Their Bun, My Oven -

We've Got A Sticky One!

2012-02-10T15:16:00.005-06:00

As a recap the first two betas were ... 11dp5dt - 403 13dp5dt - 1070 Today our third and final beta at 15dp5dt is a nice strong 2240!! I think we've got a sticky one! We are anxiously awaiting our first ultrasound at the end of next week - Thursday can't come soon enough!!! We still have a long way to go but are feeling very optimistic and starting to get excited. Yay!!!!

Beta's on the Rise!!

2012-02-08T16:41:00.000-06:00

I had a second beta drawn today! Yeah I know I said Thursday but I had a scheduling conflict and had my orders changed. ;) Things are looking great. The official number at 13dp5dt is 1070!!! Woohoo!! We have a very nice doubling time of 34 hrs and things continue to look strong and solid. Hoping for another nice beta number on Friday and then it's on to an u/s late next week if all

Beta Is In

2012-02-06T17:39:00.005-06:00

It's 403 at little shy of 11dp5dt. Yay!!! It's driving me crazy how it's on the fence and could go either way. It's a nice high number for one but could also possibly mean there are two in there. The chart I like to use says average is 132 for 10dp5dt and 292 for 11dp5dt ... my bloodwork was drawn at 6:45 AM which put us in the middle at 10.5dpt so ... the wait continues. The big factor in

Confessions of a POASaholic

2012-02-05T09:52:00.000-06:00

Final HPT - Sunday AM (2/5)@ 9.5dp5dt A whole lotta HPTs. Beta in the morning!!!

We Have An Overachiever

2012-02-01T11:37:00.008-06:00

Well time to share the news - we have a BFP! K and I had agreed that I'd test Tuesday morning. I was totally preparing myself for a negative since we wouldn't even be 5dpt yet - having an afternoon transfer threw everything off but - to our surprise it was POSITIVE at only 4.5dp5dt. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about a positive this time after the downward spiral of last cycle. Initially I

Transferred!!

2012-01-26T16:30:00.006-06:00

Transfer complete! They started thawing the first two embryos around 10 am and we got word an hour later that they thought there was no need to thaw the third - the first two were looking very nice. So, we transferred two 5d blasts, a 4AC and a 4BC. Stats were 55% for pregnancy, 20% for twins - transferring all three would have only brought the probability up to 65% but our HOM risk would go up

Counting Down Now!

2012-01-20T19:35:00.001-06:00

I had my final monitoring appointment today. My lining is in the 12+ range and "perfect". Tonight is my last dose of lupron than PIO in the AM - counting down now! I talked to IM and the clinic and we've decided to thaw two embies, assess quality, and thaw the third if either of the first two aren't looking favorable. If we do move forward with thawing the third they will all be transferred -

All On Track

2012-01-13T09:10:00.002-06:00

We started the cycling process again just after the Christmas holiday. Things are coming along and so far so good. My first monitoring appointment after doing Lupron injections for a week, the baseline, was to make sure we were at a good starting point for the rest of the process. All looked good and I got instructions to continue with the protocol. A week ago I started adding in estrogen

We Are Getting Closer

2011-12-11T20:23:00.007-06:00

Just a brief update to hold you over through the holidays. We have a transfer date and a few embryos - the little "snow-babies" are frozen and chill'n out till our upcoming winter transfer. I'll start meds the day after Christmas and then several monitoring appointments after the first of the year. We are scheduled for January 26th - about 6 weeks away. I had the pleasure of meeting with K

Okaaaay

2011-11-24T09:00:00.001-06:00

This is sweet lil Giovanni's favorite word right now. His momma A says he passed through the NO phase and in a mostly agreeable "Okaaay" phase now. It's too cute. We had a wonderful visit with them this past weekend. My FIF T prepared a delicious seven course meal for us all - dinner began at 7 o'clock and we were wrapping up the final dessert course around 2 AM! It was great visiting with

Livin' on a Prayer

2011-11-13T11:39:00.002-06:00

This weekend Jason and I had the pleasure of helping K&S celebrate IFs 40th birthday. We had a great time surrounded by their friends - what a fun evening. It started out with the ladies at K&S's place while the guys enjoyed some scotch at a cigar bar. We then all caught up for dinner at Mexican restaurant in Bucktown, wonderful food and a great atmosphere. From there we proceeded down the

Forever Changed

2011-11-06T19:18:00.001-06:00

Four years ago today I met some amazing people who would forever change me. I'm proud to say I had a small part in changing their lives too. Happy Match Anniversary A&T. Still amazed at what we accomplished together. ♥

Lucky #3

2011-11-03T10:38:00.002-05:00

Warning - Rambling Post Ahead. So I wanted to share my lucky #3 story. My "lucky" number has been 3 since I was in the fifth grade - long story but it stuck and I've considered it my lucky numbers since. One day, many years later I realized that the #3 was in all of my expected due dates - Brie was due June 23rd, Chloe February 13th, Lauren October 13th and Isabelle March 13th ... then my

