Belly Pix

Quick update, I don't really have anything new to report.  I am still feeling pretty good.  The babies are getting to be quite active which is always very reassuring.  It's always so cool to feel at this stage.  My biggest complaint right now is allergies.  I find myself craving a Zirtec most days and of course it has been forbidden. uugghh...

I, of course, also have some of the aches and pains that go along with being oh, say 8 months pregnant which is how big I feel lately.  I can't quite explain it, but although my belly may not be out as far as I was at 8 months with my boys, it just feels so compact and full.  It's getting pretty comical actually when I try to do stuff around here and I find myself grunting or sighing with the effort.

I have to say though, I am enjoying this time with my boys and husband.  Allergies or not I can't help but be outside with the rug-rats in this beautiful spring weather.  I know this summer will prove to be challenging, so I am enjoying today...

Just a quick disclaimer, I have enlisted the kiddos to take belly pix for me so they may be blurred or looking up, but you get the idea...

So by popular demand, the belly pix.

About 12 weeks.  {Photo courtesy of Ty.  4 years old}

About 15 weeks  {Photo courtesy of Aaron. 6 years old}

About 16 1/2 weeks.  {photo courtesy of hubby.  32 years old}

Triple Loop Part 2

Fast forward three weeks. I had my first appointment with my local OB, Dr. N.  All was looking good.  A few days later, her nurse calls me and says that Dr. N received the records from Dr. S and she was not happy with the lack of information she received.  She ordered a full ultrasound to be done ASAP.

So I went and got the ultrasound a few days later.  I knew almost immediately I was about to be thrown for another loop.  I was looking at the screen and thinking there must be something wrong my eyes.  I was seeing three heads.  The techs jaw dropped and I watched her move her wand around looking for heartbeats.  By this time I was getting the shakes and holding my breath.  The tech put her hand on my shoulder and said, "Sweetie, you are not carrying twins.  You are carrying triplets.  Just breathe." 
I asked her if she was sure because I had had two in office ultrasounds from two different doctors saying otherwise.  She was very sure.  She had even checked the heartbeats before she told me.  When she placed the camera on Baby C, it was waving at the camera.  Almost as if saying "Hi!".  Once again all my mind could say was WOW!!! 
I was there for about two hours while she did all of her measurements just trying to make sense of all of this.  I was such a mix of emotions.  I would go into shock and forget to breathe for a bit, then I would stare in amazement at what I was seeing on the screen and then I would start to worry about all of the "what ifs" that go along with a high risk pregnancy.

I thought I was in shock the first time I was told I was carrying triplets, but this was unbelievable.  Here I was at 15 and a half weeks just finding this news out.  I just kept thinking, "I can't believe I have to tell my IP's this news again."  I was so nervous to tell them.  I don't quite know why I felt so nervous or what I expected them to say.  Regardless, I knew that we were in this together and that I was about to rock their world's even more so than mine had just been rocked.
I called them that evening after I had talked with my husband and we had our little freak out session.  The response was quite similar to my own.  Speechless.  We talked for quite a while and when we were getting off the phone I told A how nervous I was to tell them they were expecting triplets {again}.  As we were getting off the phone A said I am hanging up with a smile on my face.  I knew that things would be OK and everything would work out.  It may not be exactly how we planned, but the babies are healthy, I feel pretty good at the moment, my IP's are excited and looking forward to meeting their babies.

I told you this one would be long...but I do have one more little snippet of news for you.  The tech said with about 90% certainty...Baby A is a girl, Baby B is a boy and Baby C {AKA Houdini} is another girl.   

My IP's are supper exited.
So that's all for now folks.  Let's all hope it's smooth sailing from here on out. 

Anyway, I hope everyone has a great Easter weekend.  :)

A Triple loop in the surrogacy roller coaster Part 1

Ok, this is going to be a long post so bare with me here.  I'm going to start at the very beginning...Hopefully it's not too confusing.  

So remember when I had a little scare?  Well I have a confession.  Two days after that ultrasound, when I landed in the ER,  I was told that I was carrying triplets.  This was such a complete and utter shock and we all {my IP's and hubby and I} agreed that it was a good idea to keep it quiet for the time being.  You never know what will happen and odds are not all three would stay with us. This news definitely explained a whole lot regarding the spotting/bleeding, but not quite what I was expecting to hear two days after being confirmed pregnant with twins.

Sooo we all {A, S, hubby and I} went down to LA a few days later for the 6 week ultrasound.  Dr. S {IVF doctor} confirmed that I was in fact carrying triplets and that all three had heartbeats.  One was a little smaller than the other two but looked pretty good also.  All I could say was Wow!  I was a bit overwhelmed but I had a feeling things would work out exactly how they were supposed to.

One of the biggest obstacles in our way was the surrogacy insurance.  It has a clause in there that cancels your policy if you are expecting more than twins.  This is HUGE!  There are so many unknowns with pregnancy in general but with triplets...you get the idea.  So we all came to decision to take it one day at a time and see where this crazy road would lead us.

Two weeks later, A and I went down to LA again to have our 8 week ultrasound.  Dr. S did his thing and quickly told us that it looked like Baby C had stopped growing and he could not find a heartbeat.  This was very bittersweet.  On one hand we knew that everything happens for a reason and that this would give Babies A and B a better chance.  On the other hand it was just sad.  Very bittersweet.  So as we left there I selfishly felt a sense of relief because I knew how hard it would be to carry three, but in seeing how much it had upset A I felt really sad too.  I knew I had done everything in my power to keep the babies safe, but as a surrogate, I also feel a certain sense of responsibility for this precious bundle I am carrying.  I am carrying someones hopes, dreams and future in my womb. 

Another two weeks went by and A and I went down to LA for another ultrasound with Dr. S.  This one was pretty uneventful and we were told that the twins looked great and were developing perfectly.  At the end of the ultrasound, almost as an after thought , A asked if Dr. S was going to check to see if Baby C was "absorbed".  The doc said there was no point...

  Insurance had been reinstated and my care transferred to a local OB.  So on we went with plans for the twins.

Oh, Happy Day!

I have finally had my first appointment with my local OB we will call her Dr. N.  First of all, let me just say that we clicked instantly.  I am very happy with my choice.  It was a little scary going off some random bio online, but I got lucky.

So no we get to the nitty grtitty...

Dr. N did an ultrasound and the babies are looking great!  They are wiggling and squirming and growing right on track.  One of them even had it's thumb in it's mouth...so cool!

I am still barely spotting, but she is not concerned.  My cervix is closed and there appears to be no active bleeding so she let me get off bed rest.  She told me to "Get on with your life."  YA-HOO!!!  You don't have to tell me twice!  I can not even begin to explain how thrilled I was to hear her point of view on this.  I love spring and watching it all go on from inside is no fun at all.

So of course, I'm not running marathons or anything, and I am still taking it easy, but hey, I can play with my kids more, volunteer in their class and even take a walk if I want to.  Maybe even do a little Spring Cleaning if I am inclined.  {Believe it or not, I have been itchin' to clean out some cabinets.} 

My belly is getting quite big.  I actually tried to squeeze through a space between the wall and the dinning room table the other day with my son standing there and I belly bumped his head up against the wall.  Yikes, sorry honey!  I didn't realize just how big it was getting. 

Anyway, overall a great week and I am feeling great and looking forward to getting out in the sunshine before it's summer and a billion degrees outside.