A Surrogacy Story

Waiting ...

2011-06-10T10:25:00.003-04:00

I am still struggling with stories and what to share and what not to share. But today I am feeling compelled to share something. So here I am.

It seems like just yesterday that this journey began and now we are so close. Mom and Dad arrived in the area yesterday. We had a lovely afternoon ... and now we all wait together. Our official due date is Monday the 13th, I have always delivered close to my due date, so we figure any time this precious little girl will be ready to meet her parents.

In the meantime we are keeping busy. Today we are having a salon day, Melissa will be doing all our hair ... cuts and colors (for some)! Anthony, I am sure, will play with the kids (that is what he did yesterday). He has such a soft spot for children and my littles loved his playfulness. It will be so much fun. I am glad they are here and that we are getting these few days to spend together. It brings a connection to my children and to our families. These are precious moments for all of us.

Yesterday we met with our midwife and talked about how things will go ... a plan ... birth plans are hard, I have always had a plan and I am not sure that I have ever followed them completely ... it seems that wee little ones like to write their own plans. But each have been beautiful, as I know this will be.

I do have a wish:

I want this to be as perfect as possible for Melissa and Anthony, as this is their birth. I want it to be all about them and welcoming their child into this world.

Peace, love and kindness,

A Story to Tell

2011-04-16T07:27:00.003-04:00

Well, this blog has not gone far. I have mixed feelings about it. As much as I want to share every moment and detail of this surrogacy to help promote the very positive aspects of surrogacy, I wonder whose story it is to tell. Is it mine? The parents to be? The unborn child?

Technology is wonderful and can bring together people from many places to a common ground. I believe it is a very useful tool to share information but can it be too much? I am just not sure, so here I am with so many stories and thoughts to share and not really able to post them at this time. Maybe someday I will find a way to share this amazing journey because indeed it is amazing.

I can share this ... in about 8 weeks a beautiful little girl will meet her parents. I can not even begin to tell you how excited we all are.

Peace, love and kindness,

What Is Your Guess?

2010-12-05T13:36:00.002-05:00

Well, Melissa and Anthony wanted to know what this little baby was going to be ... so we found out! They will be welcoming home a beautiful little Princess! I am so tickled for them.

Through all my pregnancies I never found out what we were having. For me it was a nice little surprise at the end but there is really a neat feeling about knowing ... and for Melissa this gives her time to come up with a name!

Before we got the test results we tried the needle trick. You know the one where you hang a need over your belly and if it moves back and forth it is a boy and if it moves in a circle it is a girl. It was right!!!!

Did you find out with your children? All you fellow surrogates, do your IP know or want to know?

Peace, love and kindness,

Are you POSITIVE!?

2010-11-17T12:43:00.006-05:00

Do you know how many kinds of home pregnancy tests there are out there?

LOTS! LOTS! LOTS! LOTS! LOTS! LOTS! LOTS! LOTS! LOTS!

This is actually just a portion of all the sticks I peed on!!!

But the bottom lines is we are POSITIVE! Actually these pictures are from September 1st, so we just passed the 10 week mark. We are all very excited.

I hope to share some of this journey, I am a little torn as to whose story it is to tell. I do not want to say the wrong things so please understand if there are some things that I just do not share!

Peace, love and kindness,

A Quick Update

2010-09-16T09:21:00.002-04:00

I am sorry, I have left everyone hanging. I actually did not think that there was really anyone watching until I received a comment from someone who was wondering what was happening. Thanks, for checking in!

Our first attempt was not successful. I am so sorry for Melissa and Anthony. I really can only imagine the roller coaster of infertility. Hugs to everyone who has had to take that ride.

The good news is we are going to try again, so please keep your fingers crossed and we will hopefully will have some good news soon.

Peace, love and kindness,

Let's Get Creative on Day 6!

2010-08-30T14:39:00.003-04:00

WOW! I made it through day 5 without too many thoughts, and now we are at day 6. Our midwife sent me this little note yesterday:

"Hey Girl: I looked this up on line. If you are familiar with your cycle, testing at 9 or 10 days past ovulation with a sensitive ( 20 – 25 mIU ) pregnancy test can yield a positive result in a good percentage of women. Just thought you might be interested. Cant wait to hear. Love ya, Lisa "

So, we are getting closer to knowing. And I am not the only anxious one. Melissa and Anthony's birthdays are both the first week of September, what a wonderful birthday gift it would be to know that their little one is on its way!

