Teriyaki Noodles with Broccoli

Teriyaki Noodles with Broccoli-

So since becoming vegetarian, I have been trying new recipes, or changing up old ones. This is one of those I've changed up. Basically only omitting the chicken, and its still amazing! Its super simple and really yummy, so I thought I would share it with you all.

Ingredients:
1/2 box of rice noodles, linguine style
Teriyaki Sauce
Soy Sauce
Couple tablespoons of brown sugar
Peanut Oil
Vegetable Oil
Garlic
Fresh Broccoli (but frozen would work too!)

Ok, so you know me. I don't measure anything. I throw things together and taste as I go. :) So I will try to estimate for you, but I suggest you do the same. Have fun with your cooking, and experiment! For this I think sliced carrots would be fantastic, but I didn't have any at the time.

So basically get out your pot and cook the noodles as directed on the box.

Chop up the broccoli, and cook to your liking. The way I did it, was I chopped it up, and put it in a glass bowl with a little water at the bottom. Place plastic wrap on the top and let it steam to your desired texture. I like my broccoli pretty soft, so a few minutes.

In the wok, heat up about a teaspoon or so of each peanut and vegetable oil. Throw in your garlic. Then pour in your teriyaki sauce (maybe around a 1/2 cup), a few dashes of soy sauce and your brown sugar. Let it bubble up a bit and put in your broccoli. By this point your noodles should be done, then throw them in the wok as well, coat and cook for a few minutes.

And your done!

See? Super easy :) I served mine with some veggie eggrolls. You could also add chicken if you like, or tofu.

Sorry for the crappy iphone pictures, but I think you get the point. :)

AMH Lab Results

The other day I got a phone call from my RE. They got the results back on the AMH Lab they did, which was checking my ovarian reserve. Typically they like to see a 3, but my number was a 3.3. Basically on the fence of good. Anything higher than a 3 is a possible (likely) indicator of PCOS which is her concern, and frankly mine too. So she said it looks pretty good, but since its above a 3, and they already have concerns of PCOS that with additional testing it might make sense of why it was over three if I do in fact have PCOS.

We have to postpone clomid until March since my trip to Arizona with my mom is RIGHT in my fertile window. Of course! But that's okay. Gives us a little more time to prepare financially and emotionally for it. It just is hard to get the ball rolling and then stop dead in our tracks.

RE Appointment & Experiencing Birth..in person!

So the 18th of January was my Reproductive Endocrinologist appointment. Since its been a crazy couple of days, I will try to recount the appointment as best as possible.

First thing that morning I RUSHED (and yes, sped a little bit,shh!) to the office to drop off the specimen for the semen analysis. Luckily I got there within 25 minutes, and they told me within an hour was perfect, so I felt good about that. I was so anxious but as soon as I dropped it off, I instantly felt more at ease knowing that part was over with.

After the appointment I went straight to one of my best friends house, Lauren, who had a prenatal appointment later that morning. She was 38 weeks pregnant with her little boy. I have been going to pretty much every appointment with her and we were in the home stretch which was pretty exciting. After her appointment we had lunch and just killed some time till my appointment, which I was grateful for because I knew I would be super anxious otherwise!

Time came for my appointment, and the first doctor I saw was the medical director of the facility. We went over my history, and after that she explained to me the semen analysis results...they were fantastic!! I was so relieved. One piece of the puzzle was solved. We discussed some treatment plans, and what might happen if they didn't work. From there, I spoke to another doctor. She was much more laid back and very funny. She explained to me that she wouldn't be surprised if I had Polycystic  Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). The first doctor didn't mention that, so I'm hoping that isn't the case. Although, its been my suspicion for years, its just no doctor would ever take me seriously. I understand it won't be the end of the world if I DO have PCOS, but it will make conceiving THAT much more difficult.

Basically in summary they would like me to start taking Clomid. She said she would like to try that for 3-4 cycles to see if it works. No more than that because over time Clomid tends to thin out your uterine wall which she doesn't want to happen. I asked if I needed to have a hysterosalpingogram (HSG) and she said not right now. If Louie happened to have had low sperm count or something was bad on his side, then she would recommend it, but since that isn't the case, and I was able to conceive in June naturally even though it ended in a loss she doesn't think I need it. BUT, if the fertility medications do not help and we have to move onto IUI or IVF then yes, a HSG will be done prior to those. I will be coming in on cycle day 3 or 4 to have some ultrasounds done in order to check out how everything looks. Even if I do happen to have PCOS, I will still be taking Clomid but they will also prescribe Metformin as well. Which I have been on in the past.

After speaking with her regarding treatment plans, I went to see a nurse who did blood work on me, which was to see my ovarian reserve. I should be getting those results in a few days.

