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!

37 week update

Today I am 37 weeks and 5 days. I went yesterday for my weekly doctor appointment and check up. Baby looks great. Heartbeat was strong and steady right where it should be and she continues to measure perfectly on at 37 ish weeks. The RN checked my cervix again and we went from being closed and thick to 2 cm and thinning. So that is good news. My body is prepping for the baby's arrival. She did remind me that I could walk around at 2 cms for a long time and nothing else change but we are hoping for that not to be the case. I am having some contractions just not regular enough and strong enough for me to come into the hospital. My next appointment will be Monday the 31st. If I haven't made any progress, and actually even if I have, the doctor said he will strip my membranes and help my body along in this process. We will also be scheduling the induction date for the next week. It is so weird because I have never gotten to this point of thinking of membrane stripping and inductions in any of my other pregnancies. We will have to continue to wait and see when Ms. Charlotte decides to make her big appearance, maybe she'll be the first baby of the new year???

37 weeks!

Here we are at 37 weeks! It's so nice to know that we have made it this far and just weeks or days till we all get to meet Ms. Charlotte. I have been keeping busy and feeling pretty good. But it is Christmas eve and today I am taking it super duper easy! Today and tomorrow are really the only days I hope Charlotte doesn't decide to arrive. I want everyone to be able to celebrate at home but after tomorrow I am gonna do my best to get Charlotte to start to make her way into this world. I am getting anxious to meet her, my family and friends are getting anxious and I know the dads are getting anxious!

At the end of my 36th week I went to the doctor again and all was great! Baby was moving and heartrate was in the 150's, right where it should be. The doctor also checked my cervix to see if there was any progress that had been made between my 34th and 36th weeks and surprisingly to me no change had been made. My cervix was closed (has to dilate to 10 for delivery), thick (must thin to prep for delivery), and the baby's head was high. But her head is still down which is the way we need it. It was good news meaning that she was in no huge rush to be here before Christmas. She is content to bake a bit longer. The next appointment will be after Christmas and we will again be checking my cervix every week from now on and if she hasn't made any progress by 38 weeks we may talk about stripping my membranes and by 39 weeks we will start induction talks. I am hoping she will do this on her own but this pregnancy has been so different that she is gonna decide when it happens. I am just happy we are out of the scary zone and in the safe zone for delivery.

I am still having the Braxton Hicks contractions and the super duper heaviness as I walk. I am sleeping a bit better at night but still up a lot and trying to reposition myself, which is not an easy task. I am getting my pregnancy appetite finally, better late than never I guess. Because once I start eating something that I like I really can't stop. Lucky for me that I have gained minimal weight so far so any weight at this point isn't too bad. I am still growing though that's for sure. I had to go out and buy some more maternity clothes, which killed me since we know we don't have long, but my kids kept reminding me that my tummy was showing. 

One more pic of us growing...

 

36 weeks!

Ho! Ho! Ho!

 I feel as big as Santa. This is me getting ready to go to our Surrogate Christmas party and I really am feeling big. I can tell that we are getting close to the end. I am now having trouble sleeping, getting comfortable, and finding a place that Charlotte is comfy too. I get tired really easy, out of breath with walking and she feels really heavy! None of these thing out of the ordinary for the end of pregnancy but wow am I uncomfortable. My hips are killing me, not sure if they are stretching and prepping my body for delivery or just hurting from laying on my side continuously. I can't sleep or lay on my back because Charlotte is so big that can cut off blood flow to me! It makes me dizzy and nausous and definately not comfy.

I have not been back to the doctor yet so still don't know if we are getting closer or still just in a holding and growing pattern. I can tell shes growing though because my shirts  are getting shorter and my belly is just growing straight out. I can't imagine how big Charlotte is now. She's still very active and it is fun now to feel big lumps and watch my belly distort as she gets comfy.

I have had some false alarms this week. Since I am not really sleeping well I feel all kinds of action, mostly at night. Few nights ago I contracted for about 2 hours at 20 min apart and thought well maybe this is it.... but I finally fell asleep while watching a movie. When I woke up they contractions were gone so it was obviously a false alarm.  Again last night I contracted to where the contractions were way more painful and just rode them out but they didn't get closer in time and eventually calmed down to where I could fall asleep. But then there are other days and nights where I feel great and feel like Charlotte has settled in for the long haul. Not sure when she is going to make her entrance but I am getting excited to meet her.

I also wanted to attach some pictures of some really special ladies that have helped and continue to help me through this journey. The agency that we have gone through is so amazing. They make every step of the way so much easier for us surrogates. We try to get together and share our thoughts, feelings, worries, and experiences monthly with each other. These ladies are some of the most thoughtful and unselfish people with the biggest hearts and I am lucky to be a part of this amazing group.

This is a pic of our Surrogate Christmas party. All these ladies are super surrogates that are helping others dreams come true!

And this lady is the one that made all of this possible. This is Alicia and I, and baby Charlotte, of course. Alicia is the owner of the Gift of Surrogacy and really one of my best friends. She truly is an amazing woman that has helped and continues to help so many families grow. I love the support and laughs that she gives me. I can't be more thankful for her coming into all of our lives!!!