Claire ~ Yep, I'm going to accept it as soon as the principal can call me back!

Cap'n and I went to an A's vs. Angels game today which was fun. Cap'n caught a foul ball and the game went 12 innings until the A's won. At the beginning of the game, Cap'n was flapping his lip about baseball and I was tuning him out to stare at this baby. This past week in the 2WW I haven't been thinking 'what ifs' every two seconds, but the moment I saw the baby it came crashing down and then I felt what I thought were cramps (and as a reminder, I'm going to put on NPC tonight). Then this A**hole behind us was so flippin' drunk and kept telling me to clap and stand up when I wasn't doing it. Finally, Cap'n had to turn around and tell him, "We'll enjoy the game our way, you enjoy the game your way." He was dancing around with a yellow and green wig and gigantic foam cowboy hat that he kept hitting me with. His g/f kept giggling and saying, "Honey!" I wanted to throttle her too!

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Have any of you guys every ordered pregnancy tests online? I was just kind of looking around tonight, since J and I are going to be starting to try again, and pregnancy tests are so stinkin expensive, but I didn't know if the ones online were as good I guess.

This is the site that I'm thinking of ordering them from....

Early Pregnancy Tests: hCG Pregnancy Midstream and Test Strips

Can anyone tell me if you have had any luck, or if they are crappy or anything?? I don't want to waste my money on them if they are no good......and I've never used the strips before, but that's what I'm thinking of getting. Any suggestions or opinions would be VERY helpful! Thanks!

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Hey everyone, hope everyone had a great weekend. A weekend with DH's entire family, well let's just say I'm glad it's over. Although my temps stayed up. I had cramps yesterday, very bloated and ate everything in sight. I'm pretty sure AF will be here in the next couple of days. Which I guess when that happens I'll call my dr. I think I'm staying home today.

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[center]Mary

Mary - I really hope AF holds off another week or so for you... if she comes anytime sooner than your LP is really short. I think the normal range is 10-16 days.

Jen - I'm glad you've decided to go to another doctor. I use the EPT OPKs as backup for my CBEFM. They're okay... some of the other girls have had not so great results with them (Claire and Lindy). I've noticed that it can be hard to get a true positive since they come out half positive alot like this POAS ~ OPK FAQ They are cheaper but if you can swing the more expensive ones than it will probably make things alot easier on you.

Mel - there's always a drunk idiot at sporting events, isn't there? Have you been using the NPC? I didn't see it on your chart...

Becky/JJ/Claire - Sometimes I think we waited too long but then other times I remember that there's no way I felt ready before the time when we started trying. I feel so YOUNG and its so weird to me to think that at 33 (almost 34) I'm OLD. ugh!!! I do worry moreso because I want more than 1... hence the wish for twins And Claire - you can't participate in this conversation because you're not old!!!!

Becky - so glad things seem to be going better with RE#2!!

Claire - your puppy is so cute... I want to go to NM and kidnap her!!!

So AF showed up late yesterday... it was more spotting last night though so I guess I'm going to call today CD1 since I woke up with megacramps. So then I will start clomid on Wednesday. Does that sound right? Also I know not to take vitex but I was wondering if its okay to take EPO, B6 and baby aspirin with clomid... since clomid can mess up your CM I was wondering if I should continue with those.

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Happy flippin monday. WTH, we get one of these stupid days every week. I vote we take all mondays off the calendar.

Irene- but I FEEL old! LOL. DH is 33 next month (oh, wow-I need to start looking for b-day present) and he's the one who is really worried about being "too old" to have kids. That's why we haven't talked about (nor have I allowed myself to dream about) IUI, adoption or anything. The last time we talked 'deadline' is was october (in 3 mo). As in, if no pg by october then we go back to preventing. Then he acted like he might give on that, but we were having a fight at the time, so.......well, I just haven't wanted to go there. Sorry about AF, but I'm excited for your clomid cycle- is that weird that I'm excited?

