Week 36

9 months down, only 3 weeks to go! Baby A has been given her eviction notice - she has until January 13th to make her appearance. This week has been extremely tough. Not so much pregnancy wise, because I'm still feeling good, but in my personal life I am feeling overwhelmed. My daughter has THREE weeks off of school. Her return date is my induction date. How convenient?! But my 2 year old son has been a nightmare. He doesn't understand what's going on at all, but I think he's sensing that changes are coming. He is reminding me of why he will be my last biological child ;)

I finally got my camera back so I took my 36 week picture this morning before my doctor appointment. My amniotic fluid is lower than normal (which has occurred with all of my pregnancies), so next week we will do another fluid check. Hopefully it stays in a good range so we do not have to induce even sooner. We need Ben here first! Christmas Eve is tomorrow and then we are going camping Thursday through Saturday, so no baby then either! Haha. I am still thinking early January, but Sam is thinking December. Please let me be right!

Since I just got my camera back, I am finally seeing the pictures Timothy took at Sam's baby sprinkle so I have included a few for you!

Sam crafting for baby A!

Lots of yummy Parisian themed desserts!

Week 35

Shopping at 35 weeks!

Yes, yes, today is week 35, but I don't have my camera (I left it at the shower) so I don't have my 35 week picture yet. Sam arrived on Thursday in LA. Driving there was a breeze. We waited at the baggage claim like children waiting to meet Santa. We were so excited when she finally emerged. It was a fun experience for my kids. The drive home... Horrible! We left the LAX airport around 4pm and finally got back around 730. Did I mention we only live about an hour away? Traffic sucked. Anyways, when we got home Sam unloaded gifts upon gifts for my family. We then unloaded our gifts for Baby A onto her haha. I'm saving some for Sam for Christmas next week. She attended a friend's holiday party with us on Friday. My pregnant surrogate friend also attended. We are due 2 days apart, both French babies :) Anyways, at this point she had not felt baby A move. So, of course, Sam felt the other baby move in my friend's belly before feeling baby A!! How embarrassing for me lol. Baby A still will only move when it's bedtime or her mom is not around. Little stubborn thing.

On Saturday my mom and I threw Sam a baby sprinkle. It's a smaller version of a baby shower that I deemed a craft party. It was a blast! We served French desserts and fruit platters with mimosas since it was brunch. Sam got a lot of great gifts and tons of decor for baby A :) When I get my camera back I will post pictures! 

Today is the first day we have not been out shopping or running around town. It was nice. It's cold and rainy. Just what we needed. Of course my children have been monsters since Sam got here, so today the weather has mellowed them out. Let's hope they continue to behave because I cannot let the mommy monster come out ;)

Week 34

I have to make this post short and sweet - we are leaving to pick Sam up in just a few minutes. I had my 34 week check up yesterday and baby A looks and sounds amazing. Just about five weeks left! I promise I will update Sam's arrival soon. We have a full schedule this weekend so we will be very busy!

Week 33

I swear I just posted a few days ago! Time is just flying by! Thirty three weeks down, yes! On Friday it will be 7 months since I had the transfer. It seems like that was years ago. But what's not years away is Sam's arrival -- 7 days! I'm freaking out! It's a mixture of anxiety and nervousness, but mostly excitement :) I think it will help make the end of this journey a reality. Of course I have one more post before she arrives, but I'll keep you guys included in her arrival. Now I just need to find a translator app for my phone ;)

Week 32

8 months down, 2ish to go! Sam will be here in 14 days! Tim and I have been running around like mad people preparing the house for her arrival. It's always fun to have house guests, but it will be interesting this time for a few reasons. 1) Sam is staying for close to a month. We haven't had a "roommate" in years! 2) Sam will see my home in its natural form. For the past 11 months we've skyped for an hour a week in which I'm stationary and pretty successful at keeping my kids busy. Now she will see me interacting with my kids during the good moments, and the not so great moments. 3) She will watch me experience the last month of being pregnant - and for anyone who has experienced the end of a prenancy... It's not the prettiest. You're bloated, moody, and just feel gross all around. However, I am excited for her to feel her daughter move around for that last month when the baby is super active! It should be interesting!