The New (Year) Plan

2011-10-21T18:12:00.005-05:00

After a lot of thought we've decided to hold off on a December transfer and shoot for January instead. We of course hate putting off another try but, on top of it being the holiday season - my birthday, anniversary and our annual family vacation all fall within the last three weeks of the year. The thought of all that going on at the same time as an emotionally charged cycle/transfer had me

Some setbacks

2011-09-28T12:46:00.002-05:00

Well the title of the post says it all, we've experienced some unexpected delays over the past couple of months so our transfer timeline continues to get pushed back. We were hoping for late fall but, it looks like we may be looking at December. IM has really taken this in stride, I don't know how she holds her head so high despite the disappointments. We'll continue to move forward and I'll

Time with the Lil Man

2011-08-21T11:03:00.001-05:00

Yesterday marked two years ... two years since I tested and soon after shared with A&T that we were pregnant. (BFP!!) Then yesterday, two years after that event, I had the pleasure of watching their lil guy trash our playroom from one end to the other ... AMAZING!!! Baby G is a busy little toddler now, he's curious and doesn't miss a thing. He enjoyed hours of exploring my home, playing with

A Special Evening

2011-08-16T20:35:00.001-05:00

This past Saturday Jason and I visited my IPs K&S. They invited us to a BBQ at their place that included a small circle of their friends. Everything was wonderful. We got the warmest welcome from everyone and it was so very nice to meet everybody. K made a delicious meal, we were all stuffed. After dinner we enjoyed some dessert and drinks and played a couple fun games - girls against guys. It

Onward and Upward

2011-07-22T16:15:00.004-05:00

I figured an update was in order. Last week was rough, I won't lie - I'd never experienced that kind of a letdown. I couldn't even complete a task like cleaning the litter pan without bursting into tears - "I'm supposed to be pregnant for K&S and shouldn't be allowed to do this!" I can only imagine how IM felt, this being one of many disappointments they've experienced on their journey to

This Isn't Happening

2011-07-12T17:19:00.001-05:00

I can't even believe it. Our 3rd beta brought the worst news ... it's a chemical. Basically it's a very early miscarriage before a heartbeat can even be detected. Sometime within the last few days the hCG hormone levels present in pregnancy began decreasing and the pregnancy was no longer viable. I don't even remember the number even though I had the nurse coord. repeat it. I just recall

Repeat Beta

2011-07-08T15:05:00.001-05:00

Our repeat beta results are in and looking good. We went from 96.9 (11dp3dt) to 262 today (13dp3dt). Ideally they want to see the numbers double within approximately 48 hours during the first few weeks of pregnancy and we are well within that range with a doubling time of 33.1 hours. The RE would like me to come in for one last beta before u/s. On Tuesday we'll be 17dp3dt and should be

Smiley Surprise

2011-07-07T13:42:00.000-05:00

I received a nice surprise from my agency Family Source Consultants just a bit ago. They sure know how to thank a pregnant woman - a dozen smiley "flower" cookies. Thanks FSC!

Beta News

2011-07-06T15:38:00.001-05:00

I just heard from the clinic and we have a nice beta for 11dp3dt. The charts say - High is 223, Average is 95, Low is 33 - today's result was 96.9. This is a nice solid number which is very exciting - I'm thinking one sweet lil bean is growing. Repeat blood work will be Friday with an u/s in about a week.

Positive Progression

2011-07-05T07:28:00.001-05:00

Why so many tests you may ask. Isn't a "Pregnant" on a digi enough? Nope not for me - and I know K is enjoying the pic updates too. The first test was at only 7dp3dt (10dpo) and the line was very faint so, I spent my holiday weekend TESTING to watch the lines darken up and indicate that the lil bean(s) are snuggling in and my HCG levels are going up. IM says she hasn't stopped smiling and

BFP !!

2011-07-02T21:29:00.002-05:00

Oh how I love that acronym! Big Fat Positive - ok well in this case it was a faint positive (which is what we expect at this point) but there is no denying the results when you see the word "Pregnant" come up on a digital. I was soooo soooo very nervous about testing this time around - I knew my heart would break for K&S if I didn't have good news, so I swore to no testing before the 7dp3dt (

Beautiful Buttons Transferred

2011-06-25T13:44:00.002-05:00

We had the best 3-day transfer possible bright and early this morning. With IM's history we decided to transfer the three embryos that were viable, all which looked great/good for their "age" - a 9-cell and two 8-cell embies each with <5% fragmentation. We were pleasantly surprised to hear the buttons looked as nice as they did. I think this news brought back the positivity and optimism that

Almost Time

2011-06-24T18:13:00.000-05:00

Over the last couple of days the little embryos have been watched and 3 of the 4 are continuing to grow. I'm not sure of the details regarding number of cells and grade but the RE has recommended we do a 3-day transfer. Although a 5-day transfer at the blastocyst stage would have been ideal, since there are only a few viable embryos it's best to get them back into their natural environment and

GROW EMBIES GROW!!!!

