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!

Here we go again

So if you don't already know, I am going to do a sibling project for the dads. I get to give Charlotte a baby brother or sister! The talks of another baby started when we left the hospital and right then I knew I would do it again I just didn't know it would be for the same family and so soon. I am nervous, anxious, excited and really scared. I do not want this time around to be a 2 year process again!!! I know its all out of my control but here we go.

 Here is my med kit that was delivered yesterday afternoon. I forgot how much comes with this process.

6 months already!

I honestly can't belive that it has been six months since I had Charlotte. The time has just flown by for me. I feel like I am just getting by to myself and getting back into our normalcy at home, when in actuality we really all adjusted back to life fairly quickly.
I did have the chance to go to see Charlotte this past weekend and wow how amazing that was!!! My family and I traveled to see her and got to spend some good quality time with the dads and Charlotte. What an amazing family.

 Look how big she is!!!

My journey video

Today I put together the last of my journey video. Take a peek if you like.

http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow/d3914193kP31864850o2/journey-to-charlotte

A few pics

Here she is! Mrs. Charlotte!

Owen, my oldest, with Charlotte

Trent, my youngest, with Charlotte

Aubrie, meeting Ms. Charlotte

I am still having trouble uploading more pictures but here is what I have.

Charlotte's Birthday!!

Well we made it! 39.1 weeks and eviction day/ birthday/ happy happy day was here. I was set for induction at the hospital Monday morning.
 Sunday the dads and me and my husband went to a last lunch just the four of us. It was super exciting and nerve wracking all in one. We chatted and speculated about the next day all knowing that all of our lives would change forever in the next day. I went home and put the last minute things together for the hospital, double checked arrangements for the kids and school and did some last minute clean up. I had been spoiled by Alicia and received some amazing Perfectly Posh products (super nice bath, skin care, and lotions) So I spoiled myself with a nice long bath and used all the products leaving me feeling extra special and nice for such a special and important day ahead. I didn't think I was going to get much sleep but I really slept well. I have never had an induction scheduled so it was a bit weird to know that I would be delivering a baby in less than 24 hours. All mine before have been surprise timing so no need to anticipate the time of birth or what will happen at such a determined time.
Monday morning came and I was ready! I think Charlotte was ready too but just didn't show it. I woke up had a lite breakfast and my husband and I were off to the hospital! Here I was, ready for the hospital. Last picture of charlotte inside my belly!!


We got to the hospital right at 7 and we were in our room getting things going by 730. Things went pretty quick... here's our timeline of how things happened.

7:45am Iv was put in and pitocin started really low
8:00 ish Dr. came in and broke my water, found meconium fluid, (baby poop)
8:30 contractions really hurt and really wanting my epidural
9:00 Dads arrived while I got my epidural
9:15- 9:45 relief!!
9:45 I told the RN she needed to check me because I was sure Charlotte was making her way down an soon out. And I was right.
10:27 On a snowy morning, Charlotte Ava was born, 8 pounds 4 ounces, 21 1/2 inches long. All healthy!

The next few hours were pretty amazing. I had some time to snuggle Charlotte and enjoyed watching her dads hold her and just stare at her. We took turns admiring her and texting our family and friends about her speedy arrival. It was such a special time and so amazing to realize that she was really here! We ended up staying in tht hospital a little over 24 hours. Charlotte checked out healthy and I did too.

We continued to share time with her all throughout our stay. Some of the dads family came down from Salt Lake in the snowy weather to enjoy Charlotte's birthday. My family also came down and met Charlotte. It was a really special thing for me to be able to see. My kids were so proud of their mom and also of how they helped take care of me and Charlotte. They were so proud to hold her and see her in person instead of my tummy. My kids were so loving and so sweet to her. They had all brought down presents for Charlotte to enjoy as a birthday present, because according to them you can't have a birthday without presents. It again was such a sweet and innocent time, I loved it. They didn't stay long but they were super sweet with their time, checking out Charlotte and also making sure that mommy was ok.

Monday night was amazing. The dads did some of the feedings and then got some sleep and I was able to help and do other feedings. I had lots of snuggle time and really enjoyed our quiet time together. It was such a weird feeling. I was connected to her but not in the same way as I was with my kids. I held her and stared at her and really took in every minute with her. I didn't do as much of that with my kids because I knew I had all the time in the world to do that. With my kids I tried to sleep as much as possible and this time I put sleep aside so I could  enjoy her. It was such an amazing time that can never be recreated! I had expected myselft to be very emotional and teary but there was none of that. It was like a sense of peace and relaxation. I shed a tear or two of happiness that we had made it. I sat with her and thought about the precious two years that we had spent trying to make this time possible. It was such a feeling of accomplishment and success to have her in my arms.

Tuesday was full of people coming and going and sign this and fill out that and here let me teach you this. wow it was overwhelming for me and I didn't have to do anything. Everyone needed their two minutes with Charlotte. The doctors, nurses, social workers, test takers, etc. all needed to get her prepped and ready to head home. And at about 3 pm Charlotte, and her dads were packed up and loaded off into their car and headed home to Salt Lake City! As they drove away a sense of peace rushed over me knowing that we had completed our goal and a family was created in part due to us! But I also knew that this family will be a part of ours forever too!


***having trouble with pics but I will get them up asap!

38 weeks

Happy New Year!

 I'm 38 weeks and still pregnant! I never believed that we would still be pregnant at this point but we are and we are growing strong. I went to the doctor yesterday for my weekly check up and baby remains great. Heart rate was strong and steady, belly growth was right on for 38 weeks and I continue to dilate. I was dilated to 3 cm now and cervix was also still thinning, (dr. didn't give me the percent but I didn't ask either). So doc and I decided to have my membranes stripped in hopes to get contractions more frequent and stronger. And wow was that painful. I've never had that done before. Essentially it's a really rough exam that strips the lining of my cervix to kick start my body into labor. I went home and was super uncomfortable all night. I really thought, "ok maybe the pain was worth it and maybe things are getting started?" But I was wrong. I was crampy and uncomfortable with a tight tummy all night. I went to bed and woke up feeling fine. It's still really hard to sleep and get comfortable in bed or on the couch but nothing new. So where we stand now is we continue to wait. If Ms. Charlotte hasn't decided to make her entrance by Sunday we will be evicting her via induction first thing Monday morning. I am hoping she will come on her own but I have a feeling she will need some help to join us. We shall just wait and see.

 Come on Charlotte, come join the party!