I've also been told how big my belly had gotten this past week. I would believe it! My stomach is stretching like crazy on the inside and it is not comfortable. Luckily I'm still feeling pretty great so the discomfort is not a big deal.

I have to get back to making pies for Thanksgiving tomorrow so happy turkey day everyone!

Week 31

31 weeks! It's been an easy breezy week for me, pregnancy wise. I've been feeling pretty great. This little girly is still a crazy ninja, trying to bust out of every corner of my belly. She cracks me up. My son turned 2 this week, I have been busy wrapping up my final shoots of the year, and today my husband and I are celebrating our wedding anniversary. It's fun to think that when we look back at pictures from this year in our lives, baby A will be in the pictures, sort of.

The end is nearing! Sam has her flight booked to arrive in 20 days (I just plugged that into a countdown timer and had a mini panic attack! She's staying with us so there is lots to get done!!). My mom and I are throwing her a baby sprinkle in 22 days. Ben will be here in 49 days. Finally, baby A will be here in 53 days or less (insert HUGE panic attack here!)!! These countdowns don't include Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and all of our personal and social events going on! Man oh man!

Amidst all this craziness, I attended my monthly surrogate support group meeting last weekend. The owner of the agency had all of us over for a big Thanksgiving potluck at her home. We talked about something we haven't addressed before - postpartum depression as a surrogate. All of us there are mothers, so we've all experienced the aftermath of having a baby, but how is it different from having a child that is yours to take home versus having a baby for someone else and going home empty handed? There were some that were perfectly fine after, and some that had full blown meltdowns. I tend to be hit with the baby blues after but I've always chalked it up to sleep deprivation, hormones, and feeling like a dairy cow. I plan on being raw and honest about how I feel afterwards, because it's part of this process. I just know that whatever it is, I will have a solid support system from my surrofriends, friends, and family to get through it :)

Week 30

T.H.I.R.T.Y weeks?! Yep! It's a busy week for me personally, but an exciting week all around. We were camping this past weekend for my son's second birthday and have come home to a full schedule of appointments, photo shoots, and a last minute plane trip home for Timothy. I'm surprised I even managed to blog this week, but my regular readers are constantly thanking me for keeping up with my blog :) Speaking of planes, Sam and Ben have booked their flights and are confirming their travel plans. Sam is flying here in a few weeks and Ben will come in January. I'm excited for Sam to stay with us for a few weeks before baby girl makes her appearance. Our bi-weekly doctor appointment went well this week. She is ALWAYS moving. Constantly rolling around, kicking, having the hiccups, etc. However, we did find out that she is head down, which is exciting since she has been transverse for forever. That means she was laying sideways in my stomach. Now that she is head down (and hopefully stays that way), we can rule out worrying about a breech baby.

Sorry my post is short this week, but I have to tend to the 5 loads of laundry and full sink of dishes I have waiting for me :)

Week 29

You may spot my son, Ezra. He's been extra clingy!

 Last week in the twenties! Eeek! Super exciting! I'm feeling like a whale, and I have a cold. Yay... Everyone keeps saying how tiny my belly is, yet that just means this little girl is ALL where my internal organs should be. Haha. The reflux, kicks to my spine, it's all reminding me that this is coming to an end. I've started drinking Red Raspberry Leaf tea. It's a tea that helps strengthen your uterus for labor. You drink 3-4 cups of it a day starting in your third trimester. It makes your uterus slightly contract and strengthens that muscle. I drank it when I was pregnant with my son and I had a breezy 7 hour delivery at 39 weeks. Much better from the 14 hour induction at 42 weeks with my daughter, my first. I have a few other methods, but those will begin later around 37 weeks. ((Note -- all of these methods are approved by my OBGYN and doulas. Make sure you talk to your doctor and do your research before trying anything you read in my blog, lol))

