6 Week Ultrasound

I had my first ultrasound (6 week ultrasound) on Monday and everything looked great.  There was one little baby in there and she could see a flicker of a heartbeat, it's still very early.  She also said that it looked like there was a small SCH but she didn't seem too concerned about it.  She said that's probably where my bleeding came from the other day and we would just have to watch it and make sure it goes away.  "A" was supposed to fly in on Monday morning to go to the appointment with me but since the U/S got moved up to Monday and he already had his flight scheduled for Thursday he wasn't able to make it.  He was on the phone with travelocity for 2.5 hours the other day but they wouldn't change his flight or give him a refund.  I was a little bummed that he didn't get to come but my mom and oldest daughter, Alyssa, came with me insead.  But then when we got there they said they don't allow kids back there :(  Luckily it was really quick and they gave me a picture to show them.  I go back again in 2 weeks for my 8 week ultrasound then 2 weeks after that for the 10 week ultrasound.  Can't wait to see how this little baby bean is growing but I can't wait for these first 10 weeks to be over with.  I hate the 1+ hour drive up to atlanta for my appointment.  I can't wait till I am free to go to my own doctor.

I have been having a really rough day today.  Alyssa has been in school for a month now (pre-k) and she still hates it.  Watching my baby fight back tears when I drop her off at school in the morning is almost more than I can take.  All these early pregnancy hormones aren't helping any.  I've been so upset all day and can't wait to go pick her up :'(

I think I've gotten off pretty easy so far with this pregnancy.  I have only had minimal nausea and have been pretty emotional and feel exhausted alot of the time.  I usually try to take a nap during the day when Zoe takes a nap and that definately helps me make it through the day without feeling like I'm about to turn all narcoleptic and pass out in the floor...lol.

21dp3dt

Ok, I've been totally sucking at blogging lately.  Life has been getting in the way.  Going from being a stay at home mom with nothing much I had to do during the day to having Alyssa in school and soccer practices and lots of dr. appointments is taking some getting used to.  I had my first beta on 8/15  at 12dp3dt and it was 133.  Then my second beta was on 8/17 at 14dp3dt and it was 290.  It more than doubled :)  Today I had my 3rd beta, I am 21dp3dt and it was 4023!  Yay!!!  I was shocked when I heard that number.  I was hoping for something over 2500 so I was extatic when I heard it was over 4000.  My first ultrasound is next week but I'm not sure exactly when yet.  I should know something tomorrow.  It was scheduled to be on the 1st but yesterday when I was at Alyssa's soccer practice I started cramping really bad and when I got home I realized I was bleeding so Kolb told me to rest and said he was going to move the U/S to the beginning of the week.  I freaked out a little at first but then I calmed down and wasn't too worried.  Of course noone wants to see blood during pregnancy but I know it's pretty common with IVF pregnancies and have talked to MANY of other surrogates who have had the same thing.  I'm sure there's probably something I am forgetting to update about but atleast I got the main stuff :)

It's POSITIVE!!!

Well, I've been testing like crazy the past week and 8dp3dt and 13 pregnancy tests later we finally got a BFP!  Yay!!!!  I was so relieved.  I know I felt pregnant but it's just a beautiful sight when you finally get that positive test.  Of course I had to take 2 more the next morning and will probably take one more tonight.  My beta is on Monday and I can't wait to see what my numbers are.  I'm hoping they are at least 100. 

Symptoms are still pretty much the same.  I've been having a little more nausea but it's usually not in the mornings it's as the day goes on.  And just been really tired so I usually try to take a nap during the day while the kids are napping.  Still having some cramping off and on during the day but nothing major.  Hopefully all this cramping means there's a lot of growing going on in there :)  I've also been super emotional and can't even watch a sad commercial without tearing up.