Mary- A whole weekend with the inlaws? And you aren't in a rubber room? Good for you! I second Irene-if AF shows too soon, that's not good. What makes you think the witch is coming? Oh, and I believe it's a LP that's less than 10 days is considered a "defect". yuck, I hate these terms.

Jen- I haven't used the early pg test from that site yet. The OPKs are ok, I have decided that they are cheap enough to get preliminary readings and to satisfy the POAS urge. But I'm double checking the OPK results.

Mel- That's what you get for going to a baseball game-wouldn't it have been more fun to watch concrete cure? LOL, JK. I got into it with a drunken fan at a snowmobile race in Minn once......let's just say Capn' was more diplomatic than me. I was at the race, to race and I went up into the stands to watch my friends' race. I had ALL my race gear on except my helmet, so it was pretty obvious I was a racer. Well, this ahole behind me yells "oh, c;mon, that guy races like a girl". oops, wrong thing to say to me at 18. I threatened to kick his butt and then challenged him to race me........surprisingly, he backed down. Yeah, I know what you mean about staring at babies. What's up with that? I didn't used to do that. Now, everytime DH catches me doing that he looks at me like he's worried I might swipe someone's kid!

Bina- My LP is 14-15 days usually. I'm not sure what to expect with my delayed O, though. My temp this AM I think says it all......guess there won't be a BFP for fathers day .

JJ-ooooo I hate it when my comp does that! I have satellite internet, so I think that's where it mainly stems from.

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Mary ~ No....we are supposed to be cycle buddies, that is ridiculous, it is way too soon for AF (or a BFP). I thought I felt cramps yesterday at the baseball game, but I have a pinched nerve in my back, so maybe I misinterpreted radiating pain, idk...

Irene ~ I started it last night I had to dig it out of a cabinet, I had put it away... I'm sorry about AF, damnit!!! But yay to clomid, twins, here you come! I'm anxious to see what Rebecca (or any other expert) says about clomid with EPO and/or Vitex, because I think I'm heading down the clomid path....

Claire ~ You're too funny. I was about to turn around and tell the guy and his annoying g/f off but you're right, Cap'n is more level headed than me. We ended up moving at the top of the 9th b/ we just weren't enjoying ourselves, I was stewing and Cap'n kept trying to listen to him if he was talking sh!t about me.

BTW, my temp went up this AM. Now I got a sunburn on my arms yesterday at the baseball game, could that have an effect on temp???

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Mel - clomid and vitex together is a big no-no... but I can't find anything that says EPO shouldn't be used in combination with clomid. I'm hoping Rebecca knows something too...

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Irene - Crappy AF!! Yes, you will start your clomid on Wednesday. I don't think the EPO will affect anything since it's not an estrogenic herb. The B6 and baby aspirin will be okay too, but yes, definitely do NOT take the vitex!

Mary - OMG this trip is costing a fortune! I just called Loon Lodge to schedule my water taxi. He's charging $15/mile these days. It's a 10 mile jaunt to the island! Yikes! I thought about calling Lakeland Airways to see what they'd charge to fly me in (a float plane) - nevermind, I just called them. For a one way flight (about 7 minutes) from town to Devil's Island is .....ready..... $260 plus 6% GST Well, looks like I'm just taking the water taxi.

Our weekend was good. I had clinic at school saturday then we went to a picnic for dh's golf league. Yesterday we met my MIL, FIL, SIL, niece for dinner. It was really good!! Then dh and I just sat on the porch and played with the dogs for a bit.

About the whole age thing. Um, I'm begining to find gray hairs on my head and still not getting pg.... Dh had me use the #2 trimmer on his hair this weekend - he's almost scalped! He said the shorter it is, the less gray you see. Anyway, yes, I wish I had started sooner, too, but we were waiting for our church wedding and his stupid anulment from the church. Just makes me think even more that this is how it's supposed to be, ya know?? I mean, who knows that if we started ttc earlier it would have taken the same amount of time or not??