I met with my doulas this past week. They are so amazing. They brought books for myself to read to refresh my memory of what to expect from labor. Oh, but how can you forget labor and delivery? ;) People keep asking me why I hired doulas this time when I have never before, and I cannot deliver at home -- the answer is not simple. With the birth of our own children, Tim and I make an amazing team. He's right there with me, making sure I have what I need, and reassuring me that everything is going great. That moment our children were born, no one in the room except the three of us even existed in our minds. It's the deepest connection we ever have. YET, with this birth, this is not our child. Yes, Tim will be there, but I can imagine he's going to feel a little out of place, and I don't blame him. I want him to be able to be supportive for me, yet feel like he can step back and let Sam be my main support. I want the doulas there to keep the calm for everyone and just give me another source of positive energy. I want Sam and Ben to feel calm as well. I think a doula is amazing tool to have to reassure them that I am fine while laboring. It will just be organized and calm. They will also be there for those few hours postpartum when my hormones are flowing and I do not have a child in my arms. I can't wait to take a nap soon after, but also see Sam and Ben holding their daughter!

Week 28

Hello, third trimester! Just got off of skype with Sam and Ben :) It was especially important for us to skype today because it is the two year anniversary of Are's (Ar-ee) birth and passing. It's a day like today that makes me very grateful that they chose me to bring their daughter into the world. We are only three short months away. Sam will be coming to stay with us in 6 weeks until Ben can come in January. It will be nice to have her here so she can enjoy the end of the pregnancy with me. I see lots of shopping in our future ;) I had maternity pictures taken on Friday for Sam and Ben, so I have included a sneak peek. Even Sam and Ben haven't seen them! As a photographer, it was weird to be on the other end of the lens, but love that I have talented photog friends to make it enjoyable! I have a doctor appointment in the morning and a meeting with my doulas tomorrow evening! Lots to look forward to. I also passed my glucose test! Woohoo!

Week 27

Last week of the second trimester! I cannot believe how fast these weeks are sneaking up on me! Months ago I could not wait to be at this point, and now that it is here, I want it to slow down! I'm trying to enjoy this last 3 months with baby A because I know our time together is limited. I'm so excited for her mom to hold her and kiss her, but I will miss her. I received the final documents regarding her birth and records this week. The legal documents state that myself and Tim, my husband, are in no way her legal or natural parents. It was a strange feeling reading that, but I immediately lit up when it listed Sam and Ben as her natural and legal parents! It was really neat because I received these documents on their wedding anniversary. What an amazing gift to receive on that day! Today I completed my glucose test, so I should have those results at my doctor appointment next week. I hope I passed! That test is the worst. You can see the bandage wrap still on my arm in the picture. I didn't even realize I had it on still until I went to edit the picture haha! I'm still feeling great (other than a little kink in my back) so I really just want to soak up these next few months!

Week 26

Another week down! Only 14ish weeks to go! Had a Dr. appointment this morning - baby A sounded amazing! We are now going to the doctor's office every 2 weeks since the third trimester is just around the corner. She has been so rowdy lately. Last night, my husband Tim was playing on the floor with our children about 6 feet away, and he could see my belly rolling around like crazy. She has her mother's energy ;) So much energy that I now need to go see a chiropractor soon. This little girl has tweaked my back somehow. But she's worth it :) I also need to go do my glucose test this week, blehhhh. The glucose test is the worst. It tests for gestational diabetes. I will have to go to a lab and drink a liquid that taste like kool-aid with about 8 cups of sugar in it. Then, they make you sit and wait for an hour before they draw your blood. Sounds easy, right? No. The drink is ridiculously disgusting, and if you vomit within that hour, you fail. If your blood sugars test too high, you fail. You have to come back and do it for another 3 hours. Man oh man! Luckily, I've never failed with either of my own children, but I will knock on wood for this one as well! Wish me luck :)

Week 25

25 weeks! Weeee! This week I was asked every day when I am due. Soooo I am guessing it's very obvious now? ;) It cracks me up when people ask my children if they are excited to a big brother or sister and my 5 year old answers with "That's Sam and Ben's baby. She's not our baby." The looks we receive until I explain the situation are priceless!

