I am a bad blogger...

Yes, I do confess...I am a horrible blogger. Most of the time I am just busy! I am so sorry. I will try harder! :) But I am happy to announce that today marks our 15th week! YAY! Baby is now the size of a naval orange. Which is way better and bigger then a PEACH at week 13...which I am STILL craving. And umm, who would have known...it's not in season! Grrr. So I have been trying my hardest to satisfy the craving. I got a peach smoothie a few times. But nope.. didn't work!


So let's get on with how the pregnancy is going...It's going great! I am off ALL meds, yesterday was my LAST blood work. I feel like a new woman! Like this is now a REAL pregnancy. Not to mention I have no more sickness. And wouldn't you know it...I am actually starting to "look" pregnant. :)

Christmas was great! I got my package from O&J maybe a week before Christmas...Didn't open until day of. It was a ladybug pillow pet! We all had lady bug pendants at the transfer :) They bring me luck! :) So that was very thoughtful. Then my children and I received cards from them! WONDERFUL and sweet...and thoughtful. THEN, Christmas Eve I was laying down to put my little one down for a nap. I decided it was time for a mommy nap too! :) And I hear banging on the door. I'm like "Really, right now?!" and I was a little irritated...until I answered the door to this beautiful arrangement and the man asked if I was Amanda. I said YES! My mood totally changed from being annoyed to so surprised and happy :) Then a little bit hungry after I see my favorite! CANTALOUPE! The rest was delicious...but let me tell you, my kids and I attack cantaloupe. So it was wonderful! :)

And yes...I AM getting better at pictures! I am actually almost professional with downloading now. Yup...ME!

Well anyway, we have our next appointment on Jan 10th and that is our gender determination! :) So...any guesses? For me...It could really go either way. I am not sure, there have been signs of it being both. According to old wives tales of course! :) Until next time... <3

Hot Cheetos and Nacho Sauce.

So, cravings lately...totally craving spicy food! Last night I made my brother go with me to get hot wings! mmmm...I only got them "mild" because I knew I would have crazy heart burn! And I did! I was up last night with crazy heart burn! :) But well worth it, craving satisfied! Not much has gone on lately...

We had an NT scan a few days ago. It was great, the baby was moving. Kicking and waiving it's little arms. It was amazing to see. We have another ultrasound, which should be the gender determination on Jan 10th. I am excited for that one too! I am having mixed thoughts on what it is... I think girl sometimes, but then get feelings it's a boy sometimes too! I just can't wait until O comes out again. I always like hanging out with him. I just wish that J could come too! But he has to work, so totally understandable! :)

I am 12 weeks and 3 days today and have been getting a lot of my energy back. I haven't been feeling AS sick, but it still comes and goes and I have to watch what I do sometimes. I have a little belly, now that the bloating has gone down. When I lean against things I can almost feel like a little ball inside. I ordered a few maternity items from Old Navy, which don't quite fit yet...but it's nice to put on some jeans that don't squish me. I can't wait to get bigger! :)

Ultrasound!

Ok...so this morning was hectic! Got a little lost in the airport but finally picked up "O". We were super early to the Dr office, which is typical of us! We are always SUPER early! We checked in at the OB station and went to the waiting room.... the nurse called me back, took my vitals and the Dr came in. They did a quick pap and wheeled the ultrasound machine in! They ran and got "O" and then we started the ultrasound! It was so amazing...I saw the little flickering of the heartbeat. I got a little teary eyed, but it was different then seeing my own. I was more detached. Which is good, because it isn't my own pregnancy. But it is totally reassuring that I am MEANT to do surrogacy. It was more of a relief. Not just for me. Being a surrogate is different. You have this family relying on you to have a healthy pregnancy...so I was more nervous of something going wrong and feeling like it was somehow MY fault. So it is SUCH a relief to see that there is ONE...yes I said it ONE healthy baby with a wonderful heartbeat. And I am measuring exactly on time. 7 weeks and 1 day.

We left and went and had an early lunch. It was yummy! Then I dropped daddy "O" off at the airport and we said good bye. I feel like so much has gone on today and I am super tired! Maybe it's from being so excited and anxious! haha...I feel like I can relax now and just let it be! This has been such a wonderful day! I am so happy and blessed... :)

"Auntie Amanda"

I'm pregnant!

So, sorry I haven't been updating... BUT we got a positive beta! Our first one was Oct. 13th-166, Oct 15th-428 and our recent one yesterday the 21st was 4,966! I feel amazing! I was sick once, last week...but I haven't had any sickness lately. :) We have out ultrasound November 3rd. Can't wait! Neither can the daddies! :)

Testing...

