tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1124874236647515442012-01-05T23:23:05.336+01:00After years of high speed traveling on the Infertility-train we've finally arrived at the "Life after" station. We briefly hopped back on the train for our first and last FET, and against all odds I am now the mother of not one, not two but THREE children! Who'd have ever thought that a couple of years ago? Not me, that's for sure...Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.comBlogger431100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-25879575695242895592012-01-03T14:45:00.000+01:002012-01-03T14:45:14.457+01:00

Freely translated: We wish you all a 'fairy' nice 2012!!! Oh how I love need photoshop! There's no way in hell I could ever get all three of them looking even a little bit decent in just the ONE picture. And it saved us having to buy a second and third Kabouter Plop costume... ;-)

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-32249752277874697472011-11-17T15:42:00.001+01:002011-11-17T15:43:38.627+01:00

- One of these three kids is a big fan of jigsaw puzzles... - One of these three kids is very very VERY strong-willed... - Two of these three kids are twins... - One of these three kids is the best hugger in the whole wide world... - Two of these three kids are constantly trying to win but never do because they are too busy crying about maybe NOT winning... - Two of these three kids are starting

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-51832738428021365482011-07-25T09:04:00.001+02:002011-07-25T09:07:33.122+02:00

...I really don't... I don't get why anyone would impersonate a cop to be able to gather as many CHILDREN as possible around him. So he can easily SHOOT every single one of them. To then walk around and shoot them all AGAIN to make sure they are really dead and not just pretending. To then start walking around searching for anyone else alive. So he can keep going. And going. And going. Why that

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-76949450326384750972011-06-14T09:30:00.000+02:002011-06-14T09:30:40.627+02:00

I missed the right window with Ivo. He seemed to be ready a year and a half ago, only just two years old: staying dry for long periods, telling me when his diaper needed changing, not wanting to poo unless in bed. Because I was on bedrest with our youngest at the time I just couldn't do it. There was no way I could rush him to the potty every time he'd ask for it. So I decided not to tell him the

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-768989278497700002011-04-08T11:11:00.001+02:002011-04-08T11:31:44.867+02:00

When we stopped using birth control over 8 years ago my (then boyfriend now) husband gave me a baby-names book for my birthday. We worked our way through it in the car the next week, on the way to his parents. Giggling at most, laughing out loud at some, writing down others. When we got to his parents house we'd found one name that was IT for both of us. It was a name that could be used for both

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-82071614567027215222011-03-04T11:03:00.000+01:002011-03-04T11:03:11.814+01:00

The past year there were NO hospital visits (apart from that first week in neonatology), NO physiotherapy appointments, NO pre-speech/eat-therapy, NO cardiology scares, NO cognitive testing, NO worries... As a result, time has flown by so fast we didn't even see this coming: The past year was one of giggles, of cuddles, of playing, of laughter. You have learned to roll, to eat, to crawl, to

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-8299910030812242642011-01-22T16:19:00.000+01:002011-01-22T16:19:02.031+01:00

Three years ago, today, we got to take you both HOME for the very first time. Three years ago, today, you slept in your own little cribs in your own little room for the very first time in your life. I know today is not your actual birthday. For me, though, January 22nd will always be a very special day... I love you both so, so much!

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-32118640303409637522010-07-23T14:59:00.006+02:002010-07-23T15:30:55.730+02:00

Just over three years ago the last in a long list of treatments gave us 5 tiny but oh so precious little embryo's. Two of those turned into our now 2 1/2 year old twins. Their start in life was scary and premature and there were times when I feared for their lives, their futures. But against all odds they have since grown into two of the most amazing toddlers the planet has ever seen.A year ago

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-22183966595993945992010-03-22T08:38:00.003+01:002010-03-22T10:14:27.441+01:00

Yes, it IS a boy! He was born on March 4th, at 36w1d. A very respectable term, considering all that's been happening with this pregnancy the past couple of months. We never expected to get this far!It was a very speedy birth: exactly 4 hours and 5 minutes from the first contraction till the moment they handed him to me all covered in blood and goo. We only narrowly avoided a c-section, since his

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-82216516942362641002010-03-08T16:52:00.002+01:002010-03-08T17:17:46.164+01:00

But the news is terrific: It's a boy!!Born early on the morning of 36 weeks and 1 day he was in time for breakfast. The first day was very very good and spent together.The downside of being in the hospital is that Mijke is offline again, so for now you'll have to make do with a second hand story -instead of waiting longer.Mom is doing fine (except that everything hurts, why did nobody tell her

Valerynoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-86976422420969680942010-02-06T14:42:00.002+01:002010-02-06T14:57:54.013+01:00

