You are safe.


Maddy's death has shaken so many of us to our very core. It is all that anyone is talking about. We are confused, and upset, and angry, and scared. It is unimaginable. 

BUT at the same time I made a very deliberate decision yesterday to let my baby go play down the street with some neighborhood kids (including girls that we often pay as mother's helpers). It was the first time that we'd let him out 'alone'. 

I don't want to live or raise my child in a world that is scary. I want him to grow up knowing that people are generally good, that he is generally safe, that he belongs here in his community. THIS might be my only true desire for my child.

I grew up riding the city bus home from elementary school by myself, getting a hot dog at the transfer station, and then walking home from the final bus stop. Bad things happened to kids then too, but maybe it was different when we didn't watch those bad things play out hour by hour on social media.

I just read a facebook post about a fellow mom who was on the train with a few young girls. She helped them figure out their train stop and then got off the train to help them find the right street to proceed home on. It was this important reminder for me that there is good all around us. That the 'good' will always outweighs the 'bad'. I've been feeling like I needed to get all of these thoughts out and her post really helped frame my thoughts.

It wasn't 5 minutes before we could see my son with his friends through our back window. My husband and I just stood there watching him play, feeling all of the feelings that come with watching your child grow up before your very eyes. It feels like one of those moments that will be forever etched in my mind - standing huddled at the window watching intently as his head bobbed around and his laugh echoed off the neighboring houses. We decided it was time for me to walk over and bring him home. As I walked down the street he and his friends came skipping towards our house.

Kiss you babies tonight. And please remember that WE are the good in this world. Keep a loving and helpful eye on all of the other precious babies you encounter on your path.

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BFN, Now What?

My beautiful little fox turned 3 years old in December and we decided it was time to start planning our FET cycles to use our two remaining frozen embryos. I started medications in December for a January transfer that was canceled at the last minute because my lining was not ready. So we signed up for the March transfer cycle. We doubled my meds, and everything was looking good. One of the blastocysts did not survive the thaw and we transferred the other one on March 20. I did a great job of being hopeful, but we got the call today that it is a negative result. 

I am disappointed, for sure. But its hitting me slowly, and the grief of it all is growing.

So now what? grieve, and spoil my son. and then we will have to make a decision about what to do next. 

To be honest, I had a hard time really getting exciting about it all in the first place, but I'm sure that a big part of that was the need to protect my heart from the total devastation that I felt with every BFN when we were trying to get pregnant originally. I keep rationalizing that our family is complete as it is, that we've already beat the odds and don't deserve to try again, that an only child will be fine because we have very close family friends he will grow up with, that the first year of having a baby was so hard and I'm not sure I could do it again (without ending up institutionalized). But then I know that I always wanted a big family, I can't imagine my life without my sisters. I want my son to have siblings to experience life with, I know how much my husband wants a second child, we are the only ones in our social circle who would have a single child, etc....

The thought of a full IVF cycle again is overwhelming, and the cost is not something that would be easy to swing. If we knew if was a sure thing I have no doubt we'd sign up tomorrow, but it is so hard to continue down a path where the odds are against you. 

Did we give it our best shot by using the two embryos? Can i live with that and feel like this is how our family is meant to be? Or is this a rollercoaster that we are not yet ready to get off of just yet? 

Thoughts and advice would be so appreciated. xoxo

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a day for our family



Putting a call out for super sticky baby vibes! We have our Frozen Embryo Transfer tomorrow morning, and as much as I know the odds are against us, I can feel the hope creeping in deeper and deeper. 

Four years ago tomorrow was our embryo transfer that made me a mom, and eleven years ago tomorrow I married the love of my life. 

The day bodes well, but omg I am nervous.

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Hang on tight


Here we go again!

It was inevitable. or so it felt.

and as terrified as I was, we made the call. I made the call.

And we sat in that office, listening to the Dr tell us about the two perfect grade A embryos that are sitting on ice. Our embryos. Two perfect little embryos that were waiting for us.

and our perfect little boy at home who keeps saying that he is going to be a big brother. because that is what all of his friends are saying. even though we keep correcting him and reminding him that he is a big cousin, not a big brother.

But here we are. Sitting in this office again. and I am terrified.

Terrified of the roller coaster. terrified of a 'maybe' pregnancy. terrified of an infant. Terrified.

and he says "we've had a 60% rate of twins this last year". and I might get up and run.

