart beat. It was very difficult to distinguish between Baby A and Baby B, but we definitely heard hearts beating in different part of my uterus...whoo hoo!! Let me tell you...two bags of IV Fluids and IV nausea medicine, I felt like a new woman last night!

Our next appointment is for our Nuchal Translucency Scan (the ultrasound for Down Syndrome and the Trisomies) on September 14th. Steve and I will pass the time until our next appointment, preparing for our trip to San Francisco with Bob, Erica, and my mom and dad - we leave this Friday! We are all quite excited because while we are down there, we have great seats for the Hall and Oates concert on Saturday. Looks like the twins are going to their first concert...they better learn to like Hall and Oates because their grandpa will surely make them Hall and Oates aficionado's.

Announcing.....Buschbach Twins!!

2009-08-15T19:28:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay in posting....it seems these days I barely have enough energy to get through an entire work day! Steve and I ended up having a few ultrasounds since our last post, but I was hesitant to announce we were pregnant with twins until we made it through a few weeks with no "problems." I am happy to say we have been "problem free" (knock on wood) for the last 2-3 weeks. So, we are officially 8 weeks pregnant with twins and we still are having a hard time wrapping our heads around that...

We also got a new puppy her name is Stella, I figured I needed some practice with something that wakes up early and pees and poops all the time. I think I still need practice. Steve has been working graveyards and I can't handle her in the morning because she has so much energy and I have none, so I leave her in the crate until Steve comes to deal with her. I figured I may have to do this with the twins when they come. I have also noticed that this pregnancy has enhanced my senses and I can smell things from miles away. Puppy's have funny smells... and bad smells.... and their food smells. Long story short, I guess Steve got a new dog as I have yet to claim her due to those smells and her energy. Steve likes her though so I guess we can keep her.

Cautiously Optimistic.......

2009-07-21T20:42:00.000-07:00

After much thought about whether or not to announce the outcome of our IVF Cycle, we have decided to share our news - we are PREGNANT!! As the titled says, we are "cautiously optimistic" because Steve and I have already had a few bumps in the road, but we are hoping and praying that everthing will turn out just fine in the end and we are leaving the situation in God's hands.

On Saturday (7/18), I went in for our first blood test and it was positive, my hcg was 306. The next thing they look for is for the number to double over the next 48 hours. On Monday (7/20), we went back in and the blood test came back at 607. As you would expect, I was nervous that the number didn't quite double, but the clinic reassured me that the number was just fine. I must mention that my nervousness and anxiety was compounded by the fact that I have been spotting for the past 4 or 5 days.......ugh! We have scheduled our first early-ultrasound for 8/14, we will be 7 weeks, 6 days pregnant. Our hope and prayer is that we see a baby and a heartbeat!

Steve and I are holding onto hope and our faith in God that this will turn out the way God intends. We appreciate everyone's thoughts, prayers, and well wishes. It truly means so much to us!

The Waiting Game..... by Steve

2009-07-13T13:18:00.000-07:00

Its been 4 days since the embryo transfer and we are waiting impatiently until the day when the blood test can be done to see if we are still progressing along as scheduled. We will update after pregnancy is confirmed by ultrasound in about 3 weeks. Lexie is a little anxious but is coping well. Steve has been cleaning the house constantly because the wind storm we have been having blows sand into the house. If anyone wants to bring over some dirt bikes we can go jump the sand dunes on our back patio. The bathrooms needed to be freshened up so he took care of that as well. What a wonderful husband. He is the greatest ever.

Transfer Scheduled

2009-07-07T20:11:00.000-07:00

Steve and I received a call from the clinic this afternoon with an update on our embryo's. We still have 7 embies growing in the lab...yeah!! Then the nurse gave me my instructions for the embryo transfer. Here are the highlights:

We are to arrive at the clinic at 10am and I should promptly empty my bladder. I will then need to drink 32 oz of water between 10 and 10:30am (no chugging). For those who are wondering - the water intake is necessary because they do an abdominal ultrasound prior to the transfer and when your bladder is full, they get a better view of your uterus. I also decided to do acupuncture before and after the transfer (offered by the clinic) - not sure how I am supposed to drink my 32 oz of water and get acupuncture at the same time, I guess we will see. After the acupuncture session, we will meet with the Doctor and the Embryologist and they will make their recommendations about which embryo(s) to implant. After we are implanted, I will have another short acupuncture session and then we are sent home to rest and hope it works!!

Tomorrow is Steve's birthday, how exciting that its the day before our transfer! At least I will have something to look forward to and help pass my time tomorrow, as I'm sure I'll be a ball of nerves!!

Fertilization Report

2009-07-05T20:36:00.000-07:00

I must say....god bless my husband and family, because I was a MESS today!