Guess what? I managed to escape the hospital... I passed their "walk up and down the hall for 30 minutes"-test or whatever they call it. Still having light contractions a couple of times an hour, with a couple of extra scares thrown in just for fun. But since the steroid shots have had time to do their very important job, and having passed the 32 week mark, they have changed the flags in my file

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-67311321558714212592010-02-05T09:03:00.002+01:002010-02-05T09:37:36.057+01:00

She is doing great!The first night in the hospital was rough, with at it worst contractions every 3 minutes (!!) . With the medication dose doubled however peace and quiet returned. More hours were won for those little lungs. We were joking on the phone that while other people count down the weeks from 32, she is counting hours. Like 12 hours more than the twins already. And then one more night,

Valerynoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-91831187282393296892010-02-02T16:26:00.003+01:002010-02-02T17:08:04.729+01:00

Message from a friend.Mijke just called and told me not to be scared, and just post a message for her saying that she is ok, and hanging in there. In a hospital. I suppose the good news is that the baby is hanging in there/her as well. If I remember correctly she had her weekly check up this morning and was told her cervix was getting too short now. Time for hospital.As a precaution she was given

Valerynoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-22246674282346120132010-01-15T17:35:00.002+01:002010-01-15T18:26:01.208+01:00

Wow. 29 weeks... Almost into the 30's... a little less than 3 more weeks and this little one is at the same term the twins were when they were born. And look at THOSE two now!I knew this pregnancy was going to be a scary one, what with my background. But I didn't know my fears would consume every waking (and almost every sleeping) moment. To be honest, they didn't really, up until viability. I

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-91305111552559265132010-01-02T10:19:00.000+01:002010-01-02T10:21:43.692+01:00

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-69565808772557874732009-12-19T15:55:00.007+01:002009-12-23T09:08:54.996+01:00

(TWO is TWICE the fun!)

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-18619729799890988282009-10-07T09:37:00.003+02:002009-10-07T11:03:25.657+02:00

It's very hard for me to blog about my pregnancy. It's not that I have nothing to tell. Not that I don't enjoy every tiny little moment it will last. Not that I am not completely in love with whatever is growing inside of me.It's just that somehow, I feel I didn't deserve it...Two years ago, when I was pregnant with our twins, I was fully aware of the fact that it took a lot of hard work to get

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-60493312555086898012009-08-12T13:51:00.002+02:002009-08-12T13:57:31.237+02:00

Our ultrasound today showed a tiny little miracle, measuring spot on for 7 weeks. With a perfect little heartbeat.Knowing we had two embryo's transferred, and having had twins before, it was a bit weird seeing just the one. But it feels exactly right. It feels perfect! Welcome, little bean. Welcome home!

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-43027219122923986442009-08-04T09:06:00.004+02:002009-08-04T12:28:41.494+02:00

After 5 days, the spotting stopped. Just like that. No blood yesterday, not even a little bit. I am carefully starting to breathe again.I feel like a little kid now, nervously counting down the nights until her birthday. Looking forward to it, but also a little scared of what that day might bring. 8 more nights until the first ultrasound. 8 more nights until we "meet" our new baby for the first

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-41071229656339206022009-07-31T09:06:00.002+02:002009-07-31T09:23:01.135+02:00

As of this morning, I am officially in freak-out mode.I've been spotting for 2 nights in a row, have lower backpain, and just an overal pre-mentrual feeling. And I'm FREAKING OUT!! The first night I thought: oh shit. I'm getting my period. And then I realised I am 5 weeks pregnant. Whatever's coming, it's NOT a period. And then I cried.The second night I tried to convince myself it might just be

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-19128927787392589292009-07-28T09:39:00.003+02:002009-07-28T10:01:04.474+02:00

How's this for a positive peestick?I am actually starting to believe I am pregnant. Me. Again. Wow!And it already amazes me how different it feels this time. Not physically, but in my heart. Last time, it was so surreal. We had almost given up hope we'd ever become parents, didn't look further ahead than the next day. We knew we were pregnant then, we saw the double lines. Saw the ultrasound

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-47100556847042667552009-07-23T07:59:00.003+02:002009-07-23T08:56:07.193+02:00

Okay. I confess. I'm not THAT patient...Yesterday morning (14 DPO) I peed on a stick. I'd been feeling a bit sick since Tuesday. Nausea. And I was tired enough to fall asleep on the couch while watching NCIS. I NEVER fall asleep watching NCIS. And I just felt, well, pregnant. Turns out all of the above? Just a stomach bug that hit me full on Yesterday afternoon. But.The test?It had a second line.

