The Final Countdown....

I am still trying to wrap my brain around the idea that we will be welcoming our second little boy in just a few weeks.  We had almost given up the idea of having another baby.  The entire process was getting to be a bit much.  Our doctors didn't give us much hope.  We had a lot going against us.  Having Brayden was a miracle in itself considering Chad's genetic disorder.  Getting a healthy embryo is very difficult.  That mixed with my age makes it almost impossible.  We were shocked when we got pregnant with Brayden and were frankly happy with having just him.  However, as time passed we realized that Bray would miss out on a lot not having a sibling to grow up with.  He has Ash and Zach but they are so much older than him - they seem more like an aunt and uncle.  There were other options that would have been cheaper and easier physically but since the last time we tried several years ago Chad changed companies and insurance coverage.  We were so lucky that he now worked for a company that would pay a considerable amount toward up to 7 rounds of IVF.  They paid for most of the doctor appointments, the sonograms, labs, medicine and even the anesthesia - after the deductible and coinsurance/copays.  They would not pay for the procedure or a few of the other things involved.  Brayden took the first of the 7 that would be covered.   We had originally set aside enough money to cover a full 7 tries since we just assumed it would take several to get pregnant at all.   After much prayer and discussion I agreed to try up to 6 times to have another one.  Chad really had his heart set and I wanted to give Brayden a full sibling.  Unfortunately (and fortunately) it took all 6 times to get a healthy embryo that stuck.  I had honestly moved on emotionally during the last cycle.  I was so tired of the drugs and the process that I just wanted it to be over.  I have literally spent the last 3 years continuously either going through fertility treatments, pregnant or postpartum.  If you know anything about fertility drugs - it makes you feel awful!  However, at the end of the day it is ALL worth it.  The thousands of dollars, the heart break month after month and the horrible side effects of the drugs  are all worth it when you are finally holding your little one.  Anyway - since I had moved on emotionally it took me a few months to even come to terms with being pregnant again.  That mixed with having a toddler running around.... and a 19 year old going to college for the first time made this pregnancy fly by.  I cannot believe he is almost here!!!

It started out like this.......

And a couple of weeks later we got this....

And then a few weeks later we had this.....

and now we enter the final countdown to meet our little boy.