Cross post from tfab!!

Hello All!

I can't remember of I did an introduction or not? So here I go! Sorry for the wall it turned into!

I am 33, husband is 32, we live in SoCal (but moved from Fl where we lived for about 30yrs). I have a preteen daughter, and we just started trying for #2! I've wanted another baby for about 8yrs, but now my husband and I are in a good financial spot to try and on the same page. I started taking folic acid in February but switched to prenatals and iron pills. I had my IUD pulled out one week ago today, last Wednesday. We've both agreed we don't have a preference on the sex and we will be thrilled with both, so we don't plan to find out what the baby is. You know, when there is one.

I'm also considered insane and own a ton of baby items that I've been buying over the last 8 months or so. Everything I've purchased (with the exception of a gift I got from my dh & dh for Mother's Day) was purchased on clearance. I have onesies and outfits that I paid $0.50 for. I also own a crib (saved $100 off it, NEW, thanks to someone on baby bumps), saved $100 on a convertible car seat (I have a tiny car and it's been tested to fit in my model. Then I found it on clearance. Couldn't pass that up). I got some flack for these things from a friend, which ultimately hurt my feelings, but I don't regret buying these things. If I can't conceive or something else happens, I'll make my money back easily. And having a crib or a car seat isn't going to make it any less or more painful in that event.

Now about me physically. I have always had a wonky period. Always. Since I stated as a kid. No matter if I've been on birth control, over weight, underweight, before having my kid or after, it's NEVER been regular. Before my IUD it could be a few times a year and very light. After the IUD I went years without having one at all. Some people just aren't regular.

My husband and I decided for the first 6 months we are going to just bd like normal, but with no "goalie on the ice". I didn't really plan to track anything. However when I joined reddit, I learned what CM was and found it fascinating. So for a month or two I would randomly check it (with my IUD still in), just to see if it ever changed; which it NEVER did. It was always thick and white. Well, I got my IUD out last week. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I did some research and everyone was so different there was no way to tell what I'd end up getting symptom wise, so I had to wait. What I DID get was, going on SIX DAYS NOW, terribly sore boobs. If you've had a baby before think of it like when you're milk dries up. What showed up TWO days ago was the worst cramps every. As someone who never got cramps my whole life, these were almost like contractions lol. I expected a period to start, but now, almost on day three, I had one tiny bit of pink on the paper on day one, and that's all. However my CM has turned clear and like water and is ABUNDANT. Seriously there is SO MUCH OF IT. Is this a common thing before a period or what? I thought it happened when you were ovulating but I don't think that's it with the cramps? Could someone give me some insight on my weird cm?

Thanks for reading my life story! Glad to be here!