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-89796561190582551202009-07-21T08:08:00.000+02:002009-07-21T08:09:19.052+02:00

I'm not "supposed" to test until next Tuesday, but that's just torture! I am certain they just say that to bug you. They are like that...But. I am not on any progesterone or hCG shots (cryo transfer in natural cycle). So. I should start menstruating tomorrow or Thursday. Thus. If I haven't seen any blood by Friday, I will consider myself pregnant. And once I do, they can stuff their official

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-64815368573400199362009-07-13T08:51:00.004+02:002009-07-14T16:22:30.157+02:00

Yesterday morning we had to call the IVF lab to hear if there was anything left to transfer. The only other time I've been so scared for a phonecall was just over two years ago, the morning of our second IVF transfer, the day we met our twins for the very first time...Yesterday around lunchtime I was in the car, on my way to the clinic.Yesterday evening we looked at each other and said: "Oh help!

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-70349976786311137142009-07-10T13:47:00.003+02:002009-07-10T13:54:49.197+02:00

...we don't want our family knowing about our upcoming transfer (and yes, they do know how to use Google). How's that for a boring reason?If this works (yeah, right), we would like to choose our own time and place to tell them about our pregnancy. We missed out on that last time...They will start thawing our little popsicles tomorrow. Nervous? Me? Nah... *biting nails while wiggling toes

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-9580352487738082172009-07-08T14:59:00.004+02:002009-07-08T16:26:04.988+02:00

...and gone was our follicle.Uterin lining at 11 mm, ovulation confirmed.Now they're busy trying to find out at exactly what day past retrievel our embryo's were frozen, so they can figure out the best day for transfer. My file seems to have gotten "lost".Man, they are good at losing things there... The NICU files of our twins (yes, of BOTH kids) were missing too. I asked for a transcript in

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-46200839387518292212009-07-06T15:51:00.002+02:002009-07-06T16:04:21.298+02:00

The scan today showed a leading follie of 19 mm. On the RIGHT side. It seems my right ovary looked at my left, saw it wasn't cooperating, let out a big sigh and thought: "Well, if you don't, I will!"Ex-leading follie on the left is now at 17 mm so it, too, is still growing. Imagine that: double ovulation in a NATURAL cycle? If we'd not have chosen to go ahead with the FET, we might have ended up

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-68752402029499489912009-07-02T22:21:00.002+02:002009-07-02T22:29:50.246+02:00

Did you hear that? That loud grinding noise? Did you? Did you?That was me. Or more accurately, my FET-cycle. Grinding to a halt...I was prepared for everything this cycle. The phonecall from the lab saying: "Sorry, no go, none of your embryo's made it through the thaw". The spotting. The cramps. The negative pregnancy test. The positive pregnancy test but no heartbeat on the u/s. And every

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-68621121370987294652009-06-29T13:36:00.004+02:002009-06-30T11:06:04.217+02:00

Yesterday's scan showed 1 dominant follicle in my left ovary, measuring about 12 mm. Lining approximately 6 mm. Right on track for CD 10. Next scan thursday. My guess? Ovulation Friday or Saturday, and FET Monday or Tuesday. If there is anything left to transfer after the thaw of our 3 popsicles...That's the hard facts. Now for the rest of the story: I am such a bad person. I am. Really!Remember

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-20217344941362695932009-06-22T22:34:00.002+02:002009-06-22T23:19:34.797+02:00

CD3...Called the clinic this morning to schedule u/s for first (and last) FET. Since then I've been alternating between excited, nauseated and scared shitless.There's this knot in my stomach that just won't go away. All the fears and hurts of all those years of ttc for our twins came flooding back in the second I put down the phone. Multiplied by the fears and hurts and worries surrounding their

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-40438147830599478232009-06-02T12:44:00.007+02:002009-06-02T15:19:42.116+02:00

In about two more weeks our twins will be 18 months old. A year and a half. That's ALMOST TWO! Well, not really, but in just a couple of weeks they will be closer to two years old than they will be to 1. They are becoming less baby and more toddler everyday. It's amazing how far they've already come. When I look at pictures of their NICU stay, of their first few weeks of life, it seams just

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-54294454193975110692009-05-05T11:49:00.006+02:002009-05-05T12:14:51.802+02:00

...the whole world is a playground. And everything in it is just waiting to be discovered!The backyard is a jungle, the tall grass a place to hide while stalking the neighbour's cat. Until she comes too close and you remember she's no mere cat, she's a huge tiger! And you are her hunter. Or, maybe, her prey...?The stairs are a mountain, covered in ice and snow. The attic its summit. You dream

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-38454583359270996282009-05-01T14:12:00.002+02:002009-05-01T14:53:18.928+02:00