This week I have been suffering from acid reflux and a tweaked sciatic nerve in my back. I am not one who is familiar with acid reflux so it took me a while to realize what it was. Reminds me of when I was pregnant with my son, Ezra, and thought I was having a heart attack until my husband, Tim, let me know that it was just heart burn. Haha. The joys of pregnancy! It makes sense since the baby is squishing and moving all of your organs.

I got a sneak peek of baby A's nursery! It's super adorable. Sam went with a crisp white nursery with hints of lavender and deep purples. I made a cute banner for her months ago that amazingly matches her nursery! I can't wait to see pictures of her all cozy in her own crib at home :)

Week 24

SIX months down, less than four to go! This week I was able to capture a small video of baby A kicking and send it to Sam and Ben :) It was super exciting! This upcoming month I will be entering my third trimester (I know, already?!) and finally starting my prenatal appointments with my doula! Our monthly Dr appointments will soon be every other week, and then before we know it, every week.

Week 23

We made it! We made it to the week of viability :) Woohoo!! Only 17 weeks or so left to go! I've been under the weather these past few days, so I'm excited to be feeling better to write this week's post. I've been craving EVERYTHING pumpkin, so thank goodness it is Fall, and pumpkin everything is available in stores!

I'm excited for this week's post. After S read my blog last week, she sent me an email giving me permission to start using their REAL names in my blog! I didn't even ask her, I think just like me, she wants to read her name in this blog too. I'm excited because now I won't have a slight heart attack worrying about slipping their names in a post. This little bean's parents names are -- Sam and Ben <3 Those are actually their nicknames, but it's what I call them, so it will do. She also said she cannot wait to take pictures together for us to post. At the beginning of the journey, we have all been careful to keep their identities private and keep their faces off this blog, and now we may have a family picture to post at the end :) Truly inspirational. Sam and I (hehe, love it!) are counting down the weeks for her to come stay with us. I'm very excited for her to spend time with us at the end of the pregnancy, but I'm also nervous for her to see me at the end of a pregnancy. If you've ever experienced the end of a pregnancy, you know what I'm talking about. You're miserable, you feel like a whale, you're swollen... it's just not cute at times. It will be fun. I'm ready for this little girl to be reunited with her parents.

Week 22

Only 18(ish) weeks to go! This little girl is going stir crazy, I can tell. She is CONSTANTLY moving. She's too funny. She's currently breech, so she should just shimmy her way to being head down if she has all this time to play. We have our monthly Dr. appointment tomorrow, so hopefully S & B will be able to skype during it. I have been nesting like mad these past few days. Nothing in this house has not been touched, organized, or cleaned. It has been over 100 degrees outside the past few days, so I have plenty of time to be in the house getting things done. S & B said they are busy putting together Baby A's room too, so hopefully I will get some pictures soon! If I get their approval, I will share. S has great taste in design and style so I know it will be adorable! Next week is the week of viability, which is very very exciting! This means if she was born anytime after next week, she would have a great chance of survival outside the womb with extensive medical help. Of course I don't want her to come until she is full term, but if something were to happen, it would be medically possible for her to survive.

Week 21

We are officially on the downhill side of the pregnancy :) This week we had the full anatomy scan for baby A. She was such a ham. The ultrasound technician said that she was the most stubborn baby she has ever scanned. She is perfectly healthy, measuring exactly where she should, and has a feisty personality already! The tech was so sweet and put all the images on a disc, along with a handful of clips, so that S & B can keep them forever. We got video of her waving, playing with her feet, and yawning. Amazing clips that I don't even have of my own children. Next week we have our monthly doctor appointment. These weeks are flying by! Before I know it S will be here, after Thanksgiving, to stay with us until baby A makes her arrival! Due to work schedules, B will not be able to make it until closer to the due date, so I hope he doesn't miss it!



