Growing Right Along

Thought I would post some more belly pictures. I am now 35 weeks and change. Feeling really big and baby feels really heavy. Sometimes I really don't know how much longer I will make it! My sciatic pain is still there  but right now it's not getting any worse so that is a positive. I am starting to have contractions and everyone comments on how low the baby looks. Next doctor appt is on Thursday, hoping to get some more info on the doctors take.

33 weeks

34 weeks

35 weeks

I know that I said I wouldn't wait super long between updates but oops! No excuses I know but I have a lot going on. I work full time, am a full time mom of three crazy busy kids, I decided to go back to school this semester for my bachelors degree in nursing, we decided to build a house, and I am growing this miracle! Crazy I know but  I don't know any other way.
So here is where we are. 30.2 weeks today.

We found out that the dads are having another girl, probably named Evelyn!!! Baby girl is growing happy and healthy. She continues to move and groove like crazy.
Health wise for me could be better but I really try not to complain but this time around is the hardest of all my pregnancies. My sciatic nerve has been bugging me since about 15 weeks. I have tried a chiropractor, physical therapy, massage therapy and all with no luck. I have tingly toes all the time and points where my foot goes completely numb. My ob got a bit concerned at my last appointment and sent me off to see a neurosurgeon today. In which he told me come back when I am not pregnant. Boo. I know we only have 9 weeks left but oh man does this pain hurt. It keeps me from sleeping some nights and limits what I am able to do but I guess I don't have any other option than to just bear through the last little part. My family has been so super supportive and I am lucky to have them!!! I get asked all the time if this will be it for me for pregnancies and I really think that this pain has made that decision for me. I also get asked if I regret doing it again with all the pain and I really don't regret it at all. Yes the pain sucks big time but I know it will all be worth it in the end when the dads get to hold their precious daughter! Just keeping my eye on the prize!!
Thought I would include some pics of me growing and I will really try to update more often now that we are getting down to the good stuff.... the end!

A Waaaayyy overdue update

     Wow what a slacker I have been in the update department!! Lots to tell and really not much to tell. Let's start with the exciting. I am now 20 weeks and on Friday we will be finding out the sex of this baby! It makes no difference to me what it is but I can't wait for the pictures and to hear that he/she is growing as expected and healthy as can be. The dads will be here for the ultrasound and I am very excited for them to get to see their littlest.
     I have been feeling the baby move like crazy just this last week. I was starting to get a little worried that I wasn't feeling movement as early as I expected. But no worries now. This baby is moving just fine.
     I am growing which is a good sign. That means baby must be growing too! I am now easily showing the baby bump. I am so happy to be out of the "fat? or pregnant?" stage. I love when I get to this point and people can start to tell I'm pregnant instead of the confused curious look on their face when they are trying to decide if they should ask if I am pregnant or not.
     Now on to the not so fun news, I am still getting sick! It's weird because it really didn't happen till late in the 15th week of this pregnancy but I am now throwing up about once a day. It comes from out of no where and at no specific time. At least it's not all day and once I clear it from my system I do feel much better and go on with the day.
     I also am in tremendous pain! Since about the 13th week of this pregnancy my sciatic nerve started bothering me. It started with low back pain, moved to pain down the back of my thigh, to down to my calf, and then down to my toes with tingling in my toes. It is when I stand, walk and sometimes sit. I have done every home remedy that has been proposed to me. I have done chiropractic care 2x a week, physical therapy 2x a week, massage therapy, and all with no pain relief. :( The only way that pain is temporarily relieved is if I am lying down on my side with pillows everywhere. Now if I could only work and live like that!! I really am hoping at this next Dr. appt he will have some other options for me because there are days when I just cry because the pain is so bad but things must get done. It is crazy because will all my other pregnancies I have never felt anything like this and have no history of back pain! The doctor, chiropractor and physical therapist all tell me it's from the stretching of my ligaments and muscles from my body changing with the baby growing and they all expect it to get worse before it gets better. Good news huh?!?
     I promise I will try to update this site way more often and add pics after we learn the sex.