Yesterday at our egg retrieval, both the doctor and the nurse told Steve and I that the office would call us the very next morning to give us a fertilization report (ie, how many of the 13 eggs retrieved were mature, and how many they were able to fertilize). Steve reassured me when I woke up at 7am that most likely they wouldn't call until mid-morning (he thought around 10:30), when mid-morning came and passed, I started to get more and more anxious. By 12pm, it was no longer morning, so I called the office myself, my call was put through to the answering service and they assured me that they would get the on-call physician my message and someone would call us back shortly. By 2:30pm, I was in a full on panic, crying, the whole nine yards. When just about all hope was gone, my phone rang at 2:54pm and it was the clinic!

The fertilization report is in.....of the 13 eggs retrieved, 11 were mature, of those 11 mature eggs, 7 were able to be fertilized. So, Steve and I OFFICIALLY have 7 embryo's growing in the lab - please, oh please grow little embies!! Per the doctor who called today, the clinic will be calling us tomorrow morning to let us know if we are going to do a 3 day transfer (Tuesday) or a 5 day transfer (Thursday) - I must mention....Steve's birthday is on Wednesday, what an amazing birthday gift this would be!!

Retrieval Day - The 4th of July 2009

2009-07-04T14:09:00.000-07:00

This is going to be a short post, as I am still a little groggy from the anesthesia. Steve and I arrived at the fertility clinic at 7:30am this morning. By 8:00am I was in the operating room and fast asleep. I woke up around 8:45am and Steve was right there next to me in the recovery room. The doctor came in around 9:00am and shared the good news...13 eggs were retrieved!! Today they will fertilize all of the eggs with a procedure called ICSI. Tomorrow morning they will call us to tell us how many fertilized eggs made it to the embryo stage. By Monday morning, we should know if we are going to do a 3-day transfer or a 5-day transfer. Please pray that our embryo's grow and fertilize normally. Thanks to all of you for you love, support, and encouragement. Now, it's time to catch up on some recorded TV!

Retrieval Scheduled!!!

2009-07-02T20:05:00.001-07:00

Today at the doctor appointment, we were given great news....our retrieval surgery is scheduled for Saturday, the 4th of July at 8:00am. As my cousin Crystal said....God Bless America!!! Steve and I are very excited, and in fact, he is finally on his way up here! The count down has begun. For those of you that are interested...today's ultrasound showed 22 follicles, 15 of which are mature. On a side note, I had my "butt shot" tonight at 8:00pm on the dot, Steve hadn't quite made it to Cle Elum, so mom gave me the shot and I must say it didn't hurt and she did a wonderful job. Here's to hoping this 4th of July is as exciting as last years!!

Day 10

2009-07-01T17:21:00.001-07:00

Today is day 10 of the stimulation injections. This morning mom and I were up bright and early as we headed to my appointment in Bellevue. They did another ultrasound and more bloodwork. During the ultrasound today, they counted 11 follicles on my left ovary and 11 follicles on my right ovary!! Unfortunately, the follicles are not quite mature yet, so they sent me home and instructed me to do another round of injections tonight and come back tomorrow morning and see if I am progressing. If all goes well tomorrow, we will be looking at a 4th of July retrieval. The medications are definitely starting to wear on me. Climbing stairs seems impossible and believe it or not....I had NO desire to go to Bell Square today, walking around the mall seemed entirely too tiring. I parked myself at Barnes and Noble with a magazine while mom shopped. We just got back to the river house and I am looking forward to putting on "comfy clothes" and watching TV....too bad I don't have my DVR with me! More to come tomorrow.....

Bringing you up to speed......

2009-06-30T18:13:00.000-07:00

After nearly two months, I have finally decided to update our blog. Here's a quick update, to get you up to speed: Steve and I moved into our new house on May 16th, at the end of May we went to Canada for "Aden Puke Fest 2009," and on June 22nd we started our IVF Cycle.

As you may know, Steve and I have faced some fertility issues and had sought out the advice of a fertility center in Seattle. At our first meeting, they recommended we move forward with IVF when we were ready. Steve and I decided that we would wait to pursue the IVF until after our house was completed. Originally, we were given a tentative start date of June 1st to start our stimulation medications. But of course, we were delayed by 3 weeks due to my persistent cyst and an ever increasing estradiol level. On Friday, June 19th I went in for my 3rd Suppression Check and FINALLY passed! After the suppression check, we received a phone call from the clinic with the news we were hoping for.....Steve and I were instructed to start our stimulation medications on Monday, June 22nd.

On Monday night (6/22), Steve's mom came over for a refresher on medication injections. At about 8pm, I took my first two doses of medications. Since Monday, Steve has faithfully given me my injections each night. There was only one injection for which I tried to fire him, but after the stinging and burning subsided, I agreed to give him his job back.