I also want to take this time to thank all of my readers for following my journey :) Your messages and words of encouragement have been so sweet. Today we celebrate 10,000 views to my blog! So amazing! Thanks again!

Week 20 - Halfway Point!!

We did it! We made it to the halfway point!
I've been doing a lot of reflection this week. Although I have only been pregnant with this sweet little doll for only 5 months now, mine and my family's life has revolved around this process since January. Like I said last week, I thought I would start feeling her externally soon. Sure enough, just a few days after, I felt her kick from the outside. Like all of my pregnancies, as soon as you feel the first flutters, things start to feel real. Not with this pregnancy. It's been absolutely surreal and please bear with me if I get all over the place.

Taking my injections never made this feel real.
Going to my transfer never made this feel real.
Getting a positive pregnancy tsest never made this feel real.
Ultrasounds never made it feel real.
Hearing the heartbeat never made it feel real.
Feeling flutters never made it feel real.
Feeling her kick my hand on my belly - she is real, and she is coming soon!

I keep staring at this keyboard trying to think of the words that I'm feeling, but it's unlike anything I've felt before. They're not bad feelings, and they're not feelings of sadness... but they're different. As a family, we are not celebrating the upcoming arrival of "our" baby like we normally would. We are excited she's coming, and everyone acknowledges her, but it's different. I'm not preparing our home for a new baby. I'm not shopping for a new baby. I'm not diving into my books or browsing names for a new baby. I am keeping my distance, emotionally, from this one. Not that I would EVER want to keep her, I just don't want to be emotionally crushed when she goes home with her mom and dad. That's as easy as I can put it.

Week 19

Woo, week 19!! Next week, little girl will have been baking for 5 months! She's about 6 inches from head to rump, and weighs around 8 ounces. I have a feeling that we will be able to feel her from the outside soon. She has been getting pretty strong lately. S & B just got back from their holiday and we should be skyping this weekend. It's been almost a month! Too long!

The craziest thought though, is that she has actually been in existence since February when her mom and dad came to create their embryos! And to think she's actually pretty young compared to some of the other embryos that were transferred to my surrogate friends. Science is so amazing.

Surro Support - Yoga & Yogurt

This month our surrogate support group meeting was amazing :) We had an hour yoga session with a local yoga studio owner. She was so great and gave us a lot of really great stretches and poses to do ourselves. We also learned some reflexology with a golf ball. It was much needed! After, we enjoyed yogurt with all of the toppings you could imagine, and a light, yummy lunch. The yogurt was a genius idea. I immediately went to the store and stocked up on some for home!

Week 18

This week has been quite the week. We had our monthly check up yesterday and baby A is sounding perfect. She's still very active. My stomach is definitely growing, and my muscles are stretching. I'm experiencing round ligament pains around my hips and bottom of my stomach, but nothing new to me during pregnancy. This is just caused from my body expanding and making room for baby girl. She should be approximately 5.5 inches long and weigh close to 7 ounces. She's getting big!

This weekend I have my monthly surrogate support group meeting. We will be doing yoga and having yogurt after :) I'm really excited because I could use a yoga session, and I really love yogurt! I hope to have pictures of our meeting next week!

Week 17

Womp womp womp! Nothing new to report except that baby girl is about 5 inches long and weighs 5 ounces. We have a Dr.'s appointment next week so we will have a fun update then. S & B and I have not skyped in a week or so due to our busy busy schedules! Between my personal life going a million miles an hour and S & B preparing for one of their last baby-less vacations, so we are relying on emails and texts. Can't wait for things to slow down so we can really soak all of this in. We are only 3 weeks away from the half way point and the anatomy scan!

