Little Mac

My goodness y'all! I can not believe it has been a whole month since the last time we got to check in on Little Mac!!! The clinic in LA took their sweet time getting my records sent over to my OB, despite my many calls and emails following up. Apparently the girl in charge of doing so completely dropped the ball and it took my IF emailing our coordinator to get then moving. Once they did fax them, they sent them not once, not twice, but THREE fricken times! I guess better to have them 3x then not get them at all 🤦‍♀️ In the meantime I was in limbo just hoping that my body was taking over appropriately after stopping meds at 10 weeks, but I was a ball of nerves not having confirmation for weeks. Leading up to this appointment had me feeling ALL the feels. I was anxious to see that cute little babe again. Hopeful that there would still be a heartbeat and that baby is growing perfectly. Nervous because I've recently had some fellow surrogates in a couple of support groups that I am a part of experience miscarriages between 12 and 18 weeks and just excited to share some new pictures and info with the guys. Whew! What a rollercoaster!!!

This morning Brynlee asked me on the way to school why I wasnt going into work today and I told her that I had a doctors appt to check on Little Mac. She instantly shouted that she wanted to go with me again since she LOVED seeing the baby when she got to come during Christmas break. I told her my appt was while she was at school and she instantly melted. Left this mama feeling so bad! I decided to stop by her school on my way to my appt and pick her up early. My appt was a later appt so she really wasnt missing a whole lot. 😉 Can I just tell you how good it felt to see her big beautiful smile walking up to me in the office. She knew I was there to get her and take her with me to my appt and she could not have been happier! The way this kiddo makes me feel as a mama is exactly why I wanted to be a surrogate. I desperately wanted to give this gift to a family. I wanted another couple to experience the love and excitement of being a parent and having such a wonderful little blessing to care for, love on and be so proud of. Ok, enough of the sappy stuff and onto what I know you all are really here to hear about 😉

LITTLE MAC!!!!

The little babe growing inside of me is doing just that...growing!!! He/She is right on track and getting bigger and bigger as each week goes on. We got to hear baby's strong heartbeat (154 bpm) and Brynlee's face while hearing it was priceless. She was in awe! I love that I can share this experience with her especially as she really understands what our family is doing for another family. My doctor was extremely pleased with how everything is going this far in the pregnancy. Little Mac was nice and chill today, just relaxing with his/her ankles crossed. It was the absolute cutest thing!!! Next step is all my routine bloodwork and then I go back in 1 month which just so happens to be when the guys will be here ❤ and when we will get to do the anatomy scan as well!

Little Macs spine and head!

This one looks a little skeleton like to me, but it is looking down at babies face...you can his/her skull and eye sockets and such! Can you see it? Crazy right?!?!

Everyone has been making their guesses on whether or not they think Mac is a girl or a boy. I think the majority vote is girl (including Ian, Kelsie and Brynlee), but I am still holding out hope for a boy 😆 We can find out with my upcoming bloodwork, but we have decided to get the doctor to put the bloodwork results in an envelope for now and then we will take a look at it after we find out what the ultrasound says in a month when we are all together and can find out and share in the excitement together! Hopefully when we check the envelope it confirms what the ultrasound tech says 😂😂😂

As of right now I am feeling really good. The little bit of nausea I was experiencing has completely subsided. I am getting over a terrible cold which wasn't fun while pregnant and limited on what you can take to beat it (gotta love kids bringing home all the germs)! Cravings are still the same...loving all fruits right now and have recently added in oatmeal and soups as must haves. Oh and best of all I am not feeling super bloated like past weeks. I told my coworker that I feel like my belly has deflated a little bit 😆 I feel my energy coming back a bit more lately and overall I can not complain!

Officially counting down the days until the daddies come and we get to share some time making memories with them and for them to join for some special appointments! ❤❤❤

Graduation!!!

It is a time for celebration!!! I am finished with all meds and have officially graduated from the fertility clinic and am now released to see my OB for the remainder of my surrogacy journey! Woot woot!!! 🎉🎉🎉

I started meds on October 25th and some days I felt like we would never see the end of injections. After 79 total injections, I can honestly say that my booty and husband are both grateful to see them as a thing of the past! Administering them became second nature. Every evening around 8:45pm we just knew that was what needed to occur. The girls liked to watch and hold my hand during them and have enjoyed sharing with random strangers that their daddy gives their mommy shots in her butt...gotta love kids! In all honesty though I just love how much the girls have embraced this journey right along with me and I love hearing them talk to and about little mac (as in macaron).

Yes, these are ALL 79 of our syringes from our journey 😉

Last Friday, I attended my last monitoring appt before "graduating" and Brynlee had the honor of joining me for the appt (thank you winter break for that opportunity). 🙂 The tech asked me if Brynlee knew why we were there and I explained that yes she did and that we have been very open with our kids about this journey. I then asked Bryn why we were there and she responded with "to see your baby in your belly." I asked if if the baby was mine and she said "no way! You are just caring for it right now until the guys can bring it home." I melted! She has been so open to this whole idea, so accepting and understanding. She cuddles up with me on the couch and holds my stomach and says "don't worry baby, I won't squish you." I love it! Anyway, back to the appt...I was 10 weeks and 1 day at my appt and baby was measuring 10 weeks and 3 days and his/her heartrate was a strong 164. Little mac has grown so much more in the last 2 weeks! He/she now has arm and leg buds and is about the size of a strawberry. Not to mention baby is already SUPER active. I was able to get some video for the guys to show them how much baby was moving all around. They laughed and said "Looks like we may have another Kelsie on our hands." At one point the tech turned the screen towards Bryn and pointed out all the baby's details to her and just as she finished up little mac raised its arm up as if he/she was waving hello and Bryn waved hello right back ❤ 

 Seriously?!?! How stinkin cute is little mac???

So far I have been feeling pretty good. A little nauseous especially first thing in the morning, but as long as I eat snacks and small meals more frequently to keep something in my stomach at all times I am ok. My biggest complaint (and I hate to even complain about this) is how bloated I have felt. Many surrogates in our support group say they have felt the same way and that it is very likely from the meds. Some days I feel like I look much further along then 10 weeks 😂😂😂 So if you see me around please just tell me I look great! 😂 As for cravings anything and everything fruity! I have been all about fruit smoothies, pineapple, bananas and skittles! If I had to take a guess I would say little mac is a girl, but at this point who knows...I could be way wrong. I typically am!!! Next step is to get the clinic to send all my records over to my OB and then schedule my next appt for approx 12 weeks. Then we start planning the guys visit here in March!!! How exciting!