So I broke down and tested "early" this morning. Yea. Shame on me! I am a horrible person? :) LOL

So anyway...I wake up at 4:30 this morning feeling like my bladder was going to explode... I took a dollar tree test and a first response. They BOTH came out super super faint... I totally freaked. I took the dollar tree test apart and examined it. I was so nervous. I waited a little while and it didn't go away haha... I was pacing the bathroom and was freaking out a bit. I cried. I text O right away letting him know! I was sooooo excited for them! :) The only thing was that they were so light that they didn't show in any kind of pic. I was a little upset about that...I really wanted them to see what I was seeing. I went back to bed ... mostly just laid there because there was no way I could go back to sleep knowing that I was finally pregnant! :) So I "woke back up" at about 8 when I was able to pee again and re-tested. This time only with a first response. It came out darker then the first! Which was amazing because you could see it on a pic! :) So I sent that to O too. I brought both tests down stairs and made sure that everyone who passed it examined it. Everyone else saw it and said congrats! :)

SOOOOO...I am going to retest in the morning and hoping for a darker line! :)

Transfer Oct 4th!

Ok so... I will update from the top! Because trust me, what's coming deserves it's OWN post!

So anyway...I flew out for the transfer. O and J met me at the airport and were wonderful. They helped me with my luggage and we got settled in at their house. The next morning we all got ready and had breakfast! O and I went to Dr. Zouves' office and later on J met us there. Our appointment was 10am and they didn't end up seeing us until about 11. We had a little "meeting" and they sent me in to do vitals and get dressed :) They gave me valium. OH MY! I am not used to taking muscle relaxers, or even any kind of pain med for that matter! So it totally knocked me out and made me feel almost drunk. Which was weird. I was so worried I would say something stupid about the procedure. LOL. BUT I ended up sounding pretty intelligent from what I remember...considering the state I was in. LOL. So anyway... we go to do the procedure....I'm all in the stir ups and everything...Dr Z proceeds to tell us that 1 in 50 transfers the embryo gets stuck in the cathater. Imagine that. WE were that ONE. So they reloaded and we were done! They were BEAUTIFUL embryos and we got pics :) It was wonderful.

We were in the recovery room and J had to get back to work! POOR THING! I felt so bad that he was running around all day! O stayed with me and we got our post-procedure instructions. Some new meds and new needles. :) O JOY! So then O and I left and headed to In-N-Out. They kept asking me what I wanted for lunch and that's all I could think of! It was the best decision of my life at that point. LOL I was so out of it and ended up napping right after. Later we ordered dinner and everyone camped out in my room, picnic style and we watched "Dancing with the stars".

It was a really great experience and I couldn't imagine having it with anyone else! Everything was almost perfect (besides being 1 in 50)! O drove me to the airport the next day! It was great.....

Final Appointment Before Transfer...

Ok, so I flew out yesterday morning to San Fransisco for my lining check and blood test. They also gave us our date Oct 3rd! A day before my Grandpa's birthday! I am soooo excited! I woke up at like 3:30 am to get ready and my dad and brother drove me to the airport. I was SOOOOO nervous... I haven't been on a plane in 8 years! I was having a panic attack in the security line... I finally made it onto the plane and it was horrible. I am so afraid of heights! The whole plane was full except for one seat! The seat next to me! I made it through and was so excited to get to the airport. "O" picked me up, it was great timing too! He thought he was late, but I think it worked out perfect.

 So we go to the appointment and I went in by myself...we knew the ED was going to be there and didn't want anything to be awkward. The appointment went well and they went over the meds with me again. :) The nurses are great and Dr Z was so proud of me for losing so much weight! 11lbs so far! :) I left the appointment and we were heading to San Jose to grab some lunch.

 We parked in front of Panera and O tells me he got me a present :) So I was so excited! :) Then he starts to tell me that he doesn't want me to think he is weird, but he wasn't sure of what to get a surrogate. He gave my 2 orchid seeds that are to represent the 2 embryos we are transferring. He said they are mine, but he will keep them and grow them. When I give birth we will trade. When they start to flower I can always remember the family I helped start....and how beautiful it is. :) I tried to not cry. I think it is an amazing idea... We had a wonderful lunch and I got to know so much more about him...where he came from, his family. I can't think of anyone more deserving of becoming a parent.

We left to the airport and said our good-bye's. He was worried I would be waiting too long, but I said it was more important for him to get back to work! Which it is...he will need more time off later! :) So I waited in the airport...finally boarded...started listening to my iPod and was bawling the whole way home! I just think it is so awesome! :)

How amazing is it that I have such a good relationship with them? I fly back out on Sunday to transfer on Monday! Then I will come home Tuesday afternoon. :)

Dear Baby(ies)....

Dear baby(ies),
    If you ever read this, I would like you to know that I am working my booty off...literally. I have lost 3lbs in the past week! Dr's orders. I don't think I'm terribly fat, maybe just out of shape. But either way, I just want to let you know I am doing this for your parents. They deserve to have you more then anyone else I know right now... We are all working as a team to get you here. Just know that you are super special because there are MANY people working and doing everything for you and nobody has even met you yet! :)

Love always,
 Surro-mom-manda

Thursday...