Week 16

Man, these weeks are flying by! It feels like I am constantly writing a new blog post! This week, baby girl is the size of an avocado at about 4 1/2 inches long. She is definitely a feisty little thing. I knew that I could feel her, even early on, but it is hilarious to watch her on ultrasound just twirling around non-stop. Trying to get a clear picture of this little girl is quite the production. S & B were excited to show me their newborn prep books when we skyped last. I think it is becoming more apparent that they only have a few more months to prepare for her arrival since we are now at our 4 month mark. Getting close to the half way point! The next few weeks will be pretty mellow, which is nice since my daughter is turning five and going to kindergarten. I'm actually very excited to have pictures of me pregnant with this little girl during big milestones in my family's lives. We have her full anatomy scan in early September. I will have tons of pictures then!

It's a...

 

Yep, she sure is a girl! I knew it :) 

Skyped with S & B during the ultrasound and they were soooo excited!

Now that we know she is a girl, they can finally give her a name and buy her all kinds of goodies!

I bought them a little monkey with a recording of her heartbeat in it so when she is born, they will still have it with them <3

Week 15

Can I just start by saying that this weekly blog post is on time?! Tuesdays are the day that a new gestation week starts, and I have been slacking and posting on Wednesday or Thursdays. Oopsy! This week the baby is the size of an apple! I have been eating apples by the bunch lately so when I had one this morning, I held it up to my belly first to imagine that the bean inside me was that size :)

This week is going to get very exciting -- we are finding out the gender! As soon as S & B know, and have time to tell their family and friends, I will post a gender reveal for everyone! It will be fun to be able to identify this little bean since S & B have already told me the possible names. We will soon find out!
 

Week 14

Hello, second trimester! This week, little bean is now the size of a lemon. Pretty neat to think about, but my belly thinks I'm already carrying a melon. Some days I have a flatter looking stomach, and other days it looks 7 months pregnant. Excited for it to make it's official pop so I won't look "fluffy" anymore.

Taken from the video :)

Yesterday was our monthly Dr. appointment. Baby looked and sounded amazing! We could barely get a still picture because the baby was somersaulting and moving so much. I did get to take a video of the ultrasound for S & B. I also recorded the Dr. using the doppler to listen to the heartbeat. It was super sweet. Hopefully we can find out the gender this upcoming week! Everyone is doing great and excited for these months to fly by!

Week 13

The second trimester is literally around the corner. My progression picture this week is pretty true to myself. I'm not a huge fan of layering on makeup everyday, but I tend to do it anyways, thanks for that, society. However, when I'm pregnant, makeup is really the last thing that I want to worry about. I look like a goblin, but somehow I feel beautiful :) My little man (Ezra, 21 months) is not feeling well today so this mama has other things to do than worry about my face ;)

It's been a pretty eye opening week for me now that things are back to normal. Now that I am becoming noticeably pregnant, I am receiving congratulations, but sometimes stares. I am younger with two younger children, and now sporting a belly bump, so I knew that was coming. I know that comments and questions will only increase as my belly expands, but I'm learning how to respond to strangers. It's easy to just accept them from people that I meet in the grocery store, but how do I respond to those that I see on a regular basis? My daughter (Paisleigh, almost 5!) is in ballet and gymnastics where some of the moms have began to notice. I don't walk up to people and start the conversation with "Hi, I'm Kailey, and this is not my baby." Honestly, I try to avoid the "baby conversation." The ONLY reason I want to avoid it is the mixed reactions I know I will eventually come in contact with. I have received nothing but positive responses because I've surrounded myself with positive people who support my journey. Strangers that I encounter, however, I cannot foresee their reactions. There's a huge stigma that comes with surrogacy that the surrogates are low income, poverish, and uneducated women. This could not be further from the truth. At least through my agency, we are not. Very few of us are stay at home mothers. Although I am none of these stereotypes, I don't want to have to justify or defend my reasons for becoming a surrogate to a stranger during a two minute exchange with a being I may never see again. This is something I knew I would have to face once I become a surrogate, but now it's here, and I'm going to learn to deal. As the encounters come, I will post about them and let you know how I dealt with them so hopefully it will help future surrogates :) I have never been one to care what people think, and I sure as hell will not start now. I would just rather avoid the ignorance.