I sent the guys a text that night after I got the positive.  After testing for a week straight and not getting a positive I had decided to take a day off from testing on Thursday (day 8).  I had no idea how hard that was going to be and by that night I finally gave in and I'm so glad I did.  I was so excited I couldn't wait to tell the guys but since it was so late I didn't want to wake them either so I just sent "A" a text message and figured he'd see it the next morning.  As "I" was about to walk out the door to go to work the next morning he saw that "A's" phone had a text message and decided to check it before he left ("A" was still in bed).  He read the text and started screaming.  Then "A" woke up real quick not knowing what was going on, thinking they had been robbed or something and was asking "I" what was wrong.  "I" threw him the phone and told him to read it and started jumping up and down.  They were so excited.  I talked to them a little later and you could just hear the excitement in their voices.  The first thing "I" said after seeing the text was, "OMG!!!!  Are you serious???!!!  Can you send a pic of the stick!!! :) :) :)"  So far they have only told their immediate family and 2 best friends and are waiting until after the first trimester to tell everyone else.  "I" said everyone they have told is thrilled.  His mom screamed with joy, Adrian's sister cried and "I's" dad had already called him 15 times by lunch...LOL.  I love to hear about everyone's reactions.  It makes me so happy to hear that they are all as excited as I am and it reminds me that this isn't just about making "I and A" dads it's about the whole family, grandparents, aunts, uncles and all the people who are going to be there to love and help take care of this baby(ies) and I am so happy that I am able to be a part of that.

POAS

As of this morning I am 7dp3dt and still haven't gotten a positive pregnancy test.  It sucks b/c of course you want to see that beautiful positive test, no matter how faint it is.  I just keep trying to remind myself that it's still early and we have plenty of time for a positive.  But I'm convinced all my pregnancy tests must be broken.  I had 14 when I started this and now I'm down to 3.  Probably going to buy another pack or two tonight so we'll see what the next couple of days bring.  My beta is Monday morning and I can't wait to get it over with and find out what my numbers are.

In other news, my oldest daughter, Alyssa, started Pre-K on Monday.  She's been so excited about starting school and did great when I dropped her off on Monday.  Then when she came home she kept telling me how much she missed me.  She was fine on Tuesday when I took her to school until I told her bye.  Then she busted out crying and was grabbing onto me not wanting to let go.  We had to pry her off and she was very upset and crying.  Then this morning she was upset all morning and saying that she didn't like school and didn't want to go.  And again we had to pry her away from me so I could leave.  That is killing me, it's absolute torture.  I'm not sure how much more I can take and all these stupid hormones aren't helping.  I've been a complete mess all week.  Plus when we leave Alyssa there crying Zoe will start crying for Alyssa to, either when we leave or after we get home :'(  The thought of home school has popped into my head more than a few times the past few days, especially since Pre-K isn't mandatory.  Then I just worry that the same thing will happen next year too and I don't think I have the patience to home school indefinitely. 

I'm REALLY hoping next week will be better (starting with my beta on Monday :)

Transfer!!!