2011-06-23T17:33:00.002-05:00

We are in the countdown to transfer now. IM's monitoring appointments were going well, E2 numbers were great, follicles looking nice and then there was a bit of a scare that she might hyperstim (OHSS). She was put on some meds to be proactive and hoped there would be no complications. The cycle was even almost cancelled which would have been a huge disappointment but, then the RE said all was ok

Coming Along Nicely

2011-06-15T22:03:00.003-05:00

Today was another day for dual monitoring appointments. I went into mine a tad nervous, it was at this point in the last cycle that they discovered the fluid and although it had resolved it's self - I was still worried. Well, I got a great update - NO FLUID and a nice lining of 12.3 mm with a triple stripe pattern (8+ is ideal). My estrogen levels look good too (238). So, my meds stay as is

Great Start

2011-06-06T22:22:00.002-05:00

Just a very brief update. K and I both had monitoring appointments today and all is looking good. I started meds a little over a week ago - tomorrow the estrogen protocol begins that will thicken the uterine lining in preparation for the lil buttons that we hope to transfer in a couple weeks. IM is now beginning her protocol that will stimulate her ovaries to produce multiple follicles, which

Beating the Baby Bust Blues

2011-05-23T17:45:00.000-05:00

Well nothing takes care of the disappointment of a failed cycle like a new plan. I was very excited to get an email from Carrie our IVF coordinator with information about our next try. Since stopping all meds after the disappointing beta news, my period arrived right on time and last week I was instructed to start BCP immediately to synch K and I up for a fresh cycle. I'll start Lupron this

Mother's Day with Mixed Emotions

2011-05-08T20:18:00.000-05:00

As I come to visit my blog on this Mother's Day I have mixed emotions. I'm overjoyed to know A (FIM) is celebrating today with Giovanni toddling around - I'm sure keeping her very busy. Playing a part in that miracle makes my heart full beyond words. I am saddened of course that K (IM) didn't get better news this past week but I am hopeful that when next year comes around she too will have the

It's Never Easy

2011-05-06T14:47:00.003-05:00

I went in for blood work this morning, I waited over an hour for what should have been a two minute appointment, all for the news I/we'd been expecting - negative. It's never easy to hear even when you know it's coming. I feel so awful for my IPs and I worry that this failed attempt might have taken away the confidence surrogacy had given my IM - this was supposed to be their answer. Of course

One Step At A Time

2011-05-04T10:01:00.003-05:00

Things aren't looking the best for this cycle - still getting negatives (9dp5dt). To say my IM is disappointed is an understatement. Although this is our first cycle together this is their fourth IVF attempt - without any infertility insurance coverage. I know there is still the slight chance we could see a "miracle" but I've resigned to the reality that we may be back at square one. K&S only

It's An Obsession

2011-05-01T13:38:00.004-05:00

I should know better, once you start testing it takes over your every thought and you lose ALL will power. I broke down late Friday night which was technically only 4.5dp5dt - which is very early - and I haven't stopped since. 36 hours ... 4 tests ... Still waiting and staying hopeful. Of course if I do see those coveted two lines my IPs will be the first to know and only after that and with

The Totsicles!!!

2011-04-25T16:55:00.011-05:00

Today was the big day - Transfer!! I know K&S would have loved to have been there today but I was very honored to have my best friend and fellow surro sister Daisy along as my companion. We arrived on time but waited nearly 2 hours before transfer took place. One of the hold ups was that the clinic wanted to review over the phone with K&S how the embies looked after the thaw. Since they are in

Happy 1st Birthday!!!

2011-04-24T19:58:00.001-05:00

My family and I had the absolute honor of attending Baby G's first birthday party yesterday. It was such a wonderful experience seeing how much this lil man is loved. We were the first to arrive so I scooped Mr. G up right away so mom, dad and grandma could all put the final touches on the party before the other guests arrived. He's still such a social boy, full of smiles for anyone who holds

The Next Step ...

2011-04-19T13:52:00.003-05:00

... is transfer!!! I had another follow up appointment with the RE today to check the fluid issue, and I can not tell you what a relief it was that there was not even a hint. That's right - transfer for Monday is ON! The fluid was likely just a side effect of the synthetic estrogen and has since resolved on it's own and disappeared. No aspiration needed. My lining is a nice fluffy 12mm (the

Good News ???

