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I'm a wife, mom, and gestational surrogate. I've been blessed to be able to have 2 beautiful daughters of my own and 2 cute little surro babes for IPs. With the support of my WONDERFUL family and friends, I'm doing it again!! Follow me on my journey...

Thursday, May 22, 2014

She's here!!!!!

Well Miss B decided to make her debut on Saturday, May 10th, about 30 minutes shy of Mother's Day! (And she proved me wrong by arriving 3 days before her due date)

Here are her stats:
Born May 10 (her grandparent's anniversary!) 
11:32pm
8lbs2oz
20 in

She is absolutely adorable and the parents are so in love with her. ♥

So here's the birth story: (this will be long...I want to remember all of this in the future ☺ )

At my Dr. appt on Friday the 9th I was still dilated 2-3cm, which was a little disappointing. I was hoping all the contractions I had been having were making some kind of progress. My BP was also elevated so the Dr decided to send me to L&D to be monitored. They kept me for about an hour, ran labs,  everything came back normal and BP went back down, so they sent me home. 

The next day, Saturday, May 10th around 10:30am I went to the nail spa with my mom, grandma and oldest daughter. Very relaxing ☺ We went to lunch afterward and then I got back home around 2:30pm. Kevin, the girls and I started watching a movie and I was having the usual contractions, nothing major. Then I felt a 'pop' in my abdominal area and had a really long, semi-painful contraction. It went away and I kept watching the movie until about 10 minutes later (3:30p) when I felt a trickle "down there". I hopped up, ran to the bathroom and wasn't quite sure if my water broke or if I peed on myself lol. I stood there for a few minutes and the mystery liquid kept coming out so I was pretty sure my water had broken :-) 
I told Kevin it was time, he turned the movie off and got the girls packed up and into the car. Then I called my IPs (you could hear the excitement in my IM's voice!) and my mom (the girls were going to her house). We dropped the girls off and then we were off to the hospital. At that point I started having regular contractions (about every 3 mins)...I noticed Kevin was on the phone and I didn't know who he was talking to, but I soon figured it out....he was talking to my step dad AKA our escort to the hospital. I looked up and saw my dad's car in front of us with his emergency lights flashing "clearing the way" through traffic for us. Omg....let's not talk about how quickly we got to the hospital. Thankfully I was too distracted by all the contractions to look at the speedometer...we made it there safely and without any tickets so I guess that's what matters :)
I got checked in to L&D triage (4:45p) and they confirmed that my water broke so they moved me to a room. I was having contractions every 2 mins now, but not too painful. Nurse checked my cervix and I was dilated to 4cm. Got my IV put in and then my IPs arrived.
I started getting nauseous and then I puked...nice!

Seriously??
The contractions were getting stronger and then, thankfully, the anesthesiologist arrived. They only allow 1 person in the room while getting the epidural so I asked Kevin to stay...why did I do that? If you recall, last time Kevin passed out when I got the epidural. Smh. I figured it was a one time thing. Not so much. The Dr was merely telling me about the procedure and Kevin started getting lightheaded. We sent him out and asked IM to come in lol.
Guess he had to have a snack break after that ordeal.
So IM was there with me while I got the epidural. I'm glad she was too. She was very calming. 
That was around 6:30pm and after the epi was done, I was a happy camper ☺
The nurse told us that our Dr wasn't the Dr on call that weekend so his associate would be the one to deliver. Bummer. Then she came back and said our Dr had put a note on my chart specifically asking to be called if I came in because he wanted to be the one to deliver. How cool is that?! Dr. B was great to us throughout the entire pregnancy and it was really nice to know that he cared enough to come in on his day off. 
My mom, the girls and my grandma arrived and kept me company for a while too.
My entourage ☺
My girls were so supportive ♥
Around 8p I was still having contractions every 2 mins, but was only dilated to 5cm, so they started Pitocin to help make the contractions stronger and dilate me more. Thank goodness for the epi! ☺
My friend Elice arrived around 8:30-9; she was the designated photographer. She did fix my hair, but we didn't set off any smoke alarms this time! 
It was really calm in the room, we were just watching tv and waiting for Miss B to make some progress.
The nurse was writing her birthday time/weight guess on our board. (She won for time, I won for weight) ☺
The Dr came in at 11pm, checked me and said I was at 10 and ready to push. Everyone got ready, M&P were on each side of me and I started pushing! 30 mins later Miss B arrived! 
It was one of the most calm births ever! They placed her on my tummy to clean her off and she let out that beautiful cry we all wanted to hear.

IM was crying and IF was smiling from ear to ear! IF got to cut the cord and IM did skin-to-skin with Miss B. It was so amazing! No words can truly describe those 1st moments.
 