On Friday (6/26) I went in for an ultrasound and bloodwork to see how I was responding to the medications. I had about 6 follices on my left ovary and 4 follices on my right ovary. (For those people reading that are not well versed in IVF lingo, each follicle has the potential to hold an egg that could be fertilized and transferred back.) We received a phone call from the clinic in Seattle on Friday afternoon (they review the results of the ultrasound and bloodwork and call with further instructions). The lovely coordinator explained that I would remain on the same dose of the medications and I would be seen on Monday (6/29) at the Bellevue office for my next ultrasound and more bloodwork.

Monday morning (6/29) my mom arrived at our house at 5:30am to pick me up for our trip to Seattle. (Steve decided to keep working until he was "needed" - he's planning to head to Seattle on Thursday.) My appointment on Monday was a great experience. We arrived about a half an hour early, but they promptly took me back drew my blood and then moved me to the ultrasound room. During the ultrasound, the nurse practitioner told us that we now have 9 follicles on the left ovary and 6-8 follicle on the right (all of the follicles were measuring between 11-15mm). They instructed me to start a new medication that will prevent me from ovulating on my own and they upped the dosage of one of the medications that I have been taking for the last week. Mom began to panic a little bit because that meant three shots she was going to give me per day - but, as expected she did GREAT!

Tomorrow morning we head back to Bellevue for another ultrasound and more bloodwork to see if I am getting closer to the retrieval. They are looking for multiple follicles that are measuring +18mm. Once they see those, they will schedule the retrieval. As a side note....at our appointment on Monday, we asked the different staff we saw, when they "thought" the retrieval would be....2 of them said Friday (7/3) and one said Saturday (7/4). Tomorrow we will know!!

For the time being, mom and I are relaxing at our AWESOME accomodations....we are staying at my aunt and uncles River House in Cle Elum. What a blessing to have such loving and supportive family. I don't know what we would do without all the support we have. Steve and I are so very blessed.

Until tomorrow, I think this pretty much gets you up to speed....more to come, on a more regular basis, I promise!

About a month and counting....

2009-04-11T17:27:00.000-07:00

The word from the builder is that we have about a month to go. Thing are going quite fast now. They installed all of our cabinets in one day! The pictures below were taken in our kitchen and in our master bathroom.

Mom's Wild Side...

2009-03-24T20:04:00.000-07:00

I guess building a house brings out the wild side in all of us!

We Have Brick, Appliances, Hardwood Flooring, and Light Fixtures!!

2009-03-24T19:45:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay in posting, Steve and I have been SUPER busy! Two weekends ago we packed up and went to Oregon to purchase our appliances, hardwood flooring, and light fixtures. Needless to say we were packed to the brim in my uncles trailer! I must say, it was a very overwhelming experience for me. I never realized how many different light fixtures you could chose from. This past weekend we drove by and saw that the brick had been delivered, we're making progress, whoo hoo!!

Wedding Pictures!!!

2009-02-25T22:02:00.000-08:00

I know that some of you have been asking for the link to view our wedding photos. Our photographer (Tera) has set up a link to view the wedding photos & the crazy photobooth pictures. The information is listed below on how to access the photos…..

http://www.collages.net/
username: Buschbach
password: 6304

For those of you who are not familiar with our photographer, her name is Tera Pettit and she is AMAZING!! If you get a chance you should also check out her webpage, I highly recommend her! Below is a little sneak peak of her talent in action!

http://www.terapettit.com/

A Look Back...

2009-02-25T21:51:00.001-08:00

My dad gave me his camera today and he has been chronicling the progress of our house with frequent pictures. Here's a look back at the progress! Keep in mind that the first dirt work was done the Saturday before our wedding, January 31st. It's crazy how fast the house is going up.

A Look Back...

2009-02-25T21:46:00.001-08:00

A Look Back...

2009-02-25T21:41:00.000-08:00

A Look Back...

2009-02-25T21:22:00.001-08:00

The House....

2009-02-24T18:56:00.001-08:00

While Steve and I were on our honeymoon, my cousin Cameron and my uncle Loren broke ground on our new house (Thanks from the bottom of our hearts to both of you!!). By the time we returned the builder (Sullivan Rowell Homes) was already framing. The way things are going, we will be out of my parents house in no time - I'm sure mom and dad are quite excited about that!!

Our new house is located in Hansen Park, a stone's throw away from my cousin Cameron and his wife April, as well as my sister and her husband. Steve and I are very excited to be moving into such a great community. I hope to post pictures regularly so that you can watch our house change with us.

Our Honeymoon

2009-02-22T20:08:00.000-08:00

Here are a few snapshots from our honeymoon! Steve and I had a great time, the weather was great, and there were no lines.I learned a little something about Steve while we were at Disney World....he loves log rides!