2011-04-16T12:07:00.002-05:00

I drove into the Highland Park FCI clinic bright and early - my nurse coordinator wanted the u/s tech there to take a look and see first hand what's going on. He asked how I was doing, I said could be better - feeling a little frustrated since in my previous three cycles all went well and now this. He commented that if all the RE had to do was give us meds and then say, "Come back for transfer"

Speed Bump

2011-04-15T21:38:00.000-05:00

It wouldn't be surrogacy without a speed bump in the way. So the latest, I went in today for a monitoring appointment to make sure my lining was on track and looking good for transfer next week. What showed up on the u/s has thrown our cycle into limbo - fluid. Gah! My lining without the fluid is at 10mm which is wonderful - but the 2mm pocket of fluid has got to go. This is totally

So Far - So Good

2011-04-09T21:33:00.003-05:00

Just a little update to share how I'm doing with this whole "cycling" gig. I've used that term may times before, but for those that don't know, it's basically the time period in which meds are used prior to transfer to get the body ready - I'm on "preheat" if you will. At my first monitoring appointment Monday, it was confirmed all is well. I'm almost two weeks into Lupron and my ovaries are

Familiar Territory

2011-03-28T21:06:00.001-05:00

It's like déjà vu but new at the same time. Cycling for our upcoming transfer at the end of the April has begun. I started my meds today - VERY EXCITING for all of us! The sub-q Lupron injection is as I remember - simple, painless, easy peasy. I know I've mentioned it before but I actually like doing these shots. We'll see if I'm singing the same tune when I start the intramuscular PIO

Finalized !!!

2011-03-23T08:52:00.002-05:00

Contracts are complete! We got it knocked out in a little over two weeks with only a few hiccups. I think we are all glad to have that part done and over with. It can be complicated and having to communicate through two attorneys and not just sitting down face to face and and discussing everything makes it hard to effectively express your feelings and wishes without coming off as demanding.

We Have A Date!!!

2011-03-01T20:12:00.007-06:00

I HAVE A CALENDAR (almost)!!! Since RE/IPs decided against a fresh cycle and the plan is to now do a frozen embryo transfer (FET) with the two beautiful blasts that were vitrified we can move things along a bit faster. According to the nurse coordinator - my soon-to-be written calendar - will have meds starting approximately March 26th with a FET scheduled Monday, April 25th (the day after Baby

Testing Testing - 1, 2 .... maybe 3!

2011-02-26T14:24:00.003-06:00

Cycling has already begun - for K (IM) that is. This wasn't new territory for her, she'd been through it three times before, each time with "ok" results. IM doesn't respond the best to the meds taken to stimulate her ovaries so each of the prior retrievals resulted in only a couple embryos of transfer quality. Due to this the previous three IVF attempts - in which embryos were transferred to

A Speical Afternoon

2011-02-21T15:06:00.010-06:00

I'd been anxiously looking forward to yesterday afternoon. I couldn't wait to get together with a special circle of women which included myself, my FIM A, my IM K, my bestie Daisy and her IM A - both whom I must congratulate on the recent news of twins!! It was great all coming together to discuss our journeys - the highs, the lows and everything in between. I also think this was the first

Off to a Great Start

2011-02-09T18:09:00.008-06:00

My journey with K&S is beginning to move along. So what's the latest you ask. Late last month Jason and I met with the psychologist for our assessment - ya know just in case I went crazy at some point in the last couple years. The evaluation went just fine. We actually saw the same doctor that was used for my last journey and she remembered us once we introduced ourselves. She was very

Have Baby - Will Travel

2011-02-08T14:08:00.004-06:00

Well sounds like having a lil one has not slowed down my FIPs. At the end of summer they took a trip with Giovanni in tow to New Orleans, then just recently North Carolina. Baby G did so well with the flight that he'll be heading off on his first overseas visit next month - to Spain. FIM said that filling out the passport info was a bit comical; occupation, weight, height, etc. Um...baby, 20

Moment In Time (A message for A&T)

2011-01-06T23:10:00.002-06:00

Happy 38 weeks 5 days!! It's probably silly that I know the exact date that marks this anniversary but, you [A&T] have had Baby Giovanni snuggled safely in your arms the same amount of time now that I carried him under my heart. It was 271 of the most amazing days of my life and I still feel so blessed and honored that I got to be a part of that experience with you both. These last eight and a

Snuggles with the Christmas Elf

2010-12-26T09:21:00.001-06:00

The family and I had a great holiday visit with A&T and Baby G. On Wednesday we went into Chicago for the evening and enjoyed a nice low key night with the surrofam. Mr. Giovanni greeted us at the door and before I even had my coat off was reaching out to me. **love** Either this lil man doesn't have a hint of stranger anxiety yet or he still recognizes me. We've been keeping our visits so

Preheating the Oven (again) !!

2010-12-10T20:02:00.008-06:00

Today I met with K&S and I'm very excited to say we are matched!!!! Our face to face meeting was great and we both expressed we'd like to move forward before even leaving Family Source Consultants [surrogacy agency]. I know for Jason and I it was very relaxed and warm and we enjoyed getting to know this wonderful couple. I mentioned before that they are from Chicago which will allow them to be

Searching ... Finding ...

