Uno

3D Ultrasound of 7 week 3 day Baby



One Baby!

We played a game of hide-and-seek and found one tiny little heartbeat that nearly took all of our breath away.  My uterus was searched from side to side and up and down to make sure that there wasn't another little nugget hiding somewhere.  Here she is (I've just decided that I think it's a girl and will call her a she from now until we know for sure).  She's got a strong heart rate of 159 beats per minute, and we're already able to see arm buds.  We even got to see a 3D ultrasound!  The tech was thrilled with the photo she got, she said it was the best one she's taken ever of a babe this young (see top photo).  She was actually showing it off to her co-workers before giving it to us.

The ultrasound appointment went by in a blink of an eye.  I think we all wanted to stare at the screen forever, or at least another hour.  I don't understand how we wait for all of these BIG appointment only to find out that they take just a minute or two.  It sometimes feels like we have waited forever for these moments to arrive and I just want to hold my breath and let it last for a little while.

I can't speak for my IP's, but I'm pretty sure that I was the only one who shed a silent tear during the ultrasound.  Learning that I'm going to be carrying a singleton pregnancy was a huge sense of relief for me.  I woke up at 3:30 the morning of the appointment scared out of my mind that there were two babies in there.  The goal was to get one healthy baby out of this journey, and it looks like we're on a path to success!

Most of you are aware that my IP's want two kids.  They would have loved to have gotten a BOGO, but they said they didn't feel a sense of loss and that there is a little bit of relief on their part.  It would have been fun to have twins, but this way they'll get to experience everything twice.  It sounds like they especially would have wanted twins if I wouldn't do this again for them.  So long as I stay healthy and can carry again, Ben agrees, I get Zofran from the start, and we transfer only one embryo (wink wink), then I'll probably do a sibling project.  The connection a surrogate has with her IP's is pretty much indescribable!  I want nothing more than to see their little family complete.  Plus, we all think that if they have another surrogate it would feel like the were cheating on me.  Ben's first comment after meeting our couple was, "If you do this twice...I hope it's for them!"  I sure do have the best husband!!!

After the ultrasound I meet my IP's in the waiting room and we all just sat there for at least a half an hour.  We all sent text messages to our loved ones.  I loved being a part of this magical moment with my IP's.  Watching them stare at the ultrasound pictures and listening to their conversation about their baby was a moment I'll never forget.  This was the moment that it all became real for them.  We all wondered when it would sink in (for my IP's...I've been vomiting and feeling how real it is for many weeks), and we discovered that was moment it would become "real".  I've been getting messages from both my IP's that they can't concentrate at work and they stare at the photos for fifteen minutes at a time.  That makes me smile  :)   

My IP's arrived a couple hours earlier than the ultrasound to have an appointment with an OB.  I've been really sick and having a hard time eating anything.  I've decided that I'm not going to be weighing myself during the pregnancy, other than at the doctor and I cheated today, only because I'm loosing weight.  When I got to the doctor on Tuesday I was down seven pounds and I'm down by ten today.  It's not the ideal way or time to loose weight.  I have been feeling terrible up until this week when I was finally able to get on Zofran.  I had a couple days this week where I was able to eat a normal portion of food and not throw up.  The Zofran has helped tremendously with the nausea, but I'm struggling with this food issue.  It seems like when I think about eating I want to throw up.  Things that I was craving the last couple weeks make me want vomit if I think about them.  Bland foods seem to do the trick, and I still can't eat anything that's sweet!

Speaking of Zofran, I've decided that the founders of the drug should win a Nobel Peace Prize.  Seriously, they have touched so many lives and made the world a much more peaceful place.  I think that anyone who has used this medication would totally agree!  I actually feel like I'm a human again.

During my pregnancies with our kids I craved normal things like: pickles, ice cream, pizza, s'mores, and beer...ok, maybe not normal?!?!  This week has been the week of cheese.  I can only seem to eat grilled cheese sandwiches and homemade mac n' cheese.  I'm lucky if I can get a child's size portion in me at once.  I seem to be able to take a few bites and hand the food off to our hungry little kids.  Tonight I made homemade pizza and could only eat once bite.  George was happy to gobble up the rest of the pizza to fill up his tummy.  I'll just keep trying...

 

I was going to say peace out, but maybe I'll say...

 

ZOFRAN OUT!