After the IVF

Have you ever? Game:

Taken a picture naked? No, but a photographer (artistic one, not porno one) asked once...I was too shy.

Made out with a member of the same sex? No, I like boys too much

Danced in front of your mirror? Often, not enough lately

Told a lie? Yes, I used to lie all the time when I was a kid. Even into my 20s, but as I aged, I realized it did not really bring any benefits. Truth made me feel freer, nothing more to hide.

Gotten in a car with people you just met? I can't remember, but I don't think so.

Been in a fist fight? Nope

Had feelings for someone who didn’t have them back? Yes, that was my love life in my early 20s and some of my 30s. Some of the intensest emotions I have ever experienced. Don't ever want to feel like that again.

Been arrested? No, I like being law abiding

Left your house without telling your parents? No, I could really come and go as I pleased, but I always let someone know.

Ditched school to do something more fun? No, what could be more fun than school?! (Actually as I am a late bloomer, I did take off early one day from medical school with a pal and we went swimming in Barton Creek in Austin.)

Slept in a bed with a member of the same sex? Yes

Seen someone die? Yes, job hazard of mine. Not fun, emotionally difficult each and every time.

Kissed a picture? Hmmm...Shaun Cassidy?

Slept in until 3? No, Noon yes.

Laid on your back and watched cloud shapes go by? Yes, super fun

Played dress up? Yes

Fallen asleep at work/school? Yes, 1 pm lectures with lights out and slide projector on

Felt an earthquake? No

Touched a snake? Yes, horrible feeling

Ran a red light? Yes, at 6am driving to drill team practice in High school

Had detention? No

Been in a car accident? Yes, transported to ER in a ambulance in my drill team practice electric smurf blue leotard, tights and white skirt (Yes, I looked like the Asian Smurfette). My head shattered the back seat window and I was so achy all over. No broken bones, but lots of bruises and chunk of hair missing from my head.

Pole danced? No

Been lost? Yes, more that I want to remember

Sang karaoke? Yes, I wish I had a home machine

Done something you told yourself you wouldn’t? Yes

Laughed until something you were drinking came out your nose? Coca cola...really burns coming out my nose

Caught a snowflake on your tongue? Yes, snow is rare in these parts, but oft enjoyed

Kissed in the rain? Yes, really, really cold

Sang in the shower? Occasionally

Got your tongue stuck to a pole? No

Ever gone to school partially naked? No, but often in my dreams

Sat on a roof top? Yes...favorite...on my Grandmother's condo complex watching fireworks from Dodger stadium

Played chicken? No

Been pushed into a pool with all your clothes on? No

Been told you’re hot by a complete stranger? Yes.

Broken a bone? No

Mooned/flashed someone? Yup

Forgotten someone’s name? Yes, often. I am good at avoiding saying their name (or I think I am).

Blacked out from drinking? No

Played a prank on someone? No, I can't tell jokes either

Felt like killing someone? Killing, no. Abducting, yes

Made a parent cry? Mom, of course

Cried over someone? Yeah, breakups

Had sex more than 10 times in a weekend? No, sounds painful

Had/Have a dog? Jigger

Been in a band? No

Drank 25 sodas in a day? ICK

Shot a gun? No

My dh and I had the past week on vacation and spent a lot of time with the baby. Today was back to the grind and I came home and lo and behold the wee one was sitting, mostly steady, unsupported. She also demonstrated a bit of military style creeping about 2 inches forward. I am still amazed how much can happen just in one day! I was remarking to dh that the developemental milestones were pretty neat, and what if adults had them too? That at 35 years of age you could do something you never did before? Actually, I guess while we are physically developed, perhaps our milestones are more in wisdom or lack of!

That is the headline I hope to see one day soon. I was having a discussion with a fellow mom (also a successful ivf cycler, working professional) about how moms need more support in this country with regards to childcare. Most moms still could use more help in this area. We don't know what the answers are, but she sees a large untapped population of educated moms with lots of skills who are at home with the kids. Many stay home, she believes, because they cannot either find or afford quality childcare. I hope that more options will be coming as currently 60% of college students are women and 50% of professional school classes are also female. One thing would be more part time opportunities in all fields of work. I am all for less government, but it really may be time for some subsidized childcare options (or bigger tax breaks for childcare) for women who cannot afford nannies or better daycares.

We came to the agreement, that most women, whether stay at home or work outside the home, simply cannot do it all themselves and must have some help.

If our society was like that of other places, where the extended family lived together and there was always an extra pair of a relative's hands around, this would not be an issue (but I am certain there would be other issues!).

If our country had government funded/ run childcare, there would be less anxiety but we'd have a bunch more taxes/ bureaucracy.

If all women stopped working outside the home and let the males do it, we'd all have to cut back and be a lot poorer materially. There would be a bunch of females who would be really frustrated and taking lots of valium. And if the male died/ left, she'd might be SOL.


I honestly don't know the answers to this issue, and I know many magazines have been running articles (unfortunately only to simplify or berate people). One thing I hate, is when people try to tell me what I should and should not do. I will damn well decide with my own brain how to run my life. I believe our country is about choices and having lots of options. I think my friend and I concluded that we really did need to think about all this and make the world a better place, if not for us, but for our daughters.

Tonight we celebrated our wedding anniversary by going out to eat. Because of my own forgetfulness and how long we have been married, I didn't really have any plans or think about a babysitter. My dh thought we should take her with us anyway, so off we went. She did so good and enjoyed the experience very much. We set her eating chair up and she ate with us. We didn't spend too long there and came home in time for bedtime for her. So her gift to us on our anniversary was enjoying herself at our dinner. (I am posting this from home and I really, really hope this works!)

For some reason I have not been able to post from my home computer. There is some sort of new filtering device that my internet company has set up that won't let me do much of anything lately. I am blogging at the moment at my work computer to let my readers know that I have not been ignorning this. Hopefully this can be fixed or else it is time to change internet service providers.