2010-11-20T13:49:00.010-06:00

Over the last week my profile has been viewed by a few different couples. Exciting! I've gotten great feedback from each one which was wonderful but, a lot goes into a match so sometimes although every thing seems great one small detail can mean not being a perfect fit. For me the one thing that's setting me back is that I don't want to transfer till spring, after my surrobabes 1st birthday.

Anniversary of Sorts

2010-11-06T15:48:00.012-05:00

Today couldn't have been a better day to wake up on an air mattress in my surrobabes nursery. Three years ago today A&T, two ladies from FSC, Jason and myself all sat around a large conference table for a match meeting. It was awkward, it was emotional, it was exciting. I remember it like yesterday. Three years ago we began working on a dream and the beautiful journey that brought Baby G to A

Another Journey ???

2010-11-04T22:24:00.006-05:00

I wasn't sure where I wanted to share this ... Here? Another separate blog? Well, for now I'll keep everything in one place ... somewhere familiar. Let's see where do I want to start. First I'll begin by saying ... I shared some news prematurely on my last entry and have since edited it. Here is where you will find "the latest" so read on. I guess I'll first rewind to a few months ago

" So Big "

2010-10-29T08:54:00.004-05:00

The family and I had a great visit with my FIPs and 'Lil" Giovanni Monday night. They spent the weekend in Wisconsin and had to come through our area on their way back to Chicago so they stopped in for dinner and a quick hello. OMG the boy is huge! I can't believe he was 6 months old already this past weekend and growing like a weed. He's mastered sitting up and has his first two teeth (bottom

Visits with the "Lil" Guy

2010-09-19T16:56:00.005-05:00

So it has been awhile since I updated. Let's see ... not long after the last entry the surro family came out for a visit. We had a great time, served up some tacos and margaritas, and chatted into the early hours of the morning again. We [my IPs, my husband and I] all tend to be those people that close out parties/gatherings so when we get together nobody wants to be the first to call it a

What an Amazing Year!

2010-08-15T22:08:00.007-05:00

No other word can describe this past year ... it has been nothing short of AMAZING! One year ago today my IM and I held hands as we went through a third transfer, a third chance to dream, wish and hope. After two failures it was hard to not wonder if we were in for another disappointment but we all stayed positive and prayed. One year ago today a lil man, literally only cells big, came into

Cuddle Up

2010-07-15T15:03:00.006-05:00

The surrofamily came to visit yesterday. We had a very nice time chatting over a delicious dinner at our home. It's always so nice to see them and check in on how big the lil man is. He was quite bright eyed and alert and very busy checking out the girls and sharing smiles with us all. Baby G was such a good boy while we enjoyed our dinner, just gazing around the playroom, I imagine thinking

Two Months (and a visit)

2010-06-30T08:12:00.004-05:00

Another update for you all. I'll start first with Baby G's 2 month well baby check-up. He's doing great! IM said the appointment went well and his stats are 13lbs 3oz (90th percentile) and 25 1/8 inches (95th percentile) so he's keeping up with the curve and staying high on the charts. He had to have five vaccines which didn't make him a very happy camper so it was a bit of a rough night

Visit in the City

2010-06-13T22:47:00.001-05:00

Spent the day with the surro family today, the weather didn't really cooperate for a day on the town (Chicago) but we made the best of it. We met A&T at their condo and headed out for lunch. We enjoyed some burgers and drinks together on the patio and caught up on the last couple weeks. Of course as most lil ones do, Baby G decided he didn't want to be left out of the meal and began fussing just

6 Weeks Postpartum

2010-06-07T19:09:00.003-05:00

I had my six week postpartum visit with my OB today. Of course the nurse asked me a whole bunch of stuff to rule out PPD ... nope no issues here, couldn't be more happy that A&T have their lil man in their arms and it is NOT ME dealing with the sleepless nights and endless diaper changes. LOL No really in all seriousness I feel GREAT emotionally and am so happy that I was able to be a part of

Last Man Standing

2010-05-30T22:31:00.007-05:00

Baby G came for a visit yesterday. Jason and I hosted a "little" party to kick off the start of summer and I was delighted that A&T were able to join us. Many of our friends and family were anxious to meet the big guy so it was great to show him off and of course to get in some cuddles too. He's doing well, still has a bit of that newborn look but getting more and more alert and he's quite strong

Precious Baby Boy

2010-05-18T21:10:00.004-05:00

I had a great visit with my lil surroman today. I got in some cuddle time despite him being a bit fussy. Since IPs ran out of EBM a couple days ago they had to use some forumla and it doesn't entirely agree with his system, poor lil guy had to poop but couldn't. IM was comforting him, rocking and patting away for some time when I offered to take over to give her arms a rest. He fussed a bit more

In Honor of Mother's Day

2010-05-09T08:23:00.006-05:00

I wanted to wish my favorite new mom a Happy Mother's Day!! Celebrating this day has been a long time coming and I am just thrilled that I had a small part in making that happen for "A". I'm overjoyed that there is another wonderful woman enjoying this special day with her precious child close by.Here's a favorite lil poem that my mother gave to me when I became a mommy for the first time nearly

Snuggle Time

2010-05-03T22:10:00.005-05:00

Baby G came for a visit today (on what was our original due date). It was so nice to see A&T and the lil guy and hear how their first week has gone. Sounds like they are getting settled into their new life as a family and enjoying parenthood.I got in some cuddles which was nice, he's such a cutie. Really what makes me smile most though is watching IM (and IF) hold and interact with Baby G. When I

Nearly a week ...