Only problem that I discovered once I got home that night was next month, when all this is supposed to happen, I will be on a mini trip with my mom to Arizona...right when I'm in my fertile window. SO all of this might have to be postponed until March. Which is frustrating, but not the end of the world.

I felt really good about the appointment though. I was relieved that it began with good news. I am scared though. I just have this feeling that Clomid wont work. I have this feeling inside that its just not going to happen for us. Financially IVF is so out of reach right now, especially since our insurance basically covers NOTHING. But I'm trying not to get to ahead of myself. I will be praying and hoping that clomid works. I pray that will be the thing we will have needed all along. But it almost sounds too good to be true. That Clomid is too easy. Again, I'm trying NOT to have these thoughts, but when you have been trying for so many years, its hard not to feel that way.

The next evening, I got a phone call Lauren was getting really bad contractions, but they were so irregular we didn't think it could possibly be active labor yet. Turns out, they were! By the time she got to the hospital she was 6 cm! I rushed out of the house (around midnight, no sleep lol!) and drove the 45 minute drive, the whole time afraid I was going to miss the whole thing. Luckily, I didn't, and she hadn't progressed much since the phone call. She was in so much pain, and shortly after I arrived she got the epidural. I was able to watch it being done...and I totally cried. It looked so horrible, but she was so strong, and said it wasn't that bad. Scared me to death though. Not to long later they broke her water for her, and afterwards thanks to the epidural she was able to get some sleep. Unfortunately the rocking chair I was in, was not built for sleeping, so I couldn't get any sleep! They checked her a few hours later and she was 10 cm! She still felt nothing! The doctor came in, and within a few pushes baby Izzy made his appearance. I was so grateful and blessed to be with her and her boyfriend, during such a life changing moment for them. I was glad I was able to witness birth in person, instead of through a 30 minute TV show on TLC. lol! But at the same time...I won't lie, it scared me to death. It scared me so much, for when its me. I don't know how to explain it. Not that its changed my desire to become a mother by ANY means, but boy, it was definitely scary. I'm sure that by the time its me, the excitement to meet my child will overcome the fear of the changes my body is making and the pain associated with those changes.

Overall though, I was so happy to experience it with them, especially after anticipating his arrival for so long! :)

First family photo with baby Izzy

One piece of the puzzle

So I am going to use this blog not only to get out my feelings, but to use this platform in order to document our journey to becoming parents. It may get very raw, and in detail as we go through certain parts of this journey, but that's just how it goes right? :)

It's crazy to think that BY tomorrow one piece of this fertility mystery will be solved. Louie is having a semen analysis first thing in the morning and by my appointment that afternoon we will have the results. Obviously I'm hoping for good results. But either way, I'm just ready for ANSWERS.

I went this morning to get the documents and whatnot, and the office is very nice, and the girl I spoke with was very friendly. I'm glad I was able to go before my appointment and get acquainted with where it is at, because I feel more at ease knowing where I'll be going and having already somewhat spoken to someone there. It seems to be a great place, and I'm excited to begin this with them.

At the same time, it seems surreal we are even having to go down this route. Its so hard to hear pregnancy announcement after pregnancy announcement and wonder why after trying so so hard and wanting this so badly it hasn't happened to us. BUT, that's a HUGE reason why I am so ready for this appointment! Its finally going to answer my questions of WHY NOT US. And no matter the reason, at least we'll finally know and can make a plan.

I know in my gut that this will be a good thing for us. I pray that finally this year, after so many years, I will finally be able to bring home our little miracle and it will be REAL, and not a far away dream.

So get ready, because Baby Rojas is getting ready to make their appearance, I just know it! And I simply cannot wait.

The Next Step

This January celebrates 10 years of me and Louies relationship, this October celebrates our 6th year of marriage, my 25th birthday, and Louie's 29th birthday...

For the past 5 1/2 years we never thought by this point in our lives we wouldn't have a child.

For the past 5 1/2 years, we acted as any other normal married couple, expecting and hoping it would just happen, when the time was right, as God planned.

I never thought that I would experience a miscarriage.

I never thought that we would be at a point in our lives where we might just have to accept it is just not going to happen naturally for us.

2012 is going to be the year we get answers. Its going to be the year we hopefully get our miracle.

Next week, we will be seeing a fertility specialist. Something I never thought we would have to do. But as month after month goes by, and year after year, I've accepted that this is something I need to do, and its not the big bad scary thing I thought it would be. I am ready for answers, good or bad, to move on with our life, and figure out a plan of action. I'm becoming excited for it. Simply because it is one step closer to our child, our dream.

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers and we undergo the testing in order to hopefully provide us with answers we desperately need.