7 and 9 weeks

2 weeks ago at 7 weeks pregnant, we had our first ultrasound. We were all anxious to find out the number of babies in there and happily there is just one... one healthy happy baby. Which made for happy dads and a happy surrogate. Don't get me wrong I would love for twins but 1 is perfect!.

 

Then just last friday was my second ultrasound with the clinic and here is baby happy and still super healthy at 9 weeks. Such an exciting day, I get to graduate from the fertility clinic, move on to seeing my ob, no more weekly or monthly visits or lab draws, and I get to start weaning the medications! 

I am feeling fine. Always tired no matter the amount of sleep, which is to be expected. I have some bouts of nausea here and there. I don't remember feeling this so early with the last baby but all par for the course. And my taste buds definitely know that I am pregnant!! I can't decided what sounds good at one moment and why it doesn't taste good at the next. But overall feeling fine and excited to be where we are. 

The Results are in!!!

     It has been a long 10 days of waiting and on Monday we finally got results! We are PREGNANT!!! The transfer was successful! So as of now I am considered chemically pregnant and the embryos have attached and started the process of growing. My Hcg hormone levels were 113 and 244!! Those are great solid numbers! For reference my numbers with Charlotte, my last surro baby, were 23 and 62. So what does the elevated numbers mean??? It could mean that we have more than one baby? Or one healthy embryo that attached quickly resulting in higher numbers, or just that my numbers are higher this time a round and it means nothing. I will have another lab draw next week and the clinic said they will have a better idea if it is multiple babies or not at that time. But really it is all still a waiting game. Now we have the next lab and then wait some more until I am 7 weeks pregnant (approx. 10/11, by my calculations) for a first ultrasound then and only then we will be considered pregnant and then we will for sure see how many heartbeats we have.
I am so happy that this first transfer took! I know that the dads are super excited too.
We are on our way to another healthy baby or two. Super excited and still anxious that everything continues to work out as scheduled. Almost seems too easy this time round.

Superstitious!

     I am a superstitious person. So with transfer originally set for Sept 11th I was for sure thinking we'd get twins or no baby. That day with all it's meaning is just not when I wanted to transfer. I know silly. Then transfer was pushed back a day so I felt better about a single baby! Transfer was completed Sept. 12th. The dads were here for the transfer, same as the third transfer last time. We did lunch before, just like before, and I had a lucky penny in my hand for transfer that my mom had found on the last successful transfer. I know it all sounds really silly but I figure hey it can't hurt right!?! They transferred 2 good looking embryos into my nice fluffy uterus! So now we wait, I swear this period of waiting is the hardest. And as before I will not be doing a home pregnancy test early. We will wait till September 23rd to get results. As tempting as it is to find out early... I hate to hear bad news twice. I would rather hear it once. But this time I hope this journey is a first time success!
     I did my two princess/ rest days after transfer and they were boring. It always sounds wonderful to be bedridden for two days but man it is hard. Just thinking of all the things I could be doing or should be doing is tempting but I was a true couch princess and followed my doctors orders well. This time around my kids know what we are doing so they were very supportive and helpful. I used that to my full advantage for sure. They were super good sports about me not being able to do anything fun with them but we did have a lot of snuggle time watching their shows and movies.
I also had lots of friends and family continually checking in on me and making sure I didn't need anything and that was amazing. I love the support that my friends and fam show. They are seriously the best!!

8 days and counting

Only 8 days till next implant. The days have just flown by. I recieved my calendar in July with all the details of when to take what, when to be where, and when implant would be. At that time September seemed a ways away, but it is now quickly upon us. I have so many emotions floating around in my head and heart I can only imagine what the dads are feeling. I want this time to be a smooth ride. I want this time to work on the first transfer. I want no heart ache this time around. I want so much and at the same time know that it is all out of our hands. I have done everything that the doctors and staff have asked and now it is out of my control!