In the meantime...

AF arrived April 7 (which made my last cycle 28 days long!). I should only have my period twice more before my surgery! Until then I am just biding my time and trying to enjoy the spring. I am not a very patient person, however, so I am doing some things to help me feel like I am not just being passive and wasting time. Here are some of the things that are helping me survive until June!

01. I got a new matching set from Victoria's Secret. Super fancy and girly compared to what I normally wear. That is NOT me in the picture, just so you know! Hahaha! The Bee believes that everyone is in a better mood when they wear matching sets of things and it is still working for me! If you are feeling down, maybe it is time for a new bra and underwear set :) I don't mean to belittle anyone's sorrow by saying new underpants will erase sadness or hardship, but when you look good, you feel at least BETTER if not actually good.

02. I am leaving the prenatal vitamins in the cupboard until I get my BFP! For now I am taking a combination of other vitamins including this Stress-B Complex which includes B9 (folic acid) as well as 7 other B-vitamins. B-vitamins are supposed to help with one's sense of well-being, have been known to help regulate menstrual cycles, and also:

• Help convert food into energy
• Help support immune system health
• Help maintain nervous system health
• Protect against damaging free radicals

03. I am eating tons of leafy green veggies (especially broccoli, kale, and spinach) which are thought to help rid the body of excess estrogens. I am also eating chia seeds (yep...the things that you grow on Chia Pets!), which are an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids. And I am being really serious about eating NO gluten! My stomach is so much happier for it and I hope my healthy eating pays off in more ways than one! I am still struggling with my weight, though, and hope to gain at least 6 pounds by my surgery!

04. I am listening to music that makes me happy. Right now Fitz and the Tantrums (pictured above) is my #1 musical love! Also in the mix: Aloe Blacc, Raphael Saadiq, Amy Winehouse, and the '90s Music Choice channel (because I know ALL the words!). Also, I often have the song Soulful Strut playing on repeat:

Be honest...can you feel down in the dumps after that tune?! If you said, "Yes, I am still down in the dumps," then you need to strut around the room soulfully while listening to it again. I can guarantee it will make you feel at least a little better :)

What do you do to mange the stress of infertility when you are waiting for the next step?

Bring on the Spring!

Well, AF officially arrived last night. I, in my silliness, actually took a pregnancy test first thing yesterday morning (only the 5th one I've taken since starting ttc 20 months ago). I was wondering if *maybe* I could actually be pregnant and didn't want to go on my first run of 2012 if I was. I didn't think I was based on my previous cramping, lovely skin, and mood (hence the half of a rum and Coke I indulged in with Friday night dinner) but the heart is a funny thing and hopes even in hopeless times. It was a very clear BFN, obviously.

Yesterday was an amazing, spring-like day! Sixty-three and sunny with a lovely breeze! Very strange for March 10 in the cold north! The temperature actually broke the record for the historical high (it was 58 on March 10 like 60 years ago). I am so glad I went running. I was reminded about how amazing some exercise and fresh air can make a person feel! It did lift my spirits (thank God for endorphins!) although I still cried at least 3 times over the course of the day. I have 3 more cycles before The Bee and I get to move on to the next chapter of our story...I am both terrified and excited about my laparoscopy in June.

So, since AF is here, that means I get to go shopping for my new boots! I am thinking of getting some Minnetonka Moccasins. What do you think of them?

 

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