Week 12

Week 12 -- Almost the end of the first trimester! Yay!!! I'm feeling great and am enjoying every second of this pregnancy. It's definitely become easy and I honestly sometimes forget that I'm even pregnant. Baby is super active at night. I cannot wait for it to be visible on the outside so I can send a video to S & B. I know they are very anxious to see it. Two weeks until we can find out the gender! I have an adorable gender reveal planned for them that way they can reveal the gender from their own home in Paris. You will have to wait for that post ;)

Not much to update on this week but I know people get excited about bump pictures so here you go :)

Week 11

If I could sing this post, I would! This has been the best week so far. I feel amazing, I have my energy back, and to top it all off -- guess who gets to stop injections and meds?! This girl! Today I went to my last appointment with the IVF Dr and "graduated!" I could feel little bean wiggling and watch it on the ultrasound at the same time. It was super cute. My sweet Timothy has been administering my daily injections for NINETY SIX consecutive days and now we are all done! I seriously feel like I won the lottery today. All of the staff thanked my for being such a great patient and sent me on my way. As I said last week, I am now in the care of my primary OBGYN until the end. Only 29 more weeks left!

Now for an update on the little bean -- I am making my official guess right now -- GIRL. I am guessing this because 1) this pregnancy is identical to the pregnancy I had with my daughter. My pregnancy with my daughter vs. my son's is like night and day. With my daughter I felt great, had great skin, and didn't need to wear my glasses because my vision cleared up. With my son I had a pinched sciatic nerve, nausea for months, and my face broke out like I was 15 again. 2) The heart rate was 175bpm today. With my daughter it was always 170+, and with my son it was between 140-155. 3) I was having dreams it was a boy the first few weeks, and my dreams are always wrong haha 4) I'm craving everything terrible for me just like with my daughter.


I am so excited for S & B as they continue to share with family and friends that they are indeed expecting, and all is going well! Only 3 more weeks until we can opt to find out the sex of the baby, but I'm pretty sure I know what she is already ;)

Week 10

This is an exciting week for us! I was able to see my regular OB and finally start to feel like a normal pregnant person. Lately I have been feeling like a walking science experiment. I've felt so out of the loop and out of tune with my body, but now that I've seen my Dr, I feel much better. She's amazing and makes me feel like I am in control of the pregnancy :) I have one more appointment with the IVF Dr next week, and hopefully I will be weaned off of all the medications I am on. I cannot wait for that.

Little bean looks fabulous and healthy. The second sac is significantly smaller so we are officially back down to one. But we are so happy for the one, healthy baby. I am starting to feel flutters which is very exciting! We can find out the gender in 8 weeks!

Week 9

Yes, yes.. a day late! Whoops! Trust me, you would not want to see a picture of what I looked like yesterday. I was so nauseous ALL day!

Week 9 -- woohoo! Little bean is the size of a grape this week and it's little heart has finished dividing into 4 chambers. I cannot believe how much my stomach is already popping out, but I guess that's what comes with a third pregnancy.


I'm hoping that this sickness is very temporary and goes away soon, again. Our next ultrasound is in just a few weeks. I'm hoping to get pictures of our last ultrasound so I can share with you how little bean is growing!

Week 8: A Bittersweet Post

Hello, week 8!

This past week I have been feeling much more energized and feeling much better. I had an ultrasound today and we received some shocking, yet bittersweet news. One of the twins has vanished. We saw two full grown sacs (one just slightly smaller than the other), but only one healthy and thriving baby in one. It was a moment of sadness, yet one filled with excitement to still have one growing baby with a strong heart beat. I know S & B are saddened by this since it looks the baby vanished within the last two weeks, however, they reassured me that they are so thrilled to have their bundle of joy on the way. We ended our ultrasound skype with smiles and excitement, so all is well. I know that losing the twin was not because of something I did, but am very thankful that the other little bean was active and strong.

Silver linings: We get to do a gender reveal!, I won't be high risk and will be able to deliver as planned, this one baby will be beyond spoiled forever.