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Thanks Rebecca! I was pretty sure I could take the B6 since its in PNVs after all but its good to know the baby aspirin and EPO are safe too. What about mucinex? I've never used it b4 but I'm really worried about this CM issue since I don't think I have great quality CM to begin with...

I hear ya on the expensive vacations... we are still paying off France! The memories will last much longer than the bills though!!!

And I have gray hairs too... its annoying to have gray hair, fine lines and still get the occasional zit... WTH?!?!

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Irene - I think the mucinex will be okay, too. As long as you're not taking herbs that are phytoestrogens (like don't drink soy milk), you should be okay. Vitex affects the pituitary gland, which is what clomid does, that's why they're not a good combo. Wild Yam, Blue/Black Cohosh, Saw Palmetto, Dong Quai - are all phytoestrogens or will in some way affect the hormones in our bodies.

It's just sickening because years before we could go to the lake on about $600 plus gas to drive up. Now the dog sitter is costing us almost that much! It's ridiculous. Next year, we're staying at our friend's island even if I have to do the cooking. At least there we can take the dogs and we have no rental fee for the island.

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So yeah, good thing I've been working on my filter for my mouth or I'm thinking the entire IL group would of known exactly how I feel about all of them by Sunday. To sum it up the lake, boating should be a GROUP effort. I guess someone forgot to tell them that.

Either way I don't know what to think about these cramps, they are just mild right now, but with the food intake and my mood I know AF will be here soon. But I guess it will provide me with more answers and that is all I want at this point.

RAC - So $300 for there and back, dang! And I can't believe flight are getting so high! I wish I could say that I had a good time with my IL's.

As I sit home and do much of nothing today, I will update you all on my cramps, and signs of the witch.

So if my LP is short, what will they suggest I do?

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Mary - Let's wait and see IF your lp is short before we try to determine what they'll do for you. It's only 6dpo..... hang in there.

I could fly from Pgh to Phil for less than that!

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Mary - I agree with Rebecca... hopefully the cramps/bloating you're feeling are not a sign that AF is on the way so lets just wait and see. Sometimes we can go crazy imagining symptoms especially when there's nothing else to do!! Even if your LP is short there are lots of things they can do which is why its good that you have a doctor who recommended you chart and figure it out.

Rebecca - thanks again! I think it sounds really nice that next year you can bring the dogs with you on your vacation. And if you're cooking that will be a good way to save some money too.

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Irene - Generally, we stay at our friend's place where there's no rental fee and we have to take all of our food, prepare it, clean and bathe in the lake etc... This year, we're going to a 'resort' type place where we'll have our own cabin (bedroom, living room with fireplace, bathroom with shower - bonus - and screened porch) and three meals are prepared each day, the girls clean the cabins in the mornings and the boys bring firewood, cocktails around 4:00 and what ever else we need. So, since this is our first time up there alone, we're splurging. When we go to our friend's island, there's usually 2 other couples/families there, too so it's a full house, but we share the food expense and cleaning.

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Rebecca - OIC! It is nice to travel with friends but sometimes the alone time is necessary too. I'm sure the splurge will be worth it.

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Happy Monday -- boy... what an oxymoron! I hope everyone had a good weekend. DH and I were lazy... we didn't get much accomplished.

This cycle is really weird for me... I haven't been sleeping well, and that may have something to do with it. My temps are just weird! Also, when checking my cp... it has been open since AF (sorry TMI). I've never taken two cycles of Clomid before, so maybe that's it.

With regards to age, when I told my doctor I was afraid my age might be a factor in getting pg (I'm 28..) she told me I'm still a 'spring chicken.' I don't know.

Claire -- that pup is adorable!!

Okay... I live in a small town, and I always go to the same convenience store. They hired a new employee, so I introduced myself when I was at the register (again.. small town.. lol). She replied with, "Nice to meet you Honey, everyone calls me FLO." I wonder if she is an aunt??

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