A BUNDLE of Money

I like money. Okay, to elaborate, I like to save money. I am always counting our pennies. I am always asking Sara how much she spent where. I know it sounds controlling, but it really isn't meant to be. It's really just another piece of my OCD self that drives my poor Sara crazy.

I have a point. I've carried on and on and on some more about how much having a child costs us. It's not cheap. So, when we discussed having another, second child, though excited, the first words out of my mouth were, "Do you think we can afford it?"

"We always find a way," states my impossibly optimistic wife. Why is she always a little bit more right than I am. THAT drives me nuts!

She was right though. It wouldn't be easy, but we could do it. We already selected a donor, different from Graisyn's, but tall like her's with German/Irish lineage, brown hair, blue eyes, and we already had him on ice at the clinic. We met with our doctor who was for Graisyn and who wouldn't be this time around. We picked a new doctor. We met with our beloved fertility nurse, and we set a timeline. We would start trying right away. Forget waiting. Let's through all rationality out the window.

Armed with a limited savings, we whipped out our checkbook to pay for our visit with the doctor and our nurse. We also ordered Sara's Clomid. A little something to provoke follicle production. Let's ripen those eggs, girly, and bring on the hot flashes. And there would be hot flashes too. I remember. They suck. Horrible for her. Free strip tease for me...

Sara popped the Clomid for five days. We followed that up by an ultrasound to measure her follicles. Perfecto. Left ovary it was. Our nurse instructed Sara to do the over the counter ovulation kits to monitor for ovulation by that week Friday. If Sara didn't surge by then, I was to stab her in the arm with an HCG injection, a little by mail drugs to force ovulation. Pinch the arm fat and in she goes. Don't worry, honey, I'm a professional. This won't hurt a bit.

Sunday was our day. If the good Lord loathes the homos, he won't let 'em get knocked up on Sunday. This is the philosophy I follow so I don't get my hopes dashed. We walked into the clinic. Me. Sara. Graisyn. We trucked up to the lab to pick up Graisyn's baby sister brother. A perfect little vile of washed sperm in an orange biohazard bag. Cute.

We scurried on down to the Women's Health clinic with our gold-lined vile of goo clutched tightly in our grasp. On arrival, we were met by our other fertility nurse. Me. Sara. Graisyn. This was Graisyn's first introduction to the same nurse who had implanted me with her just a few years prior. Nurse meet Graisyn. Graisyn meet nurse. She helped make you. Remember Fine, that wasn't the conversation that was really had. But it is what the atmosphere felt like. Just a bit strange. Who would think that a threesome with a bunch of woman who aren't even remotely close to doing anything could create life. It's kind of creepy, but, hey, it works for us.

The nurse got Sara comfortable on the table and loaded her into the stir-ups. Graisyn and I pulled up a chair and situated ourselves near Sara's head. We held her hand. Graisyn continually made sure that it wasn't her the nurse was going to examine that day. I assured her that today was not her day. Our baby making process began and just like that it was over. If I were straight and it were over that quickly, I would be disappointed. Very, very disappointed. Not Graisyn though. Typical impatient two year old, "Mommy, can we go now."

"Ten more minutes, babe. Then we can go. Mumma has to rest first."

It was August 14, 2011. That was the day we tried for number two. The entire process was just as weird, nerve racking, and un-romantic as it was when we tried to conceive Graisyn. The thing is, though, that it's our process. It's what we go through to have a family. And, it certainly does make for a good story especially when the insemination works...which it did!

Wow! It worked! First go around. We didn't think that would happen. Money conscious little bugger just like me. Saving us tons by avoiding future ovulation ultrasounds and inseminations. I love the little bundle already.

Our first ultrasound will be on September 29th, Sara's birthday. I can't think of a better way to celebrate than to see our baby's heartbeat for the first time.