The new parents got to help with giving B her 1st bath and putting on her diaper (which was upside down at first lol!) 
She passed all of her tests and was given her 1st set of vaccines as well. 
Bath time
I immediately started pumping for her, but her appetite was bigger than I could produce, right off, so they supplemented with formula. 
IM got to celebrate her 1st Mother's Day the next day (so cool!) and we all went home on Monday. 
The best part of it all? When IPs said that B will call me Aunt Krystal! I totally started crying. What a privilege! I feel so incredibly blessed to have been able to help another couple become parents and love the fact that they consider me part of their family. I definitely don't take it for granted. There are so many other surrogates that don't even get pictures afterward. I'm a lucky woman! 
The girls instantly loved her!♥


As for me, I'm feeling good. I have been pumping for Miss B, which is tiring, but surprisingly rewarding. It feels like an accomplishment after each time I pump and I look in the freezer to see all the milk I've produced. ☺
I started light exercise yesterday (just walking the dogs) and will slowly work my way back up to Zumba and soccer. 

So, that's it! Miss B is here, healthy and happy! She's very alert and a sweet, calm baby. Couldn't ask for anything better! 
I'm a happy surro and I'm sure my family is happy to have their "normal" mom/wife back.

Leaving the hospital


3.5 days old
11 days old
Toodles for now! 

PS. Will I do it again? 
It's not out of the question..... ;)

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

39 weeks!!!


Week 39 baby fetus size watermelon
Fetus Size
Baby is about the size of a watermelon during week 39.

LENGTH: 20.31 in
WEIGHT: 7.78 lb
Let's just start off with this little statistic...Most babies, about 95%, don't arrive on their due date. Of the 95%, 25% come early and 70% come late.
 
Umm...HELL NO! No, seriously....like...NO! Late is not an option. I've been having (according to the nurse at the Dr's office) Braxton Hick's contractions since Monday. They are not painful, but they sure as hell aren't pleasant either. And it's not fun to have these false alarms. I feel like the boy who cried wolf; no one's gonna believe when I actually do go into labor b/c I think I'm going into labor about every 20 minutes :\ Whatevs.
Miss B has 6 days until her "projected due date".... please cooperate, Miss B!
 
My appointment last Friday went well. Baby's heart rate was good, my belly is still huge (Dr doesn't even tell me what it measures at this point) prob for the best...and I'm dilated 2-3cm! Dr. was very surprised at how much I was dilated and didn't seem to think I'll make it to our due date. I'm skeptical. I think I'll make it and even go past the damn date! Oh well, I'm going to do my best to cherish these last few days of pregnancy, no matter how uncomfortable I might be. *Try*
 
Next appointment is on Friday the 9th (if we make it). I'll let cha know how it goes.

Love from Miss B's #1 fan...and Zeus decided to join in for once :)

 

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

38 weeks!

pregnancy calendarI'm just gonna copy straight from Alpha Mom because, she hit the nail on the head for this week!

Baby:
  • Is officially a little chunkin, at well over six pounds and 19 1/2 inches long.
  • Is also officially considered “full term.” In other words, she is STRAIGHT UP FREELOADING from here on out.
  • Is practicing making fists and fetal breathing in anticipation of life outside the womb.
Me:
  • Have had enough of this magical special time, thank you very much.
  • Backaches, joint aches, heartburn, indigestion, constipation, Braxton-Hicks contractions, painful kicks, bladder pressure, stretch marks, itchy skin, swollen ankles, fatigue, dry mouth, mood swings, did I miss anything else in this cavalcade of late-pregnancy hilarity?
Thankfully at the last Dr's appt he graciously agreed to place me on 1/2 days at work. Yesterday was my 1st official half-day, but it still seemed too long, lol.
Speaking of my Dr appt, it was another quick one. He checked her heart rate (good), checked my belly size (measuring a week ahead) and that was it. As for my headaches and swelling...well...that's just part of pregnancy, apparently. My BP was just fine, so that's good news.

We go back to the Dr this Friday, May 2nd and he will check my cervix for dilation this time. Joy.
As much as I dread being checked, I'm hoping that I'm at least dilated some...I need to see the light at the end of the tunnel! ☺

Until next time, TTYL!
Miss B's #1 fan!

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

37 weeks!

That's it, I'm officially a whale.
 
Much to my dismay, I'm STILL outgrowing my maternity clothes. Most of my shirts look like crop tops at this point...good thing it's springtime, crop tops are in this season. No? I tried.
I'm having serious trouble getting a good night’s sleep thanks my larger than usual size (my limbs keep falling asleep under my body’s crushing weight), Miss B's jolt-you-awake-caliber kicks, bladder calls (I swear 36 times a night!) & good ol' Braxton-Hicks contractions.