How desperate does a person have to be to drive his car full speed into a crowd of people? A crowd of people celebrating Queensday. Wearing orange, waving flags, laughing. Trying to catch a glimpse of the Royal Family, nodding and waving from the relative safety of an open bus... A crowd of HAPPY people, bringing their CHILDREN along to celebrate and watch a yearly event that's become a valued

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-21505316745184301332009-04-08T11:57:00.007+02:002009-04-09T14:32:46.417+02:00

Thanks, Stacie, for letting me tag myself... THREE NAMES I GO BY1. Mijke2. Mickey3. Still working on the last one: MOMMY. So far all I've been able to get out of our twins is "Whawhawhaaaamamaaaaaaawhaaaa!", "Uh. uh. uh" and "Bah"THREE JOBS I HAVE HAD IN MY LIFE1. I was a volunteer with Girl Scouts USA, helped out at day camps and courses and even had "my own" Girl Scout Troop for a year. Not

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-55738657304881964242009-03-05T16:55:00.002+01:002009-03-05T17:09:06.387+01:00

Yep. We're back at the station. Waiting for the train. Still not quite sure whether we'll hop back on when it stops in front of us, but we've at least packed our bags and headed towards the platform. I called our IVF-clinic yesterday. Told them how much we liked playing at their russian roulette table last time. So much so, that we might want to sit down, grab a gun, and start shooting.

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-57651229690119903552009-02-26T16:40:00.007+01:002009-02-27T13:44:31.726+01:00

There's a lot of things most women have been able to do for centuries. Millennia, actually. Maybe even millions of years. Most women take all those things for granted. They "just happen".One of those things is conceiving a child. It happens all the time, everywhere in the world. All that's needed is a willing bloke (and aren't they all?) at the right moment, a little hanky panky, and done! So

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-13502201311057417872009-02-25T09:34:00.004+01:002009-02-25T09:58:25.715+01:00

I think I have to clarify something. Something I thought of when reading some of your comments. Something minor, really. Not important. At all.Here goes: Only ONE of them is actually a BOY... For the other, it's completely okay to be dressed in flowery outfits!That said, yesterday I did something even worse: It was still Carnaval, and I was supposed to drop them off at daycare in funny and/or

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-9990496097191262282009-02-22T19:40:00.003+01:002009-02-22T20:39:45.838+01:00

Okay, this ICLW thing... It seems I didn't quite understand what I was getting myself into... Reading new blogs and meeting new people: check! Listening to their stories: check! Leaving a comment: check! Okay, I'm not up to full speed yet, it being weekend and carnival and all. But I'm working on it. I read the "rulebook", but it seems there's some little things that are not in there yet but have

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-45287601215877623002009-02-20T10:14:00.008+01:002009-02-20T10:52:56.665+01:00

Sometimes, mothers do stupid things. Little things, like forgetting to bring extra diapers when leaving the house. Bigger things, like stepping on small hands or feet. Huge things, like not using a car seat while driving*.Most of those things go unnoticed. Most of them are forgiven easily. Babies are resilient. And they have short-term memories. And they will love you no matter what. Or will they

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-4848337291095674512009-02-12T11:31:00.006+01:002009-02-12T13:02:13.727+01:00

...have I just set myself up for disaster?I just signed up for IComLeavWe. And it starts on a Saturday... So with us trying to keep computer-time to a minimum over the weekends so we can spend the precious time we have together as a family doing the things we love most, that means triple the comments on Monday... Sometimes, I need a big kick in the butt though, and participating is a great way to

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-61295471950568558872009-02-09T15:44:00.003+01:002009-02-09T15:50:28.763+01:00

And when they do, they STILL look cute... *grin*

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-46829415474105632972009-02-09T13:59:00.007+01:002009-02-09T14:18:54.888+01:00

Are you really sure you want to know what we look like? The kids are cute and all, but my own face might not be a pretty sight on an empty stomach (or a full one, really). Maybe just a couple of tiny feet to get you started? Or maybe, just maybe, some hands that just started to discover one another 8 months ago? Oh well, what the heck. Here they are:

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112487423664751544.post-3424894983208069922009-02-06T09:41:00.001+01:002009-02-11T11:44:50.391+01:00

Hello blogosphere,It doesn't seem fair that I have been reading some of your (English) blogs for, like, forever, and commented on some of them as well. Not while the only things I throw on the Internet myself are written in Dutch and thus nothing more than complete and utter Gibberish to most of you. Okay, there's the pictures. And since my kids are obviously the most wonderful and special kids

Mijkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03419152007363065688noreply@blogger.com2