But I do want it. as scared as I am. I do.

and so here we are.

wish me luck, send me love, I don't even know what to ask for.
I just know that I'm back here again, and I'm hanging on tight.
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Make the Breastpump NOT Suck Hackathon



This coming weekend a group of AWESOME MIT folks are convening a "Make the Breastpump NOT Suck" Hackathon. How FREAKING cool is that!

I was one of the lucky ones whose milk came in and was able to nurse without any issues. It was easy. Little fox nursed like a champ for 18 months (until I cut him off, but didn't really cut him off so he still nurses on occasion, but that's a story for a different blog post), and I pumped milk at work every 2 hours for 9 months. Breastfeeding was a commitment, but it worked for our family.

But when I saw this hackathon was looking for ideas and feedback I JUMPED at the chance to share a few suggestions!

Again I was a lucky one who had a private office to pump in whenever I needed to, and a uber supportive boss who essentially made it part of my job to inquire about pumping rooms at every off-site location I visited (which happened at-least daily.) I was able to schedule meetings around my pump schedule and store my milk in the office fridge (which apparently is a problem for too many moms.)

This is one of those issues that I KNOW would be different if WOMEN were in positions of power to make things different. Most men will ever understand what its like to accidentally spill 3 ounces of milk that you spent 30 minutes extracting from your body with a noisy machine while visualizing being at home cuddling with a baby that you had to leave with a stranger. The size and noise of the pump was hideous and I drug that thing with me EVERYWHERE. The horror of being engorged at work and realizing that you forgot your flanges in the washer at home. There are so many things about pumping that SUCKED, in addition to the reality that a breastpump is nothing like a suckling baby.

What would you love to see in a breastpump? Submit your idea at http://breastpump.media.mit.edu/idea.php
and join the discussion at https://www.facebook.com/groups/hackthebreastpump/

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First Day of Pre-School


A few friday's back Mr Fox and I sent little fox off to his very first day of pre-school. The moment is as sweet as I could have ever pictured it.

I was searching pinterest the night before for first day of school picture ideas and every third pin was about 'first day of school separation anxiety'. NOT THIS KID! He literally ran away from us, wearing his monogramed backpack, screaming Bye!

For a difficult the first year of his life was for us all, little fox has grown into the sweetest, gentlest, confident little guy. He is generally happy and kind. He has so many friends, who he loves to see and asks to play with often. He gives kisses and randomly says "l love you mommy". He sleeps through the night! He says please and thank you, regularly impressing people we don't see often.  He's awesome - serious, I mean it!

I'd love to take credit for it all, but really think that it is just WHO HE IS.






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no nonsense foxy

Its a Saturday afternoon. Little fox is napping, and Mr Fox is out for a ride. The laundry is running, the kitchen is tidied, and I am sitting her wondering what I should be doing. I've been wanting to blog, but don't have any clearly formed thoughts - nothing specific to post about. I just poured myself a mimosa, cheers - kiki baba, and logged in.

Late Summer in the Foxy home has been alright. Mr Fox has been a little more moody than normal, probably a bit depressed, and I've been working full time for the past two months, but generally speaking things have started to calm down. Working full time has actually been really nice, there is more consistency to my days, and honestly, I get so much more (guilt-free) time to myself, which I really do need.

I resigned from a non-profit board that I've been heavily involved with since its formation, and although it has been sad to watch things that I invested so much of myself into fail to grow into what I envisioned, it is a serious relief to not have that weight to carry any more. I passed the torch to a fully capable group of women and they proceed at their own rate along their own path.

I promptly joined two more Boards, because, you know, I suddenly had so much free time. ha. Really I couldn't help myself. I am super excited about both groups and the people who I get to work with.

One is a local charter school. The public school where I live really isn't a viable choice for little fox. and there are many private school options, but omg it would be hard to find (and justify) the money. The charter school is a great compromise of a public school mixed with the dedication of private school faculty and parental involvement. The school is currently renting substandard classrooms from the local district and embarking on a capital campaign to build a new campus. Super cool project.

The other board is a national consumer advocacy organization working to ensure that women can expect to receive evidence-based maternity care as the norm, and that their right to informed consent and refusal of care is respected. The other women involved are like rockstar amazing women, and I am inspired everytime we interact.

