PhD, OLR, TPCK, TPD: A life of letters

before i go back to comps

brooke — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 02:13:55 +0000

yes, i’m in the middle of a huge endurance test. before i go back to my phd comprehensive exam - i’ve started a section over there —> links to other choice moms - those who are already, or who are like me - ttc. gotta blog? want me to read and link? sure! just leave a comment.

so, i told my papa

brooke — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:02:20 +0000

about this site (hi dad!) and these plans. and for the first time since i started talking about this he was really supportive. thanks dad, it means a lot to know you like this idea. i just hope that the ovum and the sperm work well enough to create a little harriet or harry. oh what a happy day that would be, to meet baby and for you to have a little name sake. if he or she were to get from me all that is you in me and if those were to be the dominating characteristics of baby i would be super happy. okay, minus the hard headedness, yes, i could do with a child that would be a little less stubborn than you, i, and al.

appt #2

brooke — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 22:42:32 +0000

appointment #1 for baby is the 24th at 8.15am. just a physical. appt #2 is a one hour consult with pac repro on the 26th. hmm. all this is real. yep, yep yep. whoo hoo. i’d be a bit more excited, but i have comprehensive exams for my phd next week, and i just woke up from a nap.

oh, and here’s this for counting the ovum before they are fertilized? i ordered an all-in-one diaper that was 1/2 off. not one size though. if i don’t get pregnant i will give it to someone who is and who uses cloth.

and i’ve gotten some great advice and more counting my ovum before they are fertilized..

brooke — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 06:40:51 +0000

from the same woman i’ve connected with from the ch. mom’s list. i’m ever so grateful for her advice! i hope i can make this happen, really and truly. why? because i’ve already counted my ovum before i’ve even tried to fertilize them!

in my thinking about baby, i’ve done things like decide i’ll go with cloth diapers, and even go further to choose the particular cloth diapers i want to use. (these because i’m really really lazy) why cloth? because i know i’ll save money in the long run and the environmental effects of disposables make me cringe. i don’t judge others who use the disposables, but i just don’t want to do it myself. and these particular ones - well, because i know that having a baby use the same set over a course of their diaperinghood will save money too.

and i’ve looked at portable washing machines, because i don’t have one, nor do i have a hook up in my apartment. i don’t think i’ll need a dryer because i live in the desert and things dry crazy fast here! i’ve got 2 lines up in my house and with the apt needing to be warmer for baby, things will dry that much faster.

AND i’ve asked a friend “can i borrow this or that” if (when) baby comes? as long as she doesn’t have her own she said that i could.

AND this weekend i’m meeting with my pastor (pastor p, or just p, he’ll probably show up here again - he and i have been meeting regularly since i showed up at his church last june) and i’ll tell him that i’m planning to start ttc-ing soon. God willing i’ll still be here in logan when baby comes - pastor p will baptize this baby and that is a moment i can’t wait to see. he baptized me in january, and i’ve seen him baptize babies.. when he baptizes babies he’s like a kid in a candy store, so very happy. i would be so honored if p could baptize my child - it would just mean so much for p to baptize baby because i just think so highly of him (and he baptized me, that added bonus!). *sigh*

see? counting the ovum before i’ve even tried to fertilize them. and though i know this will be the most difficult thing i’ve ever done, the idea of seeing and smelling MY baby with a big ol’ diaperbutt that i have to clean, the idea of seeing my baby being walked through my congregation after being baptized, the idea of going through all that mothers go through, well, it just thrills me to no end. the hard times and the happy times. time for this kind of trial and i can’t wait. because i also know that i will spend hours staring at this being that i got to create. i can’t wait to experience all that.

when i ttc the first couple of times

brooke — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:17:55 +0000

i’m going to do it at home, with an unknown donor. that’s why i decided to go with pacific reproductive services - b/c they’ll ship that unknown donor to my home. i’m going to get 2 vials to use on over 2 days. i’ve been tracking my cycles since december - just my periods, but not doing the temperature thing.. i started to, but then i read that it’s really only useful to let me know after i’ve ovulated. but i’ve got one of those clearblue easy fertility monitors, that i bought a long time ago, which still works. i’ll use it for the first time on saturday - so, march i’ll track. i’ll ttc for the first time either in april or may. i’ve been emailing with a woman on the choice mom’s list and she told me that she did it at home too - which made me feel better - A LOT better.

posting from the ipod

brooke — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 23:55:14 +0000

just making sure this blog works from the iPod touch too. oh and hi! to everyone visiting from the cmoms list :)

registration papers sent

brooke — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 23:47:20 +0000

for the sperm bank i’m going to use. i just put them in the mail, with my credit card number in it. i also just had an honest conversation with a person that is probably my best friend in town. no - i don’t really know what i’m getting myself into, but does anyone, really? and i won’t know until i’m in it. i can do this, i know i can. too many women have come before me who’ve done this. it’s my turn now.

names

brooke — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 08:02:03 +0000

boy

harlan harry
harlan henry
alfred harry
harry seamus
seamus harry
harry alfred
alfred henry
harlan alfred harry
harry alfred harlan

girl

harlan esme
beatrix esme
harriet esme
harlan harriet esme
harriet beatrix esme
esme harriet
esme beatrix

*notes.

my beloved dad is harry.
alfred is my beloved grandfather
i love the name esme
harriet is the female form of harry
beatrix means: blessed, or bringer of joy
esme means: esteemed
seamus is just a groovy name.
alfred means: wise one.
harlan means: rocky shore.
harlan is my great uncle who died at age 4, before my grandfather was born.
- his full name was harlan henry.

i’m here.

brooke — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 21:28:18 +0000

i’ve got, in front of me, registration forms from pacific reproduction services. last year i started this process, but i got side lined by a lot of things. this year i’m serious. i have an appointment for a physical in a couple of weeks. i have no idea how much of this process i intend to document, but if i decide to document a lot of it, this space is here, if i decide to document just a little, this space is still here.

and yes i’m just this stupid to be doing this in an economy like this. but i’m 36.