2010-04-29T21:34:00.004-05:00

... has gone by since all the excitement. Wow that went by fast! Here's a little update on how everything is going.We were all released from the hospital Monday afternoon. A&T and Baby G stopped by our house on their way out of town to drop me off, have a quick bite to eat and prepare for the ride home. We said our goodbyes knowing it wouldn't be for long, but not without a few joyful tears.I

Our Birth Story

2010-04-24T20:27:00.027-05:00

The days leading up to delivery day had been full of questions and indecision. As you know our OB had some concerns about baby’s size and was recommending a scheduled c-section. We struggled with this recommendation wanting the vaginal birth that we’d all been planning for. The final decision was to schedule the section but if we went into labor on our own prior to that we’d follow natures

Guess What! ~ He's Here

2010-04-24T05:04:00.002-05:00

Baby G was delivered safe & sound (vaginally) into the arms of my wonderful IPs A&T at 12:38 am this morning (4/24) weighing 10lbs even and 21 inches long!!! OMG I can't belive he was that big and 10 days early to boot. I'm doing great and A&T (and his grandparents) are all over the moon to have him here. It's 5am, I've been up just shy of 24 hours but still doing good. I'm relaxing in my

38 weeks ~ The Verdict

2010-04-19T22:57:00.004-05:00

Well after today's 38wk appointment and follow up to discuss the suggestion by our OB to do a scheduled c-section I can't really say we left feeling any more "guided" then when we came in.IM, IF and I spent the weekend perusing information regarding fetal macrosomia (big babies) and the proportion issue that was brought up by our OB. Last weeks u/s indicated that his torso/chest/abdomen was

OB Appointment

2010-04-15T23:21:00.008-05:00

I'm gonna keep this kinda simple and try not to go off on tangents. We've got some decisions to make and options to weigh but won't have a final verdict till Monday so here is the gist on our appointment today.First things first, things are looking ok for me. BP was 114/72, urine a-ok, weight gain up a little but that's expected with the water retention (edema) I'm experiencing. Other than the

37 weeks ~ FULL TERM!!!

2010-04-12T08:58:00.006-05:00

I don't even know where to begin with this weeks update. It was a whirlwind of a weekend! I had the absolute pleasure of attending A&T's baby showers and meeting many of their friends & family. The first was a couples shower Saturday evening with their friends, all of who where very friendly, inviting and wonderful. Thank you so much to all those who attended and made me feel so welcome and

36 weeks

2010-04-05T15:18:00.003-05:00

Ok ok as "good" as I am at being pregnant and regardless of how smooth the last several months have gone I think I'm ready to be done. During my own pregnancies by this point there was no doubt but it's a little bittersweet this time around. I'll be totally honest though, I'm getting uncomfortable and ready to have the "old me" back and ready to refocus and renew myself and I can't forget to

35 weeks

2010-03-29T14:45:00.009-05:00

Today was another appointment day and it was uneventful and quick. Hoping baby went through a lil growth spurt because I was up a few pounds ... I'd feel better knowing we shared the gain. ;) Everything else looked good, his heart rate was 144 bpm and the doctor reminded us that in two weeks we'll be full term (37wks) so after that if I go into labor the show is on! Wow, when did we get so close?

34 weeks

2010-03-22T19:12:00.003-05:00

I'm getting fat! I'm over 5lbs and quickly running out of space in here.The comment above was from baby but I you could say the same about me ... whoa I'm feeling huge. The days are getting longer, the nights more restless and the floor and my feet are just too far away these days. LOL Don't get me wrong though, I'm still so excited to be a part of this miracle!A&T and I all attended a birthing

33 weeks

2010-03-15T23:02:00.003-05:00

Since there were two updates last week I don't have much to share. Thought instead I'd post the video to a song that makes my heart swell each time I hear it. I'm so excited to be sharing in this miracle with A&T and can't wait for them to begin their journey as parents. Only 6 weeks to go Mom & Dad !! Please excuse the advertisement ... I couldn't find a clip without one.

Countdown is nearly here!!