I woke up Tuesday morning with a bad headache and my right hand was so swollen that I couldn't even make a fist. No bueno. I've had a slight headache for past few days, but Tuesday was the worst. I'll make sure to mention this to my Dr at our appt on Friday, I know these can be signs of pre-eclampsia; hopefully it's not though. We're almost done, let's get there complication free!

Anywho, here's my 37 week "bump" AKA mountain. (Which my dog, Sasha loves to lie on)

I'll update after Friday's appointment!


Thursday, April 17, 2014

36 weeks...

Technically 26 days left, but we're gonna go with 19! ☺ Wow...seems like it will be forever until Miss B arrives, but it's just around the corner!

I'm so over work right now, it's not even funny. I don't know why I agreed to working up until I'm basically in labor. Superwoman complex, I guess. I'm training a temp to do some of my job duties while I'm out and she's caught on pretty fast, so I don't see the point in me sticking around...sigh.
Just call me Super Preggo
Miss B definitely makes her presence known these days. She stretches out in all directions and it's a little painful for me. She's also on my bladder quite often, so that's fun. Not.

Anywho, according to the trusty ol' internet these are Miss B's stats:
Week 36 baby fetus size Napa cabbage
Fetus Size
Baby is about the size of Napa cabbage during week 36.

LENGTH: 18.99 in
WEIGHT: 5.84 lb

BUT according to my last Dr's appt Miss B has already surpassed the 6lb mark, so who knows how big she actually is now! Maybe we'll find out on Friday (25th), our next appointment.

Until then....TTYL!



Friday, April 11, 2014

How big is Miss B?

Dr. Appt on Monday went well. IPs weren't able to make it due to work obligations :( I know they were bummed, but I updated them as soon as the appt was done, so I think that helped them feel a little better. 
Anywho, at 1 day shy of 35 weeks, Miss B was weighing in at about 6lbs1oz; in the 73rd percentile. She's a healthy girl ;) 
She has fat little cheeks and you could see her blinking and her mouth moving on the sono. It was so cool!! Oh, and the Sonographer said it looks like B has a lot of hair. :-)
I can tell she's getting bigger. She likes to stretch out and jab me under my ribs :\

Dr. Said everything is looking good and he's happy, so I'm happy :) 
Nothin else to report. 

Our next appt is April 25th (37 wks), so I'll update then, if not before. TTYL!

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

I make lots of noises...


The bigger my belly gets, the more I notice the noises I make. Getting in the car (grunt), attempting to take off pants (lots of grunting and heavy breathing), putting on lotion, tying shoes (yea right, like that's actually happening!), get in/out of bed...basically anything that requires movement also has a noise associated with it. I could have my own soundtrack. It's a shame, really...but apparently amusing to my children & husband. Whatevs.

Yep, that's me.
I've resolved to wearing nothing but dresses these days; makes things a lot easier. Well except for the fact that dresses usually require me to shave my legs.....that's a whole 'nother story.

Anywho, we are now 34 weeks along (41 days left!). I'm feeling pretty good for the most part. I had a horrible cramp in my calf the other night (woke me from my sleep) and I almost beat Kevin over the head from the pain. Not cool. (the cramp, not the beating Kevin part...he'll be alright). Apparently Charley horses are common in pregnancy and I remember having one with the last pregnancy, but that doesn't mean I'm used to it. That shit hurts.
Miss B seems to like stretching out and chillin' under my ribs. Also not cool. She's very active EXCEPT for when her mom & dad are around. What's up with that??
I'm excited for our next appointment so that we can see how big she is! Any guesses? Here's what the trusty ol' internet says her estimated size is:
Week 34 baby fetus size celery
Baby is about the size of celery during week 34.

LENGTH: 18.12 in
WEIGHT: 4.82 lb

We'll be 1 day shy of 35 weeks at the appointment though, so here's the stats for week 35, for comparison:
Week 35 baby fetus size romaine lettuce
Baby is about the size of romaine lettuce during week 35.

LENGTH: 18.64 in
WEIGHT: 5.33 lb

I'm gonna go between and guess 5.1 lbs; 18.5 in long.

Maybe you need a belly pic to help you decide (If you base it off of this, then she's definitely 10lbs... )
 
And here's my 33 week belly, since I didn't post last week:
 

I'll let cha know how it goes! TTYL.
                                     





Smiley 360                                                                                 

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

"Well, you signed up for it..."

...the NUMBER FRIGGIN ONE comment that I absolutely hate!
Scenario: I'm walking through the office and a coworker says "so, how ya' feeling?" I say "good, just a little tired."
Here it comes.............. "Well you signed up for it"
What. The. Fuck. is that supposed to mean?? Like, just because I volunteered to carry a child for someone means that I'm supposed to be sunshine & unicorns all the damn time?
I *might* be okay with this comment if I'd only heard it once, but it seems to be a common thread among complete idiots.
Lemme tell you something, people, just because I "signed up for this" does not exclude me from feeling the normal pains and emotions that come with ALL pregnancies! I'm growing a friggin HUMAN inside my body for Pete's sake! Do you think that's always going to be comfortable?!