With both groups I am wanting to engage fully, but not exactly sure where I fit. I am reminded that we all have our strengths and weaknesses as I see the inter-personal dynamics play out among the existing teams. And I find myself being more assertive and decisive than I ever pictured myself. I just don't have the patience to sit in meetings or to deal with things that are not outcome focused. I also find myself knowing more than I expect, and with the confidence to assert my knowledge and experience. Maybe its because I am no longer the youngest person in the room, or because I've wasted all my patience at home with my boys, or idk, maybe I've just turned into a B. Whatever it is, I really feel like they can take me or leave me, and I don't have the time or patience to deal with nonsense.

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cranky


Here to vent, so that hopefully I can get it off my chest and then fall asleep.

I get so angry at Mr Fox when I am the one who has to be responsible for everything. Its not that he doesn't help, he does, but somehow I am always the default, always the one who has to make sure that our child is fed, bathed, dressed for bed, ready for bed, and put to bed. Its not that i don't love doing these things with my little fox, but it pisses me off that Mr Fox can spend an entire evening with his ass on the couch, not getting up once.

And yet when I bring it up, to say, hey, I wish you could help more in the evenings. I get the defensive, are you saying I don't do anything around here? No that is NOT what I am saying. I'm trying to communicate, I am trying to for your help, rather than stewing over the fact that you didn't help tonight. Its a lose lose deal.

And so here I am, angry. Hiding in the bedroom. Its not solving anything, and only making me more angry that he doesn't even notice that I am gone.  Grrr...

I hate this feeling, of anger and resentment, I hate it. It is a shitty way to feel, and really confusing because I can't remember ever feeling this way before we had little fox. and I hate the implication that it is because of little fox that these emotions surface.

Damn I hate this feeling of being alone.

And to make my emotions even more complicated, I feel like I *should* be getting *more* because its been two months of AA. I tried so hard to leave lots of space for the process, to set aside any expectations, but i tell you, its hard to not want it all, and want it all now. I still feel so disconnected, and now I really don't know how to approach it.

Not resolving anything here as I write, just making myself more upset. Maybe its time to try and talk again. I just want to know that this is a rough patch and that things will resolve.



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this and that


Happy 4th of July!

Mr Fox just hopped on his bike to ride downtown. I'll pack little fox up when he wakes from his nap and meet him downtown for the festivities. So I find myself with a few minutes of peace, just for me.

My anxiety is running out of control this week. That feeling where my insides are vibrating and my thoughts could cease to be my own at any moment, it sucks, and I don't like it.

To my credit, there IS a lot going on right now. But I did get a little lax about taking my medications daily too. So I have some faith that if I can just ride it out that things will feel better soon.

I really think too, that I was trying SO hard to hold it together during this past month, not knowing what was going to happen, that I finally am starting to relax again and all of the fear and anxiety that I was holding inside is emerging.

Mr Fox has been going to his AA meetings everyday. and last night I finally hired a babysitter so that I could go to an alanon meeting. I cried the whole hour, but it was tears of relief really, that I was there knowing that Mr Fox was at his own meeting.

My co-worker had her baby this week, so I'll be working more hours to cover for her while she is on leave. The reality of our job-share is that we each get paid 20 hours /week to work something much closer to 30. I'll be officially working 30 hours/week while she is on maternity leave, but can't realistically do much more than that. So I am looking at a task list that requires 60 hours/week and only have 30 hours/week to get things done... Being at work, where I usually feel like I am getting a 'break' felt extra stressful this week. I actually, for the first time ever, wondered if I would prefer to not work outside the home.

But then there is Mr Fox, who confirmed this morning, as I suspected, only has one active project right now. On the one hand its good that he has this time to focus on self-care, meetings, exercise, rest, etc... but on the other hand, he really needs to be working because, you know, we have bills to pay.

I suggested that maybe he could take on an extra day of watching little fox, since he wasn't actually working 4 days /week. (My mom watches him 3 days a week and we each watch him 1 day /. week) He started to balk, implying that it wouldn't be fair or something, but I immediately called him out on it. My days are scheduled to the T, with NO free time for me - Yet he gets all the free time he wants because he is not working as much right now? That crap makes me angry.

Closing on a positive note - can you believe how freakin adorable my little fox is? Seriously.




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