Well, I flew out to L.A. on Tuesday and hopped a cab to my hotel in Pasadena, the Westin hotel.  The next morning was transfer day.  "A" and I walked down to Jamba Juice before our appointment for a quick "breakfast".  After sitting in the waiting room for a few minutes they called me back and got me set up in the room on the table.  I had one of the paper drapes over me and a big warm blanket on top of that.  After sitting there for a few minutes they finally had "A" come in.  They had a chair in there for him to sit in and it was over by my head and when he came in he scooted it back as far as he could...LOL.  I thought that was funny :)  And he was asking me if I was ok with him being in there...LOL.  So we signed some papers and got ready to do the transfer.  The did pretty good keeping me covered the whole time (from what I could tell :) so hopefully "A" didn't get too much of an eye full.  When Dr. Kolb started the procedure he turned off the lights and they did an ultrasound at the same time as they were doing the transfer so you could see it going in.  After that I had to lay on the table for about 10 minutes before I could get up and go to the bathroom (did I mention all this had to be done with a full bladder?).  While I was on the table "A" kept asking me if I was ok and if it hurt.  Then he stepped out to call "I" and his mom and everyone and let them know how it went.  It was so funny b/c "A" was so happy and excited and couldn't stop smiling and telling me "Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!"  It was very cute :)  Then we both went back to our hotel room for about an hour so that I could lay down since I had to be on bed rest the rest of the day and "A" needed to get himself calmed down...LOL!  After that it was time for lunch and he told me to just lay there and stay in bed and he would go get whatever I wanted.  He ended up running down to PF Changs and bringing back Chinese food.  It was very good.  And we watched a movie.  Later on he went to the California Pizza Kitchen to get me some pasta for dinner, which was delicious and we just hung out and talked for at least 2 hours.  It was a very nice end to the day.  Then before I flew back home the next morning we walked down to Marston's Restaurant and had a very nice breakfast out on the patio.  It was a great couple of days (except having to be on bed rest) and I loved getting to hang out with "A" some more.  I sure hope this works on the first try b/c I am going to feel awful if it doesn't.  I know that besides taking all the meds like I'm supposed to there's really nothing else I can do but I don't think that will make me fell any better.  I've been having a little bit of cramping off and on and a couple of bouts of nausea since the night after the transfer (not sure if that's from the meds or the embies) so hopefully that's a good thing and these embies are busy getting snuggled in good.  I go back to the doctor on the 15th to have the big pregnancy test done.  I'm hoping for high numbers.  I will probably start taking pregnancy tests way before then so I will let you know how it goes.  I will try to hold out on POAS until Monday but we'll see how that goes :)  Monday I will be 5dp3dt and that is really early to get a positive but it doesn't hurt to try.  They say practice makes perfect :) 

Now onto the good stuff...pictures :)

This is the lobby of the hotel.

These are "A's" embryos.  They used the bottom one.

These are "I's" embryos.  They used one of the 4 across the top, not sure which one though.

The big black blob on the top is my bladder and the smaller grey blob under that is my uterus and the white line in the middle of my uterus is where they put the embryos.  Think sticky thoughts :)

This is me and "A" the morning after transfer before I had to go home.  ("I" had to work and couldn't come)

Oh and I forgot to mention that I got to skype with the kids every night before they went to bed and Alyssa was very ready for me to come home.  The night after the transfer when we were skyping she said, "Did you get a baby put in your belly?  Are you all done?  Can you come home now?"  Thursday she had her open house and Tommy had to take her for me and when they left he took the kids to McDonalds and Alyssa was telling some random lady up there that, "Mommy had babies put in her belly."  And of course the lady was telling Tommy congratulations and all that stuff and he didn't really know what to say and Alyssa was trying to tell her everything.  I wish I could have seen the look on Tommy's face as he tried to change the subject and get Alyssa to be quiet...LOL.  Alyssa was very happy to see me this morning and came in and gave me a big hug and told me she missed me and loves me (so sweet :')  Earlier today Zoe was trying to climb on me and Alyssa told her that she can't climb on me b/c I've got a baby in my belly and she asked me if they are girl or boy babies...LOL!  Kids are so cute :) 

Leavin' on a Jet Plane

Tomorrow I will be "leavin' on a jet plane".  Woohoo!!!  Talked to my IFs yesterday and found out that they were able to get 20 eggs during the egg retrieval.  The RE said 8 - 11 is average!  And today we found out that 9 of those fertilized.  YAY!!!  I am so hoping this works on the first try but, just in case, they are going to freeze the rest of the eggs (assuming they make it).  And if we don't end up needing them they mentioned keeping them to possibly try a future sibling :D  I am so freaking excited I don't know how I'm going to sleep tonight.  I haven't had much spotting just a tiny bit every once in a while.  I am dying to know how my lining looks and if it has thickened up any.  Can't wait to see A again.  I'm sure he's just as excited as I am.  I've got my toes painted green for good luck so it has to work!  Right!  Can't believe in less than 2 days I am going to be pregnant!!!  Hopefully with twins :))  Wish me luck.  I'll update when I get back and hopefully have lots of pictures.