2010-03-11T20:24:00.009-06:00

Today we had a great 32 week OB appointment with an u/s too. The "lil" guy is measuring in the 77th percentile and a good two weeks ahead. His estimated weight was 4lbs 14oz with another 7 weeks to go (any guesses?). The fetal heartrate was 166bpm. He was a bit more active this time, last u/s he was sleeping. He must have been getting tired though, he was yawning throughout the u/s and it

32 weeks

2010-03-08T15:41:00.002-06:00

My skin is turning from red to pink!! My fingernails really need cutting soon!Into the 8th month we go! I know I say it ever week but man, I just can't believe we are here already. It feels like just yesterday we hit the halfway point (20wks) and IPs were beginning to share the news with friends and family. To think that was nearly three months ago now really puts into perspective how quickly

31 weeks

2010-03-01T20:22:00.002-06:00

It's been a quiet week here. Everyone keeps commenting on how close we are getting, OMG 9 weeks or less!!! I'm not ready for it to be over, I really am enjoying most every moment but I'm sure A&T are getting impatient and excited for their son to be in their arms. I'm getting bigger but he still seems to have plenty of room to move around. It's fun trying to figure out which baby bit is

30 weeks

2010-02-22T14:50:00.003-06:00

I am gaining fat and muscle now. I have toenails and weigh almost 4 pounds!Ahhh 10 weeks or less to go!!! I can't believe this milestone is here already, seems long overdue that we reach this part of our journey but the pregnancy itself is going very quickly.We had an uneventful OB appointment this morning. As for me, urine and BP look fine ... I was up a pound from last week which I am a-ok

Glucose Testing Update

2010-02-16T15:22:00.002-06:00

I'll be honest I was a bit paranoid at the thought of having gestational diabetes. This "lil" guy is likely gonna be bigger than any of my girls just based on genetics so the possibility of having to manage diabetes to ensure he didn't get too big made me nervous! Plus I really feared being labeled if I am to do any future surrogacies.So, I got my results this morning and big sigh of relief, I

29 weeks

2010-02-15T15:19:00.007-06:00

I can see light, taste, hear voices and smell. I weigh almost 3lbs!I spent today in my Obstetrician office taking the three hour glucose tolerance test. Ugh! I got the results back from the one hour on Friday, my blood sugar was elevated and they needed me to fast starting Sunday at midnight and come in at 8:30 AM Monday (today) for the longer test to rule out having gestational

He's Adorable !!

2010-02-12T00:10:00.003-06:00

Today we had our 28 week appointment and were surprised with some 3D images of this lil guy. He's such a cutie!! Cheeks are getting a bit chubby, a precious little nose and even some hair atop his head.All the measurements looked good and he's even sizing up a week or more ahead. Right now he's estimated to be about 3lbs 3oz which puts him in the 76th percentile. The doctor was pleased with

28 weeks

2010-02-08T14:28:00.002-06:00

Since there isn't much of anything new to report just yet, and we have a big appointment this upcoming Thursday (growth u/s and glucose screen) I thought I'd post some ramblings this week and then add a "baby update" later after the OB visit.So the reoccurring question from strangers who see me out and about with my four girls is, "Are you finally having a boy this time?" To this I usually

27 weeks (Hello 3rd Trimester)

2010-02-01T19:21:00.005-06:00

My brain is quickly growing and my eyes will open soon. I can hear voices outside the womb.I can hardly believe it, we're now into month 7 and beginning the 3rd trimester. This baby keeps busy and active that's for sure. I'll notice him get the hiccups from time to time and even startle at a loud noise. I continue to talk to him each day, making sure to let him know how very excited his mom

26 weeks

2010-01-25T13:49:00.003-06:00

Well we are in a double digit countdown now. 99 days or less to go! I can hardly believe how quickly it has gone by.As the 6th month ends and we approach the third trimester we've been working on getting some things organized. I think I mentioned already that the doula has been hired, the PBO is in the works, an appointment to do the hospital tour needs to be set, maybe even taking part in a

25 weeks

2010-01-18T21:01:00.011-06:00

My spine is forming and I'm 9 inches long! My lungs are becoming mature.Time is flying ... 25 weeks down, 15 or less to go!Today was a great day! IM and I spent the afternoon being pampered with massages and manicures ... perfect! IM had an interesting conversation with her masseuse. The woman was engaging her in a lil small talk and asked if "A" had any children. IM responded with "No, not

24 weeks

2010-01-11T14:49:00.002-06:00

Had a nice but quick visit with A&T today when we went in for our appointment. Today's appointment seemed pretty uneventful, especially since we've had an ultrasound at every appointment leading up to this one since 12 weeks. Baby G is doing well, I'm feeling lots of movement these days which has really allowed me to relax a lot the last month or so. His heart rate was 148 bpm and my belly is

23 weeks

2010-01-04T07:51:00.001-06:00

My bones are harder and I'm viable outside the womb! I weigh more than a pound.Just a quick update. All is great here ... besides missing my IPs everything is going well. I think we all got accustomed to seeing one another every week or two, now that we've been communicating through just email and text for the last few weeks I miss them.I'm beginning to feel more cumbersome but keep reminding

