Calculated Risks...What to do...

So, I am not sure what to do...do I do another IUI or do we just have good, old fashioned baby making? 

The success rates for IUI's are not much higher than doing so naturally, as long as there is a good sperm count. 

"The overall success rate (for an IUI) seems to be between 15-20 percent per cycle, judging from the articles which will be abstracted below." http://www.fertilityplus.org/faq/iui.html

Whereas the success rate of naturally trying for a woman in her 30's are: 20%. http://www.health.com/health/article/0,,20411697,00.html

So, knowing that I have at least one, maybe two maturing follicles in my ovaries and have a trigger shot...I know I will ovulate...is it worth going through the IUI, or should we do this on our own this time? 

We do not have sperm issues, there are plenty and they are healthy...it's a matter of ovulation for us.

I just don't know what to do because we have done 5 IUI's and all have failed...and it feels like this whole process has gotten so technical and scientific...

My Love and I have a decision to make, but would love your input and suggestions.

Needs...and wants...

I have been working on my finals, but have so many other things that need done!!
I have a birthday party to plan for my almost 4 year old!
I need to organize the shelves in my living room.
I need to go shopping, badly!
and then make dinner.I need to do laundry.
I need to plan some playdates.
I need to plan our camping trip.
I need to play with my baby...and forget all the other things I "need" to do.

Today, a new friend of mine and a cycle buddy (we met in the waiting room for our IUI's on the same day) had a very unwanted visitor show up today. My heart goes to her and as much as I don't mean to sound terrible...I hope I will not have to by your cycle buddy again, but it's so hard to keep positive...I want this...

5th times a charm?...

So, I went in this morning for my 5th IUI...again, with only 1 egg. So much about this cycle is different than what we have seen in previous cycles, so I am cautiously hopeful that our results will be different than my last ones also.

In other news, we got a tent and will be using it soon. :) I'm excited!

And here is a photo of my super, yummy strawberry/goat cheese salad with honey vinaigrette. :) Delish!

And...that's about all I got at the moment. :p

Ready or not?

Well, my tomatoes are ready...

My strawberries are ready...

The flowers are ready to bloom or are blooming...

but my eggs, they're not yet ready...and the timing sucks! My Love leaves for training just in time for me to be ready, but there are options we can use to get what we need...they just cost money. Money I don't want to spend on this stuff, but I did not stick needles in my stomach for the last 9 days and will continue to for the next several days for nothing.

There are a few follicles growing. One bigger one in my left ovary (this is the FIRST time in over a year to get one on my left), and a few smaller ones in my right. Nurse D will call me later with my Estradiol levels to let me know if they are eggs or cysts ***Please be eggs!!!

On a different note...Lambchop is getting quite big. Wouldn't be so bad if he didn't attack my daughter every time she went outside.

V is loving her bed! She and Daddy both sit up there to read stories:

And she loves to hide in the storage steps:

And likes to just play in the top part: 

  

I finished my accounting class and start a new one today...business communications. I had better go and entertain my baby girl for a while. Have a great day!

12 birthdays...

We had to do some traveling recently down to Florida, but are now home. We got home on Sunday night and Monday was My Love's Birthday! 33 years old, which means it was our 12th birthday to celebrate together! I remember our first one, his 21st, very well...

He looks so young!

Getting ready to go in!

Drinking beer at Six Flags with Brad!
He and I were not old enough. :p

We had just recently started dating and I wasn't sure what to get him...I wanted it to be special because it was his 21st, but didn't want to overdo it because I was a new girlfriend. I got him a 12 pack of Corona's and a birthday cake. We also had a trip planned to go to Six Flags that weekend with a bunch of friends, so I paid his way at Six Flags in Louisville, KY. We had a great time!

This year, I wish I could say I did something special, but that is not the case...yet. We will do something to celebrate his birthday, but it wasn't ON his birthday...we had just gotten home and we each had busy days. We did, however, get to have lunch together before our IUI (Intra-Uterine Insemination). Without holding too much hope, we pray that this one, as we did with the three previous ones, works.
I think I will arrange a camping trip for his birthday, and will be cooking him a yummalicious pork roast with gnocchi and gravy, salad, wine,  and a chocolate cake this week. :)

For our trip, we did take one day and spend it at the beach. Our old stomping grounds, Panama City Beach! We had a blast at the beach and then headed over to Pier Park for some more fun and shopping! We also went out for a couple of meals, including Uncle Ernie's, one of our favorites!

Here are a few pics from our trip: 

Have a fantastic day!!