I would say that it's my pregnancy hormones that are making me this angry, but truth be told, I'd likely say these things regardless. Sometimes people are just idiots. Plain and simple.

Moral of the story: Please don't make that statement in my presence. You may receive a slap to the back of the head.

End rant.

Back to Unicorns & Rainbows:



55(+/-) days left today!!! I'm hoping for the (-) side of things, maybe more like 50 days left? My IF says 48 days, I'll take it! ☺

I'm not ready for the pregnancy to be over per say, I'm just ready to feel "normal" again. I get pretty tired these days and it's harder to sleep. I've also been having quite a bit of lower back pain. My IPs are so sweet, they gave me a gift card to get a massage, so hopefully after I get a massage this weekend the back pain will be minimized.

Week 32 baby fetus size pineapple
Fetus Size
Baby is about the size of a pineapple during week 32.

LENGTH: 17.04 in
WEIGHT: 3.81 lb

Everything else is going great; nothing much to report, which is good ☺

We have an appointment on Friday morning that should be pretty quick and easy.  We're hoping that the OB can give us an idea of Ms. B's size and position at this appointment. I should probably go pre-register at the hospital after that appointment as well. Might as well get that out of the way so they're not asking me a bajillion questions when I'm actually in labor!

I'll keep ya posted, TTYL!



Wednesday, March 5, 2014

30 weeks


69 days left!!


My Dr appt on Friday was quick and easy (which we like). My belly is measuring right on track, BP is good and I've gained a total of 20 lbs so far. The Dr seems pleased with the way everything is going, so that's great! Dr. Brown was so sweet at our appointment, he told us how excited he was to be a part of this journey and how much he looks forward to seeing us at our appointments. It's really nice to have a Dr that feels this way and is genuinely happy for M&P.

As for how I'm feeling...not to bad. Still having lots of lower back pain, but that's to be expected when you're carrying around an extra 20 lbs! The back pain has seemed to intensify lately though, so I've been using a heating pad, taking warm baths and using lots of pillows while I'm sleeping. I slept in our recliner last night with about 4 pillows, that helped, but it sucks trying to change positions!

Our next appointment is March 21st; I'll be 32 weeks. I think I'll start having more frequent OB visits after that one.
Oh! And my IPs talked about getting a 4-D ultrasound done, so hopefully we will get that scheduled soon. I've never had one, so this will be a 1st for all of us! ☺

Until next time, TTYL!

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Walk of Hope & 29 week update


This weekend my family and I along with Baby L & his fam participated in the Walk of Hope.

"The Walk of Hope is a day to for the infertility community and those that care about them to come together and raise awareness. People of all ages can participate as a walker or donor and raise awareness of how the disease of infertility impacts families nationwide. Funds raised from the Walk support local programming which includes support groups and educational events, public awareness initiatives, and advocacy efforts to ensure all family building options are available to all."

It was a great event with plenty for the kids to do, we really enjoyed it. Our favorite part was being able to visit with Baby L (who's not really a baby anymore!) and M&M. L is so smart and sweet and he was telling us all his colors, numbers, etc. I LOVE that M&M still include us in their lives, it makes the whole surrogacy process that much sweeter!
Of course we took lots of pics; here are a few of them:





Isn't he the cutest little guy??!! Can't wait to see them again! ♥

So this week marks 29 weeks...approximately 76 days until Miss B makes her appearance!! I'm so excited for my IPs! IM has been getting Miss B's room ready...she's on the hunt for the perfect paint color at the moment ☺ I can't wait to see pics, I know it's going to be beautiful.
Miss B is definitely active, she must get that from her dad (he's a cyclist). She squirms all over the place and sometimes her kicks/punches are pretty dang strong! I have to push on my belly to try to get her to move into a different spot when it gets uncomfortable.
I'm feeling pretty good these days, just the regular ol' lower back pain and getting tired a bit quicker. Speaking of getting tired....man....it's hell trying to clean the house these days! Who knew washing dishes could take so much out of you?? I might have to invest in getting a cleaner out once a week to do the "dirty work"...I attempted to clean the bathroom the other day and yea....not happening.

Anywho, Kevin and I also celebrated our anniversary this past weekend and we went to the spa, movies and dinner. The movie and dinner were good, but the spa was Heavenly! It was the best prenatal massage I've ever had; wish I could get that done on a regular basis!

This Friday (28th) we have a Dr appt; should just be a regular quick check-up, but I'll keep ya posted ☺ Hopefully Miss B will move around so mom & dad can see/feel.
Until next time, here's my 29 week belly! TTYL!