Our infertility adventure so far

December 2001: stopped taking BCP's, I had just turned 34 years old, Brad just turned 33

January 2002: Started charting and reading books like The Twelve-Month Pregnancy

April 2002: Started officially trying to conceive

November 2002: Told my OB that I was concerned because we had been temping and ovulating regularly for 6 months. He thought it was ok to keep trying on or own for 6 more months.

March 2003: Brad and I are sent to Amsterdam to work for 5 months. We decide to stop timing sex, but we do not prevent.

October 2003: We get tested. Diagnosis is MFI. We are told our only avenue is to pursue IVF with ICSI.

November 2003: We make an appointment with the local RE but we are turned off by the receptionist and our "welcome" package. We are also scared of going to IVF.

April 2004: Miracle pregnancy with our second unmedicated IUI.

October 20, 2004: Ernest is born at 27 weeks 0 days. His birth defect causes preterm labor and makes him non viable outside the womb.

2005: We try multiple IUI's. We finally admit Ernest was a miracle and go to the RE

January 2006: IVF #1: (8 eggs, 6 mature, 6 fertilize, transfered 1 grade A blast and 1 grade A expanding blast, none to freeze) BFP - diagnosed as a blighted ovum 2 weeks later

June 2006: IVF #2: (13 eggs, 9 mature, 8 fertilized, transfered 2 grade A expanded blast and 1 grade B expanding blast, none make it to freeze) BFP

July 14, 2006: Brad is out of town, but the clinic refuses to put off the first ultrasound. The RE is also out of town so a nurse does the scan. She incorrectly diagnosis our baby as a blighted ovum. I spend the weekend on the couch crying.

July 19, 2006: HCG is still rising. The clinic sends me to someone who specializes in doing ultrasounds.

July 19, 2006: We saw the heartbeat. It is 6 weeks 6 days, but our baby is measuring 6 weeks 2 days. We choose to stay hopeful.

August 14, 2006: "This is where your baby used to be" are the words of our OB. He was not being unkind, just helping us understand.

August 26, 2006: We miscarry at home. Next time, I promise myself, I will go for the d&c.

December 2006: Drugs in hand to start IVF #3 but we just can't do it. The second anniversary of Ernest's death, my 39th birthday and the holidays are too much. We wait for the next cycle to start.

February 2007: IVF #3: (10 eggs, 10 mature, 8 fertilize, transfer on day 3 with 2 grade 1 and 4 high grade 2, 1/2 fertilized with donor sperm, none to freeze) BFN

March 2007: Our RE starts to groom us for donor eggs. He suggests one more try with my eggs and then right into donor eggs.

May 14, 2007: IVF #4: (20 eggs, 17 mature, 14 fertilize) The embryologist calls to tell us we won't be able to put them all back on day 3 like we planned and recommends growing them to blast. He said it is like he is working with an entirely different couple.

May 18, 2007: IVF #4: Only one embryo looks good, but it is "a beauty queen" and is hatching. The embryologist suggests just transferring the one embryo, but we decide to put back all 6. BFP but such a low beta we don't go back for beta #2.

July 2007: Meet Belinda for the first time. We feel very good about using her as our donor

August 2007: Belinda jumps through a bunch of hoops, we take care of legal and we both go on BCP's to synchronize our cycles.

September 2007: IVF #5 with DE: (17 eggs, 16 mature, 9 fertilize; transfer 3 grade A expanded blasts, freeze one grade A expanding blast) BFP Pregnant with a singleton.

June 20, 2007: Our daughter, Little Butterfly, joins the Interesting Times Gang.

Trying for #2:

June 2009: Transfer our one frozen embryo from LB's cycle with only a 15% chance of success. We are surprised to learn we are pregnant just that easy.

August 4 2009: Released from the RE after good HCG rise, heartbeat and baby measuring on time at 8 weeks 2 days.