Hey I was thinking, one of the fun parts of being a surrogate is getting to tell the intending parents they are expecting. I have been trying to come up with creative ideas of how to tell Melissa and Anthony when the time comes ... do you have any creative ideas?

A wonderful day to all!

Peace, love and kindness,

#1 Question

2010-08-28T08:19:00.003-04:00

Today is Day 4 ... counting the days away does not seem to be helping with speeding up time. So I was trying to think of something else to write about today. As I am writing this blog to be a journal of my surrogacy AND to hopefully help others who may be looking at being a surrogate or having a surrogate I guess I should really look at some of the questions that people have.

I think the number one question that I am faced with is:

"Is it hard to give the baby up?"

This is indeed a very natural question and I think for me it is very simple to answer but I do not think it is so simple for people to understand. I think all people are different so the feelings around this may be very different for each person.

For me, NO it is not hard because I am not 'giving up' a baby. I am carrying a baby for someone else, it is not mine to keep and it has parents and there fore it is not being 'given up'. I really think that it is little mind sets like this that makes it much easier.

I also can not even tell you the joy that is felt in knowing that you have helped another grow their family. For me it is amazing ... every little thing that I cherished in my own pregnancy I am 'standing in' for someone else. I am honored to be chosen as this stand in and feel that I have a duty to do a good job and to share even the little things with the intending parents so that they too can participate in this wonderful experience. So for me, every step of the way ... every movement, every twinge, every heartbeat ... I need to find a way to pass that along to this child's parents.

What do you think? Does that make any sense?

Fellow Surrogates ... I would love to hear from you.

Do you have other questions? I would love to share my thoughts and hear yours!

A magical day to you!

Peace, love and kindness,

Day 3! Only Day 3!

2010-08-27T08:45:00.002-04:00

Day 3 ... really? ONLY day 3? Can time drag any slower?

Apparently I am not a very patient person. I always thought I was but I seem to be counting every second, analyzing every feeling, and still the time is dragging. I can only imagine how Melissa and Anthony are feeling.

I seem to be very aware of every little moment, every little twitch of my body ... my thoughts are positive, I am so sure that all is good! But what if I am wrong? Well, for now we will think only positive thoughts! Thanks for joining me in my waiting and sending any positive thoughts you have!

Peace, love and kindness,

A Friend Of A Friend ... The Very Beginning!

2010-08-26T00:02:00.002-04:00

Today is day 2 of waiting ... so while we wait maybe I can tell you a little more of the details leading up to here. It really is kind of a crazy story ...

I met a lady through a kids group that I participate in. She teaches sign language, which is why I contacted her. We exchanged many emails over quite a period of time, getting to know each other, chatting about our children,developing a friendship. Then we decided to meet and let our children play. During which time we talked more, learning about each other.

"Did I tell you that I was a surrogate for me best friend?" I am sure that is not what was said, but some how the topic came up. Something that I am very happy to talk about it ... it was indeed one of the very most wonderful experiences in my life. Then one thing led to another and soon we were talking about her friend who has been longing for a child for so long and after many years of failed fertility treatments really should explore the possibilities of surrogacy.

So as I offer to talk about my experience and offer some thoughts the idea of being a surrogate again dances in my head. It seems almost too perfect ... I really want to do this, I think! So Melissa and I start chatting ... thank you Facebook for providing an easy forum to get to know people a little! I find that we are very different in many ways but for whatever reasons (I wish I could be more specific here but the words escape me at this time) it feels really right ... I am excited about the possibilities, I do indeed want to do this. My excitement starts to build!

So, YES my Intending Mom is a friend of a friend, that YES I met on the internet ... CRAZY, maybe but it is how this story began!

Peace, love and kindness,

The Story Begins.

2010-08-25T15:32:00.002-04:00

Well, actually the story began much before this but for the purpose of getting started we are going to start here. I am just starting this blog to document my journey as a surrogate. This is my second surrogacy and so I am very confident that it will be a wonderful story.

I invite you to join me on this journey. I believe that surrogacy is beautiful and I hope that through my journey I will meet others who feel the same. Maybe I will even offer something helpful for someone with questions.

Today we are waiting ... wondering, hoping and waiting ... When is the earliest that a pregnancy would be detected? Seven to fourteen days after ovulation. Today is day ONE!

So please send positive thoughts, cross your fingers, say a prayer, do a dance, whatever you think may help ... and we will be waiting!

Peace, love and kindness,