Guessing game!

Wanna play a fun game? Click on the "ExpectNet.com" banner below to place your guess as to when Peanut will arrive (date and time); how much you think he will weigh; and how long you think he will be. Have fun!!

p.s. No guesses over a 9 pound baby....cause let's face it--That ain't gonna fly with me!

35 weeks - The Home Stretch

Seriously--5 more weeks? 35 days!?!?

This wonderful, amazing, life changing experience is now entering its final weeks. I would be lying if I told you that I wasn't sad.

I am sad. This is true.

But let me get one thing straight. I am not sad about "giving up" this baby, because really, I am not giving anything up--I am giving this child BACK to his Daddies where he belongs. He was never mine to keep.

I am sad because my part--my "job"--is almost over. I have worked so hard over the last 2 years to find the right agency, pass screenings, get matched with the perfect IPs, endure weeks of meds and injections, get pregnant, sustain a healthy pregnancy, delivery vaginally (VBA2C) and create a family.  I have enjoyed this "job" so much that I'm not ready to "resign". Why leave a job that you enjoy and love so much?

Once the Peanut is born though, I have no choice but to "resign" my services and go back to my life. It will never be the same as I have changed as a person in so many ways because of this experience. I have dedicated so much time and energy over the past 2 years that there is no way that my life will go back to the way it was before surrogacy.  So, i'm wondering.....how will my life be once the Peanut is born? How will I adjust to not being the surrogate--A & M's surrogate--any longer?

As we count down these final weeks, I am also very excited and anxious. I know...talk about so many emotions!! I have planned and prepared for the most perfect birth--My very first VBA2C (vaginal birth after 2 cesareans). I have studied (Hypnobabies) and researched (my rights and options) and built the most amazing team for this birth. I am ready! Oh wait...I guess I should start packing my hospital bags. So crazy to think that it's almost GO TIME!

How am I feeling? My back has been giving me some issues (mostly in the evening time) so I have started seeing a chiropractor on a weekly basis. A big THANK YOU to my husband for bartering his services so that I can get adjusted. Happy wife, happy life ;)

Doctor appointments: I saw my OB last week. Again, it was an easy breezy appointment with nothing really to report. Starting next week I go to weekly appointments until Peanut arrives. Also, next week we'll test for Group B Strep. I'm crossing my fingers that test comes back negative. I had GBS with my first born but not with my second. 

Weight gain: As of last weeks OB visit, I am steady at 17 pounds gained. So, no weight gain in two weeks. WOO HOO!!

Sleep: What sleep? 

Just kidding. Sleep sucks. I'll admit it. My poor husband has switched beds with my daughter giving me more room in our bed. It's SO HARD for me to have 4 pillows all around me, supporting my back and my belly, all while trying to roll over onto my other side and NOT run into my husband (I hate touching). So, our new sleeping arrangements are the next best thing. Again...Happy wife, happy life ;)

**I must have just jinxed myself. My husband came to me and said he's not sleeping well and that he's back in our bed. Doh!

Mood: Basically one big ball of emotions.

Exciting moment: My IPs came into town last weekend. I know!! This totally deserves it's own post, but honestly, I want to keep these moments special to me so...I'm not sharing all the details. I will say that my IPs were finally introduced to the rest of my family and everyone loved each other!

All Things Surrogacy

My good friend, Janae, over at All Things Surrogacy has created a pretty awesome video - Real Women, Real Surrogates.

CLICK HERE to check it out!

You might even see my belly make an appearance or two in the video ;)

And while you're there, be sure to check out the rest of her website. You'll find information for you to make the best informed decision on whether surrogacy is right for you and your family (if that is where you are at in the process). There are pages dedicated to Intended Parents, Surrogates, and even Egg Donors. You can also find a list of surrogacy related blogs, as well as "Peace. Love. Surrogacy" bracelets!

So what are you waiting for? Head on over to All Things Surrogacy and have a look around!

www.AllThingsSurrogacy.Org

32 weeks!

Figured I start off with the fun stuff...pictures!!

3D ultrasound of my sweet Peanut at 31w2d
Look at those lips!!

My most recent belly shot taken today @ 31w6d

How am I feeling? I'm feeling great for [one day shy of] 32 weeks! I love being pregnant and toting around the beautiful baby bump. A few aches and pains here and there, but nothing really to complain about. I know my limits and I know when to rest, put my feet up, and down a bunch of water.

Doctor appointments: Had a checkup today. As expected, everything is great. Peanut is nice and active and had a lovely heartbeat of 140bpm. Going forward I will be seen every 2 weeks and then at the end I believe we go to weekly visits. The highlight of my appointment today was taking my kids (ages 3 and 7) in with me to pee in a cup (to check my protein levels--which were perfect btw). My son, Aiden, was literally crouching down directly in front of me to see exactly how Mom makes it into the cup. It was quite the scene in the bathroom, complete with, "ewwww, Mooooom!!!!" and followed by a bunch of laughter. I seriously don't know how they expect pregnant ladies to pee in such a tiny cup and NOT spill everywhere. No matter how hard I try, I always manage to get pee all over the place. Not my proudest moment.

Weight gain: I'm up to a total of 17 pounds. This is great people! I'm on track to my goal of no more than 25 pounds for this pregnancy. Only 2 pounds were gained in these last two months. Now THAT I can be proud of. Haha!

Sleep: Oey. Not good. Actually, it's progressively getting harder and harder to get comfy and stay comfy. And then if I do find a comfy spot, Peanut may not like it and he has no problem letting me know with his swift kicks and punches until I move. The nice thing is though, that I am able to sleep in now that I have closed my daycare, so a long night of tossing and turning ends with me being able to sleep in.  Another thing that has hit out of the blue recently is I'm now waking 2..3...4 times in the middle of the night to pee. It's an endless cycle - Crawl into bed, toss and turn until I find a comfy spot, Peanut doesn't agree so I am forced to toss and turn some more until we can both agree on a happy place, lay there thinking about anything and everything, fall asleep, wake up to pee, crawl back into bed, and repeat.

Cravings: Still none. I'm kinda sad about this. But then again, having no cravings is helping with my goal weight gain for this pregnancy. 

Mood: Happy and excited, but easily annoyed and set off. 

Exciting moment: Every time I lay in bed unable to fall asleep I think about how this birth will unfold and how much I am looking forward to witnessing A & M become Daddies; the MOMENT they hold their precious baby boy for the first time; the EMOTIONS that will fill the delivery room; the (happy) TEARS; the feelings of ACCOMPLISHMENT that I have done my job and done it well; the JOY and the LOVE ....the list goes on.  I am enjoying this pregnancy to the fullest, but man, I can not wait for THE MOMENT where I hand this little guy over to his Daddies and finish my job in helping to create a family. Ahhhh, I get chills at the thought.