Half Way There ... some memories

2009-12-21T11:53:00.003-06:00

The time has finally come for A&T to share the news that they are expecting with friends and family. It's been a long journey which they decided to keep private until we were successful. Then our success was followed with more ups and downs throughout the first trimester bringing more reservations. Thankfully the pregnancy is thriving and their lil boy is developing normally and perfect as can be

20 weeks

2009-12-14T22:05:00.007-06:00

Today was our 20 week appointment/ultrasound and all is looking great.I didn't gain any weight these last two weeks which was just what I had hoped for. I've been trying to be more conscious about my food choices and not over indulging and it seemed to work. I also have been exercising again since getting the all clear two weeks ago, hopefully my efforts will prove helpful throughout the

Working on a Dream

2009-12-14T20:14:00.003-06:00

IM gave to me a CD with several songs to represent the journey. I can't listen to it without smiling ear to ear and at the same time getting misty eyed. What an amazing miracle we are witnessing. I've made a playlist which includes a few of the songs. Enjoy.(You may need to first pause background instrumental by turning off player located at bottom of blog. To scroll and view all songs below

19 weeks

2009-12-07T21:48:00.006-06:00

I'm hiccuping and covered in vernix. My hair is starting to grow too!Everything is pretty much going as expected.Next week is the anatomy scan where we'll get a nice long look at this lil guy and get to count fingers and toes once again. We've been pretty lucky to have an u/s each and every visit so far and I'm always excited to see him again.

18 weeks

2009-11-30T20:14:00.007-06:00

So not to much to report, things have been quiet which is great. We had yet another follow up visit today, Baby Boy looked great. His heartrate was 141 and he was moving about and appeared comfy and cozy all snuggled in. The other news is that the bleed has reabsorbed but the undeveloped embryo still lingers. The doctor told me since everything looked good I could get back to normal life;

17 weeks

2009-11-23T15:26:00.007-06:00

I can swallow and blink! I'm a 1/2 pound and my heart pumps 25 quarts a day.Another week has gone by. Everything is going great. We did get another peek at the lil guy today and once again he was not shy to show off his stuff. Heartbeat was a strong and steady 146 bpm and he was busy and active once again. I'm feeling lots of movement now, still not strong enough to feel from the outside but

16 weeks (& gender news!!!)

2009-11-16T19:50:00.002-06:00

Sugar and Spice & Everything nice is all I've ever known so it is a little weird to me that this time I'm carrying a BOY!!! The follow up appt went great. I thought it was gonna be just IM today but turned out IF was able to come after all so when the tech asked if they wanted to know the gender answer was YES! This lil guy wasn't shy at all, showed us all his goods a couple of times. Heart rate

15 weeks

2009-11-09T09:10:00.002-06:00

I can move and love to suck my thumb! My movements will soon be strong enough to feel.Hello everyone! Wow can't believe we are at 15 weeks already, time is flying by. Pregnancy-wise this has been a quiet week (which is good). I've been feeling great and experiencing movement on a regular basis which is a wonderful feeling. Nothing really new to report. We'll go back in to see the OB on

14 weeks (Bouncing Baby on Board)

2009-11-02T15:58:00.006-06:00

Today we had a great 14wk appointment. The basic details of the visit are; urine negative, blood pressure good, weight ... well let's just say I have my appetite back. We were taken back first thing for the u/s and we saw a beautiful bouncing baby! I know "A" was very relieved and I think a lil surprised to see her lil one so lively and "baby" looking. The munchkin had a good heartbeat of 145

The Reveal

2009-10-26T22:37:00.005-05:00

Ok here's a lil peek at the belly, hoping next week I'll have images to share of the little one that is occupying it. I've popped out quite a bit already for 13wks, I'd say the bump is comparable to my 18wk belly with our youngest daughter. Can't say that is all baby just yet though, a lot of what is sticking out is all the "stuff" my uterus has pushed out of the way. LOL Enjoy!

13 weeks

2009-10-26T14:43:00.004-05:00

I've got vocal chords and my gender is visable. I weight one ounce and breath!Not much new to report since the last update. I've been feeling ok, still having some brown spotting here and there but nothing alarming. Just anxiously waiting for next Monday's appointment and ultrasound. I think I may be feeling little flutters in my tummy but I have to sit very still and concentrate to feel

Update to ER Visit

2009-10-21T16:17:00.000-05:00

I called my OB this morning but today is her day off so the OB on call said to rest, drink plenty of fluids and follow up with her tomorrow since the bleeding seemed to have stopped and we already had a 2pm appt set. They said they'd call over to the ER and get my records from last night for her to review. We'll a few hours later I got a call back saying they did want to see me today after all b/

ER Visit

2009-10-21T07:52:00.003-05:00

Well I ended up in the ER last night. Just before dinner time I bent down to do something and felt a gush, when I stood up another gush. I went to the bathroom and sure enough bright red blood. I had some brown spotting/bleeding the night before so when I called the OB yesterday I was instructions to go to the ER if I soaked a pad in an hour but who really wants to wait around for that! It was