Yes, today is thur. I think it is time for an update! So I had my appointment a while ago. It was fun. The drive was crazy and we were super tired, but the appointment went well! And I met with O and J!! We ended up going to their house to meet them. They were even more awesome in person! Just great people, I love them! Their house is just perfect and ready for some little ones!

The RE said they would be getting our calendar soon, and O gave me news today on the egg donor. We are waiting on her stuff now, I am cleared! YAY! Their egg donor is beautiful and they are so handsome...I am sure their baby(ies) will be gorgeous! It will be nice to pop out MORE cute critters! :) I'm not even pregnant yet and I want to meet their kids! haha... I think it will be fun. I will be kind of like an aunt. I hope they don't mind me shopping for the baby(ies)...especially at the end when you start to feel that "nesting". Plus it would be fun to explain to people "o, they aren't mine!" HAHAHAHA and see their faces! Anyway...

I was doing some research and might want a doula during the pregnancy. The one I have been speaking to was also a surrogate. So that support would be nice. Also, she does placenta encapsulating. Might be interesting, and hopefully will help my milk production!


In unrelated news, Alayna started back in school. She is a big 1st grader now. :) I am sooooo proud of my baby!

That's enough of an update for now, folks! Happy Thursday!

Amanda :)

RE appointment tomorrow...

Ok so, today hubby and I signed contracts and got them over to our good friend "C" at our agency. So that is done and out of the way. Also today I got the rental car that will take my sisster and I out to Foster City tomorrow to visit with our RE. I am getting a hysteroultrasonogram and hopefully our calendar! This is so exciting and I can't believe it is all happening.

I get to meet "O" tomorrow and hopefully "J" if he is able to miss work :) Either way I think it is awesome and I am so excited. It is going to be a long drive, but I have most of my things ready. We have to leave the house by like 5am to make it there on time. I have a 1:30pm appointment. I am able to eat a light breakfast and no lunch! Of course I will abide by their rules, but hopefully it doesn't make me a cranky girl! :)

Anyway, off to bed, I will update when I get back. I need to get some zzzz's for my long journey tomorrow! :)

Needed an update! ;)

SOOOOO! I haven't really updated much. I have been waiting on my appointment to hopefully give some good news with dates and stuff! I have really been keeping in touch with O&J. Mostly O and I write each other emails and text messages. We get along great and I feel like I can talk to him about anything. I feel comfortable. Which is a good feeling. I have been really anxious about the appointment, so I have been writing long emails and trying to occupy my time. I've been keeping busy with the kids, but still need to do other things to keep myself from going crazy! Thankfully the appointment is exactly 1 week from now. My sister is going with me, we will have to wake up super early to get there on time. It is 6hours away from my house. The appointment is at 1pm, so to get there on time (my "on time" is early!) we will have to leave possibly around 5am. We have to account for restroom breaks, traffic, getting lost! Haha, that's my biggest issue...sometimes I get a bit lost. Sine my GPS on my phone has been acting up, we need to rely on some fabulous mapquest directions!

Anyway, the RE's office gave me some meds to take the day before the procedure. I just can't wait! Then once we have actual dates, we will have another date to obsess on! I am hoping to be pregnant by the end of Sept.! That would make the baby(ies) due date in the month of my bday! :) Who doesn't like a Gemini?? And what better to share with my little surro-angels? My birth month! That would be great. It would be just as great for their birthday to fall on any other month. I just feel blessed to be a part of them. This seems to be getting terribly long, and my kids need to get in the bath! :) Until next time.... :) :) :)

Something New...

SO! This is it! I have been through so many couples and so much...but this is it. I don't think I could have MADE UP a better couple for me. I met them through my friend Christy's agency. We have known each other for a while and she knew what I was looking for. So when things went bad with the last couple just disappearing on me....she was right there! Good thing too, everything happens for a reason. I'm glad it did. So a little about them. They live in San Francisco area. "J" is 35 and "O" is 32. They are really great people! We get along fabulously! They are hoping for twins. Even though I'm sure they would be just as excited if it were only 1. That just means we are in it to win it...for another journey! :) I'm ok with that too.

She texts me that she has this couple and tells me a bit about them. Says she will send me their profile. We set up a time for us to talk...and I'll be honest...I was a bit nervous. Just the whole thing..it's almost like dating in a way and this was a blind date. So they ended up calling me. We talked for over an hour about things that were important to us and how we felt. I felt like we clicked instantly. It never got awkward...until we had to hang up. I really didn't want to, but I know we both HAD to. I got their profile June 20th, talked with them, got my files sent over to their clinic, got cleared for everything, they got their egg donor settled, and everything. All within a week. I think everyone just makes a great team, from Christy, their clinic, O&J, and I. It has been so great already!

I have my first appointment with Dr Zouves on Aug 4th. So I will most likely drive out there with my sister and drive back. It's a one day trip deal... sounds like so much fun! I am so anxious...why can't it be here already? Anyway I am over the moon! Until next time...  :)

<3Amanda