I have been so blessed to have the best intended parents who seem to put my emotions before theirs when they don't have to. I am looking forward to delivering this little boy or girl and watching an amazing family be formed <3

Week 7

Week 7 is upon us! S & B have two little babes the size of blueberries growing right now. Little hands and feet are developing on your little arms and legs. Lots of important development will be happening these next few weeks so we're getting lots of rest and good nutrition :) Next official ultrasound is next Tuesday!

I Skyped with S & B yesterday. It's always lovely to skype with them, but yesterday was kind of emotional. They were telling me that they were on vacation with family while we were skyping during the ultrasound last week. They were able to celebrate the great news with their family. So amazing. But what really hit me in the gut was when they told me that this was the same weekend, two years ago, when they told their family that they were expecting their son (who sadly passed 7 months later in utero). I am excited for them to have a second chance and have the opportunity to take their babies on vacation with family next year :)

How Many Did You Say?!?

We've got two little French fries baking away! 

S & B have been blessed with a boy and a girl! We put two babies in, and both stuck :) I cannot believe it! We couldn't get a clear enough picture of both babies in view at the same time so this shot had to do, but they were there with their little beating hearts! So crazy to see since I am only 6w2d pregnant! Our next official ultrasound is June 10th.

When the tech put the wand on my belly, we only saw one initial sac. I quickly felt a moment of guilt as if I did something that would make the other one not stick. S & B said that even only one baby would be amazing, but I really wanted to give them two since they have experienced a loss. Not even a few seconds later when she moved the wand, BAM! Another little sac. Everyone was screaming and shouting. S & B were so thrilled! I am still in pure shock, excitement, and a bit of panic. Which I'm sure is normal for any woman who realizes she is carrying twins. 

I have been dealing with morning sickness, sciatica, extreme fatigue, and unwanted moodiness for the past two weeks and now I know why. These little beans are going to suck the life out of me, but it is all worth it! The Dr. prescribed me some anti-nausea medicine and my kids have been sleeping wonderfully. Here's to 34 more weeks with these little beans!

Week 6

Houston, we have morning sickness! What a way to start off week six. Little bean(s), you are the size of a lentil. Woop woop! Facial features are starting to take shape and I'm wondering which features of your mom and dad you will get. One more week down, 34 more to go! 

Surro Support - Mother's Day Tea!

Today we had our monthly surrogate support group meeting. It was the cutest theme - Mother's Day Tea! We absolutely stuffed our faces, had the most delicious tea, and learned proper tea party etiquette from a true Brit :)

Beta #2 Results

When I received my results from my first beta on Monday morning, the Dr. asked me to return to the lab ASAP to get my second beta done. This would show the growth of the hcg hormone in a 48 hour timeframe. Since my first number was 565, they wanted to see it double to at least 1,100. Unfortunately my results slipped between the cracks at the lab and I just received them 2 days later. Grrr! But great news, my hcg is now at 1,800!! Absolutely thrilled and still thinking twins! Either way I am pregnant, and the baby is thriving! Ultrasound has been scheduled for June 10th! We will see then if it's one or two! 

Week 5

Happy 5 weeks little bean(s)! This week you are the size of a sesame seed! Your momma has already begun preparing for your arrival. She showed me the array of outfits that she has gone out and purchased since finding out you are officially on your way! We have a long way to go, but somehow you will be here in the blink of an eye!

Beta #1 Results

Hello friends! I can finally share the good news because it is official --- S & B are expecting!!!

So thrilled for S & B! Oh my goodness! I have been getting positive pregnancy tests at home since 3 days after the transfer, but today I got my first official beta score, which is a blood test that detects the hcg pregnancy hormone. My levels were 565 :)) Anything over 100 are a positive result and anything over 500 can be indicative of twins! I am waiting for the results of my second draw from today and then we can schedule my ultrasound to see how many French fries are burrowed in my belly :))) Feel free to leave a comment for them <3